"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
"At all times, continually" will I bless and praise the Lord. Is that your testimony this morning? Do you bless and praise Him at all times? Or do you let the cares of this life, the problems you encounter, the challenges you face, the temptations that come your way steal your praise? He is still worthy of praise no matter what you are going through.
You need to praise Him. You can't afford to stop. Praise is a powerful weapon. Praise brings God's presence into the situation. Praise confuses the enemy. How? The enemy expects you to whine, cry, become fearful, grumble and complain about the trying times, but he doesn't expect to hear your praise. He can't figure out how you can still sing the praises of God when you are losing everything. He can't figure out how you can lift your voice in adoration to God when you are going through a devastating time. He gets confused and doesn't know what to do next. Ordinarily, when he hears you respond to these times with discouragement he knows that all he needs to do is keep piling them on you. When he hears praise, he has to rethink his plan and scheme against you.
Don't give in to the temptation to stop praising the Lord. Praise Him at all times--yes, even in the bad times, and especially when you are in a battle. Praise may not necessarily change the situation itself but it will change your attitude toward it. When it does, you will see the victory.
Have a great day. Determine to praise the Lord and bless His name at all times.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
"God's Goodness"
"And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy." Exodus 33:19
"I will make my goodness pass before thee." God's goodness is still passing before us. It passed before me this morning when it woke me up. I see His goodness in His faithfulness. I see His goodness each time He fulfills His promise to me. I see the Lord's goodness passing by in His provisions- for it is He that meets and supplies all my needs. His goodness passes by our lives in the form of His love, through His healing of our bodies, His strength in our weakness, His grace in times of afflictions and in His mercies that are new every morning.
God's goodness is not just a one time glimpse of Him as He passes by your situation. His goodness is all around us each and every day. It comes in the ways I have already described but it also comes through something as simple as a smile when you are feeling down. It comes through an unexpected word that lifts you up. It comes through the blessings of a new addition to your family, an open door, food on the table, a bargain at the store, protection in a dangerous situation, the air you are breathing this moment and in too many other ways to name.
God's goodness is still passing by, don't miss it because you are looking for it in the "big and miraculous"- it comes in those ways too, but not all the time. You find it more often in the simple and small things of everyday life that we seem to take for granted.
Have a great day. Take time today to notice His goodness, it's all around you, you won't have to look far.
"I will make my goodness pass before thee." God's goodness is still passing before us. It passed before me this morning when it woke me up. I see His goodness in His faithfulness. I see His goodness each time He fulfills His promise to me. I see the Lord's goodness passing by in His provisions- for it is He that meets and supplies all my needs. His goodness passes by our lives in the form of His love, through His healing of our bodies, His strength in our weakness, His grace in times of afflictions and in His mercies that are new every morning.
God's goodness is not just a one time glimpse of Him as He passes by your situation. His goodness is all around us each and every day. It comes in the ways I have already described but it also comes through something as simple as a smile when you are feeling down. It comes through an unexpected word that lifts you up. It comes through the blessings of a new addition to your family, an open door, food on the table, a bargain at the store, protection in a dangerous situation, the air you are breathing this moment and in too many other ways to name.
God's goodness is still passing by, don't miss it because you are looking for it in the "big and miraculous"- it comes in those ways too, but not all the time. You find it more often in the simple and small things of everyday life that we seem to take for granted.
Have a great day. Take time today to notice His goodness, it's all around you, you won't have to look far.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
"Spent"
"Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God." Isaiah 49:4
Our lives are being "spent" on something. How are you spending yours?
1) Is it being "spent with" the Lord? Do you spend time with Him daily? Throughout the day? Once a week? Would you rather spend time in His presence than anywhere else? Is your time spent on selfish lusts, entertainment, wasteful activities, on things that have no eternal value to them, or is it spent getting to know Him better, developing a deeper intimacy with Him, drawing closer to Him?
2) Is it being "spent for" Him? Are you spending your life doing His will? Are you spending it doing the things that please Him, on the things that He has commanded you to do, on fulfilling His plan for your life? Or are you spending it on self- on your own desires, following your own dreams, visions and agenda?
As I said earlier, our lives are being spent on something. They are either being spent on self or God, on His will or our will, on eternal things are temporal things, on spiritual things or fleshly things, in His presence seeking His face or seeking our own pleasures. So again, I ask you, "How are you spending your life and what are you spending it on?"
Have a great day. Are you spending this life that He has given you with Him and for Him?
Our lives are being "spent" on something. How are you spending yours?
1) Is it being "spent with" the Lord? Do you spend time with Him daily? Throughout the day? Once a week? Would you rather spend time in His presence than anywhere else? Is your time spent on selfish lusts, entertainment, wasteful activities, on things that have no eternal value to them, or is it spent getting to know Him better, developing a deeper intimacy with Him, drawing closer to Him?
2) Is it being "spent for" Him? Are you spending your life doing His will? Are you spending it doing the things that please Him, on the things that He has commanded you to do, on fulfilling His plan for your life? Or are you spending it on self- on your own desires, following your own dreams, visions and agenda?
As I said earlier, our lives are being spent on something. They are either being spent on self or God, on His will or our will, on eternal things are temporal things, on spiritual things or fleshly things, in His presence seeking His face or seeking our own pleasures. So again, I ask you, "How are you spending your life and what are you spending it on?"
Have a great day. Are you spending this life that He has given you with Him and for Him?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
"Deleted"
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Isn't it amazing how you can delete certain material you don't want or need any more from your computer? Don't you wish you could delete your mistakes, your past, some of the things you've said or your sins as easily? Unfortunately, life does not come with a delete button, but God does.
The blood of Jesus "deletes"- it removes, cancels, blots out- our sins. That's what justification does, washes and cleanses us from our sins just as if they were never there. His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It washes away our sins. It removes the guilt, the condemnation, the shame of them. It allows us to stand before a holy God without fear of judgment because of the sins that He'd see.
Are you trying to "remove" your sins yourself? You can't. Are you living in the guilt of them because you see no hope of ever being free from them? There is hope. As you put your faith and trust in what Jesus did at the cross for you, He'll blot out all your transgressions and cleanse you from them.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:25)
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:." (1 Peter 1:18,19)
Have a great day. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. It can and it does!
Isn't it amazing how you can delete certain material you don't want or need any more from your computer? Don't you wish you could delete your mistakes, your past, some of the things you've said or your sins as easily? Unfortunately, life does not come with a delete button, but God does.
The blood of Jesus "deletes"- it removes, cancels, blots out- our sins. That's what justification does, washes and cleanses us from our sins just as if they were never there. His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It washes away our sins. It removes the guilt, the condemnation, the shame of them. It allows us to stand before a holy God without fear of judgment because of the sins that He'd see.
Are you trying to "remove" your sins yourself? You can't. Are you living in the guilt of them because you see no hope of ever being free from them? There is hope. As you put your faith and trust in what Jesus did at the cross for you, He'll blot out all your transgressions and cleanse you from them.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:25)
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:." (1 Peter 1:18,19)
Have a great day. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. It can and it does!
Monday, June 15, 2009
"Jericho"
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour." Joshua 6:2
When it was time for Joshua to take the Israelites into the promised land, the cities of it's inhabitants stood in the way. The first city they encountered was Jericho. Jericho was a large, well fortified city with walls that were impenetrable- defeat of this city looked impossible. What is standing in your way this morning? What stands between you and the promises of God? What hinders you from entering into your destiny? What is that thing that keeps you from receiving and enjoying the abundant life that Christ came to give you? What is that thing that seems impossible to get through and overcome?
When I looked up the meaning of the name Jericho, I discovered two names. Evidently, the meaning is disputed. The two meanings were: City of the Moon and Place of Fragrance. When you think about the moon, you think about something that has always been since the time of creation. The moon is very big. It's always there even when the clouds hide it's presence from view. It's an unshakeable, unmovable object which is impossible for us to destroy. Does that describe the thing that stands in your way? Has it always been there? Does it, like the moon, keep returning day after day or night after night? Does it look unmovable and too big to overcome? If this describes that thing, let me give you good news this morning- God brought the walls of Jericho down and destroyed the city! The "City of the Moon" was no match for God.
When I thought about the second meaning, Place of Fragrance, it reminded me of a phrase that we use around here- "The sweet smell of victory". When the Israelites went to Jericho, they could already "smell the victory", it's fragrance hung in the air. Before they went to encompass the city, God had already told Joshua that He had given Jericho into his hand. They had the victory before they ever made the first step toward it. The fragrance of victory hung in the air because of God's promise. Even the people in Jericho could smell it because they knew that the God of the Israelites would destroy them.
This morning, whatever that "thing" is- it may look impossible to move, it may have been standing between you and the promise for a long time, it may have been there everyday taunting you by it's size and power- but remember, the same God who created the moon can pull it down, the same God who gave Israel victory over the walled city of Jericho, can pull that thing down too, it's not too big nor too powerful for Him. Stand upon God's promise and begin to "smell the victory".
Have a great day. God destroyed the "City of the Moon" and the Israelites enjoyed the "sweet smell of victory"- if He could do it then for them, He can do the same for you.
When it was time for Joshua to take the Israelites into the promised land, the cities of it's inhabitants stood in the way. The first city they encountered was Jericho. Jericho was a large, well fortified city with walls that were impenetrable- defeat of this city looked impossible. What is standing in your way this morning? What stands between you and the promises of God? What hinders you from entering into your destiny? What is that thing that keeps you from receiving and enjoying the abundant life that Christ came to give you? What is that thing that seems impossible to get through and overcome?
When I looked up the meaning of the name Jericho, I discovered two names. Evidently, the meaning is disputed. The two meanings were: City of the Moon and Place of Fragrance. When you think about the moon, you think about something that has always been since the time of creation. The moon is very big. It's always there even when the clouds hide it's presence from view. It's an unshakeable, unmovable object which is impossible for us to destroy. Does that describe the thing that stands in your way? Has it always been there? Does it, like the moon, keep returning day after day or night after night? Does it look unmovable and too big to overcome? If this describes that thing, let me give you good news this morning- God brought the walls of Jericho down and destroyed the city! The "City of the Moon" was no match for God.
When I thought about the second meaning, Place of Fragrance, it reminded me of a phrase that we use around here- "The sweet smell of victory". When the Israelites went to Jericho, they could already "smell the victory", it's fragrance hung in the air. Before they went to encompass the city, God had already told Joshua that He had given Jericho into his hand. They had the victory before they ever made the first step toward it. The fragrance of victory hung in the air because of God's promise. Even the people in Jericho could smell it because they knew that the God of the Israelites would destroy them.
This morning, whatever that "thing" is- it may look impossible to move, it may have been standing between you and the promise for a long time, it may have been there everyday taunting you by it's size and power- but remember, the same God who created the moon can pull it down, the same God who gave Israel victory over the walled city of Jericho, can pull that thing down too, it's not too big nor too powerful for Him. Stand upon God's promise and begin to "smell the victory".
Have a great day. God destroyed the "City of the Moon" and the Israelites enjoyed the "sweet smell of victory"- if He could do it then for them, He can do the same for you.
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