"A Call To Arms"

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8 

I woke up during the middle of the night and before I went back to sleep, just out of nowhere I heard very clearly in my spirit four words- "a call to arms". I didn't even know what it meant so I had to look it up. The dictionary defines the phrase as: a command to report for active military duty. 

 

In doing a little further study, I looked up some of the other words that were related to the phrase. Among them were such words as: enlist (sign up for responsibility); mobilize (ready for action); rally (reorganize, unite); recruit (gather resources); engage (involve, commit). 

 

The phrase "a call to arms" that I heard was not a physical call to a natural army, but a spiritual one. When we came to Christ and became saved/believers, we enlisted in the "Army of the Lord". "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Timothy 2:3) We enlisted; it was a free choice that we made. And in doing so, we signed up for responsibility in the Kingdom of God, not just for fire-insurance from hell, or to receive blessings. 

 

Whether we realize it or not, we are in a spiritual warfare; there is a battle going on. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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 6:11,12)

 

The Bible says that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12) "A call to arms", is the Lord's trumpet sounding to awaken and rally His troops to engage in battle. It is time we recognize that we are in a war (a spiritual one) and that we have a very real enemy (the devil) who has an intense hatred for God, and us because we love and serve Him, and is out to steal, kill and destroy us. (John 10:10)

 

The Lord is calling us off of our soft couches, to lay down our bless me mentality, to stop worshipping the gods of entertainment, quit compromising, stop being lazy, remove our lack of concern, our disobedience, self-centered, half-hearted Sunday kind of Christianity, undisciplined and uncrucified lives. 

 

He is calling us to self-denial, zeal for His kingdom, to endure hardship as a soldier, to take us our cross and follow Him, to surrender our wills to His will, to love Him with all our hearts, souls, strength and minds, and to love not our lives unto death. 

 

He is calling us to mobilize- get ready for action (we can't as long as we are lazy in our Christian disciplines).

He is calling us to rally- reorganize, unite (we can't if we don't love one another, live with prejudice, or have aught in our hearts).

He is calling us to recruit- gather resources (pick up our spiritual weapons, clean them up, give the gospel to the lost, make disciples- others joining the army of God is the best resource).

He is calling us to engage-- involve, commit (we can't if we are lazy and won't surrender ourselves to the Lord whole-heartedly). 

 

Will you hear His call this morning? Will you engage in this spiritual war? You can't sit by and think you will avoid it-- you are already in it and just don't realize it. 

 

Have a great day. The Lord is calling His church to arms-- to get to "active" duty, and stop being "inactive". 

 

"The Non-Existent Place"

"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." Jonah 1:3 

The verse above is almost comical. Where can a person go from the presence of the Lord? There is no place-- it doesn't exist. God is Omnipresent. You will never find a place where He is not. He is everywhere. He fills all of creation-- even those places that we have never heard of. 

 

The Psalmist asked this question-- "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" (Psalm 139:7) -- but he turned around and answered his own question because he knew the answer. The Lord is in heaven. He sees in hell. He is in the uttermost parts of the sea. He is in the darkness and nighttime, as well as the day and light. He was there even watching over you in your mother's womb. (Psalm 139:8-16) There is nowhere where you can go from the presence of the Lord. Jonah learned that the presence of the Lord is everywhere the hard way. The Lord was in Joppa. He was in Tarshish. He was in Nineveh. He was in the boat, in the storm, and in the belly of the whale.

 

For the sinner this may not be good news because there is no place you can run, no where you can hide, nothing you can do that the presence of the Lord does not see you. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (Proverbs 15:3) For the saved/believer this is good news because there is no place where the presence of the Lord is not with us-- through good times, trials, tribulations, storms, problems, difficulties, etc. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5b) 

 

Have a great day. Like Jonah you can't escape the presence of the Lord-- He is everywhere. A place where God isn't does not exist.

For further reading:

Psalm 139

"Spiritual Focus"

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13 

We tend to put the emphasis on the first part of the verse-- "I had fainted". It is human nature to dwell on the negative, on the bad, on our problems and on troubles. (Isn't that what most of us do?) We are always looking at how bad the situation is. We are prone to give up easily when trying times come. We feel so defeated by our circumstances. 

 

But as born-again believers in Jesus, we no longer live as "natural" but "spiritual"-- "walking after the spirit and not the flesh". So, our emphasis now, like the Psalmist, should be, "I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord". 

 

Our belief (the just shall live by faith) and our focus should be on the Lord. The natural man walks by sight- what he sees and feels. The spiritual man walks by faith-- faith in God. "Unless I had believed". We should believe that we will see His goodness, even in a bad situation. We should believe that He is faithful to fulfill His promises- what He said He will do, He will do. We should believe that He will cause all things to work together for our good. We should believe that nothing is too difficult or impossible for God to do. We should believe that He loves us and will not abandon, or forsake us, and will meet and supply all our need. 

 

Where is your focus and belief this morning? On the problems, on your difficulties, on the overwhelming situation? Is it on the Red Sea or the God who parts the sea? Is it on the storm or the God who calms the storms? Is it on the lions, the fire, the enemy? Or on the God who is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think?

 

Have a great day. The natural man focuses on the problems. The spiritual man puts faith in the Lord who is bigger than the problems.

 

For further reading:

Romans 1:17

2 Corinthians 5:7

Ephesians 3:20

Luke 1:37

 

"Sidetracked"

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before," Philippians 3:13 

If we aren't careful, sometimes it is easy to get off track and set our affections and attention on the wrong thing, the things of the flesh, and temporal things. We are supposed to keep pressing toward those things which have eternal value-- heavenly things, things above, the Lord Himself. 

 

Have you gotten "side-tracked"? Are you lacking in the area of pressing toward heavenly things? Did you lose your focus? Have you set your affection on things of this world and off of the things that are heavenly? 

 

With each new day comes a new opportunity to get back on track and get refocused. Each new day is a new beginning. Yesterday is gone, the past is the past. But ahead of you this morning is a new day, a new dawn, a new chance. That's because God's mercies are new every morning. 

 

When the prophet Balaam was heading the wrong direction-- he had gotten his eyes on the riches that were to be gained and off of his devotion to the Lord-- the Lord sent an angel with a sword to get him heading back in the right direction. He also sent a donkey to talk to him and correct him. This morning, if you have stopped heading in the right direction and are heading the wrong way, the Lord isn't sending an angel or a donkey, He Himself is standing before you with outstretched arms to help you get back on track, refocused and heading in the right direction- upward. Let Him help you.

 

Have a great day. Have you gotten side-tracked, off-track, heading in the wrong direction? Today is a new day and you have a new opportunity to get refocused and heading in the right direction. 

 

For further reading:

Lamentations 3:22,23

Revelation 2:5

Numbers 22

Colossians 3:2

"Ministry"

"Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering..." Romans 12:7 

When we think about ministry, we often think that it has to be preaching and teaching. We think it means standing behind a pulpit or delivering a sermon or being in a foreign land as a missionary. Ministry comes in different forms. Sometimes it is simply giving a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty.  It may be cooking a meal to take to someone who is sick. Perhaps it is paying for someone's groceries. It could be a quiet smile to someone who looks sad. Maybe it is nothing more than a phone call or text message letting someone know you have missed them and are thinking about them. It may be a dollar bill tucked in a handshake. 

 

There are endless ways in which to minister. Yes, ministry does involve preaching, teaching and pulpits. But it also involves acts and deeds of goodness and kindness to others. The Bible said that Jesus went about doing good. That's the bottom line of what ministry is. It is going about doing good to all people. It is doing what Jesus would do. That may include preaching, teaching, healing the sick, casting out devils, as well as sitting the little children in your lap, eating with sinners in order to share the gospel, or washing feet that are dirty. It is doing whatever it takes to lift up Jesus and show someone His love. 

 

Have a great day. Ministry is simply doing whatever it takes to show someone that Jesus loves them.

 

For further reading:

Acts 10:38

Mark 10:14

Matthew 9:11; 10:42

"The New Birth Event"

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 

When a baby is born, that birth was not a concept, an ideal or imagined. It is real. It is an actual event. It is something that takes place and is witnessed and attested to by others.

 

The new birth that we receive in Jesus Christ is a real event that takes place in our lives. It is not imagined or just a feeling. Unlike the birth of a flesh and blood baby, we can't lay our natural eyes on it but we can see its reality through the evidence that it produces-- a transformed (brand new) life. 

 

When we are born again, just as with a natural birth, there is something that takes place. It is a real experience. It is something that takes place inside and is evident on the outside through our works, words and attitude. There is a change that can be "seen". "Behold". We are able to look upon the life that has been born again and note that something has taken place. 

 

If there is not a change, then was there truly the event of the new birth that took place? When a woman gives birth, there is a visible change in her, and we see the "fruit" of it-- the baby. The new birth brings change in us. It is something that happens "to" us and makes us brand new people. (Which becomes evident to others.) "Old things pass away, all things become new." We see examples of this in the Bible. There was a change in Matthew the tax collector-- he stopped cheating the people and started following Jesus. He never went back to that lifestyle again. The same in the life of Mary Magdalene-- she did not go back to her old way of life when she was set free by Jesus. Zacchaeus the tax collector was so changed that he repaid everyone he had cheated out of their taxes. 

 

Have you experienced the new birth in Christ? Have you been born again? Is there evidence in your life? Are others able to attest to a change in you? Have you left the "old" behind and are living in the "new"? If not, today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time. It is time for your new birth.

 

Have a great day. When we are born again, it is an event that happens to us and changes us in such a way where it is evident to those who are looking at your life.

 

For further reading:

Luke 19:8

2 Corinthians 6:2

John 3:7

 

"God's Kingdom"

".... and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:33 

Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. Once great nations are no longer powerful, some don't even exist any longer. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a great statue which was made up of many different materials- clay, brass, etc. The Lord gave the interpretation of the dream to Daniel. The statue represented many strong and powerful nations that would rise throughout history. In the dream the king also saw a great stone strike the statue and broke it in pieces-- signifying that these nations would be destroyed. 

 

History has recorded the rise and fall of nations. God Himself through dreams, visions and prophecy has told us that the earth and all its kingdoms are temporary. They will not last forever. So when we see the things that are happening in our world between nations, we cannot let our hearts be troubled. We have already been told what will happen. The stone that the king saw in his dream was Christ and His coming Kingdom. The Bible tells us that, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15) Earth's kingdoms are temporary. One day they will be destroyed. When that happens, Christ will establish His Kingdom here on earth, and of His Kingdom there will be no end. It will never be destroyed. It will never be dissolved. It will last forever and forever. His is an eternal one, and He sits on the throne eternally.

 

Until that time comes, He is establishing His Kingdom in the hearts of men and women who have been born again. "...the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21) Is it established in you? Has Jesus set up His throne in your heart? Does He rule and reign there? None of us know when He will return. None of us know whether the events that are unfolding before us in the world will usher in His return. None of us know how close we are to the removing of the temporary kingdoms and the establishing of His eternal one. It may happen soon, or it may yet be out in the future. But the important thing is whether or not you are a part of His kingdom now. If you are now, you will also be in the future when He sets up His Kingdom among men. 

 

Have a great day. The kingdoms of this world are not going to last forever, but God's kingdom will. Are you a part of that kingdom?

 

For further reading:

Daniel 2

Matthew 6:33

Mark 1:15

John 3:5

 

"Old Age"

"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." Isaiah 46:4 

There is a process that is part of life, it is called aging. With age comes certain physical changes. The older we get the weaker we tend to become. Our thinking isn't always as clear as it once was. We aren't as alert and responsive as we have been in the past. We tend to be overlooked for a job position in favor of someone who is younger. We tend to be neglected and forgotten. You have heard the expression, "Put out to pasture". Sometimes, sadly, that is the case. But the verse above is a wonderful promise to us in our old age and should give us so much encouragement. 

 

Even when we become old, even if our strength and facilities fail us, the Lord is there. He is with us. He doesn't neglect us. He doesn't "trade us in" for someone who is younger that He can devote His attention to. He doesn't "put us out to pasture". When we look in the Bible, we see many people who were aged that the Lord still continued to use mightily for His glory. Abraham was a hundred when he received the promise of God to become a great nation. Moses was eighty when he began to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and led them until he was one hundred and twenty. Caleb was eighty-five when he took the land the Lord had promised to him. Elizabeth was an old woman when she gave birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. 

 

Don't buy into the lie of the devil that you are too old and there is nothing you can do for the Lord. As long as you have breath in your body, God isn't finished with you yet. There is still a plan and purpose that He intends to fulfill in your life. You have not finished your course. There is still a work to be done. It just may not be in the area that it once was, but your service for Him is not over. Don't believe the lie either that He doesn't care about you anymore. He cares dearly for you and about you. He hasn't left you; He is still right there with you. He is giving you His strength, carrying you and bearing you up in your weakness. 

 

Have a great day. The Lord does not forget us when we get older, and He doesn't "put us out to pasture". 

 

For further reading:

Joshua 14:5-12

Luke 1:5-15,36

Psalm 92:13,14

 

"Take A Rest"

"It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." Exodus 31:17 

When the children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years, the Lord fed them every day. For six days every week He would rain down manna, but on the sixth day He would send them twice as much so that they would have it for the sabbath also. "And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." (Exodus 16:23) The Lord had given them the command to observe the sabbath and not do any work on that day. Not only were they to rest, but God Himself "rested" on that day as well- He sent no manna that day. At creation the Lord rested on the seventh day, and now we see Him resting on the seventh day again. "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." (Genesis 2:2)

 

A time of rest is important to the Lord, He Himself exhibited an example for us. Am I saying you should not work on the sabbath? Am I saying we should do nothing? The point I am making is that we must have times of rest. We live in a "rat race". We are always so busy. There is always so much to do. If people aren't working (often more than one job), they are involved in something else that consumes their time-- sports, computer, entertainment, etc. (Let me interject here that what I am saying is not a promotion for laziness-- God has instructions and commands concerning that.) But what I am saying is we all need to take some time to "rest". 

 

"..on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." So many are weary, burned out, depressed, tired and overwhelmed. Why? Because they don't take a moment to rest. Even God Himself took "time off" to "rest", and it says He was "refreshed". Does God get tired? Does He need a nap? Of course not, there is no weariness and weakness in God, but it is a message for us that we need to take a moment to rest and by doing so we will be refreshed. This is the main key to why we are so "tired"-- no rest. You have heard of "burning the candle at both ends"? Many of us are guilty of that. No wonder we aren't as "productive" physically and spiritually as we should be. Even Jesus took time to "rest". He would rest from the crowds that were pressing on Him. He would even get away from His disciples and rest. His rest was found in the quiet place alone with His Father. 

 

When was the last time you took a "rest"? You stopped what you were doing, you shut your eyes for a moment, you turned off the television, backed away from the computer, put your cell phone down and did nothing. When was the last time you stopped everything else and got alone in a quiet place with the Lord? Don't say you can't because you don't have the time to. You are not busier than Jesus. You are not busier than God. The only way you can keep going is by having a time of rest. You need to be refreshed and that comes through rest. Resting in a quiet place alone with Him.

 

Have a great day. Everyone needs a time of rest so that they can get refreshed. 

 

For further reading:

Genesis 2:2,3

Exodus 16:30; 20:11

Matthew 14:23

"The Promise Of Strength"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

There are times that try to pull our strength from us-- spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. We also have an adversary that comes to steal our strength. He does this by trying to steal our joy- for the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we are feeling weak, when we have no strength, when we feel as if we can't go on any longer, we can take comfort in knowing that our wonderful God in heaven has the strength that we need. And the most amazing thing is not the fact that He is strong, but that He is willing, and promises, to impart His own strength into us when we are weak.

 

If you are feeling weak this morning, you don't have to. Look to the Lord. Ask Him for His strength. If you ask, you will receive. He does not withhold from us anything that we need. He will not withhold His strength from you. He will give you renewed strength to go through the times of trial and testing. He will give you His strength to run through a troop and leap over a wall. He will give you this strength to cross the desert and go through the storm. He will give you His strength to stand and withstand the attacks of the enemy. His strength will undergird you and cause you to make it... and not just barely make it but make it through victoriously. 

 

Have a great day. When you are weak, you can become strong but not in your own strength which is limited, but with the unlimited strength of the Lord. 

 

For further reading:

Nehemiah 8:10

Psalm 18:29

"Day Of Trouble"

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15

What is the "day of trouble"? It is a day/time of adversity, tribulation, distress, affliction. It is played out in different ways for different people. For some the day of trouble may mean financial troubles. For others it might be marital problems. It can also be a time of distress due to watching your children rebel. It can be a time of physical affliction or distressing situations that threaten to destroy your sanity.

 

Whatever the "day of trouble" that you may be facing is makes no difference to the Lord. I didn't say He doesn't care and He's indifferent to your troubles. I said that to Him it doesn't matter what area that your trouble is in, He doesn't exclude any need. Whatever area the need is in, He wants you to call upon Him. He wants you to bring it to Him. He wants you to acknowledge Him in it and let Him work on your behalf.

 

What are you going through this morning? What is the area of your trouble? What is causing you distress? Are you afflicted? Are you in turmoil? Are you becoming fearful by the things you see happening around you? Well, don't just sit there wallowing in it. Don't just sit there "twiddling your thumbs". Don't decide that it is hopeless. Call upon the Lord. Go to Him in prayer. Pour out your need to Him. Take hold of His word and His promises. Allow Him to pull you up and sit you above the trouble. Doing this doesn't always mean that the circumstances will change, but He will deliver you from the fear and defeat of the "day of trouble" and it will be under your feet instead of you under its.

 

Have a great day. Whatever trouble you are facing, call on the Lord and He will deliver you.

 

For further reading:

Psalm 20:1; 31:7; 59:16; 86:7

Nahum 1:7

"Gifts"

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 

There are many "gifts" that God gives us every day. Some of those gifts are tangible-- food, clothing, shelter, money, etc. Some are not-- favor, peace, strength, etc. Even life itself is a gift. We don't usually view these things as gifts from God, but they are. God by His marvelous grace gives them to us. For example, the Lord gave me a "gift" of extra time this morning. He woke me up an hour earlier than I tend to get up. It gives me extra time to spend with Him and get in all that needs doing before I have to go to my appointment this morning. 

 

When given a gift, the first thing that has to be done is accept it. The next would be to use it wisely. Do you recognize the gifts that God is placing in your path each day? Do you accept them as such? How are you using them? When I woke up that hour earlier this morning, I could have turned back over and ignored it. I could have taken it for granted. I could have used it the way I wanted to use it and decided to use it to sleep. If I had I would have missed the wonderful blessing the Lord wanted to give me. 

 

What are you doing with the gifts that God gives you each day? The greatest gift being that of your salvation and eternal life. Are you neglecting it? Are you taking it for granted? Are you being careless with it? Do you give little thought to it? Do you treat it like it was a "one time" thing that happened some time ago, or do you enjoy it daily?

 

God gives us numerous gifts every day, even those we don't recognize as such. Will we receive them as a gift and use them in an appreciative manner, or will we ignore the blessing He is placing in our path and take it for granted? 

 

Have a great day. God gives us many gifts every day. What are you doing with the ones He gives you?

 

For further reading:

Psalms 68:19

Matthew 25:25

"Who Moved?"

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

Do you ever feel like God is nowhere to be found? Do you feel like He has moved? Do you feel distant from Him? Guess what, He hasn't moved, He hasn't gone anywhere. If you feel a distance between you and Him, perhaps you have moved. 

The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. That means He doesn't change. It also means He doesn't change His location. He is where He was yesterday, the day before, the century before, actually before the world began. He hasn't changed His position or place. He is still seated on the throne. He is still high and lifted up. He is still in the place of mercy and grace. He hasn't left His place of power... ever! He is right where you left Him and where He has been since the eternal past. 

If you are wanting to be close to Him again, then you are the one who has to make a move because you are the one who made the move to begin with-- not Him. The move you need to make is a determined step to draw near to Him. He said when you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. You have to make the first step toward Him just like the prodigal son did when he got up out of the pigpen to go home. The son had to make the effort to go to the father-- the father was still where the son left him-- at home. 

Have a great day. If God feels distance, He's not. He's where He has always been. 

For further reading:  Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 15:11-32

"Don't Be Troubled"

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Matthew 24:6 

There is so much uncertainty in the world today- it seems to be spinning out of control. 

 

Unfortunately, war and violence, trials and tribulation, are all part of this life because of the presence of sin. But in three of the gospels Jesus told us how we should respond when we hear about them-- "see that you do not be troubled". The word for troubled means: to be frightened, troubled in mind, alarmed.

 

"See that you do not be troubled." How do we keep from being troubled, frightened or alarmed? In Isaiah 26:3 we are told-- "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." The Lord keeps us in perfect peace when we keep our minds on Him; when we keep our minds focused on Him and not the surrounding situations; when we keep our minds renewed in His word and remember His promises. But in our opening verse above we are told to see to it that we are not troubled. There is a part that we have to play. We are told to guard our peace, don't allow ourselves to be troubled, don't let ourselves become alarmed and fearful. How do we do that? The same way-- by keeping our minds on the Lord, by staying focused on Him, by renewing our minds in His word, and by remembering His promises. When we keep our minds stayed on the Lord, there is no room for fear to come in and trouble us. 

 

Have a great day. When we hear troubling news-- be it in world events or personal upsetting circumstances-- we don't have to be troubled by it. And we won't be if we will keep our minds focused on the Lord and renewed in His word. As we do, we will be guarding our minds against fear and alarm, and He will be keeping our minds in perfect peace. 

"The Measure Of Praise"

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." Psalms 113:3 

According to this verse the Lord should be praised from the time the sun rises until it sets-- which means all day. His praise should continually be in our mouths. There should not be a time when we aren't praising Him. You may say, "Well, how can I praise Him, you don't know what I am going through?" Our circumstances should not dictate our praise. They don't determine God's worthiness. God is worthy of praise period! 

 

We tend to let what we are going through or how we feel determine our praise, or how much we praise. We measure our praise level by where we are and what is happening in our lives instead of by who God is. If we would measure our praise according to who He is instead of what we are going through, we would find it impossible not to praise Him. We couldn't keep our mouths' shut. There would be no way we could withhold it. 

 

There is a secular song that says, "There ain't no mountain high enough. Ain't no valley low enough. Ain't no river wide enough. To keep me from getting to you." If we would praise God according to who He is, instead of praising Him according to our feelings and circumstances, then our hearts would have a new theme and we would be saying, "There ain't no mountain high enough. Ain't no valley low enough. Ain't no river wide enough. To keep me from praising You, Lord."

 

Have a great day. Give God your praise based on who He is and not on what you are going through.

 

For further reading:

Psalms 18:3; 34:1

Revelation 5:12

"Fighting Alone"

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44

By yourself you are no match for the devil. He is good at what he does. He has been doing it for a long, long time. He is well acquainted with his weapons and strategies because he continues to use the same ones over and over again. He knows how to lay a trap and snare to catch his prey. He is skilled in using the weapons of fear, lies, manipulation and intimidation. So don't think you are going out there all alone and you are going to defeat him. Look at what happened to the seven sons of Sceva.

 

I don't want it to sound like I am giving the devil more credit than I should. After all he is a defeated foe, but at the present he is still "alive and well" and going throughout the whole earth seeking whom he may devour. We just don't need to be naive and know who our opponent/enemy is. So having said all that, let me now say that while we are no match for him on our own, when we are connected with Jesus the devil is no match for us because he is no match for God. 

 

Through Christ Jesus we can do all things. Through Christ Jesus the devil is defeated. Through Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors. Through Christ Jesus we can walk in victory every time the devil attacks. Even when Jesus was on earth, He didn't fight the devil in His own strength- in His humanity. As we look back at His temptations in the wilderness, we see He defeated the devil through the Word of God. Jesus, the God-man, wasn't fighting alone. When He brought God's Word into the battle, He was bringing God's presence into the battle, and the Lord by the power of His own Word defeated Him.

 

You must not try to fight the devil alone. You must bring God's presence into the battle. We fight together with the Lord. And when we do, we are assured victory every time because the devil is no match for God.

 

Have a great day. By yourself you are no match for the devil, but with Jesus in you the devil is no match for you because he is no match for Jesus.

 

For further reading:

Acts 19:13-16

2 Corinthians 2:11

1 Peter 5:8

Philippians 4:13

"Listening To The Storm"

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Mark 4:35-40

When you are going through a storm of life, did you know that it will "speak" to you. "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still." The word for peace is translated: to be silent; hold ones peace. The word for be still means: to stop the mouth, make speechless, reduce to silence. When Jesus rebuked the wind and sea, He literally told it to "shut your mouth and be quiet". 

 

Not only does the storm speak to you, but it does it very loudly. "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full." It shouts with intimidation and fear. The storm that the disciples were going through was shouting to them that they were going to die; they weren't going to make it; they were going to drown. It was spewing out fear and death. "We perish". 

 

"And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Why did Jesus rebuke the disciples for not having faith? The rebuke was for not having faith in what He had said, but having faith in what the storm said instead. Jesus had already told them His will. He had already spoken His plan to them. "He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side." He didn't say to them, "We are going to drown on the way; we won't make it to the other side; we are going to die in the sea". No, He told them that they were going to go to the other side. 'To pass over' literally means- to go through. They were going to make it over-- they had His word on that.

 

Are you in a storm? If you are, I can guarantee that it is speaking to you. It is speaking fear, dread, intimidation, hopelessness, anger, guilt, etc. But I also know that Jesus is speaking, or has already spoken, to you. When Jesus speaks, He doesn't shout it at us. When He told the disciples to get in the boat and pass over to the other side, He didn't shout it, He simply told them. He speaks in that "still, small voice". So the question is, "Are you going to listen to the shouts of the storm, or the voice of the Lord?" Are you going to put your faith in what the storm says, or what Jesus says? Whose words are you going to believe? 

 

Have a great day. Are you going to believe what the storm says instead of what Jesus says? 

 

For further reading:

1 Kings 19:12

 

"From The Frying Pan, Into The Fire"

"...a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him..." Amos 5:19 

Are you familiar with the expression, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire"? It seems as if we don't get out of one situation before we are met with another-- sometimes seemingly worse. Well, as a matter of fact, life is often like that. Usually there is some situation we are trying to leave behind us, but another one awaits us. We make it out of one trial, and we find ourselves in another one. This happened often in the Bible.

 

While Jacob was leaving his lying, manipulating, Uncle Laban who was using him, he got word that his brother Esau was coming to meet him-- the same brother he stole the birthright from. (From the frying pan into the fire.) The children on Israel left the slavery of Egypt behind them and ran into a "roadblock" in front of them that threatened to drown them- the Red Sea. (From the frying pan into the fire.) Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife and her advancements only to face prison. (He got out of the frying pan and wound up in the fire.)

 

Often though, the "fire" that we are heading into is not as destructive or devastating as we think it is. Look again at the three examples above. When Jacob did meet Esau instead of a battle, healing and reconciliation came between them. (Genesis 33) When the Israelites faced the Red Sea they weren't destroyed, instead it was there final deliverance from the Egyptians. (Exodus 14) When Joseph wound up in prison, it was the place that put him in position to enter the palace and fulfill his destiny. (Genesis 41) 

 

In each of these examples we also see a common thread-- God was with them moving and working on their behalf. If you feel as though you have made it "out of the frying pan" but are now facing the "fire", don't be afraid, the Lord is with you, and He is working on your behalf as well. He is working all things together for your good-- including the frying pan and the fire. It may look like destruction, but it may also be the very avenue to blessings, restoration, healing and the fulfillment of God's plan for your life.

 

Have a great day. When we get out of the "frying pan", there is often a "fire" that awaits us. But don't fear because the "fire" is often taking you into a blessing. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28

"Guilt"

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 

There are two kinds of guilt. One deals with the fact of having committed a specified offense or crime. When it is proven that we have committed such a crime, we then receive a guilty sentence. The other is a feeling that comes upon us when we have done something wrong, or image we have-- we feel the remorse/guilt. 

 

All of us have sinned. We are born sinners because of Adam. We were all found guilty of the "sin crime". Therefore, we are under the sentence of death. I have good news this morning-- Jesus took care of guilt at the cross. When He hung on the cross, He was paying the price for your and my sins. He took the guilty sentence and was put to death. We were guilty, but He took our punishment. He became guilty so that we can become innocent. Once we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. We are set free because He became guilty on our behalf. 

 

All of us have done something wrong and when we did, guilt came attached to it. Have you ever had those feelings of guilt? You wish you had not done a particular thing? You wish you could go back and undo it? You wrestle with the guilt of past mistakes and heartaches? Good news again-- Jesus took care of our feelings of guilt at the cross also. We no longer have to go around feeling weighed down by guilt from the past or the guilt of failure. We don't have to carry the burden of that the rest of our lives. Since He took that as well, there is no condemnation to us. 

 

In a nutshell, Jesus took care of guilt at the cross. We don't have to face the guilty verdict of death because of our sins. He became guilty so we could be free. He took care of the feelings and accusations of guilt that come upon us from ourselves, others and the adversary. So don't keep staying under guilt this morning. He who the Son sets free is free indeed.

 

Have a great day. Jesus took care of guilt at the cross. When we come to Him as our Savior, we are set free from the guilty verdict. He also took care of those feelings of guilt that torment and weigh us down.

 

For further reading:

1 John 1:9

Romans 3:23; 5:12

John 8:36

"Don't Forget To Say, 'Thank You'"

"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? " Luke 17:15-17

There were ten lepers who called out to Jesus to have mercy on them and heal them. Jesus did and only one of them returned to give Him praise and thanks for healing him. Only one of the ten- nine did not return to thank Him. Before we get down on the nine, let me ask you, "How many times have you returned to give God thanks for an answer to prayer that He did for you?" We are quick to call out for His help when we are in trouble but after He hears us and does what we have asked, do we thank Him, or do we forget and go on about our business?

 

We should be just as quick to say, "Thank You", when He answers our prayers. We get desperate for His help, should we not have the same feeling when it comes to giving Him praise and thanksgiving? When we don't give Him thanks when He answers, we are like ungrateful children. 

 

When we don't give Him thanks, He isn't going to pout about it, neither will He withhold His help the next time out of hurt or spite. When we don't give Him thanks for answering our prayers, He is not going to punish us for it. None of these are the reasons why we should thank Him for what He has done. We should thank Him because we are truly grateful to Him. Perhaps you would say, "He knows I am thankful". You are right, He knows- He knows everything. But shouldn't you say it anyway? Shouldn't your gratitude and thanks come out of your mouth? Shouldn't He hear it from you? 

 

Have a great day. We are quick to call upon the Lord for help, shouldn't we be as quick to tell Him, "Thank You", when He answers?

 

For further reading:

Luke 17:11-18

Psalm 75:1; 140:13

1 Thessalonians 5:18

"God Has A Plan For You"

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) How wonderful it is to know that the Lord has plans for us. God has a plan for each of our lives. But sometimes we forget that. 

 

Often, we let the trials that we are facing, the storm that we are going through, or the dark time of testing cause us to either forget that or make us feel that He has no plan for us. 

 

The pit, Potiphar's house, and the prison tried to convince Joseph that God did not have a plan for him. The Babylonian captivity tried to make Daniel think that God did not have a plan for him. The threats of Jezebel tried to cause Elijah to forget that he was in the middle of God's plan. 

 

Don't let your circumstances convince you that God doesn't have a plan for your life. Don't believe what they are "saying" to you. Believe what God says to you--- "I know the plans I have for you." What you are going through will often make you feel as if God has no plan for you. But it might be that those very circumstances are the instrument, or avenue, that will take you into God's plan instead. The pit was the first step in the fulfillment of God's plan for Joseph. Remember that what often looks like the enemy coming to steal the plan of God, or make you think that there is no plan, is the very thing that may be taking you into His plan. In this way all things work together for the good to those who love the Lord.

 

Have a great day. Don't let your circumstances convince you that God doesn't have a plan for your life.

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28