"And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted." Exodus 16:21
Have you ever been in a church service, or some other meeting, where the presence of the Lord came down in a powerful way? You felt so refreshed and left knowing that you had an encounter with the Lord. You were so blessed that you were still basking in it later that night at home. But the next morning when you got up, hoping to continue to feel the "overflow" of what the Lord had done for you the night before-- it wasn't there.
That has happened to me, but instead of waking up the next morning and feeling what I had felt the night before- the refreshing, cleansing, joy, peace, love- in the same measure. I didn't. I wondered why not. I wondered what had happened. I wondered if I did something to lose it. I asked the Lord about it. He immediately brought the verse above to my mind.
When God touches us, when He pours out a special blessing, when He ministers to us in a powerful way, He doesn't intend for us to keep going in that one touch only. He doesn't want us to just sit back and bask in what happened yesterday, last night, in last year's revival, at a conference, etc. He wants us to allow His Spirit to touch us in these same ways each and every day.
In my case, it was the Lord who lifted the next morning what I had felt the night before for that very reason. The manna was not intended to be left over. It was intended to be gathered fresh each day. That is why God did not allow it to stay on the ground all day or until the night. It melted when the sun came out so that the people would have to gather it again the next day. God would not allow them to have "leftovers".
Are you trying to live on the "leftovers"? Don't try to live on yesterday's experience. Don't try to keep holding on to what the Lord did for you last week and not get a fresh touch from Him this week. Don't try to walk in the anointing of the past, ask for a fresh anointing for today. Don't settle for the "leftovers", get something fresh for today.
Have a great day. Leftovers may be good when it's food, but God doesn't intend for you to live on spiritual leftovers. He wants to give you something fresh everyday.
For further reading:
Exodus 16
Matthew 6:11
Monday, September 30, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
"The Punishment- Part 2"
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Yesterday we talked about God's answer to a question that I had concerning the suffering that Jesus went through at the cross. The question was this- since sin required a punishment and Jesus was the only one who could pay it, and God was the one who decided what the punishment would be, why did He set the punishment so high? Why didn't He make it easier and lighter on Jesus? Why did He pour out the full cup of suffering on Him?
The answer He gave me was that because of the vile nature of sin from His perspective, the punishment had to be equal- a little slap on the wrist could not satisfy the righteousness of God. The punishment for our sins had to be equal to the crime.
He also showed me something else about why the punishment was so horrific. The cross was also God's expression of love to mankind. He was sending us a message. The message was- I don't just love you, but I LOVE you! The Father placed the whole weight of sin and punishment on Jesus to the same degree that He loves us.
He demonstrated His love toward us and let us know at the same time that His love for us was no little matter! He was saying, "See how much I love you, I'll take a beating for you. See how much I love you, I'll let them mock me, ridicule me, slap me around, nail me to a cross, and I will die for you."
So when we look at the horrendous suffering that Jesus went through we see that sin is no little matter to God, and neither is His love a little matter.
Have a great day. He wanted you to know that His love for you is so great, so He demonstrated how great by suffering so much.
For further reading:John 3:16,17
Romans 8:38,39
1 John 3:16
1 John 4:9,10
Yesterday we talked about God's answer to a question that I had concerning the suffering that Jesus went through at the cross. The question was this- since sin required a punishment and Jesus was the only one who could pay it, and God was the one who decided what the punishment would be, why did He set the punishment so high? Why didn't He make it easier and lighter on Jesus? Why did He pour out the full cup of suffering on Him?
The answer He gave me was that because of the vile nature of sin from His perspective, the punishment had to be equal- a little slap on the wrist could not satisfy the righteousness of God. The punishment for our sins had to be equal to the crime.
He also showed me something else about why the punishment was so horrific. The cross was also God's expression of love to mankind. He was sending us a message. The message was- I don't just love you, but I LOVE you! The Father placed the whole weight of sin and punishment on Jesus to the same degree that He loves us.
He demonstrated His love toward us and let us know at the same time that His love for us was no little matter! He was saying, "See how much I love you, I'll take a beating for you. See how much I love you, I'll let them mock me, ridicule me, slap me around, nail me to a cross, and I will die for you."
So when we look at the horrendous suffering that Jesus went through we see that sin is no little matter to God, and neither is His love a little matter.
Have a great day. He wanted you to know that His love for you is so great, so He demonstrated how great by suffering so much.
For further reading:John 3:16,17
Romans 8:38,39
1 John 3:16
1 John 4:9,10
Thursday, September 26, 2019
"The Punishment"
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." Isaiah 53:10
Years ago when I watched the movie "The Passion" and saw a visual presentation of what the crucifixion of Jesus was really like, it compelled me to ask the Father a question. The question was this- "Why was what Jesus went through so horrible? If you were the One who set the punishment for sin, if you were the One who decided what He should go through, why didn't you make it a little lighter on Him? Why was He beaten until He was unrecognizable? Why did He have to be nailed to the cross?" He answered me with this- "Because that is just how horrible sin is." What He was saying to me was that in order for the punishment of our sins to be acceptable, the punishment must fit the crime.
The punishment that Jesus faced was equal to the crime of sin. Therefore, Jesus had to drink the whole cup of wrath and punishment for our sins. And He had to drink all the way to the bottom, every last dreg. All the punishment had to be fulfilled.
When we look at the cross, when we see the horror of it, when we see what Jesus endured, we must always remember that sin to God is no little matter. Therefore, when we sin, we must immediately confess it and repent of it. We cannot take sin in our lives lightly, not even what we consider to be a small sin. God doesn't see it that way.
Had He not laid our sins on Jesus, had He not put our iniquities on Him, had He not taken our punishment, then we would be punished for our own sins and hell would be the punishment that we would receive for them- remember, the punishment had to fit the crime.
Don't take sin in your life for granted. Jesus took your punishment so that you could go free. But if you refuse the forgiveness/pardon that came through Jesus' punishment for you then you will wind up paying for your own sins one day. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:41)
Have a great day. The punishment that Jesus went through at the cross was equal to the crime of sin that we had committed, so don't take sin lightly.
For further reading:
Isaiah 53
Romans 6:23
Years ago when I watched the movie "The Passion" and saw a visual presentation of what the crucifixion of Jesus was really like, it compelled me to ask the Father a question. The question was this- "Why was what Jesus went through so horrible? If you were the One who set the punishment for sin, if you were the One who decided what He should go through, why didn't you make it a little lighter on Him? Why was He beaten until He was unrecognizable? Why did He have to be nailed to the cross?" He answered me with this- "Because that is just how horrible sin is." What He was saying to me was that in order for the punishment of our sins to be acceptable, the punishment must fit the crime.
The punishment that Jesus faced was equal to the crime of sin. Therefore, Jesus had to drink the whole cup of wrath and punishment for our sins. And He had to drink all the way to the bottom, every last dreg. All the punishment had to be fulfilled.
When we look at the cross, when we see the horror of it, when we see what Jesus endured, we must always remember that sin to God is no little matter. Therefore, when we sin, we must immediately confess it and repent of it. We cannot take sin in our lives lightly, not even what we consider to be a small sin. God doesn't see it that way.
Had He not laid our sins on Jesus, had He not put our iniquities on Him, had He not taken our punishment, then we would be punished for our own sins and hell would be the punishment that we would receive for them- remember, the punishment had to fit the crime.
Don't take sin in your life for granted. Jesus took your punishment so that you could go free. But if you refuse the forgiveness/pardon that came through Jesus' punishment for you then you will wind up paying for your own sins one day. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:41)
Have a great day. The punishment that Jesus went through at the cross was equal to the crime of sin that we had committed, so don't take sin lightly.
For further reading:
Isaiah 53
Romans 6:23
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
"Overcome Evil"
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
With evil present in the world everywhere around us we have to be on guard and not let it overcome us. How do we know when it has? When it causes us to lose our joy, it has overcome us. When the evil that we see around us causes us to want to throw up our hands in defeat and give up. When it causes us to want to quit running the race that is set before us. When we stop yielding the fruit of the Spirit, we have let it overcome us. When we have fear but no faith because of the evil acts and words of others, then it is overcoming us. When it takes your eyes off of God and His kingdom, it has overcome you. When we let it discourage us, steal our peace or depress us, then it has overcome us.
The verse above is a command. It tells us not to be overcome by evil. In other words we are not to let evil defeat us. Is that possible? Can we have any power over evil when it comes against us? It would not be a command if it were not possible. The same verse that gives us the command also gives us the solution- "Overcome evil with good". We overcome it by doing what is good.
How do we overcome evil with good? By doing those things that are good. Such as keeping your mind renewed in God's word. By keeping your heart and mind fixed upon the Lord. You do it by remembering that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood so go after the real enemy-spiritual wickedness- with the weapons you have been given. If the evil is coming through a person that you have dealings with, show some act of kindness to them (Romans 12:20). Pray- pray for yourself, for the person, for the situation. When you speak to that person, speak the truth in love, not in argument, not in frustration, but with fearlessness. Guard your heart by not listening to evil reports through the television, radio or conversations. When evil comes through a temptation and tries to get you to yield, pull out your sword of the Spirit, call a fellow Christian for prayer support, pray in the Holy Spirit.
As I have said, evil is ever present. Evil will be in the world as long as the devil and sin are in the world. But evil doesn't have to overcome you, it doesn't have to affect you to the point where it destroys you- overcomes you. And when you are personally faced with evil it will not overcome you if you will follow God's word and implement His strategies and solutions for overcoming it. Evil and good are the opposite. So do good when evil comes instead of giving into it and you will overcome it.
Have a great day. You do not have to be overcome by evil because Jesus has already made you more than a conqueror over the evil one.
For further reading:
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 John 4:4
1 Peter 5:8-10
James 4:7
Matthew 5:44
1 Thessalonians 5:15
With evil present in the world everywhere around us we have to be on guard and not let it overcome us. How do we know when it has? When it causes us to lose our joy, it has overcome us. When the evil that we see around us causes us to want to throw up our hands in defeat and give up. When it causes us to want to quit running the race that is set before us. When we stop yielding the fruit of the Spirit, we have let it overcome us. When we have fear but no faith because of the evil acts and words of others, then it is overcoming us. When it takes your eyes off of God and His kingdom, it has overcome you. When we let it discourage us, steal our peace or depress us, then it has overcome us.
The verse above is a command. It tells us not to be overcome by evil. In other words we are not to let evil defeat us. Is that possible? Can we have any power over evil when it comes against us? It would not be a command if it were not possible. The same verse that gives us the command also gives us the solution- "Overcome evil with good". We overcome it by doing what is good.
How do we overcome evil with good? By doing those things that are good. Such as keeping your mind renewed in God's word. By keeping your heart and mind fixed upon the Lord. You do it by remembering that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood so go after the real enemy-spiritual wickedness- with the weapons you have been given. If the evil is coming through a person that you have dealings with, show some act of kindness to them (Romans 12:20). Pray- pray for yourself, for the person, for the situation. When you speak to that person, speak the truth in love, not in argument, not in frustration, but with fearlessness. Guard your heart by not listening to evil reports through the television, radio or conversations. When evil comes through a temptation and tries to get you to yield, pull out your sword of the Spirit, call a fellow Christian for prayer support, pray in the Holy Spirit.
As I have said, evil is ever present. Evil will be in the world as long as the devil and sin are in the world. But evil doesn't have to overcome you, it doesn't have to affect you to the point where it destroys you- overcomes you. And when you are personally faced with evil it will not overcome you if you will follow God's word and implement His strategies and solutions for overcoming it. Evil and good are the opposite. So do good when evil comes instead of giving into it and you will overcome it.
Have a great day. You do not have to be overcome by evil because Jesus has already made you more than a conqueror over the evil one.
For further reading:
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 John 4:4
1 Peter 5:8-10
James 4:7
Matthew 5:44
1 Thessalonians 5:15
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
"Fighting Fear"
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7
From the verse above we learn that fear is a spirit. We also learn that the spirit of fear does not come from God. In addition we learn too that He doesn't give us a spirit of fear, but instead He gives us power, love and a sound mind. The power, love and sound mind that He gives us is not just a replacement for fear, they are also the "weapons" and "strategies" that He has given us to combat fear.
He gives us power to defeat fear. "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) As we said already, fear is a spirit and it is not a spirit that comes from God. Therefore, it is a spirit that comes from the enemy of our soul. But God has given us power over all the powers of the enemy, including power over fear.
He gives us love to cast out fear. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love, neither is there any place at all for fear in love. God is love. There is no fear in Him. According to 1 Corinthians 13 the attributes and character of love leave no place for fear to be able to dwell.
He also gives us a sound mind to overcome fear. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3) When you think about the Lord, renew your mind with His word, make Him your thought life, then you will have peace of mind. Peace and fear cannot both occupy the same place at the same time. Peace is the opposite of fear. Peace says, "All is well". Fear says, "No, it isn't".
If you are fearful this morning, you have no need to be. It does not have to overcome you. The Lord has given you everything you need through Jesus Christ to overcome it. Walk in power, walk in love, walk in a sound mind and fear will never be able to overcome you.
Have a great day. God hasn't given you a spirit of fear, but He has given you all you need to overcome it.
For further reading:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
1 John 4:4
Deut. 31:6
Ephesians 6
From the verse above we learn that fear is a spirit. We also learn that the spirit of fear does not come from God. In addition we learn too that He doesn't give us a spirit of fear, but instead He gives us power, love and a sound mind. The power, love and sound mind that He gives us is not just a replacement for fear, they are also the "weapons" and "strategies" that He has given us to combat fear.
He gives us power to defeat fear. "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) As we said already, fear is a spirit and it is not a spirit that comes from God. Therefore, it is a spirit that comes from the enemy of our soul. But God has given us power over all the powers of the enemy, including power over fear.
He gives us love to cast out fear. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love, neither is there any place at all for fear in love. God is love. There is no fear in Him. According to 1 Corinthians 13 the attributes and character of love leave no place for fear to be able to dwell.
He also gives us a sound mind to overcome fear. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3) When you think about the Lord, renew your mind with His word, make Him your thought life, then you will have peace of mind. Peace and fear cannot both occupy the same place at the same time. Peace is the opposite of fear. Peace says, "All is well". Fear says, "No, it isn't".
If you are fearful this morning, you have no need to be. It does not have to overcome you. The Lord has given you everything you need through Jesus Christ to overcome it. Walk in power, walk in love, walk in a sound mind and fear will never be able to overcome you.
Have a great day. God hasn't given you a spirit of fear, but He has given you all you need to overcome it.
For further reading:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
1 John 4:4
Deut. 31:6
Ephesians 6
Monday, September 23, 2019
"No Lack In Fear"
"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
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
Friday, September 20, 2019
"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. 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. 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
Thursday, September 19, 2019
"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 desire or grant their every wish. 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. It involves persecution, rejection and 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 acceptance 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
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 desire or grant their every wish. 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. It involves persecution, rejection and 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 acceptance 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
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
"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
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
"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 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 joy and great blessings.
For further reading:
Luke 1:18-24
Job 23:10
Psalm 105:19
Monday, September 16, 2019
"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
The Bible tells us that we have an adversary/enemy of our soul. When he comes, he doesn't always come right out in the open plainly visible. He comes in disguise and tries to blend in with the surroundings so as not to be detected. 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
The Bible tells us that we have an adversary/enemy of our soul. When he comes, he doesn't always come right out in the open plainly visible. He comes in disguise and tries to blend in with the surroundings so as not to be detected. 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
Friday, September 13, 2019
"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
Thursday, September 12, 2019
"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 used to see this a lot at the recovery center when I would go minister there. 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 is 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 used to see this a lot at the recovery center when I would go minister there. 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 is 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
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
"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
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
"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
Monday, September 9, 2019
"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
Friday, September 6, 2019
"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 boundaries of the law. These are not just primarily 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 your 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 boundaries of the law. These are not just primarily 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 your 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
Thursday, September 5, 2019
"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 financial 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 a healing? He will supply 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
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
"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
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
"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
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