"Strength For Heaviness"

"My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word." Psalm 119:28

The word heaviness is translated- heaviness, grief, sorrow. There are many things that can cause grief, sorrow and heaviness. The loss of a loved one; shattered dreams; hope deferred; betrayal by someone you trusted; rejection by a friend; broken promises; the weight of responsibilities; burdens of caring for others; addictions; the loss of a job; failing health; a bad report and the list goes on. They come from many different sources, in many different ways and usually without warning. Our day can start off with joy but end in sorrow. None of us are exempt- rich or poor, black or white, young or old. The situations of life that bring grief, heaviness and sorrow are not a respecter of persons- they come to us all.

If I stopped here this morning, this word would bring sorrow to our hearts because it would leave us without any hope in those times. But the good news is- there is hope. There is hope and help for us in those times. There is a way for us to be strengthened during times of heaviness and sorrow. That strength and help doesn't come through worldly means. It doesn't come through the government. It doesn't come through our employer, through the welfare system, through the doctor, through the banker or the lawyer. The help and strength that we need to make it through those times, and even be victorious in them, comes through God's word.

God's word is the only true, unfailing source of strength to make it through the times that try men's souls. We find encouragement, grace, help, health, direction, comfort and joy within its pages. We find God's promises to be with us, to direct us through, to guide us, to not forsake us and to meet our need when we walk through the places that bring heaviness, sorrow and grief. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." (Psalm 23:4)

Is your soul in sorrow this morning? Are you under a burden of heaviness? Are you suffering grief over a loss? The strength that you need to make it through can be found in God's word-- it is your strength. Hold to it tightly.

Have a great day. When heaviness, grief or sorrow hit your life, God's word will give you strength.

For further reading:
Psalm 23
Hebrews 13:5
Psalm 119:81; 116

"Which Way? - Part 2"

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Revelation 15:3

In the story of Alice In Wonderland, Alice has an encounter with "The Queen". She soon discovered, as she is trying to find her "way" back home, that she has "no way" because "all ways are The Queen's Way". And if you are familiar with the story you discovered that The Queen loved enforcing her authority, she was always right (even when she was wrong), she was hot-tempered, easily angered and she had a favorite saying, "Off with their head". She had no kindness or compassion. She was always "out for blood". She rejoiced in and enjoyed pronouncing judgment upon anyone who did not agree with her completely. She had "a way" all right-- her way was one of judgment without any mercy.

I brought this up because yesterday in our devotional, we talked about following and yielding to God's way. What is God's way? It certainly is not like "The Queen's Way". Don't misunderstand, He is a God of judgment. One day all mankind will stand before Him and He will be The Judge. But He is a God who loves mercy more than He loves judgment. He loves to show mercy to those who come to Him. He loves to bestow His grace upon us. He delights in loving us. He proved this through His Son Jesus when He sent Him to earth to pay the penalty for our sins.

The Queen's way (as is most people's way) is to delight in judgment without mercy-- we want people to get what they deserve. That is our way of doing things. But God's way is to show loving-kindness and tender mercies to those who don't deserve it and to those who are truly guilty. If that is you, God is not screaming for your head this morning. He is not eager to judge you. He does not want you destroyed. He does not delight in punishing you. On the contrary He desires to love you, forgive you, show you mercy, wrap you in His love and withhold judgment. And His provision to do so came through His Son Jesus. He has been patiently waiting for you, will you come to Him today.

Have a great day. God's way is the way of mercy, grace and love.

For further reading:
John 3:16,17
Ezekiel 33:11
Romans 5:8
Nehemiah 9:31
Psalm 103:8

"Which Way?"

"I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes." Psalm 119:26

There are two ways: my/our way or God's way. The two are not the same. Our way leads to destruction. It is the way of darkness and confusion. Our way leads us down a path of grief and sorrow. It is not the way of life. Our way may seem like the right way, but at the end we discover death. This is why we are told not to lean to our own understanding but in all our ways to acknowledge the Lord and He will direct our way. God's ways lead to health, peace, prosperity, abundant life and eternal life. It is the way of light and rest.

When we use the word "way", we are talking about two things. The first means the path or direction you are going. For example, you can either be going the wrong or right way- in the right or wrong direction. You can either be on the way that is straight and narrow and leads to life or on the broad and wide way that leads to destruction. The second meaning deals with the method you are using. You can either be doing things your way or God's way.

Jonah is a prime example of both. He took the way (path) to Joppa instead of going the direction to Nineveh like the Lord had commanded him. And he wanted to do things his way (method), which was not go to Nineveh- he thought it would be better if judgment fell on them. He is also a perfect example of the result of doing things our own way and going in our own direction.

This morning, whose way are you on? Are you walking on God's path- the path of freedom, joy, obedience, grace? Or are you walking on your own path- the path of heartache, confusion, disobedience, fear? Also, whose way are you living by- yours or God's? Are you doing things His way or your own way? Are you leaning to your own understanding or following His guidance and word? The choice of which direction (way) you are going to go and which way (plan) you are going to follow is up to you. If you want life, you will choose God's way to walk on and His way of doing things. If you want misery and death, then choose to keep going your own direction and doing things your own way.

Have a great day. Whose way you are going to follow? Your way or God's way?

For further reading:
Proverbs 16:25: 3:5,6; 14:12
Matthew 7:13,14

"Yes, You Can"

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

The words "I can't" should not be in the Christian vocabulary. True enough there is nothing we "can" do without the Lord. Even Jesus said that He could do nothing on His own without the Father. On our own we are not strong enough, wise enough or capable enough to do anything. But the key to doing "all things" is "through Christ".

When our lives are in Christ, we can do all things-- there is nothing we can't do. Why? Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. Because His love is shed throughout our hearts. Because His strengthen is perfected in our weakness. Because He makes a way even when there seems to be no way. Because His grace is sufficient. Because He fights our battles for us. Because He goes before us making crooked ways straight. Moses thought he couldn't do what God called him to do- which was to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let God's people go. Why? His excuse was because he stuttered. Wrong, yes, he could because God would send him someone to speak as his voice- Aaron.

We can't give God any good reason why we "can't" do what He has called us to do. If we say the sea stands in the way-- He can part the sea. If we say we aren't strong even-- He will give us strength. If we say we don't have the resources-- He can put money in the fish's mouth. If we say we don't have enough-- He can multiply the loaves and fish. If we say we aren't educated enough-- He can send a child to lead us.

The reason I said earlier that "the words 'I can't' should not be in the Christian vocabulary" is because first- it is not true. And secondly- God knows how to remove "can't" out of the equation and make it possible for you to do it. He can put the "I can" in it.

Have a great day. We can never truthfully say "I can't" because with God we always can.

For further reading:
John 5:30; 9:33; 15:5
2 Timothy 4:17
Psalm 138:8
Romans 8:11; 5:5

"Drink Your Milk"

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Peter 2:2

We often use this verse to encourage new converts to read and study God's word/the Bible. And so we should. When a person comes to Christ and receives salvation, it is called the "new birth", or they are "born again". They have experienced a spiritual new birth inside. So just like a baby has to have milk to grow physically, a new baby in Christ has to have milk to grow spiritually-- that milk is the word of God.

This verse is not just addressing newborn babes in Christ, it is written for all of us who are saved through faith in Jesus- no matter how long we have been saved. My physical body never stops growing- it is growing from the cradle to the grave. (Sometimes it feels like it's just growing old- but it is still growing nevertheless.) In the same way that my physical body never quits growing, my spirit never stops growing either. There will never be a time when we will be too old to grow spiritually. We never will "arrive" and know all there is to know while we are living here in this world. So we need to drink the milk and eat the meat of God's word. It is not just reserved for "babies".

The verse really is an admonition for us to keep thirsty for God's word- never stop craving it. When a baby gets hungry for its milk, it is no small matter. They let you know by crying. They will cry long and loud until you give them their bottle. Nothing will satisfy them until they get it. This is how we should be about God's word. We should crave it more than anything. We should not be satisfied until we get it. Does this describe you? Do you hunger and thirst for God's word? Do you feel like you can't live if you don't get to read it each day? Is it something you feel you can live with or without? Do you go for days at a time without reading the Bible? Does it sit in your vehicle from one Sunday to the next? Or lie on the counter where you put it after church until it is time to go to church again?

The milk of God's word is not restricted to new babes only. It is for all of us. We have to drink it every day. We have to take in its nutrients everyday if we are going to grow and develop spiritually.

Have a great day. Are you taking in the milk of God's word every day?

For further reading:
John 3:3,7
1 Peter 1:23

"Distracting Enemies"

"That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?" Nehemiah 6:2,3

We have all heard numerous sermons on how Sanballat had tried to distract Nehemiah from his task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. His attempt was to get him to stop altogether and leave the work undone. This morning I believe the story needs repeating again. We can never be reminded enough that our adversary is always at work trying to get us to stop doing what the Lord has called us to do.

He will try to get you to stop by any means that he thinks he can achieve his goal. He will use temptations-- lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes and the pride of life. He will use distractions. He will use discouragement. He will use accusations. He will use other people- godly and ungodly alike. He will use those closest to you and those that are total strangers. He will even use "good" things-- things that appear to be harmless. He will use anything from giants to little foxes.

When do we need to be on guard concerning his attempts? Everyday. He will come in the most obvious ways, but he will also come when you least expect it. Nehemiah expected the enemy to try to fight against the rebuilding of the walls because of the protection they would have from them. King David did not expect the enemy to attack him by just walking out on his balcony that fateful evening when he saw Bathsheba on the roof top. That is why we must be on guard at all times.

Just remember this morning that your enemy does not want you to succeed in the task that the Lord has called you to do. He doesn't want you to finish it. He wants it left undone. He wants to keep his "easy access". He wants to stop you. Nehemiah did not give in to the enemy. He did not listen to his threats. He did not fall into his trap. He kept focused on the task he was given to do and his God who called him to do it. You don't have to give in and stop what the Lord has called you to do either. Just do the same thing Nehemiah did-- stay focused on God and the task.

Have a great day. The enemy is always trying to stop us from doing what God has called us to do. But we will avoid his trap if we stay focused on God and the task.

For further reading:
Isaiah 50:7
Psalm 121:1,2
Philippians 3:14
Song of Solomon 2:15

"The Enemy Of Inconvenience"

"And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Acts 24:25

Several years ago I stopped purchasing a particular product because I discovered the manufacturer was supporting something that was totally against my Christian beliefs and values. I had used this product for years so by making this decision it meant that I would have to find another product to replace it. This has not always been an easy task. There are times when I am "tempted" to go back and use it again. But I am determined not to support their "anti-Christian agenda" even though replacing it has become an inconvenience on several occasions.

I want to address the subject of inconvenience. Having to continually search for a replacement is an inconvenience. But I have to decide if I would rather live in convenience or do the right thing. So many times we will give in to the things that we know are wrong and against the principles of the Bible because it is not convenient for us to do otherwise. For example, we will allow our children to watch shows on television and play video games that are clearly demonic in nature because we don't want the inconvenience of having to deal with their whining, rebellious attitude or take the time needed to train them in this area.

Many don't go to God's house because it is an inconvenience for them to do so. We don't reach out with a helping hand to those in need because it is not convenient. We don't spend time reading God's word because it is inconvenient. There seems to never be a convenient time to stand up for what is right. We won't get involved in the work of the Lord because it may cost us some convenience. We don't speak up when we should because it is just more convenient not to do so.

We have this mindset that causes us to only do what we want to do, when we want to do it, and how we want to do it. If it doesn't fit into our agenda we won't do it, we won't support it, we won't stand up for it. We let our convictions and principles go by the wayside for convenience sake. Is this you? Is this how you live your life? Do you give more, do more, stand up for the right thing, go forward in God's plan for your life only when it is convenient? Think about it- how many missed opportunities there have been, how many lost souls have been unreached, how much joy has been forfeited, how much peace we could have had, how much could have been accomplished had we not given into the enemy of inconvenience.

Have a great day. How many times have you let inconvenience stop you from doing what you knew you should do?

For further reading:
Ecclesiastes 11:4
Proverbs 6:6-10
1 Corinthians 15:58
2 Timothy 4:7
Matthew 5:16

"Crying About or Crying To?"

"I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word." Psalm 119:145,147

When we think of "crying", we think of weeping because of some grief, or pain, or mishap. In the verses above the Psalmist is going through a devastating time-- he is being pursued by his enemies and in need of help. But he is not just lamenting his situation, his cry here is one of faith and hope. He is crying out to the Lord because he knows that he will find the help that he needs to make it through this trial.

When we face life's trials, we can either "cry about" or "cry to". The Israelites were always crying "about" their situation in the wilderness. They were crying/complaining about having nothing but manna. They were always crying/grumbling about being in the middle of nowhere. They were always crying/murmuring about God not doing what they wanted. They were always crying out of hopelessness- this is all there is, it will never be better, God has abandoned us, He doesn't care about us, etc.

On the other hand, when the Psalmist was facing life's trials, he did not spend his time crying "about"- whining/complaining/murmuring/bemoaning/lamenting- what he was going through, he spent it crying out "to" the Lord to save him through His word/promises. He knew that if he "cried to" the Lord for help the Lord would hear him. He knew that if he cried out to the Lord for strength, grace and help to make it through he would find it. His cry was a cry of hope in the faithfulness of the One who was able to save him, who could do exceedingly abundantly above all that he could ask, who would make a way where there seemed to be none and who was able to make all things work together for his ultimate good. It was not a cry of despair but a cry of hope.

We all go through difficult times- times that make us "cry out". The question is, "What kind of cry are you crying?" Are you crying about the situation with murmuring and complaining and hopelessness? Or are you crying out to God in faith and confidence that He is your hope, help and refuge in the situation?

Have a great day. When we are facing a situation, we can either just cry about it, or we can cry out to God about it.

For further reading:
Psalm 30:2,8; 77:1; 88:13; 120:1; 142:5

"Jesus Cares About Each Individual"

"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

While the Lord God is concerned about the masses of people- He loves the whole world so much that He gave His only begotten Son for our sins- He is also a very personal and individual God. He cares about each one of us individually.

When Jesus was on earth, He showed us what the Heavenly Father was like. And one of the things He showed us was His love for "each" and "every" person. He showed His love for the masses when He fed the thousands with the bread and fish. He showed His love for the masses when He died on the cross for the sins of the whole world. But He also showed His love for us individually during the personal encounters that we read about in the Bible.

The masses are made up of individuals. Individuals like Nicodemus who talked to Jesus at night. Jesus did not turn him away and tell him to come back in the morning. It is made up of individuals like the widow who gave all that she had- while everyone else was noticing just how much the Pharisees were giving; He was noticing her. Then there were the personal encounters with people like the woman at the well, Jarius, the rich young ruler, the woman caught in the act of adultery, the woman with the issue of blood, the man at the pool of Bethesda, blind Bartimaeus, and the list goes on.

One last encounter I want to talk about was the maniac of Gadara. This is my favorite story of Jesus' encounter with individuals. You know the story. Jesus gets in the boat with His disciples, a terrible storm arises, the disciples wake Him up out of fear of drowning, He calms the storm, arrives at Gadara, delivers this one man, the people want Him to leave, He gets back in the boat and turns around and leaves. It is my favorite because it shows what great lengths Jesus would go to to reach just one man. This is a picture of salvation. That is exactly what Jesus did for mankind-- He went to such great lengths (the cross) to reach all of humanity, which is made up of single individuals. This morning I want to remind you that He loves and cares for you individually and personally. To Him you are not just another face in a crowd or another name of a roll. He knows you by name. He knows how many hairs are on your head. He knows what you are going to say before you even think it, nothing about you is hid from Him. He knows where you are and what you are going through, and He cares about you.

Have a great day. Jesus cares about and loves each of us individually.

For further reading:
Mark 5:1-18
John 3:16
Luke 12:6,7
1 Peter 5:7

"The First Work"

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

What are you seeking-- the work of the Lord, or the Lord of the work? Are you focused on His plan or Him? Are you concerned more about what "ministry" you have been called to, or the One who called you?

God created you with a plan and purpose in mind. If He didn't have a purpose for you, He would not have created you (it is He who has made us and not we ourselves). After all, God never does anything just for the sake of doing it. He never says anything just to hear Himself say it. So you should seek Him to discover what it is He has for you to do and you should not be negligent in doing it. When He reveals a specific plan or assignment that He has for you, you should do it with all your might and with excellence for His glory. So don't misunderstand what I am saying.

But our first and highest call is to "know Him". The whole reason Jesus came to earth and gave His life on the cross was to reconcile us back to the Father so that we could have a relationship with Him-- not so that we could do some great work for Him. Jesus taught us that on the day when we stand before Him, some would make declarations of all the great things they had done for Him but His reply to them will be, "I never knew you". He didn't accuse them of lying about the fact that they had done these great works. But that was not what He was concerned about. His point of interest was not their works for Him but whether they knew Him- or still yet, did He know them.

Don't confuse the work that you are doing for Him with knowing Him. They are not the same thing. You can work for an employer and not know him. You can be in a marriage and do all the "marriage works" and still not know your spouse. You can work to provide for your children, and not know them. We can get so busy working for the Lord that we think we know the One we are working for, but really don't. Is that you? If so, don't neglect the work that He has called you to do, but make your "first work" and priority that of knowing Him.

Have a great day. Doing the work of the Lord and knowing the Lord of the work are not the same thing-- the latter has to be the first priority.

For further reading:
Matthew 7:22,23
Revelation 2:4,5
Psalm 100:3
Colossians 1:19-22
1 John 3:1

"Running From God's Word"

"Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me." Jonah 1:1,2

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22) There is more to it than just hearing the word of God. God requires, and desires, that we are doers of what His word says-- after all, there is a reason why He has given us His written word and speaks His word to us by His Spirit.

A lot of people hear God's word. They hear it on Sunday mornings sitting in church services. They hear it if they watch Christian television or listen to Christian radio. They hear it through devotional emails and books. There are many avenues through which they hear it, but hearing it is only half of it. We have to apply it to our lives, and do what it says.

The story of Jonah is a very familiar story to us all. Jonah's problem wasn't that he hadn't heard God's word. His problem was that he had heard it but decided not to do it. God spoke His word clearly to Jonah but instead of being a doer (obeying God's instruction) he disobeyed it. The result was that he wound up in a terrible storm and then in the belly of a whale for three days.

We can't just hear the word and comment about what a good sermon the pastor preached or how it gave us "goose bumps". We have to put it into practice. There is safety in following its instructions. We would be saved from so many grieves and heartaches if we would submit to it-- just ask Jonah.

Perhaps you are saying, "I am not like Jonah, I am not running from doing God's word". If you are hearing it but aren't doing it, then yes you are. It's all the same. Jonah ignored it and did what he wanted to do- which was not go to Nineveh. The reason we ignore and don't apply the teachings of God's word to our lives is because we would rather do what we want to do instead of what God wants us to do. There is no difference.

Have a great day. Hearing the word of God and not doing it is the same thing as running from it.

For further reading:
Jonah 1
Romans 2:7-9
Hebrews 5:9

"Driving In Reverse"

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

Several years ago, I had a dream that I feel led to share with you this morning. I dreamed that I was in a truck. The truck represented God's plan for my life. It wasn't an ordinary pickup truck, and it wasn't a transfer truck. It was more like the size of the delivery trucks that are used by a hardware store to deliver building supplies. I was not the driver of the truck; I was the passenger. The driver was a very popular television interior designer.  You would have thought that since the truck represented God's plan for my life, I would have been the driver, but I wasn't. She was driving, and the really odd thing about it was that she was driving the truck in reverse. She was not driving forward, we were going in reverse down the road all the while having pleasant, casual conversation.

I want to share the meaning now of that dream. During the time when I had it, I have to admit that I was watching a good bit of television. I wasn't watching anything "bad"-- I was watching the home and garden network. I was sitting there for hours sometime watching the designer who was in my dream, and others, makeover rooms and houses. That was the reason the Lord gave me the dream-- He wanted to tell me something. That something was--- I was letting that particular thing take me away from Him. I was letting it "drive" my life and by doing so, I wasn't going forward. Sitting there watching these programs were not bringing me closer to Him, they weren't building my spirit, they weren't helping me develop the ability to discern His voice. In fact, they were actually taking me "away" (in reverse) from Him and fulfilling His call on my life. By spending the majority of my time mindlessly watching those programs, I was letting them influence and control my life. It was keeping me from "pressing forward" in His word and in prayer.

The reason why it was a familiar designer doing the driving in my dream was because the Lord was showing me specifically the area that needed to change. I had to make a choice, was I going to let this "feeding of my flesh" "drive my life"-- which was driving in reverse-- or was I going to get back in the driver seat and go forward. Was I going to let someone, or something, else drive my life? Or was I going to be led by the Spirit and go in the direction that He wants to lead me?

I am not saying that we can't watch a little television from time to time. That wasn't the point. The point was that I was watching too much (even of a good thing) and it was keeping me from going forward with the Lord-- it doesn't have to be television, it can be something else. It was driving my life instead of Him. Is something besides the Lord driving your life? Are you a passenger in your own life? It is one thing to be the passenger when the Lord is the driver, but it is another when outside things, when the lust of your flesh, when the lust of your eyes or the pride of life is doing the driving. When they are, you will continue to go in reverse and by going in reverse, you will never reach God's intended destination for you.

Have a great day. Are you letting someone else be the driver of your life? If so, you are going in reverse.

For further reading:
Hebrews 12:1
Exodus 20:3
1 John 5:21; 2:15-17

"He Is He"

"So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

A little over a week ago, I sent out a Coffee Break devotional entitled, "Tiny Prayers To A Great Big God".  One of my email brothers in the Lord replied and asked me to look at what I had written in one of the paragraphs and rephrase it.  At first, I didn't catch the error, but when he pointed it out.  I saw it immediately. What I had written was-- "I also think that we forget Who it really is that we are praying to."  Did you catch it?

What needed to be corrected was the use of the word "it" in referring to God. He is certainly not an "it".  He is not a "thing".  He is not a physical object that is made out of wood, stone, metal, etc.  He is not an idol that we bow down to or transport around with us wherever we go.  He is not a statue.  He is not a relic we have placed in the closet.  He is not a vapor, or some inanimate force.  The Lord God is a Person!   

When we say that God is a person, we don't mean that He is a human being. We mean that He has a personal nature. He is The Living God.  So, the correct way to describe Him is not with the pronoun "it" but "He". Aren't you glad that He is a personal God and not just some object of worship!

Have a great day.  When addressing God, He is not an "it".  He is a "He".

 

"What Are You Doing?"

"And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!" Luke 15:17

You all know the story of the young man in the verse above. His first step out of where he was (the pigpen) came when he finally asked himself, "What am I doing?" If you are a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to ask you the same thing.

What are you doing living in guilt and condemnation when God does not condemn you? What are you doing living in defeat when Jesus has already won the victory on your behalf? What are you doing living as the tail when you are the head? What are you doing carrying that heavy burden when the burden of the Lord is light? What are you doing living in fear when Jesus has given you His peace? What are you doing spending your time worrying when God has already made provision for all that you need? What are you doing living on the bottom when God has promoted you to the top? What are you doing letting the  enemy beat you up when Jesus has already destroyed his power over you?

In the story the son was willing to just be a servant in his father's house, but the father restored him to the place of a son. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, we become children of God. We don't only become servants, we become sons/daughters. As children there are certain rights and privileges that He has given us. We are to be living like children. So what are you doing living below the status of a child? This young man was a son because he was born to the father. When we are born again, we are born to the Heavenly Father. When the young man rebelled against the father, repented and then returned home, the father put him back into the place of a son. That means the father expected him to live like a son from now on. Our Heavenly Father created us to be His children and then restored us when we fell back to the place of a child. He too expects us to live like children. So, what you are doing by living less than His child?

Have a great day. If you are a born-again child of God, what are you doing living like you aren't His child?

For further reading:
Romans 8:1
Psalm 98:1
1 Corinthians 15:57
1 John 5:4
Matthew 11:30
John 14:27
Philippians 4:19

"We Aren't That Smart"

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6

In our opening scripture we are told to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways. Now, I don't know about you, but when I read the word "all", I take it literally- that means that I believe it really means "all". I have had people tell me that you don't have to acknowledge God in everything (all). You don't have to ask Him about small things. They contend that He gave us a brain to think for ourselves so that is what we should do-- think for ourselves. Seems to me that "thinking for ourselves" is what got the human race in trouble in the first place. Adam was a perfect man, filled with knowledge beyond our wildest imagine-- after all, he named all the animals-- but when he leaned to his own understanding about the tree that the Lord forbid them to eat from, his "intellect" proved to not be very smart.

I learned a long time ago that God says what He means and means what He says. There was a reason why He said, "all", instead of "some" of your ways or "most" of your ways. Acknowledging Him in all our ways may seem foolish, but if we would do it, it would save us a lot of heartache, grief, unnecessary pain, we would make better choices and decisions, and we would find that things would go a whole lot better for us in the long run.

We are told that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end leads to death. In other words, in our human understanding of certain situations, it may seem right, but it could kill you! Not wanting to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways boils down to being a pride issue.

We don't know better what to do than the Lord does-- even in the smallest problem. We need His help. We need Him to direct our paths. We need Him to show us what to do. Have you ever been around little children who "know everything". Everything you try to tell them--- "I know". Or when you try to help them--- "I can do it". You know they don't know and you know they can't do it. I think we act like that toward our heavenly Father as well. We think we know everything, can do everything and have everything under control when we really don't. And He knows we don't, but He waits patiently for us to decide that we can't do it and then turn to Him. And once we do, He is right there ready to help us.

Have a great day. We might as well admit that we don't know as much as we think we do and that God does!

For further reading:
Proverbs 16:25; 14:12
Psalms 37:23
Jeremiah 10:23

"He Is In You"

"....I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5b

Just a reminder this morning for someone who is feeling "alone" (where God is concerned). You are feeling like God has left you. You feel as if He has abandoned you in your time of need. It seems as though He has led you into a situation and now He is nowhere to be found. You feel like you are facing it alone.

Be encouraged, He has not left you. He is still there. He is watching over the situation, and He is right there with you. While the Israelites were waiting to be freed from Egyptian bondage, it seemed as if God had left them, but He was there. When Daniel was in the lion's den, where was God? He was there. When the three Hebrews were in the fiery furnace, it looked as if the Lord had abandoned them, but He had not. He was right there with them in the fire.

He doesn't run out on us in our time of need, or anytime. He said He would "never" leave us. And when He used the word never, He meant never. His presence never leaves us because when we are born again, His presence takes us residency within us. Our bodies become His temple-- dwelling place. His presence doesn't just come upon us, it doesn't just come and walk beside us, or come to hold our hands during difficulties, His presence is living in us. So take heart this morning, He hasn't, and He won't leave you, because He is in you.

Have a great day. The Lord's presence won't leave you because His presence is in you.

For further reading:
John 14:17
Daniel 3:24,25
1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19
Matthew 28:20

"Who Will You Blame?"

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." James 1:14

Our biggest problem is not everyone else-- it is the person who is looking back at us when we look in the mirror.

We want to blame everyone else for our bad behavior, sour attitude and mistakes. We want to shift the blame to someone else instead of taking responsibility for what we do. The mantra of mankind seems to be- "it is not my fault." Nothing is ever "our fault". We can commit a crime, but it wasn't our fault. We can cheat on our spouse, but it wasn't our fault.

You notice that I didn't say this was a Western attitude or the attitude of a particular culture or of one generation, but of mankind. It's because this attitude of blaming everyone else started all the way back in the Garden of Eden. Eve blamed the serpent and Adam blamed God because they chose to eat from the tree that the Lord had told them not to eat of.

I know that there are some situations where it really isn't our fault. Someone actually did something to us or against us. We sometimes find ourselves in situations that are beyond our control. I am not talking about that. I am talking about those who make excuse for what they did by trying to shift the blame to others. Is that you? Are you constantly excusing your bad attitude by blaming the actions of others for it? Are you indulging in wrong practices but protest that it isn't your fault? Are you one of those who justify the wrong that you are doing because you were treated wrong growing up?

The root of this problem is selfishness. We do what we do because we are selfish and self-centered. We make these wrong choices out of selfish desires. Everything is about me and what makes me happy or makes me feel good. Which takes us back to our opening sentence-- you are your biggest problem-- because you want what you want, when you want it and how you want it. And if you don't get it, then you make wrong choices and cannot justifiably blame anyone else for it.

So really we have no excuse, other than, we did what we wanted/chose to do. The only hope for that kind of attitude is to "die to self" and let someone else live life through you-- that someone else is Jesus. When we are alive in Him, He is living His life through us. He has no excuses for bad behavior, because He never has bad behavior. So the real key to overcoming the problem that is staring back at us in the mirror is to allow Jesus to take full ownership of our lives. When He does, He will bring a transformation in us. We will then walk in the truth, which means we will take responsibility for our own actions and not try to blame someone else.

Have a great day. Who are you blaming for what you are doing?

For further reading:
Genesis 3
Matthew 16:24
Galatians 2:20

"What Is Your Boast In?"

"My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." Psalm 34:2

I have watched, and been in, services that when the speaker starts talking about how those in attendance never should have made it this far because of the people who were against them, the people who tried to destroy them, the people who conspired against them, the people who tried to kill them. They never should have made it, but they did and are still here. When this is said, the congregation seems to "go wild". It is as if they are "reveling" in what was "done to them". Please don't misunderstand what I am going to say, we should be rejoicing in the fact that the Lord brought us through and that by His help and grace we did make it- they didn't kill us, the enemy didn't destroy us, we may have been knocked down but we are still here and we are still standing. But should we really be boasting about what was "done to us"... or what was "done for us"?

The part that should make us come up out of our seat, the part that should make us jump for joy, the part that should make us shout the loudest is when Jesus is exalted. It's when He is magnified, and when He is given the honor and glory for what was accomplished in your life. He brought us through. He caused us to live and not die. He put strength in us to endure. He gave us peace of mind so that we didn't go insane. It was His shield of protection around us that guarded us. It was His standard that was raised against the enemy on our behalf. The only reason you and I are still here is because God is for us and He did not let the enemy have his way against us.  That's how we made it through the things that were done to us and the things that we went through. You and I didn't make it through it by ourselves-- by our own strength, ability or anything else we possess. We made it through soley by the grace of God!!!

So, what are you boasting about? The fact that you have been tried, rejected and mistreated? (You know we humans tend to take the things that we have gone through and wear them like some badge of honor for all to see. We want the attention to be on "us"- that's human nature.) We need to get past that. Our boast needs to be in the Lord. We should spend more time, more energy and more resources on telling others how the LORD brought us through the situation than we do on telling what we went through. Yes, let others know that you have been through the "fire" and through the "storm", but don't stay there, let them know how the Lord delivered you from both. You know, David didn't go on and on about the bear and the lion that came against him. He didn't "camp out" in that story. He told the king that he had faced a bear and a lion and how God delivered him from them both and that the Lord would do the same thing with the giant. His boast was not in the attacks against him, but in His God. Where is your boast?

Have a great day. Don't boast about your situation, boast about the God who brought you through it.

For further reading:
Psalm 34:1,17,19; 103:1,2; 18:47-49; 144:10; 97:10

"My Preference Or His Will"

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

"And be not conformed to this world". How do we conform to this world? According to the scripture above it comes through your thought process. What we think does matter. Like it has been said, "Where the mind goes, the man follows". You are what you think, and you will do what you think and dwell on in your thoughts.

The thinking of the world is "preference". To those in the world it is all about "me", which includes doing what I prefer to do instead of what I should do. This influence would try to cause us to do the same-- choose what we prefer over kingdom principals, choose what we want instead of what God wants, choose our will above God's will, choose what is acceptable to us instead of to God.

Choosing according to your own preference instead of according to the will of God, will always lead you downward instead of upward. It will always lead you into darkness and away from the light. It will always lead you into a place of confusion, discouragement and depression instead of into a place of peace and rest.

When we choose our own preference instead of God's preference and will, we are saying that we know better for ourselves than God does. We deceive ourselves if we think that. David chose to follow the lust of his flesh and commit adultery with Bathsheba instead of following God's word. He preferred to gratify the desire of his sensual appetite over the desire of God. He certainly didn't do the best thing for himself. He suffered and so did his family for his choice to do what he preferred at that moment.

How do we stop choosing our own preferences and start choosing God's will? The answer is also given in the verse above- renew your mind. Renew it with God's word. Renew it through praise and worship. Fill it with God's thoughts and His preference. Hide His word in your heart. Choose to apply it to your life. Stop allowing the world's influence into your thoughts. You do this by turning off the television when programs that would "indoctrinate" you with the world's philosophies are on. You stop listening to music that "preaches a message" that only builds your selfish desires. The more you remove the "worldly" influence from your thoughts and replace it with "God's" influence the less you will be conformed to this world, and the less you will put your preference above God's preference in your life.

Have a great day. Conformity to this world means that you put your own preference above God's will.

For further reading:
Proverbs 23:7
Philippians 4:8
2 Corinthians 10:5; 4:4
Ephesians 2:1-3; 5:1-10

"Tiny Prayers To A Great Big God"

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."  Ephesians 3:20

I read this quote yesterday and it really spoke to me so I want to share it with you this morning. "Why do so many Christians pray such tiny prayers when their God is so big?" --Watchman Nee

Does that describe you? Have you paid attention to the type of prayers you pray? Are your prayers for small things? Are your prayers for God to bless you with "just enough"? Or are your prayers for "big" things? Do you pray that He only takes the pain away or that He heals you? Do you pray for just a piece of bread or for your daily bread? Are you praying for one person's salvation or for the whole family?

I think that the type of prayers we pray reflect the way we see our God. I also think that we forget Who it really is that we are praying to. Like the brother said in the quote above-- God is so big. Have we forgotten that?

The God that we are praying to is the One who created the universe, who measures it by the width of His hand, who calls each star by name. We are talking about the God who fed five thousand plus people with a few little loaves of bread and pieces of fish. He fed them until they were all full. He did not ration the meal out to only one piece of fish and one piece of bread each. We are talking about the God who fed the entire nation of Israel (millions of people) everyday while they were in the wilderness for forty years. This is the same God who multiplied the meal and oil for the widow during the famine. He is also the same God who filled every vessel a widow had in the house, not just one. This is the same God who has blessings to give that we don't even have room enough to receive them all. He is the same God who wants to daily load us with benefits. He is the same God who healed the blind, the lame, the deaf, the leper and raised the dead.

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) We often pray according to the size of our need, not according to size of His riches. We pray for a cup full when He has oceans full. We pray for a little when He has a lot. We pray to barely get by while He has an abundance. We pray for just a small touch when He wants to fill us. We ask for a portion of the need when He wants to meet it all.

Take time to examine your prayers. Are your prayers in proportion to who God is, or to the way you perceive Him to be?

Have a great day. Are you praying tiny prayers to a great big God? The prayers you pray reflect your perception of God.

For further reading:
Psalm 2:8; 68:19
John 10:10
Matthew 14:20; 12:15
Isaiah 40:12, 25,26
2 Kings 4:1-6
1 Kings 17:14
Jeremiah 33:3