O come, let us adore him!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16

God wants us to have life! Real life. Life that lasts forever with him! That's why he sent Jesus, so we could have life. That is why Jesus left him and came to earth. That is why Jesus endured the Cross and its humiliation. That's why Jesus rose from the dead. God loves us with an everlasting love in Jesus! What other Christmas gift can compare? "O come, let us adore him!"

Crown of Life

[For those who endured trials]

James 1:12
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial  because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life  that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Revelation 2:10
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,  and you will suffer persecution for ten days.  Be faithful,  even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

How has God been measuring your life?

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.    If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,   their work will be shown for what it is,  because the Day  will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.   

If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.    If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

[Message No: 7442]

Impact of Patience

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. — Romans 15:1

Dear friend of Jesus, have patience with those around you who are not yet what God intends for them to be — remembering that we are not yet what God intends for us to be. In the process of "bearing with" their failings, you may just find that others are more patient with your failings and more thankful for your faithfulness.

Of course, the goal of our being patient isn't to benefit ourselves. Instead, we do it to bless others, knowing that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are hanging on to their faith, hope, and love by the thinnest of threads. Let's never let them go and never cause them to stumble!

God’s Word for God’s People

Zechariah 9:17
For how great is its goodness
 And how great its beauty!
 Grain shall make the young men thrive,
 And new wine the young women.

Faith

In God:

Mark 11:22
Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Hebrew 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him  must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Reject heretics 

Titus 3:10
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.

Refuse to support young widows from church funds

1 Timothy 5:11
As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry

[Message No: 7441]

Refreshed !

Exodus 23:12
Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.

Refreshed! Boy that's often hard in any time, but it's especially hard in August, isn't it? It's either the dead of summer or the dead of winter depending on which side of the equator you find yourself. Either way, we need to hear God's desire for all of us to be refreshed and to allow those around us to be refreshed in his presence, his grace, and his rest.

Neither of doubtful mind

Luke 12:29
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

No man is to defraud brother 

1 Thessalonians 4:6
that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.

Neglect not spiritual gifts

1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the elder ship
.
Obey your rulers 

Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Offer other cheek

Matthew 5:39
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also

Luke 6:29
To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either

[Message No: 7440]

Less Fortune People

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. — Deuteronomy 24:19

This is clearly a passage old Scrooge hadn't seen! God has always set aside a provision for the poor. In this time of the year when many people world over take special time to look after those who are less fortunate, let's open our date books and schedule a week to dedicate time for special generosity in May and in August to go with a heart committed to be generous all the time.

Let's not let generosity and concern for those less fortunate be a once a year thing!

Thoughts 

. Sometimes even the most willing person, who eagerly desires to serve the Lord, does not know what direction to take.  Simply wait—but wait in prayer.  He will come at the right time to fulfill His vision for you. - L. B. Cowman

. Your past has not come full circle to its complete redemption until you allow Christ to not only defuse it, but also to use it. - Beth Moore

Prayer to Ease and Sickness

Proverbs 4:20-22
My son,  pay attention to what I say;
 turn your ear to my words.
    Do not let them out of your sight,
 keep them within your heart;
    for they are life to those who find them
 and health to one’s whole body.

Psalm 103:2-4
Praise the Lord,  my soul,
 and forget not  all his benefits—
    who forgives all your sins
 and heals  all your diseases,
    who redeems your life  from the pit
 and crowns you with love and compassion,

[Message No: 7439]

Showing Respect is Related to God

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. — Leviticus 19:32

In an age where respect is little known and even less practiced, showing honor for those who are older is often overlooked. Yet in this place, by the LORD's own word, showing respect for the elderly ranks right up there with reverencing God. But then we shouldn't be surprised, since God made honoring parents the very first commandment (in the Ten Commandments — Exodus 20) directed at our relationship with others — the first four commandments were directed at our relationship with him!

Listening to God

Genesis 3:9
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

Thoughts 

. I have handed Jesus the key to my secret hideout. - Paddy Baker
. Healing comes when we open all the rooms in our “house” to Jesus and He can work his power in our lives. - Amen.

Gifts from Above

Matthew 1:23
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”  (which means “God with us”).

Someone to celebrate

Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down  in worship,
 let us kneel  before the Lord our Maker;

Our source of provision

Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near  to all who call on him,
 to all who call on him in truth.

Thought 

. Virtues are formed by prayer.  Prayer preserves temperance.  Prayer suppresses anger.  Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.  Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises humanity to heaven. - Ephrem the Syrian

[Message No: 7438]

Jesus Christ – The example in all things

Trust
Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice,  “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  When he had said this, he breathed his last.

1 Peter 2:22-23
He committed no sin,
 and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
     When they hurled their insults at him,  he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself  to him who judges justly.

Faith brings to us the Blessings of God:

Justification
Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,  but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified  through faith,  we have peace  with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

God Provides

Luke 9:3
He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.

Faithful in Service

Matthew 21:30
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

[Message No: 7437]

Christ May Be Closer Than You Know

 Martin, the Cobbler, is Leo Tolstoy's story about a lonely shoemaker who is promised in a dream that Christ will come to visit his shop. The next day Martin rises early, gets his shop ready, prepares a meal and waits. The only one who showed up in the morning was an old beggar who came by and asked for rest. Martin gave him a room he had prepared for his divine guest. The only one to show up in the afternoon was an old lady with a heavy load of wood. She was hungry and asks for food. He gave her the food he had prepared for his divine guest.

As evening came, a lost boy wandered by. Martin took him home, afraid all the while he would miss the Christ. That night in his prayers he asks the Lord, "Where were You? I waited all day for You."

The Lord said to Martin:

"Three times I came to your friendly door,
Three times my shadow was on your floor.
I was a beggar with bruised feet.
I was the woman you gave to eat.
I was the homeless child on the street."
. Watch out! Christ may be closer than you can imagine.

We've Done Everything Else         

 "We have learned to soar through the air like birds, to swim through the seas like fish, to soar through space like comets. Now it is high time we learned to walk the earth as the children of our God." - William Sloan Coffin

Christians Must:

Be filled with faith
Acts 6:5
And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,

Acts 11:24
For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Thoughts 

. Doing God’s will is never hard.  The only thing that is hard is not doing His will.
- Oswald Chambers

. Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things. - Kay Warren

[Message No: 7436]

Your Own Tune

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. — Psalm 69:30

When was the last time you sang praises to God outside a church or devotional service? Why not open up the Psalms and find several verses that reflect your own praise and thanks to God and give them a tune — your own tune! God doesn't care if your spiritual gift is music or not; he's just listening for your heart to be full of joy as you share your praise and thanksgiving with him.

Long Shadows

Psalm 100:5
For the Lord is good  and his love endures forever;
 his faithfulness  continues through all generations.

A treasure to be shared

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay  to show that this all-surpassing power is from God  and not from us.

Blessings of God

Be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. — 1 Samuel 12:24

God is awesome and mighty. He can do anything he chooses to do. So isn't it amazing of all the things he could do, he chooses to do one thing especially well: God blesses us! God blesses us with material blessing, he blesses us with spiritual blessings, he blesses us with big things, he blesses us with small things, he blesses us with hope, he blesses us beyond pain, he blesses us now, he blesses us in the future, he blesses us...

The Sacrifice of Praise

Hebrews 13:15
Keep your lives free from the love of money  and be content with what you have,  because God has said,
  “Never will I leave you;
 never will I forsake you.”

Thoughts 

. Fear the Lord and you will do everything well. - Shepherd of Hermas

. One of the most fundamental marks of true repentance is a disposition to see our sins as God sees them. - Charles Simeon

[Message No: 7435]

What kind of faith we do have?

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. — Hebrews 11:1
"I believe, but help my unbelief!" That's what the father of the boy with convulsions said to Jesus (Mark 9:24). This must sometimes be our prayer, too. As we look at the great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, we know this must have been their prayer as well. Their faith wasn't always perfect. Their trust wasn't always mature. But, they stayed at it; they believed and acted with a relentless assurance that somehow, some way, God would act and deliver. Let's stay at it with that kind of faith, too!

Will you go out without knowing

Hebrew 11:8
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,  obeyed and went,  even though he did not know where he was going.


Discipline

Discipline will  direct us to God, drive us to prayer, and bring us into submission.
We need it.

Realize 

Realize that it  is never  too early to begin spiritual development. Encourage young people  to become earnest and  fruitful in their pursuit of God. Challenge and inspire those who would  otherwise postpone godliness until rebellion in life.

Do not complain

Do not complain about adversity in your life. Accept  God’s discipline  as an expression of His love to turn us from rebellion or disobedience.

Reminded 

Leaders be reminded that when God’s leaders fail to deal with sin. He holds  them responsible for the judgment, which inevitably follows.

[Message No: 7434]

The Talking Tree

Colossians 1:15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence.

      Reconciled in Christ

     For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Concerning Individuals 

. Paul Delivered to Gentiles

Acts 12:11
And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

. Judgment of High Priest

Acts 23:3
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

. Paul’s Shipwreck

Acts 27:10
saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”

Transformed By Insight

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

[Message No: 7433]

Renown

Isaiah 63:12
who sent his glorious arm  of power
 to be at Moses’ right hand,
 who divided the waters  before them,
 to gain for himself everlasting renown,

Jeremiah 32:20
You performed signs and wonders  in Egypt  and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown  that is still yours.

Past

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

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,  so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Hebrews 1:1
In the past God spoke  to our ancestors through the prophets  at many times and in various ways,

Thought

Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
And keep out the weeds,
Fill it with sunshine,
Kind words, and Kind deeds. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

[Message No: 7432]

Can we measure God’s Cost?

John 1:12-13

To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

We live in a time and culture of rights. "It's my right to ___." Just fill in the blank. But we don't have a right to be God's child. We are given that right by God's grace. This right came to us at great cost to God. Jesus came to earth, lived, died and was raised from the dead.

We receive this grace through faith: God gives us new birth as we trust in Jesus as Lord and we are baptized and reborn through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7). To be born of God, to be born from above, to be born "again" is the gift of adoption into God's family and brings us all the rights of heirs in God's house (Galatians 3:26-4:7).

Thoughts 

. It takes real faith to begin to live the life of heaven while still upon the earth, for this requires that we rise above the low of moral gravitation and bring to our everyday living the high wisdom of God.  And since this wisdom is contrary to that of the world, conflict is bound to result.  This, however, is a small price to pay for the inestimable privilege of following Christ. - A. W. Tozer

. Do what lets you sense God’s pleasure. – Unknown

Yeshu Masih

Tere Jaisa Hai Koi Nahi
येशु मसीह तेरे जैसा है कोई नहीं
येशु मसीह तेरे जैसा है कोई नहीं
तेरे चरणों मे झुके आसमां
और महिमा ग|ए सभी - 2

. हम ग|ए होसंना
तू राजाओं का है राजा
तेरी महिमा होवे सदा
तू है प्रभु हमारा खुदा - 2
. प्यारे पिता तुने हमसे
कितना प्यार किया
हमे पापों से छुडाने को
अपने बेटे को कुर्बान किया

Yeshu Masih
Tere Jaisa Hai Koi Nahi,
Tere Charano Me Jhuke Aasman,
Aur Mahima Gaaye Zameen   (2)

. Hum Gaaye Ho-ssana
Tu Rajaon Ka Hai Raja
Teri Mahima Hove Sada
Tu Hai Prabhu, Hamara Khuda  (2)

. Pyare Pita
Tune Humse Kitna Pyar Kiya
Mere Paapo Se Chudane Ko
Apne Bete Ko Kurban Kiya.

[Message No: 7431]

Because Jesus lives, so will we!

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. — 1 Peter 3:18

Having stood over the open graves of friends, family, and strangers, I know the appearance and feel of death's finality and our human frailty. But Christ's death is that great reminder that death is a matter of perspective and faith. I believe God raised Jesus from the dead and that Jesus is the first fruits of those of us who believe in him. He is alive, not just in Spirit, but in bodily form. Because Jesus lives, so will we!

God’s Strength God’s Plan

Isaiah 40:28-29
Have you not known?
 Have you not heard?
 The everlasting God, the Lord,
 The Creator of the ends of the earth,
 Neither faints nor is weary.
 His understanding is unsearchable.
  He gives power to the weak,
 And to those who have no might He increases strength.

Called Out of Darkness

“…that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Gloves

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

Pruned for Purpose

“Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” Mark 14:29

[Message No: 7430]

Priority

Sometimes in life we have something of significance happen that reminds us of where our priorities should be. We get shaken by a car accident, a loved one passing away, or maybe a health issue like cancer and we quickly refocus and realize where our priorities should be.

Jesus tried to simplify things for us when He was asked about what the “greatest commandment” was and He simply said to love God first and love our neighbor as our self.

Friends, “seek first the kingdom of God” and our priorities will fall in place. This is easier said than done but we can be thankful that we have a great God that never gives up on us and desires to talk with us everyday. Have you talked with Him today?

Heavy Burdens

1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you  to his eternal glory  in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,  will himself restore you and make you strong,  firm and steadfast.

Sharing

2 Corinthians 8:2
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

Created for God’s purpose

Isaiah 64:8
Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
 We are the clay, you are the potter;
 we are all the work of your hand.

Words of Peace

Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace,  seasoned with salt,  so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Spiritual Myopia

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,  but the Lord looks at the heart.”

[Message No: 7429]

God is pour powerful Deliverer!

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves... — Colossians 1:13

God doesn't just hear our cries for deliverance; he sends a powerful Deliverer! God sent Moses in response to the Israelites' cries from Egypt (see Exodus 3). God also sent Jesus in response to the world's cries for deliverance from its bondage to the evil prince of darkness. Our new world, our Kingdom, is built on love — the sacrificial love of a Savior who not only conquered death for us, but gave himself up to do so. Jesus is not only our rescuer (saves us FROM something), he is also our Savior (also saves us FOR something as well)

Prayer 

 “I was promised that Your divine favour would rain down on me today. Instead, I got an eternity's worth of blessings. ” - Isaac Jacobs

“Prayer is simply talking to God like a friend and should be the easiest thing we do each day.” - Joyce Meyer

“The prayer offered to God in the morning during your quiet time is the key that unlocks the door of the day. Any athlete knows that it is the start that ensures a good finish.” - Adrian Rogers

Love Fellow-Believers

John 15:12
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.

1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified  yourselves by obeying  the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,  from the heart.

1 Peter 2:17
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,  fear God, honor the emperor.

Thought

. Many Christians will not witness unless they sense the Spirit of God prompting them to speak to a particular person.  I’m not that spiritual.  I share my faith whenever and wherever possible.  As far as I’m concerned, the starting gun went off 2,000 years ago with a loud, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”  My conscience continually prompts me to speak. - Ray Comfort

[Message No: 7428]

Lips

Psalm 8:2
Through the praise of children and infants
 you have established a stronghold  against your enemies,
 to silence the foe  and the avenger.

Psalm 34:1
I will extol the Lord at all times;
 his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 119:171
May my lips overflow with praise,
 for you teach me  your decrees.

Proverbs 13:3
Those who guard their lips  preserve their lives,
 but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

Proverbs 27:2
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
 an outsider, and not your own lips.

Isaiah 6:5
“Woe  to me!” I cried. “I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips,  and I live among a people of unclean lips,  and my eyes have seen  the King,  the Lord Almighty.”

Matthew 21:16
But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

Colossians 3:8
But now you must also rid yourselves  of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,  and filthy language from your lips.

Thought

. Conquer a man who never gives, by gifts;
Subdue untruthful men by truthfulness;
Vanquish an angry man by gentleness;
And overcome the evil man by goodness. - Indian proverb

[Message No: 7427]

Failure Is Impossible

Failure wasn’t an option for Nehemiah either, mainly because he had a Powerful Helper: God. After asking Him to bless his cause—rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem—Nehemiah and those who had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon worked to make that happen. The wall was needed to keep the people safe from enemies. But opposition to the cause came in the form of deception and threats. Nehemiah refused to let opposition deter him. He informed those who opposed the work, “I am carrying on a great project” (Nehemiah 6:3). After that, he prayed, “Now strengthen my hands” (v. 9). Thanks to perseverance, the work was completed (v. 15).

God gave Nehemiah the strength to persevere in the face of opposition. Is there a task for which you’re tempted to give up? Ask God to provide whatever you need to keep going.

God’s Word for God’s People

Zechariah 10:10
I will bring them back from Egypt
 and gather them from Assyria.
 I will bring them to Gilead  and Lebanon,
 and there will not be room  enough for them.

Zechariah 10:12
I will strengthen  them in the Lord
 and in his name they will live securely, ”
 declares the Lord.

Walk Obediently

Leaders  walk obediently, remembering that your sins can cause the downfall of God’s people, bringing  judgment to whole churches or fellowships of churches.

Random act of Kindness

Ruth 2:10
At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.  She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me —a foreigner? ”

Work Together

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good  of those who love him, who have been called  according to his purpose.

[Message No: 7426]

Wisdom gives us …

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” - Proverbs 9:10

We look for wisdom in so many worthless and futile places. But ultimate wisdom is found only when we intentionally humble ourselves before our incredible God, giving him the reverence and worship he deserves.

Scripture for Charity

. Deuteronomy 14:29
And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

. Mark 10:21
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

Vision and Reality

Isaiah 35:7
The parched ground shall become a pool,
 And the thirsty land springs of water;
 In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
 There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

Of Love and Old Shoes

Psalm 139:4
For there is not a word on my tongue,
 But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Thought 

. Three groups spend other people's money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision. Dick Armey

[Message No: 7425]

Silent

Proverbs 17:28
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
 and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed  and afflicted,
 yet he did not open his mouth;
 he was led like a lamb  to the slaughter,
 and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
 so he did not open his mouth.

Habakkuk 2:20
The Lord is in his holy temple;
 let all the earth be silent  before him.

1 Corinthians 14:34
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,  but must be in submission,  as the law  says.

1 Timothy 2:12
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

Thoughts 

. God never does anything to you that isn’t for you. - Elizabeth Elliot
. Kind hearts are the garden,

Tower

Genesis 11:4
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,  so that we may make a name  for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered  over the face of the whole earth.”

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
 the righteous run to it and are safe.

[Message No: 7424]

God Can and Will Take Care of You

Matthew 6:25-27
Therefore I tell you, do not worry  about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?   Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?    Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Troubles

Psalm 34:19
The righteous person may have many troubles,
 but the Lord delivers him from them all;

Undertow

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are ever on the Lord,
 for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Receiving Direction Without Doubt

Scripture urges us to let Christ’s peace rule in our heart (Col. 3:15). Doing so will help us find our way past confusion and receive His clear direction without doubting. Discovering God’s will is worth every effort we make and any time spent waiting.

What you will get?

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

God Loves Me the Same on Good Days and Bad Days

“For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations “  Psalm 100:5

Beauty out of Brokenness

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. . .” Philippians 2: 14–16

[Message No: 7423]

To Walk - 3

5. The Good

Micah 6:8
They shall come with weeping,
and with supplications will I lead them:
I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters
in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble:
for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.

6. Faith

Hebrews 3:19
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

7. Example

1 John 2:6
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Missionary Munitions

John 13:14
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

Prophet – Jacob

Genesis 35:11-12
And God said to him, “I am God Almighty;  be fruitful and increase in number.  A nation  and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.    The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.

Genesis 48:4
and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.  I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land  as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’

[Message No: 7422]

Did you ever sent a note of thanks?

I [Paul] thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you [Timothy] in my prayers. — 2 Timothy 1:3

Paul is near the end of his life, facing persecution in a horrible prison. Many of the young men whom he had mentored have left the faith or have turned against him. How can he give thanks? Paul speaks of his confidence in his own victorious future with Jesus and in his son in the faith, Timothy.
What makes this special is that he communicates it to Timothy. He's not content to just give thanks to God in prayer! He also tells Timothy how precious he is in this letter. When was the last time you sent a note of thanks to the people you appreciate, letting them know they give you reason to rejoice before the throne of God?

Guide Our Steps

Psalm 18:6
In my distress  I called to the Lord;
 I cried to my God for help.
 From his temple he heard my voice;
 my cry came  before him, into his ears.

The Lost Envelope

Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. - Matthew 6:20

Servant Heart

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do,  whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks  to God the Father through him.

Clear Conscience

Acts 26:20
First to those in Damascus,  then to those in Jerusalem  and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,  I preached that they should repent  and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.

[Message No: 7421]

To walk - 2

Deuteronomy 30:16
In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

2. Sphere

1 Kings 2:4

That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

3. Covenant

2 Kings 13:3
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days

4. Power

Jeremiah 31:9
They shall come with weeping,
and with supplications will I lead them:
I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters
in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble:
for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Wrestling Before God

Ephesians 6:13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

[Message No: 7420]

Passage of our Time

We were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. — Job 8:9
While Job never learned why he suffered, he did learn his place in the universe before the Almighty God (Job 38-41). When we are young, time passes so very slowly — especially if we are waiting for something special! But as we get older, the years fly by more and more quickly.

Yet despite all our learning, despite all our experience, we come to two great awakenings: our knowledge compared to what there is to know is so very small and our place in the passage of time is so very short. Both of these awakenings prepare us to turn our lives and future over to our God who longs to bring us to himself.

Abuse 

Job 40:11
Unleash the fury of your wrath,
 look at all who are proud and bring them low,

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.

Think about Others

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. — 1 Corinthians 10:24

Isn't it amazing how the more we try to fix things for ourselves, the more we focus on "looking out for number 1," and the more we also find ourselves isolated from meaningful relationships that make life worth living. "If you want to have a friend, then be a friend," the saying goes. You know what? It's right! It's easy to seek what is only for our own good. That's what most folks do as a matter of course. But what makes Christians redemptive, what makes them like God, is their willingness to think of others before themselves!

Missionary Munitions 

John 1:48
How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

[Message No: 7419]

To Walk - 1

1.Command
Deuteronomy 8:6
Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Deuteronomy 13:5
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Deuteronomy 19:9
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

Deuteronomy 26:17
Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:

Questions in Job 

34:18
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked?
and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

34:19
How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes,
nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?
for they all are the work of his hands.

Thought 

. Christ never founded any church, never created any state, never passed any law, never established any government or other authority.  He wanted to put the law of God into the hearts of people, to make them self-governed. - Herbert Newton

[Message No: 7418]

Why Forgive

Luke 23:32-34

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
  And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Excuses of the Deceived

If  I live right it matters not what I believe –

John 3:14-22
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

   “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

    John the Baptist Exalts Christ
    After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.

Thought

. The thing of which we have to beware is not so much damage to our belief in God as damage to our Christian temper.  “Therefore take heed to thy spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”  The temper of mind is tremendous in its effects, it is the enemy that penetrates right into the soul and distracts the mind from God, and until we get back to the quiet mood before God, our faith in Him is nil, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is the thing that rules.
-Oswald Chambers

[Message No: 7417]

Blindness of Sinners – 2

. Blind to the presence of Christ

Revelation 3:18-19
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

. Blind to the need of the new birth

John 3:3-7
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

   Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

   Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again

. Blind to the evil around

Ephesians 2:2-3
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Heartiness V Heartlessness

Romans 8:34
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.

If Thou hadst known

Luke 9:42
And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

[Message No: 7416]

Be blessings to others

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. — 2 Thessalonians 1:3

When was the last time you found a new brother or sister in Christ and told that precious person all the things they were doing right? Don't you think that's too long, and that you should let them know today? Let's be more committed to encouraging and affirming others who are in Christ as well as giving thanks to God for them.

Questions in Job 

38:31
“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,
 Or loose the belt of Orion?

38:32
Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season?
 Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

Instant in season

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach  the word;  be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke  and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction.

Inspired invincibility

Matthew 11:29
Come to me,  all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Thought 

. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said. - Oswald Chambers

The release of concentration

2 Chronicles 15:17
Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.

Can you come down?

John 12:36
Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”  When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

[Message No: 7415]

Effect of the empty tomb

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. — Romans 8:37

Are we really conquerors despite "trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword"? Yes! That is the ultimate Christian assurance. Nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ. The Evil One and his allies can kill our bodies, ruin our finances, wrack our bodies with pain, and seek to destroy our relationships. However, the Evil One cannot have our hearts when they are surrendered to Jesus.

And when our hearts belong to Jesus, so does our future! The empty tomb of Jesus assures us that our future with him is glorious, victorious, and unending.

Consistent Faith

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;  do not be discouraged,  for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Trust

Luke 18:17
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child  will never enter it.”

Celebrate

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

The God Box

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him  because he cares for you.

From Financial Prison to Palace Prosperity 

It’s not getting that makes prosperity worth having … it’s  giving that makes prosperity worth gettig. Did God propser Joseph so he could drive the Mercedes of his day – a golden chariot?
God took Joseph from prison to palace to preserve the lives of his family – the bloodline through which man’s salvation – the Messiah – would come.
Prosperity fulfills God’s first priority  - to win souls.

[Message No: 7414]

None Other Than House of God - 1

. None like the Lord

Exodus 8:10
So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

Exodus 9:14for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

. None appear before Me empty

Exodus 23:15
You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty);

. None that doeth good

Psalm 14:3
They have all turned aside,
 They have together become corrupt;
 There is none who does good,
 No, not one.

Psalm 53:1-3
The fool has said in his heart,
 “There is no God.”
 They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
 There is none who does good.

  God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
 To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
  Every one of them has turned aside;
 They have together become corrupt;
 There is none who does good,

[Message No: 7413]

How God’s people are troubled?

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. — Psalm 10:15

It is hard not to get discouraged when evil and wicked people get away with what is reprehensible. Christians on every continent have things that greatly trouble them about the evil perpetrated in their corner of the world as corrupt power abuses those who belong to God's people. Let's join together, believers from all around the world, and ask God to intervene in a clear, decisive way, and bring these days of violence and wickedness to an end!

Strong and Mighty Worrier

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Commands 

. Mark Troublemakers
Romans 16:17
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

Philippians 3:17
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

Have you felt the hurt of the Lord?

John 21:17
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

  And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
  Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Thoughts 

. We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, something that God is making, and therefore something with which He will not be satisfied until it has a certain character.  It is natural for us to wish that God had designed for us a less glorious and less arduous destiny; but then we are wishing not for more love but for less. - C. S. Lewis

Was in some quiet breast
That found the common daylight sweet
And left to Heaven the rest. - John Vance Cheney

[Message No: 7412]

Sharpening Our Priorities - God’s Prosperity.

Life consists of far more than just obtaining and possessing things. Rather, God wants us to enjoy a full, complete, and balanced life; and He has made provisions through His Word for us to be fulfilled in the way.

He has promised to supply our every need [Phil. 4:19], and He has promised to fulfil the desires of our hearts [Ps. 37:4]. But He also wants us to keep our proprieties clear: “Seek first the kingdom of God.” In that way—with all His promises  and priorities in balanced application to your life—all these thigs shall be added to you.” – [Matt. 6:33]

 Our Bible

Chapters 

1,189 chapters
There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament. There are 260 chapters in the New Testament. This gives a total of 1,189 chapters (on average, 18 per book). Psalm 117, the shortest chapter, is also the middle chapter of the Bible, being the 595th Chapter.

Verses 

31,102 verses
There are 23,145 verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 verses in the New Testament. This gives a total of 31,102 verses, which is an average of a little more than 26 verses per chapter.

The valley of Blessing

2 Chronicles 20:9
If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine,  we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’

Thoughts 

. Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.
- Guillaume Apollinaire

. A cross Christian, an anxious Christian, a discouraged, gloomy Christian, a doubting Christian, a complaining Christian, an exacting Christian, a selfish Christian, a cruel, hard-hearted Christian, a self-indulgent Christian, a Christian with a sharp tongue or bitter spirt—all these may be very earnest in their work, and may have honorable places in the church; but they are not Christlike Christians. - Hannah Whitall Smith

[Message No:7411]

Jesus and the Eightfold Path

. Right Views

Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

. Right Aspiration

James 4:1-3
What causes fights and quarrels  among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle  within you?   You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.   When you ask, you do not receive,  because you ask with wrong motives,  that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

. Right Speech

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

. Right Conduct

James 3:17
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

. Right Livelihood

Matthew 6:31
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom  and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

. Right Effort

Hebrew 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run  with perseverance  the race marked out for us,   fixing our eyes on Jesus,  the pioneer  and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,  scorning its shame,  and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

. Right Mindfulness

Romans 8:7
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;  it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

.   Right Contemplation

Colossians 3:1-4
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,  set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.    Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.    For you died,  and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.   When Christ, who is your life,  appears,  then you also will appear with him in glory.

[Message No: 7410]

Can we fix our eyes on Jesus?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. — Hebrews 12:2

Who is your hero? I'm not asking for the Sunday school class answer, but the person you most actively admire! It is hard to "fix our eyes on Jesus" because he is not here where we can see him like other heroes. But he was the ultimate adventurer and trailblazer. He faced the horrific penalty and shame of the cross, taking away our sin! He did it so that we could have a hero that death and sin could not destroy, mar, or taint.

 He did it so that we could be confident that if we follow in his footsteps, the trail he blazed wasn't just for him, but for us, too!

Merilyn Hickey

The tongue is a powerful weapon for good or evil

The perfect gift

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you,  brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,  holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

God’s Word for God’s People

Zechariah 10:1
Ask the Lord for rain
   In the time of the latter rain.
 The Lord will make flashing clouds;
 He will give them showers of rain,
 Grass in the field for everyone.

Now what it seems

2 Kings 6:16
“Don’t be afraid,”  the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more  than those who are with them.”

A multiplied love 

1 John 4:21
And he has given us this command:  Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

[Message No: 7409]

Why do we say Hallelujah!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” - Ephesians 3:20-21

Sometimes there is nothing left for us to do except praise God! While we may sometimes dream of doing great things for God and his Kingdom, the dreams aren't as big as God's plans. While we may be richly talented, influential, powerful, or rich, these are merely tools in God's hands, not symbols of our sufficiency. "God is able" has to be one of the best and most accurate phrases in the Bible. But this time, it's said about his work in you in me. He is able much more than we imagine to work through and in us. What can we say to that? Hallelujah!

Blessings of Prayer

. Souls of Men

Psalm 2:8
Ask of Me, and I will give You
 The nations for Your inheritance,
 And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

. Restoration

Job 42:10
And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

. Peaceful Life

1 Timothy 2:1-2
 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence

Getting into God’s stride

Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

[Message No: 7408]

Power of Holiness

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD. — Psalm 93:5
So many of the material things we pursue are temporary. Their usefulness lasts only a matter of months or at most a few short years.
Even our lives, and the lives of those we love, are short. But God's character, his defining quality ("Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!"), and his demands for our holiness are forever. So as we build our lives, let's build on a secure foundation — the will of God and a commitment to share in his holiness.

What do you want?

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

Thoughts

. It is better to give than to lend, and it costs about the same. - Philip Gibbs
. Severe trouble in a true believer has the effect of loosening the roots of his soul earthward and tightening the anchor-hold of his heart heavenward. - Charles Spurgeon

The graciousness of uncertainty

1 John 3:2
Dear friends,  now we are children of God,  and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,  we shall be like him,  for we shall see him as he is.

The spontaneity of love

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient,  love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.    It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,  it is not easily angered,  it keeps no record of wrongs.    Love does not delight in evil  but rejoices with the truth.    It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

    Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,  they will cease; where there are tongues,  they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Thanks Living

Psalm 23:6
Surely your goodness and love  will follow me
 all the days of my life,
 and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
 forever.

[Message No: 7407]

Is God’s will is your delight?

Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. — Psalm 119:143
This verse is hard for me, because I know I am so blessed. Trouble and distress do not seem to be a part of my vocabulary right now. But I know in many places in the world this statement is true of Christians who are under attack and live under the threat of persecution and possibly even death. But their love for God and their commitment to obedience is greater than Satan's threats because God's will is their delight.

Choose trust

Proverbs 3:5-6
Peace has been provided

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Tender-hearted, Forgive One Another

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”  Matthew 6:14

Letting Go and Pressing On

“…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

Peace or Panic?

“He who watches over you will not slumber…” Psalm 121:3

Thoughts 

. Those who draw water from the wellspring of mediation know that God dwells close to their hearts.  For those who wish to discover the quietude of old amid the hustle and bustle of today’s machine civilization, there is no way save to rediscover this ancient realm of mediation.  Since the loss of my eyesight I have been as delighted as if I had found a new wellspring by having arrived at this sacred precinct. - Toyohiko Kagawa

. The humility of Christ is not the moderation of keeping one’s exact place in the scale of being, but rather that of absolute dependence on God and absolute trust in him, with the consequent ability to move mountains.  The secret of the meekness and the gentleness of Christ lies in his relation to God. - H. Richard Niebuhr

[Message No: 7406]

Our Mess-Ups

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?" — Isaiah 29:15

Aren't we so very silly sometimes! We try to hide what we've done and what we're planning from the Lord. Of course we're only fooling ourselves. At first glance, God's knowing our plans and seeing our actions is threatening. But after a little time to think it through, isn't it nice that God does see everything, including our motives and thoughts?

This insures justice will be done and our mess-ups will be evaluated in terms of our intentions, not just our failures! On top of that, it also means that those who plot to do us harm will have to answer to God, and we don't have to worry about "settling the score" or "getting even."

The Nature of Discouragement

Psalm 16:7-11

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
 even at night  my heart instructs me.
    I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

 With him at my right hand,  I will not be shaken.
    Therefore my heart is glad  and my tongue rejoices;
 my body also will rest secure,
    because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
 nor will you let your faithful one  see decay.

    You make known to me the path of life;
 you will fill me with joy in your presence,
 with eternal pleasures  at your right hand.

The Guarantee of Our Future

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm  in Christ. He anointed  us,   set his seal  of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

[Message No: 7405]

How do we face tomorrow?

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. — Psalm 90:14

What's the secret of having a good day? How about waking up and recognizing that we begin each day just as we ended the previous one — we are in the grip of God's unfailing love. That should make our hearts stir with love and our voices sing with joy. This song should stir God's Spirit within us and lead us to a deep and profound thanksgiving that gladdens all of our days.

So rather than waking up tired, cranky, and dreading another day, let's begin this day with a reminder of God's grace in our daily lives and a reminder of God's promises in our hearts. Then, I don't think we're going to have any problem singing the rest of the day!

Titus 3:1-2
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,  to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,    to slander no one,  to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

Characteristics of Faith

It is a precious faith
2 Peter 1:1
Peter, a servant  and apostle of Jesus Christ,
 To those who through the righteousness  of our God and Savior Jesus Christ  have received a faith as precious as ours:

Through faith the people of God:

Live

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ  and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,  who loved me  and gave himself for me.

Christians Must:

Be filled with faith

Acts 6:5
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,  a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;  also Philip,  Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 

Acts 11:24
He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit  and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

[Message No: 7404]

The Self-Directed Man

Luke 12:16-21
As you read through Luke 12:16-21 today, count the number of times the “rich fool,” as he is known, says the words “I” and “my.” This parable is a picture of the self-directed man trying to make his own way and secure his own future without help from anyone—including God.

The Father does not mince words with this man. Entering the scene in verse 20, God immediately calls him a fool! Don’t miss the severity in the condemnation. By relying solely on his self-focused short-sightedness and pride, this man left nothing behind at the end of his life—except for a pile of crops.

The message for us today is that, when we strike off on our own and initiate actions with no thought of God, we behave like fools. The Lord has a plan for your life. He knows where you’ll succeed and where you’ll fail. Trust Him to provide the direction you need.

Prophet – Abraham

Genesis 17:2-8
Then I will make my covenant between me and you  and will greatly increase your numbers.”
    Abram fell facedown,  and God said to him,   “As for me, this is my covenant with you:  You will be the father of many nations.    No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham,  for I have made you a father of many nations.    I will make you very fruitful;  I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.   

I will establish my covenant  as an everlasting covenant  between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God  and the God of your descendants after you.    The whole land of Canaan,  where you now reside as a foreigner,  I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;  and I will be their God. ”

Thought 

. Chastity is the most unpopular of the Christian virtues.  There is no getting away from it: the Christian rule is, “Either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence.”  Now this is so difficult and so contrary to our instincts, that obviously either Christianity is wrong or our sexual instinct, as it now is, has gone wrong.  One or the other.  Of course, being a Christian, I think it is the instinct which has gone wrong. - C. S. Lewis

[Message No: 7403]

Faith brings to us the Blessings of God

Justification
Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Galatians 2:16
knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Love is not easily provoked

1 Corinthians 13:5
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,  it is not easily angered,  it keeps no record of wrongs.

The Merciful 

Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Is Your Attitude Ruining Your Relationships?

Philippians 4:5
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

The Purpose of Pruning 

John 15:1-2
“I am  the true vine,  and my Father is the gardener.   He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,  while every branch that does bear fruit  he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 

The Wages of Sin

Romans 6:21-23
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!    But now that you have been set free from sin  and have become slaves of God,  the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.   

For the wages of sin is death,  but the gift of God is eternal life  in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[Message No: 7402]

Blindness of Sinners - 1

. Blindness to our condition before God

Romans 3:11
There is none who understands;
 There is none who seeks after God.

. Blind to the beauty of Christ

Isaiah 53:1
The fool has said in his heart,
 “There is no God.”
 They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
 There is none who does good.

. Blind to the grace of God

Romans 11:8
What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written:
  “God has given them a spirit of stupor,
 Eyes that they should not see
 And ears that they should not hear,
 To this very day.”

. Blind to the things of the Lord

1 Corinthians 2:9-14

But as it is written:
  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
 Nor have entered into the heart of man
 The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

    But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

   These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

[Message No: 7401]

What’s My Decision Today?

I have decided to follow Jesus

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Tho' none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho' none go with me I still will follow,
Tho' none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus,
My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning…

Out the Back Window

Isaiah 43:18-19
“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 wilderness
 and streams in the wasteland.

Living in the Light

Ephesians 5:8
For you were once  darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

Beware of Deception

1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

[Message No: 7400]

Reaching Closed Minds

Acts 26:1-20

Do you know someone whose mind is closed to the gospel? That describes a lot of people, and we often find it discouraging that despite our prayers for them, they can’t see their need for the Savior.
Today the Holy Spirit is still working to bring men and women under conviction. He uses believers’ lives and testimonies to reveal the truth about Jesus to those with closed minds and hard hearts. If you are currently trying to reach someone like this, be encouraged and continue to pray for that person’s salvation. Then rest in God’s ability to save.

The Pursuing God

Jonah 1:4
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

Jonah 1:17
Now the Lord provided  a huge fish to swallow Jonah,  and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

I Only Need You Lord

Acts 17:28
For in him we live and move and have our being.’  As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Through faith the people of God:

Live
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The Guarantee of Our Future

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Thought

. There is no power like that of prevailing prayer—of Abraham pleading for Sodom, Jacob wrestling in the stillness of the night, Moses standing in the breach, Hannah intoxicated with sorrow, David heart-broken with remorse and grief, Jesus in sweat and blood.  Add to this list from the records of the church your personal observation and experience, and always there is cost of passion unto blood.  Such prayer prevails.  It turns ordinary mortals into men of power.  It brings power.  It brings fire.  It brings rain.  It brings life.  It brings God. - Samuel Chadwick

[Message No: 7399]

No Regrets

Hebrews 12:1-2

When you hear that malicious whisper accuse you as your strength is draining, remember all those who have finished the race. Remember and rest in the One who endured it all to set you free. Ask him for the joy that helped him keep going. Resist your enemy and press on in your Lord’s strength and freedom.

Lord Jesus, thank you for never giving up in your pursuit of your people. Thank you that you have never given up on me, even when I want to give up on myself. Thank you for showing me the way to joy. Amen.

Faith and Fear

“He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”  Mark 4:40
prayer

Lord, help me not to fear the unknown future. Let me remember you already know what lies ahead and will safely lead me through it. Amen

The Slippery Path

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 1:24-25

Question: How do you try to constantly keep your eyes on Jesus?

Let God’s Light Through

 “Jesus said “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5) Jesus also said that “You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

Question: How can you see God’s light shining through your life right now? How could you allow it to shine even more?

Pressing Undo

“If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offences.”  Ecclesiastes 10:4

God’s love can never be taken away from you, ever – Romans 8:37-39

Not Forgotten

The women said to Naomi, “Praise be to the Lord who this day has not left you without a Kinsman-Redeemer.” Ruth 4:14

[Message No: 7398]

Prayer of Trust

Lord, I trust in You. I believe in You. I hope in You. You are my confidence, my assurance. I lean upon You, for You are my Rock; I depend upon You, for You are my Provider; I delight in You, for You are the joy of my life. My heart rests in You; my faith responds to You, my soul rejoices in You.
I trust You in life – for the wisdom of Your ways, for the blessings of Your favor, for the sufficiency of Your grace, for the power of Your Spirit, and for the endurance that comes from Your strength.
I trust You for all things.
I trust You with all things.
I trust You in all things.
I trust You through all things.
I trust You above all things.
AMEN

Forgiveness

Romans 8:39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God  that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love and Provision

1 John 3:18
Dear children,  let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

God’s Word for God’s People

Zechariah 9:16
The Lord their God will save them in that day,
 As the flock of His people.
 For they shall be like the jewels of a crown,
 Lifted like a banner over His land—

Thought 

. He walks with me and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own… - In the Garden

[Message No: 7397]

Lift the name of our Lord High

Nehemiah 9:5

Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

God loves to hear our praises and songs of adoration. He longs to hear us call him Abba Father and King of the Ages. But better than all the praise we can muster and higher than the highest sounds of angels is something higher still: the very name of God. Let's make a commitment to revere and hold as holy the name of our glorious God!

Questions in Job 

38:21
Do you know it, because you were born then,
 Or because the number of your days is great?

38:22
“Have you entered the treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

Present body God

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Reckon self-dead to sin

Romans 6:11
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Provide things honestly

Romans 12:17
or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;

Provide not children to wrath

Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

[Message No: 7396]

Daughter

Genesis 6:2
the sons of God  saw that the daughters  of humans were beautiful,  and they married  any of them they chose.

Genesis 24:23
Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?  Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night? ”

2 Samuel 12:3
but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

Psalm 45:9-10
Daughters of kings  are among your honored women;
 at your right hand  is the royal bride  in gold of Ophir.
    Listen, daughter,  and pay careful attention:
 Forget your people  and your father’s house.

Hitting Rock Bottom

Jonah 2:7
“When my life was ebbing away,
 I remembered  you, Lord,
 and my prayer  rose to you,
 to your holy temple.

Attack of Satan

Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God,  so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

The Rock Pile

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;  he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

[Message No: 7395]

Our Link with Heaven

. We belong there –
Hebrew 12:22-23
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,  and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

. We are enthroned there –
Ephesians 2:6
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Prayer Is

. Without Anxiety
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

. With Thanksgiving
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

. By remaining  in Him
John 15:7
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you

The Bias of Degeneration

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

[Message No: 7394]

Waiting Period

Have you ever been in a hurry when God wasn't? It's so irritating! You're ready, but God isn't. God wants to work on you before he works on the project.

. Noah waited 120 years from the time he started building the ark until it began to rain.
. Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation and didn't have a child until he was ninety-nine.

. God told Moses he would be the leader to lead his people out of four hundred years of slavery, but then made him wait in the desert forty years.

. Joseph spent years in prison before God raised him up and he became the ruler God wanted him to be.
. God had David anointed as king, but then David waited for years until he actually got to be king.
God will not fulfil your dream immediately

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)

Questions in Job 

38:22-23
“Have you entered the treasury of snow,
 Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
  Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
 For the day of battle and war?

38:24
By what way is light diffused,
 Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

A New Name

Isaiah 62:2
The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
 And all kings your glory.
 You shall be called by a new name,
 Which the mouth of the Lord will name.

[Message No: 7393]

Effect of teaching to the smaller Groups

Mark 9:30-31

Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."

We often seek to attract large crowds to our churches, crusades, and rallies. Jesus also ministered to large crowds. But his strongest teaching on discipleship occurs away from the crowds, when he is alone with his disciples. What the crowds are able to accept is not enough to call mature disciples to that next level in their walk with the Savior.

So Jesus withdrew for intensive teaching with a small group of committed disciples so he could mature them and make them ready for future challenges.

Ordain no one in a hurry

1 Timothy 5:22
Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.

Owe nothing but love

Romans 13:8
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Thoughts 

. The divergence from the straight road is often so very small that he who has abandoned it may easily for a time persuade himself that he is still pursuing it.
- John Brown

. Other sins find their vent in the accomplishment of evil deeds, whereas pride lies in wait for good deeds, to destroy them. - Augustine of Hippo

. O God, take me, break me, make me. - Unknown

Overcome evil with good

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Pass time in fear

1 Peter 1:17
And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

[Message No: 7392]

Teach Me to Love Again

I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] - Hebrews 13:5b

If you are currently at a crossroads in your relationship, what choice will you make? Will you retreat to the frightful cave you built for yourself or will you be courageous and trust that through it all, God is with you? Regardless to how anyone else makes us feel, the pain they caused in our lives, we have a Savior that promises not to leave us nor forsake us.

He will never abandon us, physically or emotionally. God’s love can bring about the freedom needed to love again. God’s love can heal our wounded souls and teach us how to open our hearts again even amid bouts of fear.

Improving Our Prayers

Ephesians 3:14-16

A Focus on God. The foundation of Paul’s prayer life was the Trinity. The apostle understood that God the Father adopts all believers worldwide into His family for eternity; that there are glorious riches found in God the Son; and that God the Holy Spirit has limitless power. The requests Paul made for the Ephesians were based on almighty God’s matchless abilities, resources, and power.
Although we can confidently approach the Lord’s throne of grace, we must always remember that we are but humble servants, and He is our exalted God.

Obedience

Romans 6:16
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Grace 

Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God

How Great is our God

Colossians 2:9-10
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Spirituality

2 Peter 3:18
 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

[Message No: 7391]