"Do You Know Him Personally?"

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6

Notice that it said David encouraged himself in the Lord "his" God- not just in the Lord. The Lord was "his" God. That indicates something personal. God wasn't just someone he had heard about. Or someone that he was only familiar with through the testimonies of another person. The Lord wasn't just David's father's God that he had been brought up to believe in. He wasn't just a God that he had heard the priest teach about. But He was someone that David knew for himself.

David knew God in a personal way. He had communion with Him daily. He had depended on Him many times through many trials. He had a personal relationship with Him- as a Father and a son. He was a worshipper of God. He followed His commandments. Therefore, when David was in his greatest hour of testing, he knew that he could turn to "his" God. He knew that He would not fail him or let him down. He knew that the Lord would guide and direct him. He knew that the Lord would encourage and strengthen him. He knew that he could count on the faithfulness, love and grace of God to see him through.

David's confidence in God was because of his own personal relationship with Him. If we don't have a personal relationship- one filled with fellowship, worship, love and devotion- then when we call upon Him, we can only "hope" that He will hear us or answer us.

The good news is that we can have a relationship with Him. We can experience that confidence and assurance of knowing that He hears and answers us when we call upon Him. He can be "my" God. I can have personal knowledge of Him and not just hear-say or secondhand experience. This personal relationship comes through faith in His Son Jesus. Jesus died to save us from our sins and bring us into a personal relationship with the Lord God. Do you have that relationship? Do you know Him personally? Can you say that He is "your" God?

Have a great day. The Lord was David's God, he knew Him personally... do you?

For further reading:
John 1:12; 14:7,17
Romans 5:8
1 John 2:3; 5:20

"Keeping Joy"

"....for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10b

Who doesn't want joy in their lives. We search in a wide variety of areas hoping to find it. We hope to obtain it through material possessions, through popularity, through relationships, through wealth, through success. But true and lasting joy comes only from one source-- "of the Lord". Only He can give true and lasting joy. Only He can give us a joy that passes the test of time, that withstands the storm, that holds steady when we are being shaken.

Have you ever noticed that at a time when you should be full of joy, instead there is sorrow and confusion? You should be rejoicing because God has answered your prayer and you have seen the promise come to pass, but you aren't. You would have thought that the Israelites, when they came out of Egypt would have come out overjoyed. After all, the Lord had delivered them from cruelty and bondage. But they barely made it out of the city and you don't see rejoicing you see fear, doubt, complaining and rebellion. That's because- in their lives and in ours- there is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy, and one of the things he is after is our joy.

If there should be joy in your life but there isn't, the thief is at work. He has come to steal it. How does he steal it? By getting you to look at the circumstances. By getting you to "believe what you see". Our joy stays intact when we look at God's word, His promises and His faithfulness. Our joy is of the Lord, in the Lord and through the Lord, so by staying focused on the Lord the thief cannot steal our joy.

Have a great day. Our joy is of the Lord, and we keep it by staying focused on Him.

For further reading:
John 10:10
Ephesians 5:22
Isaiah 61:10
Hebrews 12:2
2 Corinthians 5

"He Loves You"

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

As I was praying about what the Lord wanted to say to us this morning, He spoke the words above to me--- "I have loved you with an everlasting love". This morning He wants to remind someone that He loves you. You are feeling unloved because of guilt from the mistakes you have made. You are wondering if He still loves you; or how could He still love you after what you have done. You disobeyed, you made a mess of things, you turned away. I am here to reassure you this morning that He has not stopped loving you. His love is everlasting- that means it has no end to it. He will love you as much today as He did yesterday, and He'll love you as much tomorrow as He does today. His loves bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. His love doesn't give up on you. It is unconditional. It isn't "fair weather love"- present as long as you are doing everything right and as long as you are giving love back to Him in returned. Remember, He loved you first, before you ever loved Him. He loved you while you were still dead in trespasses and sin. He gave Himself as a ransom for your sins while you were still His enemy.

This morning don't let guilt, condemnation, your mistakes and failures convince you that God does not love you. He does love you, and this morning through this word (if you will believe it) He is drawing you to Himself by His loving-kindness. Go to Him, don't run from Him. Repent. Tell Him you are sorrow. Tell Him how much you really do love Him. Pour out your heart to Him. He will not turn you away, but He will forgive you, cleanse you, restore you and embrace you. He is a loving Father who wants to lavish His love on you.

Have a great day. HE REALLY LOVES YOU!

For further reading:
1 John 4:19
1 Corinthians 13
Romans 5:8
John 3:16,17

"Time Is Passing Quickly"

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16

It is hard to believe that we are already into the first week of another year- not just another week or month, but a year. Where did it go? It has certainly gone by quickly. I have always heard adults say that the older you get the faster time goes by. But over the past couple of years I have begun to hear many younger people say the same thing. I believe the quick passing of time is a sign that the return of the Lord is near. The Bible speaks of an "acceleration" of time. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt." (Amos 9:13) The reaper will overtake the sower. This speaks to the fact that you will barely have time to plant the seed before it is time to harvest it. I don't know about you, but I am seeing this very thing happen in my own life. I hardly have time to do one thing before it is time to do it again.

In light of this fact, what should we as believers be doing with our time? Should we be squandering it on foolishness? On selfish interests? On things that will not even matter a week from now? Or should we be taking advantage of it and help promote the gospel of the Kingdom of God? Should we be warning the wicked man to repent of his wicked way? Should we be reaching out to the hurting with compassion? Should we be letting our lights shine in this dark world? Should we be living salty lives that cause others to thirst for this Jesus that we live for? Should we be letting others see and know that God loves them deeply and dearly? Should we be reaching out as His hand extended to the hurting, the hungry, the widow and the orphan? What should we be doing? How can we make the best use of what time we still have available? The theme scripture of this ministry is, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4) The night is fast approaching, the day is about to be over, if we don't do the works now, we won't be able to do them later-- it will be too late.

So what are you going to do with this new year that lies ahead of you? Or better yet, what are you going to do with this new day that is ahead of you, that the Lord has blessed and allowed you to wake up to? Will you use it wisely, redeeming the time, or will you waste it?

Have a great day. Time is a gift, but it goes by so fast, what are you going to do with it?

For further reading:
Luke 2:49
Mark 16:15
John 17:18
Matthew 5:16; 28:19,20

I Don't Know; But I Know"

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." - Hebrews 4:13

We have stepped through the door of a new year.  What does this year hold in store?  What will it bring?  Will this be the year of the Lord's return?  Will it be the year He calls me home?  Will it be a year filled with darkness, wars, hardships, pain, destruction?  Will it be a year of peace, joy, blessings?  Will it be a year of trials and tribulations?  Will it be a year of victory?  As we begin this year, no one knows-- only God.  God know what this year will hold.  The Lord God is Omniscient-- He knows everything.  He is the Alpha and Omega-- He sees the end from the beginning.  

While I may not know what the year has in store, there is something that I do know about the year-- God is still in control!!!  I know that whatever happens this year (good or bad, storm or calm, dark or light) the Lord will be as faithful to me as He always has been.  He will still supply all my needs.  He will still be my healer.  He will never leave me nor forsake me.  He will be with me.  He will guide me, He will help me, He will lead me; He will strengthen me; He will give me grace, His peace will be present for me.  He will make a way for me.  He will be with me in the lion's den, the fiery furnace, in the valley and on the mountain top. 

Whatever the year ahead holds, I know I don't have to fear, I don't have to be anxious about it, I don't have to fret or worry, because the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He will not change.  He will not be changed by events of life.  He will remain Who He is. And this I know also-- while I don't know about the year, the days ahead or tomorrow, I know God does and I know He holds me and each day in His hand!

Have a great day.  I don't know what this year holds in store, but I know this-- God knows.