Crumbs from the Bread of Life

The importance of living out your relationship with Christ!

2010-11-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Today I had the honor and privilege of praying with a man to receive Christ as his Savior. Now as a Pastor I have had this honor and privilege too many times to count, but this one was different.

He is in 70's and has never confessed Jesus as Lord, he has always been a hard working man, that never went to church, but never stopped his family from going either. Today my wife and I took their family a Chocolate drizzle cake and after spending some time with him at his home I ministered to him and shared with them the Love that God has for him.

I communicated to him that he doesn't have to clean himself up or even understand what's going on, but all he had to do was put his trust and life in the hands of a God that desires to have a relationship with him. After a few minutes of prayer for his physical needs, I asked him if he was ready to receive Christ as his Savior and to my surprise he said yes.

I joined hands with him and his sofa became an altar and I prayed a prayer of repentance with him and gave him assurance that his relationship with God was now in the best possible position. Tears were filling his eyes as I took a few minutes to encourage him on what just happened.

I shared with him that according to 2 Cor. 5:17 that he was now a new creation, old things had passed away and all things become new and because of the prayer he prayed he was now a new creation. He may be 70 in the physical sense but he was just re born in the spirit.

A smile came over his face and said these words that were the most powerful words I have ever heard uttered in my 18 years of ministry. I told him that now that is life was in God's hands, no matter what happens with this physical body he wins, and his response to me was, "I've been watching my family and I've seen how God has worked in their lives and I know that God is going to work in mine."

WOW! What a testimony! On the outside it looked like a man who didn't have a need for Jesus, but on the inside God had been working on him for years and He didn't use a preacher, a TV, or a radio, but He was using this mans own family to show him the love and power of a Savior who loved him.

This family has been praying for this day for years and even though this day was orchestrated by God's hands, the motion was set forth years ago, by a consistent standard of living for Christ through his wife and 2 daughters.

You never know who is watching you live out your relationship with Christ. If you have lost loved ones, continue to pray for them, but the greatest thing you can do is to live for Christ in front of them.

The wife and his 2 daughters aren't pastors or even preachers, but they personified the quote from St. Francis of Assisi who said, "Preach the gospel at all times and if you have to use words!"

Today was a turning point in my ministry and life, I thank God for allowing me to be used and to see this powerful life changing testimony lived out in God's people!

Grace for Living

2010-10-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

Romans 5:3-4 We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulations produces perserverance; and perseverance, character and character, hope!

These profound words, attributed to English novelist Charles Reade, serve as an important remind of the the power of little things. "Sow an act, and you reap a habit Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny." It's easy to lose the connection between actions and destiny. In between are habits and character, the stuff of which lifetimes are made and destinies realized.

Today you and I will act a hundred times. We would do well to remember the Bible's words that "the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord, Psalm 37:23. Don't lose sight of the connection between today's acts and tomorrow's destiny.

God has a wonderful plan for you, Embrace every minute of it by acting thoughtfully and diligently.

Grace for Living

2010-10-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

If there is one thing most people don't like about the modern political process, it would have to be the abundance of promises candidates make, but often can't keep. After they are elected, the political process gets so complicated it becomes impossible for politicians to keep all their campaign promises.

But promises are important and not just in politics. We depend on the ability to trust one another's words in order to have meaningful relationships in life. The Bible tells us that God's words are wholly trustworthy the they last forever. Whatever God says, whatever promises he makes, we know His words will never fail

He is an absolute perfect promise keeper, that's the kind of God He is.

Grace For Living

2010-10-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:37 Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

In his wonderful hymn "Amazing Grace, " John Newton wrote these famous words: "Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come." And John Newton know where of he wrote! He was a man who had escaped death a dozen times or more before his life was changed forever by God's amazing Grace.

Each of us, if we stop and examine our lives in detail, can identify times when we went through our own dangers, toils and snares. And that's the point, we went through! Too often we are rescued or saved from calamity without looking back and giving God credit for his amazing grace that carried us through.

Take a moment today to think about all God has brought you through. Reflecting on His grace in the past will give you new confidence for the present and future.

Grace for Living

2010-10-01T08:25:00.001-07:00

Matthew 6:28-30 Consider the Lilies of the field, how they grow: They neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is , and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith.

Consider these three parts of our culture: garage sales, mini-storage facilities, and landfills. They're all signs that we've go more "stuff" than we know what to do with. Everyone struggles with saying "Enough!" when it come to material things.

Finding the balance between greed and contentment is a challenge. And there are no rule books to tell us when enough is enough not event he Bible. Like human father, God lets His children wrestle with some decisions like how much stuff to own. But he does give us principles in His Word, along with the promise of guidance from his Spirit. Talk to God about the best use of your material resources. With his help, you'll be well on your way to a healthy, balanced life.

Grace for Living

2010-10-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Psalm 119:144 The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; Give me understanding, and I shall live.

Everywhere you go these days, human health is a hot topic. Organically grown foods, nutritional supplements, exercise, alternative therapies. You need to be strong just to keep in society. We need to be good stewards of physical health as well as our spiritual health.

But did you know that we also need to be "heart healthy"? By that I mean spiritually and emotionally strong. Experts are learning that human health is a rope of three strands: Body, soul and spirit. And the Bible gives us clear direction for how to keep all three strands vibrant and strong. The healthiest bodies are those with healthy hearts. So let's eat right and exercise, but make sure you don't neglect your soul by getting a good dose of God's Word in on a daily basis.

Gossip in the Church

2010-09-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Does being “in the know” about what may (or may not) be going on in the church make you feel important? Does it give you a sense of power to have the entire scoop? Do you feel the urge to seek out these kinds of tidbits in your life?

If you are in a leadership position, and rumor and gossip are part of your life, you probably need to think about what that’s doing to your witness as a believer in Christ and leader in the church. This tendency to enjoy hearing and spreading gossip is hurting you, and you may want to think about that.

If you love hearing gossip but seldom pass it on, you may justify this to yourself by saying, “but I never spread it.” Even so, the fact that you tolerate this behavior and allow yourself to listen to gossip from others promotes a certain culture within your department and the church

When you participate in a conversation based on gossip, you diminish your own credibility as a leader. People no longer see you as completely trustworthy.In the human mind, if someone is listening to our speculations about a brother and sister in Christ or in the church, the listener evidently agrees with us.

Moreover, he or she can’t really be trusted with sensitive information. When you get to the point that you are not completely trusted with confidential information, then you lose your effectiveness as a leader. Most of the time, when we are talking about someone who is not present to tell their side of the story, we are engaging in gossip.

When you are giving information, this is acceptable and expected. When you start speculating on “why” something is the way it is, it becomes gossip and rumor and quickly has the power to be highly hurtful and even de-rail someone’s effectiveness, like YOURS.

Idle talk comes back to haunt you. You are a leader and Christ follower, and leadership need to be one level above the fray.

When you encounter a group of the body gossiping, don’t participate. Don’t even tolerate it. Advise them to stop, by saying something like, “You know it’s not good to be spreading that kind of stuff because we don’t know all the details (reasons), and it’s not really any of our business.” Then, you can quickly change the subject to something else more positive or Christ-related.

When you do this consistently, those under your leadership will get the idea that gossip is not acceptable. They may still engage in gossip from time to time, but if you are modeling and demonstrating the Christ like way to handle information and making it clear gossip is not acceptable, the level of gossip and rumor will gradually diminish.

When that happens the Church becomes less toxic and more productive.

Where are the big ones

2010-07-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

On the eve of one of my favorite holidays my mind is taken back to the days of being a youth pastor and working the numerous fire work stands we did! It never failed every year that someone would always ask for the "Big ens'".

One man said, "I don't want the little ones I want the big ones, the powerful ones, the ones that blow stuff up.". He didn't waste his time on the ones that were pretty or the ones that made ya feel good he went straight for the Big Ones!

That guy made me think about prayer! Nothing happens in the kingdom of God without prayer! Prayer is the greatest enabling factor we have against the enemy of our souls!

I don't want to waste my time with the small prayers or the ones that are pretty or even the ones that make you feel good I want the powerful ones, the ones that blow stuff up, that ones that damage things!

It's not what we say that moves the hand of God it what we believe that does! Our Faith in God's ultimate sovereign power is what enables our prayer to have power behind them!

A wiseman once said he would rather stand before the cannons of the wicked than the prayers of the righteous!

Let's cut to chase and make our prayers the Big Ones that blow stuff up!

- Posted via my iPhone

2010-01-10T21:39:00.001-08:00

My 6 year old is getting ready for his first sermon in Children's church and he wrote this song for the altar call. "If there’s a storm or thunder all you can do is get beside your bed and pray And God can make that go away, and if you just keep praying God can make that go away."

2009-11-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

Raising teenagers has got to be THE hardest thing on the face of the planet for parents! And I admit it's not easy for the teen as well!

For the teen it's coming into your own learning new things pushing the envelope on what is right to see what you can get away with!

For the parent it's wanting more for your child than what you had and wanting them to miss the potholes you hit in life!

The clash is this, they want to experience it for themselves and we want them to miss the heartaches we've experienced!

My teenage daughter is at that place in her life! She thinks she knows everything and is coming into her own with her own decisions and actions!

She refuses to listen to reason and instruction and is at a very rebellious stage! She's ungrateful and and uses the phrase I think every teen uses, "I hate you".

She told me not too long ago that she didn't want me to be involved in her life! I didn't know how to deal with that! At first I was mad then upset then hurt then mad again!

After talking with my heavenly father I decided to grant her that request! I thought about my own life and how rebellious I was toward God! And even the one time I told God when I was younger to leave me alone!

So I gave my daughter some space and left her alone! I didn't ask her about her day, I didn't stick my nose in her business, I didn't go out of my way to be involved in her life!

She really seemed to like this new detatched relationship but it was killing me! I want to be involved in her life I want to know what's going on not because I'm a control freak but because I love her, I'm her Father and she's my child!

After a few days she came into my office and asked me for something! For the first time I told her no, I think that broke my heart more than it did hers!

I sat her down and told her that my absence from her life meant the abence of my blessings as well! She couldn't demand me to leave her alone and still want to have my blessings in her life!

My blessings come with my presence and my presence comes with my involvement in her life because I love her so much! But my presence comes with a cost and the payment is simply, repect and obedience!

Obedience doesn't mean she is going to be perfect it means she is going to do her best to live by the guidelines we set before her!

She sat there for a little bit and then said, Dad I understand! Those three words meant she had seen more than she wanted to!

It's the same thing with us, we must cooperate with our Heavenly Fathers involvement in our lives in order to have His blessings!

It's not putting up with God in order to get his blessings it's wanting His involvement in your life and understanding that with His involvement comes His blessings!

God is teaching me so much as a Father! I'm learning more everyday about the Love of God! He is so patient and loving with me and I'm learning to do that with my kids! Thank God for his unconditional love toward us!

2009-11-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

1 Peter 4:2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

Have you ever driven your car when it was out of alignment! If you have you’ll identify with me that when tires on are not properly aligned, they cause the vehicle to drift which forces us to work harder to keep the vehicle straight and control the direction of travel.

A simple realignment of the wheels will remedy this problem for us. Hear me friend prayer is very much the same way. It is a spiritual realignment of the wills not WHEELS, but WILLS, so that as we submit to God, God’s thoughts, plans and desires become ours.

When I surrender my will and receive God’s will in return, that transaction properly aligns me to receive His blessings in my life! I cannot suggest a better remedy for insuring that we travel in the right direction than when we engage in this intimate transaction of the wills called prayer!

God’s desire for us to succeed IS much stronger than our desire to be successful. And when we mature to the place in our prayer life where we hide that simple but powerful reality in our hearts it aligns us with open door of God’s blessings!

Our thought for today: It’s a lot easier to drive a car that is aligned perfectly then to constantly fight one that wants to veer off course

2009-10-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Matthew 15:8 “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”

Outward appearances can be deceiving when it comes to what people do. When a person puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion or when a person acts contrary to his or her own stated beliefs, we call that person a hypocrite.

Our English word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word, which means “to be an actor.” An actor is merely playing a part and pretending to be something he or she is not.

Appearances can also be deceiving when it comes to what people say as well. It’s not hard to find hypocrisy at every level of government and sadly enough even behind some pulpits in our churches today.

While we may be fooled by outward appearances and by what people say, God’s inspired word states clearly that Jesus isn’t fooled by outward appearances, He can see through our masks of hypocrisy and He certainly isn’t fooled by lip service.

While we might be fooled by what people do and their fine-sounding phrases, God is not. Let God’s unconditional love give you an opportunity to speak from the abundance of the human heart, which can’t be disguised by holy actions or hidden from God behind a lot of pious-sounding words.

Challenge for Today: You may fool your friends, your co-workers and even your pastor, but you can not fool God!

2009-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Matthew 14:25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

Matthew 14 takes place after a long day of tragedy, ministry and miracles, In the life of Jesus. In verses 1-12 Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist has been beheaded.

In verses 13-21 Jesus hears about his cousin’s death and gets in his boat to got to a private place to grieve, but while he finds a quiet place a crowd gathers, the Bible tells us that there were 5000 men not counting women and children.

After the miracle feeding of 5000, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and go to the other side! I noticed something about Matthew 14, one third of Jesus’ disciples were professional fisherman, why would Jesus have to make them get in the boat.

Could it be they could read the weather, a storm was brewing and they probably knew this isn’t sailing weather, but none the less they went. Hear me, sometimes the will of God will lead you right in the middle of storm.

While on the water, a storm came and no doubt the disciples were scared, they cried for help, their hope was gone, they had exhausted every avenue of rescue. But in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came walking on the water.

The fourth watch is between 3am & 6am, it represents just in the nick of time. Hear me friend you may be in the middle of storm right now, it might feel like all hope is gone, but don’t give up, don’t jump ship, because in the fourth watch of your night, Jesus is coming.

Our Prayer challenge: He may be late according to your watch, but He’s always on time according to His.

2009-10-20T20:44:00.001-07:00

Matthew 10:31 “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows”

People spend a lot of time waxing a car, weeding a garden, talking to their spouse or children, chatting with friends, working at a computer, or watching television.

People do what is important to them. And you can tell what is important to them by the amount of time and money they spend on any activity.

God’s creation is important to Him. So much activity goes on every day without any human taking notice. In the deepest parts of the ocean there are fish that live their whole lives never seen by man.

A waste? Absolutely not my friend because God is interested in them. They don’t have to be seen by others or cared for by others, because they are there for His pleasure and His pleasure only. Their lives have value because they are valuable to God.

Jesus reassured people, because He knew they worried about many things.

He wanted them to know that the One who was best equipped to do something about their needs was also the One who cared the most about them.

Even though God is concerned about all of His creation, He is more concerned about you!

Thought for Today: You are important to God, never forget that!

2009-10-18T22:01:00.001-07:00

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”

Everyone has experienced loss. Maybe it was the physical death of a loved one or pet. Maybe it was the “death” of a marriage, dream, or promotion.

Expected or unexpected, pain runs deep and the weight of the loss may be devastating.

There are many losses, but little mourning in our society. We crave consolation but skip the mourning process.

Instead, we seek to replace our losses, by adopting a new pet, remarrying, or taking a vacation. Did you know that we often take the same approach to sin as well.

Jesus is talking about those who mourn their sin. It is not enough to simply acknowledge spiritual bankruptcy with an unfeeling heart.

We must show sincere sorrow for what we have done in order to receive the comfort of forgiveness.

As you strive to live for God, reflect on your past mistakes. Experience the loss the sin in your life has brought. Grieve it.

Release it through prayer, tears, and honest conversations with accountable friends. Then Jesus will bring you the comfort He promised.

Challenge for Today: Learn to walk through the pain, not around it.

2009-10-13T20:40:00.001-07:00

Zechariah 14:9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name

Abraham Lincoln. Elvis Presley. Tiger Woods. Mother Teresa. Martin Luther King, Jr. All famous people. All make headlines still today.

We read about them in books. We watch them on television. We google them on the Internet. Their names outlive their existence on this planet.

Each name offers a vision of the varied vocations and contributions to society of each individual.

Whether you support their cause, their sport, their music, or their vision one thing is true. You visualize their faces. You know their names.

Presidents, celebrities, athletes, and innovators may affect change, but no one brings change like Jesus Christ the King above all kings.

God’s word tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord that means every name, whether famous or not-so-famous, will bow before Him.

Whether you do it now, willingly, or later, forcefully, you will bow before King Jesus!

Challenge for Today: Jesus is the name above all names. Keep it that way in your heart.

2009-10-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Zephaniah 3:9 “Then will I purify the lips of the people, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder”

An old-fashioned “cure” for using bad words or lying was to wash a child’s mouth with soap. The lingering taste served as a reminder to keep their speech clean.

God has a better solution. He purifies lips by cleansing first the hearts of those who call on Him. Only after sins are confessed and forsaken, will hearts and what flows out from them, be pure.

The Lord performs a complete renovation, not just a cover-up to hide faults. He eradicates sin and the decay it brings. His cleanup also removes sin’s punishment and its accompanying guilt and shame.

When God’s purifying work is complete, the redeemed will seek Him and serve Him in unity. Meekness, humility, honesty, and joy will be hallmarks of this holy remnant.

Thought for Today: God delights in and rejoices over His work in your life.

2009-10-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Amos 8:11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.

About 750 B.C., an obscure farmer and shepherd was called by God to be a prophet…The man's name was Amos. His mission: to warn Israel of God's coming judgment if they did not repent!

Sadly, the nation did not heed the call to repent...As a result, they were led into Assyrian captivity. Part of Amos' prophecy that was fulfilled concerned an unusual famine that would come upon the people: Not a famine of food or water but of the Word of God.

Today, there is also a famine for the Word of God...Different in some ways. Yet very similar in other ways, and producing similar results!

The present famine for God’s word was not sent by God but is imposed by man. On the contrary, it is evident God has provided for us "feast", not a "famine"!

We enjoy an abundance of Bibles in our homes and offices even on our phones. Never before in the history of mankind has the world enjoyed such free access to God's Word.

But all the bibles in the world are doing no good if they are only collecting dusk sitting on the shelf. Nothing changes your life like God’s breath penned on the pages of His word!

I love Christian television and radio, but watching a bible study and listening to songs is not a substitute for spending time with God and communing with Him through His Word on a daily basis.

Prayer thought today: Put the Word of God into when you don’t need and it will be there when you do!

2009-10-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me

We live in a society driven by materialism, people live beyond their means—feeding their wants rather than meeting needs and placing personal gain above service to others.

Greed leads to corruption and oppresses the poor. This also describes Micah’s world twenty-seven centuries ago.

No matter how bad things get, Micah’s example of seeking God’s help and deliverance is practical and wise.

The Lord will hear and answer. Evil will be judged, with the goal of bringing repentance. Then God will heal and restore.

Micah not only watches for God, he does so with hope and trust. Hope waits willingly and with confidence. Micah had hope because of his personal relationship with the Lord.

Although modern times may seem like a mixed-up mess with no solution in sight, we can call on God to intervene.

The God of our salvation delights to show mercy and will bring victory in His time and His way. We can be sure of that my friend.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, help me seek your solutions to problems, rather than trusting the wisdom of the world.

2009-10-07T22:20:00.001-07:00

Amos 2:7 “They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed”

In Amos 1 and 2, the prophet reads a list of charges against Israel and pronounces the sentence. The nations must face the wrath of Almighty God because of the sins such as killing babies, slave-trading, and perhaps surprisingly, ignoring the poor.

Ya see in the eyes of God, mistreating the poor and powerless is just as offensive as sexual immorality, idolatry, and murder.

During His short ministry on earth, Jesus repeatedly moved among society’s fringes, emphasizing His love for the weak and impoverished.

Over and over He commanded His followers to remember “the least of these”

Too often we focus so much on the obvious, sins of violence and immorality that we lose sight of an equally heartbreaking sin: such as hungry and abused people being ignored.

The church today needs to ask God to open it’s eyes to see the oppressed and the weak among you, and extend a compassionate hand to help.

Challenge for Today: Remember when you have ministered to the least of these you have ministered unto God!

2009-10-06T21:58:00.001-07:00

Joel 3:16 The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel

Not too long ago we had a new addition to our family. A friend of mine had given us a 1 year old English bulldog, named Cheddar.

Shortly after that we noticed that our yard was not the make shift football field it used to be. One of the neighborhood boys finally admitted that he didn’t come around much anymore because of our dog. Just the sight of Cheddar was enough to scare kids away.

We soon introduced them to the big and scary watchdog and they were shocked at how loving he was. He was more interested in eating the after school snacks than he was hurting them. They soon realized you could by Cheddar by offering him a good belly scratch.

Even though the day of judgment has not yet arrived the world already cowers before God. Unbelievers see God as an oppressive and wrathful

cosmic killjoy that is waiting to bash them when they do wrong, while we as His children run to His loving embrace.

And why is that, maybe because someone has shown them the wrong image God’s love. We can demonstrate God’s love and convince the world to embrace God’s grace now by following the commands of the Master.

Prayer thought: Are unbelievers in my life seeing authentic Christianity or a caricature of it!

2009-10-04T21:03:00.001-07:00

Hosea 10:4 They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

A nation that has turned its back on God is a nation without unity. Rejecting the perfect peace of the Creator, opens the door to a life of lies, disagreements, and strife.

They build walls to isolate themselves from God but in doing so they also isolate themselves from one another. Unable to interact in Godly love, they are torn apart by their sin.

When our hearts are set on the Lord we can be a people unified, a people who can deal with one another in love without the poisonous rhetoric of the world.

Our common life in Christ should draw us together, so that we don’t see each other as litigants or opponents but brothers and sisters.

That’s not to say that we’ll always agree or get along! Who does? But if we truly live in Christ, we won’t lie to each other or destroy reputations. We will do nothing but love one another, just as Jesus loved us.

Thought for Today: People who do not see eye-to-eye with God cannot see eye-to-eye with one another.

2009-09-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hosea 6:2 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence”

This is my favorite time of year because the leaves seem to paint the landscape of God’s handiwork with vibrant greens, oranges, yellows, and reds.

But the beauty of fall passes quickly, as the leaves fall from their branches and become debris under our feet, that’s has no purpose but to be raked up and thrown away.

But the dead, falling leaves are a precursor to something beautiful. They form a carpet on the ground that slowly decays, enriching the soil and feeding the trees they just abandoned. The death of the leaves makes it possible for new leaves—new life—to appear in the spring.

God’s judgment had ripped Israel to shreds, but Hosea assured the nation new life was on its way. The trials would kill off those things that stood between the nation and its God.

The trials would allow God to breathe new life into Israel. As you observe this fall, consider what needs to die in your own life in order to renew you in Christ.

Prayer Suggestion: God, show me what must die so that I can live in Your presence.

2009-09-24T22:51:00.000-07:00

Daniel 12:10 “Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand”

Have you ever been, “Stuck”. One of the definitions of stuck is remaining in a static condition, or failing to progress. Our scripture details a group of people that are stuck in a wicked state.

People get up everyday of their lives stuck in a job, stuck in a relationship, stuck in their marriage. Being Stuck is not what God desire for his children. God designed everything to move and not stand still, including your relationship with him.

Here’s an alarming fact, two-thirds of those released from prison will be arrested again within a few years. Many prisoners reform, but sadly, most—are stuck in a life that will ultimately destroy them.

The Word of God tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, and until we are made spotless by the redemptive work Jesus did on Calvary for our sins, we will continue to do so. God’s love purifies and refines us.

If we are wise enough to accept that gift, He can and will free us from the destructive patterns of our sin.

Thought for Today: The Cross of Calvary is the key that unlocks the cell where sin has imprisoned us.

2009-09-23T22:33:00.001-07:00

Daniel 9:15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong”

We live in a society where CEOs and politicians want to acknowledge wrongdoing but don’t want to accept blame. They’ll point fingers as long as no fingers are pointed at them.

Daniel, crying out to God on behalf of all Israel, made no excuses about who made the mistakes that destroyed Jerusalem.

Daniel made no attempt to “pass the buck,” freely admitting that Israel collectively had made mistakes. Still, the prophet appealed to the Lord’s “great mercy” knowing by faith that God would provide rescue.

Our rescue came in the form of Jesus, who died to ensure that we would no longer have to bear the burden of sin alone. Scripture tells us that if we confess our sins—accepting the responsibility for our wrongdoing—our God promises forgiveness.

Challenge for Today: God can not forgive that which we are not willing to confess!

2009-09-22T23:33:00.001-07:00

Daniel 6:20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

The Old Testament prophet Daniel, as chief counselor to the Persian king Darius, aroused the envy of the other royal ministers. Conspiring against the young Hebrew, they forced the king into condemning Daniel to a den of lions.

King Darius had given no thought to Daniel when he was tricked into signing the decree that would put Daniel in danger. It was the ultimate offense, being unjustly sentenced to death.

As Daniel approached the lions’ den he had a choice to make: become embittered by the injustice and state his own case to the King or rest in God’s defense and vindication. He chose the latter.

Daniel’s vindication came overnight when God delivered him from the mouth of the lions.

Thought for Today: Trust in the fact that God always takes care of those, who honor him.

2009-09-21T23:54:00.001-07:00

Daniel 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God”

The three Hebrew boys did something that no one else had the guts to do. They refused to bow down and worship another God. When the decree was given these boys had a spirit of rebellion. A spirit that said we will not bow down to you image.

A spirit that said, Our God is able to deliver us out of the fiery furnace, but even if he doesn’t we’re still not worshipping the image you have set up. The church today needs that kind of spirit once more. Not a spirit of rebellion against God, your pastor, or even your parents, but a Spirit of rebellion against the temptation of the enemy.

God was honored by the stand taken by these three young men. In response God protected them in a furnace that had been heated seven times hotter than usual.

This same fire had taken the lives of those who threw the three young men into the fire. Yet in the midst of that fire, they were miraculously kept safe.

We need to never forget that when we honor God at the cost of personal risk, God will protect us from the enemy’s threat and bring glory to himself.

Challenge for Today: Sometimes we have to go through the fire in order to see the Savior.

2009-09-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 44:28 “I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession”

Unfortunately in our world, mourning the loss of a loved one who has died is often interrupted by disagreements concerning the distribution of an inheritance. Wills are sometimes contested, lawyers are obtained, and court battles that divide families ensue.

There was one group of people, the priests, that the Lord determined beforehand would never have this concern. God declared that they were not to be given an inheritance in the land.

He wanted to give this group of people whom He had called to minister in His sanctuary something far greater. He wanted to give them himself.

Listen friends as believers in Christ, we are told in 1 Peter 2:9 that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God”. Therefore our inheritance stored up in heaven is far greater than we could even begin to fathom.

Prayer Suggestion: Dear Lord, I pray that You will open my eyes to see the rich inheritance I have in Christ Jesus.

2009-09-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 39:25 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name”

Did your parents ever say, or have you as a parent ever said, “This is going to hurt me more than it does you?” Even though it hurt, the discipline was carried out for the child’s own good, and today most are grateful for the correction it provided.

Sometimes, God had to discipline the Children of Israel for their unfaithfulness by allowing them to be taken into captivity.

However, that was never the end of the story for Israel, neither is it the end of the story for His children today. When God’s prescribed discipline has fulfilled its purpose in our lives

He will once again demonstrate His compassion and provide for the restoration of those things withheld during the season of correction.

God’s name will receive glory as we walk in obedience to His Word, and delight in the mercy and compassion He extends to us when we repent.

Thought for Today: By responding to God’s correction, I will experience His comfort.

2009-09-15T20:48:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 43:22-23 “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect”

Do you recognize a familiar theme sewn throughout these verses? Whatever the sacrifice, the requirement was the same. It had to be offered “without defect.”

This requirement was demanded by God with good reason. The sacrifice was to be a “type” or a “picture” of the perfect sacrifice that would come as the atonement for the sin of all people.

In the fullness of time God would reveal His only begotten Son to the world. Jesus was the only perfect sacrifice that could be offered on behalf of humanity, to restore us to a Holy God.

Today, it is because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, the pouring out of His own innocent blood, that we have access to God through faith in Jesus’ work on the cross.

Because of that access you can go boldly to the Throne of Grace without fear of rejection. Thanks to Jesus we who have faults can go to a God with none.

Thought for Today: God loved me so much that He gave, a sacrifice without defect, His Son Jesus.

2009-09-14T19:34:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 37:5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life”

I’ve often wondered what went through Ezekiel’s mind when God asked him, “Can these bones live?” It must have seemed hopeless. Nothing is as hopeless as a bone yard.

Ezekiel’s only answer was, “You know.”

Ezekiel’s sense of reality was limited. What mankind experiences is real, but it is still limited. God’s reality is infinitely greater than ours

He is not hindered by the limited perception of humanity. The bone yard seemed hopeless to Ezekiel, until God got involved. God can and will infuse new life into any situation if we only believe.

We cannot be discouraged by what appears to be a hopeless situation. We must have faith in God. Faith opens the door to the greater reality, a reality augmented by God’s direct involvement.

God involves himself in unseen ways. While God’s breath was invisible, the result was obvious when the bones came back to life.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, breathe fresh insight, encouragement, and creativity into me today.

2009-09-13T22:00:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 34:12 “As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on the day of clouds and darkness”

Not too long ago, my son had come home from school and was worn out. His little body was not used to going to school all day without a nap. I remember him coming home and lying on the couch wanting to go to sleep.

As my daughters did them homework and we resumed our normal activity we noticed it was real quite in the house. I called to my wife and asked her if she had seen him, and she hadn’t. We called his name and no answer, we panic, thinking he might have gone outside without us knowing.

We ran outside desperately looking for him. Fear began to set in when we could find him. Then my wife said, here he is. My son was found in his bed under the covers sound asleep. He was Oblivious to us calling and diligently seeking for him.

For a brief moment I thought I had lost a child, but then I was quickened that God has many lost children. The way we look for our children when their lost is the same way God looks for His. Listen my friend you and I have an opportunity to be involved in helping bring God’s lost children home.

Knowing God’s great love for the lost should motivate every believer to reach out to the lost with the love of Christ.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, help me reach one more of your lost children.

2009-09-10T21:29:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 24:14 “I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord”

Does it ever seem to you that God ignores the evil around us? News accounts show murders, spousal and child abuse, and a general disregard for human life.

It can become very easy to be discouraged and wonder if God is aware of these things or if He even cares. Ezekiel discovered that God is aware of injustice in the world and will act.

Christians can trust that God will be just; He will not ignore sin nor the righteous acts of His people. Those who reject God’s Laws will be held accountable for their actions.

Listen my friend, Our God is caring, He is loving, He is faithful, but he’s also Righteous, and when he says he will deal with the wicked, rest assure he will deal with the wicked!

But before that time comes God will reach out in mercy, asking people to receive His free offer of salvation through His son Jesus Christ. He wants the world to hear the gospel and wants us to proclaim the good news to them through our lives and our words.

Thought for Today: Believers should consider that God is perfectly just in His dealings with all people.

2009-09-09T23:01:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 22:7 “In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you they have oppressed the alien and mistreated the fatherless and the widow”

Early in my ministry I got to see a lot of churches and meet a lot of people. I remember this one church in particular I was preaching at, a woman had walked in off the streets obviously needing some kind of assistance.

At the end of the service the woman walked out and we never saw her again. Later that evening I was talking with the Leadership, and they said, “We don’t need people like that in our church!” I can tell you that my heart was broken!

My friend we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. Who are we to pick and choose who comes to Jesus! Every nation, Every tongue, Every Creed deserves the opportunity to have a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

God always has and always will expect His people to show respect to their parents and treat aliens, the fatherless, and widows with compassion. Believers today have the opportunity to reach out to people with the love of Christ.

When believers look past their own personal bias, they can begin to see people with a love only God can give them. Showing love and compassion to people who might otherwise be looked down upon will demonstrate to the lost that God really loves them.

Prayer for Today: God help me to see through your eyes, touch through hands, walk through you feet, speak with your mouth and love with your heart!

2009-09-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 21:26 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says, Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low”

There was a time in my life when I full of my own importance that I did not notice those around me. I remember working for a Communications company as a business developer.

My job was to fly into an untapped city and begin developing a business market for our product. The company was sponsoring a sales contest for the most new markets created. I was competing against other business developers across the nation.

I thought for sure I had the sales contest in the bag, when the results were tabulated at the end of the contest, I was shocked to discover I had finished near the bottom in total sales.

I learned a difficult lesson about humility. Listen Humility isn’t about thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.

Judah learned humility through their conquest at the hand of the Babylonians. Their position of power gave way to their new status of captives.

God spared some of the most humble citizens by allowing them to stay with their fields and vineyards.

God wants His people to practice a lifestyle of humility. We as believers should live in such a way that our lives point others to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer Suggestion: Ask God to help you exalt Him to those around you.

2009-09-07T22:45:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 18:25 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not just.” Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

We live in a complicated world. Why do people do the things they do? Why don’t they take action when they should? Everybody has their own perspective, and there are so many angles from which they view the world.

Some people judge God as unfair. They think He should act more quickly. Sometimes they say He doesn’t act at all.

God knows what people say. He sees things from every angle and sees them all at the same time. His ways are fair and He acts based on what He knows and not on our limited perspective.

His wisdom and insight are infinitely greater than ours could ever be. We have to learn to trust God because He sees things perfectly and acts accordingly.

If a man waits to fully understand God before he trusts Him, he will have a long wait. He will never know all that God knows, nor will he have God’s perspective. Where a person doesn’t understand, he has to trust God.

Thought for Today: God will always do the right thing.

2009-09-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 12:3“Therefore, son of man pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand…

I remember when my girls were little, my middle daughter got a swing set for her birthday. It was in the middle of December and it was cold and rainy.

My wife asked me to put the swing set together and of course I said okay, what I thought would be easy turned out to be a 4 hour ordeal.

My ears, face and fingers were frozen and numb, I couldn’t feel anything much less turn a wrench, so I improvised and began to cut corners, I was using nuts and bolts in places they didn’t belong, taking from part and using in another.

From the outside appearance it looked great, but when spring rolled around that following year, I was watching my daughter play on her birthday present and all of a sudden, the swing she was on took flight and came off of the swing set.

My daughter wasn’t hurt but my short cuts were made known. Why did the swing come off, because I failed to follow the instructions that came with it.

Ya know our lives have instructions as well, God used the prophet Ezekiel to warn the nation of Israel about the impending exile. God wants everyone to heed His instructions. That is why He gave us the Bible and placed pastors and teachers in our lives. God has also given us His Holy Spirit as a guide to direct us in His instructions.

Challenge for Today: Make it a point to read the instruction manual that God has given us and follow it to a T.

2009-09-02T22:20:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 8:4 There before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain

What can we do when we our vision is defective? Thankfully, we live in a time that offers many solutions to improve vision.

Surgery, contacts , glasses, and even certain exercises help people to see what they need to see in life.

Though He didn’t use any of these man-made devices, God wanted to make sure Ezekiel saw what he needed to see.

Ezekiel needed to see the spiritual state of Israel from God’s perspective. God planned to deal with Israel’s sin.

He wanted to make sure Ezekiel gave Israel a clear warning of what would happen as well as instructions for those who would listen to those warnings.

Like Ezekiel, we need to spend time in God’s presence and glory to allow Him to adjust our spiritual focus and clarify our spiritual vision.

Through prayer, meditation on the Word, and worship we place ourselves in a position to allow God to help us see things from His perspective.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, help me see Your truths with greater clarity.

2009-09-01T22:28:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel 7:2 “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the Land of Israel: The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land”

Israel needed to know who was in charge. The nation had trusted in material possessions, pagan practices, and immoral acts while ignoring God’s Laws.

God wanted to bless them so that all other nations would see the incredible blessings they received. However, Israel had ignored God and was about to discover that God would punish their actions.

God expected obedience from His people then and He still does today. As the sovereign Lord He knows how we should live to have the fullest and best lives possible.

He also knows those things that will prevent us from enjoying the life He has meant for us to have. When we understand God wants the best for our lives, it becomes much easier to listen to Him and do what He tells us to do.

We must examine our lives to determine whether or not we are obeying His expectations to the fullest and not just what fits our lives. Let us examine the character of our hearts today.

Thought for Today: Half obedience is still full disobedience

2009-08-31T22:25:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 3:10 He said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you”

For those of us that are married we’ve heard this phrase at least once in our marriage. “Honey, on the way home would you stop by the store and get a few things. I need. . . .”

Now that request seems simple enough, but trust me I have bombed that request over and over by not getting the right items or even sometimes I have failed to remember to go to the store because of distractions.

Though forgetting something from the store is more of an annoyance than a crisis, it can remind us of the importance of listening carefully to all not just some of God’s instructions. This was what God wanted to convey to Ezekiel.

God called Ezekiel to proclaim His message to the nation of Israel. Though that may sound simple, Ezekiel knew it would be anything but easy.

The people did not cooperate with God’s Laws and showed little interest in hearing that they were disobeying God’s commands and needed to repent.

Ezekiel needed to listen carefully to all God said, just as we need to listen carefully to all God’s instructions for our lives today.

Challenge for Today: Make it a practice to listen carefully to God’s instructions.

2009-08-30T21:52:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 52:33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table

This chapter records the fall of Jerusalem, the City of David, and its destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. The report tells of the desecration of the temple and the plunder of its valuable holy instruments of priestly worship.

Outside the city, the king and his sons were murdered and a host of Judah’s citizens were marched off to serve their conquerors.

A hint of hope is hidden in the last few verses of this passage.

Jehoiachin, captive king of Judah, is released from prison and brought to the table of the Babylonian king for the rest of his life.

Freed from his cell, Jehoiachin lives in relative favor until he dies. The obscure message is that, even in a fallen world held captive by sin and Satan, a day will come when God’s people will be restored and blessed.

Solomon’s Temple is gone but a greater temple will come in the return of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He will never be defeated nor dethroned. His reign will know no end!

Thought for Today: When Christ returns, we will live with Him forever, rejoicing at His table, so everything we go through in this life will be worth it all!

2009-08-27T22:27:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 50:20 “In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare”

Ya know friends of all the amazing things that God can do, there is one mind-boggling thing that He chooses not to do: remember forgiven sins.

When we ask God to forgive our sins, He wipes them away completely. He does not mark out some of them, most of them, or even all but one of them. They are all gone in His sight.

On Judgment Day, God will consider the lives of all people. For those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, God will not see any sins, instead He will only see His grace and forgiveness.

It is interesting that Jeremiah 50:20 says that not even Israel’s guilt will be found. We are the ones who are good at finding guilt and allowing it to remain around even though our sins have been forgiven. But that is not what God wants for us. He forgives us so that we can live guilt-free.

Thought for Today: The Blood of Jesus not only removes our sin, it takes away our guilt!

2009-08-26T22:25:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 48:11 Moab has been at rest from youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another—she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged

It’s been said that the only person that likes Change is a baby! We tend to detest change, especially when things are going well. Yet change is one way God helps us grow in our relationship with Him.

Today’s text illustrates this in terms of wine production. Wine was left in a vessel to age, but at a certain point it would be moved to another jar. If allowed to remain in its dregs, or sediments, the wine would become too sweet.

Unlike Israel, the Moabites had things too easy. They had remained in their own sins for way too long, and God’s judgment loomed. They needed change.

At times, God may deem it best for our spiritual growth to move us from one jar to another. Our internal changes often come from external circumstances. When God is behind the changes, we can find peace in knowing that they are for our good.

Challenge for Today: Consider change an opportunity to become more reliant upon God.

2009-08-25T22:46:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 45:5 Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life

From this brief and encouraging message to Baruch we can learn a valuable lesson about our own aspirations in life.

As a faithful secretary to Jeremiah, Baruch apparently had grown discouraged and felt anguish alongside Jeremiah.

Perhaps the realities of God’s judgment conflicted with his own plans and expectations of personal achievement.

As Jeremiah notes in chapter 51 verse 59 later, Baruch’s brother, would become staff officer to King Zedekiah

Perhaps you can relate to watching personal goals fall apart while those around you appear to advance ahead of you. It may seem like every time you are about to make your mark, some paints the wall.

But God’s message to Baruch is a reminder of the importance of remaining focused on God.

The New Testament reminds us in Matthew 6:33 to seek God’s kingdom first. Then everything we need will be given to us, what that is saying is this, instead of chasing, the job, the paycheck, the position, chase after God.

Because when you do God causes all the things that you were chasing, to begin to chase you.

Thought for Today: A deeper relationship with God should be the “great thing” we make our life’s pursuit.

2009-08-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 42:7,10 Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.... “If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieved over the disaster I have inflicted on you”

Our scripture this morning offers two lessons in obedience.

First, obedience submits to God’s timing. Jeremiah’s answer came ten days after he began praying. We prefer immediate answers to our prayers. Sometimes God wants our patience.

No doubt, many of the people who had requested that Jeremiah pray on their behalf had already begun devising their own plans. But God had a plan and chose to wait to reveal it.

Second, obedience yields to God’s will. Through Jeremiah’s words, God made clear that His blessings would follow the people’s obedience.

As the passage shows, however, the people chose not to obey. They forsook God’s promised blessings because God’s words did not rubber-stamp the plan they had devised.

When we submit to God’s timing and yield to His will, our obedience will bring God’s blessings.

Thought for Today: God’s blessings always follow our obedience.

2009-08-23T21:39:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 36:3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin

God had spoken to Jeremiah and given him a word for the king of Judah. When the scroll was read, however, the king cut it into pieces and burned it in a brazier.

God sent the message to the king again. But the king was so worried with his problems he misinterpreted the message to be a threat. He imprisoned the prophet and continued to ignore the sacred word.

The king missed the point of God’s communication. God did not want to condemn Judah. The Lord wanted to save them!

Listen friends times hasn’t changed much many people still see God’s Word as threats from a restrictive, vindictive, mean-spirited deity who only wishes to control and dominate them.

But that is not the case! In the Bible, God gives clear and wonderful directions that will lead to freedom, joy, health, and happiness. When applied, the teachings of God’s Word will bring every blessing to those who respect and follow it.

Challenge for Today: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand God’s word, because the misinterpreted Word of God is ineffective in your life.

2009-08-20T22:22:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 32:17 Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you

A year before Jerusalem fell, the Lord commanded Jeremiah to buy a field. He was to pay for it and carefully preserve the deed in a clay pot so that it would last a long time.

This action was to show that even though their exile would last seventy years, God would still bring the people of Judah back into the Promised Land.

Sometimes God’s promises take some time to be fulfilled. But we must remain faithful and believe in those promises no matter how long it takes.

Are you waiting to see promises come to pass that God has given you? What action can you take to show your faith in God’s fulfillment of His promises? What verses can you write down and put in a jar to wait to see come to pass?

Just as Jeremiah bought a field as proof that God would answer, we too can write out those personal promises and keep them in a special place until we see God’s answer come.

Challenge for Today: Take some action to show God you believe He will bring those promises into reality.

2009-08-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 28:9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true

Do you remember taking tests in school that had true and false questions on them? They were really easy if you knew the answer. If you didn’t have a clue, you had only a 50 percent chance of being right.

The Jews struggled to discern who was a false prophet and who was a true one. Many times their sin blinded them to the true prophets, and they chose to accept the false prophets’ teaching.

Even today, it can be difficult for some to know the difference between what is true and what is false.

The false prophet Hananiah prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would only last two years and then everything would be fine again. This was what the people wanted to hear.

But Jeremiah told Hananiah that because he preached rebellion against the Lord he would die. Hananiah died two months later, just as Jeremiah had prophesied. Now who was the true prophet?

We can know the truth today my friend, by praying and spending time in God’s word! Muhammed said I’ve wrote the truth, Buddah said, I’ve heard the truth, Satan even said, I know the truth, But Jesus is the only one that said, I am the Truth!

Prayer Suggestion: Spend time in God’s so you can discern the true from the false in spiritual matters.

2009-08-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 25:4 And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention

Jeremiah was speaking to the people of Judah in the fourth year of the reign of the wicked King Jehoiakim. He had warned them for twenty-three years of coming destruction if they didn’t repent.

Nebuchadnezzar was just beginning his rule in Babylon. God knew about this Babylonian king years before he came into power. God gave his people a fair warning—twenty-three years. God is loving but will not tolerate wickedness forever.

The Jews worshipped idols and sacrificed their children to the false god Molech. They continued their evil practices rather than choosing to serve the living God.

Jeremiah continued to warn them of impending destruction even though he was beaten and imprisoned several times during his ministry.

God’s Laws are the same for us today. Are we listening to His Word or ignoring it? Are we praying for our nation to repent to avoid disaster?

Prayer Suggestion: Help us Lord, to listen to Your Word to avoid disaster in our lives.

2009-08-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 23:24“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord

Do you remember playing “hide and seek” as a child? When my two daughters were preschoolers, they would hide in the most obvious places, giggling behind a curtain with feet sticking out below, or under the covers in their beds, hoping I wouldn’t see them.

As they grew older, they learned how to hide silently deep inside a closet or in a dark room, they did their best to hide from me but as their Father I could always find them.

Listen my friend as we grow older, we become skillful at hiding things. We hide our sins from others and even try to hide them from God. We try to conceal unkind actions, a bad temper, or impatience and we may succeed in doing so from our friends, our family even our children, but not from God!

Regardless of our efforts to hide, God knows all and sees all.

The false prophets during Jeremiah’s time tried to hide God’s true message of judgment. The nation of Judah was full of adulterers and sinners.

Jeremiah consistently warned them of the coming captivity! Judah couldn’t hide its sins from God, and Jeremiah told them that they would be judged if they didn’t repent.

Challenge for Today: Stop trying to hide your sins from God and instead ask for His forgiveness.

2009-08-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 14:14 The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.

Ever heard someone call another person “delusional”?

People throw this term around all the time. But delusional disorder is actually a type of serious mental illness in which a person cannot tell what is real from what is imagined. The main symptom is an unshakable belief in something untrue.

The other prophets of Jeremiah’s day may have thought him to be delusional. After all, they were all saying one thing, and he was saying the opposite. But God proved Jeremiah to be the one who was right.

Today truth is often deemed relative. Many believe something to be true as long as the majority also believe it. But only God is absolute truth. Those who serve Him are grounded in the truth. We can see this by studying God’s Word and listening to His Spirit.

Prayer Suggestion: God, help me to know your truth so that I am not taken in by the world’s delusions.

2009-08-12T23:06:00.001-07:00

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

There comes a time in your life that you need to understand the nature of the God you serve. You need to understand the process that went into your salvation. Many people think that once you get you saved that’s it, there’s nothing more to do, and their life is now on cruise control and then they wonder why they back slide and get angry with God when God doesn’t respond to them.

They fail to understand that once you get saved the responsibility of seeking shifts to you. If you fail to understand this you will eventually find yourself waiting on God to move, when in return God is waiting for your to move.

You need to understand that God aggressively pursued you, and for some of you, God is continuing to pursue as you as you listen to this message. But for those of you that been caught by God, once you’ve committed your life to Christ the responsibility shifted and your role has now become the pursuer and God has become the one being pursued.

Our challenge today, aggressively seek after God the way he aggressively sought after you

2009-08-10T22:46:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 3:3 Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame

Not that long ago, calling someone a “brazen hussy” was an understood insult, implying an unacceptable lack of morals.

Today the title is proudly attached to a clothing label, a punk rock band, a mixed drink, and an online blog, just to name a few.

While the term still sounds scandalous, it is used as a tongue-in-cheek jibe—that’s no longer shameful.

After Solomon’s kingdom had split, with Israel in the north and Judah in the south, the kings of Israel had quickly led their people into idolatry and perversion.

While Judah had managed to produce a few decent kings, on the whole the Southern Kingdom had become just as wicked. The worst of it was they had no shame.

Do we need to return to the days of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, publicly branding the sinful? Of course not.

But neither should we sit silent while all around us people fall deeper into sin. We must lovingly lead them back to God, telling them of His unchanging love for them

Challenge for today: God, help me to become broken instead of brazen.

2009-08-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 63:10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them

In the United States, Benedict Arnold has become the poster child for traitors, not because he fought for the British, but because he did so after fighting brilliantly for America.

A monument at Saratoga National Park honors his brave role in that pivotal campaign but never mentions him by name. Ambition and pride turned a hero into a byword.

As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, God went from being the best ally of His people to being their worst enemy. And yet He is no traitor. Why? Because His people were the ones who betrayed Him.

Do you feel that God is far from you? Have you wondered sometimes if He is fighting against you? Maybe you have friends or loved ones who complain that God has turned His back on them.

Be certain my friend that God is not the traitor. He always remains true, even if that means He has to fight against those who rebel against Him.

Thought for Today: Only you can decide if God is your best ally or your worst enemy.

2009-08-06T22:26:00.001-07:00

Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail

If you’ve ever seen the ocean, no doubt you remember the first time you stood on its shores.

You quickly realized that no picture or movie can do justice to the roar of the waves or the feel of the sand between your toes as you walk along the water’s edge.

Seeing the ocean for the first time powerfully brings home the reality of its existence.

As humans, it’s hard to believe in things we can’t touch with our hands or see with our own eyes.

Our relationship with God is no exception. But when we place our hope and faith in Him, we are investing into something that is more powerful and real than anything we can see.

God’s Word tells us that everything in the world around us will one day come to an end, but His salvation will last forever.

Choose to invest your life in what is eternal and not temporary!

Challenge for Today: Allow God to remind you today of the things in life that are eternal.

2009-08-05T21:30:00.001-07:00

Isaiah 43:18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past

Is there anything in your past you wish you could do over? Maybe you’ve been the victim of other people’s wrong choices and have the battle scars to prove it. Or perhaps your injuries have been the result of your own poor decisions.

People tend to define themselves by the sum total of their past experiences—where they’ve been, whom they’ve known, what they’ve done, and even what’s happened to them.

Listen it’s easy to allow your past hurts and pains to influence your present actions but all that will accomplish is a continuing cycle of bitterness and hopelessness that will affect not only you but those around as well.

But the good news is, if we are adopted in God’s family through Jesus’ blood, we don’t have to accept this way of life.

Even if your past has been less than perfect, the beauty of a relationship with God is that your past doesn’t have to affect your future.

Choose today to embrace God’s goodness in your life, forgetting the past once and for all, and looking with hope toward your future.

Thought for Today: When we put our trust in God, our past cannot control our future.

2009-07-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation”

The most essential part of our relationship with God is Trust. To trust God means to “commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, to hope confidently in Him—forever”. We can trust God because He is trustworthy. He is honor-bound to keep His Word

A benefits package accompanies our trust relationship with God. We can live worry-free life which gives us peace of mind. We have the joy and contentment that a trust relationship brings.

We have the comfort of knowing that God will never forsake us and that He will be with us throughout the storms of life. These benefits strengthen us spiritually, physically, and mentally.

Our trust relationship with God is the model for all other relationships. Listen my friend, Mutual trust is the basis for their success.

Prayer Suggestion: God, increase my trust in You, and my trustworthiness to You and others.

2009-07-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Have you ever had to DIAL 911? During an emergency you dial 911 and you are instantly connected to a dispatcher. In front of the dispatcher will be a read-out that lists your telephone number, your address, and the name by which that telephone number is listed.

Also listening in are the police, the fire department, and the paramedics.   A caller might not be able to say what the problem is. Or perhaps a woman's husband has just suffered a heart attack, and she is so out of control that all she can do is hysterically scream into the telephone.

But the dispatcher doesn't need her to say anything. He knows where the call is coming from and Help is already on the way.

Listen there are times in our lives when in our desperation and pain we need someone to call. Sometimes we're hysterical. Sometimes we don't know the words to speak. But God knows my friend.

He knows our name, where we are at and what our circumstance is. And before you can say anything He has already dispatched Help to where you are; God has already begun to bring the remedy.

Thought for Today: Jesus has promised to help us whenever we are in need. All we need to do is call Him.

2009-07-28T23:03:00.001-07:00

Isaiah 16:5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it—one from the house of David—one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness

The term “judge” describes someone who is expected to hand down a fair and impartial ruling in a given situation.

Now judges don’t always act or behave as expected.

A certain district judge threw a celebration party in the courtroom, complete with ice cream, cake, and balloons when he sentenced a captured fugitive to life in prison

while another district judge compassionately refused to serve eviction notices during Christmas.

Thankfully there is another Judge who we can always trust to deal a righteous and fair sentence.

The judge described is Jesus Christ. Unlike human judges, He is always accessible. He lives to plead our case before the Father.

He is sympathetic and helpful in our struggles. He is on our side when we have been wronged. We can rely on him to always be the same.

Thought for Today: We have been blessed with the perfect Judge, Jesus Christ.

2009-07-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Have you ever wondered why God needed someone to be His spokesperson? It was because He had a message for His people to hear at that specific time. You have to understand that whenever God wanted to get His will in the earth, he used mankind.

In this passage of scripture His will was to warn his people. It was a warning of future judgment because of their persistent sin. God warned them because He loved them. This warning was meant to lead them to repentance.

Every person is born a sinner and the wages of sin is death . Jesus came to earth with the same mission Isaiah accepted. To show the Love of God and the need for repentance. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He instituted the Great Commission, now if it is fully implemented, each new disciple, those washed in his blood, accepts the same mandate.

That mandate is Matthew 28:18–20 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

“Who will go for us?” is a question God asks each believer. He’s asking that question as I speak, What will be your answer?

Today’s Challenge: Become a willing participant in God’s Great Commission.

2009-07-26T22:27:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 2:4,5 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord

God is merciful, kind, and loving. His anger is temporary while His favor is permanent. In this passage, the Holy Spirit uses two parenthetical passages to balance condemnation with an opportunity for forgiveness and redemption.

Both chapters 2 and 4 contain statements of glory that stand in stark contrast to the dark surrounding judgments.

The greater message for us today is to know that in our fallen world of sin and judgment, God still offers forgiveness, redemption, and peace.

According to Romans 3:23 Along with Israel, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord.

In spite of that God is ready to settle the eternal disputes, exchange our weapons for life-giving tools, and end our spiritual conflicts. He offers us Jesus—Our Savior and Redeemer!

Prayer for Today: Lord, thank You for balancing judgment with salvation!

2009-07-23T19:51:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 21:11-12 11 When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed. 12 The righteous man considers well the house of the wicked, how the wicked are cast down to ruin.

These verses show us that there are two ways to gain instruction in living. One is to learn by instruction and observation. The other is to learn by the experience of sowing and reaping.
In verse 11 we are shown how the scorner learns a lesson when he does something foolish, because he will suffer punishment for his wrong doings.

However, the wise person does not have to learn things the hard way because he will take advice and listen to instruction. He will not suffer any ill effects because he will not do the things that cause them.

This is the law of "cause and effect" or what the Bible calls the law of "sowing and reaping."
Many times God is blamed for things that He did not cause. God set the limits and boundaries for mankind and when we violate them, we cause problems for ourselves. God did not bring these on us.

They come on us because we violate the law or the rules that God set. The only way we can blame God for these is to blame Him for creating us and giving us His rules.

But we should not be mad at God for giving us rules, rules are meant to protect us. Listen we can avoid much of the pain we suffer in this world by simply obeying God's rules.

Prayer focus today: God help me to be wise by accepting your instructions.

2009-07-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 29:10 Blood thirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright

Have you ever felt a surge of antagonism hit you? Has it ever seemed as if some people were extremely set against you although you had done nothing wrong?

Have you felt that no matter how hard you try or how nice you are, these few people will never show you kindness or understanding?

There may be times when others will not like us for no apparent reason whatsoever. This may simply be because we do not join with them or condone the sin they are living in.

Refusing to do so can cause them to be uncomfortable with us. The Bible tells us this is to be expected. Don’t take this personally, it’s not about you it’s all about Jesus.

Instead of letting this be a discouragement, we can take this as a cue to strengthen our resolve to be ambassadors of Christ in a dark world.

The devil will stir some people’s hearts against us, but I assure you, others will take notice of our actions and attitudes and be affected for the kingdom of God.

Rather than think of these situations as persecution, try to see them as opportunities to shine for Jesus.

Challenge for the Day: Strive to keep yourself pure even when under attack and don’t grow weary of well doing.

2009-07-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

When we were kids we all heard the saying, “Sticks and Stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!” Well to be perfectly honest with you the person that came up with that saying was a liar!

Words do hurt my friends. Sometimes words hurt more than sticks and stones, because the damage from sticks can go away, but the hurt from rumors or gossip can sting long after the physical signs are gone.

Gossip, is openly sharing both nonfactual and personal information about someone else. Rumors and gossip are things that we should avoid at all cost because the information we spread can be destructive to those individuals when shared with others.

We are supposed to strive to be like Christ in all that we do and our God is not in the business of tearing down lives. He’s in the business of rebuilding and making all things new.

We are not responsible for how others act or what they say, but how we respond to their actions is our responsibility. The Word of God lets us know that we are wrong to keep alive a piece of gossip.

If you are the one spreading rumors and gossip, stop it and repent it’s very unbecoming of a believer in Jesus Christ, if you are the object of rumors and gossip, forgive them, show the Love of God in all that you do.

Our prayer focus today: Lord help me to put out the fire of gossip by not feeding it.

2009-07-16T22:22:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 14:26 He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a safe refuge

When you see a castle what do you think of, for little girls maybe the knight on shining armor, for boys maybe it’s the beautiful princess looking out of her window.

No matter what you see you can’t help but notice the amount of time that was put into these magnificent structures.

While intact castles are beautiful to look at and may bring fairy-tale images to mind, they were built to be fortresses for the people who lived there.

In medieval times many communities faced the threat of attack and invasion. The people built a fortress so they would have somewhere safe to go when trouble came.

The people in those communities must have felt a great deal of security, knowing they had a place of safety to flee to if they were ever attacked.

However, a fortress built with stones and mortar can fall if it is attacked with enough force. That is why so many of the fortresses in Europe are in ruins today.

As a Christian you have a fortress that will never be destroyed and will never ruin. When the enemy of your soul brings trouble against you—and he will—you can trust in the knowledge that God is always with you and in him you will a refuge from the enemies attack!

Thought for Today: When you feel attacked, seek refuge in God’s presence.

2009-07-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise

Have you ever said something you regretted? Whether you found out later that what you said was hurtful or realized immediately that you had broken the confidence of a friend,

Everyone of us has had that moment when we wish we could take back the thoughtless words we’ve spoken.

But no matter how hard you try you cannot retract what you said. Contrary to the childhood rhyme about sticks and stones, words can and often do hurt others deeply.

The Bible recognizes that words are incredibly powerful. One careless insult can negate a year of kind remarks. The things we say can easily lead us into sin.

However, if you find it difficult to bite your tongue from time to time, be encouraged—In James 3:8 the Bible admits that controlling your mouth is one of the hardest things you will ever learn to do

Even if you find it difficult, it is worthwhile to strive toward the kind of wisdom that knows when to hold its tongue. Make a conscious decision today to think before you speak.

Try to remember this when speaking to others, you may mean to throw a harmless pebble, but by the time it gets to the other person it could be a boulder.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, help me today to speak words that honor You .

2009-07-14T22:47:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 6:23 "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

The soul of man is, by nature, in darkness: and it needs an external illumination to lighten its way so that it can find the path of eternal life, and this need is supplied by God’s Holy Word!

The Word of God is often likened to that which gives light because it illuminates the path we are walking and exposes the sin in our lives, when that sin is exposed it must be dealt with.

People may dislike being reproved by the Word of God, but the truth is, my friend, that’s the way it’s got to be in order for us to grow into mature believers.

Our scripture this morning begins with the admonition to obey the commandments of the Lord and likens them to a lamp that brings light in the dark.

We know if we went out walking at night without a flashlight or street light, that very quickly, we would stumble and fall. No one can go very far without a light to guide them.

The Bible tells us that God's Words are the guiding light of our lives and that His reproofs and instructions are for our good. They will preserve our life if we obey them.

Our prayer focus today, Lord help me to take in all of your word and not just that which makes me feel good!

2009-07-13T22:44:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding

Today, there are many opinions regarding what is right, and what is wrong. Behavior that may seem very harmless and good to one person may be viewed as very sinful and wicked to someone else.

Some believe that there are different degrees of sin, and that God will forgive some sins and not forgive others. But did God leave it up to us to decide what is sinful? Don’t try to set the standard for your own life my friend, God has already set the standard for us in His Holy Word.

The Word of God is the guiding light for humanity. It shows us what is right, and what is wrong, based upon the infinite wisdom and knowledge of Almighty God.
And, it's there for everyone to read, for themselves. If you want to get a moral portrait of yourself, Read his word!
You and I can be wrong, but God is never wrong. Like a parent telling a young child not to touch something that's hot, God doesn't give us His laws to be mean and overbearing, but he gives them to us, to keep us from burning ourselves.
God knows what works because He made it all work - He designed and created all that exists.
God's wisdom is supreme, nothing, or no one, comes close, and He makes it available to everyone through obedience to Him

Our prayer focus today: God grant me your wisdom in everything I do through my obedience to your word.

2009-07-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Psalms 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth
As David penned these words through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he must have thought back to the many times he had called upon God.

Although he was king of Israel for forty years David’s life was not without hardship, as many of his other psalms show.

After David was anointed by the prophet Samuel, he spent many years running from King Saul, who sought to takes David’s life because of Jealousy. David lived in caves, seeking shelter wherever he could find it.

He was never able to stay put for long because of Saul’s pursuit. It isn’t hard to imagine why David might have wanted to question God in such circumstances.

David knew what it was like to cry out to God, and he faced times when it seemed God was not listening.

Through these trying circumstances, David obviously learned that God is always faithful.
Understand this my friend, God is the same today as He was then, and He will be near to you when you call just as he was for King David!

Prayer Suggestion: Thank You, Lord, for hearing me when I pray. Help me remember that You are always near.

2009-07-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

Psa. 51:17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Today I want to share with you the importance of being broken before God. I’m not talking about broken as a state of depreciation, but broken as a state of advancement in the Kingdom of God.

In the Nancy Demoss book entitled: Brokenness: The Heart God Revives, she writes, “This generation is being programmed to pursue happiness, positive self-images, and cures for our hurt feelings and damaged psyches, but God is not as interested in those ends as we are - God is more committed to making us holy, than making us happy.”

Many years ago, I read a profound statement in Watchman Nee’s book: The Normal Christian Life, that changed my life and I have never forgotten it goes like this: “There is only one pathway to holiness, and that is the pathway of brokenness.”

Most people including Christians think of brokenness as an emotional state of incapacitation, when in reality, brokenness is not how we feel, brokenness is a choice much like happiness, that we have to make! We have the tendency to see brokenness as God’s abandonment of us, when in fact, brokenness describes God’s activity in our lives!

God desires for us to get to a place of brokenness so that we may see what we’ve never seen before. A place where the eyes see the invisible, ears hear the inaudible, and minds conceive the inconceivable. That can and will only happen as believers reach a state of brokenness before God. You need to understand that God can not and will not use an unbroken spirit.

Prayer focus: Help to stay broken before you so that I can be used by you!

2009-07-06T22:54:00.001-07:00

Psalm 102:2 But you remain the same, and your years will never end

Change is a constant in life. Many people are so overwhelmed with the complexities of day-to-day living that they yearn for things to slow down and remain the same for just a short time.

But change is inevitable. Children grow, prices change (usually rise!), old ideas become passé. Some yearn for the good old days when ironically their parents were yearning for the same thing.

Change is such an integral part of our existence, yet the desire remains for something dependable.

There is One who doesn’t change and He is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can bring our needs and frustrations to Him. He also invites us to find a place of rest where he wants restore us.

He is always with us, He doesn’t change His mood. He is never too busy for us, and He doesn’t change His mind. Maybe He created change, knowing it would cause us to yearn and search for Him.

When life changes unpredictably, rely on the God who never changes to help you through those uncertain times.

Challenge for Today: Stop and remember God is always with you, ready to listen.

2009-07-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

Psalm 94:9 Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?

Does it really pay to be honest? People trying to live an honorable life sometimes ask this question when they see those considered successful gamble or cheat to get ahead. “After all,” they reason, “no one really gets hurt.”

Christians also become frustrated and ask similar questions when faced with struggles involving their finances, rebellious teens, or the deception by someone they trusted. Has God forgotten those who live to honor Him?

The Israelites struggled with their neighbors who preyed on them and on other weaker nations. But the Psalmist reminds us that God, our Creator, does not forget His children. God knows what men do, and in time they will be treated in life as they have treated others.

No matter what we see in others who we might consider “successful,” our goal is not the things of this life, such as fame or wealth. Our goal is to obey and honor our God.

Our ultimate reward will be an eternity living with Him. Remember, Honoring God isn’t always profitable, it isn’t always popular, but it is always peaceful.

Prayer Suggestion: Lord, help me honor You, no matter the outcome.

2009-07-02T22:57:00.001-07:00

John 1:5 NLT, The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.

One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there’s something about the pastor’s message this morning that I don’t understand."

The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, the Pastor said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?"   

The mother replied, "Yes, that’s true, honey."   "But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?"

Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the pastor had said was true. With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, why doesn’t He show through?"

My friend can I tell you that our purpose in life is to show Jesus to a lost and dying world. Is the Light of Jesus shining through your life? John 1:5 was not a suggestion, it was a command, we are commanded to shine in the midst of darkness.

And the great thing about shining this light is no matter what the enemy does, he can never extinguish it in our lives.

Today’s payer focus: God, let your light shine so that my arena of influence may see you through me!

2009-07-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever

Asaph, one of the leaders of David’s choirs, had observed the prosperity of the wicked—and envied it. He knew that God would provide for him, but he was tempted by wealth and almost slipped.

Asaph had to work through his temptation. He had to look beyond the material and to the spiritual. To change his perspective, he came to the temple to stand before God. Then he saw that although the wicked prosper, they are on a slippery slope to ruin and destruction.

Asaph had to come to the place where he recognized that material wealth can lead to a person’s ruin. Although he felt “senseless and ignorant,” he recognized that God was with him, holding on to his hand. He finally acknowledged that he wanted nothing but God:

Is your desire for wealth replacing your desire for God? Are you relying your job more than you Jehovah Jireh? Listen to Asaph in this psalm and recommit your life to God. Make the Lord your refuge in these tough times.

Thought for Today: God always has and always will provide your daily needs.

2009-07-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

Psa 42:1-2 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?

As I read this passage today, I had to stop and reflect. I read it again and again asking myself this question. Am I really thirsty for God? Do I long for him like the thirsty deer, looking for the cool water of the spring? Is my thirst for God the focus of my life?

How many times do people seek out the easy waters of the world instead of seeking after the one true God and the refreshing waters that only he can provide?

Let me ask you my friend are you thirsty for God? Do you yearn for Him until you get into His presence and He quenches your thirst by wrapping up in his arms of love.
God longs for us to come away with Him to the waters He has provided so He can comfort and draw us closer. The more you get to know God; the more you will thirst for Him.

Prayer focus for today: Lord, I want to thirst for you and be satisfied with nothing else. Make me thirsty for you, and don't let me be content with anything less.

2009-07-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

2009-06-29T09:30:00.001-07:00

Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea

The inhabitants of Jerusalem were constantly threatened by outside enemies, so there wasn’t always peace for those who lived in the city.

Since their world situation consisted of wars that brought death and destruction, songs were written to encourage the Israelites and to celebrate their trust in God. And these were sung at the temple during worship.

The Israelites lived in circumstances similar to those many people face today. We hear of tragedies that overwhelm us. We contend, not only with our personal trials, but with the trials of others as we hear about poverty, oppression, and persecution of innocent people in our country as well as in nations around the world.

We feel helpless to make a difference, but we too can take comfort in the words of the songs that were written many years ago.

We can rest in the fact we have a God who is there to meet all our needs no matter what the circumstances. When we remember this and put our trust in God, we can find peace in the midst of chaos.

Thought for Today: When you feel overwhelmed, remember God is in control.

Let’s pray, Father in the name of Jesus, we come to you thanking you for always being in control. Help us to remember that when the chaos of life get’s real. Remind us that you are still on the throne! In Jesus name, Amen

2009-06-25T22:37:00.001-07:00

2009-06-25T22:28:00.002-07:00

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord

David knew what it was like to wait for the Lord’s promise. He experienced a long wait from the time Samuel anointed him unitl he was crowned king of Israel. In the meantime, his life was threatened several times.

Waiting is not always filled with rest and pleasure. As David knew, waiting for an answer to prayer can involve pain, doubt, and difficulty.

Yet David’s waiting expressed in this passage is not a feeble attempt at hope. It encourages strength of heart to keep trusting in God’s power to protect and deliver.

For David, waiting was not an ambiguous time warp. He believed God would help him, and he would take heart until his deliverance came.

Waiting for God is part of His answer. As we pray and hope in Him during the waiting period, He strengthens our trust and prepares us for His fulfilled promise.

Waiting is not just a time when we linger between stages; it is steady confidence, developing a mature faith in us so that we are strong, not just when needs are satisfied, but in the hopeful pause before He answers.

Thought for Today: Waiting on God is living in the hope that He will fulfill our expectations.

2009-06-25T22:28:00.001-07:00

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord

Waiting is not always filled with rest and pleasure. As David knew, waiting for an answer to prayer can involve pain, doubt, and difficulty.

Yet David’s waiting expressed in this passage is not a feeble attempt at hope. It encourages strength of heart to keep trusting in God’s power to protect and deliver.

For David, waiting was not an ambiguous time warp. He believed God would help him, and he would take heart until his deliverance came.

Waiting for God is part of His answer. As we pray and hope in Him during the waiting period, He strengthens our trust and prepares us for His fulfilled promise.

Thought for Today: Waiting on God is living in the hope that He will fulfill our expectations.

2009-06-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, My strength and my redeemer.

Did you know that God sees our words

Growing up we’ve all heard our mothers and fathers say this phrase, “if you can’t find anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.”

What parent hasn’t said that, but that bit of advice isn’t really correct. David said, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord... David recognized that there was a connection between his words and his thoughts.

In the Book of 1 Sam. it tells us that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart, therefore, even if we don’t say those hurtful things to someone but it still rests in our hearts it’s still displeasing to God.

God is not a God of categories, he doesn’t see a little white lie or a big fat lie, he sees sin. That’s what we have got to remember is that sin is sin in the eyes of God.

So understand this my friend, It’s not about not saying it, it’s about not letting it rest on our hearts. Because the word of God is very clear that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Prayer focus: To not let the negative and sinful thoughts rest on your hearts, because God sees our words!

2009-06-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

People naturally want to feel secure. Financial security, job security, and homeland security are part of life’s safety net. Security personnel in the military, police force, and in our department stores help protect us and serve justice.

Though these forms of security exist for our good, none can guarantee that every individual will always be physically or financially safe. David understood that ever-present security must come from a greater source than money, situation, or even humanity.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken

With God always before us, we are secure in His direction. With God at our right hand, we experience His faithful presence in life’s circumstances. Does God’s security mean we will never face trouble? Absolutely not David’s life is proof that even a man who follows God will have many times of crisis. Everyone will experience pain.

True security is not found by resorting to despair when times get hard, but in following God who goes before us and not being shaken because His strength keeps us steady through the trial.
Prayer Suggestion: I set You before me, Lord, secure in Your hope that cannot be shaken.

2009-06-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. [NLT]

There are many ways a person can backslide and lose out with God. It may be over the love of money, popularity with the world, adultery but the most subtle and deadly way that Satan has to trip up a saint of God is to inject bitterness into his heart.

Bitterness is a violent inward displeasure against others. It is usually caused by a feeling that someone has taken advantage of you. One of the easiest things in the world to do is to become bitter. You can become bitter against your wife, your husband, your pastor, your country, the Church, your employers, your parents, etc.

Bitterness is like carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous, odorless and colorless gas. Bitterness is not easily detected by others until the life of the victim has been snuffed out.

Bitterness is a cancer that is sure to spread. One bad apple in a barrel will surely spoil the others. Likewise, listen to the tongue of the bitter soul. It will almost certainly continue to wag until others, both in and out of the church, are contaminated.

God’s Word is very clear to state that the Christian response to anger must be forgiveness. God feels so strongly about forgiveness by the fact it is a conditional principle of the Bible. If there is bitterness in your life you have given Satan power over your life.

Unforgiveness does a great deal more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than the object on which it is poured.

2009-06-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand

This question is the first of many God asked Job. His interrogation began with creation then asked in detail whether Job could command the forces of nature, provide nourishment for the earth, or understand all of its creatures. In doing so God helped Job recognize his ignorance.

In the aftermath of his calamity, Job repeatedly questioned the justice and sovereignty of God.

As he listened to God ask when mountain goats give birth or how the hawk takes flight, he realized that if he could not explain even the common workings of nature, how could he understand or question God’s justice?

In humility, he repented for not acknowledging God’s power and perfect wisdom for all of creation.

When we can’t explain difficult experiences in our lives, we tend to attack God’s reasoning. And say something like he doesn’t seem fair.

Yet experiencing the birth of a baby formed and fed in the womb or watching a bird gather materials for its nest testify to an awesome God who cares for His creation and whose wisdom is something that we can’t possibly fathom.

Prayer Suggestion: When life seems unjust, teach me God to trust in Your perfect wisdom.

2009-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

What is wisdom, and how do you get it? Do assessment, application, and identification of knowledge guarantee wisdom? Today wisdom is sought through studying at universities, reading great thinkers, and being exposed to a variety of experiences that help develop one’s worldview and there is nothing wrong with that!

But without acknowledgement of God these methods are humanistic. Job denied that wisdom is human-centered. No one can gain enough knowledge or insight to explain all human experience. Interpreting life and its purpose cannot be defined by mortal minds. Only God possesses absolute knowledge, and we are wise when we seek Him for understanding.

Job 28:28 The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding!

Real wisdom recognizes that we cannot cope with life by ourselves. We need a greater source—one that is sinless, omnipotent, and omnipresent—to guide us. Through recognizing God’s goodness and greatness we also understand that abstaining from evil helps us make wise choices. Job’s prescription for wisdom—fearing God and avoiding sin—still applies today.

Prayer Suggestion: God of power and majesty, give me Your understanding of life.

2009-06-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:16 His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.

Are you excited about your relationship with God? Then tell your heart, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks!

As Christians, we belong to God and his family. Who could enjoy a bigger sense of belonging than God's kids? The apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:1 , "See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children!”

Something to notice: As soon as John wrote the words "children of God," he must have been excited, because he tops off the thought with an exclamation point. If John were here today, he might say it this way: "WOW We really are God's children!"

You may be thinking, "But we're only adopted. It's not like we're real children in God's family." Do you think just because we are adopted that makes us second-class kids? Oh no my friend, because we are adopted in the Family of God, we are now heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Our adoption into God’s Family is a truth worth getting excited about. Share that excitement with someone today!

2009-06-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

While much teaching on prayer correctly communicates biblical truth, a great deal of misinformation on prayer persists. Some treat prayer almost like magic, a mystical means of satisfying personal desires no matter how selfish or frivolous.

They reduce God to a cosmic genie waiting to grant wishes disguised as prayers.

The Word of God declares in Nehemiah 1:5 Then I said: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands”

Nehemiah built his prayer on a theological framework that should characterize all of our prayers:

God is uniquely and utterly supreme, God keeps His Word, God deeply loves us, and God’s blessings come about in response to our love and obedience.

In other words, prayer is all about God, His wonderful character, and His divine purposes. As we build our prayers on that truth, our lives open up to the miraculous.

Prayer Suggestion: Refocus your prayers on God and His desires for your life, he ultimately knows what’s best for us anyway.

2009-06-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

In Ezra 7:6 The word of God tells us that Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him

Do an Internet search on the subject of “leadership,” and you will find volumes of information on the characteristics of a leader, different philosophies of leadership, and resources for developing leadership skills.

You might further research time management, money management, and personnel management. But before you take that journey wouldn’t it be valuable to identify one key resource, one central discipline that will maximize whatever further knowledge you gain?

The Word of God tells us in Ezra 7:10 that Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel

There’s no denying Ezra’s leadership role. King Artaxerxes appointed him to head up a contingent of exiled Jews returning to Jerusalem.

The king entrusted Ezra with gold and silver destined for the temple. When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he became a powerful influence in reviving the nation’s commitment to God’s Laws.

Ezra was able to do this because of his “study and observance of the Law of the Lord.” He didn’t just know God’s Word, he put it into practice.

Challenge for Today: Lets become doers of the word and not just hearers only. Let’s find the those opportunities to put legs to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.