"Seek The Lord"

"And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." 2 Chronicles 26:5

"...he sought the Lord..." In regard to the Lord, what are you seeking? So many are more involved in seeking what the Lord can do for them instead of seeking Him. They are seeking His blessings, His provisions and His benefits. But very few are just seeking Him- seeking to know Him, seeking to please Him, seeking to have a closer relationship with Him.

I understand that there are times when we have to seek the Lord because of a situation that we find ourselves in and need an answer from Him or His guidance. But for the most part, we have it "backwards". We tend to seek more after what He can give us and do for us; we seek His hand and what's in it; we seek after the tangible things that come from Him; but if we would seek HIM- then all these things (the things that we truly need) will be added to us.... without having to "seek" after them. They would come as a result from seeking Him first.

Ask yourself this morning, "What am I seeking?" Are you seeking the blessings or the Giver of the blessings? Are you more interested in seeking what He can do for you instead of He Himself? Are you seeking after the things that He gives or to know who He is? Are you seeking Him for His gifts or just because of who He is?

Have a great day. Are you seeking the things that God gives, or are you seeking the God who gives good things?

For further reading:
Psalm 34:4
Deuteronomy 4:29
1 Chronicles 16:10,11
2 Chronicles 15:12
Acts 17:27

"Available"

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Isaiah 6:8

There are so many people in need. They are all around us- you don't have to look very far to find them. Even with so many needs there isn't one need of one person that the Lord doesn't want to reach. He loves people and He cares about them. He desires to reach into the needs of hurting humanity. And He has chosen to do so through His people. We are His hands extended. We are His mouthpiece. We are His legs to carry His message into the world. He could reach people without us, but He has chosen to do it through us. That being the case, when was the last time you made yourself available to be the vessel that He can reach someone else through?

You may say, "I can't travel to the other side of the world and be a missionary". True, you may not can, but are you available to be a "missionary" to the lady who checks you out at the grocery store, or another mother whose child is on the same soccer team as your child, or to the mechanic who services your car?

You may say, "I am not qualified." Do you know Jesus as Savior and Lord? Has He changed your life and forgiven your sins? Then you are qualified. You don't have to have a religious title to tell someone about Jesus. You don't have to have a doctorate in order to reach out to them. He uses "weak and foolish things" - so that pretty much qualifies all of us.

You may say, "I don't know how to talk to them". You can tell them what the Lord has done for you. Moses didn't know how to talk but God used him anyway. Just make your voice available to Him and He will give you what to say.

You may say, "I have nothing to give." Can you give a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty? Can you offer up a prayer for someone? Can you give a hug to someone who is hurting and tell them that Jesus loves them and that He cares?

We make so many excuses why we can't make ourselves available to the Lord to reach this lost and dying world. Where would we be if He had not made Himself available for the Father to use to save us from our sins and give us eternal life?

Have a great day. When was the last time you made yourself available for the Lord to use?

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 1:26-28
Matthew 10:42; 5:16
Exodus 4:10
Romans 10:14
Ephesians 2:10
Acts 1:8

"Fear or Peace?"

"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:26

When you read this verse in context, the state of the world looks pretty ominous. It must truly be bad for men's hearts to be "failing" them out of fear, and that fear is the result of the conditions that are taking place in the world. I have been afraid before but never to the point where my heart fails.

So what are those conditions? Wars, famine, persecution, disease, seas and waves roaring, earthquakes and other natural disasters, economic collapse- pretty much what we are beginning to see happen in the world around us, only it will be on a much larger scale. Many people are beginning to experience the fear that brings "heart failure" even now.

This morning I want to bring you a word of encouragement- this is written to those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ making Him their Savior and Lord. That word is- "Do Not Fear". We have nothing to fear. I didn't say we won't face or go through fearful times, I said that we don't have to be afraid when they come. We have a shelter, a place of refuge, it is called the "secret place of the Most High". The Lord is our refuge. He is our strong tower that we can run into and find safety. He is our shelter in the time of storm. He is our "Goshen". He is our "Ark". We have nothing to fear even in the midst of fear because He is with us, His rod and His staff comforts us. He knows how to deliver us from every evil work and preserve us unto His heavenly kingdom.

For the rest of the people- those who don't know Jesus as Savior and Lord- they shall continue to fear because they have no peace abiding in them. This is because they don't have the Prince of Peace living and dwelling in their lives. How hopeless! Yes, but not necessarily. That can change, they can invite this wonderful Jesus into their lives to be their Savior, to make Him their Lord and when He comes into their lives, He will give them 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) Then His peace will establish their minds and their "hearts". And when His peace establishes their hearts, their hearts will not fail because of fear.

Have a great day. The conditions around us may be fearful, but there is no need to fear if you have placed your life in the hands of the Prince of Peace.

For further reading:
Proverbs 18:10
2 Timothy 4:18
Psalm 91; 23:4

"Are You Bowing?"

"Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."  Daniel 3:4,5,12

Nebuchadnezzar had made a golden statue of himself and commanded that when the people of the land heard the music play they were to bow down before the statue and worship. I have a question for you.  What are you bowing down to?  I am not talking about bowing down to some idol, image or statue.  There are many things that want us to "bow down" to them.  Are you bowing down to fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, depression, anxiety, guilt, condemnation, intimidation, etc.?  

There is more to bowing down than just in worship out of reverence, or as a sign of respect.  Bowing is also a sign of submission. It is also a show of weakness by agreeing to the demands, or following the orders, of someone or something.  This was the case with those who bowed before the golden statue.  They were submitting to the demands of someone else.  As a result, they were held captive as a prisoner to someone else.  

The things I listed above and many other things want to take you captive and make you their prisoner.  They want you to serve and worship them.  They want to control your life-- what you do, think, say, how you act, react and respond.  But this does not have to happen.  You don't have to "bow" to them and be held captive by them.  You can be like the three who did not bow to the statue.  You can stand against the pressure that is being put on you, they did.  How? Because they believed and trust in God.  They knew He was the greater One.  They refused to serve and surrender to anyone else other than Him.  

Jesus has made you free!  You do not have to be in bondage to any thing!  Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.  You have been given power, strength and grace to overcome them.  You have been made an overcomer and more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.  So... Don't Bow!  Rebuke the things that are trying to control you in Jesus Name!  

Have a great day.  Stop bowing to things that the Lord has set you free from!  

"This Isn't Right - part 3"

"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats."  Matthew 25:32

For the last two days I have spoken on the same subject-- things that are right and things that are wrong concerning the Christian life. If we say we are Christians then there will be a distinction between the two in our lifestyle, conduct, attitude and conversation. 

The Bible is very clear that there is a dividing line between true Christians and those who only profess to be.  You are either hot or cold, you can't be lukewarm. You are either a wise virgin or a foolish one, you can't be both.  You either love God or love mammon, you can't love both.  In other words, there is no "straddling" the fence.  You can't live both ways.  You are either on the straight and narrow road that leads to life or the broad wide way that leads to destruction, you can't walk on both roads at the same time.  You can't have one foot in the world and one in heaven.  You can't have a divided heart-- you can't love God and the things of the flesh. You either follow Jesus or you follow your own fleshly desires, you can't follow both. 

One day there will be a dividing line drawn-- sheep from the goats, wheat from the tares, the righteous from the unrighteous, those who are for the Lord and those who aren't, those who are religious and those who have a relationship with Jesus, those who are true and those who are false, those who have surrendered their hearts to Him and those who only give their lips/profession.  Which side will you be on?

On the day when we stand before Him-- and we all will. Which side will you be one?  There will only be two side-- no middle-- there will only be two groups of people-- no third group.  You will either be on His right side or His left side.  You will hear Him say either enter in into the joy of your Lord (eternal life), or depart from Me I never knew you into eternal damnation/punishment.  The choice as to which side you will be on is up to you.  Accept Jesus as Savior from your heart and have eternal life, or just profess to know Him and keep going your own way and receive eternal punishment.

Have a great day.  There is a dividing line between those who are truly following Jesus and those who aren't.  Which side of the line are you on?