Pray with expectancy

  Note - For the next several days I will be off the grid with no Internet or phone service. I will resume my morning writings on Monday.
  Greetings:
  The Apostle Paul shows us many examples of a man who was strong in The Lord and filled with his Holy Spirit.
  Paul was a man who knew how to pray and shared that passion for prayer with others
  In Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV), Paul prays for the brothers and sisters in Ephesus.
  “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
  Paul is on his knees.
  He is interceding for the brothers and sisters in Ephesus.
  He is asking God to do something more than just fix their problems.
  He is asking God for a greater blessing than financial prosperity or health or mental and emotional stability or a happy life.
  Paul prays that God might “strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” He prays that “you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
  Another example of bold prayer by Paul is found in Philippians 1:9-11(NIV).
  “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”
  We need to pray expecting an answer.
  Be blessed.

Surrender all through worship

  Greetings:
  Worship is surrender.
  We need grace to endure tough times; yet finding the strength to actually worship during those seasons is another matter. Many times I’ve been reminded that God is more interested in our character than in our comfort.
  That is where surrender comes in. We have to surrender to self and turn out attention to God and simply worship him.
  Once we find the strength to worship, how do we then sustain this posture in the middle of adversity?
  I believe it often starts by reaching out to others who are also going through adversity. We can always find someone else who’s going through tougher stuff than we are.
  Remember that Nehemiah helped the poor as he restored the walls and fought against discouragement caused by his enemies. We can do the same. Somehow, each of our lives needs to touch others in some positive way. This increases our gratitude, and a spirit of gratitude sustains us through the tough times.
  Every time we connect with God in prayer, we are praising Him because we are acknowledging our need to set our burdens on His strong shoulders. 
  Isaiah 25:4 (NIV) says, "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat”.
  God is there as a stronghold to keep us standing against the crashing waves and raging winds.  A man on his knees in prayer can stand before any tragedy.
  When we read Psalms, we can find so many verses about God’s children singing praise even in the midst of hard times.
  David writes in Psalm 142:5 (NIV), “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
  The song "Oceans" by Hillsong speaks to me loudly about surrendering and trusting God in our daily walk.
  Part of the song goes like this: "So I will call upon Your name,
  And keep my eyes above the waves
  When oceans rise
  My soul will rest in Your embrace
  For I am Yours and You are mine."
  That is powerful.
  Let us remember that when the Apostle Paul wrote that we should rejoice always, and in everything give thanks.
  He wasn’t kidding.
  Be blessed.

Faith is the real thing

  Greetings:
  Do you want to please God? If so, you must have faith.
  Hebrews 11:6 says, "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.
  Hebrews 11:1(NIV) defines faith by saying, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."aith is revealed in action, not words.
  Christianity is not real difficult. We are.
  We try to make a new path, a better way than what has already been established. There are you times that we just have to stand and wait in faith.
  Faith lets us smile in the face of the devil and say, "God's got this one."
  Through our faith, we are able to patiently wait for God to move in our lives as he unveils His plans to us.
  Faith gives us the ability to hold our heads high in the midst of our personal life storms because we are confident there is going to soon be sunshine and peace.
  Faith allows us to wake each morning and say, "God, what can we do for you today."
  Our faith allows us to smile in a hurting world that needs God.
  Faith is walking into a dark storm and knowing with confidence that sunlight will soon be shining on you.
  Sometimes our lack of faith turns into doubt and r robs us of a blessing.
  Our sincere, unwavering faith in God always soothes the storms of life..
  Faith is the solid foundation that we stand upon at all times. It is the here and now of our belief.
  Faith is opening God's Word, reading it and believing it to be true.
  Stand firm on your faith
  Be blessed.

Proverbs provides the needed wisdom

  Greetings:
  The Book of Proverbs is full of a long litany of sins that get us all into trouble – dishonesty, impatience, selfishness, a hot temper, and even running our mouth's too much.
  Proverbs repeatedly tells us that wisdom will keep us out of trouble. We should probably pay attention to that advice.
  Anytime we ignore God’s principles, we eventually suffer the consequences. God has given us the freedom to make our choices, but we are not free to choose the consequences of those choices.
  Remember how David prayed, “I am surrounded by many troubles... My sins have caught up with me.”
  People often blame God for the natural consequences of their poor judgments and choices or they blame the devil for circumstances that were actually planned by God.
  God never tempts us to sin, but he tests our character and faith continually.
  The storms in our life can be a trial, a temptation, a trespass, or a troubling consequence. We must remember that God’s purpose is greater than our problems, our physical pain, our relational strains, our hurts and even our sins.
Becoming like Jesus means serving, sacrificing, and suffering just as He did. The Bible repeatedly tells us that suffering is often the will of God for our lives. In fact, we sometimes suffer more because we are Christians.
  God tells us to consider this a privilege in 2 Timothy 3:12 (The Living Bible). It reads, “Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate him.”
  Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is likely to be in for a lot of trouble. There’s no getting around it. I don't know why for some, it is greater than for others, but it is.
  God wants to perfect  us, not pamper us. He always values the spiritual over the material, because that is what will last forever.
  God told Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.(Jeremiah 29:11, The Living Bible).
  If you are facing trouble right now, don’t ask, “Why me, Lord?”
  Instead ask, “What do You want me to learn?”
  Be blessed.

More than Bible knowledge is needed

  Greetings:
  Mere exposure to The Bible and to biblical teaching are not sufficient to produce spiritual growth in and by themselves.
  There are many 'Bible smart' folks in all of our churches, who don't necessarily possess the kind of spiritual growth that God desires of us. They can quote scripture after scripture to perfection, but living what they are quoting is a whole different ball game.
  Unless the Word of God is "mixed with faith" in our hearts, the mere acquisition of knowledge will not teach us. To grow, we need more. We need faith.
  True spiritual growth requires not only that we receive the teachings of the Word of God, but also that we believe them down in our hearts and souls.
  Look at Hebrews 4:2 (NIV), “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.”
  We all need to make God's Word a key part of what is deposited in the storehouse of our souls.  We must breathe His precious truth into our hearts completely. 
  Unless we believe the teachings of The Bible, we will not be able to lean on them in times of need, trouble, temptation, as well as in good times. Without a faith foundation, we will have built our spiritual house "on sand".
  Only by believing does a principle of biblical truth become our own.
  Only by believing them do the essential elements of God's knowledge become, in any true sense, understandable to us and usable by us.
  Only by believing God's message do the building blocks begin to form a secure foundation in our hearts capable of withstanding the daily onslaught of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
  Be blessed.
 

Keep running the race

  Greetings:
  Perseverance allows us to consistently pursue a goal or unwaveringly live out our beliefs, regardless of obstacles or difficulties.
  In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the apostle Paul compares the pursuit of the Christian life to a foot race.
  I love his analogy that shows the importance of persevering in the race of faith in order to attain our spiritual reward.
  I really like the way the passage reads in the New Living Translation: “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
  It's important to pace your effort.
  Christians sometimes try to accomplish too much too quickly, relying on their own strength rather than on God's power.
  Waiting on the Lord's timing sets an appropriate pace so we don't burn out.
  In the middle of long races, like a marathon, runners sometimes "hit the wall," a point where they feel physically and emotionally spent.
  From their perspective, the finish line is far away and quitting is a strong temptation.
  When Christians continue running, choosing obedience over emotions, they will eventually experience a "second wind," a renewal of God's strength that will sustain them to the finish line.
  This past week I have experienced the rewards of my own perseverance. On Wednesday, I met my Birth Mother face to face for the first time in more than 65 years. My journey to find her started three decades ago. There were days, weeks, months and years of frustrations, delays and what looked to be dead-ends. But the wait for God's timing was worth the reward.
Getting to hug her, see her smile and tell me she loved me was something I cannot describe and will never forget. I am grateful for and in awe of God's goodness in answering my prayers.
  Be blessed.

When we are weak, God remains strong

  Greetings:
  As Christians we can have peace and comfort knowing that God's grace furnishes to us what is lacking in our lives because of personal weakness.
  Knowing Christ fills our inadequacy is a great source of encouragement to me. We know that Christ is equal to any task we face. Knowing that God is not asking us to do anything that He is not willing to accomplish through us is our greatest source of encouragement.
  I think that this was the comfort that the Apostle Paul received in times of trouble. Paul gives us a new look of our own weaknesses. The ability to accomplish God’s tasks does not rely on our adequacy, but on God's sufficiency.
  Look at 1 Corinthians 12:1-10 (NIV). It tells the story of Paul's vision and his thorn. He concludes by saying, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
  Our world boasts of its strengths and diminishes its weakness. Paul boasted of his weaknesses and diminished his strengths. God gave Paul a balanced life by putting him in touch with his own weaknesses. God allowed the messenger of Satan to torment Paul by giving him a thorn in the flesh.
  God wants to reveal his power over the circumstances. God gives us our circumstances to make us dependent upon the One who is the master of every circumstance.
  Knowing our own strength is good. Recognizing our own weakness is even better.
  Paul had to look beyond himself for the strength to endure. We are totally dependent upon the sustaining power of God. Most resumes dwell on the applicant's strengths, but Paul dwelt on his weaknesses.
  We can do the same thing.
  Be blessed.

We don't have to wait for Kingdom blessings

  Greetings:
  This morning let us re-examined a Bible passage that most of us are familiar with.
  Jesus taught his disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:9-10 (NIV). It reads, “This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
  What does that mean when it says...”on earth as it is in heaven”? It means our kingdom - our blessings - are here for us today. We don't have to wait until we get to heaven.
  We can get a glimpse of God's will for humanity here on earth today by looking at what Jesus went about doing during his earthly ministry. Jesus only went about doing what He saw The Father doing.
  In Matthew 5:19 (NIV) we read: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
  What did Jesus go about doing in His earthly ministry? The Bible tells us that Jesus went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.
  Now Jesus could have just came down and died for our sins. Simple end of the story. But no, he also came to demonstrate what he really wanted to happen here on earth by healing, delivering, and carrying out the work of the Kingdom.
  It is the will of God for the sick to be healed, the lame to walk, and the demons cast out! Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and the fruit of satan's labor – sickness, disease, bondage, and all oppression.
  God wants us blessed in the here and now.
  Luke 17:21 (NIV) says, “Nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
  Read the words of Jesus in The Bible if we want to know the will of God for each if us today on the earth. God created mankind to be blessed, and His plan hasn't changed one bit today.
  Get plugged in to God's plan and see what happens.
  Be blessed.

Strive for unity

  Greetings:
  It is God's purpose for all believer's to attain a unity of faith.
  With many Christians there has been a tendency to confuse faith with doctrine.  Faith is not doctrine. Faith is obedience to the Lord. It is through faith that we are saved, and not by correct 'schooled' teaching.
  The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NIV) “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the Word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
  This is the gospel"  principle on which we stand, and how we are saved - by which one becomes 'a believer', or, 'a Christian'.
  It is through believing the Scripture, and in the love of God, shown and commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, and exercised in our love for each other as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, that Christians have "unity of the Spirit" .
  It is through this that we can "attain the unity of faith."
  Although differences of beliefs, doctrine, interpretation, and opinion may be held and expressed among believers, they should be expressed in love.
  What is the basis of Christian faith?
  Is it the church building, tradition, or doctrine?
  It is none of these.
  We believe in the one to whom the Bible bears witness. We believe in the one whom tradition hands down. We believe in the one whom The Church proclaims.
  It is Jesus Christ himself, who constitutes the spiritual power and unity of the kingdom, which is The Church. If we believe that, then we are true brothers and sisters in the family of God.
Be blessed.

Listen before acting

Greetings:
  Our God is so faithful, always present, good and there when we need Him.
  The trouble is we don't hear his voice because we have not devoted the necessary time in prayer to be able to hear him and recognize his voice when he does speak to us
  Then, when we don't hear him, we get frustrated, anxious and take things upon ourselves. We run too quickly, unproductive, confused, engulfed in just being busy and always pushing - ahead of God.
  We are commanded in Psalm 46:10 to "Be still and know I am God."
  This means we must spend that 'still' time listening to The Holy Spirit and getting our guidance and our spiritual marching orders.
  Our spirit can thrive in solitude, silence and the stillness of our prayer time, if we use it properly.
  Importantly, if we pray and hear no definitive direction, then we do nothing until we do hear that small still voice of the Holy Spirit. Nothing good can happen when we get out in front of God's timing and  His plan.
  Be blessed.

Choose your words wisely

Greetings:
The words we speak and write have a tremendous impact.
  It is important to remember that whatever words we utter or write should be chosen with care because people will hear them and read them and be influenced by them for good or evil.
The basic tool for the manipulation of truth is the manipulation of words. If one can control the meaning of words, one can control the people who see or hear those words.
Likewise, the basic tool for the preservation of the truth is the preservation of God's words. If one understands the original meaning of God's words, we can more easily recognize those who try to manipulate and control others through deception and the altering of the original definitions of words.
How many times have you said, “Oh, I wish I hadn't said that.”
Our words once spoken or written can not be retrieved or re-written.
Proverbs 12:18, tells us “...the tongue of the wise is health." As in the health of the body, a doctor can often assess our state of health by looking at our tongues.
The same is true in the spiritual realm.
James tells us in James 1:26 that the way a man uses his tongue is a test of his spiritual strength.
He also says that if a man can control his tongue he is a perfect man (James 3:2).
Therefore, we should be very careful about the words that we choose to speak or write.
Our words also reflect who we are.
Proverbs 12:18 says, “There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Can you think of some simple words that have big meanings?
How about..."thank you",  "I appreciate you", "you are amazing", "I forgive you", "good job", "bless you", "I'm sorry" and  "I love you"?
Let us learn from The Word of God what kind of words we need to be saying and writing to uplift those around us.
Be blessed.

Let us never forget

Greetings:
The memories of this day 17 years ago linger fresh in our minds. We can all remember  where we were that morning.
It still hurts.
The date Sept. 11, 2001 will forever stand out as a day to remember and reflect on our nation and its future.
On that day, 19 cowardly, heinous terrorists flew commercial planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and into a field in Pennsylvania.
The September 11 attacks resulted in 2,996 immediate deaths: 2,977 victims and the 19  hijackers, also perished.
These attacks on our nation produced horrific carnage, stunned the world and caused many to turn for consolation in spiritual faith and God's Holy Word.
This just wasn't an attack on the United States.  More than 90 countries lost citizens in the attacks on the World Trade Center alone.
In different degrees we all experienced a kind of emotional meltdown that day and for some time afterward.
The pain and grief of 9/11 has moderated some, but the memories remain.
We have had other attacks and threats by the cowardly Islamic terrorist ISIS. These are real  threats that we all need to take seriously. We need to be praying for God's protection and guidance on how to eradicate this human cancer.
We must not let something like 9/11 make us run from God's truth, when what we need is to run toward it all the more.
One part of that unwavering truth is that evil is real. We all saw the manifestation of evil that historic day.
Let us take comfort on this day from the words that Paul etched in Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God."
On this day let us remember the many innocent lives lost and the lessons learned that day. This nation was rocked on 9-11, but let it be remembered that the U.S.A. still stands strong. We are a blessed nation where freedom reigns and in God's holy name is where our trust remains.
Be blessed.

Always trust God

Greetings:
  The mysteries of the way God works are just that. They are a mystery to us, but a mystery worth looking into or investigating through studying his Holy Word.
  I wish I could understand why one person suffers and the next one doesn't.
  I wish I could understand why some people never seem to get sick and others are sick all the time.
  I wish I could understand why some prayers receive an immediate answers while the answers to others require much patience.
  For whatever his reasons, God has chosen to keep many things a mystery to us. I guess some things of God are simply on a 'need to know' basis.
  In Proverbs 3:5 (NIV), it says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
  I like the words of Proverbs 3:4-5 in the Living Bible, which reads: “If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself.”
  Until we know the answers, we need to keep looking, praying and asking for God's wisdom and discernment.
  We have to believe beyond our ability to understand how our problems can be solved. That is called trusting God.
  Be blessed.





 

Hope for our nations

Greetings:
If there is any hope for our nation and the other countries around the globe, it will be found in families turning back to God.
However, it does not end there.
I hear many Christians say America needs to return to God. I hear many Christians lament that America no longer gives God His rightful place in our government or in our schools. But what are we doing about it?
I am concerned for Christian families today because I see a disconnect between what we say and what we do. The evidence of what we really believe is revealed in what we do and don't do.
Do you recall those first tender moments after your new born child arrived?
Do you remember holding the small vulnerable frame for the baby against your proud chest?
Do you remember caressing the soft skin and breathing in the fresh scent of baby powder?
Fast-forward a few years. The baby powder smell is gone. And, under normal circumstances, our expectations have changed. We continue love the child without condition. But we want them to do more than just receive our love. We also want them to give theirs.
Like a helpless infant, we can do nothing to earn God’s favor. But that doesn’t mean we limit ourselves to passively basking in His tender, loving care. Like every good parent, God expects His children to grow up.
Growing up means doing something, taking responsibility and acting.
We act through prayer, by our voice and through the ballot box. It is our responsibility to know the candidates we elect to make our laws and enforce our laws at every governmental level - this includes on our local school boards and even our church boards.
Who we elect does matter and it is our job to ensure that  responsible individuals are placed in positions of leadership.
Be blessed.

Be 'all in' for God

Greetings:
In the card game 'Poker', when you declare to be 'all in', you are doing just that. You are wagering all of your available chips on the stock or worth of a particular hand.
You are betting on your hand to be better than anyone else's hand that is sitting around the table in confident hope of winning the 'pot' or the prize of the game.
In our Christian walk, are we 'all in' for God?
Is God first and foremost in our lives?
I read a quote recently and I don't know its origin, but it says, “Following Christ isn't something that can be done half-heartedly or on the side. It's not a label we can display when it's useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.”
In Matthew 6:33 there is a familiar scripture that says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”
When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the some of the most revolutionary that human ears have ever heard. “
It says “Seek first the kingdom of God.”
Do we seek the kingdom of God first?
The great concern of many is our own personal lives, not the kingdom of God.
Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.
It does make sense.
In Mark 12:30,  Jesus, when asked to identify God’s greatest commandment, quoted an ancient Hebrew text and said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
When our priorities are right, God is able to open doors that no one can shut.
Are we 'all in' for God?
Be blessed.

Washed clean

Greetings:
  God’s Word is the mirror to our soul, and as we look into it with humble hearts.
  Just as a person looks in the mirror and doesn’t present himself or herself publicly until all the blemishes are covered and everything is just as it should be, so too are we to present ourselves spiritually.
  Romans 12:1 says that we need to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices unto God. We cannot do this unless we look into the mirror of The Word so that we know where we need to change. Identifying where we need to change is no more complicated than being in God’s Word and humbly yielding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Change is as simple as confessing our sin, repenting of it, and by faith walking by The Spirit in obedience. Satan battles us and tries to tempt us and destroy our faith.
  For those who ignore what they see in the mirror, Satan already has won his victory, but as we change, there will be opposition.  Yet, Christ is able to strengthen us to stand against the wiles of the devil. Our will power alone won’t enable us to resist temptation. We need the grace of God and the faith to believe. Christ is our sufficiency, and our ability to be sustained in holiness and obedience is dependent upon our faith in Christ’s power, grace, and faithfulness.
  Look at 2 Corinthians 5:17, and it talks about transformation – the reconciliation – that takes place when we accept salvation and become born again – saved – Christians.
  It reads: 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, then new has come.”
  The passage says your old ways, old sins are gone – never to be remembered again. There are no pre-conditions for this to happen. Our sins were erased when Christ died on the cross, shedding his blood for each one of us.
  May God give us grace to believe the truth of The Scripture and the strength to walk in it.
  Be blessed.

Keep on keeping on

Greetings:
Have you heard about the guy who was asked if he thought ignorance and apathy were the two greatest problems of the human nature?
He responded, “I don’t know and I don’t care!”
Well, Paul doesn’t want to see that kind of attitude in The Church. We need to know and care when trouble comes our way.
In Romans 12:12 (Good News Bible), Paul offers exhortations about dealing with our attitude towards difficult circumstances.
It reads, “Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times."
It seems like enough of a request to patiently endure tribulation, but we're supposed to be rejoicing all through the whole thing?
This mandate doesn't apply exclusively to when we're facing tribulation, but rather in our day by day attitude, no matter the circumstances.
How can we rejoice when life brings what looks like an endless trail of misery, broken hopes and pain?
We all must possess a desire, a craving for hope in our lives.
Faith and hope are closely related. It's kind of like describing to someone how chocolate tastes. Can you really put that in words?
We are directed to be patient in tribulation. The devil, though fighting a war already lost, will stop at nothing to tear us down, whether through circumstances that tempt us to give up our moral standards or through outright, vocal opposition to our beliefs.
We can patiently endure, knowing that no tragedy of any scale can budge the Lord's plan for us. The key to any problem in our life is to be steadfast in prayer. Keep praying no matter what.
We will always be faced with circumstances we cannot handle or control, people we cannot understand, and choices we cannot make.
We need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit to get through it. Seek his presence in prayer. Ask for his direction in our lives. Ask for favor when we are surrounding by circumstances that seem to be swallowing us up. Pray for peace in the midst of the storm.
Be blessed.

Keep it simple

Greetings:
  There is so much honesty, guidance, beauty and power in the words of the Psalms.
  This morning, we are directed to Psalm 112, which shows us a picture of what Christian faith and a Christian life looks like.
  The words remain applicable to today's Church, which sometimes struggles with direction and purpose - thinking inventing something new and different will heal it's shortcomings.
  God is not a God of confusion and drama. The answers are straight-forward. Look at God's Word for the recipe to church harmony and church growth.
  Psalm 112 puts the spotlight on humans, declaring that happiness is to be found in a life honoring the Lord and living according to God’s commandments. Such lives will enjoy God’s blessings. Having themselves experienced God’s mighty acts on their behalf as well as God’s quiet, steady action of blessing, they will share with the poor what God has given them.
  Psalm 112:6-9 tells us there are rewards to trusting God, “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;  in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.”
  The psalmist is offering something to each of us which we might cling to as a life jacket of hope.
  Religion tries to complicate things with new and changing rules, guidelines, directives and doctrine.
  Remember, God is not the author of confusion, division, deceit or strife.
  Learn and believe The Word of God. Declare the Good News to the lost. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Engage in praise and worship. Never neglect the opportunity to pray for those in need.
  That should be our personal lives, if we profess to be followers of Jesus Christ.
  It is our faith in the promises of God that will lift us, comfort us, inspire us, strengthen us, mold us, protect us, heal us and guide us each and every day.
  Be blessed.

Soak up God's grace

Greetings:
We cannot understand Christianity apart from a grasp of grace. The doctrine of grace distinguishes the Christian faith from every other religion and cults around the world.
By Christian definition, grace is God’s unmerited favor. It means we receive something we did not earn or even deserve. We did nothing to get grace. It is a free gift to believers.
In Christianity we have redemption through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, as well as the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins), according to the riches of His grace.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV), we read: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Grace works within the believer in such a way as to bring spiritual growth, maturity, and progress in our process of becoming Christ-like.
In Ephesians 1:7 we read, “In Him we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.”
It’s almost a shame that a word like grace, which is used for a quick prayer before a meal, is the same word we use to describe God’s unfathomable love for us as sinners.
God's amazing grace can be dumbfounding through our carnal eyes. But if we look thought our spiritual eyes it all comes into focus and we can see it, feel it and understand it.
Be blessed.

Contentment takes time and thanksgiving

Greetings:
  The Apostle Paul didn’t learn contentment overnight. It was over a long period of time through a great deal of suffering that he learned not to overlook the basic, small provisions of God, but to be simply be thankful. It is easy to take things for granted.
  Just comparing our life to somebody who is in a worse state does not necessarily make us feel better. But if we thank God that we have the things that we realize that others might not be so fortunate to have, then our thanksgiving can change our perspective and bring us contentment. 
  We need to maintain Paul’s attitude of thankfulness for all things and in even the most dire and unfair of circumstances. 
   In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Amplified Bible) we read, “Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].”
   Let’s look closely at the verse. Some might think that this verse says to be thankful for all of our circumstances. But the verse actually says to be thankful in all circumstances. The original Hebrew word for 'in' that is used here means 'in the middle of' or 'during'.
  In other words, when the waves of strife drive our faces into the dirt, we must not give up, lose heart, or stop trusting God. That's the time to get up, dust off, be thankful and believe.
Be blessed.

Revive us Lord

Greetings:
The Church is being called to prayer and revival.
Our moral rights continue to be chipped away in our courts and legislatures. Crime and drug abuse are still plaguing our land. War and hate are rampant around the globe.
Locally, I ask you to join me and other believers at the upcoming "Cry Out America" program on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Linton City Park.
We will pause and pray for our nation, our state, our leaders, our military, our first responders, our pastors and our residents.
God make The Word come alive to each of us.
Let us long for God and yearn to be his hands, feet and voice in each of our communities.
Let us never get enough of God and fill the pews of our churches. Let us be free, joyous and unbridled by tradition when we have the opportunity to praise and worship.
Let us be transformed by the Holy Spirit to be more than just good people. Let us be among God's army who are willing to proclaim the Good News to all the earth.
Oh, God help us to fan the flames of revival within each one of us. Let our churches be alive an free from the restraints of religion and man-made rules. Instead, let us follow God's inspired Word.
We get good instruction about revival in 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (Amplified Bible), which reads:
“If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, (crave, and require of necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place.”
Revival is a time of cleansing, awakening, repentance, commitment, personal searching and joy. We should be glad and thankful that God revives us, charges us, inspires us.
In revival, Christians have their faith renewed and become more equipped to serve their communities in the works of God – saving souls, feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, and caring for those who are hurting.
Be blessed.

Love your enemies

Greetings:
Scripture directs us to lift our enemies up in prayer and show them love.
Matthew 5:44-48 (NIV) in the words of Jesus Christ reads, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy'. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
The Apostle Paul probably understood this more fully than any of the disciples or other believers. At one time, he persecuted the followers of Jesus, even casting his vote to have many put to death while he watched in approval.
A case could certainly be made that Paul considered all believers to be his enemies and vice versa. But when God got Paul’s attention on the road to Damascus, which ultimately led to his salvation through Jesus, he understood for the first time, the mercy of the Lord. He understood that the followers of Jesus were not his enemies, as God gave him tremendous insight about his real enemy – Satan.
It is also important to remember that, like Paul, each of us was at one time an enemy of God.
In Romans 5:9-11, it states, "Since we now have been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled shall we be saved through His life? Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
This is a concept that's tough to understand in our own minds, but the bottom line is summed up in the words of Jesus, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'
Be blessed.

Sometimes suffering is part of His plan

Greetings:
  People often blame God for the natural consequences of their own poor judgments and choices. Some blame the devil for circumstances that were actually planned by God.
God never tempts us to sin, but he tests our character and faith. The storms in our life can be a trial, a temptation, an action or a troubling consequence.
We must remember that God’s purpose is greater than our problems, our physical pain, our relational strains, our hurts and even our sins. We have to admit our shortcomings, repent and move forward.   
We have to give it to God. This allows us to be both realistic and optimistic, freed from our religious-bound constraints to be in a relationship with God.
One of my favorite pieces of scripture is Romans 8:28 (NIV). It reads: “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."
Becoming like Jesus means serving, sacrificing, and suffering just as He did. The Bible repeatedly tells us that suffering is often the will of God for our lives. In fact, we sometimes suffer more because we are Christians.
God tells us to consider this a privilege in 2 Timothy 3:12 (The Living Bible), “Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate him.”
God’s goodness and grace doesn’t mean we'll never be hurt, sad, or unhappy. I don't know why for some, it is greater than for others, but it is.
God allows pain because he is more interested in our character than our comfort. He wants to perfect us not pamper us. His goal for our life is holiness, not happiness. He always values the spiritual over the material, because that is what will last forever.
In Jeremiah 29:11-12 (The Living Bible), God told Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.”
Be blessed.

There is only one hope

Greetings:
Has life or is life now surrounding you with an overwelming feeling of hopelessness.
When this happens there is a feeling of being  powerless, desperate, frustrated and even angry. It appears the situation looks hopeless and there’s no way out – it’s a scary place to be.
Hang on help is already here. In God we have true hope.
What you are thinking is a lie, a deception created by evil demonic spirits meant for destruction, not life.
The biblical perception of hope is a fixed expectation based on the promises of God in His Word. It is hope that comes from outside of us. This kind of hope is not based on what we know or do. It is based on who we know - Christ.
It is the guarantee that our expectations based on God’s promises will be fulfilled.
Turning outward to God, in faith, leads to peace, calm and hope, even in the middle of a life storm in which the waves are higher than our reason can even understand.
Hebrews 6:19 says, “His hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”
Fear and faith are opposites.        
Fear represents a lack of faith; faith represents a lack of fear.
Faith leads to hope; fear leads to despair.
Hope brings peace; fear eats it away.
Through faith we can have hope, even when the storm breaks and there looks there is no way out.
God is always there to give us hope.
When everything seems hopeless, God knows all about it and will bring joy out of it if we will wait patiently for Him.
In Psalm 147:11 NLT, we read: “Rather, the Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
A true biblical understanding of hope will empower a person to have courage in the face of a seemingly hopeless situation. Without a doubt, God gives hope to the hopeless.
Be blessed.

God does not make junk

Greetings:
This morning let us be reminded that we are all sinners who have fallen short of God's desires. Let this be a time of thanksgiving for God's mercy, grace, and love for each of us.
I am sometimes overwhelmed as read in Romans 3:23-24 and realize that by His mercy and the shed blood of Jesus, we are miraculously forgiven, redeemed and made right in the sight of God through His grace. We don't deserve any of this, but God, our Father, has given us a path to eternal life.
It is a free choice we have whether to follow God or not.
We are given a chance, a generous opportunity to be a Christian. The daily walk is a continuous renewal in our minds as we strive to be Christ-like in our thoughts and actions.
Some days we do better in this than others.
One area that is important to renew continually is how we see ourselves. We need to see ourselves not through our own eyes or the eyes of the world. Then and only then will we see ourselves God truly sees us. To do that we need to dive in and study God's Word and know what the scripture says.
God's Word states that we are redeemed. I choose to believe it.
The future is bright and there will be new challenges, new adventures in the way we can serve God. Each of us are individuals and the way we are to serve God will be different.
We need to continue to pray that our minds are renewed. Our prayer should be that we no longer see things as the world sees them. We need to see new possibilities. We need to remain humble, be on guard to plots and ploys of the enemy and remain open to view things through the lens of holy scripture. 
God has a plan and a purpose for each one of us.  Find yours. Remember, God does not make junk. We were each created with a purpose. We were not a mistake or an accident.
Be blessed.

Let go and let God shine

Greetings:
Too many times we want to hang on to the 'me' in a situation and not let our trust rest with God.
  We want to put God in control, but we either won't put it all on the altar or we'll pick it up before God has moved.
  I'll admit letting go for me is no easy task.
  I like to be in control and I am learning to trust God for things that are beyond my control.
  I am constantly reminded that I serve God best when I'm stepping aside in obedience and watching God work. It's then that I realize that God really is in control.
  I remember the action of Moses' mother. She physically let her baby go when she put him in the basket and placed it in the water to save him. Because she trusted God, she was given the opportunity to do more for her son than she could of ever hoped for.
  What does it say in Psalm 50:15 in the Amplified Bible?
  It reads: “And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.”
  This morning, I ask you to join me in asking God to help us to be able to get out of the way and let go and let God work in our lives.
  Letting go is not giving up.
  Giving up is quitting.
  Letting go is allowing God to direct our paths and next moves.
  Letting go puts God in charge.
  Letting go releases the power of God's Word to remedy the situation based on scripture.
Luke 22:42 says in the prayerful words of Jesus,   “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done”.
  We need to let go of our own will. We must claim as our own that difficult prayer that Jesus prayed.
  Be blessed.

Stop trying to figure things out

Greetings:
God tells us many times in The Bible to simply trust him?
We know that trusting God many times involves waiting, praying and diligently seeking His will.
How many have we dreamed of something or a certain situation only to find yourself soon disappointed, mad at God and angry when those dreams fall apart?
I've been there too many times.
But we know, taking our frustration out on God will never provide the answer or the solution we are seeking.
In 1 Corinthians 2:5 we read: “So that your faith might not rest on man's wisdom, but on God's power.”
Stop trying to figure everything out and let God be God. Trust him. He doesn't need our help or advice on how to work things out.
In man's eyes and man's limited wisdom, something we seek or want might seem logical so we pray for it. But in God's eyes the time might not be right, the object of our prayers might not be in God's will or we me might have just missed it.
In Romans 12:12 we read, “Be joyful in hope; patient in affliction.”
Remember practice makes perfect. Our practice always starts with prayer and ends with prayer.
Be blessed.

Remain humble always

Greetings:
Being humble is key in our Christian walk. We have to continually be on guard to maintain our humility or we can be quickly fooled into thinking that we did something great and not God.
Look what Peter has to say about humility in 1 Peter 5:5. He reminds the younger men to be subject to the older men…but goes on to say that there needs to be a cross-generational humility, too. He says, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God oppressed the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:6 adds that God exalts us at the proper time if we are clothed with a teachable spirit, vulnerability, approachability and gentleness—that’s what humility means.
Churches with a future are those that are clothed with humility.
Churches with openness and communication are those that are clothed with humility.
Churches that are servant-oriented are those that are clothed with humility.
Don’t worry about being overlooked or forgotten or at the end of the line. Let humility be an identifying mark of our spirituality.
Proverbs 3:34 reminds us, “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.”
Always remember Philippians 2:2-3, which reads, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. Enough said.
Be blessed.

Mercy gives us grace

Greetings:
Mercy.
“God have mercy on us.”
We've uttered this salutation prayer before, but what is mercy?
The word mercy means compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or any person in one's power. A second definition is the disposition to be compassionate.
Read Matthew 9:9-13 and you will see understand the mercy of God as displayed through the actions of his son, Jesus.
Another example of mercy can be found in the story of the Good Samaritan. This story is told in Luke 10:30-35. A man went down a road, was overtaken by thieves and they left him half dead. Three men walked by and saw him. The priest and the Levite walked by on the other side. The Samaritan saw him and had compassion and cared for him.
In Christ's greatest sermon while standing on the mount he boldly declared in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy”.
Today’s culture needs to see a true expression of Gods mercy. So many do not know or simply cannot understand the mercy of God. Let us choose to become that visible expression of mercy to those we come in contact with so that they might accept and know the eternal mercy from God the Father through His son Jesus.
Be blessed.

Prayer can move mountains

Greetings:
Prayer can move mountains. Not literally, but in the spiritual realm, the power of prayer does move things in ways that can't be measured in human terms.
We know that prayer can accomplish things that are above our own level of intellect and understanding.
All through the Bible we read about powerful prayers of faith, persistent prayer, intercessory prayer, prayer of healing, prayer of deliverance and prayer without ceasing.
These prayers resulted in answers.
What about today, are prayers still answered?
When we pray do we expect answers, do we expect God to move and mountains moved in our lives and the lives of others?
I really didn't understand the need and the importance of prayer until I read that the forces of evil – those who follow Satan and many non-Christian based religions – are indeed praying for our demise.
They are praying every day that God's church fails and closes their doors around the world. They are praying that God's people fail and grow weak and give up. They are praying that sickness and disease overtake God's people. They are praying that acts of war against God's people and is nations continue and there is no peace. They are praying that the strongholds of evil reign and God's message of saving grace is not preached around the world.
As Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Without pray we won’t get anything done. With prayer we can accomplish God’s calling, his purpose, his work though us.
Once we realize our own weakness and the powers that are against us we understand the need and importance of prayer. If we want to do the things God has called us to do – we have to be praying.
Be blessed.

Teach us compassion

Greetings:
Far too many people have become callous rather than compassionate. Maybe we've lost sight of the compassion of Christ and the teachings He left us about compassion.
Webster defines compassion as "suffering from another, hence, sympathy; sorrow for the distress or misfortune of another with a desire to help; pity; commiserate with.”
In order to know true compassion, we need to turn to the source of it from Master Teacher. We need to cry, in effect, "Lord, teach us compassion."
Jesus taught compassion as He lived among men by his willingness to touch others, his ability to reach out and help those in need – providing them with food, clothing, and prayer.
That should be the commission for all of our churches – large and small.
The message is clear — Jesus was willing to touch the lives of all men and woman, regardless of race, social status or economic standing. Jesus Christ had time for others. He had time to touch and pray the children who were brought to Him.
Do you possess compassion? How about the church you attend? Is it a compassionate church that is ready, willing and able to reach out to its community's people who are in need?
There is a mission field in our own backyards.
God's people are expected to love their neighbors. We can minister better to our neighbors if they are fed and clothed.
God's overall view of caring with compassion for those who are suffering can be summed up in Galatians 6:10, "Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”
The Church and its people need to be the vessel through which people experience the steadfast love and compassion of God. It is the responsibility of the Church and its people to minister to those in need, to bring the healing and comforting touch of Christ to others.
Be blessed.

Our Father loves us

Greetings:
When I reflect on the love of our Father for each of us, I continue to be in awe and my spirit is uplifted.
Troubles that I may be facing at the time suddenly seem to be of little importance in light of this awesome truth.
Look at Ephesians 3:18-20 (Amplified Bible) to better understand this love that our Father God has for us.
It reads: “That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].”
Think for a moment about your highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, and dreams, our Father is able to do above all of those things.
Sometimes we struggle with a sense of need for spiritual motivation. So we are asking ourselves, "How can I do better? How can I motivate myself really to do what I know I ought to do?"
The answer is to meditate on the vast love of God the Father for each of us. It is similar to the love of an earthly father - only greater
Our Father God has picked us up, cleaned us up and presented us worthy as forgiven sinners when we didn't deserve a thing. He sent his son Jesus to walk among us to die on a cross to forgive of our sins and the sins of all generations in the future. He was the perfect and lasting sacrifice for you and me.
Is there a better gesture of love?
Be blessed.

Seek your purpose

Greetings:
What is our purpose in life and more importantly what is our purpose in the body of Christ?
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) tells us, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.”
Nothing was an accident when it comes to our lives. I believe we were created on purpose.
Long before we were ever born, God saw us, knew us, and choose us.
Though we may have some wonderful plans for our own life, it is of utmost importance that we find out what the Lord’s purpose for our life is.
The word 'purpose' is a noun and in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary it is defined as: “The reason why something is done or used; the aim or intention of something; the feeling of being determined to do or achieve something; the aim or goal of a person; what a person is trying to do, become.”
What is the purpose for our existence? What were we created to do? God was intentional in designing us, but how can we determine what his intention was?
God had all of our days written out before we were born. None of us was a mistake. We haven’t been placed on this earth by chance. Where and when we were born, the parents God gave us, our personality, and everything else about us was orchestrated by God for a specific purpose.
So, we might ask, what is my purpose?
That is something that only the Lord can reveal.
We must seek God in the quiet time of prayer and study of God's Word to learn our purpose.
We each have a role, a purpose in God's ministry. As Christians, none of us should be satisfied to simply be a spectator, content with coming to church on Sunday morning sitting in the pew and just watching.
We are the feet and hands for God's work on earth. God works through people. When we begin to walk in our own God-given purpose, there will be a tangible grace or an anointing upon our life.
Pray that God reveals the purpose he has ordained for each of us. Know it, then run with it.
Be blessed.

Our faith gives us hope

Greetings:
In studying the Word of God we see the words hope and faith used in many instances.
Are they one in the same?
What is hope and how is it different than faith?
Hope is a looking forward to the future with great expectations that things will turn out well.  It is looking forward to a vacation or a special event.  Hope is joyful anticipation.  Hope is having a positive outlook, being optimistic.
Faith is the solid foundation that we stand upon at all times.  It is the here and now of our belief.
In Hebrews 11:1 we do read that hope and faith are intermingled. It reads: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”
Paul reminds us in Romans 8:24-25 (NLT): “We were given this hope when we were saved. If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.  But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.”
In Psalm 10:17 (NLT), we read:"Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them."
And we get good advice in Psalm 94:19 (NLT), which reads: “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer."
Hope is an uplifting, spiritual feeling, a deep rooted conviction to believe.
Hope gives us strength in the bad times. Hope gives us the push and the 'keep on going' drive when our body and mind tells us to stop and give up. 
In simple terms, our faith gives us hope in the Lord. Our faith that God will keep his promise gives us hope.
Be blessed.

God has our back

Greetings:
We live in a world that appears ready to burst under the rising pressures of natural and spiritual threats.
The threats are real and all around us.
Make no mistake about it, the enemy is targeting our families, our health and our spiritual life as never before.
Look at Revelation 12:10-13 (NLT) and see why the spiritual battles are raging.
Despite the dangers, God’s people can live with an unshakable confidence in the safety of his protection.
Deuteronomy 33:12 (NLT) declares, “He surrounds them continuously and preserves them from every harm.”
Psalm 91:4 (NLT) reassures us all, “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”
There really is a safe place for each of us in God. The threats out there are real, but we should never be afraid.  When we’re positioned in Him, and connected to His provision, the canopy of God's protection rises high and strong over us.
To take advantage of the strength of God's might, a believer must also "put on the full armor of God, so that [he] will be able to stand firm" as it says in Ephesians 6:11.
Just keep the faith, walk fearless and know that God has got our back covered.
Be blessed.

You are standing on holy ground

Greetings:
There is a praise and worship song - “You are Standing on Holy Ground.” - that I just love to sing, listen to and just mediate on what it says and means.
There is one phrase in the song which is repeated again and again and goes like this. “You are standing on Holy Ground and there are angels all around.”
I did some checking on the Internet and the words 'Holy Ground' only appears in the Bible twice. 
Once in Exodus 3:5 when God appears to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.  As Moses approaches the burning bush God called out to him and said, “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”
God was saying where I am is Holy Ground. 
The only other time this phrase appears is in the book of Acts 7:33 when it is making reference to Moses and the Burning Bush.
The words to the song are beautiful and full of deep meaning to me. There are songs that individually speak to us, minister to us and comfort us. This song is one of those for me.
Listen to the linked song by Sandi Patti and realize the bottom line is, if you and I are children of God, every place we go we are standing on Holy Ground for God is in us and there are angels all around us for protection and listening for the voice of His Word.
Be blessed.

http://youtu.be/7yMNHd5BsZ0

Good works won't get you in

Greetings:
Good works alone won't get us to heaven.
We can't ever do enough good things, serve on enough good church committees, or raise enough money through good and noble works or teach enough Sunday School classes or sing in the choir to get us into heaven.
No matter how hard we try, we can not do enough good things to impress God enough for him to give us a 'free pass' through the gates of heaven.
I'm not saying good works are a bad thing.
Quite the contrary. We as Christians are looked to to do the good works, to care of the sick, to feed the hungry and help the poor. We are looked to head up efforts to raise the money so our churches will grow and save more souls, to reach out to the world and help spread the 'good news' that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and shortcomings. We are called to fervent prayer and commanded to tell a sinful world about God's mercy and forgiveness.
But those good things or good works won't open the guarded gates of heaven for us.
The one teaching that sets Christianity apart from other religions in the world is the teaching of God’s grace, his agape love for each of us.
We need to recognize that we are by nature, sinners and don’t for a minute deserve God’s love.
But we are blessed that he gives it to us anyway. 
We don’t need to do good things in order to earn eternal life with God.  We don’t need to perform certain rituals or keep certain laws in order to get into heaven. 
Jesus already did that for us with his perfect life and his atoning sacrifice for our sins.
God has been pouring out his grace upon us since the very beginning of time.
Paul tells us, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT), “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
Jesus took our sins upon himself and gave us his righteousness, so God no longer sees the sins that made us guilty of breaking his Law.
Christians call this justification, which is a legal term for being declared “not guilty.”
That's the starting point, not the end.
Continue to do the good works for which we have all be called to do, but know they are not what will get us to heaven.
Be blessed.

Cling to wisdom

Greetings:
God's Word is full of so many life-changing nuggets of guidance and advice.
They are all free for the learning and implementation in our lives. If we will just look for them, pray about them and be prepared to have our faith boasted, these spiritual gems are waiting to be discovered.
I love the message conveyed in Proverbs 4:6-7.
In the Living Bible, it reads, "Cling to wisdom - she will protect you. Love her - she will guard you. Having wisdom is the most important thing you can do. And along with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment."
Now that's good advice for all of us on this morning. Oh, how much pain, disappointment, anguish, sleepless nights and troubled days I could have avoided over my life if I would have had a revelation about this simple piece of scripture. Thank goodness I know it now.
God is true and faithful to His Word.
Be blessed.

Trust in the true captain

Greetings:
Faith is designed to be much more than just a belief system.
There is much to learn about faith, but having a quiet, trusting heart is a good place to start.
In learning to keep a quiet heart, we must first begin by learning to trust God. He is there. Our Father is with us. We will not go through any dark tunnels, any deep valleys, any hot fires, without the presence of God.
In Mark 4:35 we have a perfect teaching from Jesus to his disciples about trusting and faith.
In the Living Bible it reads: “As evening fell, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took him just as he was and started out, leaving the crowds behind (though other boats followed).  But soon a terrible storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water and about to sink.  Jesus was asleep at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they wakened him, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to drown?” Then he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet down!” And the wind fell, and there was a great calm! And he asked them, “Why were you so fearful? Don’t you even yet have confidence in me?”And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, “Who is this man, that even the winds and seas obey him?”
Jesus was able to sleep in the midst of a raging storm. It was trust in His Father that kept him calm.
What was behind the disciples' panic? It was a lack of trust or a lack of faith.
So as we go about our lives, let's remember God's in our boat. God is there in the pain, in the trial, in the disaster with us. God is not worried. God is not upset. God is not anxious.
God is the steady captain of our ship of life, steering it with wisdom and confidence.
We need to trust God with confident faith and ride out the storms that life throws at us.
Be blessed.

God is our power source

Greetings:
So many times we pray for God to strengthen us. Over and over we call out to him to make us stronger, but we still fail and fail and fail.
Does that sound like something you have prayed?
I have.
Then it hits me and my eyes are opened. I’m praying for the wrong thing. Instead of asking for God to strengthen me, I need to be praying for God to be my strength, the source of my power, my faith.
Look at 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT and you'll get a better perspective of what I mean from the words of Paul.
He writes: “Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
God's power is made perfect in our weakness.
That means instead of asking God to remove the things that plague us – our pride, our laziness, our fears, maybe we should be praying for God to be our strength in all these things.
We need to stop asking for Him to make us different than we are. Stop trying to be something we are not. Stop pleading for Him to take away all of our  “thorns”
We need to understand we are insufficient, but His grace is sufficient. We are weak and God's power is made perfect in that weakness.
We want to hide our problems, fix them and then celebrate our victories. Instead, we need to boast gladly of our weakness.
Trying to make ourselves spiritually strong only leads to fatigue, frustration, and doubt, yet Christ’s unending power rests in us.
God's power and strength never grow dim and never needs to be recharged. We do.
Sometimes the strongest among us are the ones who smile through the silent pain, cry behind closed doors, and fight battles that nobody knows about.
In Deuteronomy 31:6 we read “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord, your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
God's shines in our times of weakness.
Be blessed.

Taste and see

Greetings:
Many long to be close to God and see miracles happen. It is a personal process of spiritual growth.
We have to get an appetite for things of God.
When we hunger and thirst for God, we will seek Him, and when we seek Him, we will be filled with The Holy Spirit and empowered.
Nothing else will satisfy that hunger other than God's presence.
We need to fast for it.
We need to pray for it.
We need to read the Bible for it.
We need to study books, listen to messages and praise music for it.
We need to do what we can do to stir up the desire within ourselves to do more to get in touch with the precious nourishment provided by the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual hunger is contagious. Get around hungry people and it will spread and the church will grow to serve others and impact our respective communities.
When we get hungry for God, good things happen.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” as it says in Psalm 34:8
When we pray for a spiritual hunger, we are praying in accordance with God’s will. God wants us to be hungry for Him.
Jesus declared for us to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger into our fellowships, clothe the naked, care, pray for the sick and visit the prisoners. It is not a matter of church following a commission or compassion, but a church operating on a commission of compassion.
We should yearn to do it.
Be blessed.

Just believe

Greetings:
Sometimes just finding five minutes for God seems like a chore. Sometimes devotions do not really seem like devotion but work.
Sometimes our faith does grow weak because our time with God is not where it needs to be. During times of doubt, we can feel that it is difficult to have faith.
Where is God in our difficulty?
How can we increase our faith when we see no evidence for it?
God’s Word remains the solid rock that we need when we're surrounded in this world by sin, trouble, and doubt. God's Word provides an armor of protection and helps our faith weapons to grow in size, caliber, and fire-power.
Is God still God in the hard times just like He is in the good times?
Hard times are exactly that — hard.  But how we approach those hard periods in our lives determines whether we’ll just survive, thrive or sink altogether.
Fear is the believer's greatest enemy. When a believer has fear, he cannot have believing faith.
Fear paralyzes, frustrates and cripples us into indecision and no action. Fear involves torment as in 1 John 4:18 where it states, “Fear is the prison of the heart.”
Trusting God in hard times requires refusing to be frightened, refusing to be immobilized, refusing to panic and learning to stand firm on God's Word.
The times in my life when the biggest storms struck, it was by faith and trusting God that I emerged.
God didn't promise us smooth sailing, but he did promise to be with us at all times.
Faith is not a gimmick. Faith is not found within the will, sight and understanding of our human mind.
Have the faith of a little child and just believe.
Be blessed.

God is enough

Greetings:
Life has knocked me down on the seat of my pants and stepped on me more than a few times.
I've seen and experienced things I didn't want to ever see or feel.
I have experienced many sorrows and personal failures.
But I don't feel sad about it. I am glad and rejoice that the God I serve is more than able.
God is able to lift us up when we can't do it ourselves.
God is able to encourage us when all we see is darkness and no hope.
God is able to open doors where there are no doors.
God was able when I was running the other way and making poor choices to reach down and touch me.
God's love never abandoned me, faltered or failed.
God's mercy enabled me to get back up.
God has been there for me, even when I wasn't there for him.
I remember the lessons learned and the love felt from God.
In 1 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul says, "I believed in God, and so I speak. We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”
To get perspective, we need to step back from the problems at hand and see them in light of history, our experiences, and who God really is.
Always remember, God is able.
Be blessed.