"Provided Ahead"

"... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."  Revelation 13:8

Jehovah-Jireh is a name by which we identify one attribute of God.  It means that He is God the Provider.  He sees ahead of time, ahead of our need, ahead of the situation and makes a provision for it.  He makes provision before we ever get to the need.  Then He manifest the provision when we need it.  A rough example of this is when we put monies aside for a rainy day.  We are making provision for something before it happens so that when it comes, we will have what we need.  The difference in the Lord's case is that He knows exactly what the need will be and when it will occur.

He saw Adam sin; He saw judgment come upon mankind and saw our need for a Savior before the world was ever created.  He made a provision to save and redeem us from sin and eternal punishment before the foundation of the world was laid, before He ever said, "Let there be light", before darkness was upon the face of the deep, when there was nothing not even space.  Jesus was already the "Lamb that was slain" before mankind even existed.

If this amazing God who saw the need of mankind and provided salvation for mankind before He ever even created mankind, would do that for us, then know this-- He saw ahead, even before you were born, what needs you would have throughout your lifetime.  And not only did He see them, but He has also already made provision for them.  He has already got a plan in mind.  He already has everything orchestrated to supply what you need.  He already has it all under control.  He did it long before you were born, and when it is needed, He will bring it into being.

Have a great day.  God saw your need before the need occurred and He has already provided for it.  When you need it, it will be there. 

"Feeling Lonely"

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

Do you ever feel lonely?  You can have numerous acquaintances, many friends, be part of a large family, belong to a mega church, know everyone you pass on the street personally, but still be lonely inside. 

Do you ever feel like no one cares about you?  Do you feel abandoned?  Do you feel like you have been forgotten?  Do you see others going on with life and friendships around you and wonder why you can't experience the same thing?  Where are your relationships?  Why isn't their anyone there for you?  Why have you been left to yourself?

I am sure we have all felt like this at times-- some more often than others.  The fact is that there are times when we are left alone.  There are times when people really don't care about you.  There are times when you don't feel loved and you feel neglected.  It is in those times that the enemy of our soul starts playing "mind games" on us.  He tries to make us feel worthless.  He tries to convince us that no one cares, and no one really loves us.  He will tell us that it is our own fault that people don't want to be around us.  Those are a few of his accusations.  He will try to depress us and make us feel sorry for ourselves.  He will taunt us, discourage us, make us want to give up on ourselves and other people. 

If I have described you this morning, I want to let you know that you are under a spiritual attack.  The enemy is out to steal your joy and rob you of your peace.  Your worth, your contentment and your happiness is not wrapped up in other people.  You are not alone.  There is one who cares for you more deeply than any human being can possibly care.  There is one who loves you so much that He died on the cross just to "be with you". He promised to never leave you nor forsake you.  His very name affirms that fact-- Emmanuel, God with us.

Have a great day.  When you are feeling lonely, remember you are not alone.  Jesus is with you.  

"Preparing"

“Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44

There is talk everywhere of the chance that we will have extremely cold, icy weather this weekend. As a result of these warnings people are preparing. I am too-- just in case. We are making sure we have water on hand, our electronics are charged up, easily accessible food, candles, wood for the fireplace, etc. 

I was thinking about this-- when I go to town later, the grocery stores will probably be out of milk, bread, and have lots of empty shelves because people have bought them out preparing for the icy weather and chance of loss of electricity.  

This also made me think about another preparing that people are so lack in-- their eternal salvation. We prepare for everything else-- power outages, bad weather, vacations, retirement, special occasions and so on, but most neglect the preparation they need to be doing to ensure their eternal souls are well. 

The bad weather, and all that it brings may or may not come, yet we'll be prepared- just in case. But the truth and fact is that it is appointed for man once to die and after that is the judgment. We will all die-- that's a given, when it will happen, we don't have the luxury of knowing. 

So, why aren't you preparing. You will die. You do have an eternal soul that will never die. That soul will either spend it in heaven or hell-- there's only two places. Depending on what you do now- while you are alive- determines where you will spend it. If you neglect to prepare by receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior and following Him as your Lord, you will spend it in hell-- it's just that plan. But if you prepare now by accepting the salvation that He freely gives and putting your trust and faith in Him, you will live in His house in heaven forever!! 

Are you preparing for natural events that aren't certain, but are neglecting the one thing that is? The Bible says that now is the time, today is the day of salvation. Don't put if off. You don't want to go into eternity and stand before God unprepared! 

Have a great day. If you aren't prepared for eternity, you better get prepared because you will enter it one day! Where will you spend it!? 

"He Sent Your Need"

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

While we were still sinners God demonstrated His love for us by sending us what we needed, instead of what we wanted.  What we wanted was to live our own lives.  We wanted to do our own thing.  We wanted to live life the way we wanted to live it.  We wanted to be independent of God.  We didn't want to be under His rules and law.  We didn't want Him telling us what we can and can't do.  We didn't want to surrender our lives to Him.  We wanted to be our own boss and do what we pleased. 

Our need was deeper than our fleshly wants.  Our real need was an eternal one.  Our need goes far beyond our personal wants and desires.  God in His love knew that one day we would finally come to the end of ourselves and realize our need for someone else to be in charge and control of our lives.  He knew we would "wake up" and realize that we needed something bigger, something more, something greater than what we were able to find in having our wants fulfilled. 

So, seeing ahead to that time, He sent what we would need.  He sent salvation so that we could have eternal life--- our true need.  He sent His Son Jesus to provide the way through His shed blood on the cross so that we could come to God. 

Are you still living in your "wants"?  Are you still trying to fulfill your own wants and desires?  What you want-- living your own life the way you want to live it-- is not what you need.  What you need has been provided for through Jesus Christ.  Receive what you need and your wants will change. 

Have a great day.  There is a difference between what we want and what we need.  While we were still sinners God provided what we would need. 

"Durable Riches"

"Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness."  Proverbs 8:18

There are two kinds of riches-- material ones and durable ones.  Most seek after the material ones-- the ones that moths and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal.  Those are the ones that take wings and fly away-- they are here today but could be gone tomorrow, for they are temporary. 

The riches that one should seek are those that are "durable".  Durable riches are the ones that endure, that are lasting, that weather the storm and passed the test of time.  These are more valuable.  You have heard it said that there are some things that money can't buy.  Those things are true "riches" and they are priceless. 

Some of these durable riches are relationships.  Who can put a price on them?  Love is another one-- genuine love never fades away, even in the absence of the one who is the object of that love.  Peace is priceless-- there are people who would give a million dollars or all they own just to have peace.  There are those who have the love of many people and more money than they can count, but they are bankrupt of the riches of joy. 

The greatest of all riches is eternal life that comes through faith in Christ Jesus.  This is priceless.  There is not enough money to buy it.  You can't work hard enough to obtain it.  It is available to everyone-- not just the elite and affluent.  This riches of eternal life are free for the asking.  It will take a person from being spiritually bankrupt to spiritually wealthy beyond your wildest dreams. 

Though eternal life is available to all, not everyone will embrace its riches.  They would rather have the temporary material riches.  They would rather exchange the eternal riches for the riches of here and now.  I hope you are not one of those.  You may be rich here and now, but without the durable riches that Jesus gives you, you will lose the most valuable thing you possess-- your soul.

Have a great day.  Are you rich with temporary or eternal wealth?   

For further reading:
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal."  Matthew 6:19

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Matthew 16:26

"Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."  Proverbs 23:5

"Spirit Of An Explorer"

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Recently I was reminded of something I heard a friend of mine say during a prayer meeting years ago. She prayed that the Lord would give us the "spirit of an explorer".  What she meant was make us the kind of people whose hearts desire to "explore" the Lord and find out all there is to know about Him.  Her words resonated in my spirit.  Yes, make me one who desires to "explore" the Lord. 

The dictionary defines an explorer as one who traverses over an area for the purpose of discovery; a person who investigates unknown regions.  Our God is so vast, there is no way we can even minutely understand and comprehend all there is to know about Him.  His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours.  He, the Creator, is so far above us the creation.  Yet our hearts should cry out with a desire to "Know" Him more and more.  We should desire to discovery His good, acceptable and perfect will.  We should seek to know His heart in every matter.  We should explore all that He will allow us to know about Himself.

Moses was an "explorer" of God-- He drew near to the Lord desiring to discover what His face looked like.  God granted that he should see his back and hear His voice proclaim who He was.  

Enoch had the "spirit of an explorer" of the Lord.  He sought to know the Lord and discovery Him in greater depths.  Enoch found Him and was translated into His very presence.  

Abraham was also an "explorer" of God and discovered that God is faithful, a covenant maker and covenant keeper.  He discovered the plans of God and was taken into God's confidence

When you seek to know the Lord-- to investigate and discover who He is on a deeper level; to move into "uncharted" territory of His greatness; to go where others stop in order to find out all you can about Him and draw into a closer intimacy with Him-- your "exploration" will be rewarded.  You will find Him.  You will hear His heartbeat like John did.  You will walk with Him as a friend like Enoch did.  You will have confidence with Him like Abraham.  You will see His Glory like Moses.  You will not be disappointed.  Your "exploring" of Him will pay off.  He will let you find Him and discover who He is in greater ways than you have ever seen before.      

Have a great day.  God is so vast.  He is like uncharted territory.  Our heart's desire should be that of an explorer, desiring to discover all we can about Him.  
 

Word For 2026

The Lord reminded me that I have not shared the word He gave me for the New Year with you yet. It’s rather lengthy, but worth reading.

Several days before the New Year, it dawned on me that I needed to seek the Lord for what He wants to say to us, and His plans, for the new year. (You know, every one that is in the ministry always gives a “new year” word.) As soon as that thought hit my mind, He immediately spoke to me. This is the word the Lord gave me for the Year 2026.

He said—He is not going to change! Just because we were entering, have entered, into a new year doesn’t mean that He is going to change with the changing of the calendar. He will be the same as He has always been. He will still be the same as He was in 2025. He is the Lord Who does not change—He’s the same yesterday, today and forever!

Let me expound on what that means:

He will still want people to be saved and not perish.

He will still require faith in Jesus His Only Begotten Son, repentance and a born-again experience for the criteria of salvation.

He will still require us to follow Him as His disciples, sheep and little children.

He will still command His followers to: take up their cross, deny themselves, surrender to His will, live the crucified life, present themselves as living sacrifices, and live in a manner that brings Him glory and honor.

He will still want to empower us with His Holy Spirit.

He wants us to bear the Fruit of the Spirit, manifest the gifts of the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

His desire will not change—He still desires and longs for us to seek Him, draw near to Him, know Him personally, have an intimate relationship with Him, and love Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind.

It will still please Him to give us the Kingdom, show us great and mighty things that we don’t know, and to reveal His power, His love, His compassion and strength to us and through us.

He will still punish sin and chasten those He loves.

In this New Year, He won’t change Who He is OR What He does!!! Because of this, we can have peace and assurance, therefore, we can follow Him, surrender our lives to Him and trust Him with our lives. We can trust that He will lead us in the right way and He will never leave us or forsake us.

His power, love, compassion, wisdom, grace, mercy, strength, goodness and faithfulness won’t change.

He will continue to lead us, fight our battles for us, provide for us, heal us, deliver us, strengthen us, walk with us, sustain us, and carry us when we are weak.  He’ll be with us in the storm, fiery furnace, lion’s den, pit and when we stand before giants. He will be our keeper, helper, on our side and rebuke the devourer for our sake.

He’ll continue being the Miracle Worker—Parting seas for safe passage, sending water from the rock and manna from heaven, putting money in the mouth of a fish, opening blind eyes, healing deaf ears, casting out devils, revealing His strong right arm, and causing the sun to stand still—whatever we need, if it takes a miracle, His miracle working power will still be available.

And above all--- He will still be GOD!!! He won’t get old, feeble or weak. He won’t be impaired with physical limitations; He will not abdicate the throne- no one will push Him off the throne or take His place. Every knee will bow to Him, every tongue will confess that HE is THE LORD Who is worthy of all praise, all glory and all honor!

This word should cause two things:

1)    It should bring repentance because He will continue to be a Holy, Righteous God Who is also Judge and will judge sin. His mind hasn’t changed about that—if He says it is sin and sin will be punished, then you can count on it! He isn’t playing around with this—society, world view, opinions and culture may change, but He doesn’t. He is to be reverenced, feared and obeyed. It is a fearful thing to stand before God with sin in your life. It is going to be a fearful thing to stand before Him having your own righteousness instead of standing in the righteousness of Christ Jesus which comes through faith in what Jesus did at the cross to take away our sins so we could stand innocent without guilt before the Throne of God on Judgement Day.  By the way—He hasn’t changed concerning His return. He said He is coming back—He’s coming back, His return is getting closer every day.  Are you ready?

2)  It should also give you comfort, hope, peace and assurance. He’ll do what He said He would do and He’ll remain Who He says He is—He won’t change. How comforting that He will remain the same in this ever-changing world. He is the solid rock which you can build your life upon and not worry, fret or be concerned that it will move.

May God bless you this new year. Never forget, when life happens around you, when things change, when the tide in society turns, when everything feels like sinking sand…. The Lord will not change, you can count on Him to remain the same as He has always been!!!

 

"Counting Your Failures"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."  Romans 8:1

You may be familiar with an old hymn entitled, "Count Your Blessings".  It says to count your many blessings and see what God has done.  Sadly, instead of counting their blessings and all the wonderful things that God has done for them, some people count their mistakes and failures.  They spend time rehearsing and rehashing all the things they have done wrong, all the times they have failed and all the things that they should have done differently. 

None of us have always done everything right-- even since we have been a Christian.  I know I haven't.  I have made so many mistakes.  I have failed in many areas of my life.  I didn't always do everything right when it came to raising my daughter-- I failed in so many ways.  I haven't always been a perfect wife-- I have made numerous mistakes.  I haven't been a "perfect" Christian every day.  I have had times when I should have said and done things differently.  I have had my "should of, could of, would of" times.  There have been times when I let others down-- including family and friends.  I have many regrets in my life concerning things I did and things I didn't do.  We all have.

When you stop and think about the mistakes you have made, it is easy for regret to overwhelm you.  It is an open door for the enemy to heap condemnation on you.  It can bring remorse and distress to your heart.  It leads you down a path of self-pity.  It tries to put you in a state of depression.  None of us can change the past or rarely ever be able to correct the wrongs we have done.  We can't travel back in time and do it over again.  We can't go back and do it differently-- no matter how much we wish we could.  But what we can do is lean upon God's continual grace.  His grace brings forgiveness and healing for all our many mistakes and failures.  It washes away the guilt, remorse and condemnation. 

Perhaps you are one who keeps counting your failures by remembering what you did or didn't do.  You have to stop.  You have to capture those thoughts and cast them down.  Don't entertain them.  Don't give them a "breeding" ground.  Don't give place to them.  We can't change the past, but dwelling on past mistakes can change us.  They can steal our joy, our peace and the abundant life God desires to give us. 

Have a great day.  Stop counting your failures and mistakes.       

"Draw The Lord Near"

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near".  Isaiah 55:6 

"Seek the Lord.... while He is near".  Does that mean that there is a time when He is not near?  The verse leaves you with the impression that there may be a time when we have a need that the Lord may not be near so we can ask Him to meet the need.  It leaves you "wondering" if or when He will come near so you can ask Him.  It is more of a "hope" than an "assurance".  It is the same "hope" that those who were at the Pool of Bethesda had.  They hoped that the angel would come down and stir up the waters so they could get healed-- but they had no assurance that he would.

We don't have to live in "hope" and "wonder" concerning whether the Lord is near or not so we can make our petitions to Him.  We have been given a "formula", if you will, that assures His nearness.  It is called-- "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you". (James 4:8a) When we make the step to draw near to Him, He in turn draws near to us.  When He draws near to us, we can ask Him our request. 

There is also another "formula".  "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." (Psalm 22:3) It is praise!  If you want to assure the "nearness" of the presence of God, then praise Him.  He dwells in our praises. 

How awesome it is that the Lord draws near to us at all-- that's grace.  But He has also given us the assurance of His nearness by letting us know what "conditions" will cause Him to draw near.  We can set an atmosphere that literally, according to His Word, brings Him near.  It is when we draw near to Him and when we praise His holy name.

Have a great day.  We don't have to hope the Lord is near when we need Him, we can know because He tells us what to do to ensure His presence is near.  

"Gifts Come In Disguise"

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

God's will, plan and blessings for our lives don't always come wrapped up in beautiful packages.  God's plan for Joseph came in the form of a pit, slavery and prison.  God's plan for the widow and her son came wrapped up in a prophet who wanted her to bake him a cake with her last bit of meal.  The beginning of the fulfillment of man's redemption came wrapped in swaddling clothes and was laid in a manger.  The fulfillment of God's plan of redemption came in the form of a beaten, bloody Messiah left to die on an old, rugged cross. 

If you are looking for God's plan, His will and His blessings to come into your life through a neat, nice source, it may not happen.  They often come in a disguise.  They often come in either a plainly wrapped package or one that looks like suffering or a curse.  Remember, Christ came riding on a donkey, not a noble steed.  We expect a knight in shining armor to be the bearer of our blessings.  We expect it to come in the form of an unexpected check in the mail.  We expect it to come in a comfortable way or through an angelic visitation.  But more times than not, it will come in sackcloth and ashes.  It will come through a trial, a problem or an unpleasant situation. 

We want God's will, His plan and His blessings.  But the way He chooses to send it is up to Him.  We must not have a preconceived idea of "how" He will send it because if it comes another way, we might despise it or reject it, and, therefore, miss it.

Have a great day.  God's gifts don't always come in nice, neat packages.  They often come in disguise. 

"Stop, Drop and Pray"

"Pray without ceasing".  1 Thessalonians 5:17 

When we were growing up, we learned a very important instruction should we ever catch on fire.  It was three simple words to remember.  "Stop, drop and roll".   We were taught to do this instead of running.  Running would only cause the flames to become worse.  But applying this simple procedure would help extinguish the fire. 

 

Throughout the day I find myself facing "fires"-- problems that need to be solved; issues that need to be settled; questions that need answers; and so on.  When these "fires" come, we should not "run"-- we should not continue to proceed any further.  We should "stop" what we are doing.  We should "drop" to our knees.  We should "pray" to God and ask for His help and guidance in the matter.  "Running"-- proceeding on, doing nothing about them-- will only make it worse.  They need to be "extinguished".  Applying this simply instruction will do it. 

 

Have a great day.  When you are facing the "fires" of life, don't continue any further.  Stop, drop and pray and they will be "extinguished".

 

For further reading:

"...ye have not, because ye ask not".  James 4:2b

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you".  Matthew 7:7

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice".  Psalm 55:17

"A Safe Place"

"The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord."  Proverbs 21:31

People are becoming anxious and even fearful concerning the events that are taking place throughout the world.  Evil people are infiltrating every nation and raining down terror, destruction and death.  Is there anyone who is safe from the onslaught of the enemy?  There seems to be no place to hide.  Is there a safe place anywhere?  The answer is, "yes", there is.

The safe place is not found in a geographical location.  This safe place is also a secret place.  The safe place is a person-- Jesus Christ.  He has provided a safe place for those who have, and those who will, put their faith and trust in Him.  We are safe when we abide in Him. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (Psalm 91:1,2)

Dwelling in Christ Jesus doesn't necessarily mean that we are safe physically and protected from bodily harm.  It means that none of the weapons that the enemy forms against us will prosper.  Why?  Because they won't be able to find us-- we are dwelling in a safe place.  What it means is that the weapon of fear that the enemy uses against us won't be able to find us and destroy us-- because in that safe place there is peace.  The weapon of doubt won't be able to find us and destroy us-- because in that safe place we have faith.  The weapons of confusion or anxiety won't be able to find us and destroy us-- because we have a sound mind that comes from dwelling in that place. 

If you are going to be safe from the enemies who attack physically and spiritually, you are going to have to get to a safe place.  You are going to have to get to Jesus.  He offers that place of safety to all who desire to enter into it.  

Have a great day.  There is only one safe place where we are protected from the weapons of the enemy-- Jesus Christ. 

Read these verses when you are feeling afraid and anxious: 

"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."  (Psalm 32:7) 

"Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word."  (Psalm 119:114)

"The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence."  (2 Samuel 22:3)

"For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."  (Psalm 61:3)

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."  (Proverbs 18:10)

"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)

"Fumes Or Full?"

"Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out."  Matthew 25:7,8

All morning a thought has been stirring in my heart.  Our "lamps" can either be full of oil, empty, or partially full.  Many of you who are reading this are "running on fumes".  Your lamps aren't empty, but they barely have any "oil" in them.  How does that happen?  What causes our lamps to run low or out of oil? 

Neglect-- the foolish virgins neglected the oil in their lamps.  Lack of attention-- they fell asleep thereby not noticing what was taking place with their lamps; they didn't pay attention to their lamps.  Distractions-- allowing the cares of this life to cause you to lose focus on your lamps and get it on something else.  Assumption-- assuming you have enough and don't need extra.  

Don't neglect your spiritual life.  Don't neglect those things that will keep your "lamps full of oil".  Don't neglect your fellowship and prayer time with the Lord.  Don't neglect filling yourself up with God's Word.  Don't neglect your praise time.  Don't neglect your communion with the Holy Spirit.  Keep your heart and mind fixed and stayed on the Lord.  All these keep your "lamps full".  So, pay attention, don't fall asleep, don't neglect your lamps. 

Have a great day.  Is your lamp full of oil?  Or are you running on fumes?  

"Are You Going For Others?"

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."  Psalm 122:1

On Sunday many people go to church, but my question to you if you attend is, "why?".  Why do you go to church?  Do you go out of habit?  Or because of some religious duty?  Do you go to socialize?  Do you go because it is a place you feel acceptance?  Do you go to be seen of others?  Do you go because you think it will make you look "bad" if you don't or look "good" if you do?  Do you go because it is a good way to get customers for a business you own?  Do you go because you have nothing else to do?  Do you go for someone else?  Just why do you go?

Our reason should be because of our love and devotion to Jesus.  We should want to go to His house because we know that this pleases Him.  We should go because we want to spend time with others worshipping Him.  We should go because this is one more opportunity to meet with Him.  He should be our sole reason for going and our focus once we are there.     

Most people go for the reasons stated in the questions above.  To most it has become more of a social gathering.  For most it is because of the friendships they have made.  It is mostly because they want to see and spend time with each other.  The real reason is left out.  Does this describe you?  Have you placed your reason for going to church in the people or in the Lord Himself?  Go for Him, then the relationships with others will follow. 

Have a great day.  If you attend church, do you do it for someone else only-- to either impress or fellowship with them?  Or do you attend because of your love and devotion to the Lord--- and long to meet with Him?

"Escape Route?"

"...they have forgotten the Lord their God."  Jeremiah 3:21b

Do you have people in your life who only call you when they are in trouble and need your help?  I suppose we all do.  You never hear from them unless they have a problem or want something. 

I was thinking about this in light of our relationship with the Lord.  Sadly, most people do Him the same way.  They don't give Him any thought unless they need HIs help.  They only pray to Him when they are in need.  For some reason they think they can neglect Him and then when they are in trouble "throw up" some sort of SOS and He will come to their rescue.  To them all He really is is a "way of escape" from their problem. 

The children of Israel did this numerous times.  When things were well, they forgot God.  But when things were going badly for them, they would turn to Him.  Many times, because of His tender mercies, He would answer their cry for help.  With those who call upon Him only when they need help, many times He will come through for them too, but only because of His own nature of love and mercy.

God doesn't desire to be an "escape route".  He desires a relationship with you.  He doesn't want to only hear from you when you have a need.  He wants to have fellowship and communion with you every day-- in the good times and the bad times.  He doesn't want you to neglect Him until you need His help.  He wants to be actively involved in your life all the time.  So, which type of person are you?  One who has a relationship with Him?  Or one who just goes to Him when you have a problem?  One has a relationship with Him, but the other doesn't.     

Have a great day.  Do you have a relationship with the Lord?  Or is He nothing more than an "escape route" to get you out trouble? 

"Proper Attire"

"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."  Matthew 22:11,12

I grew up being taught that you always wear the appropriate clothes to fit the occasion or place.  For example, you don't wear your pajamas to work.  You wear your "Sunday best" to church.  You wear black to a funeral.  You don't wear shorts and a t-shirt to a job interview.  You don't wear white to a wedding.  Now days, it seems like anything goes.  

The way we dress, no matter where we are, may seem acceptable here and now, but one day we will be invited to a wedding and what we wear will matter.  We are all given an invitation to come to a wedding given by the King of the Universe, but the condition to whether you will be accepted as a guest or not is determined by what you are wearing.  You will have to have on the proper attire. 

You won't be able to show up dressed any way you want.  You won't be able to come dressed in "fig leaves"-- your own ability to cover your sins.  You won't be able to come dressed in dirty garments-- your own filthy righteousness.  You won't be able to come dressed in the same thing that you wore in the pig pen -- your rebellious attitude toward God.  You won't be able to come dressed in anything that has been spotted by the world.  You won't be able to come dressed in your own religious deeds, your good works or your own goodness.  You will have to be dressed in the proper garment.

What is that garment?  It is the righteousness of Christ.  You have to be "clothed in Christ".  It is the righteousness of the Son that the Father is looking for.  There is only one way to get that garment.  You can't purchase it with money, with talent, with religious acts, by church attendance, or water baptism, by joining the church or by cleaning up your act.  Actually, it can't be purchased at all.  It is given to you freely as a gift.  You receive it by faith.  Faith in the provision of God to forgive your sins that came through Jesus' death on the cross. Do you have that garment?     

Have a great day.  If you are going to get into the Wedding, you have to have on the proper attire. 

For further reading:
Matthew 22