"Abundant Water"

"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Isaiah 44:3

Mankind is always trying to solve his own problems. We have to face it--- we can't. We need help. We need God's help because while we can't, He can. For example, we can't quench our own thirst. There is a "thirsting" within us that is longing to be satisfied. We try to quench it but without success. We have tried to quench it through sensual pleasures, through entertainment, through education, through hobbies, through mind-altering substances, and an endless list of other activity. We may find something that will quench it for the moment, but then it always comes back.

Are you trying to quench your own thirst? Are you trying to satisfy that dry place in your life? You can't. You can't give yourself "water". You can't produce the "rain" that you need. But God can. In the verse above He said, "I will". When the heavens were shut up and there had been no rain upon the land for over three years, Elijah prayed for rain and the heavens opened up and the rain began to fall. Did Elijah do that? Did he produce the rain? He prayed for it, but God created it and God sent it.

This morning God is wanting to pour water upon those thirsty areas in your life. He is wanting to saturate you with "heavenly" showers. He doesn't want to only send enough to dampen your life, He wants to send "floods". He wants to send it in abundance. Twice in our opening verse He said, "I will" do this. You can't do it. But He will do it.

When it rains, the earth just receives it and lets it "happen". God is ready to send water- cleansing and refreshing- to your life. He is ready to send floods to your dry places to cause them to come back to life and bloom again. Cry out for the spiritual rain like Elijah cried out for physical rain and get ready, it is coming. Then just receive, bask in and enjoy the abundant rain of peace, grace, strength, provision and blessings that will flood your soul.

Have a great day. You can't water your own life, but God can and will, and He will do it in abundance.

For further reading:

Isaiah 43:19,20; 55:1
John 7:37; 4:13,14; 6:35
Psalm 63:1; 68:9
Matthew 5:6
1 Kings 18:41-45

"Fear Of The Lord"

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways." Psalm 128:1

Sometimes we wonder what it means to "fear the Lord". Does it mean we are supposed to tremble when we approach Him and be afraid of Him? Does it mean we are supposed to reverence Him? It means both. But the "fear of the Lord" is not demonstrated by trembling in terror, it is demonstrated by obedience.

The fear of the Lord is defined in the verse above-- "that walks in His ways". The fear of the Lord means that we respect and honor God enough to walk in His ways, keep His commandments and do His will. The fear of the Lord is not doing what we want and putting our will and plans above His for us.

There are blessings that are attached to the fear of the Lord. When we have the fear of the Lord (and not just say we do), we get to enjoy those blessings-- they are given to us by God Himself.

Are you walking in the fear of the Lord? Do you respect Him? Do you reverence Him? Is His will more important to you than your own? Are you following Him- yielded and obedient to what He desires? Think about it, search your heart, look at your lifestyle and see if you have the fear of the Lord.

Have a great day. The fear of the Lord is to respect the Lord and show that respect by doing His will and not your own.

For further reading:

Psalm 128; 111:10
Job 28:28
Isaiah 33:6
Proverbs 9:10; 10:27; 14:26

"Let The Burden Go"

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Does this verse describe you? Are you weary? Weary of trying to do things your way? Are you burdened? Struggling with what to do and how to do it? Are you under a burden of guilt and condemnation? Are you burdened by the extra things in life that you are taking on? Are you exhausted from trying to live a perfect life? Are you beating yourself up because you don't seem to be able to accomplish it? Then this verse is for you.

The Lord is giving you an invitation to lay down all your cares, to let go of the heavy burdens, to come out from under the load of guilt and to have peace and rest. How do you accept this invitation? You do it by applying the first three words-- "Come unto Me".

Go to Him, don't stay there continuing to "work it out". Don't keep trying to no avail. Don't keep laboring. Lay it down at His feet. Hand it over to Him. Place it in His hands. And then you will stop struggling. You will stop being confused. Then your burden will lift and your labor- weariness and exhaustion- will stop.

Have a great. Accept the Lord's gracious invitation to come to Him and lay your burdens down. Then you will receive His rest.

For further reading:

Matthew 11:29
1 Peter 5:7
Luke 10:39-42

"The Sidewalk To Nowhere"

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." Isaiah 29:13

This morning I was reminiscing about a trip that my husband and I had taken years ago.  At this particular hotel we stayed in there was a sidewalk that was in the middle of the yard. It looked very odd because it was just there. It wasn't attached to anything. It wasn't a path that led you from one building to another. The function of a sidewalk is to be a path that leads you to somewhere else. I called it the "sidewalk to nowhere" because it did not take you anywhere-- it just ended. Something that I noticed about this sidewalk was that it looked to be in good condition. It was well kept-- the grass was mowed and weeded around it. It was obvious that the ground's keeper has not ignored it.

The more I thought about this oddity, the more it made me think about people who are religious. Their lives are like this "sidewalk". They look good. They look like they have a purpose. Their religious appearance is well maintained-- they go to church, they give offerings, they quote the scriptures, they sing in the choir, they have been baptized-- they do all their religious duties. But the trouble with religion only is that like this sidewalk, they aren't attached to anything.

Jesus died so that we can have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. He did not die to give us another religion. Religion does not attach you to Jesus. It does not bring you into a relationship with God, therefore, your life is like an unattached sidewalk that looks good and looks well-kept but is a dead end and just there.

Without a relationship with the Father through Jesus the Son, our lives are like this sidewalk, if we stay on it it will keep us going nowhere. We will be spending our time, energy, strength and effort going back and forth and back and forth over the same path and never getting anywhere-- kind of like the Israelites in the wilderness who went around and around the same mountain over and over again for forty years but never got anywhere. Without a relationship with Jesus, not only are we like a disconnected path that goes nowhere, we can't lead anyone else to Jesus and eternal life. If they follow our lives they will find themselves on a path that goes nowhere except back and forth, unattached to anything.

Is your life like the sidewalk that leads to nowhere? You look good but are not attached to Jesus. Are you religious but don't have a relationship that attaches you to Him?

Have a great day. Religion will take you nowhere. Having a relationship with Jesus will take you to the Heavenly Father and eternal life.

For further reading:

Matthew 7:21,22
Luke 6:46
Ephesians 2:8,9

"Blessings In Temptation"

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." James 1:12

Are we tempted? Do temptations come our way? Are we faced with temptations? Yes, to all. We are not exempt from temptations-- none of us. Even our beloved Savior Jesus was tempted. Being tempted is not a sin. Giving into the temptation is.

Often, we focus on the consequences of yielding to temptations-- and there are consequences. But we tend to forget that there is a blessing when we don't give in and when we stand firm against them.

We don't tend to recognize the blessing because it doesn't always look like one. When Joseph resisted Potiphar's wife, he was thrown into prison. When the three Hebrews refused to bow before the statue, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. They didn't look very "blessed", but they were.

When we stand firm and resist giving into the temptation that we face, it may look like anything but a blessing-- it may look otherwise. But there is a blessing attached-- it's an eternal blessing, it's a crown of life, it's a promise from the Lord Himself. So keep resisting; keep enduring; keep standing firm when you are tempted you will receive a blessing from the Lord Himself.

Have a great day. We often focus on the consequences of yielding to temptation, but there is a blessing attached as well when we don't.

For further reading:

Matthew 4:1-11
1 Corinthians 10:13
2 Peter 2:9

"No Time For God"

"And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him." Zephaniah 1:6

Years ago, I watched a program about whether there is a God and did He create the universe. The findings were based on a study by a particular scientist. Of course he concluded that the universe created itself and that there is no God. After all his reasoning and studying he came to this conclusion by determining that there was a point when there was no time- time did not exist- therefore, there was no time for God.

I am not here this morning to debate the subject of his conclusion. There is no debate. There IS God, He exist and He did create all that is. He did not, and does not, need the existence of time in which to exist. He exist outside of time. He created time. He is the Ancient of Days-- the One who existed in the eternal past before there was time. He will always exist because He is the Eternal God who will be even if time as we know it does not exist. When people make such conclusions, the Bible has a scripture that identifies them. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Hebrews 1:22. (May I add, these people need our prayers that they would come to the truth because one day they will have a rude awakening-- they will stand before this God that they claimed did not exist and when they do He will be their Judge.)

What I do want to address this morning is what he said-- "There is no time for God". While he meant that there was no existence of time so there was no place for God to exist, I want to look at his statement in a different context. In this context there was a good amount of truth in his statement. People don't make time for God. They are too busy making time for other things-- their own goals, ambitions, desires, pleasures, hobbies, career, and so on. They have time for everything else-- they make time for any and every thing else that they want to do, but not time for God. Sadly, these people who have "no time for God" are not worldly, unsaved people; I am mostly referring to professing Christians.

I want to ask you a question-- do you have time for God or no time for God? Do you make time to have communion with Him each day? Do you reserve a place on your daily calendar to read and study His Word? Do you make time to be led by His Spirit into whatever service He may call upon you to do each day? Do you go throughout your whole day never making any time for Him and find yourself falling asleep at the end of the day having neglected- even at least a little- time for Him? Do other things besides Him consume your time? How much of your time does He actually get each day or in any given week? Or are you guilty of having "no time for God"?

Have a great day. Do you make time for everything else, but leave no time for God?

For further reading:

2 Chronicles 26:5
Matthew 6:33
Daniel 7:9,13,22
Genesis 1:1
John 1:3

"Remember The Great Things"

"The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." Psalm 126:3

There are times that make the heart sad. There are afflictions, times of grief, times that try our faith and test us. Having moments of sadness is natural under certain conditions, but to live in a constant state of sadness is not natural for the believer. We should have joy in our lives-- even in tribulations.

What causes us to live under a cloud of sadness? What keeps us from enjoying abundant life and happiness? Evidently, it is because we have forgotten all the great things the Lord has done for us. There is no way you can stay in "sadness" when you begin to rehearse and recall what great things the Lord has done for you. It is impossible.

The greatest thing He has done for us is given us life. We have been delivered from death unto eternal life by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. It was God's great love for us that caused Him to send His Son into the world to pay the redemptive price for our sins. Just thinking about His great love for you, His great gift of eternal life and being rescued from your sins should bring a smile to your face and gladness to your heart.

Did you wake up this morning? Do you have breath in your body? That is a great thing that the Lord has done for you-- you didn't wake yourself up, you aren't supplying your own oxygen. It is because of His great goodness toward you.

What about His great and exceeding precious promises? They are promises He has made to YOU! You are an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ-- these promises are part of your inheritance as His child. What a great thing He has done for you by accepting you, by giving you access before His presence, by allowing you to come boldly before His throne, by giving you unlimited grace, mercy instead of judgment, help in time of trouble, power over the enemy, His Holy Spirit to comfort you, His word to guide you and His peace to establish you.

How can you not be glad, how can you continue to stay sad when you think about the truly great things He has done for you? You can't.

Have a great day. You can't stay sad when you think about the great things the Lord has done for you.

For further reading:

1 Samuel 12:24
Job 5:9; 9:10
Psalm 71:19; 126:2
John 3:16, 17
2 Peter 1:4

"Know About Him, Or Know Him?"

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:23

There is a big difference in knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. Most people tend to get the two confused. They believe that just because they know about Him it is well with their soul. Not necessarily so. Jesus said it was about knowing Him.

I know about the President. I know who he is. I know facts and figures about him because I have either read it or heard it on television. I even recognize his face when I see it in an article. I can also tell you things about him that are true because of what I have learned. But I don't know him personally. I have never met him.

Who would say that they know the President personally just because they know about him? Just because they have read about him? Just because they had heard about him? Just because they have heard things that he has said? No one. So why would we say that we know Jesus based on the same criteria?

Just because you know facts and figures about Jesus, just because you have read about Him in the Bible, just because you have heard others talk about Him, just because you have heard His teachings, just because you tell others some facts that you have learned about Him doesn't mean you know Him. It is not an automatic. You have to "meet Him personally" and develop a relationship with Him to be able to say you actually know Him.

It is going to be a very sad day for many when we stand before the Lord. They will believe that He is going to receive them into heaven because they thought that knowing about Him was the same thing as knowing Him. They will have a rude awakening, just like the people in the verse above.

Make sure that is not you. Make sure you don't just know about Jesus. Make sure you don't confuse knowing about Him with actually knowing Him. Make sure today that you do know Him and have a relationship with Him.

Have a great day. Knowing about Jesus and knowing Him are not the same thing.

For further reading:

Matthew 7:22,23
John 12:26; 10:14
Mark 8:34
Luke 9:23
1 Corinthians 8:3

"Spiritual Deafness"

"And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue." Mark 7:33 

When we are born, we are all born deaf-- spiritually deaf because of sin. The only "ears/hearing" that we have is our natural ability to hear natural sounds and "fleshly ears" that hear the sounds of the flesh. We can't hear spiritual sounds-- we have to have "spiritual ears" in order to hear them. "He that hath an ear, let him hear."

Having the ability to hear spiritually doesn't come automatically. It doesn't just happen. We don't work hard enough in order to learn how to hear spiritual sounds. Natural birth gives us our natural hearing, spiritual birth gives us our spiritual hearing. At the "new birth" the Lord places His "fingers in our ears" so that we can now hear what His Spirit is saying to us. He removes spiritual deafness.

Once we have received our "spiritual ears/hearing", it is then up to us to maintain our hearing. We must guard against getting "spiritual wax build up", or anything else that would cause us to become spiritually hard of hearing. We do this by continually listening to God's word- through reading it, through hearing it preached, through meditating on it. We keep our spiritual hearing healthy by obedience. When we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit, when we quench Him, when we disobey, when we go our way instead of following His direction, we are allowing our hearing to become dull. Each time we do it gets a little harder for us to hear Him the next time He speaks to us-- that still, small voice becomes almost indiscernible. Our spiritual hearing is also kept keen through praise and worship. Praise and worship refocuses you. It causes all your "spiritual senses" to be attentive in one direction-- on the Lord. Lastly, we keep our hearing healthy by not listening to evil and negative speaking that is against the Word of God. Our hearing has to be guarded from error so that it is able to hear truth.

Are you doing what it takes to keep your spiritual hearing healthy? Have you become hard of hearing? Is your hearing keen or almost deaf?

Have a great day. God gives us spiritual hearing at the new birth, but we have to maintain it everyday and keep it healthy.

For further reading:

Matthew 11:15; 13:9,43
Revelation 2:7,11,17, 29
1 Corinthians 2:14

"Unchanging"

NOTICE: I will not be sending out, or posting, the Coffee Break devotion next week.  I am taking a few days off.  I will restart sending them the following week. Thanks for understanding. Be blessed!!

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

I feel impressed to remind you this morning that the Lord does not change. He is forever the same regardless of the situation you are facing. He doesn't change just because your circumstances do. He is the same when you are in the valley and when you are on the mountaintop. He's the same when it is daytime, and when it is night. He is the same God when you are in the furnace as He is when you are in the storm. The times of testing don't change Him. He isn't one way in the lion's den and another in the wilderness.

His love and compassion don't change just because things change in your life. His power and His strength don't change. His grace and His mercy aren't affected by a change in the atmosphere. His faithfulness stays the same day after day after day.

Trials change us-- they either make us better or bitter. Situations change us-- they take us from one place to another. But nothing changes who He is and what He does-- He remains the same.

Today remember that He stays the same and doesn't change. Meditate on this truth today. Let it remove all doubt. Let it restore your peace of mind in the situation you are facing. Let it bring you renewed hope and comfort.

Have a great day. Remember that God does not change.

For further reading:

Malachi 3:6
Deuteronomy 7:9
Isaiah 25:1

"At The Beginning"

"In the beginning God..." Genesis 1:1a

At the very beginning before anything else was-- there was God.

At the beginning of creation-- there was God. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

At the beginning of your creation (your own individual life)-- there was God. "Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb." Isaiah 44:2

At the beginning of your new birth (salvation)-- there was God. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." John 6:44

If God is at the beginning "of it all- of everything", then should He not also be at the beginning in every decision you make? Should you not seek His council first before you seek out the council and wisdom of man? Should you not seek His direction first before you try to figure out your own direction or plan?

Should you not put Him first, at the beginning of each day- instead of attaching Him to the end? Should you not start the day with Him and then go with Him throughout the rest of it?

It is surprising that when we need help, when we need guidance, when we need comfort, when we need strength, or anything else, we usually place God at the end of the line or bottom of the list. He should always be at the beginning-- the first place you go. He will be there at the end as well because He is the Beginning and the End, the Author and the Finisher, the First and the Last. But we should be giving Him His rightful place in our lives, in all of it, and that place is at the beginning.

Have a great day. Is God at the beginning of your life?

For further reading:

John 1:1
Matthew 6:33
Proverbs 3:5,6
Revelation 22:13
Hebrews 12:2

"Not Impossible With God"

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

I have heard this verse preached in many different ways. Its meaning depends on where you place the emphasis.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible". There is nothing that is impossible for God to do. He created all that exists. He can cause blind eyes to see, deaf ears to hear, lame feet to walk, heal disease, send water from a rock, turn back the clock, etc. There is nothing that He cannot do- nothing is too hard or difficult for Him.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible". It is impossible for God to do nothing. He does not just sit in heaven twiddling His thumbs looking for something to do. He is always commanding, creating, working, fulfilling, revealing and moving on behalf of all of mankind.

Another meaning from the verse I want to focus on this morning is-- "For with God nothing shall be impossible". When we are "with God", and God is with us, there is nothing that shall be impossible for us. "With God", we can do all things. It is not impossible for us to love our enemies, forgive those who hurt us and bless those who curse us when we are "with God". When we are "with God", who can be against us. When we are "with God", it is impossible to go through the fire and get burned. It is impossible to go through a storm and be drowned. It is impossible when we are "with God" for the situation not to work out for our good.

When God was with Moses and Moses was "with God", it was impossible for the Red Sea to stand its ground and not part. When God was with Joshua and Joshua was "with God", it was impossible for the sun not to obey him and set before the battle was won. When God was with Daniel and Daniel was "with God", it was impossible for those lions to devour Him.

When we are "with Him" and He is with us, He empowers, strengthens, enlightens, gives us grace, gives us wisdom, fights our battles, heals us, delivers us, saves us, rescues us, helps us, and gives us everything we need. So therefore nothing shall be impossible for us to do when He is with us because nothing is impossible for Him.

Have a great day. When we are "with God" nothing shall be impossible.

For further reading:

Matthew 17:20
Philippians 4:13
Romans 8:28, 31

"What's Missing?"

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." Mark 10:21 

"One thing thou lackest"-- in other words, "Something is missing." I have figured out what is missing in the lives of many believers. The answer is pretty simple-- we say a lot but do very little. What do I mean by that? We sing about worshipping the Lord, but rarely worship Him. Worship is not a song you sing in a Sunday morning church service about worshipping God. It is a lifestyle. When was the last time you found a secret, quiet place alone with God and just spent unrushed time loving on Him, pouring your heart out in adoration to Him, being intimate with Him? Do you do it at all outside of church? Do you do it once in a while? Do you do it a couple of times a week? Do you do it everyday (which is the correct answer)?

Another area that is missing concerns the Word of God. You may read it, you may confess it, you may quote it but are you living it? You may can quote verses like, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness", but are you seeking His Kingdom first above everything else? Are you putting it first? Is doing the work of the Kingdom, following its King, abiding by its government your priority? Does it come before the cares of this world?

The Bible constantly repeats that we are to be "doers"-- not hearers only, and certainly not professors only. When we talk about the things of God but don't do them, something will always be missing. The fullness that God desires for us to have will be missing-- the fullness of joy, peace, wisdom, revelation and victory will all be in a state of lack. The key to remove the "lack" is to start doing what is missing instead of just talking about it.

Have a great day. We will always lack when we only talk about the things of God instead of applying them to our lives.

For further reading:

James 1:22
John 15:7

"What Direction Are You Thinking?"

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

The word affection is translated "mind"-- set you mind on things above. In other words-- think about things above not things below. Does that mean we aren't to think about the responsibilities that we have here on earth? Does it mean that we shouldn't think about making a living for our families, or think about what we are going to do today? No, it doesn't. It does mean that your primary attention and what you think about should be more focused on "above" instead of "below".

What do you spend most of your time thinking about each day? Do you spend it thinking about the movie you watched on television last night; the trip you are going to take next month; the wrong that someone did to you; what you are going to wear tomorrow? Do you spend it thinking more about heavenly things, the Kingdom of God, what Jesus did for you at the cross, the promises of God, His Word?

If your thoughts were placed on a scale, which would be the heavier? Would your earthly thoughts outweigh the heavenly ones, or would the heavenly ones outweigh the earthly ones? You become more like what you think. You act out what you think. Your words are in accordance to what you think. And we wonder why we struggle with our Christianity. The problem lies in our thought life. "As he thinketh in his heart so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) Whatever you spend your time thinking about gets into your heart, then it comes out of your mouth, and shows up in your actions.

The key to victory, the key to being a bright light and staying salty starts in your thoughts. So think about what you are thinking about, and if your thoughts are more earthly, then change the direction you are thinking and start thinking on things above.

Have a great day. Which direction are you thoughts heading? Above or below?

For further reading:

Philippians 4:8
Romans 12:1
2 Corinthians 10:5

"God's Perfect Strength"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

God's strength is perfect strength. It has no weakness in it. It will never reach a point of weakness. It will never diminish. It won't wear out. It won't need something else to come along beside it and energize it or help hold it up. It won't ever need "refueling" or "recharging". It is just as perfect today as it has ever been. There is nothing that can be added to it to make it any stronger. It is perfect all by itself. It will accomplish what it sets out to do. Though it be passed around time and time again to those who are weak, it will never run out. There will always be plenty and more than enough to go around-- each and every time.

Our strength is not like that. Our strength diminishes with the passing of time. The older we get, the weaker we get. Situations can drain us of our strength. Our strength needs to be replenished. It needs help. It has to be recharged and refueled. There are times when once our strength is gone it is gone. It can be used up. While our strength may start a task, it doesn't always have the ability to finish it. It can give up and give out. It may be here today and gone tomorrow.

Without God's strength we will remain weak. But when His strength is added to our weakness, our strength is revived. His strength added to our weakness doesn't make our strength perfect, it adds what is missing and lacking so that we can accomplish whatever task is at hand.

Are you weak today? Has the situation taken your strength? Do you feel as if you can't go on- you can't go another mile or one more minute? Do you feel like you are on the verge of caving into the weakness? You don't have to. That's when God's strength is needed most. Let Him come along beside you and strengthen you in your time of weakness. His strength is like that breath of fresh air, that second wind, that shot in the arm, that boost that you need to get up and keep going. You can keep going when you draw on His strength. It is perfect and it will take up any slack where your strength has let you down.

Have a great day. God's strength is perfect and added to your weakness, you are made strong again.

For further reading:

Ephesians 6:10
Colossians 1:10,11
Psalm 68:28; 86:16; 28:7; 118:14

"Remembering His Sacrifice"

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

A friend and I were talking one day, and she shared with me that before she became a Christian, she knew of Christians that would meet for prayer around five o'clock every morning. She didn't understand how they could do that and that was something she would probably never do. But then she went on and said that after she became a Christian her opinion and the way she looked at that changed. She realized that after what Jesus did for her that was such a small sacrifice for her to make for Him.

A few days ago we celebrated Memorial Day- a time for remembering the sacrifice that countless numbers of men and women have made in this nation's history by giving their lives so that we could enjoy the freedoms that we have.

Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins. He laid down His life so that we could have life and freedom. Christians are called to be living sacrifices to our God and before the world. I don't see much "sacrifice" portrayed by those professing to know Christ. One reason, I believe, is because we have forgotten the sacrifice of Christ. We have forgotten what He did for us. We have forgotten that He shed His blood and died. We have neglected to remember that the horrific beating, the cruelty, the mocking, the pain that He suffered was underserved by Him. He only did it for us, because we were the ones with the need.

When we truly consider, and remember, all that He did for us we will be willing to make sacrifices. No price of obedience is too big or small for us to pay. No act of gratitude will be left undone. We will want to do all that we can for Him and to glorify Him out of loving appreciation because He paid the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Have a great day. When I remember the great sacrifice Jesus made for me, no sacrifice that I make for Him is too big.

For further reading:

John 3:16; 10:18
Hebrews 12:2

"Be At Peace In His Peace"

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

There are times when we all find ourselves in a "struggle". We struggle when faced with a decision as to what is the right thing to do or which direction we should take. The Bible does tell us that it is not within us to direct our own steps. We don't have that ability. We don't know which way is the right way without the help of God. There is a way that seems right to us but it often leads to destruction. We can't see into the future so we don't know the outcome ahead of time to help us make a wise choice.

Having said all that, I really feel impressed by the Lord to give a word to someone this morning. You are struggling with a decision. You don't know what to do. It looks good, it seems like the right thing to do, but you aren't sure. The peace you need seems to elude you. Each time you think you have the answer settled, something else comes up to make you doubt or wonder if it truly is the right thing. At that point you start trying to lean to your own understanding. The Lord wants to speak to you from the verse above this morning. This is His word to you. Don't let your heart be troubled- don't let it be anxious and burdened. He has promised to guide you as you acknowledge Him in all your ways. You are His sheep, you do hear the voice of your Good Shepherd. Let Him give you His peace. Let His peace settle it for you. Let His peace give you the faith to know, that you know, that you know this is the right decision. And once you make the decision that is guided by His peace, then just stand in it. Stand at rest in His peace even when confusion tries to come and steal it from you later and make you doubt this is the right thing.

Have a great day. Stop struggling, let God's peace guide you, then stand in His peace.

For further reading:

Jeremiah 10:23
Proverbs 3:5,6; 16:25