"The Fence"

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

Several years ago my husband and I planted a small garden. Since we live in an area where we have deer and rabbits in abundance, one of the things we did was put up a fence around it. Because of the fence, the rabbits and deer did not eat any of our vegetables.

The fence wasn't there to keep the vegetables in, it was to keep the animals that would destroy it out.  The fence was a protective barrier around the garden. Daily the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy our lives so we have to have "protective barriers" around them also. Our protective barrier- our "fence"- is God's word. It is a protection to us as we stay within its safe boundaries.

When the enemy comes to tempt us to sin, God's word will protect us and keep us from yielding as we look to it and act upon it. God's word is a shield against his attacks to destroy us. God's word is a safe place for us- the temptations can't steal from us, the fiery darts can't destroy us, the weapons he uses against us can't kill us. As long as we stay within the safe perimeters of His word we will be protected and safe.

Don't take down your fence and leave yourself unguarded. Don't remove your fence and leave yourself open for the enemy to come in. Stay in God's word, hide it in your heart, stand upon its promises, renew your mind with it.  By doing so you will keep your fence up and your life protected.

Have a great day. There is safety behind the "fence" of God's word.

"Astray"

"How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" Matthew 18:12

The other day we talked about how God cares about us each individually- not just the masses. He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to come and rescue us because we were all like sheep who have gone astray. (Isaiah 53:6) But in the verse above we see a picture of Jesus who not only came to seek and to save "those" who were lost, but that "one" who had gone astray.

Have you gone astray? Have you left the "flock" that you were once a part of- Jesus' sheep fold? Are you wondering around in the world away from God? Did you once know Him but turned your back on Him and went your own way? Have you forgotten Him? Are you living your life to please yourself instead of to please Him? Are you running from God?

If that is you, He- like the shepherd in the verse- is seeking you out this morning. He is the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep, even the stray ones, even the ones who have run away from Him. Let Him find you this morning. Don't keep running. Give up, surrender, don't live your life in rebellion and away from Him any longer. He laid down His life for you, He went looking for you, He will rescue you, He will put you on His shoulders and carry you back home.

Have a great day. Stop going astray, the Good Shepherd is looking for you... let Him find you.

"Your World"

"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37

I woke up with a song on my heart and mind and feel I need to share it. The chorus says, "Nothing is impossible for You. Nothing is impossible for You. Nothing is impossible for You. You hold my world in Your hands."

There is nothing that is impossible for God, there is nothing too difficult, there is nothing too hard, there is nothing too big, and there is nothing that He can't handle. But it's the last line of the chorus I want to focus on. "You hold my world in Your hands." We each live in our own "little world". We may be part of the whole human race, but individually we have things that effect us individually. "My world" is all about what's happening to "me".

In "my world" not everything is always wonderful. Sometimes it's full of hurt and heartache. Sometimes there are broken relationships. Sometimes things don't always go as I plan. Sometimes sickness comes into my world. Sometimes there are trials that are unbearable.  Sometimes I have personal inner struggles, questions and concerns.  Sometimes my world is rocked by bad news or a whole list of other things too numerous to name.

The point I am getting to is that whatever is going on in "your world" this morning, it's not too big or impossible for God to handle. Your pain is not impossible for God to heal. Your sickness is not too difficult for Him to heal. Broken relationships are not impossible for Him to mend. Your situation is not too hard for Him to change. Your problem is not bigger than His ability to do something about it. But the key to Him moving in "your world" to do those things that are impossible for you is... letting Him "hold your world in His hands".

One quick question, "Who's holding your world in their hands?" Are you holding it, trying to solve your own problems? Are you letting someone else hold it, looking to them to solve it? Or are you letting God hold it and work it out?

Have a great day. Let God hold your world in His hands because there is nothing that is in your life that is impossible for Him to take care of.

"Get Concerned"

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

I truly get concerned about how unconcerned people are about the state of their eternal souls.  Just because you think that you are going to live forever and death only comes to the elderly, doesn't mean you are correct in your thinking.  Death is an appointment that everyone has and will face one day-- young, old and in between. 
 
Just because you think that you have all the time in the world to get things right between you and God, doesn't mean you do.  We aren't promised tomorrow. 

Just because you don't believe in hell, doesn't mean it isn't real.  Even the devils believe and tremble because they know it's the truth.

Just because you think that hell isn't bad and that there is a party going on there or that your definition of hell is the bad things that happen to you here on earth doesn't mean that is how it is.  It is a place of eternal torment- unlike anything we can imagine in our worse nightmares. 

Just because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean He isn't real.  He is and you will stand before Him as your judge one day.

Just because you think that you can live anyway you want and still make it into heaven, doesn't mean you can.  You must be born-again to enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Just because you think you are going to heaven because you are a good person, doesn't mean you are.  Our righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags.

Just because you believe that Jesus is real and do nothing with His sacrifice for you on the cross, doesn't mean you are going to heaven.  Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved. 

Just because you think you can have Jesus and the things of the world doesn't mean it works that way.  You can't serve two masters.  You can't be lukewarm. 

People have a lot of strange ideas about life, death and eternity.  Most are false.  The truth is we are not going to live forever.  We will all die.  We were born sinners and if we die sinners we will spend an eternity in the eternal torment of hell and the lake of fire.  Don't let what you believe or think keep you from making sure it is well with your soul before it is too late.  Your beliefs, your good times, your fun and games, your misconceptions of eternity, your good works and deeds, your religious opinions, your excuses will all pass away, and eternity will claim your soul.  Will it be eternal life with God in heaven or eternal death in hell?  What will you exchange for your soul?  What is worth losing your eternal soul over?  A good time?  Popularity?  Friends?  Self-centered desires? Fortune?  Pleasures of sin?  A career? Power?  Is it worth it?  Is it worth losing the life that God has to offer you?  Is it worth the torment of eternal damnation?  It is time to get concerned because one day it will be too late.

Have a great day.  You need to get concerned about the eternal state of your soul before it is too late.     

"His Favorite Number"

"How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" Matthew 18:12

 

In the Bible numbers are significant.  They each symbolize something.  For example, five means grace.  Six is the number of humanity.  Seven represents perfection.  Eight is new beginnings.  Out of all the numbers there are, I believe God has a favorite number and I believe that number is the number 1 (one).

When we read about the life of Jesus we see evidence of this. He was always reaching out to individuals.  As the verse above says, He left the ninety-nine and looked for the one lost sheep.  He stopped a funeral procession to raise one widow's son from the dead. He stopped and acknowledged the healing of one woman who had touched the hem of His garment in faith. He stopped to hear the cries of one blind beggar pleading for his sight. When Jarius came to Him on behave of his sick daughter, not several children, Jesus went with him and raised her up. The Centurion had a sick servant, not a house full of sick servants, yet Jesus was ready to go to his house and heal this one man. One day Jesus told His disciples that He had to go through Samaria- He had an appointment to meet one woman at a well.  There is not one sparrow that falls to the ground that He doesn't see.

My favorite account in the life of Jesus is the one where He healed the demonic at Gadara. Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, a terrible storm came up while they were crossing the sea. It was so bad that the disciples thought they were going to surely drown. Jesus rebuked the storm and they landed safely on the other side. When they got to the shore, a demon possessed man came running out to meet them. Jesus cast the demon out and brought deliverance to this man. The people were upset and wanted Jesus to leave. He did. Jesus went through all of that to reach one man with a need.

I don't know what you may be going through this morning, but God does and He cares about you. Each person is dear to Him. Each "one" is important to Him.  He would have left heaven and given His life on the cross had it been only one person who needed salvation.  He loves YOU. YOU are that ONE.  He is concerned about YOUR individual need this morning. While He was on earth He proved to us that each one's need is important to Him and He will go to great lengths to help YOU.  After all, His favorite number is ONE.  One hurting person, one person in need, one person with a problem, one person who needs His grace, forgiveness, love, mercy, strength and peace.

Have a great day. Yes, He does care about YOU.  You are the ONE.