He Supples All Our Needs

 Philippians 4:19
 But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
What is it that you need? We are three dimensional beings, we have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We need food to keep our bodies functional and healthy, shelter to keep up safe from the elements of nature. Emotionally, we have needs of belonging and connecting with others. But our greatest need is our spiritual needs. We all were born with a void in our heart that desires to be one with our Creator. This need was provided to us by Christ. He is our all in all. He is all we need. Our physical and emotional needs can be found when we make Him first in our lives. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (needs) shall be added unto you.” According to His will, for He knows what is best for us. He did not say that He would grant our every wish or desire. Set our affections on things above, and not on things below. The things below are corruptible, they are temporary and fade away. But the things above are eternal, lasting forever. Examine our needs in light of His will, submitting our lives daily to the one who created us.

His Love Never Fails

 Lamentations 3:22-23
 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness
God’s Love never fails. He is faithful to love us regardless how often we have failed Him. He is faithful to call us back into the light of His presence. He will not give up on us, His faithfulness reaches out to us even when we turn away from Him. Like the prodigal son, we may decide to go our own way and waste our life with the pleasures of sin. But, the Father waits faithfully for the son to return. He never stops loving His son, and with open arms is ready to embrace the return of His son. It is not too late to return to the Father. As long as we have breath, His judgment stays. His mercy continues to extend to everyone who will turn from their own ways and turn to Him confessing their need. We, like sheep, have gone astray, and have turned to our own ways. Great is His faithfulness to love us unconditionally.

Real Happiness

  Philippians 4:11
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
The question is often asked, “Are you happy?” the dictionary defines happiness; “Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment.” People seek happiness by gathering things, material possessions. Some seek happiness in emotional or freshly gratifications.  They may also seek happiness in connecting with others, a meaningful relationship. What does it mean to be truly content with life or your circumstances? Paul acknowledged his desire for earthly things, want of food, water, shelter, and connecting with people, but he realized that there are times that these things are out of reach. Ultimately, contentment is a choice, a learning process to focus on God’s desire. Submitting your life and life’s circumstances into the hands of God. Having the Peace of God in the storms of life, knowing that God is in control, and He cares when life throws you a curveball.  Seeking happiness is not the goal of life, seeking God’s will, trusting and obeying His voice will bring real contentment. It is not wrong to desire what God has created and find pleasure in the desires that God has put in our hearts. Doing good for others, caring for each other, and being loved by others brings contentment, but lasting joy and contentment comes only by knowing God and being loved by Him.

Walk in Light & Darkness

 1 John 1:6,7
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth: But if we walk in the light…
Do born again believers still sin? This is one of the divides between Calvinist and Wesleyan teachings. Books have been written for centuries on this topic. Greater minds than myself on both sides of this topic have exhausted its depth. The scripture given to us in this passage does appear that it is possible for a Christian to sin. The real question is, are Christians able to live a life without sinning? Calvintist will say that because we are born with the nature of sin, we will always sin in thought, word, or deed because we are human and not perfect. Wesleyan teaches that the work of entire sanctification, will change the natural bent to sin to a bent to live holy. That as long as we walk in the light, keep our eyes on Jesus, that we can avoid walking in darkness. The secret is to stay in the light. When we allow the temptations of the devil to deviate us from walking in the light, we find ourselves walking in darkness. It is not God’s will that we walk in darkness. It is possible to stray from the truth, but God does not give up on us. He said if we acknowledge that we have sinned, and strayed from the light, He is faithful, He is merciful, He is a God that forgives when we come to Him in broken and contrite spirit. If we willfully remain to walk in darkness, and continue in our sin, we have broken fellowship with the Father, and we are living a lie. Making mistakes due to our humanity is not sin. We still need to ask God for grace and even forgiveness when such actions are brought to our attention by the Holy Spirit. That is walking in the light.

He Knocks at your Door

 Rev. 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The iconic visual of Jesus knocking on the door has been illustrated by hundreds of artists through the centuries.  A simple Google search will show that in almost every picture there is no door handle on the door. The knock is soft and gentle. I can imagine Jesus speaks as He knocks, “Hello, anyone home? Can you hear my voice? Can I come in? I would love to sit down with you, have fellowship with you and dine.” We live in a culture that once feared and regarded God’s word, but now, Jesus is put on the shelf and treated as a relic of the past. Self sufficiency and self reliance is the mantra of humanistic thinking. “You don’t need God's help, you can do it!” Positive thinking is a good mind set, but outside of God it is vain. Jesus knocks, and desires to be the center of your life,  the hope that keeps you going and believing that all things will work together for good.  He is knocking at the heart of your door, wanting to have communion with you. Only you can let Him in, He will not enter uninvited. Don’t allow the worldly things of this world to crowd out the voice of Jesus. Listen, and open the door, and break bread with the one who loves you.

Form of Godliness

 2 Tim 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Being religious is a good thing. It implies that you have traditions and rituals that are important to you.There are many religions in the world that have a point of view about God, and who He is. Christianity also is a religion that people down through the centuries have made it their tenant of faith. The problem with just having religion is that it can become just a form of godliness. Like the Pharisee, Jesus said, “ …ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Mat. 23:27). Paul writes to Timothy to warn him about people who are calling themselves followers of Jesus, yet live lives that are unholy and corrupt. He gives a big list of things that they are doing that are not consistent with holy living. He says, they resist the truth and have become reprobate concerning the faith. Men who once knew the Way have turned to their selfish desires and have made mockery of the faith. They worship, and may even name the Name of Jesus, but their hearts are far from him. The warning is given to us, to always worship God in Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit living in our lives that turns religion into a relationship. The song writer pens, “The power, the power, gives victory over sin, the purity within…”

Holy Spirit Departed

 1Sam. 16:14
But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man..” (Gen. 6:3). These are the words spoken by God when the earth became corrupted and filled with evil and wickedness. On that day, He sent a flood and the people that dwelled on earth were destroyed, save Noah and his family. Sin is a wedge that separates us from God. Rebellion and unbelief breaks the heart of God. I don’t know if crossing the line of no return is possible, but it appears that Saul came to a point in his life that He turned his back on God and an evil spirit was sent to torment his soul. His conscience had been seared, incentive to the moving of God. It is dangerous to reject the Holy Spirit when he moves on your heart. Only God knows when someone has reached a point of unforgiveness. Scripture does indicate that there is such a state. I do thank God, that we live in the dispensation of grace and mercy. God is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance. I like to believe that as long as we have breath and a sound mind that there is hope for anyone who wants God regardless of the life they have lived. Even to the very end, like the dying thief on the cross, the words of hope can still be heard. “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”

The Children of Light

 1 Thess. 5:5,6
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
We are either children of light or darkness. Being a child of darkness implies that we have yet to walk in the light. It is not God’s will that we live in darkness. He desires that all obtain salvation through Christ, who is the light. Those who live in darkness cannot see the thief that comes in the night. Like the drunk who drinks at night, their minds are lucid and cannot think straight. The children of light are sober, watchful, and mindful of the deceptions of Satan. Stay in the light, live in the day so you may be able to detect the enemy of your soul. Put on the armor and pick up the sword of the word to stand against the evil works of today. He has promised that if we stay in the light we will live with Him forever who died for us. Don’t give in to the devil! Jesus is able to keep us until the day of His return if we remain children of light. 

Be Strong and Good Courage

 Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go.

Joshua was given a great responsibility. He was asked to fill some pretty big shoes. Moses, a man chosen by God to bring Israel out of Egypt just died, and mourning of his death has come to an end. But, God was not done bringing a full deliverance to Israel. Joshua, a warrior, no stranger to battle was now in charge. His marching orders were to conquer the land before him. For such a time as this, Joshua was God’s vessel, the man He would work through to accomplish His will. Like Joshua, God has a work for each one of us to fill, it may seem difficult and impossible, but He has not left us to do it alone. He encourages us to be strong, don’t be discouraged, and fear what others may do or say. If God has spoken to your heart, He has promised to be with you. Obey the voice of God, step out in faith and believe that “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (Eph 3;20). Be strong and of good courage, we serve a mighty God who will not leave us or forsake us.

Reconcilation

 Romans 5:10
 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Basic Bible doctrine of the purpose of Jesus coming to earth, Why the Son of God was sent to walk the dusty roads of His own creation. Man’s disobedience caused him to fall away from a holy relationship with his Creator. All humans born into this world are born with the nature of sin in their heart, yet God left within man a desire to have fellowship with his creator. This is the struggle of good and evil. There is no amount of good that man can do to erase the evil (Sin) in the heart of man. To regain our relationship with our Creator and be reconciled, Christ had to die, pay the supreme sacrifice. We are made clean through the shed blood of Christ and now can come boldly to the throne of God. Reconciliation did not stop with his death, Jesus rose again from the grave that we could be saved by His life. Because He lives, we also can live a life that is holy and blameless without sin. I write nothing profound, I write the truth of God’s word, and I choose to believe it. Thanks be to God!

Think on His Word

 Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The scripture in the days of King David consists of the Torah, the first 5 books of the Bible in the Old Testament. It is regarded as the Law of the Lord. The writing of Moses, the inscriptions of the Ten Commandment, the statues that God required from His people. It is also filled with God’s promises to His people. If they would keep His law, He would be with them and would not forsake them. The man, woman, or child that made the Law of the Lord the focus and centrality of their lives was blessed by God. “Blessed is the man...” The Psalmist writes that this person will be like a tree planted by water, his life will be fruitful and prosperous. We now have the whole counsel of God given to us by holy men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The message of full salvation, abounding love and grace. We delight in His word, we take the time not only to read His word, but apply the word to our hearts. Take time to think on the teachings of Jesus, muse yourself in His word, hide it in your heart to help you live right and godly in this present world.