"A Know It All"

"A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent".  Proverbs 15:5

Have you ever been around people who "knew it all"?  You couldn't tell them anything because they already knew it.  It didn't matter what subject you were talking about, they already knew the answers, and they had already "done it".  The Bible talks a lot about these people-- it calls them fools. 

No one person knows everything about everything.  There is only One who truly knows everything-- God.  We each know in part.  There is something that I may know that you don't know.  And vice versa, there may be something you know that I don't.  I don't know how to play the piano.  Therefore, it would be foolish of me to say I can teach someone else how to play it.  But there are many people who can play it and they then are able to teach it. 

Because we don't know everything, God has placed people in our lives to help us in the areas we lack knowledge.  He has placed teachers in our lives to educate us.  He has given us pastors to instruct us in the Word of God.  He has given us financial counselors to help us in financial matters and use our monies wisely.  He has given us parents to help instruct us in matters of life.  He has given us friends to impart some understanding to us-- provided they are not ungodly friends. 

The point is that we can't and don't know everything-- even if we think we do.  Therefore, we need to be teachable and open to instruction and insight from others.  We especially need to be able to receive instruction and guidance from the Lord and His Word.  God's Word will make the simple-- those who lack knowledge and understanding-- wise.  The disciples were taught by Jesus and the Holy Spirit and when they preached the Word, people were astonished because they knew these men were uneducated fishermen.  The Word of God will make even those who have no understanding wise. 

Seek out wisdom and understanding from God's Word.  Listen to the counsel of those who have knowledge in areas that you don't.  Heed the instructions of those who are wiser in matters that you aren't wise in.  And always be teachable.  Don't be a "know it all".  That is pride and pride will bring you down and expose your ignorance.

Have a great day.  You don't know it all.  Therefore, listen to the Lord who does and the people He has placed in your life to give you counsel. 

Scriptural reference: Psalm 19:7; Acts 4:13

"At The Right Time"

"And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables."  John 2:14,15

Jesus grew up going to the temple.  His parents presented Him at the temple when He was an infant.  When He was twelve years old, His parents found Him in the temple with the doctors asking questions.  Later, after His ministry started, He went into the temple and was given the Book of Isaiah to read.  The Bible tells us it was His custom to go to the temple at the appointed time. 

At a time before His crucifixion, He went into the temple and drove out with a whip those who were turning His house into a den of thieves by their selling of the sacrifices.  We have already established that He went to the temple often, so why didn't He "drive" them out sooner?  Why did He wait until now at the end of His ministry?  Why not take care of them at the beginning of His ministry?  Evidently, they were there before.  Maybe they only showed up at Passover-- but this wasn't His first Passover to go to the temple.  He had seen them there before.  He watched them on more than one occasion.  He walked past them more than once.  The only answer is that God has a planned and perfect time for doing everything He does.

This brings me to my point this morning.  Why doesn't He deal with the "moneychangers"-- those things that are wrong, out of place and out of order-- in our lives sooner?  Why does He allow trials, pain, illness, problems, etc. to continue?  He sees they are there in our lives.  If His eyes are on me, then He knows what I am going through.  So why doesn't He do something about it up front instead of allowing it to continue?  Again, the only answer I have is-- His ways are not our ways; they are perfect; He has a plan and that plan has a perfect timing to it.  We just have to trust that He sees it, knows about it, He is not ignoring it but at the appointed time He will "drive it out". 

Have a great day.  Just because the Lord doesn't do something about the issue/problem doesn't mean that He isn't aware of it.  He has a perfect time for everything. 

Scripture reference:  Luke 2:21-49; Luke 4:16-21

"False Healing"

"He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."   Psalm 107:20

Healing can be in many areas-- not just physical.  Sometimes we need our emotions healed.  Sometimes we need healing from past memories.  Sometimes we need healing in our minds because of things we did that we regret now-- or things done to us.  Sometimes our hearts need to be healed because of sorrow, grief, heaviness, cares we carry, burdens we bear, hurts, loss we have suffered, rejections we have faced or trials we have been through.  Sometimes we are just "broken" and need to be fixed-- healed.

Where does this healing come from?  Many look for it in relationships.  They are looking to another person to make them feel whole and healthy.  Others turn to some sort of substance to make them "forget" their pain and problems.  Different people look to different sources.  Some look for affirmation and acceptance to "heal" them.  There is a wide variety to choose from-- entertainment, hobbies, work, money, a career, people pleasing, etc.  

When you have a physical wound, it has to be healed from the inside out.  There is a problem if we are looking for healing to come through people and earthly pursuits. That healing is from the outside in.  Like a physical wound, it looks healed but under the skin it is still a wound-- full of bacteria and germs.  It is still there "festering" out of sight.  It is not healed.  It just isn't as evident--- until later.  

True healing comes through "cleansing" the wound and "dressing" it with the Word of God.  His Word is health and life to our minds, spirits, souls and bodies.  It doesn't just cover up a wound; it starts deep on the inside and heals it from the inside out.  Once it is healed, it is healed-- unlike the wound that has just been covered over.  One day something will happen and cause it to break through to the surface of the "skin", and it will be a worse wound then it was at the beginning. 

If you are suffering a wounded heart, mind or spirit, the remedy for it is God's Word.  It will bring a complete and total healing instead of just "masking" over it.  Let Him heal you.

Have a great day.  The Word of God brings complete and total healing.... anything else will only cover it up.

For further reading:  Proverbs 4:20-22

"Repent To God"

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".  Matthew 4:17

Repentance is not something that you hear preached often any more.  We think we can just decide to believe or be better people or start going to church and that makes us right with God.  It doesn't.  Jesus' first message was "Repent".  He also said that unless we repent we will perish. 

So, what exactly is repentance if it is necessary for our salvation?  The word repent means:  to change one's mind; heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins; repentance involves a turning with contrition from sin to God.  It means to not only change our minds and go in a different direction but it means we are truly and deeply sorry for and detest our sins to the point where we forsake them. 

Repentance is an act between the individual and God.  It is when God sees that contrite heart that He forgives our sins, washes them away, cleanses us and makes us a brand new person.  People can't do that for us.  Most people think that because they confess something to man, even in sorrow for what they have done, that it is enough.  It isn't-- only God can forgive sins.

King Saul confessed his sin to Samuel and asked him not to expose it before the people.  Judas after his betrayal of Jesus confessed to the priest and tried to give back the money he had received for his betrayal.  Neither one, though very sorry for what they had done, received forgiveness. There was no repentance and they didn't go to God for it. 

Confessing to men is for conscience sake, but it does not take away the stain of the sin.  Confessing to men will not bring reconciliation with God.  Confessing to men will help bring a certain amount of healing but not forgiveness or deliverance. 

Have you turned to God in repentance?  Have you only changed your mind about God and started going to church?  Have you gone to God with a sincere heart confessing that you have sinned against Him?  Do you hate the sin you are in and are willing to turn completely away from it?  Do you see that what you are doing is a sin in God's sight and you are ready to forsake it?  There must be repentance if you are going to get right with God.  Other wise, you are just going through some religious motions and are still the same sinner you were. 

Have a great day.  There must be repentance of sin to God in order for you to have your sins forgiven.     

For further reading:  Luke 13:3,5; Matthew 27:3,4; 1 Samuel 15

"Quench Your Thirst"

"There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High".  Psalm 46:4

Water is the most essential element to life.  We can live without much, but we can't live without water.  Water provides life and refreshment.  It refreshes and rehydrates the body.  It revives what is wilting.  It provides a place for habitation to aquatic life forms.  It is a cleansing agent.  It plays so many roles in our existence and without it we would not survive very long.

There is a spiritual water that many are lacking.  This is why their lives are so dry.  It is why they are weak.  It is why they have no life.  They are neglecting its life-giving power.  The water that I am referring to is Jesus.  He is living water.  The difference in water for the body and water for the spirit is that one you will have to continue to drink because it only satisfies your thirst temporarily.  The other- living water- will take away your thirst once and for all.  This is what He told the woman at the well.  (John 4) 

Today He gives you the same invitation as He did to the woman at the well.  He offered to quench her thirst so that she would never thirst again.  He will do the same for you.  You can receive it freely without cost.  It is already paid for.  "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price". (Isaiah 55:1) Will you come and drink and be satisfied?  There is plenty for everyone.  It is an abundant supply-- a never-ending river.

Have a great day.  Is your soul thirsty?  Jesus is the living water that if you drink of Him, you will never thirst again. 

"Only True Foundation"

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ".  1 Corinthians 3:11

A lot of people are trying to lay a spiritual and eternal foundation under their lives which is no foundation at all-- it is only sand.  You cannot build anything- in the natural or in the spirit- on sand.  It will shift.  It will move.  It will fail. 

What foundation are you trying to lay in order to have eternal life?  The rich young ruler tried to make his foundation riches.  He laid a foundation of money, but it fail.  The Pharisees tried to lay a foundation on the Law.  They thought if they kept every "jot and tittle" they would have a solid foundation spiritually.  But it failed as well.  

Many today are trying to lay a spiritual/eternal foundation based on the keeping of religious deeds and practices.  Some are trying to lay a foundation on goodness-- if they are good enough the foundation will be strong and support them.  Some are trying to build a foundation based on knowledge. They think that the more they know about the Bible and spiritual matters they will have a good foundation upon which to stand.

None of these things will work.  You can't build your life, your hope or your eternal security on but one foundation-- the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the only true and sure foundation.  He is the only Rock-- firm and solid-- that can support our lives and our eternity. 

Have a great day.  If you are trying to lay your own foundation you will surely fail and fall.  You have to build on the foundation that is already laid-- Jesus Christ. 
 

"Who Knows Who?"

"And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?".  Mark 4:41

The disciples had spent much time with Jesus.  Daily they watched Him heal the crowds of their various illnesses.  They had seen Him raise the dead and cast out demons.  They had heard His teachings.  They had received revelation from Him.  Peter even professed that He was the Son of God.  But now they wondered "who He was" after seeing Him demonstrate power over the raging sea.  Evidently, they knew Him, but they didn't really know Him.  They knew who He was, but they didn't really know who He was.

When all is said and done, when we come to the very end, when eternity comes, when we stand in the Judgment, it won't matter if we knew Him, it won't matter how much we think we knew Him, it won't matter how much we knew about Him, it won't matter what we saw Him do and heard preached about Him.  The only thing that will matter is whether He knows you are not.  You can say you know Him, but does He know you.  "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity". (Matthew 7:23)

The disciples asked a good question, but they needed to seek to find out the answer.  Once they found the answer (He is the Son of God- the Savior of the world), they then needed to ask another question-- since He is the Son of God, does He know me?  You may think you know Him.  You may think you know a lot about Him.  You may think you know all there is to know about Him.  But the most important thing you need to be finding out is-- does He know you? 

Have a great day.  It isn't whether you know Jesus, it is whether He knows you that matters.  
 

"Renovation"

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God".  Romans 12:2

The verse above says to renew our minds.  We often think that means to just think about the Word of God.  It does but it means so much more than that.  The word for renew also means renovate. 

When something is being renovated, there is a process that takes place.  The old is being removed and the new is replacing it.  In renewing our minds, we have to renovate them-- tear out and replace.

If I were renovating my kitchen, I would not pull out all the cabinets and just leave it like that-- I have only started the renovation process.  I have to replace the old torn out cabinets with new ones, or my kitchen would remain empty and uncompleted.

Jesus talked about this principle-- when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man and walks around in the dry places then decides to go back to the house he came out of and finds it empty, he goes and gets seven other spirits and inhabits it again. (Matthew 12) How could he do that?  The house was empty.  Nothing had been put back in it.  The renovation was not complete.

You can't just get rid of the "bad" and not replace it with the "good".  You can't just "not think" worldly thoughts.  You have to replace them with "godly" thoughts.  It has to be "renovated"-- restored to a good condition; renewed; revived.  You do this first by surrendering your life to the Lord.  Then you have to "cast down imaginations" (your old way of thinking).  Next, you have to replace those thoughts with God's Word.  The verse says to be transformed.  Isn't that what a renovation does?  I watch those home improvement shows on television and when they renovate a room or a house, the appearance is totally transformed-- it doesn't even look the same. 

We have to be renovated until we no longer look the same because we have been transformed.  This happens as we take out the old and replace it with the new.  In other words, we have to die to self and let the Lord live through us.

Have a great day.  Are you being renovated? 

"Hiding The Word"

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  Psalm 119:11

Occasionally, I will "hide" money in my wallet.  I put it in an inconspicuous place and then "forget" about it-- I hide it from myself, so I won't be tempted to spend it.  That way when I have an emergency and need it, I will have a few dollars on hand.  (I know other people who do the same.)

The verse above says that we should do the same with the Word of God.  We should "hide" it.  God's word needs to be hid in our hearts, not so that we will not use it, but so that when we need it it will be there.  It has been a relief to remember I had those few dollars stuck back (hid) when I found myself in a situation where I needed them.  They saved me a lot of embarrassment, got me out of what could have been a bad situation, and came to my rescue.  Had they not been "hid" in my wallet, the outcome of the situation would have been different.

If the word of God is not hidden in our hearts, when we need it in order to make it through a situation-- or an emergency-- we are facing, we won't have it.  We won't have an answer to face the problem with.  We won't have the wisdom, grace, peace and everything else the word provides for us when we need it.  In short, we won't have what we need when the need arises and won't know what to do about it either.

Have a great day.  Don't just read the word of God, hide the Word of God in your heart so that when you need it, it will be there to help you.  

"Limitations On God"

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died".  John 11:21

Martha believed Jesus could heal her brother while he was alive but wasn't able to do anything after he died.  She put limitations on Jesus.  We do the same thing.  We believe Jesus can do this but not that.  We believe He can heal this disease but not that disease.  We believe He can work in this situation but not in that one.  We believe He can handle the little problems but not the big ones.  We believe He can multiply what is already there but can't provide when there is nothing to work with. 

Why do we put limitations on the Lord?  The main reason is because we don't really know who He is.  We have placed Him on the same level of just another man.  We look at Him like we look at everyone else and each other.  We think about Him the way we think about everyone else.  We think He is a mere mortal.  We think He is limited in what He can do.  We don't really believe that He is God who can do the impossible.  We don't really believe He is all powerful.  If we did, what might we be doing differently? 

Would we go to Him as the first resort instead of the last one like we usually do?  Would we believe Him for greater things?  Would our faith be stronger?  The truth is that He is God!  He is not a mortal, or another man.  He has always been and will always be.  He has no beginning and no end.  He is more than able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.  He is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omni-present.  At His name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.  At the sound of His voice demons tremble and flee.  By His word all things were created-- visible and invisible.  All power and authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him.  He speaks and the winds obey.  He speaks and the fire is quenched.  He speaks and the mountains are brought low.  He speaks and the sea rolls back.  All of nature-- fire, sea, wind-- knows how powerful He is.  Why don't we? 

Have a great day.  The Lord is not like us.  He is the Creator; we are the creation.  So, stop limiting Him and making Him like everyone else.       

"Revive Us Again"

"O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy".  Habakkuk 3:2

We talk about revival.  We pray for revival.  We see the need for revival.  But we miss the object to whom revival is directed.  Revival is not for the world.  It is for the church/body of Christ.  The word revive means:  to restore to life, regain life, give new strength or energy to.  The world is dead in trespasses and sins.  They must first be "born-again" and receive life.  The church, however, has already received life- it is made up of the "living".  Therefore, you can only revive (restore life) what once was alive but is now either dead or dying. 

When you were "born-again" (brought to life), the Lord began a good work in you.  Through the course of time, because of situations you have gone through, because of neglect, whatever the reason, that work that He started in you, those works that He once did through you, have been "dying"-- they are not as evident as they once were. 

I believe He is asking you today-- What do you want revived in your life?  What work do you want revived?  Perhaps you need the joy of your salvation revived.  Maybe it is a gift of the Spirit that hasn't operated in your life in a while.  It could be that you need a hunger and thirst for the Word of God to be revived in your life.  Maybe you aren't as spiritually discerning as you were once and you need it revived.  It could be your faith needs to be revived.  Whatever it is, ask the Lord to revive it.  He is desiring to finish what He begun in you.  He is desiring that you walk in abundant and full spiritual life.  He is desiring that you-- in every and all areas-- come back to life (be revived).

Have a great day.  The Lord wants to revive you and revive what He once begun in you. 

John 5:4; Philippians 1:6

"Spiritual Starvation"

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God".  Matthew 4:4

When I have gone for periods of time without eating, I feel weak in my body.  I need nutrition which comes from food in order to sustain it and make it strong and healthy.  It's the same spiritually.  In order for me to be spiritually strong and fit, I need spiritual food.  What is the spiritual food that I need?  It is the Word of God.  It is like bread; it is sustenance to my spirit.

Are you feeling weak spiritually?  Does your faith feel weak?  Are you having a hard time spiritually?  Do you feel as though you have no spiritual energy?  Are you having a hard time fighting spiritual battles?  Are you having a hard time discerning spiritual matters?  Has your spiritual eyesight and understanding become dim?  Are you at a loss as to what to do in certain situations that require guidance from the Word of God?  If you have been answering "yes" to these questions, then I have another question for you.  "When was the last time you ate?".  When was the last time you picked up the Bible and read it?  When was the last time you meditated and pondered on it or rehearsed its verses?  If you aren't reading and studying it, then you may be suffering from spiritual malnutrition.  If you have spiritual malnutrition not only will you not know what to do, but you will be in danger of spiritual starvation. 

But there is a remedy.  It is called-- eating.  Start "eating" God's Word.  Take it into your spirit daily-- several times a day.  Start filling your heart with it.  And the weakness you are experiencing in your faith will begin to disappear and you will also begin to get stronger.  "So, then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". (Romans 10:17)

Have a great day.  Are you feeling weak spiritually?  It could be because you are starving from not eating on God's Word. 

"Will With Conditions"

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven".  Mathew 6:10

"Thy will be done".  How many times have we prayed that?  But what are we really praying when we do?  What we usually pray is full of conditions.  "Thy will be done... if". 

We want His will if it doesn't cost us anything.  If it doesn't take us out of our comfort zone.  If it fits into our plans.  If it is part of our agenda.  If it is what we want.  If there is no test or trial attached to it.  If it lines up with our own will.  If we don't have to give up anything. 

"Thy will be done" means exactly what it says-- His will be done.  There are no conditions.  There is no argument.  There is no question about it.  The most perfect example of the meaning of this verse is found in Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He knew the will of God would cost Him, would bring Him pain, shame, beating and crucifixion.  He knew it would cost Him His life, but He made no bargains and set no conditions on it.  He simply submitted to it.  He removed His own will out of the way and obeyed the will of the Father.

The next time you are praying, "Thy will be done", check yourself and see if you truly mean "Thy" or "mine"?  Pay attention to see if you are placing conditions on it.  Or are you without question submitting to His will and without trying to bargain with Him no matter what the price of obedience?   Do you truly want His will and nothing but His will? 

Have a great day.  "Thy will be done", means just that. 

"The Warning Signs"

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth". Revelation 3:16

We live in a world of "signs".  Each indicates the state or level of something else.  For example, contractions for a pregnant woman are a sign that indicates the baby is soon to arrive.  A red light on appliances indicate that the power is turned on.  A "check engine" light in your automobile indicates that you need to have it checked for a problem.

If we have signs in the natural realm that give us an indication of something else, then we also have signs in the spiritual realm that serve as indicators as well.  These "spiritual signs" indicate our spiritual condition.  They let us know that we are in danger of becoming lukewarm in our relationship with the Lord.  Being lukewarm doesn't just happen overnight.  It is a process, and during that process there are signs that are trying to get our attention and warn us.

What are those signs?  The first sign is in our prayer life.  Our prayer times become less and less.  It begins to be "on the go" instead of "in the closet".  We once prayed when we first got up in the morning and we prayed about everything.  Now our prayer comes when we can "squeeze" it in, and we no longer pray for instruction in our situations-- we try to figure them out ourselves.

Bible study, or lack of it, is another indicator.  Watching television, playing sports, being entertained, etc., have become more desirable than sitting down and reading our Bibles.  That is a sure sign that indicates we are growing lukewarm. 

Lack of prayer and Bible reading are the first two signs.  There are others.  The lack of these are warning signs.  They indicate to us that our spiritual life is getting in need of attention.  These signs are not to condemn us and hold us to a strict set of rules and regulations.  They are there to warn us, help us and show us that we need to make some changes before it is too late. 

Are you experiencing either of these signs in your own life?  Is your prayer time getting less and less?  Are you reading your Bible and studying it like you once did?  Can you hardly wait to talk to the Lord in prayer?  Are these still the things you love to do?  If not, you should not ignore the "warning signs".  You need to heed them because they are telling you something.

Have a great day.  Don't ignore the warning signs. 

"Today Not Tomorrow"

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".  Psalm 118:24

"This is the day".  It doesn't say tomorrow is the day, but it says this is the day that the Lord has made.  Of course, we know that every day is made by the Lord, but this is the day He has made for and given us now.

We talk a lot about not living in the past.  But we also need to talk about not living in the future.  So many people miss what the Lord wants to do for them and in them because they are looking at tomorrow-- the future.  We seem to be more concerned about what is to come than enjoying what is now. 

When we are children, we can't wait to grow up.  We can't wait to get our driver's license.  We can't wait to graduate.  We can't wait to get married.  We can't wait to start having a family.  We can't wait to start our career.  We can't wait to retire.  We are always living in the future.  Well, the Bible has as much to say about living in the future as it does about living in the past.  It tells us not to take thought (don't be anxious or troubled) about either.  That doesn't mean that we shouldn't make plans or occupy.  It means that we shouldn't be so preoccupied with it that we miss out on what we have now. 

God has a plan for you today.  He has a purpose for you to fulfill today.  He has a blessing for you today.  He has an assignment for you today.  He has good gifts He wants to bestow on you today.  He has a work for you to accomplish today.  He has a calling for you today.  But you will miss it if you are always looking to tomorrow or some other day far out in the future.  Now is the time.  Be content today and live today to the fullest.  One day our future will become our past-- sooner than we think and when we look back, we will see how much we have missed out on by not enjoying each day.

Have a great day.  Don't miss out on enjoying today because you are preoccupied with tomorrow. 

"Call For An Answer"

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not".  Jeremiah 33:3

There is an amazing two-fold promise in this verse:  I will answer you; I will show you great and mighty things that you don't know.  Do you want the Lord to give you answers?  Do you want Him to show you great things?  Do you want Him to give you revelation into things that you need understanding about?  He tells you how to get it-- call unto Me. 

The problem with us is that we want the promise without the condition.  We want what God has for us but we don't want to do what it takes to get it.  We want the benefits but we don't want to pay the price.  In the case of this verse, we want these promises but we are more willing to do everything else than we are to simply "call on Him".

We are willing to run here and there.  We are willing to seek out someone who will help us.  We will go to great lengths to try to find our own solution.  We will pay high prices to get some sort of understanding or aid.  But we won't, or don't, call on the Lord.  Why?

Why won't we just "break down" and call upon Him and ask Him for what we need?  We each have our own reasons.  Some may feel unworthy.  Some may feel condemnation and guilt.  Some may have too much pride to call upon Him-- they think they can do it themselves.  Some don't believe He really loves and cares about them.  Others just aren't willing to take the time.  And the lists of reasons goes on. 

If you are in need and you are wanting some answers and you are wanting God to show you some great and mighty things, then call on Him.  Yes, it is as simple as that.  Stop making it hard and complicated.  He knows how we are so He made it easy for us-- just simply "call on Me".

Have a great day.  If you will call on Him, He will answer you.  

"Your Last Day"

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".  Hebrews 9:27

If you knew this was your last day on earth and that you were going to die today, how would you live it?  If you had the ability, the funds and the health to do anything you wanted to do, what would you do?  Most would answer that question by naming a list of activities that they wanted to do, dreams they wanted to fulfill, places they wanted to go and people they wanted to spend it with. 

The truth is that each day we live could be our last one.  We have no promise of tomorrow.  So while we are answering that question with a "bucket list", most neglect the most important thing they should do-- make sure it is well with their eternal soul. 

The truth is that each day we live could be our last one, but we don't like thinking about that.  We think we are going to live forever.  We don't think about death until we get old and gray headed.  In reality, today might very well be your last day-- it might be mine.  We don't know.  Death is certain but its timing isn't.  We don't always have the luxury of knowing when our time here is up.  So, while we are busy making plans on how to spend our lives, we should be making plans on where we will spend eternity.  That is more important than fulfilling dreams of great accomplishments, etc. 

This life is short.  This life is temporary.  This life will come to an end-- often, sooner than later.  What comes after this life is long.  It is eternal.  It has no end.  So why do we focus so much on this temporary life and neglect the eternal one?  Once the temporary is over and the eternal begins, it is too late to do anything about it.  It is too late to get it right.  It is too late to change your mind.  It is too late.  You can't go back and redo it.  You can't go back and change it.  So, back to the question I asked you originally.  How would you spend today if you knew it was your last day?  Hopefully, your answer would be that you would spend it making sure it was well with you eternally.

Have a great day.  If this was your last day on earth, are you ready for the eternal one that is coming after it?   

"Hell's Real"

"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom".  Luke 16:23

Several years ago, I was watching a game show and one of the questions was:  If you went to hell, name something that you wish you had taken with you.  Some of the answers were:  water, ice, air conditioner, spouse, booze, books, a bathing suit and computer.  It concerned me that people have such a misconception of hell.  It is no wonder, we are not taught about hell any longer.  When was the last time you heard a sermon on hell?  No one wants to preach about it anymore.  They want to preach about good things and what people want to hear.  If we don't tell people there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, we do them a grave, and eternal, injustice. 

Hell is very real.  It does exist.  There is not a party going on there.  There is no Wi-Fi there.  You don't eat or drink in hell.  You don't socialize.  On the contrary, it is a place of torment beyond your wildest imagination.  It is a place where darkness is dense, the flames of fire are not quenched, the worms that gnaw at you do not die, demons make sport of you, fear encapsulates you, the stench of burning and rotting flesh is always present, it is totally void and absent of peace, there is no sleep and you are totally isolated from anyone else.  It is nothing but eternal torment.

I know this is not a pretty picture.  It is because there is nothing about hell that is pretty.  You might not believe in it.  You might have your own definition of it.  You might think it is a concept and not a real literal place.  But unless you believe what the Bible says about it, you are wrong in your belief and when you die you will face the reality of it.

Jesus warned us about hell while He was on earth.  Why would He warn us if it was not real, if it was only a fairy tale or a figment of the imagination?  Why would He be willing to die, and die such a horrible death, to save you from the eternal torment of hell if it were not real?  Why would He die to make a way for you so you would not have to go there?  The answer is because it is real and He loves you so much that He does not want you to go there.  But the choice is up to you.

Have a great day.  Hell is real and it is a place of eternal torment whether you believe that or not. 
 

Praise Or Complain?

"And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten".  2 Chronicles 20:22

Praise is powerful when it is offered to God.  The Bible tells us that He inhabits the praise of His people.  It tells us that battles are won through praise-- as was the case of the battle recorded above.  Praise is a garment that covers us.  So why don't we do more praising?  Why do we use our mouths to complain, criticize, murmur and curse God and others?  It seems like we use our tongues to do everything but praise the Lord. 

When was the last time you praised the Lord in spite of the situation?  When was the last time you were quicker to complain about it than you were to offer God praise?  We can always find something negative to use our tongues for.  We complain because it is too hot, but when it turns cold, we complain because it is cold.  Why can't we just praise Him for giving us seasons and not complain about it?  Praise shows gratitude and complaining shows the lack of gratitude.

As we have already talked about, if we would learn to be praisers instead of complainers, things would be a lot different in our lives.  We would see changes-- often in the situation, but most definitely in us.  Praise will change us because it will change our perspective because it will change our focus.  Our focus will be on the Lord instead of the situation.  And when it is on the Lord, we will see things differently.

Have a great day.  Are you a praiser or complainer?    

"He Is Still There"

".... I am with you always, even unto the end of the world".  Matthew 28:20b

I woke up this morning with a song playing in my thoughts-- here is the chorus:  "Jesus will still be there, His love will never change sure as the steady rain.  Jesus will still be there when no one else is true, He'll still be loving you. When it looks like you've lost it all and you haven't got a prayer, Jesus will still be there."

Perhaps you are going through a trying time.  Maybe it's the biggest thing you have ever faced in your entire life.  Perhaps you are trying to get past a broken relationship.  Maybe you are in a place of despair because things didn't turn out in your life the way you thought they would.  You may be wondering how you got where you are.  You could be hurting emotionally this morning.  The pain in your life over a loss seems more than you can bear.  You are in a place of confusion and just don't understand the situation you are facing.  Maybe your health is failing.  Maybe you feel forsaken and neglected and like no one cares about you and you are all alone.   

I want to encourage you this morning with the truth that is in the words of that song.  When things look hopeless, when you feel like you have lost everything, when you feel confused, abandoned, like a failure, like no one loves you, like life is more than you can bear, take heart and look up.  Jesus is still there.  He hasn't left you.  You are not alone.  You may have neglected Him.  You may have placed Him at the end of your situation.  You may have given Him the back seat of your life.  You may have even turned your back on Him.  But, He is still there.  He hasn't left or abandoned you.  He doesn't change.  His love for you doesn't change.  He still loves you. 

Acknowledge Him.  Call upon Him.  Invite Him in-- or back in, whatever the case may be.  He is still there and will answer your cry and call.  He still loves you.

Have a great day.  Jesus will still be there.   

"The Couch Or The Table?"

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen".  2 Peter 3:18

I had a dream before I woke up this morning.  In the dream there were a dozen or more women in a house.  We were all in the same room and were getting ready to leave.  A few of us ladies were on one side of the room sitting on the crouch, and the rest of the ladies were on the other side of the room sitting around a table.  Before we started to leave and go our separate ways, I felt a "word" stirring in my heart that I needed to share with the ladies.  The ladies on the couch were waiting to hear it while I was looking up the scripture.  The ladies at the table were also busy looking up scriptures.  I asked if everyone was ready to hear it and the ladies at the table said they needed a little longer.  After waiting on them, they finished and started asking me about angels.  They also presented me with a notebook that had pages of information they had researched about angels.  That was the end of the dream.

After I woke up the Lord gave me understanding of the dream-- this is it:  There were more ladies sitting around the table than there were at the couch.  They were concentrated and focused on angels and getting information about them.  The word the Lord laid on my heart in the dream was- "joy to the world, the Lord has come".  In the dream He gave me the whole "sermon" about His coming and the joy that was attached to it because of the salvation that was now made available to mankind.  The ladies at the table didn't care about that.  They wanted to know about angels.     

 

The point of the dream is that more people are interested in spiritual things and the things of God than they are about God Himself.  They are more interested in learning about angels than they are in learning about Jesus.  They are more interested in the blessings He gives than in Him.  They are more concerned with being religious than having a relationship.  They are more focused on the creation than on the Creator.  They want the gifts He gives more than they want Him.  They want to know about God but don't want to know God.    

 

This may have been a dream, but it is a sad reality.  So now a question, "Which group are you in?".  Are you among the few at the couch who want to know and know about Jesus?  Or with the many around the table trying to figure out kingdom things without focusing on the One who is King of the Kingdom?

 

Have a great day.  Are you one of those who wants to know about spiritual things only, or about God Himself?

 

"Looking In All The Wrong Places"

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also".  Matthew 6:19-21

There was a secular song that was written years ago that talked about looking for love in all the wrong places.  Humans tend to do that with all matters of the heart.  We look for love, for peace, for joy, for contentment, for security, for acceptance, and so on in all the wrong places. 

We look for love and acceptance in other people.  We look for security in jobs, organizations and the government.  We look for joy through perfect situations.  We look for peace in our finances and the things we possess.  But those are the wrong places to look and have true and lasting confidence in.  Why?  Because they are temporary.  Relationships can come and go.  People can fall "out" of love as easily as we can fall "in" love.  Our financial status can change overnight-- we could lose our job, the company can go under, the economy can collapse.  The material possessions we have acquired can be gone with one natural disaster, a house fire or even a decline in health.

You can't put your hope in temporary things because they are temporary.  They are affected by present conditions, and they only last a short while.  They are here today and gone tomorrow.  They are easily subject to change.  Therefore, if you want true and lasting love, peace, joy, contentment, and so forth, you need to seek out an eternal source.  That source would be Jesus.  He gives us the true riches our hearts long for.  He is eternal and He gives us eternal riches.  Riches that moths and rust can't destroy and thieves can't steal.  They are not subject to change, to the economy, to time, or to any other condition that would cause them to cease or lose their value.  They are eternal.

Have a great day.  Are you looking to temporary things to give you the satisfaction that only the eternal will give?     

"Weapons To Defeat"

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord".  Isaiah 54:17

I woke up with this verse on my mind.  It says that no weapon formed against us will prosper.  In order for there to be weapons that won't prosper, there have to be weapons formed.  Why do we think that there won't be any weapons formed against us or that we are exempt from facing those weapons?

There are weapons, and they are mainly formed against those of us who profess to be followers of Christ and are following Him wholeheartedly.  There will always be weapons formed against us because we have an adversary who is out to destroy us.  Why is he out to destroy us?  Because we love God and he hates God.  Therefore, he is attacking that which is most precious to God in order to "get at" God. 

Also, it is because Jesus has given us power and authority over the adversary.  We are supposed to be defeating him, his plan, his schemes and his devises.  It is sad that our enemy knows just how powerful we are through Jesus Christ and what a threat we are to him and his work and we don't.  That is why he forms and "shoots" his weapons at us-- to stop us from messing up his plans to steal, kill and destroy.

The Bible say that the kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force.  The weapons he forms against us are meant to stop us from going forward in the Lord and defeating him.  Are we letting him defeat us?  Are we giving in?  Are we drawing back under the attacks?  Or are we standing strong and firm and defeating him through the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority that Jesus has given us to defeat him?  Are we walking in the victory we already have over him through Jesus?

Have a great day.  Are you giving into defeat by the enemy's weapons?  Or are you defeating him through the power you have been given by Jesus?

"But To Unbelief"

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever".  Hebrews 13:8

Yesterday we talked about how Jesus is the same as He has always been.  We said He was still the healer, deliverer, Savior, etc.  I didn't give a commentary to explain some things because what we needed to focus on, meditate on and renew our minds with was who He is-- His character and attributes.  This morning I want to add that I didn't give a commentary because it is so easy for us to "but" our way into unbelief and question His character. 

For example, we tend to focus more on this-- but why didn't He heal me if He is the healer; but why isn't everyone saved if He is Savior; but why aren't all people delivered if He is the deliverer?

There are some "whys?" that we will never have the answer for-- some we will.  Our focus should not be on what comes after the "but"-- but why wasn't he healed, why did she die, why wasn't my prayer answered, why doesn't He care?  Our focus should be on Who He is, not what He hasn't done.

When we focus on what wasn't done, and we continue to focus on it, it opens up a door to anger, frustration, bitterness, distrust and even depression.  Our adversary the devil will use this as a weapon against us and take us into a deep dark pit of unbelief and even get us to turn our backs on God.  This is why it is so important that we stay focused and renew our minds with who God is and even if you feel He let you down, He didn't do what you wanted Him to do, He didn't do what He can do, you can say along with Job, "Though He slay me, yet I trust Him".  What He does or doesn't do is not as important as who He is.  Trials will come and go in our lives as long as we live.  They won't always turn out the way we want them to.  But in each one we have to have an anchor for our soul.  We have to have a firm foundation to stand upon on.  We have to maintain our faith and trust in Him.  That is why you can't throw away your confidence just because He didn't "do it" this time.

Have a great day.  Don't focus on the "but why", focus on the unchanging character of the Lord. 
 

"He Still Is"

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever".  Hebrews 13:8

The Lord is the same today as He has always been.  He has not changed.  We change.  We try to change Him to suit us.  We try to make Him what He isn't.  But He is the same.  He hasn't changed with society, with culture, with fads, with religious beliefs-- He is the same now as He was in the beginning.

He still heals the sick.  He still delivers the captive.  He still judges sin.  He still loves with an everlasting love.  He still forgives sin when He sees repentance.  He still saves by His blood.  He opens prison doors to those who are bound.  He gives strength to the weak.  He gives wisdom when we ask.  He answers prayer.  He gives good gifts to His children.  He still shows mercy.  He will not always strive with a person, or mankind.  He is the lifter of our head.  He still meets and supplies needs.  He is the Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.  He holds the universe in the palm of His hand.  He sits high but looks low.  His is coming again-- the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords.  He has always been, still is and will always be-- whether man agrees with who He is or not. 

I am not going to write any commentary on what I have said about Him.  Who He is speaks for itself.  What you need to do is renew your mind with what has been said and remind yourself of who He has been, what He has done, and take comfort in the fact that He has not changed.

Have a great day.  The Lord is the same-- He still is.   

"Get Up"

"And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons".  1 Samuel 16:1

It is time to "get up" and "move on".  That was the word I heard the Lord say this morning.  Samuel mourned over Saul's rebellion against God and the consequences of being rejected as king.  During his time of mourning the Lord came to him and told him it was time to stop and get up. 

We go through situations in life that cause us to have regret and remorse, grief and anger, bitterness and frustration, unforgiveness and distress.  Some of those places are natural processes for us.  Others are traps of the enemy to keep us held back, held down and in bondage.  The ones that are part of the natural process have to be walked through.  The ones that aren't have to be resisted and turned from.  The ones that are natural and have to be walked through, only have to be walked through, not lived in. 

Have you "camped out" in some of the attitudes we have named?  Are you living in them?  Are you staying there longer than you should?  If so, it is time to let it go.  It is time to get up and move on.  It is time to go forward.  It is time to leave it behind.  You may say that it is impossible for you to do that.  You might argue that you can't.  Yes, you can.  It is possible.  God got Samuel up and sent him to anoint a new king.  He can get you up too and help you get on with life and with the plan and purpose that He has for you.  Listen to Him and obey what He tells you to do.

Have a great day.  It is time to get up and move on.   

"The Bible Will Answer It"

"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple".  Psalm 119:130

We live in a world that is always looking for answers.  We are constantly running here and there, spending time and resources and still we can't always find answers.  We look to medicine to give us our answer.  We look to doctors, lawyers, professionals in every area, councilors and yet we still keep coming up short in most cases. 

I am not against seeking out help and answers through any of the resources named above-- I believe God gave them to us because He knows how we are and it is His mercy to provide them for us.  But I have a question for you-- when was the last time you sought your answer from the Word of God? (The Bible) 

God's Word has our answer for every question and every problem.  Its words hold our solution.  They give strength to the weak.  Peace to the distressed.  Hope to the hopeless.  Wisdom to those who don't have direction.  Joy to the downcast.  Salvation to the lost.  Deliverance for the bound.  Comfort for those in sorrow.  Encouragement to the discouraged.  Healing to the sick.  Clarity to the confused.  Power to the powerless.  Victory to the defeated.  

What answer do you need today?  There is nothing wrong with asking people, but what about asking the Lord?  What about listening to His answer from His Word? 

Have a great day.  Have you even thought to seek the answer in the Bible? 

"What Is First?"

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you".  Matthew 6:33

I think that we tend to interpret this verse to mean that we are to seek God first thing in the morning when we wake up and start our day off with prayer.  Yes, we should.  We should seek Him early before the day starts crowding in on us.  We should face Him before we face anyone else.  We should get guidance from Him to be able to go through the day that lies ahead of us.

But this verse means so much more than just praying in the morning.  It says to seek first the kingdom of God.  We are to make God's kingdom the priority.  We should seek His kingdom above anything else.  We should seek His agenda above our agenda.  We should seek His plan above our plans.  We should seek His purposes above our purposes.  We should desire His will first above our own. 

Seeking His kingdom first means that we are seeking after righteousness, peace and joy, above seeking wealth, ambition, a career or material blessings.  It also means we should be seeking the eternal instead of the temporary-- His kingdom is eternal.  It means we should seek to glorify the King of the kingdom above everything and anyone else, including self. 

When we get things in the right order-- Him first then me; His will first then my will; His glory first not mine-- all the things we thought we had to seek after first will be added to us.  The things that are truly important and have real value will be added to us. 

Have a great day.  Seeking the kingdom of God first means more than just praying when you first get up in the morning.  

"Defeated Or Conquerors?"

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us".  Romans 8:37

I woke up with a song on my mind that comes from the verse above.  "We've been made more than conquerors.  Overcomers in this life.  We've been made victorious, through the blood of Jesus Christ".  Like I said, this song comes from the verse above, therefore, it is the Word of God.

So, if Jesus has made us not only conquerors but more than conquerors, why do we live and act so defeated?  Why do we allow things to upset us and defeat us the way they do?  Why do we give up and give in so easily when trials and problems come?  Why do we "tuck our tails" and run when the going gets tough?  Why are we depressed, anxious, fearful and whinny?  Why do we murmur and complain about everything?  Why do we act like there is no hope?  Why are we wallowing in self-pity?  Why can't we rise above the circumstances that weigh us down?  If you will be honest, you know many Christians like this--- yourself included?  There is something terribly wrong with this.  How can Jesus have made us more than conquerors, and we are so defeated at the same time?  It just doesn't make sense-- it is just not right!

There are many reasons why.  The first is because we don't spend enough time in His presence to get a revelation of who He actually is and who He is in us.  Second, we believe everything everyone says and don't believe what God says.  That is because we spend such little time reading the Bible and renewing our minds with it.  It is no wonder we believe that we are defeated.  

It is time for the church, and it is time for you and I to rise up strong in the Lord and the power of His might and stop allowing everything to defeat us.  You are more than a conqueror through Jesus.  The greater One lives in you.  You have been given power over all the powers of the enemy.  No weapon formed against you shall prosper.  The Holy Spirit empowers you to rise above and not be trodden beneath the cares and trials of life.  You need to get in your prayer closet and stay there until you "see Jesus" as He is and "see yourself" because of Him as a conqueror.

Have a great day.  We are more than conquerors.  We are not defeated.  So, stop acting like it! 
 

"Trouble For Today"

"And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning".  Exodus 16:19

Yesterday we talked about having troubles from without but not letting them come within.  Well, that was yesterday.  Along with the dawn of today came its own new troubles, new problems, new sorrows, new challenges, new obstacles, new temptations and new trials.  So how do we handle them?  The same way we handled them yesterday-- through our trust and confidence in Jesus. 

When the Israelites were in the wilderness, the Lord provided food for them each day.  This food they called manna.  The instructions the Lord gave them for gathering it were that they were only to take enough for each day.  Daily they would have to go gather it and it would be good for that day only.  Only once a week they could gather enough for two days, and that was for the Sabbath.  They were not supposed to work on the Sabbath so they gather extra the day before. 

For today's troubles we can't go on yesterday's "manna".  We have to go to God each day and get what we need for that day.  Like I said earlier, today is a different day with different troubles, therefore, you have to get new instructions as to what to do today.  You have to get new strength for the day.  You have to get fresh peace for this day.  The Lord doesn't want you trying to "stretch" out yesterday's provision and answer.  He wants to give you something "fresh" to make it through today. 

You are going to the same faithful Lord who provided for your troubles yesterday and with confidence you know He will provide for them again today, but you have to go to Him again today for today. 

Have a great day.  You have to go to God daily for help and answers to the new troubles that come daily.   

"Troubled In Trouble?"

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me".  John 14:1

"Don't let your heart be troubled".  How is that possible when there is trouble all around us?  We are constantly hearing of wars and rumors of war.  The economy is unstable.  Relationships are rocky.  We have threats of persecution.  Our enemies are rising up against us.  Someone is always out to "get us".  Evil men are getting eviler.  Our jobs aren't as secure as they once seemed to be.  Disease is more common than ever.  Natural disasters are on the rise.  We are faced with trouble on every side.  So how can we not be troubled?

The answer:  believe in Jesus as you believe in God.  This leads to another question.  How does believing in Jesus give us the power and ability to keep from being troubled (disturbed, fearful, anxious, disquieted) in our minds and hearts?  Especially when we dwell in a troubled world.  Especially when trouble is hitting our lives.  Especially when there is trouble on every side we turn.   

Troubles won't cease.  They will always be here as long as the earth exist as it is-- under a curse.  And we will continue to face trouble from time to time as long as we live.  But what Jesus was saying was "trouble may come, but it doesn't have to have you".  You may be in it, but it doesn't have to be in you.  You don't have to be "troubled" over the troubles.  You don't have to be defeated by them. 

You can't stop trouble (difficulties and problems) from coming.  But you can choose to either let trouble overcome you and defeat you.  Or you can choose to overcome and defeat it.  This is where "believing in Jesus" comes in. 

Problems and difficulties come to bring distress, fear, anxiety and steal our inner peace.  Our confidence and trust in Jesus will combat the fear and anxiety it brings with peace and drive it away.  Our confidence and trust in Jesus may not stop the problems from coming, but it will give us the inner peace we need to face them with strength, grace, courage, boldness and wisdom.  It will give us the peace and assurance that though all is not well on the outside, all is well on the inside, therefore, it will all be well in the end.    

Have a great day.  Though troubles come, we don't have to be troubled by them because of our faith in Jesus.   
 

"Broken Bones"

^"Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice".  Psalm 51:8

Broken bones are no fun.  They hurt.  There is pain attached to them.  They have to go through a healing and mending process after they are broken.  Sometimes in order to fix a broken bone it requires surgery.  Broken bones are caused by trauma.  Something has to happen to cause them to break-- that something may be from the outside (like a strong blow to them) or from the inside (a disease strikes).

The Psalmist may have been speaking about physical bones when he was writing.  Or perhaps he was speaking more in a spiritual sense.  Our bones are strong and support our body.  Without them we would not be able to stand.  We would be like a "jellyfish" basically.  Spiritually our bones represent several things.  They symbolize strength, vigor, good health and wholeness.  Broken bones symbolize defeat or oppression.    

There are times when our spiritual "bones" are broken.  We don't feel very strong.  We may have been through a tragedy that leaves us feeling broken.  We are suffering pain from grief.  We feel defeated because we gave into a sin and condemnation is hanging around and tormenting us. Because of a trial we have gone through we don't feel very "whole"-- things seem out of sort, we are confused, we feel fragmented in our emotions.  There are times we feel helpless and hopeless because of various situations.  What do we do?  How to we get our "bones" healed and mended? 

When our bones are broken physically, we go to the doctor and he either places us in a cast, boot or some other device to help support the broken bone.  Or he may do surgery to repair it.  When our spiritual bones are broken, we go to the doctor also-- Jesus, the Great Physician.  He knows how to bind up what is broken.  He will pour His healing oil in.  He will give you a dose of joy, hope, peace and laughter (which does good like a medicine).  He will turn your mourning into dancing, your sorrow into joy and cause what is broken to be healed.  Make an appointment with Him now.  You won't have to wait. 

Have a great day.  Are your spiritual bones broken?  Go to Dr. Jesus.  He is the Great Physician. 

"The Rock And Water"

"Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ". Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4

We have been talking about rock and water-- solid and liquid.  We have said that we can't be both a "rock" and "water" at the same time.  But Jesus can be both and He is both.  The Bible says He is the Rock and He is Living Water.  This is good news for us. 

He is the Rock.  It speaks of His character.  It means He is strong.  I can look to Him for strength when I am weak.   He is a firm foundation upon which we can build our lives without fear of destruction.  He is unmovable and unshakeable.  He will be there when I need Him. He is unchanging.  I don't have to worry that He will not be as faithful to me today as He was yesterday.  He is the cleft of the rock that will hide you in His loving protection.  He is the Rock of my salvation.

He is Living Water.  He cleanses me from all unrighteousness.  He cleanses me when I get "soiled" by the world.  He cleanses me from sin.  He sustains my life by refreshing me when I am tired and weary.  He quenches my thirst.  He pours His life giving water upon me and I am renewed. 

He will be that rock when you need Him to be.  He will be water when you need Him to be water.  He is the Rock and He is Water.  He is all-sufficient for everything that you have need of. 

Have a great day.  Jesus is all that you need and need Him to be.   
 

"Water Or A Rock?"

"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

The past two days we have talked about Psalms 114:8 how God turns a rock into standing water and a flint into a fountain of water.  We have compared this to our lives and salvation.  We said that there are three main forms of matter:  solid, liquid and gas.  Today I want to continue with this thought and relate it to what happens at the new birth/salvation.

In order for a solid to become a liquid there has to be a change in its molecular structure.  At the new birth-- when we are born again-- a change takes place in us.  Our "spiritual DNA" is changed.  We go from being a "rock" to "water".

A rock is a hard, rigged, solid, stationary, restricted, dead object.  Water is the total opposite.  It is soft, flowing, conforms to whatever it is put in, yielding, and alive.  A rock does nothing.  It can't move.  It can't refresh.  It can't conform.  It is just what it is.  Water can do much.  It gives life.  It can satisfy a thirst.  It can clean what is dirty.  It can support life. 

When we are born again, God changes us from a "rock" to "water".  He makes us something brand new that we weren't before.  He takes our dead hearts of stone and makes them into live hearts of flesh.  We are no longer a dead hard lump.  We are a live, freely flowing stream.  We are the total opposite of what we once were because of the transformation that has taken place in us at salvation.

Have you been saved?  Did a transformation take place in you?  Or are you still a "rock"?  If you are, then you weren't really born again.  You may have become religious, but religious is just another name for being a rock.  If that is the case, let Jesus Christ come into your life and make you into that new person.  Let Him transform you into a free-flowing fountain of water. 

Have a great day.  Have you been changed from a rock into water?

"A Double Life"

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon".  Luke 6:24

In yesterday's devotion we made the statement concerning matter forms that something can't be both a liquid and a solid at the same time.  The same is true if you say you are a Christian and are living like something other than a Christian.  You can't be two different things that conflict with each other.  You are one or the other, but not both.   

The Bible makes it plain that you can't be hot and cold at the same time.  You can't serve God and mammon.  You can't be a sheep and a goat.  You can't have sweet and bitter water coming out of you.  You can't love God and the world both. 

Yet so many who profess to be Christians are trying to live "double" lives.  They are trying to live for God and self both.  They are trying to serve the Lord and also serve self.  They are trying to fit in with the world and fit in with the church.  You can't be or do both.  Where did we get that idea from? 

Why is it we think we can profess the Lord with our mouth but hold on to the world with our hands.  We have this mentality that thinks we can have God and everything else.  We can't.  He either has ALL of us or He will have NONE of us.  I know that is a pretty strong statement, but I am not the one who said it-- Jesus is.  And He is the one who makes the rules and defines the relationship He desires to have with us. 

If you are trying to ride both sides of the fence, you need to stop and repent.  You need to let go of the world and take hold of the Lord only.  You need to stop having a divided heart and life.  Either He is Lord and Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all!  You can't have it both ways.  He will not share you, your heart or the throne of your heart with everything, or anything, else.

Have a great day.  It is either Jesus or the world... you can't have both.   

"A Change In Matter"

"Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters".  Psalm 114:8

Matter takes on one of three basic forms:  solid, liquid and gas.  A rock is solid matter.  Standing water is a liquid.  Flint is solid.  A fountain of waters is liquid.  They can't be both at the same time, something has to happen in them to make the change.  Something has to take place in a rock before it can become water.  The verse above says that God can do this.  He can change a rock into water.  He can change a flint into water.  He can make this transformation possible between these two forms.   

There are some changes that only God can do.  Salvation is one of them.  Only God can save us.  Only He can change us from being a lost sinner to a saved follower of Christ.  We can't save ourselves.  We can't change ourselves.  No amount of effort and no number of changes that we make in our lives can bring about this transformation.  All the changes in the world that we could make in our lives will not make us that new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Turning over a new leaf, stop smoking, start going to church, start acting kinder, stop cussing, etc.  No number of good deeds and good works can do it.  It only happens when we come to Christ Jesus confessing our sins and putting our faith in Him as Savior.  It is then when we are changed.  It is then when we are forgiven and made righteous.
  
If you are trying to change yourself, if you are trying to be good enough to be a "Christian", if you are trying to do enough good deeds, you can't and won't ever be able to do it.  It would be easier for you to take a rock and turn it into water than it would be for you to do enough good deeds to save yourself.  It is impossible outside of Jesus Christ.  He is the only way it can happen.

Have a great day.  God can turn a rock into water.  And only He can turn a sinner into a saved person. 
 

"Faith In Suffering"

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

Praising the Lord from the time we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night is not always an easy thing because there is a lot that can happen to us in a day.  And not all that happens to us is good. 

Trying times happen.  Tragedy strikes.  Grief comes.  Sickness attacks our bodies.  Pain enters.  It happened to Job.  I don't believe there is any way we can fully comprehend all that this man went through.  (I can't.)  He lost all his children.  He lost his herds and flocks.  He lost his health.  All he had left was a wife who out of her own pain encouraged him to curse God and die.  Yet in the midst of all his pain and suffering, he worshipped God.  "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord". (Job 1:21)

 

He didn't worship God for the suffering, he praised Him in spite of it.  He knew that his relationship with the Lord was the only thing that was going to carry him through the pain, sorrow and grief.  He knew he had to maintain his relationship with the Lord if he was going to survive the agony of what he was going through.  He knew that he had to stay close to the Lord if he was going to have any peace.  He knew his strength to make it through was found in the Lord.  He knew his comfort would not come from man but from God. 

 

Like Job, our worship is an indication of our faith.  Sometimes, when going through difficulty praise doesn't always come automatically or easily.  Often it is a sacrifice.  I am very sure Job didn't feel like worshipping the Lord, but he did anyway as an act of faith-- faith that he still trusted God, he still knew God was faithful no matter what he was going through, he still knew that God would be with him and he still knew that God would turn this around for good. 

 

Are you going through something today that makes it hard for you to worship the Lord?  Do it any way.  Let your faith speak for you-- not your pain.  Job did and as a result he made it through his time of suffering.  

Have a great day.  Praise the Lord even in suffering.   

"How'd You Wake Up?"

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you".  1 Peter 5:7

There were a thousand different ways a person could have woke up this morning.  Some woke up to a "perfect" world--- no problems at all and all is well.  But that wasn't the case with everyone.  Some woke up burdened this morning.  Some woke up with pain, sickness and disease in their bodies.  There are those who woke up in grief-- grieving over the passing of a loved one, over a relationship that has been broken, over a misunderstanding, etc. 

Some woke up to find themselves homeless.  Some are uncertain as to the state of their employment.  There are others who are wrestling with the question "why".  Some woke up feeling hopeless.  Many woke up addicted to things that have a stronghold in their lives.  Some people woke up struggling with guilt, condemnation, confusion, fear, anger and bitterness.  Some are facing the decision of a lifetime and need an answer.  

Some woke up incarcerated.  Some woke up in a hospital.  Some woke up in a strange bed.  Some woke up in a shelter.  Some woke up having to live with relatives or friends.  Some woke up in a mental institution.  Some woke up in a palace; others woke up in a shack.  Some woke up fighting on a battlefield.    

Wherever you woke up this morning, and whatever state you awoke to, I want to encourage you that there is a God who sits high but looks low.  He sees where you are.  He knows what you are going through.  He sees the conditions and situation that surrounds you.  He has your answer.  He knows your need.  He has peace and comfort for you.  He has strength and guidance available to you.  He has hope and help.  Bring Him into your day.  Bring Him into your situation.  Bring Him into your struggles.  Bring Him into your good times and bad times.  He is a present help and a God who loves you, cares about you and desires to be active in your life.

Have a great day.  How did you wake up this morning?  Bring God into it and let Him give you all you need to make it through it.