AVOID THE COMPROMISE OF CORE BELIEF

“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD.  Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully.”—Psalm  119:1-4 (NLT)

  

Have you ever compromised on a belief or an idea?  Governments, corporations, churches, and individuals seem to be falling into areas of compromise.  As an individual, when we compromise we are agreeing to accept less than what we originally wanted; divided—not whole or complete.  On the other hand, integrity is the state of being complete—undivided.  To understand the difference between compromise and integrity, think of it like this:  Comprise is giving up your core beliefs or convictions to get what you want or what someone else tells you that you have need of.  Integrity is taking a stand for what you believe and not yielding to the pressure of opposition or seduction.  Seduction leads people astray, or it can tempt, persuade or attract.  Seduction is deceptive and causes people to do things—compromise values and beliefs.  

 

There are many ways that the Church is being seduced into compromising its core beliefs.  One of the main ways this happens in the believer’s life is when he or she does not respect God’s Word.  There is no respect for truth.  If we are to avoid compromise we have to respect God’s Word as His Word.  It is indestructible.  He said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31).  His word is pure, “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6). 

 

I want to encourage you today, to determine not to compromise.  Avoiding anything wrong requires determination.  Until you make up your MIND that you will respect God’s word at all times and at all cost, you will be in danger of compromise.  The apostle Paul did not give in “not even for an hour” (Galatians 2:5).  Jesus was tempted—seduced to compromise; but in each incident He avoided compromise by responding with scripture.  As a Christian we are disciples of Christ, Matthew 4:1-11 gives to us the KEY to avoiding compromise in our lives—appeal to God’s word in all that we do. 

 

In order to stand firm against compromise, we must make God’s Word the standard for our conduct.  We are then able to respond in integrity (the truth of God’s word) when the seduction of compromise comes seeking to devour our values and beliefs.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for opening my spiritual eyes to see the seduction of compromise and I ask You to forgive me the times when I have compromised my values and beliefs.  Today, with Your help I purpose to not compromise my godly values and beliefs in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

HOPE: THE ANCHOR THAT HOLDS

“[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil.”—Hebrews 6:19

 

Although I do not have any experience with sailing, ships, boating or the anchor that is used to hold them in place, I do have some experience with anchors that hold buildings in place during storms with high winds.  For many years, we lived in southwestern Kansas where there is rarely a day that the wind does not blow.  As my friends in Kansas can attest too, there are times that wind storms are liken to a gale force that will move anything that is not anchored down. 

 

The apostle Paul wrote in Acts 27 about his experience of a terrible storm that seemed like it would take his life and all the men who traveled with him.  However during this terrible experience, the angel of God appeared to Paul and told him that neither he nor any of his traveling companions would die. Although the circumstances appeared that they would all perish, Paul was so confident in His Lord that he ate food and encouraged all of his travel companions to eat.  You see they had been fasting for three weeks, but Paul encouraged them with Hope and Direction; he told them to eat so that they would not be physically weak.  Seeing Paul eat, and hearing his encouraging words his companions ate.  In other words, they changed their attitudes—how they thought about the trouble they were in.  I believe that hope began to come alive in their hearts.

 

Anchors symbolized hope in Greek secular world.   The Greek word for hope, agkura, is used by the writer as vivid picture of that which supports and keeps one steadfast in the midst of waves of doubt or stormy trials.  The anchor was an ancient Christian symbol for safety, security, and hope.  If you fear, if you doubt, place all your trust in Christ: the "Anchor" who holds forever.

 

The anchor is out of sight, but it holds and that is what matters. Within the veil, in our Scripture for today, is the unseen, eternal reality of the heavenly world.  A ship’s anchor goes down to the ocean; the Christian’s anchor goes up into the heavenly sanctuary and "moors" us to God Himself.  We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll.

 

Since our hope is the anchor, the meaning is that our hope is secured in God’s very Presence behind the veil where Christ ever lives to make intercession for the Saints according to the will of God.  “Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). 

 

What an anchor is to a vessel in its tossing’s, so hope is to us in our times of trial, difficulty and stress.  Put your faith in the Blessed Hope—Jesus he will hold you steadfast and secure.

 

Prayer—Father I put my hope and trust in You and I ask You to help me to never loose sight that my anchor is held firmly and securely in Jesus Christ, in Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

WHY CONVICTIONS HAVE POWER

“Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”—John 8:9

 

Our Scripture reference today demonstrates the power of our convictions.  Convictions are beliefs or opinions that we hold firmly too.   A person is said to hold a conviction because he or she has become convinced, by either evidence or argument, that his or her beliefs are true. Have you noticed that a lot of people choose to live by their preference rather than their conviction?  Their belief is based on certain conditions and circumstances and when the situation changes, so does their loyalty.  

 

 

In other words, a lot of people waver on issues that require a firm resolve.

Contrast this vacillating approach with the mindset of the great men and women of Scripture. Contrary to many years of unfair treatment, Joseph never wavered in his commitment to godly principles.  As a result, he was in the right place at the right time to ensure Israel’s survival, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive”(Genesis 50:20).  Daniel, another righteous man in an idolatrous land, earned the trust of foreign kings by standing firm in his beliefs (Daniel 1-2). When his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego also refused to compromise their beliefs, they influenced a king to recognize Jehovah as the one true God, “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-Nego shall be cut to pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this” (Daniel 3:29).

 

As these biblical heroes show, godly convictions can withstand the changing view points of opinion and persuasive reasoning of men. If we are grounded in the Word and trust what God has said, we can stand firm in our beliefs.   Confidence produces the courage to remain strong during times of conflict. 

 

There are martyrs world-wide who have suffered at the hands of their accusers, but they do not go against their convictions.  We, in the western “civilized” hemisphere, have not suffered at the hands of those who physically torture those who preach in Christ’s name.  However, we waver in our convictions in the name of “what is socially acceptable.”  The Scriptures warn us about such apathy and how it “waters” down our faith.  Paul urged Timothy to hold fast to faith, “Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith” (1 Timothy 1:4).

 

Today I urge you to examine your heart to see if your convictions are anchored in Jesus or in the opinions of others.  We can only hold steady in a storm to what we personally believe in.  The Scriptures have much to say about the most important aspects of your life.  Through prayer and study, allow your heart to be firmly rooted in solid biblical convictions that can withstand the storms of life and the opinion of men.

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father, I ask You to help me to hold steady to my convictions of what your Word proclaims during times of adversities in my life,  Today I confess by faith that Your Word is a strong anchor that I cling to in the time of trouble, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

GET PREPARED FOR A NEW SEASON IN YOUR LIFE

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”—Genesis 2:7

 

We can never regain time.  Many people look forward to the start of a new year, and  make all kinds of resolutions and promises to themselves and to God.  However many times our own efforts fail us and we give up and fall back into old habits and become stuck in the last season.  I want to encourage you today that when you put God first and His direction your efforts will produce greater success and a new season in your life. 

Allow the Holy Spirit to prepare you for a new season in your life, by making time for Him on a consistent daily basis.  Read the prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:1,4-6 inserting your name where appropriate to make this prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed, personal.   Wait upon the Holy Spirit in worship and prayer with thankfulness (Philippians 4: 6).

 

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Wind of God, and the very Breath of God.  It is interesting to note that in both the Hebrew and Greek languages the same word in both have the same three meanings.  In the Hebrew, ruach means spirit, wind and breath.  The context in which the word is used dictates which word best fits.  In the Greek, pneuma also means spirit, wind and breath.  When God formed Adam of the dust of the ground, it was the breath of God that caused him to live.  It is the same Spirit of God that causes us to live this new life when we repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  However, unless we are constantly being replenished with His Life, we soon find that in ourselves our natural reserves are limited and we become exhausted and have nothing more to offer—we are worn out, breathless…winded. 

 

Nearly a half-century ago, a Scottish pastor, James S. Stewart, published a book of sermons that went by the title of the first sermon, "The Wind of the Spirit."  His text for that message was something the Lord said to Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

 

In my opinion, Stewart's outline on this powerful truth gives us an understanding of the depth of the Lord’s teaching about the Wind of the Spirit.

 

     The wind blows" That bare, simple statement affirms the ceaseless action of the Spirit. Never has there  
     been a time, never a moment, when the Spirit of God has not been actively at work.

    The wind blows where it wishes" This is the sovereign freedom of the Spirit. Just as it is impossible to 
     control the wind or dictate its direction, so no man, no Church, can domesticate the Spirit of God.

     ...and you hear the sound of it" This is the indisputable evidence of the Spirit. He makes Himself evident,
     His presence felt. You know the living God is at work in this place.

     ...but cannot tell where it comes from" This is the inscrutable origin of the Spirit. We do not know what
      God has been doing before beginning His work at this point and in this place, only that He has.

    ...and where it goes" This is the incalculable destiny of the Spirit. You cannot tell where He is liable to
      carry you.

 The Wind of the Spirit is a resource for believers beyond all measure. The Spirit is God's strength for our weakness, His sight for our blindness and His supply for our need.

 

Some years ago, I was on a plane flying back from Florida when the captain came on the intercom. He greeted everyone and said what altitude that we were flying at and then said, “I thought you'd be interested in knowing that we have a tailwind of 200 knots. This means that instead of flying along at 400 miles an hour, we are doing something over 600."   He paused to let that sink in, and then said, "A few minutes ago, the pilot of a plane headed in the opposite direction said that same wind is a headwind to him. So, instead of doing 500, he's doing 300 miles an hour."

 

Resist the Lord and He becomes a headwind to us, slowing us down, making our way hard. The Lord said to Saul of Tarsus, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 9:5).

 

Go "with the Wind of God" and we soon find we are being lifted and carried along by an incredible power beyond ourselves. The best prayer any of us can pray is the first one Saul prayed that day outside Damascus: "What do you want me to do?" (Acts 9:6).

 

I pray that you will begin to spend time with the Spirit of God to prepare you for a new season in your life. 

 

Prayer—Father I repent of doing things my own way and in my own strength, I ask You to help me Spirit of God and lead me in the pathway of life; help me to put my trust in You and not in man.  Lord I thank You that You make Your presence known and that You will carry me through to my final destination, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen. 

 

 

 

TRUE WORSHIP

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”—John 4:23

 

I agree with Rev. Chyanna Mull Anthony’s definition of true worship.  She says that, “True worship insists on focusing on worshipping Jesus.”  When the heart of our focus is anything other than Jesus, the results can be disastrous and lead us into captivity. 

 

There are a variety of things that try to move us away from focusing our worship upon Jesus.  Satan does not want us to worship Jesus Christ.  He wants to be worshipped and so, many times evil spirits may try to influence us away from pure worship.  Religion tells people not to worship Jesus.  Religion wants to disconnect true worshippers by following rituals and rules.  External hindrances draw our focus away from Jesus to self.  For example, physical limitations, our surroundings, family, friends, finances, etc.  We focus on these factors of limitations instead of abandoning our hearts to the purpose of our worship—jesus.

 Let’s renew our focus and faith in the New Year to truly worship God with a pure heart and clean hands. 

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?   He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.”—Psalm 24:3-5

Prayer—Heavenly Father I give my heart anew to You today.  I ask You to renew a right spirit within me, make me new.  Lord, I ask You to purify my heart and mind so that I am free to abandon my spirit to freely worship You in spirit and in truth, in Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

 

 

 

FAILURE IS NOT PERMANENT

“Put out into deep water”—Luke 5:4

Luke 5: 1-11 is the account of Jesus using one of the fishing boats that had been used in fruitless fishing the night before.  Jesus instructed Simeon Peter to take his boat out into deep water, but notice that Jesus didn’t tell Peter how far out to go that decision was left up to Peter.  This particular passage of scripture is a great encouragement to all who have ever tried something and seemingly failed.  Let’s look at some principles that we can learn from this passage of scripture.

Now it happened that while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), with the people crowding all around Him and listening to the word of God; ² that He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. ³He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little distance from the shore. And He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. ⁴ When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon [Peter], “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch [of fish].” ⁵ Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were [at the point of] breaking; ⁷ so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats [with fish], so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were completely astounded at the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰ and so were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon [Peter]. Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear; from now on you will be catching men!” ¹¹ After they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example (Amplified Bible).

 

1.      Be available:  When Jesus had need of a boat, Peter was available to help Him out (vs. 3).  Don’t be so busy trying to make your own plans work out.  Be available for Jesus, to give you new direction.

2.      Hear—don’t interrupt:  Don’t interrupt when Jesus is speaking to you (vs. 4).  Doing so will cause you to hear, only half of what He is saying.  Because we think that we got it or that we understand, we interrupt Jesus speaking to us, about half-way through a conversation.  Countless times visions, dreams and goals are not fulfilled because we have done our “own thing.”  All because we didn’t wait to hear the rest of what, Jesus was saying to us. 

3.      Be Obedient:  Peter voiced his concerns to Jesus; however, he didn’t allow self-doubt to stop him from being obedient (vs. 5). 

4.      Be willing to go deeper:  When Jesus told Peter to go into the deep, He didn’t tell him how deep to go (vs. 4)  The depth of the water into which you and I go depends upon how completely we have cut our ties to past failures, or ways in which we have done things in the past. 

 Let’s allow the Lord to take us deeper, past the greatness of our needs or our anxieties about the future.  Remember, as with Peter, so it is with us—the fish which represents our visions, our goals, our hopes and desires are to be found in the deep things of God; not, the shallow water. We are to sail into the deep of God’s Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the greatness of God the Father, in everything that we undertake—even starting again.  Failure is not permanent—you can begin anew.  This is your New Day.   

 

 

 

 

LET GOD’S PROMISES BECOME FLESH IN YOUR LIFE

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”—John 1:14

 Jesus is the promised seed of Eve that came in the flesh to crush Satan’s head, “So the Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman. And between your seed and her Seed; He [Jesus] shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 2:14 – 16). 

 God has given promises to every person and His desire is to see the fulfillment of every promise that He has made to you that is for his promises to take flesh. “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen; to the glory of God through us” (1 Corinthians 1:20). 

 It is God’s will for you and your household to be saved, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

 The promises of God include: healing, deliverance, safety, peace, access, provision and promotion, to name just a few.  Whatever you have need of God has made provision for you through His Word.  Study the Scriptures His promise to you that meets the need in your life, or the life of someone else and then mediate upon that Word.  It will become life to you and then you will be able to appropriate His promise through faith.   Then you are able to ask Him and believe that you will receive whatsoever things that you desire (Mark 11:24).

 The promised seed, Jesus came to earth in the flesh and was victorious over sin and death, “…‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’  So all of this was done that it might b fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying: ‘Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:20).  Because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, He then is, “…the High Priest of a better covenant which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

 Today, too many Christians pray without really expecting an answer.  We can expect the answer to God’s promises once our heart is convinced that God means what He said, and that He said what he meant.

 Prayer—Father I thank you that all of Your promises for me are yes and amen.  Today, with Your help I purpose in my heart to study your Word and to appropriate Your promises into my life, or into the life of others, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

PESSIMISM STOPS THE FLOW OF GRACE

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”—Philippians 4:8

I think that the expression, “That it is better to look at a glass half-full rather than half-empty,” aptly expresses the idea of either being an optimistic person or a pessimistic one.  Pessimistic people tend to lend toward negative ideas and see events as a foreboding of more bad things to come.  On the other hand, optimistic people see things in a more positive light and tend to believe that things will turn out alright even if they start badly.

 Many years ago, famed evangelist Rev. Oral Roberts, coined the phrase, “Something good is going to happen to you.”  Religion world-wide could not understand how someone would have the audacity to boldly declare that believers serve a good God and that He has good things for His people.  His goodness does not depend on anything that we have done or ever will do.  His goodness comes into our lives and lifts us even when others condemn us, He does not condemn.  He thinks the best of us and for us.

 

One day during Jesus’ ministry a woman was caught in adultery by the religious leaders and was brought to Jesus (John 8: 2 – 12).  There intent was not to restore the woman, or the man (who is not mentioned in this narrative although the Mosaic Law equally required punishment for him as well), but they were using her and the situation to entrap Jesus.  However, Jesus did not go along with their line of thought nor their intentions.  Rather, He did what grace does, “He stooped down and wrote on the ground.”  The woman could not run away she had nowhere to go and no one to speak for her. 

 

But someone would stoop for her.  Jesus, “Stooped down and wrote on the ground (vs. 8).”   Most people would stand up, step forward, or even walk up a stair to speak.  But not grace, instead He lend over.  He descended lower than anyone else—beneath the priest, the people, even beneath the woman.  The accusers looked down on her.  To see Jesus, they had to look down even farther. 

 
Jesus is prone to stoop.  He stooped to wash feet to embrace children.  He stooped to pull Peter out of the sea, to pray in the Garden.  He stooped before the whipping post stooped to carry the cross.  Grace is a God who stoops.  Here He stooped to write in the dust. 
 

The crowd kept demanding and answer so He stood up.  He stood not to preach, for His words were few, not for long, because he would soon stoop again.  Not to instruct his followers; he did not address them.  No, He stood on behalf of the woman.  He placed Himself between her and the lynch mob and said, “All right, stone her.  But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones.  Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust” (vs. 7-8). 

 It was not long before everyone involved in this humility were convicted and left and Jesus was left alone with the woman.  Jesus stood one final time and asked the woman, “Where are your accusers?” (v.10). 

 
What a question for us to think about, as well.  Voices of condemnation awaken us from a sense of peace and well-being.

“You are not good enough.”

“You will never make it.”
“You will never improve.”
“You failed—again.”
The voice of pessimism fills our minds.  Guilt, condemnation, error and fault finding are sent by the enemy the accuser of the brethren to remind us failure. 

 Jesus stood up for the woman and silenced her accusers, and He does the same for you.  “Who shall bring a charge against god’s elect?  it is god who justifies.  who is he who condemns?  it is christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of god, who also makes intercession for us” (ROMANS 8:33 - 34).

Friend, Christ has freed us from a guilty conscience that is pessimistic which tells us that we are not good enough, we do not measure up, we do not deserve good things, or whatever negative thing the enemy whispers in your ear.  Christ has set you free.  He has stood up for you and is still standing up for you at the right hand of the Father ever living to make intercession for you. His grace is flowing to you right now through these words.  Let them come into your mind, into your heart.  Let faith arise and think on the good things that Christ has done and is doing for you. 

 Prayer—Heavenly Father thank You that Christ has stood up for me.  Today I lay aside old ideas for self-condemnation and pessimism I turn my heart towards You the author and finisher of my faith.  I boldly declare that YOU ARE A GOOD GOD AND SOMETHING GOOD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE YOU ARE STANDING UP FOR ME, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

  

 

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort”—2 Corinthians 1:3

 God is not a God who pushes his people away and punishes them.  He wants us to turn to Him and be reconciled to Him.  “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”  (Romans 5:10).  You see God invests Himself in relationship with us.  His grace and comfort in our lives empowers us to serve others and invest in their lives.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, was anointed to comfort “all that mourn.”  The “God of all comfort” sent His Son to be the comforter of a mourning and lost world.  And all through His life on earth He fulfilled His divine mission.  When His disciples asked Him to call down fire from Heaven to consume people who refused to receive Him, He turned and rebuked them, and said: “You do not know what manner of spirit that you are of.”  For the son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but rather to save them.”  He received sinners and ate with them.  Always and everywhere He was on the side of sinners.  He came to save sinners.  When it was time for Him to depart this earth, He told His disciples that He would not leave them comfortless, but would send “another Comforter” who would abide with them forever.  This Comforter, He said, would teach them all things, and would bring all things to their remembrance. 


The Apostle Paul instructs us to “…warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, help the weak, and to be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14 my own emphasis added).  Love requires us to move toward the person to bring encouragement and wise counsel.   We are instructed to “Help the weak.”   The world help can be translated:  “Hold on to them,” or “Put your arm round them.”  We are not to push people away—no we have not so learned of Christ; but rather we come along side of people to give practical guidance and support through the long process of change.  Isaiah the prophet said it this way:

 “Comfort, oh comfort my people,” says your God.  “Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem  but also make it very clear that she has served her sentence, that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough, and now it’s over and done with” (Isaiah 42:1, 2 MSG).

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Comforter to me not just to be a comfort to myself; but also that I may be a comfort to others.  Lord I ask You to use me as an instrument of peace and comfort to Your people today, help me not to push people away, but to embrace them and demonstrate Your love, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

FACING FAILURE

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”—Micah 7:8

Most successful business people that I have met have had one thing in common.  They have had to face failure.  When I asked them if they had ever experienced failure, each one without fail told me, “NO!”  They all said that they did not fail—they just learned how to do something a better way.  In other words, they never deemed failure as a final.  I think that this is a key to our understanding of getting up and trying again.

Elijah felt like he had abandoned the job that God gave him to do as a prophet to Israel.   He had been very “jealous” for the Lord God.  He had killed all the prophets of Baal and now Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife was out to kill him.  He became frightened and ran away into the wilderness and wanted to die.  When Jezebel threatened Elijah he ran, revealing his false faith that she could affect his life more than the Lord God (1 Kings 19).  However God had a different plan for his life, instead of rejecting Elijah, God sent an angel to feed and strengthen him.  Not only was Elijah’s physical strength revived, but so, was his faith.  he learned that he could trust god’s hold on him more than his hold on god. 

God’s faithfulness does not depend on ours.  His performance is not predicated on ours.  His love is not contingent on our own.  In fact, the disciples had to learn this lesson.  Jesus told them that all of them would fail.  “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Matthew 26:31-32).  When Jesus said, “All of you will stumble,” He was telling them they would fall away, turn away run away.  All they had promised Him would mean nothing.  What Jesus’ promise, however, stays firm.  ‘But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (v. 32).  He literally said, your fall will be great, but my grace will be greater.  Stumble, I will catch you.  Scatter, I will gather you. Turn from me, I will turn toward you.  You will find me waiting for you. 

Peter still did not understand what Jesus meant.  “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (v. 33).  Peter’s trust was in his own strength.  Yet Peter’s strength was not strong enough.  Jesus knew it and said, “Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” Luke 23:31-32).

Satan would attack and test Peter.  But Satan would never win Peter.  Why?  Because of how strong Peter was?  No, because Jesus was.  “I have prayed for you.”  Jesus’ prayers limit Satan. 

Jesus prays for you as well: “Holy Father, keep them and care for them—all those you have given me—so that they will be united just as we are.  “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony” (John 17:11, 20 NLT). 

You can face tomorrow.  You can begin again.  The heavenly Father is not asking you to wait until you become great.  He is GREAT.  He is waiting for you to rise again. 

Mother Teresa aid, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

Prayer—Heavenly Father today I release my inabilities to you.  Lord I have stumbled and I ask You to forgive me and gather me to Yourself.  Today I am resolved to trust Your hold on me more than I trust my hold on You.  I give myself anew to You today asking You to take my life and use it for Your glory, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NO MORE WAIT—BREAK FREE OF EVERY LIMITATION

“I know your works.  See I have set before you and open door, and no one can shut it…”—Revelations 3:8

 

     Have you ever wanted to do something but just felt stuck in a rut of “do nothing” and waiting for the right timing.  Perhaps you have been waiting for someone to “kick” start you.  Have you ever used the excuse “I just do not feel motivated?”  Maybe you have thought “it” was too hard, or you thought that “you will never succeed, so why bother?”  It just seems easier to stay where you are and do nothing.

     Zacchaeus is an example of a person who wanted to do something so bad that no matter what he did he could not do what he wanted to do.  The Scripture tells us that he was very rich, but wealth could not help him.  His physical impairment hindered him from doing what he wanted to do.  He tried everything that he knew to accomplish his goal, but nothing was working out for him. He was stuck.  Does Zacchaeus’ situation sound similar to your own?  He did not give up or quit.  He had an idea that not only brought him success, but caused Jesus to go to his house and eat a meal with him.  You see he did something out of the ordinary that literally lifted him above the crowd—he climbed a tree and hung out on a limb just to get a glimpse of Jesus (Luke 19:1-10).

     Today is the day to become unstuck!  No more putting off that dream—that goal—that idea that you have always wanted to do.  No more taking the easier way of doing nothing and giving into limitations in your life.  Today is the day to go out on a limb. Go through the open door(s) that God opens.  Even if it looks hard, even if your flesh tells you that you cannot—go through the open door. What seems mundane and trivial may show itself to be holy, precious and part of God’s big picture for your life.   Anne Frank wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” 

 As a believer, you have something that Zacchaeus did not have.  You have the Holy Spirit, your Comforter, your Helper, your Advocate at work on your behalf.  And you have the Lord Jesus Christ saying to you--I KNOW YOUR WORKS.  SEE I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AND OPEN DOOR, AND NO ONE CAN SHUT IT!

     My pastor friend, Rev. Paul Brady, wrote this prayer.  Let this be your prayer and declaration.

Prayer—Lord “I receive the anointing, the ability, and the empowerment to work with [You] in this time.  I believe this is my seson of visitation, of manifestation of Heaven on earth.  Things that held me back will NOT hold be back any longer” in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Now make this declaration:  “I’m going to see things which were previously unseen; things that were locked up unlocked!  Doors that were shut now open.  I declare it in the Name of Jesus Christ!

 

 

START WHERE YOU ARE

“Then Jesus said to then, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”—Mark 1:17

 

The purpose for Pentecost was not only for empowerment, but also to enable the Christian believer to hear and recognize that God is ever present in our lives.  The early Christians soon learned that through the Holy Spirit that He leads, guides, speaks, directs and orchestrates life events.  The Holy Spirit is still the same today.  He has not left you.  You are not alone.  When you cooperate with God’s presence in your life, He enables you to go beyond your natural abilities to unite with Him in purpose and productivity.   

 

Jesus is still speaking to people just like He did to Simon and Andrew, “…Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).  Peter became a fisher of men and wrote in his second epistle that God “has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3 my own emphasis added).  Notice the tense of the verb—has.  It has already happened.  Be like Moses.  If God lays on your heart to cross the sea, He will enable you to do it.  If it is to build, buy or start something new, He will help you complete it.  You are a child of God who has inherited riches beyond your ability to conceive.  You have been given everything you need—to do what God has called you to do.  And remember that you must start where you are and use what you have.  It is enough when you are following Him.

 

Prayer—Lord thank You for giving to me Your Holy Spirit.  Thank You that Your presence empowers me to do what You have asked me to do with Your help I will begin today to _____________.  Thank You for leading and guiding me and bringing godly people into my life, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

THE GATE OF THE NEW YEAR

“What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”—Romans 8:31-32

        

            We do not know what the New Year will bring for us or what we will encounter.    Many national and international prophets have raised their voices to herald the message of the Lord to all that will have ears to hear.  My heart is heavy for the suffering Christians and humanity around the world.  The needs of people press on my heart so that the cause of Christ will be made known.  What things are pressing on your heart?  Is the pain of the past?  Past failures, past attempts, unkind words, past disappointments?  New can never truly begin until we let go of the past and turn our focus to the promise of the future. 

 

            Every year begins with promise, so does every day.  I agree with what Lisa Hodges wrote, “Life begins each morning…Each morning is the open door to a new world – new vistas, new aims, new tryings.”  I think that we should see each year as a fresh beginning and reset our focus.  Let’s do what the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (43:18-19).

 

            As we begin this New Year, let’s remember the words that Minnie Haskins penned in her poem "God Knows".

            “I said to a man who stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’  And he replied, ‘go out into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God.  That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.’”

As we enter the New Year, I pray that the Most High Gods' Almighty Hand will guide and uphold us all.

 

Prayer—Lord I ask that Your Almighty Hand guide and uphold me.  Help me to let go of the past and embrace all that You have for me.  I ask that You reveal Yourself to me in a way that I can fully understand Your will and Your ways, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THE LORD IS OUR MAKER

"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker."—Psalms 95:6. 

 

 As a Christian, if the only scripture that you knew was Psalms 95:6, it would be enough.  This scripture contains the all the elements that we need as a child of God to live a redeemed lifestyle.  Here we see an invitation to come, the reason of worship, our posture of faith and humility and our victory.

 

1. “O come”—The Lord always invites us to come.  He is always open to receive us--just as we are.

2.  “Let us worship”— in worship we give up ourselves to Him.  He is the object of our affection.  In worship we lose sight of ourselves and only see Him.

3.  “Bow down” –in this posture it is not about us it is about our reverence for Him. In this position, we acknowledge Him as Lord of Lord, and King of Kings.

4.  “Kneel before”—an attitude of humility and faith.  When we kneel it is an attitude of surrender, we are saying “Lord not my will but your will be done.”  It is of faith because we do not bow down to Satan our enemy.  We are people of faith and have overcome because we acknowledge that the blood of Jesus has won us the victory.  The enemy is defeated and victory for the believer is assured.

5.  “Lord our maker”—acknowledging that God has made everything our days, our times, us, people we will encounter today, situations, He has made it all.  He is in charge.  Not me, not other people, not the enemy, BUT GOD.  HE IS OUR MAKER.  THEREFORE WE BODLY AND CONFIDENTLY SAY, LORD YOU ARE MY MAKER, YOU MAKE MY DAY!!  YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE.  I WORSHIP YOU AND YOU ALONE HAVE MY ALLEGIANCE. 

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that You are my maker and today I come to You and surrender my time, my thoughts, my will—everything Lord.  I only worship You not things, not my spouse, not my children, not my family not other people, not my own ideas—just You Lord.  I acknowledge that You are my Lord and my King, my Maker and I kneel before You in humility and faith giving You all the glory for victory in my life, in my family, in the situations that I encounter today, in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

 

EVERY MIRACLE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT JESUS UP

“And his name [Jesus] through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”—Acts 3:16

  

Miracles were a part of the earliest days of the Church, along with fellowship, prayer, preaching, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, divine illumination and joy.  In fact, Christian history is filled with numberless accounts of miracles which people who had faith in God experienced.  Today with a flick of the wrist, in nations around the world, people are made aware of the numerous miracles that are being experienced in the lives of people who believe in God, who trust His word, and act upon His promises.  I want to encourage you that miracles are a way to share Jesus and that you can take part in the occurrence of miracles.

 

Acts 3:1-16 will inspire your faith that miracles happen in the ordinary course of life events.  Did you know that the first miracle, after Pentecost is recorded in this chapter?

 

Let’s beginning in verse 1…

 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.   ² And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;  ³Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.  ⁴ And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.  ⁵ And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.  ⁶ Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  ⁷And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  ⁸ And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.  ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God:  ¹⁰ And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.  ¹¹ And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.  ¹² And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?  ¹³ The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.  ¹⁴ But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;  ¹⁵  And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.  ¹⁶ And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

 

These principles will help in your efforts to glorify God by lifting up Jesus.

 First, expect your life to be filled with divine appointments (vs. 1-3).  As you go about your daily routines, an opportunity to lift Jesus up can come in unexpected ways.  Peter and John were going about their daily routine, into the temple at the hour of prayer.  It was at the same time when the lame man was laid at the gate of the temple to ask alms of those who went into the temple.  Notice that this man went daily expecting to receive. 

 

Secondly, discern those around you (v. 4).  Begin to train yourself to discern, and ask the Lord for His help.  Many years ago, I was asking the Lord why I didn’t know some things about people or situations.  I was surprised by His response to me.  He said, “You see what you see and you hear what you hear; however, you are overriding your discernment with emotion and self-will.”  I was surprised by His response, but the more that I thought about the answer the more I began to understand that was exactly what I had been doing.  I repented and began to train myself to watch and listen to people and situations, also I asked the Lord to sharpen my discernment.  It wasn’t long before the Holy Spirit began to speak to me about situations and people and I could see and know things.  This knowledge was helpful in ministering to people and avoid some situations that would have had bad consequences.  Notice in our text that this lame man daily came expecting.  I think that Paul discerned that he was expecting which made the situation ripe for a miracle.

 

Thirdly, use the name of Jesus (v. 6).  Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name I will do it… (John 14:13).  This is exactly what Peter did.  Peter had been with Jesus and had heard His teaching.  He applied what he had heard his Master say, and you can too!  …just do it!!

 

Fourthly, reach down and be a part of the miracle (v. 7).  Encourage people to receive their miracle.  It is God who is at work in you to do His good will and pleasure.  It is His will to heal and restore people.  Remember that Peter was doing what he had seen Jesus do.  (Mark 9:27 “But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose”).

  

Lastly, always turn the people’s eyes to Jesus (vs. 11-12, 16).  When Jesus is lifted up, people will be drawn to Him. 

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father, I am expecting divine appointments where Your Son Jesus can be lifted up.  Lord please help me to be discerning and not to be fearful to participate in a miracle.  Today I acknowledge that Jesus’ name is higher than any other name, and that You have given me authority to use His name.  Right now, today, I trust You to bring people and events into my life so that the miraculous takes place and Jesus’ name is lifted up, in Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

 

 

THE POSITION OF A CHRISTIAN IS ONE OF STANDING

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”—Ephesians 6:14

Encouraging his fellow Christians at Ephesus, Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to them the key to staying victorious in Christ was to take a position of one of standing.  Paul’s final admonition reminded the believer that we are to, “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (6:10-11 emphasis added).  The word “wiles” means the plots, plans, schemes and tools that the enemy uses to deceive, entrap, enslave and rule the souls of people (remember the soul is the will, mind and emotions). 

If you are like me when you read the word stand, you have the tendency to think of a person or object of being in an upright position.  While this is true, I believe that what Paul is referring to is a believer’s stance in their thinking.  Have you ever heard of the phrase, “I think I can, or I do not think that I can?”  Too many times, people are defeated because they do not think that they can do something.  Some years ago, I heard a testimony of a woman who wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle.  She got a manual and read how to get on and off, start and stop it, change gears and everything it took to ride and drive a motorcycle.  As she went through the manual, she would imagine herself doing the things necessary to operate the motorcycle.  The time came when she was able to buy a motorcycle and she was not intimidated or frighten because she had mentally prepared herself to operate the motorcycle.  This same principle applies to standing against the wiles of the enemy. 

When the believer’s thinking is aligned with God’s thoughts and Christ’s vicarious death, burial and resurrection it will be one of an upright position.  Thoughts will not be of defeat, giving up or failure.  We stand because Christ is victorious.  We read the manual (the Bible) and know what God thinks and in our hearts we agree and say with our mouths that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us.  Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.  Not even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness or peril or sword.  We are persuaded that neither death, nor life, or angels or principalities, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39). 

Keep your thinking in a standing position, one of trusting in God’s promises and enforcing Satan’s defeat.  Speak the Word, meditate on it— ponder how it applies to you.  Take one think that concerns you or a friend today and ponder God’s Word over the concern.  See, in your mind’s eye, the concern, the problem or difficulty resolved because of God’s Word.  This spiritual exercise will increase your faith, strengthen your belief system and defeat the enemy.

Prayer—Heavenly Father thank You for Your Word.  I repent for the times of having an attitude of defeat in my thinking when Jesus has already defeated my enemy, and I ask You to forgive me.  Help me to develop my faith to consistently stand in my position with Christ as more than conqueror in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

PRAY EFFECTIVELY

“For assuredly, I say to you whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”—Mark 11:23

 

It is the prayer of faith based upon God’s Word that will bring results in your life, because the Word of God is the will of God.  The only way that we can get to the point in our lives to pray the Word of God is to understand that God does nothing outside of His Word.  You see God and His Word are One.  To establish the integrity of God’s Word in your heart, you must believe that God said what he meant and meant what He said.  As your faith and confidence in the scripture Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away,” becomes absorbed into your very being, then doubt and unbelief will have no place to call home. 

 

Your spiritual maturity level has risen to the point where you believe God’s Word more than you believe the news, symptoms in your body, the educational process of the world, what any government says, and all the world’s facts and figures.  You believe that God’s Word is the final authority in the earth.  When it is settle in your heart and mind that God’s Word is true and it is final authority, it is not hard to pray, according to the will of God and for your prayers to be effective.  

 

Words are keys that unlock the powers of God’s universe.  When the words we speak are in line with His Word, His power is released.  Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). On the other hand, if we agree with our enemy, Satan, and speak forth his thoughts of doubt, we unleash his power, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21). 

 

The Scripture tells us in Jeremiah 1:12 what God thinks about His Word, “I will hasten my word to perform it.”  God is committed to fulfill what He has already promised.  If He has promised to do something, then He is looking for someone who will believe His Word so He can manifest it.

 

Believing His Word + Speaking His Word = Effective mountain moving Prayer!

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are committed to fulfilling what you have already promised.  Today I purpose in my heart to speak Your Word in faith to see mountains removed when I pray, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

 

 

DO NOT BOW TO PEER PRESSURE, BUT WALK IN YOUR OWN REVELATION

“And I [Paul] went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles…”—Galatians 2:2

 

In Galatians 2:2, we discover that the Apostle Paul went to Jerusalem about seventeen years after his conversion to tell the church what he had been preaching among the Gentiles. Paul was a highly educated and zealous man who worked fervently persecuting the Church before his conversion.  After his conversion, Paul writes, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus” (Galatians 1:15-17).  Paul points out that he was not pressured by others in what he should do after his conversion, but he walked in the revelation that he had.

 

John chapter 7 gives an account of when Jesus’ brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah, and how they tried to influence Him so that they would have positions of honor. 

 

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. The Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come’” (vs. 1-9).

 

The Feast of Tabernacles was held the 15-22 of September and this Feast was about seven months before His crucifixion.  This was a very solemn time for all the Jewish males and called for their personal attendance.  Jesus’ brothers (some of His kindred) tried to influence Jesus to go to Jerusalem so that more people could see His miracles.  This sounds like reasonable advice at first glance—more people get exposed to His ministry; however, reading a little further you will discover that his brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah.  A Prophet—yes but not the Messiah.  Perhaps they were thinking that they would be able to share in the “lime-light,” if He was exposed to more people; but, what we do know is that Jesus told them to go along with the other people; he was not going to Jerusalem at that time.  Closely examine the Scriptures and you will see that Jesus knew by revelation not to follow along with the rest of the people who were going.  Perhaps His going with them would have stirred up the people with animosity before it was prophetically time for His crucifixion, we do not know for sure.  But we do know that Jesus always walked in revelation of His timing and did not follow along with the crowd, and you can to. 

 

Jesus was not moved by ideas of grandeur and influenced by the needs of others.  He humbly stayed submitted to the Father and never did anything but what He heard the Father say and do.  We can walk in that same revelation by staying humble, walking in love and being submitted to the Father.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for Your revelation.  I purpose not to walk ahead of my appointed times by being influenced by family and others in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

 

 

 

 

 

LOVE’S IMPACT

“[Love] It is not conceited—arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly), and does not act unbecomingly.  Love [God’s love in us] does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it—pays no attention to a suffered wrong.”—1 Corinthians 13:5(Amplified)

God loves people and they are always at the center of God’s affection.  Stop and think for a moment about just one scripture, John 3:16—For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish—come to destruction, be lost—but have eternal (everlasting) life (Amplified, emphasis added).”  Put your name in this Scripture and say, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized (your name) that He [even] gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish—come to destruction, be lost—but have eternal (everlasting) life.”  It adds a whole different dimension to our thinking when we think, personally, of the impact of God’s love.

I often try to imagine what the Apostle Paul must have felt when love reached down and touched his life.  Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute more Christians when God’s love intervened in his life and showed him a more excellent way.  The light of God intersected the path of darkness and forever changed the path of Paul’s life (Acts 19). 

In the Scripture, we can read account after account of people’s lives that were impacted by love.  Mary Magdalene, Dorcas, Lydia, Nicodemus, the Rich Young Ruler, Thomas, Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila and Junia are a few of the people whose lives were radically impacted by love.   

I can add my name to the list.  God’s love impacted my life, saved me and delivered me from drugs and alcohol.  What impact has His love had upon your life?   

Let’s apply the scripture reading for today and ask the Lord to help us be mindful that His love in us is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride, and that we do not act/or react in a way that is rude or unmannerly or unbecomingly.  We do not insist upon our own way we are not self-seeking, touchy, fretful, or resentful and that we take no account of evil done to us and that we will not pay attention to a suffered wrong.  When we walk in love, we will be fruitful and produce good in our lives, the lives of people that we intersect with and in the kingdom of God.

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love in me abounds more and more.  Help me today to walk in Your love and to show Your love to the people I encounter today, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

GOD’S PROMISES ARE TRIED AND PROVEN

“Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness , through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.   For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (NASB: Lockman) —2 Peter 1:3 & 4

Although my mother was not a gourmet cook, her food usually tasted delicious.  She loved to make salads and sweets.  Every Sunday we would come home after church to enjoy one of her delicious meals, and they always included some new recipe.  After she passed away, I was looking through one of her cook books and I noticed that she had mark the ones that she had tried and what the outcome was.   Some were marked “D” for delicious and others “G” for good, I don’t recall ever seeing one that was marked “Not Good”. 

I don’t recall the name of the book that I read that said in the margin of many pages in D. L. Moody’s Bible that he wrote the letters “T” and “P,” meaning “Tried and Proved.”  He had put into practice passages from God’s Word, proving that they “work,” which of course they always do.  

Do you know that God said the same thing to us in Malachi 3:10?  “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (emphasis added).”

Today I encourage you to try and prove God’s wonder-working supernatural precious and magnificent promises that provided everything needed for life and godliness.  You will not be disappointed!

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You for Your precious promises that assure me that by partaking of them I partake of your divine nature and escape worldly corruption, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.