"O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him." Psalm 34:9
Do you often wonder why you are in want and need? Sometimes it's because you don't fear the Lord. To fear Him means to worship Him, to reverence Him. And this is done by giving Him His rightful place in your life. You show the fear of the Lord by obeying His commandments, by giving Him honor, by putting Him in first place in your life, by not being negligent and taking Him lightly or for granted.
How is it that you can stay out of His house, not give tithes or offerings, not read your Bible, pray only when you have a serious need, acknowledge Him only when you are in trouble, put your own pleasure above His will and expect Him to run to your beck and call for help any and every time you finally look to Him. He is a loving, forgiving and compassionate God, but it doesn't work like that. You can't just go to Him only in times of trouble and expect Him to move heaven on your behalf.
The New Testament counterpart of this verse reads, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) There is something that we must do. There is an attitude that we must possess- one of holy fear, which places God in first place.
As I read this verse, I could almost hear a plea to fear the Lord. That's because it's God's desire to meet and supply your every need- even before you ask. And as you walk in the fear of the Lord, there will be some things that you won't have to pray for or about, the answer will be there already... because there is no want to them that fear Him.
Have a great day. As we walk and live in the fear of the Lord there is no lack- we have all we need.
For further reading:
1 Samuel 12:24
Psalm 115:11
1 Chronicals 16:11
2 Chronicals 26:5
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
"He Rules"
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
"And the government shall be upon his shoulder." Some of you may feel that this is a "political" message this morning- that is between you and God because it isn't. The Lord impressed me to send this because so many of His people are becoming discouraged by what they see happening in the government. Our politicians seem to be taking us further and further away from Godly principals. They are making unwise decisions, evil laws are being established, heavy burdens are being placed upon the people, they boast of having the answers while none of them do. And if you think I am talking about America only.. think again. This is happening on a world-wide level throughout the governments of all the nations.
I am to remind you this morning- my brothers and sisters here in this country and abroad- that the "government is upon Jesus' shoulders". I am to remind you that God is still in control. He is still watching over the affairs of men. All power in heaven and earth still belongs to Him. He always has been and always will be the first and final authority. He still rules the nations. He has not abdicated the throne- He still sits upon it looking upon every nation, every tongue, every tribe and every kindred of the world.
It is easy to be discouraged when you see and hear things that are not right. It's easy when you know things are going in the wrong direction and you feel helpless and powerless to do anything about it. But the bottom line is this: it is not wrong to keep up with what is going on in the world, but in doing so you must keep your focus on Jesus. You must put your trust and hope in Him, and Him alone. You are to keep looking to Him, not to men, not to a political system, not to a government, not to the promises of men. Remember who HE is! Remember that He had Pharaoh, King Darius, King Nebuchadnezzar and all the kings we read about in the Bible in His hand. They thought they were in charge and control, but they weren't, He was... and He still is. So be encouraged and keep your heart and mind fixed and stayed on Him.
Have a great day. God has never abdicated His role as King of kings and Lord of lords... He is always in control even when it doesn't look like it.
For further reading:
Isaiah 9:7
Daniel 2:20-23, 37; 5:21
Matthew 28:18
Revelation 17:14; 19:16
"And the government shall be upon his shoulder." Some of you may feel that this is a "political" message this morning- that is between you and God because it isn't. The Lord impressed me to send this because so many of His people are becoming discouraged by what they see happening in the government. Our politicians seem to be taking us further and further away from Godly principals. They are making unwise decisions, evil laws are being established, heavy burdens are being placed upon the people, they boast of having the answers while none of them do. And if you think I am talking about America only.. think again. This is happening on a world-wide level throughout the governments of all the nations.
I am to remind you this morning- my brothers and sisters here in this country and abroad- that the "government is upon Jesus' shoulders". I am to remind you that God is still in control. He is still watching over the affairs of men. All power in heaven and earth still belongs to Him. He always has been and always will be the first and final authority. He still rules the nations. He has not abdicated the throne- He still sits upon it looking upon every nation, every tongue, every tribe and every kindred of the world.
It is easy to be discouraged when you see and hear things that are not right. It's easy when you know things are going in the wrong direction and you feel helpless and powerless to do anything about it. But the bottom line is this: it is not wrong to keep up with what is going on in the world, but in doing so you must keep your focus on Jesus. You must put your trust and hope in Him, and Him alone. You are to keep looking to Him, not to men, not to a political system, not to a government, not to the promises of men. Remember who HE is! Remember that He had Pharaoh, King Darius, King Nebuchadnezzar and all the kings we read about in the Bible in His hand. They thought they were in charge and control, but they weren't, He was... and He still is. So be encouraged and keep your heart and mind fixed and stayed on Him.
Have a great day. God has never abdicated His role as King of kings and Lord of lords... He is always in control even when it doesn't look like it.
For further reading:
Isaiah 9:7
Daniel 2:20-23, 37; 5:21
Matthew 28:18
Revelation 17:14; 19:16
Monday, September 28, 2009
"Leeks And Garlic"
"We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick." Numbers 11:5
The Lord miraculously delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and was going to take them into the land of Canaan- a land that He had promised to give them. During their journey they began to murmur and complain. They wanted to go back to Egypt with its leeks and garlic. Can you imagine, God wanted to give them milk and honey and they wanted onions and garlic!
Aren't we often the same way? God is trying to give us something so much better than we have and we keep wanting to hold on to the lesser instead. Why is that? Look back at Israel. In order to get to the milk and honey, they had to move, they had to get away from their familiar surroundings, they had to cross the desert, they had to go through a wilderness, they had to face some heat. When the Lord is trying to get something to us, He doesn't always just "drop it in our laps". Sometimes we have to make a move. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zones. Sometimes it means going through a desert, through a wilderness or even through a dry place. And because getting the good thing (the milk and honey) that the Lord wants us to have comes at a price, we would rather settle for what we have (leeks and garlic) than pay it.
Whatever you have to go through in order to receive God's will for you will be well worth it in the end like we talked about last week. The problem is not on God's end. He wants to bless you. He wants you in His will. He wants to give you good and perfect gifts. He wants to take you from glory to glory. The problem is with us when receiving involves some sort of sacrifice, self denial or commitment on our part. That being the case we have to ask ourselves, "Do I really want to settle for the "leeks and garlic"? Or do I want to receive all that God desires to give me, even if it cost something on my part?"
Have a great day. Is God trying to give you milk and honey but you are still wanting onions and garlic because you don't want to go through what it takes to get the milk and honey?
For further reading:
2 Corinthians 3:18
Acts 14:22
Isaiah 1:19
Luke 4:1,14
The Lord miraculously delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and was going to take them into the land of Canaan- a land that He had promised to give them. During their journey they began to murmur and complain. They wanted to go back to Egypt with its leeks and garlic. Can you imagine, God wanted to give them milk and honey and they wanted onions and garlic!
Aren't we often the same way? God is trying to give us something so much better than we have and we keep wanting to hold on to the lesser instead. Why is that? Look back at Israel. In order to get to the milk and honey, they had to move, they had to get away from their familiar surroundings, they had to cross the desert, they had to go through a wilderness, they had to face some heat. When the Lord is trying to get something to us, He doesn't always just "drop it in our laps". Sometimes we have to make a move. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zones. Sometimes it means going through a desert, through a wilderness or even through a dry place. And because getting the good thing (the milk and honey) that the Lord wants us to have comes at a price, we would rather settle for what we have (leeks and garlic) than pay it.
Whatever you have to go through in order to receive God's will for you will be well worth it in the end like we talked about last week. The problem is not on God's end. He wants to bless you. He wants you in His will. He wants to give you good and perfect gifts. He wants to take you from glory to glory. The problem is with us when receiving involves some sort of sacrifice, self denial or commitment on our part. That being the case we have to ask ourselves, "Do I really want to settle for the "leeks and garlic"? Or do I want to receive all that God desires to give me, even if it cost something on my part?"
Have a great day. Is God trying to give you milk and honey but you are still wanting onions and garlic because you don't want to go through what it takes to get the milk and honey?
For further reading:
2 Corinthians 3:18
Acts 14:22
Isaiah 1:19
Luke 4:1,14
Friday, September 25, 2009
"Be It Unto Me- Part 3"
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18
So many people come to Christ, or make a profession of faith in Him, based on the assumption that when they do their life is going to be perfect from then on. They think that they aren't going to have any more problems. They come so that they can receive the blessings, prosperity and good things that they are told about. They come thinking He is some sort of "Santa Claus" that will give them their every wish or grant their every desire. It doesn't take them long to discover that this is not the way it is.
Jesus never promised us "easy". On the contrary we were promised afflictions, suffering for His name's sake, a cross, tribulation. It's a life of self denial and self sacrifice. It's a life that gives up its rights to follow another. I involves persecution, rejection, obedience.
We don't come to Christ hoping to have a life of ease and deliverance from all our problems. We come to Christ because we are sinners in need of a Savior. Without a Savior we are lost. Without a Savior we will receive the wages of sin which is death. We come to Christ because He is the Savior, the only one who can take away our sins. We come to Him because He is the only one who can reconcile us to the Father and put away the enmity that is between us. He is the only one who can cause the Father to accept us, and that came through His shed blood at the cross.
If we come to Him for the right reason- which is, I am a sinner who needs a Savior and He is the only one who can take away my sins- then so what if my life is not one of ease. So what if following Him doesn't lead me to a feathery bed of comfort. So what if trials come my way. That is not my focus. My focus is the end result. The end result of my life will be that I have eternal life. So whatever I may have to endure for Christ will be worth it because of the joy of knowing that when I leave this earth I will forever be with the Lord. It's like the old hymn says, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race, 'til we see Christ."
Have a great day. Following Christ often leads to suffering, but the end result is eternal life.
For further reading:
Ephesians 2:16
Pslam 34:19
Matthew 10:24,25
John 16:33
Matthew 16:24
Romans 6:23
So many people come to Christ, or make a profession of faith in Him, based on the assumption that when they do their life is going to be perfect from then on. They think that they aren't going to have any more problems. They come so that they can receive the blessings, prosperity and good things that they are told about. They come thinking He is some sort of "Santa Claus" that will give them their every wish or grant their every desire. It doesn't take them long to discover that this is not the way it is.
Jesus never promised us "easy". On the contrary we were promised afflictions, suffering for His name's sake, a cross, tribulation. It's a life of self denial and self sacrifice. It's a life that gives up its rights to follow another. I involves persecution, rejection, obedience.
We don't come to Christ hoping to have a life of ease and deliverance from all our problems. We come to Christ because we are sinners in need of a Savior. Without a Savior we are lost. Without a Savior we will receive the wages of sin which is death. We come to Christ because He is the Savior, the only one who can take away our sins. We come to Him because He is the only one who can reconcile us to the Father and put away the enmity that is between us. He is the only one who can cause the Father to accept us, and that came through His shed blood at the cross.
If we come to Him for the right reason- which is, I am a sinner who needs a Savior and He is the only one who can take away my sins- then so what if my life is not one of ease. So what if following Him doesn't lead me to a feathery bed of comfort. So what if trials come my way. That is not my focus. My focus is the end result. The end result of my life will be that I have eternal life. So whatever I may have to endure for Christ will be worth it because of the joy of knowing that when I leave this earth I will forever be with the Lord. It's like the old hymn says, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race, 'til we see Christ."
Have a great day. Following Christ often leads to suffering, but the end result is eternal life.
For further reading:
Ephesians 2:16
Pslam 34:19
Matthew 10:24,25
John 16:33
Matthew 16:24
Romans 6:23
Thursday, September 24, 2009
"Be It Unto Me- Part 2"
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Luke 22:42
I wonder why we think that surrendering to the will of God will not cause pain or suffering- like we talked about yesterday. As a matter of fact, when we do surrender to the will of the Lord and "bad" things begin to happen to us, we have a tendency to question if we truly heard from the Lord or did we "miss" it. Some even get angry with the Lord because they thought that just because they submitted to His will nothing bad could come their way. On the contrary, the opposite is often true.
Look at submission to the will of God in Jesus' life. Submitting to the will of the Father caused Him the greatest pain and suffering that anyone has ever endured. When Jesus said yes in the Garden to the will of the Lord- nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done-, it brought about suffering. He was taken by an angry mob, given a mock trial, beaten unmercifully, rejected by His disciples, condemned by the religious crowd, nailed to a cross, hung before the world in open shame.
But that is not the end of the story. When the end of His suffering came, when the will of the Lord was completed in His life, it opened up the door of opportunity for you and me to be able to be saved. It made the way so that we could live with Him forever in His Father's house. This is why He surrendered to the will of the Lord. This is why He said nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. This is why He was willing to go through the suffering, pain and agony. He knew His suffering was not in vain. He saw us in His kingdom living with Him forever and forever. This is what made His joy full. And the joy of knowing that we would be able to be with Him throughout all eternity far outweighed the suffering.
When we say the same thing, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done", it's not what we might have to go through that we need to focus on, it's the end result that we need to keep in view. For Jesus the end result of surrendering to the will of the Father was greater than the suffering He would endure. The same was true for Mary, and the same will be true for us.
Have a great day. Often there is suffering attached to the will of God, but so is joy.
For further reading:
Hebrews 12:2-4
Psalm 30:5
Hebrews 5:8,9
2 Corinthians 4:17
I wonder why we think that surrendering to the will of God will not cause pain or suffering- like we talked about yesterday. As a matter of fact, when we do surrender to the will of the Lord and "bad" things begin to happen to us, we have a tendency to question if we truly heard from the Lord or did we "miss" it. Some even get angry with the Lord because they thought that just because they submitted to His will nothing bad could come their way. On the contrary, the opposite is often true.
Look at submission to the will of God in Jesus' life. Submitting to the will of the Father caused Him the greatest pain and suffering that anyone has ever endured. When Jesus said yes in the Garden to the will of the Lord- nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done-, it brought about suffering. He was taken by an angry mob, given a mock trial, beaten unmercifully, rejected by His disciples, condemned by the religious crowd, nailed to a cross, hung before the world in open shame.
But that is not the end of the story. When the end of His suffering came, when the will of the Lord was completed in His life, it opened up the door of opportunity for you and me to be able to be saved. It made the way so that we could live with Him forever in His Father's house. This is why He surrendered to the will of the Lord. This is why He said nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. This is why He was willing to go through the suffering, pain and agony. He knew His suffering was not in vain. He saw us in His kingdom living with Him forever and forever. This is what made His joy full. And the joy of knowing that we would be able to be with Him throughout all eternity far outweighed the suffering.
When we say the same thing, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done", it's not what we might have to go through that we need to focus on, it's the end result that we need to keep in view. For Jesus the end result of surrendering to the will of the Father was greater than the suffering He would endure. The same was true for Mary, and the same will be true for us.
Have a great day. Often there is suffering attached to the will of God, but so is joy.
For further reading:
Hebrews 12:2-4
Psalm 30:5
Hebrews 5:8,9
2 Corinthians 4:17
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Be It Unto Me"
"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." Luke 1:38
When we say yes to the will of the Lord, we may not always understand His will- the how, what, why. Mary didn't- "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (verse 34).
When we say yes to the will of the Lord, it doesn't mean that there won't be sacrifices. It doesn't mean that we won't have to suffer. It doesn't mean that everything will be a "bed of roses". Saying yes to His will may cause others to reject us. It might put us in uncomfortable situations. When Mary said yes to the will of the Lord, it literally put her life in danger- under the law she should have been stoned. By saying yes to the Lord's will Mary put her life on the line, her reputation in question, her future in uncertainty, her relationships at risk. "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily." (Matthew 1:19)
Saying yes to the will of God may take you into some difficult places, it may make life harder instead of easier for you. But the end result is worth it all. Don't think that Mary didn't suffer shame, ridicule, mocking, rejection, misunderstanding, condemnation, accusations and so on. But when the end of her pregnancy came and she held that precious little baby in her arms, when she looked into the face of her Savior- the Messiah, the promised one who would take away the sins of the world- all that she had suffered, all that she had been through faded away overtaken by joy.
The joy Mary experienced at the end far outweighed the pain that she suffered when she surrendered to the will of the Lord. The joy of knowing that because of her obedience the Messiah was brought into the world overshadowed everything else she went through. When we surrender to the Lord's will, it may be hard while it's being accomplished in us, but in the end it will bring forth great joy.
Have a great day. Surrendering to the will of the Lord may bring pain and suffering, but in the end it will bring for joy and great blessings.
For further reading:
Luke 1:18-24
Job 23:10
Psalm 105:19
When we say yes to the will of the Lord, we may not always understand His will- the how, what, why. Mary didn't- "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (verse 34).
When we say yes to the will of the Lord, it doesn't mean that there won't be sacrifices. It doesn't mean that we won't have to suffer. It doesn't mean that everything will be a "bed of roses". Saying yes to His will may cause others to reject us. It might put us in uncomfortable situations. When Mary said yes to the will of the Lord, it literally put her life in danger- under the law she should have been stoned. By saying yes to the Lord's will Mary put her life on the line, her reputation in question, her future in uncertainty, her relationships at risk. "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily." (Matthew 1:19)
Saying yes to the will of God may take you into some difficult places, it may make life harder instead of easier for you. But the end result is worth it all. Don't think that Mary didn't suffer shame, ridicule, mocking, rejection, misunderstanding, condemnation, accusations and so on. But when the end of her pregnancy came and she held that precious little baby in her arms, when she looked into the face of her Savior- the Messiah, the promised one who would take away the sins of the world- all that she had suffered, all that she had been through faded away overtaken by joy.
The joy Mary experienced at the end far outweighed the pain that she suffered when she surrendered to the will of the Lord. The joy of knowing that because of her obedience the Messiah was brought into the world overshadowed everything else she went through. When we surrender to the Lord's will, it may be hard while it's being accomplished in us, but in the end it will bring forth great joy.
Have a great day. Surrendering to the will of the Lord may bring pain and suffering, but in the end it will bring for joy and great blessings.
For further reading:
Luke 1:18-24
Job 23:10
Psalm 105:19
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"Enemy In Disguise"
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
As I was praying for the word to share with you this morning, the Lord impressed upon me to go back to a certain date and read the devotional that I sent out that day. It was the devotion entitled, "Camouflaged". That morning we talked about how the enemy doesn't always come right out in the open plainly visible. But he comes in disguise and tries to blend in with the surroundings so as not to be detected. We talked about how he comes disguised as an angel of light blending into religious surroundings in order to ensnare us with that which is false.
This morning I want to talk about another disguise he uses-- it's people. He often comes disguised in "human" clothing. He'll look like our boss, our spouse, our children, a church member, etc. When we have a conflict with people, we must remember that they aren't the enemy- we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. It's not the person, it's the enemy using that person- he has disguised himself and made us think that it's the person so we will not recognize that it is him. He tried to do this with Jesus. But Jesus recognized the enemy when he came at him through Peter. Jesus knew who the enemy was. He knew it wasn't Peter. He knew the enemy was in disguise. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan." (Matthew 16:23a)
If we don't look past the "disguise" to see who the real enemy is we will focus our attention, our anger, our criticism, our grievances toward the person and begin to fight with and against them instead of fighting against the real enemy. This is just what the enemy wants. As long as he goes undetected he will continue to steal, kill and destroy.
Get victory today over the real enemy. Disarm him this morning by realizing that that person is not the enemy, he is only using them to hide behind so that you will not fight against him.
Have a great day. Stop spending your time fighting the "disguise", while the real enemy goes undetected.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:10-19
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Matthew 13:39
As I was praying for the word to share with you this morning, the Lord impressed upon me to go back to a certain date and read the devotional that I sent out that day. It was the devotion entitled, "Camouflaged". That morning we talked about how the enemy doesn't always come right out in the open plainly visible. But he comes in disguise and tries to blend in with the surroundings so as not to be detected. We talked about how he comes disguised as an angel of light blending into religious surroundings in order to ensnare us with that which is false.
This morning I want to talk about another disguise he uses-- it's people. He often comes disguised in "human" clothing. He'll look like our boss, our spouse, our children, a church member, etc. When we have a conflict with people, we must remember that they aren't the enemy- we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. It's not the person, it's the enemy using that person- he has disguised himself and made us think that it's the person so we will not recognize that it is him. He tried to do this with Jesus. But Jesus recognized the enemy when he came at him through Peter. Jesus knew who the enemy was. He knew it wasn't Peter. He knew the enemy was in disguise. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan." (Matthew 16:23a)
If we don't look past the "disguise" to see who the real enemy is we will focus our attention, our anger, our criticism, our grievances toward the person and begin to fight with and against them instead of fighting against the real enemy. This is just what the enemy wants. As long as he goes undetected he will continue to steal, kill and destroy.
Get victory today over the real enemy. Disarm him this morning by realizing that that person is not the enemy, he is only using them to hide behind so that you will not fight against him.
Have a great day. Stop spending your time fighting the "disguise", while the real enemy goes undetected.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:10-19
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Matthew 13:39
Monday, September 21, 2009
"At All Times"
"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." Psalm 62:8
"Trust in the Lord at all times". What does "at all times" mean? Does it mean our trust is to be restricted to the good times only? Does it mean that we should trust the Lord when things are well and the sun is shining? Does "at all times" mean only when we have enough money coming in to pay the bills, when our children are living for the Lord, when there is food on our table, when all our relationships are fine? Does it mean we should trust Him when the economy is in stable condition, when there are no wars, when righteousness is being established within our borders, when the unemployment rate is zero?
Or could it mean that we should trust Him when our lives are falling apart, when the rain is coming, when the darkness of night has settled around us? Could it mean that we should trust the Lord when we see no hope for a brighter tomorrow, when we get one bad report after another like Job, when the earth is shaking beneath our feet and the storm is beating upon our house? Does it mean that we should put our trust in the Lord when sickness strikes our body, when the bank forecloses on our home, when the pink slip comes today and tomorrow we have no job?
Does "at all times" include the times when we see no evidence that the Lord is working on our behalf, when the heavens seem to be shut up, when our prayers feel like they are returning unanswered, when it feels like God has abandoned us? Just what does He mean when He says, "Trust in the Lord at all times"? He means just that- at all times. Good times, bad times, night time, day time, plenty times, lack times, calm times, storm times-- if there is a "time" for it, then we are to trust God in it.
Life consists of different "times". It isn't made up of all good times or all bad times. But regardless of the times we find ourselves in, we can trust God in them. He is with us, providing for us, meeting our need, protecting us, empowering us, at all times. He was with the disciples in the time of storm. He was with David when his time came to face the giant. He was with the three Hebrews during the time they were in the furnace. He was with Esther when it was time to go before the king. He was with Moses when it was time to lead the people out of Egypt. He was with Joshua when it was time to go into the promised land. And He will be with you in all your times too.
Have a great day. Trust in the Lord at all times- regardless of what time it is.
For further reading:
Proverbs 3:5,6
Psalm 56:3
Isaiah 12:2
Psalm 73:28
Psalm 118:8,9
Psalm 20:7
"Trust in the Lord at all times". What does "at all times" mean? Does it mean our trust is to be restricted to the good times only? Does it mean that we should trust the Lord when things are well and the sun is shining? Does "at all times" mean only when we have enough money coming in to pay the bills, when our children are living for the Lord, when there is food on our table, when all our relationships are fine? Does it mean we should trust Him when the economy is in stable condition, when there are no wars, when righteousness is being established within our borders, when the unemployment rate is zero?
Or could it mean that we should trust Him when our lives are falling apart, when the rain is coming, when the darkness of night has settled around us? Could it mean that we should trust the Lord when we see no hope for a brighter tomorrow, when we get one bad report after another like Job, when the earth is shaking beneath our feet and the storm is beating upon our house? Does it mean that we should put our trust in the Lord when sickness strikes our body, when the bank forecloses on our home, when the pink slip comes today and tomorrow we have no job?
Does "at all times" include the times when we see no evidence that the Lord is working on our behalf, when the heavens seem to be shut up, when our prayers feel like they are returning unanswered, when it feels like God has abandoned us? Just what does He mean when He says, "Trust in the Lord at all times"? He means just that- at all times. Good times, bad times, night time, day time, plenty times, lack times, calm times, storm times-- if there is a "time" for it, then we are to trust God in it.
Life consists of different "times". It isn't made up of all good times or all bad times. But regardless of the times we find ourselves in, we can trust God in them. He is with us, providing for us, meeting our need, protecting us, empowering us, at all times. He was with the disciples in the time of storm. He was with David when his time came to face the giant. He was with the three Hebrews during the time they were in the furnace. He was with Esther when it was time to go before the king. He was with Moses when it was time to lead the people out of Egypt. He was with Joshua when it was time to go into the promised land. And He will be with you in all your times too.
Have a great day. Trust in the Lord at all times- regardless of what time it is.
For further reading:
Proverbs 3:5,6
Psalm 56:3
Isaiah 12:2
Psalm 73:28
Psalm 118:8,9
Psalm 20:7
Friday, September 18, 2009
"Obvious Need"
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight." Mark 10:51
This blind man was sitting beside the road begging, and when he heard that Jesus was passing by he began to cry out to Him. Jesus heard him and commanded that he be brought to Him. The next thing that Jesus did was very "interesting". He asked the blind man what he wanted Him to do for him. Wasn't that obvious? The man was blind, he needed his sight.
I have learned that the obvious need is not necessarily the greatest need. Sometimes the obvious stems from something else. Sometimes it's like the man who was paralyzed. Jesus told him that his sins were forgiven and he was healed. Evidently, this man not only had a physical problem- the obvious- but also a spiritual problem- not so obvious. I see this a lot at the recovery center. You would think that their need was obvious- they need deliverance from drugs or alcohol. That isn't always the case. Often it is a deeper need that they have that needs to be dealt with. The addiction is the "surface" need. For many the real need is a need for Jesus to come into their lives and give them a new nature. Sometimes they need healing from the pain of something that happened to them in the past causing them to turn to the drugs to help "comfort" and "numb" the pain. Their real need is hid under the obvious need. Once the "root" of the problem is dealt with, the obvious is also taken care of.
What is your need this morning? Is it that thing that is obvious? Or is it something else that it deeper? Either way, Jesus is standing before you today with outstretched arms asking you the same question, "What do you want me to do for you? What do you need?" If your need is obvious, tell Him. If there is something else that is not so obvious, tell Him that too. Let Him meet the whole need- the real need.
Have a great day. Our needs are sometimes obvious, but not always. But Jesus will meet them all.
For further reading:
Mark 2:3-5
Philippians 4:13
John 16:24
James 4:3a
Matthew 7:7,8
This blind man was sitting beside the road begging, and when he heard that Jesus was passing by he began to cry out to Him. Jesus heard him and commanded that he be brought to Him. The next thing that Jesus did was very "interesting". He asked the blind man what he wanted Him to do for him. Wasn't that obvious? The man was blind, he needed his sight.
I have learned that the obvious need is not necessarily the greatest need. Sometimes the obvious stems from something else. Sometimes it's like the man who was paralyzed. Jesus told him that his sins were forgiven and he was healed. Evidently, this man not only had a physical problem- the obvious- but also a spiritual problem- not so obvious. I see this a lot at the recovery center. You would think that their need was obvious- they need deliverance from drugs or alcohol. That isn't always the case. Often it is a deeper need that they have that needs to be dealt with. The addiction is the "surface" need. For many the real need is a need for Jesus to come into their lives and give them a new nature. Sometimes they need healing from the pain of something that happened to them in the past causing them to turn to the drugs to help "comfort" and "numb" the pain. Their real need is hid under the obvious need. Once the "root" of the problem is dealt with, the obvious is also taken care of.
What is your need this morning? Is it that thing that is obvious? Or is it something else that it deeper? Either way, Jesus is standing before you today with outstretched arms asking you the same question, "What do you want me to do for you? What do you need?" If your need is obvious, tell Him. If there is something else that is not so obvious, tell Him that too. Let Him meet the whole need- the real need.
Have a great day. Our needs are sometimes obvious, but not always. But Jesus will meet them all.
For further reading:
Mark 2:3-5
Philippians 4:13
John 16:24
James 4:3a
Matthew 7:7,8
Thursday, September 17, 2009
"Twilight"
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14
The other day someone was at my house and they brought up the subject of the book/movie, "Twilight". They really "love" it. I told them that it was demonic. They contended that it was not. Well, I held my ground and continually answered their insistence that it wasn't bad with the truth- it is demonic!
I was concerned, but not surprised that this person felt that way because they aren't living the Christian life by following Jesus, therefore, they are not discerning. What does surprise, and alarm me, is the number of Christians, even Spirit-baptized ones, who don't see anything wrong with "Twilight", "Harry Potter", etc. They even come to their defense and try to persuade you that there is nothing wrong with them- even to the point of "spiritualizing" it. (Well, it is spiritual- demonic spirits!)
Why am I so alarmed? Because it is blatantly obvious that these movies/books are demonic! And if Christians are falling for the obvious, what will they do when it isn't so obvious. If they fall prey to the trappings of the devil when he comes as the devil, what will they do, how will they stand when he comes as an angel of light.
The devil doesn't always come as an angel of light. He doesn't always come in disguise. He doesn't always present himself under a cover of deception. Sometimes he comes as who he is- the devil. He came as the devil in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus. He didn't come posing as an angel of light.
So my point is: when he comes as himself- obvious, out in the open- and you fall for it, how will you stand when he comes dressed in light? How will you stand when he does lying signs and wonders? How will you keep from falling when he comes quoting scriptures? How will you make it when he is dressed in sheep's clothing?
Again, why am I so alarmed? Because it takes absolutely no discernment to see that the movies that I have addressed are purely and totally demonic, yet countless numbers of Christians have "embraced" them. This being the case, what is going to happen when you do have to be discerning because the devil is hid under a cloak of light? I urge you to "sharpen" your sense of discernment. Study God's word. Test everything by it. Try the spirits. Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. Seek the truth that you be not deceived.
Have a great day. If you don't recognize it when it's obvious, what will you do when it isn't?!
For further reading:
Matthew 4:1-11
1 John 4:1
Hebrews 5:14
Isaiah 5:20
Leviticus 19:26
Galatians 5:19-21
Romans 12:9
The other day someone was at my house and they brought up the subject of the book/movie, "Twilight". They really "love" it. I told them that it was demonic. They contended that it was not. Well, I held my ground and continually answered their insistence that it wasn't bad with the truth- it is demonic!
I was concerned, but not surprised that this person felt that way because they aren't living the Christian life by following Jesus, therefore, they are not discerning. What does surprise, and alarm me, is the number of Christians, even Spirit-baptized ones, who don't see anything wrong with "Twilight", "Harry Potter", etc. They even come to their defense and try to persuade you that there is nothing wrong with them- even to the point of "spiritualizing" it. (Well, it is spiritual- demonic spirits!)
Why am I so alarmed? Because it is blatantly obvious that these movies/books are demonic! And if Christians are falling for the obvious, what will they do when it isn't so obvious. If they fall prey to the trappings of the devil when he comes as the devil, what will they do, how will they stand when he comes as an angel of light.
The devil doesn't always come as an angel of light. He doesn't always come in disguise. He doesn't always present himself under a cover of deception. Sometimes he comes as who he is- the devil. He came as the devil in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus. He didn't come posing as an angel of light.
So my point is: when he comes as himself- obvious, out in the open- and you fall for it, how will you stand when he comes dressed in light? How will you stand when he does lying signs and wonders? How will you keep from falling when he comes quoting scriptures? How will you make it when he is dressed in sheep's clothing?
Again, why am I so alarmed? Because it takes absolutely no discernment to see that the movies that I have addressed are purely and totally demonic, yet countless numbers of Christians have "embraced" them. This being the case, what is going to happen when you do have to be discerning because the devil is hid under a cloak of light? I urge you to "sharpen" your sense of discernment. Study God's word. Test everything by it. Try the spirits. Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. Seek the truth that you be not deceived.
Have a great day. If you don't recognize it when it's obvious, what will you do when it isn't?!
For further reading:
Matthew 4:1-11
1 John 4:1
Hebrews 5:14
Isaiah 5:20
Leviticus 19:26
Galatians 5:19-21
Romans 12:9
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
"I Will"
"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
"We will." The Psalmist didn't say, "we might", "perhaps we will", "hopefully we will", "maybe we will", he said, "we will". Which attitude do you posses- "I might" or "I will"?
One of the definitions for the word "will" means to purpose or determine. We are people of faith. We need to stop having a "hope so"/"maybe" attitude. We need to have a determined attitude that by God's help and grace "we will"... we will rejoice today; we will stand fast, we will seek His face, we will be obedient, we will walk in peace today, etc.
When the Israelites went into the land of Canaan, Caleb went to Joshua to ask for the piece of land that the Lord had promised to give him forty years earlier. Listen to what he said. "Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." (Joshua 14:12- NIV) He said, "I will drive them out."
He didn't say that he would try, he didn't say that he was hoping to drive the inhabitants out, he said he will drive them out. Caleb was eighty-five years old, but he didn't let his age stop him. He had been through forty years of wilderness, but he didn't let what he had been through stop him. He knew that he could do anything as long as the Lord was helping him. Therefore, he said, "I will drive them out".
We need to regain the faith that says, "I will". We need to stop letting our situations, what we see and what we feel affect us. We need to remember that we have promises given to us by God- just like Caleb. We need to remember that we have an All-Powerful God who is with us, helping us, strengthening us and empowering us.
So today put the "I will" back in your vocabulary. Become purposed and determined once again that you can and will do all things through Christ who is your strength.
Have a great day. Let your attitude today be that of "I WILL".
for further reading:
Hebrews 10:38
Philippians 4:13
Joshua 14
Psalm 7:17
Psalm 9:1
Psalm 18:2
"We will." The Psalmist didn't say, "we might", "perhaps we will", "hopefully we will", "maybe we will", he said, "we will". Which attitude do you posses- "I might" or "I will"?
One of the definitions for the word "will" means to purpose or determine. We are people of faith. We need to stop having a "hope so"/"maybe" attitude. We need to have a determined attitude that by God's help and grace "we will"... we will rejoice today; we will stand fast, we will seek His face, we will be obedient, we will walk in peace today, etc.
When the Israelites went into the land of Canaan, Caleb went to Joshua to ask for the piece of land that the Lord had promised to give him forty years earlier. Listen to what he said. "Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." (Joshua 14:12- NIV) He said, "I will drive them out."
He didn't say that he would try, he didn't say that he was hoping to drive the inhabitants out, he said he will drive them out. Caleb was eighty-five years old, but he didn't let his age stop him. He had been through forty years of wilderness, but he didn't let what he had been through stop him. He knew that he could do anything as long as the Lord was helping him. Therefore, he said, "I will drive them out".
We need to regain the faith that says, "I will". We need to stop letting our situations, what we see and what we feel affect us. We need to remember that we have promises given to us by God- just like Caleb. We need to remember that we have an All-Powerful God who is with us, helping us, strengthening us and empowering us.
So today put the "I will" back in your vocabulary. Become purposed and determined once again that you can and will do all things through Christ who is your strength.
Have a great day. Let your attitude today be that of "I WILL".
for further reading:
Hebrews 10:38
Philippians 4:13
Joshua 14
Psalm 7:17
Psalm 9:1
Psalm 18:2
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
"He Understands"
"And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22
Have you ever heard anyone try to justify their disobedience to God's word by saying, "Well, God understands"? Perhaps you have said this yourself? God understands that we are made from dust. He understands that we are weak, but does He "understand" when we disobey? Is He sympathetic toward it and overlooks it?
Did He "understand" when King Saul disobeyed His command through the prophet Samuel? Did He just say, "I understand, Saul, it is all right", or did He judge Saul's disobedience and take the kingdom from him? Did He "understand" when Moses struck the rock twice when he was told to speak to it? Did He tell Moses that He understood the pressure that he was under having to deal with all those people, so He would just overlook Moses' disobedience? Or did He not allow Moses to go into the promised land because of it? Did He "understand" when David committed adultery and murder? Did God excuse it because He understood that David just had a weak moment?
We are the ones who don't understand God's perspective on disobedience. If we did, we would not try to excuse it. If we saw it the way that God sees it we would not try to justify what we did. What God understands about our disobedience is that it is sin. God doesn't take the matter of sin lightly. After all, it was sin that caused His Son to come to earth and die on the cross. It cost the Blood of the Jesus in order for our sins to be forgiven.
You may say, "But what about grace?" What about it? Thank God for grace, but grace isn't a license to sin and neither does it excuse us so that we are free to sin. Grace withholds the punishment that sin requires when we repent of our sins. Grace makes a provision for sin to be forgiven. But God's command will always be that we sin not.
Stop being flippant about sin. Stop trying to justify it. Stop trying to excuse it. Stop trying to make it acceptable to God. Stop trying to reason it out. God understands that we do sin in weak moments and He has made provision for us when we do. But He does not overlook our sin.
Have a great day. The only thing that God understands about disobedience is that you disobeyed.
For further reading:
Romans 6:1
1 Samuel 15:20-26
Numbers 20:7-12
Deut. 11:26-28
Have you ever heard anyone try to justify their disobedience to God's word by saying, "Well, God understands"? Perhaps you have said this yourself? God understands that we are made from dust. He understands that we are weak, but does He "understand" when we disobey? Is He sympathetic toward it and overlooks it?
Did He "understand" when King Saul disobeyed His command through the prophet Samuel? Did He just say, "I understand, Saul, it is all right", or did He judge Saul's disobedience and take the kingdom from him? Did He "understand" when Moses struck the rock twice when he was told to speak to it? Did He tell Moses that He understood the pressure that he was under having to deal with all those people, so He would just overlook Moses' disobedience? Or did He not allow Moses to go into the promised land because of it? Did He "understand" when David committed adultery and murder? Did God excuse it because He understood that David just had a weak moment?
We are the ones who don't understand God's perspective on disobedience. If we did, we would not try to excuse it. If we saw it the way that God sees it we would not try to justify what we did. What God understands about our disobedience is that it is sin. God doesn't take the matter of sin lightly. After all, it was sin that caused His Son to come to earth and die on the cross. It cost the Blood of the Jesus in order for our sins to be forgiven.
You may say, "But what about grace?" What about it? Thank God for grace, but grace isn't a license to sin and neither does it excuse us so that we are free to sin. Grace withholds the punishment that sin requires when we repent of our sins. Grace makes a provision for sin to be forgiven. But God's command will always be that we sin not.
Stop being flippant about sin. Stop trying to justify it. Stop trying to excuse it. Stop trying to make it acceptable to God. Stop trying to reason it out. God understands that we do sin in weak moments and He has made provision for us when we do. But He does not overlook our sin.
Have a great day. The only thing that God understands about disobedience is that you disobeyed.
For further reading:
Romans 6:1
1 Samuel 15:20-26
Numbers 20:7-12
Deut. 11:26-28
Monday, September 14, 2009
"Discretion"
"A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion." Psalm 112:5
As I looked up the word discretion in the Hebrew, it meant judgment, justice, ordinance. Its whole meaning dealt primarily with judgment- executing judgment, making decisions in law and judgment, legal rights, litigation, and so on. Discovering this brought a new light to the verse's meaning. It means more than just doing what is proper or fitting, which is what we normally think of when we think of discretion.
The righteous do guide their affairs- whether they are personal or business- with discretion. They are to do what is proper and fitting. They are to use wisdom, they aren't to be hasty, they are to be discreet and prudent.
The righteous also guide their affairs with discretion according to wise judgment. (This deals more with the "legal" sense of the word.) The righteous man guides his affairs within the bounds of the law. These are not just the laws of man, but the laws of God as well.
The point I am trying to get to this morning is this: as righteous people, living for and following Christ, all our affairs should be guided by God's laws. All our dealings- personal and in the business arena- should be governed by His word. His word gives us the wisdom we need to conduct our affairs. It gives us guidance to go in the right direction. It governs us so that what we do will bring honor and glory to God. Operating within His laws are a boundary that brings safety to us. You cannot operate a business, a home, personal or professional relationships without the counsel of God's word. If we could, He would not have given us His word.
God's word is not just restricted to our church services or church matters. It's not restricted to Sundays. It is intended to be our counsel and guide daily in all our affairs, regardless of where we are and what we are doing. Does His law govern your business? Does it govern you daily affairs? Does it govern your personal relationships? Are you living according to its judgments? If you are a righteous person, you should.
Have a great day. We cannot guide our affairs without God's laws.
For further reading:
Jeremiah 10:23
Proverbs 3:21
Isaiah 28:26
Proverbs 19:11
Psalm 119:104-106
As I looked up the word discretion in the Hebrew, it meant judgment, justice, ordinance. Its whole meaning dealt primarily with judgment- executing judgment, making decisions in law and judgment, legal rights, litigation, and so on. Discovering this brought a new light to the verse's meaning. It means more than just doing what is proper or fitting, which is what we normally think of when we think of discretion.
The righteous do guide their affairs- whether they are personal or business- with discretion. They are to do what is proper and fitting. They are to use wisdom, they aren't to be hasty, they are to be discreet and prudent.
The righteous also guide their affairs with discretion according to wise judgment. (This deals more with the "legal" sense of the word.) The righteous man guides his affairs within the bounds of the law. These are not just the laws of man, but the laws of God as well.
The point I am trying to get to this morning is this: as righteous people, living for and following Christ, all our affairs should be guided by God's laws. All our dealings- personal and in the business arena- should be governed by His word. His word gives us the wisdom we need to conduct our affairs. It gives us guidance to go in the right direction. It governs us so that what we do will bring honor and glory to God. Operating within His laws are a boundary that brings safety to us. You cannot operate a business, a home, personal or professional relationships without the counsel of God's word. If we could, He would not have given us His word.
God's word is not just restricted to our church services or church matters. It's not restricted to Sundays. It is intended to be our counsel and guide daily in all our affairs, regardless of where we are and what we are doing. Does His law govern your business? Does it govern you daily affairs? Does it govern your personal relationships? Are you living according to its judgments? If you are a righteous person, you should.
Have a great day. We cannot guide our affairs without God's laws.
For further reading:
Jeremiah 10:23
Proverbs 3:21
Isaiah 28:26
Proverbs 19:11
Psalm 119:104-106
Friday, September 11, 2009
"Your Need"
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
When we think about this verse, we think in regard to the Lord supplying our financial needs. In context that is what it's talking about. But without "adding to or taking away from" the meaning I want to expound on the subject of God supplying our needs. His ability to meet our need is not limited to finances or material needs. He can supply any need in any area that you have.
Our needs are various. Some needs change each day, some remain the same. Some needs are of a spiritual nature, some are physical or mental. What is your need today? Do you need wisdom in a matter? He will supply your need for wisdom. Do you need direction? He supplies that need by directing you in the way you should go. Do you need the right words to speak to someone? He will supply them. Do you need favor in a situation? He'll supply that need as well. Do you need to know how to minister to an individual? He supplies your need. Do you need love, joy, peace? He'll supply that too.
Throughout the day, every need that you have, regardless of which area of life it is in, God will supply them all. He has no limitations. He doesn't just supply physical needs. He doesn't just supply spiritual needs. He supplies all your needs. Anything that pretends to you, and anything that you need He supplies.
Have a great day. God shall supply all your need, and He is not limited to certain needs only.
For further reading:
James 1:5
Proverbs 3:5,6
Isaiah 50:4
2 Peter 1:3
When we think about this verse, we think in regard to the Lord supplying our financial needs. In context that is what it's talking about. But without "adding to or taking away from" the meaning I want to expound on the subject of God supplying our needs. His ability to meet our need is not limited to finances or material needs. He can supply any need in any area that you have.
Our needs are various. Some needs change each day, some remain the same. Some needs are of a spiritual nature, some are physical or mental. What is your need today? Do you need wisdom in a matter? He will supply your need for wisdom. Do you need direction? He supplies that need by directing you in the way you should go. Do you need the right words to speak to someone? He will supply them. Do you need favor in a situation? He'll supply that need as well. Do you need to know how to minister to an individual? He supplies your need. Do you need love, joy, peace? He'll supply that too.
Throughout the day, every need that you have, regardless of which area of life it is in, God will supply them all. He has no limitations. He doesn't just supply physical needs. He doesn't just supply spiritual needs. He supplies all your needs. Anything that pretends to you, and anything that you need He supplies.
Have a great day. God shall supply all your need, and He is not limited to certain needs only.
For further reading:
James 1:5
Proverbs 3:5,6
Isaiah 50:4
2 Peter 1:3
Thursday, September 10, 2009
"Old Age"
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4
As I read this verse I immediately thought about the faithfulness of God to all generations. He is no respecter of persons- He cares for the infants, the toddlers, the adolescent, the teens, the adults, the senior adults. He is with us throughout every stage of life. He was there watching over our formation when we were still in our mother's womb. He said in His word that He would be our guide at death. When we became adults He didn't leave us because we were old enough to take care of ourselves. The fact is, we are never "old enough" to take care of ourselves. We need Him from the beginning of our lives until the end of them.
I don't know where you are in life- young, middle age or elderly- but I do know this, God is with you. Listen to His promise from this verse again- Even when you become old I will sustain you; I made you; I will carry you; I will rescue you and again He repeats that He will sustain you. You are sustained by the hand of God, you are not forsaken by Him. He sustains the young and the old. He gives meat in due season, He meets and supplies all your need, He gives you your daily bread, He makes a way even when there seems to be none.
The point is, you have no need to fear or worry when you can't do for yourself any longer because He will still be with you and will sustain you. The truth of the matter is, He always has sustained and provided for you. You never did it for yourself because it was He who was sending the provisions that you need, whether it was a job, wisdom, skill or strength- it all came from Him. That being the case, you can trust in His faithfulness in meeting your need to continue throughout all the days of your life.
Have a great day. He has always sustained you, and He always will.
For further reading:
Psalm 37:25
Psalm 48:14
Psalm 139
Psalm 104:27
Psalm 145:15
Matthew 6:11
Deut. 7:9
Phil. 4:19
Hebrews 13:5
As I read this verse I immediately thought about the faithfulness of God to all generations. He is no respecter of persons- He cares for the infants, the toddlers, the adolescent, the teens, the adults, the senior adults. He is with us throughout every stage of life. He was there watching over our formation when we were still in our mother's womb. He said in His word that He would be our guide at death. When we became adults He didn't leave us because we were old enough to take care of ourselves. The fact is, we are never "old enough" to take care of ourselves. We need Him from the beginning of our lives until the end of them.
I don't know where you are in life- young, middle age or elderly- but I do know this, God is with you. Listen to His promise from this verse again- Even when you become old I will sustain you; I made you; I will carry you; I will rescue you and again He repeats that He will sustain you. You are sustained by the hand of God, you are not forsaken by Him. He sustains the young and the old. He gives meat in due season, He meets and supplies all your need, He gives you your daily bread, He makes a way even when there seems to be none.
The point is, you have no need to fear or worry when you can't do for yourself any longer because He will still be with you and will sustain you. The truth of the matter is, He always has sustained and provided for you. You never did it for yourself because it was He who was sending the provisions that you need, whether it was a job, wisdom, skill or strength- it all came from Him. That being the case, you can trust in His faithfulness in meeting your need to continue throughout all the days of your life.
Have a great day. He has always sustained you, and He always will.
For further reading:
Psalm 37:25
Psalm 48:14
Psalm 139
Psalm 104:27
Psalm 145:15
Matthew 6:11
Deut. 7:9
Phil. 4:19
Hebrews 13:5
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"Positioned For Victory"
"And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:40
The Bible calls those who are followers of Christ soldiers. That's because we are always engaged in warfare- spiritual warfare. We have an enemy that is bent on our destruction and he doesn't give up. We also have our own flesh that we have to battle with on a daily basis to keep it crucified. Because we are in a warfare the Lord has provided us with all the weapons that we need to do battle. Not only do we have powerful weapons at our disposal but we have already been promised victory. So why aren't we victorious?
Perhaps it's because of what you do when you face the enemy. As soldiers there are only two positions for us to hold. We either "run to" the enemy, or we take our stand and face him, but we never run away from him.
David ran (drew near) to the giant. He didn't run away from Goliath, and neither did he wait for Goliath to come to him. He made the first move toward the enemy. Stop running from your battles. Stop waiting for them to come to you. Run out there and meet them. Run out there un-intimidated knowing that the Lord is with you, that He is on your side and that greater is He that is in you, knowing that you have been promised victory because the Lord is with you fighting the battle.
In the Book of Ephesians we are told what our armor is. After we were told that we have an enemy that we have to battle, we were told why we needed to be equipped- so we can "stand". That word stand means to dig your heels in, don't move, don't back up, stand your ground, get yourself a good footing and don't leave that position.
Have you been running from your enemy? Have you been turning your back on him? Have you been waiting for him to come to you? From now on you need to change your position in battle. Don't wait for him to come to you, run out there and slay him. Don't turn and run from him, take a stand and face him.
Have a great day. Victory has been given to you, but you will never experience it if you are running in retreat.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:10-20
Luke 10:18,19
The Bible calls those who are followers of Christ soldiers. That's because we are always engaged in warfare- spiritual warfare. We have an enemy that is bent on our destruction and he doesn't give up. We also have our own flesh that we have to battle with on a daily basis to keep it crucified. Because we are in a warfare the Lord has provided us with all the weapons that we need to do battle. Not only do we have powerful weapons at our disposal but we have already been promised victory. So why aren't we victorious?
Perhaps it's because of what you do when you face the enemy. As soldiers there are only two positions for us to hold. We either "run to" the enemy, or we take our stand and face him, but we never run away from him.
David ran (drew near) to the giant. He didn't run away from Goliath, and neither did he wait for Goliath to come to him. He made the first move toward the enemy. Stop running from your battles. Stop waiting for them to come to you. Run out there and meet them. Run out there un-intimidated knowing that the Lord is with you, that He is on your side and that greater is He that is in you, knowing that you have been promised victory because the Lord is with you fighting the battle.
In the Book of Ephesians we are told what our armor is. After we were told that we have an enemy that we have to battle, we were told why we needed to be equipped- so we can "stand". That word stand means to dig your heels in, don't move, don't back up, stand your ground, get yourself a good footing and don't leave that position.
Have you been running from your enemy? Have you been turning your back on him? Have you been waiting for him to come to you? From now on you need to change your position in battle. Don't wait for him to come to you, run out there and slay him. Don't turn and run from him, take a stand and face him.
Have a great day. Victory has been given to you, but you will never experience it if you are running in retreat.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:10-20
Luke 10:18,19
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
"Unadvertised"
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14
Over the last two weekends my parents and I had a yard sale. The first one was advertised, the second one wasn't- we just put a sign out on the road. This weekend during one of the slack periods my dad made this statement-- "We have what they want, they just don't know we have it." My response was, "Boy, that will preach!" I know he was talking about the goods we had for sale, but my thoughts immediately went in a "spiritual" direction.
As followers of Jesus, we have what the world wants. They are looking for answers. They are looking for peace. They are looking for something real. They are looking for contentment, joy, happiness, something to believe in... and we have it. Sadly, most of them don't know we have it because we don't "advertise". We don't let them know it. We hide our lights under a basket. We don't testify. We live in such a way that they don't see something in us that is different from what they have. They don't see the joy and peace that comes from having a relationship with the Savior evident in our lives.
We have what they are looking for, but are we letting them know we have it? Or are we keeping silent and holding back for fear of rejection, opposition, ridicule, persecution? Are we not saying anything because we assume that someone else will? Or perhaps we don't tell them because we feel like they don't want to hear it anyway?
At our sale we had some very nice items, we had an assortment of various items for every area of life. You could find almost anything you need. But the items that we had- though they were usable, helpful or just enjoyable- only met the physical need and they only met the need temporarily. What you and I have received from Christ- the thing that they are searching for- meets the need that extends far past the physical needs. The items we sold will eventually tear up, need to be replaced, or reach a point where they are no longer needed. But the gift of eternal life that we have received and have to offer meets their eternal need and will always be needed.
Have a great day. You have what they want, need and are looking for, but do they know it?
For further reading:
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15-20
Acts 1:8
Acts 8:4
Over the last two weekends my parents and I had a yard sale. The first one was advertised, the second one wasn't- we just put a sign out on the road. This weekend during one of the slack periods my dad made this statement-- "We have what they want, they just don't know we have it." My response was, "Boy, that will preach!" I know he was talking about the goods we had for sale, but my thoughts immediately went in a "spiritual" direction.
As followers of Jesus, we have what the world wants. They are looking for answers. They are looking for peace. They are looking for something real. They are looking for contentment, joy, happiness, something to believe in... and we have it. Sadly, most of them don't know we have it because we don't "advertise". We don't let them know it. We hide our lights under a basket. We don't testify. We live in such a way that they don't see something in us that is different from what they have. They don't see the joy and peace that comes from having a relationship with the Savior evident in our lives.
We have what they are looking for, but are we letting them know we have it? Or are we keeping silent and holding back for fear of rejection, opposition, ridicule, persecution? Are we not saying anything because we assume that someone else will? Or perhaps we don't tell them because we feel like they don't want to hear it anyway?
At our sale we had some very nice items, we had an assortment of various items for every area of life. You could find almost anything you need. But the items that we had- though they were usable, helpful or just enjoyable- only met the physical need and they only met the need temporarily. What you and I have received from Christ- the thing that they are searching for- meets the need that extends far past the physical needs. The items we sold will eventually tear up, need to be replaced, or reach a point where they are no longer needed. But the gift of eternal life that we have received and have to offer meets their eternal need and will always be needed.
Have a great day. You have what they want, need and are looking for, but do they know it?
For further reading:
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15-20
Acts 1:8
Acts 8:4
Monday, September 7, 2009
"The Enemy's Destruction"
"His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies." Psalm 112:8
I am going to start at the end of this verse and work my way back this morning. We have an enemy, a very real adversary. The Bible lets us know that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but demonic forces that are led by the devil who is out to steal, kill and destroy us. This enemy is relentless in his plan to destroy us. His attacks come in all forms and through different sources. But I have good news for you concerning this enemy-- he has been defeated!!! Jesus dealt him a "head blow" at the cross, He destroyed his works, he is a defeated adversary. But although he is defeated he still keeps trying to destroy us, He won't give up. He comes to destroy us through trials, difficulties, hardships, sickness, conflicts, on so on. But again, even in those personal, ongoing attacks we still have the assurance that he is defeated. We also have the promise that there is coming a day when our enemy will be completely destroyed once and for all. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." (Romans 16:20)
So now let me move to the middle of the verse. Until that day comes when he is destroyed and cast out once and for all, until we see his defeat in our own personal trails, there is a characteristic that the righteous man/person should exhibit- "He shall not be afraid". Until that time comes, we should be living in peace, not fear. How is that possible when the adversary is raging, when the attacks are strong, when the situation looks like defeat instead of victory?
Let's now move to the very beginning of the verse. It's because "his heart is established." Literally it means that his heart is at rest because it is leaning upon something. We don't have to be anxious, fearful, worried, fretful, with feelings of defeat because our heart is resting upon the Lord. It is resting upon His promises, upon His provisions, upon His word, upon His strength, upon His victory. Our hearts are resting by faith in our Lord who is the One who has already destroyed and will destroy the adversary that comes against us.
When your heart is established in the Lord and His word, you have nothing to fear- not even the enemy- because you are resting upon an unmovable, unshakable, solid Rock, which is the Lord Himself.
Have a great day. Until we see our enemy's destruction, we must let the peace of God rule and reign in our hearts, and this is done by leaning upon Him and His promises.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:11,12
John 10:10
Genesis 3:15
1 John 3:8
Colossians 2:15
Revelation 20:10
Philippians 4:6,7
I am going to start at the end of this verse and work my way back this morning. We have an enemy, a very real adversary. The Bible lets us know that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but demonic forces that are led by the devil who is out to steal, kill and destroy us. This enemy is relentless in his plan to destroy us. His attacks come in all forms and through different sources. But I have good news for you concerning this enemy-- he has been defeated!!! Jesus dealt him a "head blow" at the cross, He destroyed his works, he is a defeated adversary. But although he is defeated he still keeps trying to destroy us, He won't give up. He comes to destroy us through trials, difficulties, hardships, sickness, conflicts, on so on. But again, even in those personal, ongoing attacks we still have the assurance that he is defeated. We also have the promise that there is coming a day when our enemy will be completely destroyed once and for all. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." (Romans 16:20)
So now let me move to the middle of the verse. Until that day comes when he is destroyed and cast out once and for all, until we see his defeat in our own personal trails, there is a characteristic that the righteous man/person should exhibit- "He shall not be afraid". Until that time comes, we should be living in peace, not fear. How is that possible when the adversary is raging, when the attacks are strong, when the situation looks like defeat instead of victory?
Let's now move to the very beginning of the verse. It's because "his heart is established." Literally it means that his heart is at rest because it is leaning upon something. We don't have to be anxious, fearful, worried, fretful, with feelings of defeat because our heart is resting upon the Lord. It is resting upon His promises, upon His provisions, upon His word, upon His strength, upon His victory. Our hearts are resting by faith in our Lord who is the One who has already destroyed and will destroy the adversary that comes against us.
When your heart is established in the Lord and His word, you have nothing to fear- not even the enemy- because you are resting upon an unmovable, unshakable, solid Rock, which is the Lord Himself.
Have a great day. Until we see our enemy's destruction, we must let the peace of God rule and reign in our hearts, and this is done by leaning upon Him and His promises.
For further reading:
Ephesians 6:11,12
John 10:10
Genesis 3:15
1 John 3:8
Colossians 2:15
Revelation 20:10
Philippians 4:6,7
Friday, September 4, 2009
"At The Gate"
"And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate." Isaiah 28:6
"And for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate." Gates give access and entry into a place. In the Bible days cities were often enclosed within walls, so if you entered into the city you had to go through the gate. At night the gates were closed so that no one could enter in.
When an enemy would come to attack a city, the goal of those protecting it was to stop them at the gate- at the entrance and not allow them to come in and take over the city. It would be easier to insure victory if the adversary was stopped at the gate, once they got into the city the battle would be more intense.
The lesson we learn here is that when the enemy comes to attack our lives, we need to stop him at the "gate". We need to stop him at the place of access and not allow him to come in. To coin a phrase, we need to "nip it in the bud"- stop it before it gets started, don't allow it to come any further, stop it right there at the "starting" place. In our case, stop the enemy before he has a chance to advance into our lives and set up his strongholds and bondages.
Many are wrestling with things in their lives because they did not stop it at the gate. When that temptation came, they didn't capture it then and there. They gave into it and as a result it gained access into their lives, so now they are always battling with it. This is why you must battle the enemy at the gate. In doing so he is prevented from coming any further and taking over.
We have been given strength through Christ to be victorious in preventing the enemy from gaining access into our lives, but we have to do battle against him. And the battle is more easily won at the gate. Let me give a note of encouragement here to those who did not fight him at the gate but gave him access and are having to battle him constantly. The same Jesus who gives strength and victory at the gate is the same Jesus who will give strength and victory to drive out the enemies that have already gained access. So don't give up... drive him out!!!
Have a great day. When the enemy tries to gain access into your life, don't let him make it past the gate, stop him there.
"And for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate." Gates give access and entry into a place. In the Bible days cities were often enclosed within walls, so if you entered into the city you had to go through the gate. At night the gates were closed so that no one could enter in.
When an enemy would come to attack a city, the goal of those protecting it was to stop them at the gate- at the entrance and not allow them to come in and take over the city. It would be easier to insure victory if the adversary was stopped at the gate, once they got into the city the battle would be more intense.
The lesson we learn here is that when the enemy comes to attack our lives, we need to stop him at the "gate". We need to stop him at the place of access and not allow him to come in. To coin a phrase, we need to "nip it in the bud"- stop it before it gets started, don't allow it to come any further, stop it right there at the "starting" place. In our case, stop the enemy before he has a chance to advance into our lives and set up his strongholds and bondages.
Many are wrestling with things in their lives because they did not stop it at the gate. When that temptation came, they didn't capture it then and there. They gave into it and as a result it gained access into their lives, so now they are always battling with it. This is why you must battle the enemy at the gate. In doing so he is prevented from coming any further and taking over.
We have been given strength through Christ to be victorious in preventing the enemy from gaining access into our lives, but we have to do battle against him. And the battle is more easily won at the gate. Let me give a note of encouragement here to those who did not fight him at the gate but gave him access and are having to battle him constantly. The same Jesus who gives strength and victory at the gate is the same Jesus who will give strength and victory to drive out the enemies that have already gained access. So don't give up... drive him out!!!
Have a great day. When the enemy tries to gain access into your life, don't let him make it past the gate, stop him there.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
"The Throne"
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
A throne is the seat of authority by a ruling sovereign. It's a place of exaltation. It's a place of royalty, dignity and power. You and I have been given access to come boldly before a throne. But not just any throne. It's not the throne of a mere man or another person. It's the throne occupied by God Himself. It's the throne of the King of kings and Lord of lords. It's the throne of the One who created and rules the universe. It's the throne that is exalted above all the thrones of men.
Are you taking advantage of the access that you have been given to come before His throne? Often, we stand afar off when we are in need instead of coming to His throne for help. What is your need today? Come before His throne and make your request known through prayer and supplication. His is a throne where we find grace. It's a throne where there is mercy. It's a throne where we can find strength, peace, joy, comfort. At His throne we find everything we need in our time of need.
God desires that you approach His throne. At Jesus' death when the veil of the temple was rent, the "veil" that separated God and His throne from mankind was rent also. Every hindrance, every obstacle has been removed out of the way so that we might come before Him. Don't stand outside His court. Don't keep struggling with your need. Go before His throne. It's a throne of grace. That means He will not turn you away and you will find what you need.
Have a great day. You have been given access to come before the throne of God, so go before His throne of power and grace when you are in need.
A throne is the seat of authority by a ruling sovereign. It's a place of exaltation. It's a place of royalty, dignity and power. You and I have been given access to come boldly before a throne. But not just any throne. It's not the throne of a mere man or another person. It's the throne occupied by God Himself. It's the throne of the King of kings and Lord of lords. It's the throne of the One who created and rules the universe. It's the throne that is exalted above all the thrones of men.
Are you taking advantage of the access that you have been given to come before His throne? Often, we stand afar off when we are in need instead of coming to His throne for help. What is your need today? Come before His throne and make your request known through prayer and supplication. His is a throne where we find grace. It's a throne where there is mercy. It's a throne where we can find strength, peace, joy, comfort. At His throne we find everything we need in our time of need.
God desires that you approach His throne. At Jesus' death when the veil of the temple was rent, the "veil" that separated God and His throne from mankind was rent also. Every hindrance, every obstacle has been removed out of the way so that we might come before Him. Don't stand outside His court. Don't keep struggling with your need. Go before His throne. It's a throne of grace. That means He will not turn you away and you will find what you need.
Have a great day. You have been given access to come before the throne of God, so go before His throne of power and grace when you are in need.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
"Respond To The Answer"
"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." Mark 10:21
Yesterday we discussed the fact that not everything that hinders us from getting to Jesus and following Him is something that it obvious. Sometimes it's not those external things that are recognizable but often it's internal things. We also said that if we don't know what that thing is we can go to Jesus and ask Him like the rich young ruler did.
This morning I want to talk about what to do when the Lord does show us what the hindrance is. When He shows us, we have to make a choice to either receive what He says or reject it, to either heed it or ignore it. When He reveals it to us, we have to do something about it. We might need to repent. We might need to make some changes. We might need to do some sort of work. We might need to let something go. But there will be something that we have to do.
When the Lord reveals to you that thing that is hindering, what do you do with the information? Will you be like the rich young ruler and turn away because you aren't able- or don't want to- do that which the Lord is showing you is your solution? We may want to know what the problem is but if we aren't willing to do the solution, we will always live a hindered life. But if we will do what needs to be done to get rid of the problem/hindrance then we will live an abundant life fulfilling the purpose and plan of God, which is-- follow Me.
Have a great day. When you know what the answer to your problem is, what are you going to do with your answer?
Yesterday we discussed the fact that not everything that hinders us from getting to Jesus and following Him is something that it obvious. Sometimes it's not those external things that are recognizable but often it's internal things. We also said that if we don't know what that thing is we can go to Jesus and ask Him like the rich young ruler did.
This morning I want to talk about what to do when the Lord does show us what the hindrance is. When He shows us, we have to make a choice to either receive what He says or reject it, to either heed it or ignore it. When He reveals it to us, we have to do something about it. We might need to repent. We might need to make some changes. We might need to do some sort of work. We might need to let something go. But there will be something that we have to do.
When the Lord reveals to you that thing that is hindering, what do you do with the information? Will you be like the rich young ruler and turn away because you aren't able- or don't want to- do that which the Lord is showing you is your solution? We may want to know what the problem is but if we aren't willing to do the solution, we will always live a hindered life. But if we will do what needs to be done to get rid of the problem/hindrance then we will live an abundant life fulfilling the purpose and plan of God, which is-- follow Me.
Have a great day. When you know what the answer to your problem is, what are you going to do with your answer?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
"Another Weakness"
"And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years." Mark 5:25
Last week we talked about Zacchaeus who wanted to see Jesus but couldn't. We discovered that it was his own weakness, his height, that made him unable to see Jesus- not the crowd, even though it was large and may have been a hindrance. This morning I want to talk about someone else who wanted to get to Jesus but also had a weakness that made it difficult- the woman with the issue of blood.
Both Zacchaeus and this woman wanted to get to Jesus but they each had a weakness that made it difficult. The difference between the two was: Zacchaeus' was obvious, his problem was easy to recognize- he was short and could not see above the crowd. The woman's problem was not so obvious. She was sick but she was still up and about even though she was weak. I'm sure she didn't look the picture of health, but she probably didn't look like a "walking corpse" either.
Often the things that hinder us from getting to the Lord, from seeing Him, from loving Him wholeheartedly, from serving Him, from following Him are obvious, we know what they are. They are "external"- like Zacchaeus. But then there are some hindrances in our lives that we don't easily recognize- the "internal" ones- as was the case with this woman. We are often like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus wanting to know what his problem was that was keeping him from eternal life/following Jesus. He was doing what the law commanded- the "external"- but there was something else, something "internal" that he still lacked.
Is that you this morning? Is there something that is keeping you from following Jesus but you just can't seem to "put your finger" on it because it is not obvious? Jesus had the young ruler's answer; He knew exactly what the problem was. He knows what your problem is too even when you don't. Do what Zacchaeus and the woman did, make a step of faith and go to Him. Ask Him, "What is that 'internal' thing that hinders me?". He loves you and desires a relationship with you, therefore, He will tell you.
Have a great day. Is the thing that hinders you from following Jesus external or internal?
Last week we talked about Zacchaeus who wanted to see Jesus but couldn't. We discovered that it was his own weakness, his height, that made him unable to see Jesus- not the crowd, even though it was large and may have been a hindrance. This morning I want to talk about someone else who wanted to get to Jesus but also had a weakness that made it difficult- the woman with the issue of blood.
Both Zacchaeus and this woman wanted to get to Jesus but they each had a weakness that made it difficult. The difference between the two was: Zacchaeus' was obvious, his problem was easy to recognize- he was short and could not see above the crowd. The woman's problem was not so obvious. She was sick but she was still up and about even though she was weak. I'm sure she didn't look the picture of health, but she probably didn't look like a "walking corpse" either.
Often the things that hinder us from getting to the Lord, from seeing Him, from loving Him wholeheartedly, from serving Him, from following Him are obvious, we know what they are. They are "external"- like Zacchaeus. But then there are some hindrances in our lives that we don't easily recognize- the "internal" ones- as was the case with this woman. We are often like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus wanting to know what his problem was that was keeping him from eternal life/following Jesus. He was doing what the law commanded- the "external"- but there was something else, something "internal" that he still lacked.
Is that you this morning? Is there something that is keeping you from following Jesus but you just can't seem to "put your finger" on it because it is not obvious? Jesus had the young ruler's answer; He knew exactly what the problem was. He knows what your problem is too even when you don't. Do what Zacchaeus and the woman did, make a step of faith and go to Him. Ask Him, "What is that 'internal' thing that hinders me?". He loves you and desires a relationship with you, therefore, He will tell you.
Have a great day. Is the thing that hinders you from following Jesus external or internal?
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