Press On

In 2015 I decided to lose some weight.  At that time I was at the my largest of 237 pounds.  I can remember thinking to myself, it is impossible to lose weight.  I am going to miss out on Ryan's, Chick Fil-a and of course my all time favorite Chinese food. 

I decided though that I had to make a change in my life.  I could keep looking back at all those fun foods or I could look at being at a healthy weight where I could breath and walk better.  

Sometimes in living for God, our biggest hurdle is getting our minds off our past and pressing on to what God has for us in the future.  Look what Paul said in Philippians 3.

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 

13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Paul never said becoming perfect was easy.  The word press makes me think of someone who has to push through the obstacles that come.  It is as if Paul was saying, no matter what comes my way I am going to push through it and press forward.

Too often we start out to follow Jesus and before we know it we are brought to a screeching halt, kind of like the children of Israel coming out of Egypt.  The momentum was there, but they got stopped by a Red Sea.  What did God tell Moses?  Stretch for your rod.  

When we press on those obstacles split and we walk through them.  

There is a prize waiting for us on the other side of the obstacles of life.  It is an upward calling of God.  It is out of this world.  Perfection is not easy down here on this earth, but it is the only option in Heaven.

Thank you Lord for your strength.  Thank you Lord for bringing me through the things of my past. Help me to get my eyes off the past and my mind and eyes on the prize of Heaven.  

Don't forget who gave the victories

A few days ago, I talked about remembering what God has done in our past and remembering whose we are.  We are His children and the sheep of His pasture. 

It is always great when God gives us victories in our lives over battles that we must face.  There are some people who focus so much on their battles that they don't even realize that Jesus is our champion and that He is fighting for us.

However, when He has fought for us and won the victory and we have settled down and are able to rest, Moses in Deuteronomy 6 reminds us not to forget who won the battle for us.

10 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build,
11 and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied,
12 then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

When we have the promises that God has given us, it is easy to forget how we got to those promises. We look around at the lushness of the promise and it is bigger and greater than we ever imagined.

When this happens we can become complacent in our thinking and forget to give God thanks for all the blessings that we have.  We are a blessed people.

We can become satisfied with the blessings and forget who brought us to those blessings. 

Are you greatly blessed today?   Do you know where your blessings came from?  Don't ever forget.

Thank you Lord for all your blessings today.  You have been so good to me.  Help me not to forget that my blessings only come from you. 

Look to Jesus

I have been reading a book by Max Lucado called Glory Days: Living your promised Land Life Now.  In his book he made a statement that smacked me in the face.  He said (2015) "Worship-less people have no power greater than themselves to call on.  The worship-less heart faces Jericho alone."

In the god-less world we live in today, no wonder people are going crazy and doing things that are completely irrational.  They have no one to call on for help.  How sad for them that all they can depend on is themselves.

For we who love God and worship Him, it is great because we can trust Him to take care of us.  He not only knows our beginnings, but He knows our end as well.  He is the author of our lives.

Hebrews 12 explains what we are to do when facing circumstances that we can't handle on our own.

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The previous chapter was the heroes of faith.  This chapter begins by telling us that all we have to do is what those heroes did, look to Jesus.  Jesus has all power.

So, if you are facing something that seems impossible today or you don't know the next step to take, look to Jesus.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness.  Thank you that when I am facing something that seems so overwhelming that you are right there and will help me through it.  Help me today to keep my eyes on you.

References

Lucado, M. (2015). Glory days: Living your promised land life now. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Remember

It seems as I get older my memory is fading.  I have a hard time remembering people's names or remembering events that happened in my younger years.

There are certain events that seem to stick out to me though and I am glad because they were good times.  I remember our family taking a trip to northern Minnesota and stopping at lake Itasca where the Mississippi river begins and the girls walking across the great Mississippi river.

I also remember being Baptized in Jesus name at the age of seven.  I remember receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost at the age of 10.  These are memories that are sketched in my mind.

Joshua, by the direction of God, told twelve Israelite's to go down into the Jordan river where the priests were standing to get 12 stones.

Joshua 4

1 Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,
3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’”
4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;
5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
6 “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

These stones were to be a memorial to what God had done for the children of Israel.  How that He brought then into the promised land.

When we are about to face the battles that will give us land that is promised to us, we need to remember two things.

1.  We need to remember what God has done for us in our past.

2.  We need to remember whose we are.

God has been good to us, because we are His children.

Thank you Lord for loving us.  Thank you Lord for giving us victories in our lives.  Help me never to forget that I am your child and because I am your child, you have your hand on me and are protecting me.  I trust you Lord.

Are you an Observer or Participator

I can't imagine going to some game and sitting there not getting involved in the rooting for my team.  I can't imagine going to a Montreal Canadiens game and not rooting for them.  I have never gone to a game where I saw people asleep or just sitting there not doing something.  

We sometimes go to church and we sit there acting bored and we forget our favorite player, Jesus, is in the house.  See God is everywhere present. No matter where we go or what we do God is there.  

Herod in Luke 23 had been wanting to see Jesus for some time just so that Jesus would do some trick for him.

6 When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 

7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem at that time. 

8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. 

9 And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing. 

10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. 

11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. 

12 Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other. 

God will not do things for us if we are just looking for Him to do some parlor trick for us.  But, if we get involved with Jesus and fall in love with Him and believe in His greatness, knowing that He is able to do anything that we need and not just what we want, then He will step on the scene and come to our rescue. 

Thank you Lord for being who you are.  You are the great I am.  You can do anything.  I don't want to just see you do great things, I want to be involved in what you want to do.  Help me today to be sensitive to your Spirit to know what you want to do.  

What's in your heart?

A lot of the time you can tell what is in a person's heart by what the words that they speak.  I have known people who had such hatred by how they spoke to and about others. 

It is not what we ingest into our bodies that cause us to sin. It is not what a person takes into their body or mind, but what comes out of our mouths and our actions.  Those things we take in can cause us to act or say things that defile us, but those things we take in are not the sin, it is how we allow it to change us and act. 

Jesus taught this in Matthew 15.

17 “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
20 “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

We have to be careful what we take in to our minds because it can get into our hearts which cause us to act or say things that we shouldn't do or say. 

This is the problem with pornography.  Pornography gets things into the heart that causes a person to do things that go against what God says is right.  It causes people to only care about themselves.  It causes a person to be selfish in their desire for sex. 

This is the problem with violent video games.  They can cause people to lose the ability to know the difference between fiction and reality. 

When you let how others treat you affect your heart then it can cause your words or actions to others to defile you.

Thank you Lord for your love and compassion.  Help me not to allow things into my heart that will defile me.  Help me to keep things from coming into my heart that will cause my words and actions to defile me.  I want to be holy before you.

If He said it I believe it

There are times in life when God says to do something and things come up and we get fearful of what God wants us to do and if we can do it.

The disciples understood this in Luke 8:

22 Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.
23 But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.
25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?

1.  Jesus told them that they all should go to the other side of the lake.  They had the ability because they launched out in a boat. 

2.  Jesus fell asleep.   Sometimes in what God tells us to do it seems as though He is asleep and not concerned about us.  We feel alone.

3.  A storm breaks out.  As we are heading in the direction God wants us to go, we face storms that seem to overtake us.

4.  When we get to a desperate time, Jesus will step onto the scene and calm our situation.

The next time God tells you to do something, remember if He told you to do it just do it, He will be with you the entire way.

Thank you Lord for being there every time I needed you. Thank you for when you told me to do something that you were always there.  Help me to keep my faith in you despite my situation.

Don't waste

Have you ever bought something and then found out that it was not what you were expecting?  Have you ever done something and then when you were done you thought, "what a waste of time".

A couple of years ago I did some research on a tablet to see what people were saying about it. There were a lot of good reviews.  So, I bought one.  After about three months it got real slow and the batter drained quickly.  Since that time I have thought how I wasted the money on that tablet.

What Mary did in Mark 14 wasn't a waste.  However, there were some who were there who claimed it was a waste. Look at this:

3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.
4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?
5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
7 “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
8 “She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
9 “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

The perspective of Mary was that no matter how much the perfume was worth, Jesus was worth ten times that.  She was willing to give up all that she had for Jesus.  Jesus explains that this was all she could do.

One gospel says that the aroma from the perfume filled the room. What you can do for Jesus can cause the world around you to smell like Jesus.

The perspective of others was that they could sell that perfume and help the poor, although that is not what they had in mind.  They were not thinking of the poor at all, they were thinking of the money.

How much is Jesus worth to you?  Is He worth your time?  Is He worth your valued possessions?  Is He worth your money?

Thank you Lord for all you have done for me.  Never let me think that things and my time are more important than you are.  Help me always t value you more than anything else in this world.

Do something

Too often we are given opportunities but we become fearful about the uncertainty.

I am not a huge risk taker which is why I do not gamble.  I am afraid of losing.  I like a sure thing.

Jesus taught that we must do something in Matthew 25.

The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate.  I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,  why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
Matthew 25:20‭-‬27 NLT

The master only wanted the servants to try something.  He did not expect all of them to double what He had given them, He just expected them to try something.

When we are faithful with the little God has given us, then He gives us more.  If we are not faithful with a dollar we can't expect God to trust us with 10 dollars.

Lord, thank you for what you have trusted me with.  Help me to use it for your glory and honor.

Don't ask unless your willing to step out

Have you ever asked for something and then realized that what you asked for was not exactly what you were expecting or it didn't seem to work out the way you wanted it to?  I hate the saying, "The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence."

As irritating as that statement is, sometimes it is so true.  We think that a newer car would be nice only to find out it is a lemon.  How about that new home only to find out it has a leaky roof.

Peter is with the other disciples in a boat that is being tossed by a storm that just so happens to come up and all of a sudden here comes this thing walking to them on the water/storm.

Matthew 14

24 and the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea,
26 and the disciples having seen him walking upon the sea, were troubled saying -- ‘It is an apparition,’ and from the fear they cried out;
27 and immediately Jesus spake to them, saying, ‘Be of good courage, I am he​, be not afraid.’
28 And Peter answering him said, ‘Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;’
29 and he said, ‘Come;’ and having gone down from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters to come unto Jesus,
30 but seeing the wind vehement, he was afraid, and having begun to sink, he cried out, saying, ‘Sir, save me.’
31 And immediately Jesus, having stretched forth the hand, laid hold of him, and saith to him, ‘Little faith! for what didst thou waver?’

A few thoughts here:

1.  Jesus will always reveal Himself to you when He is stepping into your storm.

2.  Peter puts out a fleece before the Lord, if it is you.  To all those who don't believe in fleecing the Lord, Jesus didn't have a problem with it.

3.  Jesus tells Peter to come on.  

4.  Peter, because of the storm and waves, forgot that Jesus had said come.

When we step out and begin to do what Jesus has told us to do, no matter how big the waves and wind is, Jesus told us to do it so no matter what it will be successful.  

Thank you Lord that you are able to control all the things that come against us.  You are bigger than the winds and waves that surround us.  Help me today to do what you tell me to do understanding that at the end you are standing there waiting for me.  

Strive for the Goal

The one thing the enemy of our souls want to do is cause us to be defeated.  We all have things that we struggle with.  Some people it addictions.  Others it is worry and fear.  No matter what it is, satan comes along with temptations and when we give in he has us right where he wants us.  His next step is to cause us to feel condemned and defeated. 

So, what can we do when he begins to tempt us?  The answer is keep you eye on the goal.  Keep thinking about what is beyond the temptation if you overcome.  John said we overcome by the word of our testimony. That one time when you overcame, it made it easier to overcome the next time.  

Paul understood this.

Philippians 3:12-14 says:

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, 

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Paul understood that he had not made it yet.  But the answer was a couple of things

1. Forgetting you past.  Too many times we keep going back to that same old thing that has kept us bound because we don't want to let it go.  We keep it on our minds instead of forgetting it.

2.  Reach for those things that are before.  Once you have forgotten those things in your past that have held you back, get your mind on what is before and the goal that Jesus Christ has for us.  

When you get you mind on the goal ahead, you realize that God has so much more for you than what that thing is that satan likes to bring up and put in your face.  The benefits are out of this world.

Thank you Lord for a hope of eternity.  Thank you for peace and joy that is in your presence.  Help me today to forget about my past failures and those things that trip me up.  Help me to remember your blessings that are ahead.  

God's getting fed up

VLOG


I remember as a boy when I would start to get on my parents nerves, and yes I did that a lot, they would say things like I am fed up with you and what you are doing. In other words, they did not like my actions.  I had a choice I could straighten up and walk right, or I could continue with how I was acting and be willing to accept the consequences.

God, I believe, gets fed up with us sometimes in how we act.  He has things that He hates or dislikes and when we continue to do those things He gets fed up with us.

The world we live in is Godless and everyone does what is right in their own eyes.  Homosexuality is rampant.  Murder and theft is always in the news.  Sexual immorality is common.

God hates these things and He will give grace and mercy to us for a while, but at some point God is going to get so fed up that He will judge this world, just like in the days of Noah.

Genesis 6

1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

God will always have a people.  Will you be one of them?

Thank you Lord for your blessings on my life.  Thank you for all that you have done. I know this world is evil and does not acknowledge you.  Help me today to find grace in your eyes.  Help me not to be like this world.

It is Winter

In the winter is when there is sowing, there is no reaping.  Winter is a time of rest and refreshing.  The problem with winter is that it is cold and dreary.

While in winter seasons in our lives, sometimes we become depressed because we feel like God is not there and we do not see Him working.  It is during this time that we have to learn to partake of the harvest that we sowed in spring, tended to in summer and reaped in fall.

We must learn to live off some blessings from the past.  Sometime we have to look at all the great things God has done and remember He will never let us down.  There are blessings in the winter times.

Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

God has created all the seasons and there are blessings in each one.

Thank you Lord for the season of rest.  Help me to learn to be content in this season and not forget all the great things you have done for me.  Help me to remind myself of the harvest in the fall season.

Fall Season

In the fall of the year is the time for harvest.  It is the time when I was a kid we got to get out of school for a few weeks to hit the fields to help get the potatoes in for the season.  It was the time when we would get up early in the morning and go out to the fields.

The digger would go out and dig the field and we would scoop up the potatoes and put them in barrels and then the barrels would be taken off to the warehouse to have the potatoes packaged and sent to market.

Once again the ground is dug up and the harvest is brought in.

We need to be cultivated again sometimes so that we can get to what has grown in us.  We have to step outside of our comfort zone to get what has matured in us.

Gal 6:99 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Too often we are comfortable with last years blessings and we decide it is not worth reaping more for this year.  We decide to just stay home and not go out to the fields and we miss out on blessings that God has for us.

Thank you Lord for your blessings today. Help me not miss the blessings everyday.  Help me to go into the fields everyday and try to reach someone for you.  Help me to be willing to give so as to receive.

Summer Season

Everyone loves summer, especially school kids  For some it is time to go on vacation and relax from the troubles of work and school.

For the farmer, it is a time of business.  There two things that must transpire during the summer in order that there will be a crop in the fall.

1.  Weeding.  Summer is a time to make sure that what was sown is not be out crowded by weeds that have no use.

Weeding is not a fun process.  There have to be things that must be taken out of the ground.  But keep in mind that there is a crop that will come out.

2.  Watering.  Summer time does not always have a lot of rain.  In order for the crop to grow, it needs water and sun.

It is during this time that Jesus steps in and provides the needed sustenance for growth.  God cares enough about you that He wants to see you grow, so once the weeds are removed, He will water you with what you need to grow.

16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

God, has created your summer time and if He created it, He will give you what you need during that season.

Thank you Lord for a season of growth.  Thank you for taking what I do not need out of my life and giving me what I do need to grow.  Help me today to live in the summer season so that I can become what you want me to be.  

Spring Season

There are times in our lives when we wonder why am I going through this right now?  Throughout scripture you will find statements and principles concerning seasons.  For the next few blogs, I want to talk about seasons.

I got these thoughts this morning while listening to a young man who was truly used of God to speak to us.  His name is Corey Williamson who is an anointed young man.

I want to start by talking about Spring season.  In the spring time the ground begins to thaw, life begins to awake and sowing begins to happen.

I grew up in a part of Canada where potatoes were the agriculture of that area.  In the spring of the year the fields would be filled with machines that would dig up the land.

The digging is not easy.  It is a tearing that takes place so that seeds can be planted.

Too often we do not like the process of digging.  It is painful, but that is when the seeds are sown.  Out of this cultivating brings a harvest.

So, the next time you feel like you are being torn apart by things that seem so hard to deal with, remember that a seed is being planted and hang on, your harvest season is coming.

Thank you Lord for the tough times that we have to face sometimes because we know that in the tough times, you are planting a seed in us.  Help me today to remember this.  Help me to know that sometimes the fallow grounds of my heart must be cultivated so that you can plant a seed.

Hypocrites in the church?

I was sitting here thinking about a friend of mine that I had growing up.  He told me one time that his uncle was a hypocrite and that is why he didn't want to serve God.  Looking back, if I knew then what I know now, I would tell him that no one is perfect and that if you are serving God based on everyone else, then you are not truly serving God.  You are serving yourself. 

The Bible says in Ephesians 4

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

If I could go back to my friend 30 some years ago, I would ask him a couple of questions:

1.  What exactly are did your uncle do that would cause you to think he is a hypocrite?

I never asked this because I just thought my friend was close enough to his uncle to know things I wouldn't know. However, I have watched his uncle over the years and see nothing that would even come close to being hypocritical. In fact he was a man I looked up to and honor to this day.

2.  How are your actions becoming of a Christian? 

I have lost touch with my friend over the years, but the last I heard he was not living for God and yet would talk about Godly things as though he were a scholar on how to be a Christian.   I am not judging him, but he does need to realize that how you judge others is how others will judge you.

3.  Will God in the end feel sorry for you because you were looking at someone else in order to live like Jesus? 

God is not going to judge you based on someone else's walk with God.  He is going to only judge you based on your walk with God. 

I have determined in my life that I will not let someone else keep me out of heaven.  I want to live for God because He has been good to me, not because how someone else has treated me.  Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 18:

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

So, the next time someone says or does something to you that you just don't like or feel it is Christ like, remember, give it to Jesus because He will take care of them.  He will reward you for not giving up on Him by causing that person to feel His wrath.

Thank you Lord for helping me to see that serving you is the best life there is.  Thank you for getting my eyes off others and set on you.  Help me not to offend anyone today. Help me not to be offended by anyone today.  Help me to keep my eyes on you and not others.  You are my savior. 

Hanging on to grudges, and grudges hanging you

I have read the book of Esther numerous times, but I have never seen this before.  I always thought Haman was just this arrogant guy who thought that everyone should think he was wonderful.

After listening this morning to Insight for Living podcast, I learned something new about this story of Haman.

AFTER THESE things, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and did reverence to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or do him reverence. Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, Why do you transgress the king's command? Now when they spoke to him day after day and he paid no attention to them, they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's conduct would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or do him reverence, he was very angry. But he scorned laying hands only on Mordecai. So since they had told him Mordecai's nationality, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
Esther 3:1‭-‬6 AMPC

A couple of things stood out to me.

1. In the midst of his surroundings, Mordecai did not give up on his convictions.

We live in a really wicked world where we are constantly bombarded by things that go against the Word of God.   We cannot bow to this world.

2.  Haman becamee furious only after learning that Mordecai was a Jew.

Now let's go back to Haman for a moment here.  Why did Haman dislike the Jews so much?  Well we can find the answer from centuries earlier.

Then Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
1 Samuel 15:32‭-‬33 AMPC

Haman was a decendent of this evil King.  The fact that the Jews had put this king to death and that story was passed down from generation to generation.  Here stands Haman and he sees all these Jews and it enrages him that one in particular won't bow down to him, he decides to wipe them all out.

The end of the story is that Haman is hanged on his own gallows that he prepared for Mordecai.

A couple of things,

1.  If you have a grudge against one of God's children, you are destined for destruction.  God always takes care of His children.

2.  If you hold a grudge against someone it will affect the next generations.

Thank you Lord for showing me that it is not wise to hold grudges but to give them to you.  Help me today to let all of my hurts and pains that others have caused me to be given to you.  Your word says, "Vengence is mine saith the Lord, I will repay." I stand upon your promises today.

Loving Others

1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)
[4] Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [5] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; [6] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; [7] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
[8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Remember what I said yesterday, love is not an emotion but is a decision.  There are people that when you are around them you do not feel like loving them, at that point the decision to love them must step in.  

Just addresses our love for others by saying that the next law is like onto the first love and that is loving God.  Just as much as we love God, we must love others.

Matthew 22:34 (KJV)
[34] But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. [35] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, [36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law? [37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Jesus said we must learn to love others.  Jesus tells us that the world will know us by how much we love each other.

When we Love God and we understand we are the child of God we understand that our neighbor is a child of God also.

The elder brother in Like 15 didn’t understand who he was so he became jealous that his brother was being treated as a son.

Luke 15:25 (KJV)
[25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. [27] And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. [28] And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. [29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: [30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. [31] And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. [32] It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The elder brother became angry at the way his younger brother was being treated.
V. 29-31 we miss out on many blessings because we don’t rejoice or understand that our neighbors are the child of God.

Romans 12:15 (KJV)
[15] Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Thank you Lord for your love for us.  Lord, I love you.  Help me to love others.  Help me to be like you in loving Others.  

Loving Self

We are talking about love and how we should love God, others and ourselves.  We are so afraid of dealing with loving ourselves because we are afraid of being proud.  We try to avoid pride.

There is a difference between pride and having self worth.  God does not expect us to be self deprecating.

Matthew 22:34 (KJV)
[34] But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. [35] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, [36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law? [37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jesus tells the Pharisees that in order to love others, we have to first love ourselves.  

I have known people who I could tell had such a low self-esteem by how they treated other people.  If they had a good self-esteem they treated others kindly and respectfully.  If they had a bad self-esteem they treated others rudely and unkind.

Jesus says that the comand is to love ourselves.  It is not a suggestion, it was a command.

Jesus was not saying we should have pride. Jesus was saying we need to understand who we are.  We are the child of God. As a child of God we need to treat ourselves like we are an heir to a kingdom.

A good example of this is found in Luke 15

Look at Luke 15:11-24

Luke 15:11 (KJV)
[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons: [12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. [13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. [14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. [15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. [16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. [17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! [18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, [19] And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. [20] And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. [21] And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. [22] But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: [23] And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: [24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

In order to truly love yourself you have to realize who you are in God.  V. 17
God doesn’t see you just as a servant.  He sees you as His child, no matter where you have been or what you have done.

The prodigal son treated himself like he was nothing more than a worker on a pig farm.  Then decided to be just a servant.

The father refused to treat him like a servant and treated him like his son.

The elder son treated himself like he was just a worker on the father’s farm.  The father explained what being a son really is.  “All that I have is thine”.

We miss out on certain blessings because we don’t understand what it is to be the child of God.

Thank you Lord for being my heavenly father.  You have been so good to me.  I don't always feel like I deserve your blessings, but you want to bless me.  Help me today to see myself as your child and know that you love me.  You are so kind.

Loving God

 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)
[4] Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [5] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; [6] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; [7] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
[8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Love is not an emotion it is a decision.  Many in our world today do not understand this concept of love.

Jesus is tempted by the Pharisees and Saduccees:
Matthew 22:34 (KJV)
[34] But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. [35] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, [36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law? [37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

What is the greatest Commandment?

Jesus answers this question by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-5

1. Love the Lord thy God.

When you realize who God is “Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord”, it is easy to love Him.  The more you know God the more you love Him.

The greatest commandment in Jesus opinion is to Love the Lord with everything that is in us.

a. Our heart
b.  Affections
c.  Our soul
d. Will
e. Our mind and thoughts

What Jesus was saying is that you can’t love God half-heartedly.  It has to be everything.  Your very being.

The problem is that we just want to love God part way.  We need to understand who God is and how we should love Him.  He is our heavenly father.

The problem with many in the church is that we just want to love God on Sundays, but the rest of the week we don't even want to think about Jesus.

You cannot love someone without talking to them.  By talking to someone you get to know that person.  We have to get back to a relationship with Jesus every day of the week.

I made a statement on Sunday that I had never thought about before and that is, how can we expect to spend time with Jesus for eternity but not spend time with Him down here on Earth.

Thank you Lord for your love.  I want you to know that I love you.  I don't want to just love you part of the way.  I want to serve you with everything I am.  You deserve my love and I appreciate you so much.

You have an inheritance

I think everyone wishes they had a rich uncle somewhwere who has no children of his own to leave all his riches to and so leaves it to us instead.  So far that has not been my fate.

However, I do have a God in heaven who has already given me my inheritance.  It is a joint inheritance, not left over inheritance.

The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Romans 8:16‭-‬17 AMPC

The Greek phrase "joint inheritance" comes from sugklernomos which broken down is sug - together; kleronomos - inheritance.  So, we share the same inheritance that Jesus has.

This inheritance includes love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith, temperance.  This gave Him the ability to overcome the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Since He we able to overcome, we too are able to overcome.  We have the same power as He had here on Earth.  He walked in the Spirit, so we too can walk in the Spirit. We can.  God never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The problem is that we do not realize that we can have the same Spirit of God that Jesus had here on Earth.

This was the same issue in Joshua's day.  According to Max Lucado in his book Glory Days (2015) we sometimes get stuck in wilderness mentality, instead of inheritance mentality:

Wilderness mentality says, "I am weak, and I will always be wyou eak."

Canaan people say, "I am weak, but I a getting stronger."

Wilderness people say, "I am a victim of my environment."

Promised Land people say, "I'm a victory in spite of my surroundings."

Wilderness people say, "These are difficult days. I'll never get through them."

God's people say, "These days are glory days.  God will me through."

So, are you willing to claim your inheritance today?

Thank you Lord for you blessings on my life.  Thank you Lord for your promises that you have given to me.  Help me today to stand on your promises come what may.  The promise that you said you would never leave me nor forsake me.  You have never in the past, so I do not believe you will going forward.

References:

Lucado, M. (2015). Glory days: Living your promised land life now. Nashville, TN:    
      Thomas Nelson.

God still loves you

One of Satan's biggest weapons is that of guilt. When we do something that goes against God's commands and laws, satan begins the conversation of see you messed up and now God will never love you again. 

When this happens, remember satan is a liar. 

And so all Israel will be saved. As it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. [Isa. 59:20, 21.] And this will be My covenant (My agreement) with them when I shall take away their sins. [Isa. 27:9; Jer. 31:33.] From the point of view of the Gospel (good news), they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God's choice (of election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers. For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]
Romans 11:26‭-‬29 AMPC

The Jews had rejected Jesus and crucified Him.  Besides this, they refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the grave and that He was their Messiah. 

They became His enemy.  So, Jesus turned to us gentiles and said since they don't want me, I will turn my face to you and give you the blessings I intend for the the Jews.

There were promises made to Abraham and his descendents. 

God's gifts and callings are without repentance.  He still loves us even when we act like His enemy.  He has made promises to us that no matter how far we stray, He is waiting right there for us.  He loves us. 

So, the next time the enemy tries to guilt you into giving up on God, turn to him and tell him that he is a liar and that God will never give up on you, He is your father.

Thank you Lord for your love and compassion for me.  Thank you for never giving up on me.  I love you Lord.  Help me today to keep my eyes on your promises. 

Knowing God

There is a desire in man to know his maker.  In the world we live in, man tries to explain away creation by taking God out of the equation.  This is so that man does not have to be accountable to God. 

I want to know God because I know that without Him I am nothing and His ways are much better than my ways.  Whenever I try to do something without Him, I fail miserably. 

Jeremiah tried to tell this to the king of Judah.

But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him. He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord .
Jeremiah 22:15‭-‬16 NLT

1.  Be just and right in your dealings.


When we deal with others or when we do business we need to be honest and trustworthy.  We need to be people of integrity.

2.  Help the poor and needy.

We should not look down our noses at people who are less fortunate than we are.  Rather we should help them the best we can.  This does not always mean giving them money, but sometimes it means giving them a meal or just listening to their needs and praying with them.

The other day Bonnie came home from work and told me of a couple of kids who had shoes that were way too small for them.  Her heart was broken as their parents refused to be in their lives.  We decided to go and buy them new shoes.  We can't do this for every child, but when we see a need and God impresses us to do it, we do.

Thank you Lord for your blessings on my life.  You have been so good to me.  I want to know you more.  Help me today to get so close to you that I become distinctly aware of you all the time.  I want to follow your ways. 

Killing a miracle

When I was in Bible school a well known evangelist who is known to be used greatly of God was home and was doing a revival in his home church.  I could not walk like everyone else and there was another student who had Chrones disease.  He said to me that he did not believe God can do the miraculous anymore.  I told him I believed God can do anything.

I went one night to this revival asking God to prove Himself.  I felt God touch my feet.  The next morning I woke up and was walking down the hall and I felt something say to look down at my feet.  When I did I noticed that my feet were straightened more than they had ever been.  

Unfortunately, that friend went that night and was prayed for, but he still has Chrones disease to this day.  

There were people who came to see Jesus after raising Lazarus from the dead.  Out of jealousy the Pharisees wanted to put both Jesus and Lazarus to death.  

Now a great crowd of the Jews heard that He was at Bethany, and they came there, not only because of Jesus but that they also might see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also, Because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [were withdrawing from and leaving the Judeans] and believing in and adhering to Jesus.

John 12:9‭-‬11 AMPC

God is not unfaithful and will show Himself powerful.  He can do anything, but there is always someone who will try to throw water on the little fire.  

God is powerful and mighty.  No matter what your situation, God is able to do abundantly above all that we can even think of.  We do have to ask Him for what we need.  If someone tries to tell you that God can't do anything, tell them it is too late that God has already proved Himself. 

Diabetes, cancer, multiple Scelerosis, liver damage is small in the eyes of God.  He is greater than anything that comes against us. 

Jesus is our only hope.  

Thank you Lord for how great you are.  You can do anything.  I believe in you.  I have seen you do amazing things.  There is nothing too hard or big for you.  You are the Creator of anything that may come against us so you are able to reverse it.  Help me to grow in faith in you to day.  Help me never to forget how great you are.  

Wrestling with God

Have you ever had to face your past and the things you did or how you reacted to things in your past?  I know I have.  I had to face some things and change the way I was.

I was thinking this morning of a situation in which I really hurt some key people in my life because I didn't know how to keep my mouth shut.  I not only hurt the person who was talked about, but I hurt the people who told me how they felt about that person in confidence by telling that other person.  I had to learn that it did not help me or the other people involved.

I thought I was doing the right thing, but turned out it wasn't such a good thing to do.

Jacob understood about what it took to make a change in his life.

And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak.

You cannot wrestle with someone at a distance.  It is a close encounter sport.  When we begin to draw near to God, the wrestling match begins.

Sometimes we have to to get alone and away from all the blessings God has given to us to fight and wrestle with God.  Sometimes God's blessings can be a distraction especially when we are facing our past.

  And when[the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him.

It wasn't that God couldn't prevail, it was that God was dealing with Jacob's strengths showing him no matter what strengths Jacob had it was still weak when God touches it.

When God touches us it helps us to realize that God can change our lives and helps us to be more dependent on Him. 

 Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me. 

When wrestling with God, insist on a blessing from Him, but be ready for the Revelation of who you are.

[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! 

God will help you to realize who you are and it will shock and amaze you.  Perhaps even embarrass you.

And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. [Hos. 12:3-4.] 

God changes your identity when you finally give in to His power and strength.

Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? 

Jacob really didn't need to ask for the angels name, he already knew that it wasn't just an angel, he was fighting with God.

And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there. 
Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away. 

The blessing God gives you will cause you to rename the place where you met God.  This is so you never forget that place where God met you and changed you.

And as he passed Penuel [Peniel], the sun rose upon him, and he was limping because of his thigh.
Genesis 32:24‭-‬31 AMPC

When you come into contact with God, you will always walk away differently.  This is why the priests in the temple always walked in one door and out a different door.

So, the next time you are facing your past, just get away alone with God and be prepared for change and a blessing.

Thank you Lord for making me a new person after dealing with my past.  If there is something else in my past I need to deal with, help me to get alone with you and let's have a wrestling match.  Help me to walk away from our wrestling match different than I was when we began. 

Return on Investment

I am not some great financial guru who knows what to invest your money in.  I am not the person to come to if you want to know what stock to put your money into that will give you some great return on your investment.  I have a 401K that I don't even manage myself because I would know what to put my money into.

A few years ago I worked for a bank in the corporate trust department.  We dealt with one stock.  The people who had invested in this stock were having a return of 80,000 dollars every three months.  Boy, did I want to invest in that.

Paul uses this same analogy to explain the benefits of living for Jesus.

Rom 6:20 — Rom 6:23
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
But then what benefit (return) did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? [None] for the end of those things is death.
But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life.
For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul makes mention that there is not much benefit in serving sin and our fleshly lusts.  He makes the point that the only benefit we receive from serving sin is shame and guilt and death.

The benefit of serving Christ is peace, joy and love and eternal life.  Yes, we still have to deal with the temptation to going back to our flesh, but the benefits of serving Jesus is out of this world. 

Just like investments in this world, you do not get the return on your investments right away.  You have to wait for them to grow and then after a few months or many years, you can turn in your stock or bond for the financial gain.

Every time we turn from sin and turn to God we are banking on Jesus and one day He is going to turn in his investment and take us home to be with Him for eternity.  He already paid the price for us.

Thank you Lord that our return on investment with you gives us even life.  You bought our investment for us on Calvary and I just want to say thank you.  Help me to day to not try to turn in my investment for a cheaper investment of sin that has no return.  Help me to keep my eye on the maturity date of my investment.  Heaven is my final reward. 

Have you been inacculated yet?

Every year in the United States they recommend getting a flu shot.  However, they are never fully sure if the innaculation is going to be what you will need to avoid getting the flu.  So, many people get the flu shot and still get the flu because the wrong strain was given.

The flu is kind of like sin.  When we sin, it does not only affect us, but those around us as well.  Take for instance someone who drinks way too much and then drives.  They drive impaired which can cause them to run into another vehicle or over a pedestrian.

Sin has spread down through the ages as Paul mentions in Romans 5:12.

Rom 5:12 — Rom 5:18
Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.
[To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men’s account where there is no law [to transgress].
Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse,the former destructive, the Latter saving].
But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man’s falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.
Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man’s] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness).
For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Well then, as one man’s trespass [one man’s false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man’s act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.

But there is hope.  Verse 18 says by the way sin entered into the world by one man's disobedience, another man stepped into the world and gave it an innaculation.  

Much like the innaculations for the flu, it includes a little part of the flu virus so that the body can build a resistance to the flu.  Jesus had to have a part of the sinful nature so that when He died it would give us the ability to overcome sin in our lives.  However, it is up to us to take on the spiritual nature that Jesus has.  

Thank you Lord for coming to this earth and putting on this sinful nature to show us how we are to live in a spiritual way while having this sinful nature.  Thank for your death, burial and ressurection that I too might know how to die to my flesh and rise again in your Spirit.  Help me today to live as you lived here on Earth.  

It is not your battle, but it is your blessing

Num 13:23 — Num 13:33

And they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two [of them]; they brought also some pomegranates and figs.

That place was called the Valley of Eshcol [cluster] because of the cluster which the Israelites cut down there.

And they returned from scouting out the land after forty days.

They came to Moses and Aaron and to all the Israelite congregation in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh, and brought them word, and showed them the land’s fruit.

They told Moses, We came to the land to which you sent us; surely it flows with milk and honey. This is its fruit.

But the people who dwell there are strong, and the cities arefortified and very large; moreover, there we saw the sons of Anak [of great stature and courage].

Amalek dwells in the land of the South (the Negeb); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanite dwells by the sea and along by the side of the Jordan [River].

Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it.

But his fellow scouts said, We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are stronger than we are.

So they brought the Israelites an evil report of the land which they had scouted out, saying, The land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.

There we saw the Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

The children of Israel were wondering around in a desert place with a promise from God of a land flowing with milk and honey.  Moses sends out 12 men to spy out the land.

Ten of the men come back with a report about the land and how it does indeed flow with milk and honey.  They even brought back some grapes that had to be carried by two of the men.  This land was prosperous and had so much to desire.

But ten of these men got their eyes off the blessings of the land that the Lord had promised them and got their eyes on two things

1.  The people of the land were huge and strong.

We get our focus on the people around us sometimes and we get our eyes off the blessings that God has in store for us.  We focus so much on what it would take to not have to deal with the ridicule and the looking down on us.  

By looking at the people around us, we cower into our little shells and we decide not to come out or just stay where we are.  We become frozen in our situation and miss out on all the blessings.

These men saw the blessings of the promised Land, but determined that they could not get the blessings because of others.

2.  They looked at themselves and determined that there was nothing they could do.

These ten men considered themselves grasshoppers in their own eyes.  They had such a low self-esteem that they could not even see past the end of their noses.  They would rather hide than step out because they had no self worth or faith in a God who can do anything.

We miss out on a lot of blessings because we only see our own abilities, or what we see are inabilities.  We end up with our heads in the sand hoping that no one will ask us to do anything because we just don't have the ability.

Sounds familiar doesn't it?  Sounds like Moses.  If God had let Moses live based on what he saw as his inabilities, God would have either had to find someone else to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt or no one would have lead them out.

Two of the spies didn't look at their own abilities or how big the current residence of the promised Land were.  They looked at God and determined that He was bigger than all of them put together.  

What a humbling way to look.  Those guys are big, I am small and don't have much ability, but  God is huge.  

Too often we miss out on blessings because we can't fight a battle that isn't even ours to fight.  Don't miss your blessings.  God has promises for you if you will let him take care of the obstacles.

Thank you Lord for being so great and mighty.  Thank you for the blessings you have for me no matter what I can or can't do.  I depend completely on you for everything.  I know you desire to bless me, but when the blessings mean I have to go against something, Lord, fight my battles for me.  

I was great therefore I hated life

Here in Nashville, there are areas that are filled with mansions.  I have driven by them many times and thought to myself that they must have it all together and their life must be great.  But when you sit down and talk to someone who lives in one of these mansions or if you hear about them on the news you find out that their life is not as great as you would expect.

No matter what this world can give you, it is not enough.  It is always missing something.

Solomon understood this.

Ecc 2:9 — Ecc 2:18
So I became great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me and stood by me.
And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion and reward for all my toil.
Then I looked on all that my hands had done and the labor I had spent in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it, and there was no profit under the sun.
So I turned to consider [human] wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing but what has been done already.
Then I saw that even [human] wisdom [that brings sorrow] is better than [the pleasures of] folly as far as light is better than darkness.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and yet I perceived that [in the end] one event happens to them both.
Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me. And of what use is it then for me to be more wise? Then I said in my heart, This also is vanity (emptiness, vainglory, and futility)!
For of the wise man, the same as of the fool, there is no permanent remembrance, since in the days to come all will be long forgotten. And how does the wise man die? Even as the fool!
So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.
And I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will succeed me.

He had gathered finances and homes.  He obtained great wisdom.  He tried every pleasure that he could think up.  In the end, he makes the statement that he hated life.  He said this because no matter how hard you try to get ahead in this life it is just vanity and strife. 

Solomon ends this chapter like this:

Ecc 2:24 — Ecc 2:26
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is from the hand of God.
For who can eat or who can have enjoyment any more than I can—apart from Him?
For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and heaping up, that he may give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

God has given us food and drink and the ability to work.  So, the next time we think we have it so bad, just remember, as long as we have food on the table and a job, we are blessed.  Everything else is just an added blessing from God.

Thank you Lord for your blessings on me today.  I want to thank you for giving me what I need today.  Thank you Lord for my job.  Help me today to be the best employee they have ever had.  

Stunned by your situation

Have you ever been in a situation where you just don't know what to do?  Has fear ever overwhelmed you to the point of just being frozen?  It seems that no matter what you do it just goes nowhere. 

The president, B.J. Church, of one of the Bible schools I attended used to say, "When you don't know what to do, don't do anything".  This was good advice in making decisions.  However, we should not let fear stop us in our tracks.  We must realize that God is in control. 

Hab 3:17 — Hab 3:19
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! For the Chief Musician; with my stringed instruments.

No matter what you are facing God is in control and there is something you can always do and that is worship God.  

You may be struggling financially, pay your tithes as worship to God.  

You may have illness that has overtaken you, worship God.  

Your family may have turned against you, worship God.  

Realize that perfect love casts out all fear and there is no more perfect love than what our heavenly father pours out on us.  

Don't let the things around us stop us from worshipping God.  This is what the enemy of our souls would love to do to us.  He wants us to get our focus on our situations and get our minds off of how great God has been to us or destroy our faith in His ability to bring us through our situation.  

So, the next time you are facing a difficult situation, don't just stand there, but begin to walk towards Jesus.  Worship like He has already given the victory. 

Lord, thank you for your blessings and your power.  Help me today to begin to walk towards you and see you salvation.  You are all powerful and all mighty.  There is nothing too big that I am facing that you cannot handle.  I will trust you with everything.  

Scars don't hurt

When I was a teen, some friends and I decided to go camping. 

We had heard something while we were lying around the fire.  So we got up and got our guns thinking it may be a bear or a coyote.  Needless to say it was nothing. 

We laid back down and apparently when we did I got a little too close to the fire.  One of my friends said a little while later something said to him to look over to where I was sleeping.  When he did he screamed out my name.  My blanket had caught on fire. 

Being the young naive kid that I was, I tried to put out the fire by slapping the blanket with my hand.  It was a synthetic blanket.  When I did, it rolled up and melted to the top of my hand.

We had no vehicle so we started out making the long trek into town to the hospital. 

I said all that to say this, I still have the scars from the burns on my hand, but those scars do not hurt, they just bring back memories of my past.

I would have thought when Jesus died that cruel death of having nails put into His hands and feet and a sword put into His sword.  When He arose from the dead that His new body wouldn't have the scars anymore.  The scars were still there.

He took our sins upon Himself.  Our sins leave scars that don't seem to ever leave us.  They are there as a reminder of what God saved us from. 

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
John 20:27 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.20.27.KJV

Lord, thank you for salvation.  Thank you for dying on a cruel rugged tree, being buried and rising again on the third day for me.  Let my scars of sin be a reminder of what you have done for me.  I love you Jesus.

Getting rid of what trips you up

Don't you hate it when you bite your lip and everytime you take a bite you bite that same spot over and over again. 

There are some things in our lives that we just keep coming back to without wanting to.  They weigh us down and we just can't seem to be victorious over them. 

The writer of Hebrews explains it this way.

Heb 12:1 — Heb 12:2

Hebrews 12
​ THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In the previous chapter the writer provides a list of people in the past who had struggles and dealt with sin in their lives.  They overcame to be known as the heros of faith. 

They overcame:

1. Weights

Weights are things that aren't sin but draw us away from God.  These would be things like entertainment, sports, or money.

These are not sin, they just weigh us down with concerns. 

2. Sin

These are things that God says He does not like or that we shouldn't do.  Things such as sexually immorality, muder or stealing.

So, the next time you are struggling with something or have fallen into sin, remember you are not alone.  Some of the greatest people of faith also had these issues.

These men and women were able to overcome by looking to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. 

The next time you are struggling set your eyes toward Jesus.  He knows what you are going through and the struggle you are facing.  He can help you through what you are facing. 

Lord, help me today to put my sight toward you when I am facing something that seems to bring me down.    Only you can lift me up and set me on a firm foundation that is you.  You are my victory.

Not afraid to face the giant PT 2

Yesterday we talked about trying to help people around us realize that there is a giant that needs to be dealt with and that we are able to deal with the giant with the help of God.

Today, let's talk about actually facing the giant.  There are just a couple of points to be made here.

1Sa 17:41 — 1Sa 17:50
The Philistine came on and drew near to David, the man who bore the shield going before him.
And when the Philistine looked around and saw David, he scorned and despised him, for he was but an adolescent, with a healthy reddish color and a fair face.
And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you should come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.
Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.
This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head. And I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.
When the Philistine came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone and slung it, and it struck the Philistine, sinking into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck down the Philistine and slew him. But no sword was in David’s hand.

1.  Some Giants will use others to protect them.

Some Giants we face are from people who treat us unkindly.  The enemy will try to use those people to get us angry or upset us.  We need to just let them be,  realizing what their position is and that is of just a sheild barer.

2.  The enemy will try to make you feel like you are nothing.  

Just remember you are a child of God and no matter what the enemy thinks of you, God thinks of you as His child and He loves you. Don't let your self esteem be determined by others.  Let it be determined by God. 

3.  Understand the weapons of the enemy.

Eph 6:12 — Eph 6:16
For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with thefirm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readinessproduced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
Lift up over all the [covering] shield ofsaving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

4.  Be confident that God will give the victory.

2 Corinthians 10:4

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

5.  Declare the victory to the giant.

6.  Run to the giant with your weapons ready.

Don't go looking for Giants, but if you are facing one run to it knowing that God is there to take care of this giant and use what God has given you to fight with.

Prayer

Fasting

Bible study

Worship

Are you facing a giant today that you can't seem to see around?  Don't cower somewhere and feel like you are all alone.  God is there with you and will take care of the giant if you will give it to Him.  God is bigger than any giant you may face today.

Thank you Lord for the victory over the things that we may face.  Thank you that you have already promised the victory before we even see the giant.  Help me today Lord to face the giant head on with your help and strength.  You are so great.  

Not afraid to face the giant

Over the years I have noticed that there are some people that God just seems to use so greatly and I have often wondered why.  We all have things in our lives that we battle, but these people just seem to have it all together.

If you were to sit down and ask them they would tell you that their battle is great and they had to figure out how to overcome those Giants that came against them.

The difference is that instead of cowering away from their giant, they faced it head on.  We see this principles in I Samuel

1Sa 16:4 — 1Sa 16:13

And Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Have you come peaceably?

And he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.

When they had come, he looked on Eliab [the eldest son] and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. Samuel said, Nor has the Lord chosen him.

Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.

Then [he] said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? [Jesse] said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.

Jesse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said [to Samuel], Arise, anoint him; this is he.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

Why is it that God chose David over all his brothers?  We find the answer in one of the best known stories in the Bible.

1Sa 17:8 — 1Sa 17:14
Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.
And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah named Jesse, who had eight sons. [Jesse] in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.
[His] three eldest sons had followed Saul into battle. Their names were Eliab the firstborn; next, Abinadab; and third, Shammah.
David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

As you can see the three older brothers were cowering as Goliath told them and Saul that their God couldn't do anything for them.  

Instead of being afraid of the giant you are facing telling you God can't help you, do what David did, face the giant "head" on.

1Sa 17:26 — 1Sa 17:37
And David said to the men standing by him, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?
And the [men] told him, Thus shall it be done for the man who kills him.
Now Eliab his eldest brother heard what he said to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David and he said, Why did you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and evilness of heart; for you came down that you might see the battle.
And David said, What have I done now? Was it not a harmless question?
And David turned away from Eliab to another and he asked the same question, and again the men gave him the same answer.
When David’s words were heard, they were repeated to Saul, and he sent for him.
David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of this Philistine; your servant will go out and fight with him.
And Saul said to David, You are not able to go to fight against this Philistine. You are only an adolescent, and he has been a warrior from his youth.
And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father’s sheep. And when there came a lion or again a bear and took a lamb out of the flock,
I went out after it and smote it and delivered the lamb out of its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and smote it and killed it.
Your servant killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God!
David said, The Lord Who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you!

1.  Don't  let other's fears discourage you.

2.  You have to declare the victory before you fight.

3.  You have to gain strength from previous victories.

1Sa 17:38 — 1Sa 17:40
Then Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.
And David girded his sword over his armor. Then he tried to go, but could not, for he was not used to it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them. And David took them off.
Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in his shepherd’s [lunch] bag [a whole kid’s skin slung from his shoulder], in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near the Philistine.

4.  Don't use other people's methods to try to fight your own giant.

5.  Do only what you know to do and go in Jesus name.

Thank you Lord for your power and strength over Giants that we must face.  We know that you are greater than whatever the enemy brings against us.  Help me today to face the giant head on and overcome it by your power and might.