"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.       

"Sin Exposer"

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more".  Hebrews 8:12

What a wonderful promise!  When we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us.  He not only forgives but He "forgets" our sins.  He doesn't keep reminding us of what we have done.  He doesn't remind us of "that time when".  He doesn't use the knowledge of our past sins against us.  He doesn't use them as a "bribery" or "tool" against us, threatening to expose us if we mess up or don't do exactly what He tells us to do or wants us to do. 

It is hard for us to believe that because the only example we have comes from each other-- mankind.  We see it a lot now in the politic arena.  Politicians are "exposing" one another's past sins and failures.  We see it in marriage relationships.  One spouse doesn't live up to the demands or expectations of another, so they keep "throwing up" the mistakes they have made.  In the business world there is a "little black book" of failures, mistakes, compromising situations, etc., that are used against, and by, those who are trying to "climb the corporate ladder".  And the list goes on.  It is everywhere.  People are trying to find and use as much "dirt" as they can against each other.

Newsflash--- we all have a past.  We all make mistakes.  None of us are perfect.  We have all said and done something wrong at some point in life.  We have all sinned.  We should worry about getting the log out of our own eye before we try to point out the speck in someone else's.  We need to sweep around our own door before we expose the dirt around another's. 

Don't be throwing up someone else's mistakes, sins and past.  Don't use what they "did" against them.  Don't listen to the condemnations of the devil when he throws up your past sins.  Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace in forgiving you.  And if He has, then you not only need to forgive others, but you also need to stop exposing their past sins and extend the same grace to them that God has extended to you--- don't remember their past sins to use as a weapon against them anymore.

Have a great day.  God never uses our past sins against us-- can you say the same when it comes to others?
 

"Figuring It Out"

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths".  Proverbs 3:5,6

There are some who are reading this that are in the "valley of decision".  You are in a place where you have to make a decision about a matter, but you don't know what to do.  You have tried everything.  You have looked at the situation from all angles trying to make the right move.  You have tried to figure it out on an educational level.  You have looked at it through the eyes of "common sense".  You have gone from person to person-- family, friend and professionals-- to help give you an answer.  But still to no avail.  You are just as confused now as you have been.

The problem is not the problem.  The problem is that you are not going to the right source for help-- the Lord.  Bring Him into your decision.  Acknowledge Him concerning the direction you are to go and the move you are to make.  It is not in our ability to direct our own steps.  We can't make a wise determination of the situation.  Our knowledge is limited.  Our resources are weak.  Our understanding is carnal. 

Go to God and ask Him.  You may say that you already have but still don't know what to do.  One little prayer quickly "thrown up" is not how you get the answer.  You have to seek Him until you find the answer.  You have to ask until you receive direction.  You have to knock until you have gained access. 

We try to figure things out on our own without the Lord's help.  We can't.  When we finally realize we can't, we go to Him and expect Him to answer us in 20 seconds, or we move on to the next thing we think might work.  Well, it doesn't.  It often takes time to hear.  You have to be prepared sometimes to wait for the answer.  You have to learn to be patient and still long enough to hear.  When you are, you will know what to do because you will hear Him speak in the matter.

Have a great day.  You can't figure out what you need to do on your own.  You need the Lord's help. 

"Deformed Fruit"

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them".  Matthew 7:20

We used to have two pear trees in our yard.  For years they made lots of delicious pears.  We had so many and they were so good that we were able to enjoy eating them, canning them and giving them away.  But after several years we had to cut the trees down.  They got some sort of disease.  They still produced pears, but the pears were shriveled up and had blotches on them.  They didn't get very big; their growth was stunted.  Their shape was deformed.  And although they were pears, they didn't look like a pear and couldn't be eaten.

This reminds me of many Christians.  The Bible says that we will be known by our fruit.  They are still a Christian, but they don't look like it.  They have allowed themselves to become "deformed".  They have allowed their fruit to become "diseased".  They don't look very appealing and the "taste" that comes from their lives is not desirable.

We know what caused our trees to become diseased.  As they got bigger, the cedar trees they were planted near got bigger too and the two trees can't be planted too closely together.  It is called cedar-apple rust disease. 

What causes the deformity and disease in a Christian's life that we are talking about?  It is caused by being too closely involved with the world.  When you become "of the world" instead of just "in the world", your fruit gets contaminated.  It also comes as a result of holding on to anger, bitterness, resentment, revenge, unforgiveness, hurt, pain and guilt.  These can affect your fruit and although you are a Christian and should be producing love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, etc., the fruit will be marred.  It won't look like what it is, and it certainly won't be desirable.

We could have sprayed our trees and worked with them for a while to heal them.  But we cut them down instead of going through the process.  A Christian who has become "deformed" can be healed and start producing good fruit again.  They do it through repentance and giving everything that contaminates their heart over to the Lord and give the Holy Spirit full control.

Have a great day.  Has your fruit become contaminated and is now deformed and undesirable? 

"Living For Eternity"

"For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country".  Hebrews 11:14

The "they" this verse is referring to is all of those who lived by faith and died in faith.  Their faith was in the God of heaven and earth.  They trusted and believed what He said.  They held on to His promises whether they saw them fulfilled in their lives or not.  They knew that the Lord was faithful as promised.

They also knew that this earth was not their home.  Like a pilgrim, they were only passing through.  They knew that there was more to their existence than this life and what it has to offer.  They knew that if their faith was in this Almighty God that when they died, they would go into His presence to live with Him for an eternity.  Because of this, they kept their hearts and minds stayed on Him and were ever mindful that they were just "passing through" this earth.

I look around at so many of those who "live by faith"-- Christians, believers, followers of Jesus-- in this present day and see a different attitude about eternity.  Most are so consumed with this life-- what to eat, drink, wear, where to live, how much money they are trying to make, politics, the economy, entertainment, etc.  They act as if this life is all there is.  They act, live and talk like this temporary is the eternal.  Well, it is not!

Those who made it into the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11) knew this.  I want to say to my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord-- This world is temporary!!! It is not eternal!!!  It will pass away one day.  You will die one day.  This is all going to be done away with one day.  You will not live here forever.  There is an eternity that awaits us.  Live for it!!! Stop living for the temporary!!  Refocus and get your eyes off of this life and onto the one that is to come.  Eternity never ends-- this life does.  Don't let this temporary life rob you of eternal life.  Keep eternity in mind.  Live your life with eternity in mind.  Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also". (John 14:1,2)

Have a great day.  This life is temporary.  The one to come is eternal.  Which one are you living for?

"Captive In Destiny"

"And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand".  Genesis 39:4

The Lord doesn't always deliver us out of affliction, trials and testing.  He doesn't always deliver us from them.  Sometimes He delivers us in them.  Meaning we still go through them but instead of them holding us in bondage we have freedom.

Joseph was not delivered out of Egypt.  Daniel was not delivered out of Babylon.  They both lived most of their lives there and even died there.  But while they were there, the Lord was with them doing great and mighty things in their lives and through their lives. 

Joseph ruled alongside Pharaoh as second highest in command in the greatest nation on earth.  Daniel was made a prince who ruled providences in Babylon under three different kings-- also the greatest nation on earth at that time.  They each were captives in body, but they were free in spirit, heart and mind. 

Although they were captives, they were still promoted in their captivity.  They still served the Lord in their captivity.  They still fulfilled their destiny as captives.  Instead of us always praying for deliverance from "captivity", why not pray to see if this is part of God's plan for your life.  I know this is not a very popular message.  We don't want captivity.  We want comfort.  We don't want to have to go through anything like that.  But like Joseph and Daniel, this might be the very thing that your destiny and God given assignment is wrapped up in.

Have a great day.  We may not always be delivered from our captivity, but that captivity might in actuality be part of our destiny.   

"Foolish Way, But Best Way"

"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters".  Genesis 1:2

In verse one we see that God created the heavens and the earth.  In verse two there was darkness and chaos in it.  In verse three God speaks into the darkness and chaos and brings forth light.  Is your life full of chaos and darkness?  Are you going through a time of difficulties?  Do you feel like you are in the wilderness and facing tremendous problems?  Well, be encouraged, the Lord knows how to turn your darkness into light and your chaos into something good.

In verse three the Lord brought forth light into the situation by speaking to it-- "And God said".  When God is working on our behalf, He may not always do it the way we think He should do it, the way we would do it or the way we want Him to do it, but He knows how to do it the best way. 

God's ways are not the same as our ways.  They are so much better than ours.  His thoughts on the matter aren't our thoughts about it.  They are so much higher.  He sees the whole situation.  He sees it from beginning to end.  He sees the full picture. 

God's way of working in our darkness and trials may seem foolish to us.  In verse two He simply "spoke" to it.  We want God to "put His hands on it".  We want some physical sign that He is doing it. For example, it must have seemed foolish to the Israelites when they needed water for God to have Moses strike a rock.  But as foolish as it may have seemed, they received water. 

The point is:  God knows how to turn your chaos and darkness into something good.  "And God said-- then God saw it was good".  Just trust Him and trust Him to do it His way which will always be the best way.

Have a great day.  God knows how to bring something good out of the chaos in your life and He knows the best way of doing it.   

"Come After"

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me".  Luke 9:23

Jesus offers an invitation to anyone who will to come after Him.  This phrase "come after" has a two-fold meaning.  One means to follow behind something or someone.  Many are "coming after" Jesus like this.  They are following Him through religious formality.  They go to church, they have a church membership, they read the Bible, give offerings, say prayers and try to treat others kindly.  They stay away from alcohol and other vices and immorality.  They are doing the works, but have they really accepted the invitation?

Have you ever heard anyone say that they were "going after" something?  You may have heard those who participate in the Olympics talk about "going after the gold".  What do they mean?  It means they are passionately pursuing that gold metal.  They are doing whatever it takes to obtain it.  They are making whatever sacrifices that are necessary in order to win it. They aren't letting anything stop them, hinder them or get in their way from obtaining it.  They are keeping their eye on the prize and doing everything in their power to pursue it.  This is the second meaning of "come after".  This is the invitation that Jesus has given us.  To passionately pursue Him.  To go after Him with everything we have and are.  To see Him as the greatest "prize" to be received.

Have you accepted His invitation?  Are you "coming after" Him?  Which definition are you coming after Him with?  Are you following Him through religion practices only-- the dos and don'ts, the list of religious rules and regulations?  Or are you following Him with a passionate pursuit?  Having "eyes" only for Him?  Going after Him with all you have?  Loving Him with all your heart, soul, strength and mind?  Giving/sacrificing all to have that relationship with Him?  Making Him your heart and life's goal?  You are either following Him one way or the other.  Which is it?

Have a great day.  How are you "coming after" Jesus? 

"First Love And First Works"

"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent".  Revelation 2:2-5

The Lord said that these people had lost their first love.  Have you lost your first love?  Is Jesus the focal point of your life like He was at the beginning?  Do you still love Him with all your heart, soul, strength and mind?  Or has your love for Him dwindled?  Has He taken a seat further down the line, or at the end, of your affections? 

How does this happen?  We allow the cares of this life to cause us to start turning from Him.  We let others come between us and Him.  There are many reasons.  But more important than "why did this happen?" is "how do I get that first love back?". 

When Jesus told us the problem, He also gave us the solution.  "Repent, and do the first works".  The first step is to repent.  Confess this falling away to Him.  Confess this lack of love to Him.  Repent of it, turn and start heading back toward Him.  Next, do the first works.  If you noticed, He first commended them for their "works".  So, they were doing works.  They were still working for Him and doing His work.  So which works is He talking about?

If you look up the word work in the original language it also means:  that with which anyone is occupied.  Do you remember when you first got married, or were dating someone, how you were occupied and preoccupied with that person you were in love with?  No one else mattered.  Your whole world- your interests, schedule, money, time, plans, every waking moment-- was spent planning how you could be with or see that person.  You longed to be with them.  All you could do was eat, think, drink, sleep, dream about them.  You couldn't wait to be with them and didn't want to leave once you were.  That person was the center of everything you did.  Everyone and everything else came second.  This is the work that He is talking about-- being occupied with Him more than anything else and not letting anything else stand in the way of you being with Him.  You do the first works by being preoccupied and occupied with Jesus.   

Have a great day.  Have you lost your first love?  Are your thoughts and life occupied with Him?         

"True Appearance Or Not?"

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment". John 7:24

As many of you know our ministry runs a thrift store.  Years ago a friend came up to me and told me that she and her husband had passed by the shop one day while I was closed and thought someone had vandalized it.  She was so upset that anyone would do that.  The reason she thought that was because the windows had red paint "scribbled" all over them.  She had her husband turn around so that could take a closer look and clean the paint off of the windows.  Upon closer inspection, they discovered that the paint was also on the inside.  They concluded that I must have done it.  

Let me now tell you the story behind the windows.  When my granddaughter was eight years old, she would "volunteer" for me on Fridays during the summer.  Well, she found a tube of red glass paint.  So, she decided to do a little "artwork" and write some messages and draw on the windows.  Me being the "wonderful" Nana I am--- I let her.  

A lot of time we will "jump to conclusions" based on appearance.  We will act according to what we see.  Many times, what our eyes are telling us is the truth, but sometimes it isn't.  After looking at the windows I could easily see how they drew that conclusion.  (I probably would have too if I had not known the truth.)

I said all that to say this:  Our judgments should not be after appearance.  They should not be solely based on our feelings or opinions.  They should not be based on everyone else's opinions as well.  We should seek the Lord and ask for His understanding in the situation.  God corrected Samuel the prophet for this very thing when he went to anoint a new king of Israel.  He was looking at the statue of the man.  He was looking at the brothers' appearances.  He was following Jessie's opinion, who didn't even think David was good enough to be king, so he left him tending sheep. 

You have heard it said, "Things are not always as they appear"-- this is often true.  Things are not always as others say they are.  Things are not always as we perceive them to be.  So, again, seek the Lord.  Get discernment from Him.  Ask Him to help you see the situation clearly.  Don't just take everyone else's word for it, or make a judgment based solely on the way things look.  It might not be true. 

Have a great day.  Base your judgments on truth, not on appearance only. 

 

"Fight With Your Mouth"

".... and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God".  Ephesians 6:17b

How does the Bible tell us to fight our enemy the devil?  It tells us to fight him with our mouth.  He comes to steal, kill and destroy and he fights against us with his mouth/words.  This is how he fought against mankind in the Garden of Eden-- with words.  "Did God say?"  He is still fighting against us with words.  Words of fear, guilt, shame, condemnation and accusations.  

Many of you are trying to fight him the wrong way.  You think that if you just ignore him, he will go away.  You think that if you talk to him, you will be sinning.  You believe that just because Jesus already defeated him that you don't have to do anything else.  You don't understand that he is to be spoken to in order to defeat or resist him.  I didn't say we are to converse with him.  I said we are to speak to him.

Jesus taught us how to defeat the enemy when He was in the wilderness.  He did not carry on a conversation with the devil.  He did not simply ignore him.  He did not stay speechless.  He spoke the Word of God to him-- "It is written".  When Jesus and His disciples were in the boat and the storm came up, it was no ordinary storm.  It was demonic in nature.  It was the enemy trying to detour and destroy Jesus from reaching His destination.  What did Jesus do in the storm?  He spoke to the storm.  He told it to "shut up and be quiet"! 

In your time of "attack" you are going to have to do the same thing.  You are going to have to open your mouth and use your Sword-- the Word of God.  The Bible tells us we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony.  Are you using God's Word to fight the devil?  Are you being quiet and not saying a word?  Are you ignoring him and hoping he will go away?  It wasn't until Jesus had told him three times that "It is written" that he finally left-- but he did leave. 

Have a great day.  You have to speak to the enemy and tell him what the Word of God says.   

Scripture reference:
Genesis 3:1
John 10:10
Revelation 12:10,11
Mark 4:39
Matthew 4

"Diligent"

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".  2 Timothy 2:15

The word for study here means to endeavor, give diligence, be diligent.  The word for diligent in the dictionary means:  constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything.  So, are we?  Are we diligent when it comes to our relationship and service to the Lord? 

It seems that we are diligent about everything else but our relationship with Him.  We are diligent about our education, in our careers, in our relationships with others, and so on.  That is a good thing.  We don't need to be lazy or slothful in any area of life.  If we say we are a Christian, then we need to be diligent in what we do and be people of excellence.  But our first priority is to please the Lord.  We should endeavor to serve Him with all our hearts.  We should endeavor to give Him our best.  We should endeavor to make His love known to others.  We should be diligent in our study to know Him in deeper depths.  Striving for a close intimate relationship with Him should be the greatest desire of our hearts.

We have been brought into a relationship with the Lord through the sacrificial shed blood of Jesus Christ; therefore, we are not working to be saved.  But we have to be diligent in our salvation.  We have to be diligent, attentive and constant in our relationship with Him.  We can't neglect it and take it for granted.  We can't be "off and on" or "wishy-washy" with it.  It should be our first priority.  It should mean more to us than anything else.  It should be the cry and utmost desire of our hearts.  Is it?

Have a great day.  Are you diligent in your relationship with the Lord?  Does it mean more to you than anything else?

"You Must Be Born Again"

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God".  John 3:3

When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, he said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him". Jesus didn't say back to him, "You are right.  My Father has revealed this to you. I am glad you recognize who I am".  He said none of that.  Instead, He said something odd-- to me it made no sense.  It sounded like it had nothing to do with what Nicodemus had said.  Jesus immediately responded by telling him he had to be born-again.

Jesus never beats around the bush.  He always goes to the heart of the matter.  He was letting Nicodemus know that entering into the kingdom and having eternal life was more than just having the right belief.  Jesus sets the criteria.  Although Nicodemus had all the "credentials", his credentials were not the criteria.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious ruler, a teacher, he had a place in the temple, he recognized that Jesus was from God, he knew He could do miracles, he knew God was with Jesus, he followed Him in the crowd, but that wasn't enough.  He still had to be born-again.

Just because you go to church, just because you are a Sunday School teacher, just because you sing in the choir, just because you are on the deacon board, just because you give tithes and offerings, just because you pastor a church, just because you joined a church, just because you shook the preacher's hand, just because you raised your hand in secret and repeated a prayer does not mean you meet Jesus' requirements for entering into the Kingdom of heaven.  Let's take it one step further, like He did for Nicodemus-- just because you believe that Jesus is from God and He is the Son of God doesn't mean you are saved.  Even the devils believe that Jesus is who He is, but they aren't and never will be saved.  Jesus said you "must be born-again". 

A person gets into a family here on earth by either being born or adopted into it.  If you haven't been born into God's family, you don't belong to Him-- you are not in the family.  If you are not in the family, you will not live with Him forever in His house in heaven-- only family gets to do that.  Nicodemus was religious but he was not born-again.  He believed the right thing about who Jesus was, but he was not born-again.  You can be a faithful church goer, you can be religious, you can believe the right thing about Jesus, but if you are not born-again you are still lost and will not enter into God's Kingdom.  That is what Jesus said-- and He makes the rules!

Have a great day.  You have to be born-again in order to enter into God's Kingdom.  If you aren't, you won't!