And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: (Matthew 13:7).
No one likes weeds. No one admires the beauty of weeds. It seems weeds grow faster than flowers or garden crops. If the weeds are neglected and allowed to grow, they will choke out the plants and cause them to die. We cut them down, chop them up, pour chemicals on them to try to kill them; and nothing removes them. Weeds are resilient and stubborn. They are unsightly and quickly take over the area. It seems we pull up weeds and in just a few days, they are back again.These weeds also attract rodents, snakes, bugs and other unwanted pests. The only way to get rid of the weeds is to uproot them, and keep checking daily for new ones that are beginning to grow back.
In this passage, Jesus was teaching about how the Word of God is sown in our lives. He discusses the various types of ground that the Word can be sown on. One of those types of ground is the thorns (weeds). These weeds choke out the Word of God in our lives.
These weeds could be anything that separates us from God and keeps us from studying and obeying His Word. Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, doubt, prayerlessness, neglect of God's Word, and sins of any kind are weeds that need to be uprooted in our lives, daily. Make a daily effort to change lifestyles, attitudes and habits to keep the weeds out. Only with God's help and diligent attention will these weeds stay out.
If these weeds are permitted to stay in our lives, we will be powerless to defeat the enemy. We will have more unwanted things in our lives that come as a result of these weeds. Stress, worry, anxiety, separation from God, despair, hopelessness, depression, fear and other unwanted "pests" will take over our lives if these weeds are not removed daily.
Ask God to search your heart for any sign of weeds that are growing. Ask Him to change your heart, your attitude and your life. He will. Don't just trim the weeds back a little. Completely uproot them through prayer and the Word of God. Discipline yourself to have a weed-free life; therefore, having the power and victory that comes through God's Word!
Friday, December 18, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Restored Like New
"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3).
Think about an old car. At one time, it was in great condition. It was shiny, clean, and solid. However, years of weather, storms, miles and use had caused the car to lose it's shine and efficiency. Parts had broken, seats ripped, the body rusted and windshield cracked. Then imagine an owner who decides to restore this vehicle. Think about what all takes place. The broken, rusty, and non-functioning parts are removed and replaced with new parts. The exterior is cleaned, painted and polished and the inside is completely replaced. Every detail resembles those which the designer originally formed. We then say that this vehicle is "restored".
Think about an old piece of furniture. At one time, it had function and looked great. However, years of wear and tear have caused scratches, and the finish doesn't look like it did when it was new. Now imagine someone taking this old, unwanted piece of furniture and lovingly sanding away all the years of paint and varnish from the exterior of this piece. They replace the broken parts and refinish it to make it look like it did when it was new. It takes some time, but well worth the effort.
God saw that we were in need of a restoration. Years of storms, battles and problems have caused us to lose our shine and luster. We no longer function like we were designed to function. We are broken. We are weak and unstable. We cannot continue in that condition.
The devil would make us believe we are beyond restoration and are ready for the junk pile. People often give up on us saying there is no hope for us. If we are not careful, we soon believe those lies. God sees beyond all the layers that have been built up in us. He sees the potential that lies beneath. God lovingly strips away all the years of care, worry, pain, strife, anxiety, sin, doubt, frustration, anger, bitterness, and whatever else we were layered with. This is not a pleasant process and sometimes it takes awhile to get through all the layers. It isn't fun and it isn't easy. However, if we will allow Him to do the restoring, it will be well worth all the effort.
"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you." (Joel 2:25).
"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psalm 51:12).
He is a restorer... That's what He does. He can restore your peace of mind, health, joy, finances, purpose in life, or whatever has been buried under the layers of time and neglected. Allow Him today to begin restoring you back to the masterpiece the Master Designer originally formed in you before the cares of this life weakened and broke you. God wants to restore you today. He won't do it without your permission. Are you ready and willing to submit to His restoration?
Friday, October 23, 2015
Your Prayers Don't Have To Be Fancy
So many times I hear people say, "I don't know how to pray. It's complicated. My words don't come out right. I don't know what to say. What if I pray wrong?" These are just a few concerns people have about prayer. They are making it more difficult than it really is.
Do you have trouble talking with your dad? Do you stumble at the words when you want to tell him you love him? When you have a need, isn't it simple to go to your dad and ask him for what you need? What about your best friend? You can talk hours with your friend. You can tell your friend anything: all your deepest thoughts and desires, your secrets, your plans and dreams. You can even ask your friend for anything you need, right?
Well, God is our Father. His love for us goes deeper than our minds can comprehend. He knows all our thoughts and desires anyway. He knows what we need even before we ask. He is our best friend.
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)
"for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6:8).
So, if He already knows what we need before we ask, why should we ask?
"yet ye have not, because ye ask not." (James 4:2)
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Matthew 7:7).
Talking to God is so easy. Just talk to Him like you would your family or friends. Tell Him you need Him and you love Him and you are lost without Him. Let Him know how much you are desperate for Him. Let Him know what you need. You don't need fancy words, long speeches, you don't have to use correct grammar or "thee" and "thou".
Look at a prayer Peter prayed when he was walking on the water with Jesus in the middle of a storm:
"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:30).
He simply cried, "Lord, save me." That's it. He didn't use fancy words or long prayers. If that were necessary, he would have been to the bottom of the sea.
Look at how this sinner prayed to God when he found himself in desperate need of the Lord:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).
"God be merciful to me a sinner". That's a simply cry for help that got the Lord's attention. Just talk to Him. He's your Father. He's your Friend. He is waiting to hear from you. You don't have to worry about it coming out wrong or the words not being right. God looks at your heart. He just wants us to pray. Just talk to Him. Don't wait. Don't delay. Don't think you're not educated enough to talk to Him. Come as you are and call on Him. Just speak to Him from your heart. Today's the day.
Do you have trouble talking with your dad? Do you stumble at the words when you want to tell him you love him? When you have a need, isn't it simple to go to your dad and ask him for what you need? What about your best friend? You can talk hours with your friend. You can tell your friend anything: all your deepest thoughts and desires, your secrets, your plans and dreams. You can even ask your friend for anything you need, right?
Well, God is our Father. His love for us goes deeper than our minds can comprehend. He knows all our thoughts and desires anyway. He knows what we need even before we ask. He is our best friend.
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)
"for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6:8).
So, if He already knows what we need before we ask, why should we ask?
"yet ye have not, because ye ask not." (James 4:2)
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Matthew 7:7).
Talking to God is so easy. Just talk to Him like you would your family or friends. Tell Him you need Him and you love Him and you are lost without Him. Let Him know how much you are desperate for Him. Let Him know what you need. You don't need fancy words, long speeches, you don't have to use correct grammar or "thee" and "thou".
Look at a prayer Peter prayed when he was walking on the water with Jesus in the middle of a storm:
"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:30).
He simply cried, "Lord, save me." That's it. He didn't use fancy words or long prayers. If that were necessary, he would have been to the bottom of the sea.
Look at how this sinner prayed to God when he found himself in desperate need of the Lord:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).
"God be merciful to me a sinner". That's a simply cry for help that got the Lord's attention. Just talk to Him. He's your Father. He's your Friend. He is waiting to hear from you. You don't have to worry about it coming out wrong or the words not being right. God looks at your heart. He just wants us to pray. Just talk to Him. Don't wait. Don't delay. Don't think you're not educated enough to talk to Him. Come as you are and call on Him. Just speak to Him from your heart. Today's the day.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Will You Accept His Gift?
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17).
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Ephesians 4:8).
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).
Suppose you spent much time and effort on a gift for someone. Suppose this gift came at a great cost. That must mean that the person that the gift was intended for was a very special person. This person must be so important to go to such lengths to provide this wonderful gift for them. Now, suppose when you give it to them, they refuse to accept it. They tell you they don't want it. They let you know they don't like it because it isn't the style or doesn't make them look cool or for whatever reason, they refuse to accept this precious gift. Perhaps you continue going to this person; offering this gift over and over and over, and ever time they refuse it over and over and over. What if they accepted the gift, but when you visited their home, you saw the gift still in the box or in the trash? How would you feel?
God has given us so many gifts. Every day, there are new gifts to be opened from Him. Life is a gift in and of itself. Grace, mercy, hope, love, salvation, His Spirit, peace, joy, blessings, provision, promises, protection, and the list goes on and on. God's gifts are perfect and always for our good. He gave us His Son, Jesus; yet many refuse to accept Him. Many ignore Him and reject Him. Yet, He comes to them over and over and over again; and they continue to reject Him over and over and over again. How do you think this makes Him feel?
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
Now, suppose you give the person this gift and they are so happy and joyful. Then you notice that they go around telling everyone about this wonderful gift you gave them and how much they love you. You see them make use of the gift and their gratitude is genuine and heart-felt. How does that make you feel?
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15).
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68:19).
Will you accept His gift today?
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Ephesians 4:8).
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).
Suppose you spent much time and effort on a gift for someone. Suppose this gift came at a great cost. That must mean that the person that the gift was intended for was a very special person. This person must be so important to go to such lengths to provide this wonderful gift for them. Now, suppose when you give it to them, they refuse to accept it. They tell you they don't want it. They let you know they don't like it because it isn't the style or doesn't make them look cool or for whatever reason, they refuse to accept this precious gift. Perhaps you continue going to this person; offering this gift over and over and over, and ever time they refuse it over and over and over. What if they accepted the gift, but when you visited their home, you saw the gift still in the box or in the trash? How would you feel?
God has given us so many gifts. Every day, there are new gifts to be opened from Him. Life is a gift in and of itself. Grace, mercy, hope, love, salvation, His Spirit, peace, joy, blessings, provision, promises, protection, and the list goes on and on. God's gifts are perfect and always for our good. He gave us His Son, Jesus; yet many refuse to accept Him. Many ignore Him and reject Him. Yet, He comes to them over and over and over again; and they continue to reject Him over and over and over again. How do you think this makes Him feel?
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
Now, suppose you give the person this gift and they are so happy and joyful. Then you notice that they go around telling everyone about this wonderful gift you gave them and how much they love you. You see them make use of the gift and their gratitude is genuine and heart-felt. How does that make you feel?
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15).
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68:19).
Will you accept His gift today?
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Cry Out To Jesus
"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:35-39).
These disciples were in a boat crossing the sea in obedience to Jesus. These men were accustomed to being on boats on the sea, so this was not out of the ordinary for them. However, a storm arose. This was no ordinary storm. This was a wind storm. In a boat on the sea is not the place to be for a storm of this kind. This passage of Scripture says that the boat was full of waves. That must have been such a terrifying experience for these men. Jesus; however, was asleep. The wind was not waking Him up. The boat rocking and tossing up and down, back and forth was not waking Him up. The waves splashing into the boat was not waking Him up. So, what woke Him up?
He woke up when His followers cried out to Him. When they called unto Him in desperation, He woke up, got up, and took care of the matters at hand. Nothing else woke Him up. Nothing else got His attention. The cries of His followers got His full attention.
"And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee." (Mark 10:46-49).
This blind man was in a tough situation. He was an outcast; a beggar. He was helpless and hopeless. Jesus was passing through town. The crowds of people didn't get Jesus' attention and make Him stop. One man, Bartimaeus, who was crying out to Jesus with all his might, got Jesus' attention. Even when the people tried to make him stop, he became even more determined, and cried even louder. JESUS STOOD STILL. Bartimaeus' cries had gotten Jesus' attention.
When you cry out to Jesus, rest assured, He hears you. He will meet you where you are. He will answer you and meet your needs. He will not ignore you. He will not forget about you. You are precious to Him. Call unto Him. Cry out to Him today. You won't be a bother or burden to Him. He tells us to call to Him.
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3).
Cry out to Him today. Tell Him what you need. He's waiting for you.
These disciples were in a boat crossing the sea in obedience to Jesus. These men were accustomed to being on boats on the sea, so this was not out of the ordinary for them. However, a storm arose. This was no ordinary storm. This was a wind storm. In a boat on the sea is not the place to be for a storm of this kind. This passage of Scripture says that the boat was full of waves. That must have been such a terrifying experience for these men. Jesus; however, was asleep. The wind was not waking Him up. The boat rocking and tossing up and down, back and forth was not waking Him up. The waves splashing into the boat was not waking Him up. So, what woke Him up?
He woke up when His followers cried out to Him. When they called unto Him in desperation, He woke up, got up, and took care of the matters at hand. Nothing else woke Him up. Nothing else got His attention. The cries of His followers got His full attention.
"And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee." (Mark 10:46-49).
This blind man was in a tough situation. He was an outcast; a beggar. He was helpless and hopeless. Jesus was passing through town. The crowds of people didn't get Jesus' attention and make Him stop. One man, Bartimaeus, who was crying out to Jesus with all his might, got Jesus' attention. Even when the people tried to make him stop, he became even more determined, and cried even louder. JESUS STOOD STILL. Bartimaeus' cries had gotten Jesus' attention.
When you cry out to Jesus, rest assured, He hears you. He will meet you where you are. He will answer you and meet your needs. He will not ignore you. He will not forget about you. You are precious to Him. Call unto Him. Cry out to Him today. You won't be a bother or burden to Him. He tells us to call to Him.
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3).
Cry out to Him today. Tell Him what you need. He's waiting for you.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
God Really Does Love You!
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).
People often say they don't see how God could love them. They feel they have done too many bad things; and therefore He cannot love them anymore. They are comparing God's love to the love (or lack of love) they have experienced here on this earth. People are looking for love in one relationship after another. They are never going to find it while seeking for it that way. Other people have only loved and accepted them when they have done good things and "measured up" to their standards, and as soon as this person failed, they no longer loved them and walked away from them. So, since that's all they've ever known, they expect God to be the same.
God is not like that at all. He loves no matter what. His love is completely unconditional. That means that He loves us no matter what we do or do not do. His love for us is so deep that it can never be diminished. Our minds cannot understand a love like that because we do not typically experience that kind of love here in this life.
God doesn't always like the things we do. He does not like sin or evil. He does not like unrighteous things we do, but His love for us is constant. Again, that's not easy for us to comprehend.
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16).
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
God loved us enough that He gave the very best gift He had: His son. I love my son. It would be difficult for me to give him to die for people who did not show me love and respect. Yet while we were yet sinners and evil, He gave His son, Jesus, to die for us. That is the perfect picture of love. Love doesn't keep score. Love doesn't change based on circumstances. Love is unconditional. It is everlasting.
Others say, "If God loves me, He wouldn't let these bad things happen to me, the world wouldn't be in this shape and He wouldn't let me go to Hell". God loves you enough that He made a way out of all those things. Yes, bad things are still going to happen, but you must still love and trust Him through it all. It's not God's will for anyone to go to Hell. It's each person's choice as to where they will spend eternity. The choice is not God's. He has done all He ever will do to provide a way out of Hell. He gave His son. The choice is yours. Choose Jesus, choose Heaven. Ignore Jesus, choose Hell. It is that simple. People are not in Hell because God stopped loving them. They are in Hell because they never loved Him. His love is real. It's deep. It's unconditional and unlimited.
So to those of you today who feel God can't love you because of what you have or haven't done; this is for you: GOD LOVES YOU. Do you love Him? God wants you to receive His love today and accept His Son's sacrifice for your sins. When you accept Him, you will experience true love like you never have before. He really does love you. It doesn't matter what others say about you or how they feel about you. Even if you feel unlovable or that no one loves you, Jesus loves you. Even if you can't love yourself or forgive yourself for your past sins, Jesus loves you. His love knows no limits or boundaries. Don't question it, just accept it and receive it. You are worth it.
People often say they don't see how God could love them. They feel they have done too many bad things; and therefore He cannot love them anymore. They are comparing God's love to the love (or lack of love) they have experienced here on this earth. People are looking for love in one relationship after another. They are never going to find it while seeking for it that way. Other people have only loved and accepted them when they have done good things and "measured up" to their standards, and as soon as this person failed, they no longer loved them and walked away from them. So, since that's all they've ever known, they expect God to be the same.
God is not like that at all. He loves no matter what. His love is completely unconditional. That means that He loves us no matter what we do or do not do. His love for us is so deep that it can never be diminished. Our minds cannot understand a love like that because we do not typically experience that kind of love here in this life.
God doesn't always like the things we do. He does not like sin or evil. He does not like unrighteous things we do, but His love for us is constant. Again, that's not easy for us to comprehend.
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16).
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
God loved us enough that He gave the very best gift He had: His son. I love my son. It would be difficult for me to give him to die for people who did not show me love and respect. Yet while we were yet sinners and evil, He gave His son, Jesus, to die for us. That is the perfect picture of love. Love doesn't keep score. Love doesn't change based on circumstances. Love is unconditional. It is everlasting.
Others say, "If God loves me, He wouldn't let these bad things happen to me, the world wouldn't be in this shape and He wouldn't let me go to Hell". God loves you enough that He made a way out of all those things. Yes, bad things are still going to happen, but you must still love and trust Him through it all. It's not God's will for anyone to go to Hell. It's each person's choice as to where they will spend eternity. The choice is not God's. He has done all He ever will do to provide a way out of Hell. He gave His son. The choice is yours. Choose Jesus, choose Heaven. Ignore Jesus, choose Hell. It is that simple. People are not in Hell because God stopped loving them. They are in Hell because they never loved Him. His love is real. It's deep. It's unconditional and unlimited.
So to those of you today who feel God can't love you because of what you have or haven't done; this is for you: GOD LOVES YOU. Do you love Him? God wants you to receive His love today and accept His Son's sacrifice for your sins. When you accept Him, you will experience true love like you never have before. He really does love you. It doesn't matter what others say about you or how they feel about you. Even if you feel unlovable or that no one loves you, Jesus loves you. Even if you can't love yourself or forgive yourself for your past sins, Jesus loves you. His love knows no limits or boundaries. Don't question it, just accept it and receive it. You are worth it.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
It Takes the Whole Armor
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Would you go be willing to go fight in a war without wearing the proper armor? Would you be able to fight an enemy who wanted to destroy you just wearing something out of your closet? Of course not! If you were going to fight in a war against a vicious enemy, you would want the proper armor for offence and defense. You would need protection. This is obvious.
It is the same with the spirit realm. Whether you realize it or not, we are in a battle. We are in a spiritual war. We are daily fighting an enemy who wants to destroy us and will stop at nothing to do so. He is always looking for those who are not wearing any armor, or who are missing parts of the armor. God has given us all the armor we need to fight this enemy with. Each piece is vital and none can be ignored. All this armor should be worn every day.
Our loins (or middle) should be completely surrounded by truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth and the Life". He is truth. His Word is truth. So this truth must be the center of our lives.
We should also have on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was designed to protect the chest and the heart. Our heart needs to be righteous at all times. God sees the heart; man cannot. God knows the intent of our heart; man does not. If our heart is pure, our deeds are pure. If our heart is evil, our deeds are evil. It's that simple. Our daily prayer should be "purify my heart, change my heart, search my heart, cleanse my heart". "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23).
Our feet should be equipped with the peace of God. Everywhere we go, every step we take, every move we make, we should be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and the peace He brings. Only He brings peace. Only Jesus satisfies and we should be quick to go and tell others. This defeats the enemy when we tell others. When we guard our steps, the enemy loses. If we trust the Lord to order our steps, the enemy loses control.
The shield of faith is to quench the firey darts that the enemy throws at us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Without faith, it is impossible to be saved. Without faith, it is impossible to serve the Lord. The enemy wants us to doubt and not believe God. When we doubt, it causes us to become weak and we are then an easy target for the enemy. Faith enables us to move the mountains that are in our way and prevent the enemy from gaining access to us.
The helmet of salvation protects our mind. People often say, "it's ok to think it as long as I don't say it." This is not true. We are to guard our thoughts. We are told in Philippians 4:8 what to think on. We are to think on the things of God and to meditate on His Word. When we do this, we are guarding our mind from the seeds the enemy tries to plant that will destroy us. It's often been said, "Watch your thoughts, because thoughts create words, words turn into actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character will determine the destiny.......it all started with a single thought." Our thoughts are very important and should be protected. We are to cast down any thought that is not of God. Protect those thoughts that the enemy puts in your mind. If the thought is not from God, disregard it, rebuke it and cast it down.
The sword is the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He used the Word of God to send the enemy away. He didn't plead and beg and whine and moan. He simply said, "It is written." (Matthew 4:1-10). The Word is powerful and so important. We must not only read, but study it daily. We cannot use it as the sword of the spirit, if we do not know it. We cannot live by it if we do not know it. Read and study daily. Meditate day and night upon the Word so when the enemy comes after you, you will be equipped with the proper armor to defeat him.
Finally, we are instructed to pray. All the armor does us no good if we do not have a consistent prayer life. God is looking for people who are faithful to have a lifestyle of prayer. Yes, it should be a lifestyle. All day, every day should be filled with prayer. Pray without ceasing. No matter what is going on. If we are without prayer, we are without power.
This armor should be worn every day and every night. It should be a part of our lives always. All the armor must be worn at all times in order to remain strong and victorious in battle. Put on your armor today, and don't let anyone or anything take it off. It's the only chance you have against this enemy who wants to destroy you. God wants to give you life and power. Put on His armor. You will not be sorry.
Would you go be willing to go fight in a war without wearing the proper armor? Would you be able to fight an enemy who wanted to destroy you just wearing something out of your closet? Of course not! If you were going to fight in a war against a vicious enemy, you would want the proper armor for offence and defense. You would need protection. This is obvious.
It is the same with the spirit realm. Whether you realize it or not, we are in a battle. We are in a spiritual war. We are daily fighting an enemy who wants to destroy us and will stop at nothing to do so. He is always looking for those who are not wearing any armor, or who are missing parts of the armor. God has given us all the armor we need to fight this enemy with. Each piece is vital and none can be ignored. All this armor should be worn every day.
Our loins (or middle) should be completely surrounded by truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth and the Life". He is truth. His Word is truth. So this truth must be the center of our lives.
We should also have on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was designed to protect the chest and the heart. Our heart needs to be righteous at all times. God sees the heart; man cannot. God knows the intent of our heart; man does not. If our heart is pure, our deeds are pure. If our heart is evil, our deeds are evil. It's that simple. Our daily prayer should be "purify my heart, change my heart, search my heart, cleanse my heart". "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23).
Our feet should be equipped with the peace of God. Everywhere we go, every step we take, every move we make, we should be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and the peace He brings. Only He brings peace. Only Jesus satisfies and we should be quick to go and tell others. This defeats the enemy when we tell others. When we guard our steps, the enemy loses. If we trust the Lord to order our steps, the enemy loses control.
The shield of faith is to quench the firey darts that the enemy throws at us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Without faith, it is impossible to be saved. Without faith, it is impossible to serve the Lord. The enemy wants us to doubt and not believe God. When we doubt, it causes us to become weak and we are then an easy target for the enemy. Faith enables us to move the mountains that are in our way and prevent the enemy from gaining access to us.
The helmet of salvation protects our mind. People often say, "it's ok to think it as long as I don't say it." This is not true. We are to guard our thoughts. We are told in Philippians 4:8 what to think on. We are to think on the things of God and to meditate on His Word. When we do this, we are guarding our mind from the seeds the enemy tries to plant that will destroy us. It's often been said, "Watch your thoughts, because thoughts create words, words turn into actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character will determine the destiny.......it all started with a single thought." Our thoughts are very important and should be protected. We are to cast down any thought that is not of God. Protect those thoughts that the enemy puts in your mind. If the thought is not from God, disregard it, rebuke it and cast it down.
The sword is the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He used the Word of God to send the enemy away. He didn't plead and beg and whine and moan. He simply said, "It is written." (Matthew 4:1-10). The Word is powerful and so important. We must not only read, but study it daily. We cannot use it as the sword of the spirit, if we do not know it. We cannot live by it if we do not know it. Read and study daily. Meditate day and night upon the Word so when the enemy comes after you, you will be equipped with the proper armor to defeat him.
Finally, we are instructed to pray. All the armor does us no good if we do not have a consistent prayer life. God is looking for people who are faithful to have a lifestyle of prayer. Yes, it should be a lifestyle. All day, every day should be filled with prayer. Pray without ceasing. No matter what is going on. If we are without prayer, we are without power.
This armor should be worn every day and every night. It should be a part of our lives always. All the armor must be worn at all times in order to remain strong and victorious in battle. Put on your armor today, and don't let anyone or anything take it off. It's the only chance you have against this enemy who wants to destroy you. God wants to give you life and power. Put on His armor. You will not be sorry.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Walk in the Light
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).
Have you ever cleaned your furniture; and felt good about how shiny it was, only hours (or sometimes, only minutes) later see dust on the furniture again? Where does it come from? These dust particles cause allergies and sickness if left uncleaned.
Have you also noticed if the sun shines brightly through the window, you can see all these dust particles floating around in the air? They eventually end up on the furniture. You hadn't noticed all the dust in the air until the light shines on it.
So it is with our spiritual walk with the Lord. As we walk through this life, there are things in our lives that cause problems for us. Often, we don't even realize those things are even there. They are constantly around us, but we aren't aware of their presence many times. Only when the light shines on them, do we know they are even there.
"But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." (Ephesians 5:13).
These can be attitudes, thoughts, habits, motives, intentions, temptations, or anything the enemy can use to cause us to become unclean. We must daily keep our hearts, minds and lives clean. It takes a daily cleansing with the Word of God, prayer and repentance.
We must daily walk in the Light (Jesus is the Light). Walking in the light will expose all the hidden things in our lives that will cause us to be unclean. Only the light will expose these things that need to be removed from our lives. It isn't enough for these things to be exposed or revealed to us. They must be removed and repented of.
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46).
"or ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8).
So, we, as Children of the light, should not walk in darkness. We should not want to live in sin. We should stay in an attitude of repentance and surrender to the Lord. Sin causes us to stay in darkness in an attempt to hide our sins. Christ has called us to live in the light, to come out of the darkness.
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19).
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9).
Walk in the light of the Lord. Come out of the darkness today and surrender all to Jesus. It will be the best decision you will ever make!
Have you ever cleaned your furniture; and felt good about how shiny it was, only hours (or sometimes, only minutes) later see dust on the furniture again? Where does it come from? These dust particles cause allergies and sickness if left uncleaned.
Have you also noticed if the sun shines brightly through the window, you can see all these dust particles floating around in the air? They eventually end up on the furniture. You hadn't noticed all the dust in the air until the light shines on it.
So it is with our spiritual walk with the Lord. As we walk through this life, there are things in our lives that cause problems for us. Often, we don't even realize those things are even there. They are constantly around us, but we aren't aware of their presence many times. Only when the light shines on them, do we know they are even there.
"But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." (Ephesians 5:13).
These can be attitudes, thoughts, habits, motives, intentions, temptations, or anything the enemy can use to cause us to become unclean. We must daily keep our hearts, minds and lives clean. It takes a daily cleansing with the Word of God, prayer and repentance.
We must daily walk in the Light (Jesus is the Light). Walking in the light will expose all the hidden things in our lives that will cause us to be unclean. Only the light will expose these things that need to be removed from our lives. It isn't enough for these things to be exposed or revealed to us. They must be removed and repented of.
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46).
"or ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8).
So, we, as Children of the light, should not walk in darkness. We should not want to live in sin. We should stay in an attitude of repentance and surrender to the Lord. Sin causes us to stay in darkness in an attempt to hide our sins. Christ has called us to live in the light, to come out of the darkness.
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19).
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9).
Walk in the light of the Lord. Come out of the darkness today and surrender all to Jesus. It will be the best decision you will ever make!
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Are You Following the Master Pattern?
"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." (Hebrews 8:5)
When I was a young child, I wanted to make a quilt made from squares of scrap fabric. Mom made one square for me to use as the "pattern". I began cutting squares out using this pattern and using a needle and thread to sew them together. Eventually, I began to notice that the squares began to be different sizes. They began to get smaller the longer I sewed. I asked mom what happened. She asked me, "Are you still cutting these squares using the master pattern?" I said, "No, I use the last square to cut the next one, then use the next one to cut the next one" and so on. She informed me that was the problem. She said each piece cut would gradually get smaller then if it was used as a pattern, the piece cut from it would be even smaller. Therefore, each piece would become smaller. She told me to go back to only using the master pattern and only then would everything measure up. That made sense after she explained it to me.
Jesus is the Master pattern that we are to measure our lives by every day. If we measure our lives by Him every single day of our lives, then our lives will fit into His plan for our lives. However, most of us tend to measure our lives by what we did last year, last month, last week or yesterday. If we do that, we will not measure up to the standard God has set for us. We must always hold our lives up to Him to see if we measure up. We will come up short every time we try to do things our way. We will become less like the pattern and farther from the intended purpose.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12).
What or who are you patterning your life after? Are you doing what grandma and grandpa always did? Are you always doing things the way mom and dad did them? Do you continue to do things the way you have always done them; yet always coming up short? or, are you truly patterning your life after Christ and His Words? His way always works out for our good. His way is always right and perfect. We should strive to be Christlike; and not be content to be any less.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Will You Be Ready?
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matthew 24:42).
"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:13).
Suppose your friend told you, "I'll come to your house and pick you up, so be ready when I get there". Your friend did not tell you what time they would be there, but you knew they were coming. What would you do? How would you spend your time while you were waiting on their arrival? You could leave your house and go about your day running errands and shopping. You could go to work. You could go to sleep. You could do your household chores. You could watch the window to see if they drive up in the driveway. You could do some household chores while still watching the window. You could sit on the porch and wait for them. There are so many things you could do while waiting. If they come to your house and you are not ready, if they have time, they might wait for you to get ready.
We are told in the Scriptures that Jesus is coming for us. We know He will return for us, but we do not know when He will return. We are not told in the Bible when that wonderful day will come. He tells us to watch for His return. He tells us to be ready because we do not know when He's coming. If He returns and we are not ready, we will not be permitted to go with Him. If we are off doing our own thing, fulfilling our desires, or ignoring His Word, we will be left behind when He returns. He will not wait for us to get last minute preparations made. He will not give us time to repent of sins and get things in order. When He comes, it will happen in a twinkling of an eye. There will not be time to get ready. Only if we are watching and ready to go, will we be going with Him.
When Jesus returns, He will only take those who have repented of their sins and are serving Him according to His Word. It isn't enough to be a "good person". Just being a nice person who does good things won't guarantee eternal life in Heaven. It takes the blood of Jesus. It takes repentance. It takes surrender to Him and His will. It requires a sold out life to Him. This world is full of "good people" who think that's enough to get into Heaven. Jesus will be coming for those who are cleansed by His blood and living a daily life of surrender to Him.
When you hear someone say, "Jesus is coming", how do you feel? Does this excite you? Do you long to go with Him? Do you smile with anticipation? Do you feel scared? Do you get nervous? Do you scoff? Do you ignore? Do you laugh? Do you feel nothing at all? What is your response? Believe it or not, Jesus is coming soon. If you want to go with Him, you must have a daily commitment to repentance and surrender to God's Word in every way.
Won't you invite Jesus into your heart and life today? Won't you ask Him to search and cleanse your heart? Will you surrender your life and your will to Him today? This is the only way you will be ready to go with Him. Ready or not, He's coming soon!
"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:13).
Suppose your friend told you, "I'll come to your house and pick you up, so be ready when I get there". Your friend did not tell you what time they would be there, but you knew they were coming. What would you do? How would you spend your time while you were waiting on their arrival? You could leave your house and go about your day running errands and shopping. You could go to work. You could go to sleep. You could do your household chores. You could watch the window to see if they drive up in the driveway. You could do some household chores while still watching the window. You could sit on the porch and wait for them. There are so many things you could do while waiting. If they come to your house and you are not ready, if they have time, they might wait for you to get ready.
We are told in the Scriptures that Jesus is coming for us. We know He will return for us, but we do not know when He will return. We are not told in the Bible when that wonderful day will come. He tells us to watch for His return. He tells us to be ready because we do not know when He's coming. If He returns and we are not ready, we will not be permitted to go with Him. If we are off doing our own thing, fulfilling our desires, or ignoring His Word, we will be left behind when He returns. He will not wait for us to get last minute preparations made. He will not give us time to repent of sins and get things in order. When He comes, it will happen in a twinkling of an eye. There will not be time to get ready. Only if we are watching and ready to go, will we be going with Him.
When Jesus returns, He will only take those who have repented of their sins and are serving Him according to His Word. It isn't enough to be a "good person". Just being a nice person who does good things won't guarantee eternal life in Heaven. It takes the blood of Jesus. It takes repentance. It takes surrender to Him and His will. It requires a sold out life to Him. This world is full of "good people" who think that's enough to get into Heaven. Jesus will be coming for those who are cleansed by His blood and living a daily life of surrender to Him.
When you hear someone say, "Jesus is coming", how do you feel? Does this excite you? Do you long to go with Him? Do you smile with anticipation? Do you feel scared? Do you get nervous? Do you scoff? Do you ignore? Do you laugh? Do you feel nothing at all? What is your response? Believe it or not, Jesus is coming soon. If you want to go with Him, you must have a daily commitment to repentance and surrender to God's Word in every way.
Won't you invite Jesus into your heart and life today? Won't you ask Him to search and cleanse your heart? Will you surrender your life and your will to Him today? This is the only way you will be ready to go with Him. Ready or not, He's coming soon!
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Are You Expecting?
"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." (Acts 3:1-8).
When a woman is having a baby, we use the expression, "she's expecting". This means just what it sounds like. She's "expecting" to have a baby soon. When she is expecting, she doesn't just sit and wait until the baby comes. She doesn't just ignore the fact that the baby is on the way. She is "expecting". She is preparing. She makes room for this miracle. She names her baby, she gets everything she will need for the baby. She eats healthy, she avoids things in her body that could harm the baby, she tells everyone she is expecting. It's all she thinks about day and night. She feels it moving, and gets excited the closer to the delivery she gets.
It is the same with us in our Christian walk. God has promised us miracles. He has promised us deliverance, healing, blessings, answers, direction, salvation, and many other gifts. Do we just sit and wait for God to birth this miracle in our lives while we go on with our daily lives? Do we ignore the promise and hope that some day it will be birthed in us? Or, do we actually begin expecting the miracle as the woman expects this baby? Do we make room for it? Do we name it? Do we tell others that we are expecting it? Do we get excited when we think about it? Do we think about it day and night? Do we do everything we need to do in order to receive this miracle? If we expect, we will receive. It takes faith to expect when we don't see it yet. It takes faith to wait and expect when the circumstances look like it's not going to happen. If we wait on God, expect, believe and look to Him, He will deliver. He will keep His promises and He will never fail.
If you are discouraged today, are you expecting God's hope? If you are sick today, are you expecting His healing? If you are struggling with the past, are you expecting God's forgiveness? Are you expecting His strength when you are weak? He can give you any miracle you need, but you must expect. Anticipate. Long for. Prepare for. The expectant mother delivers her miracle. When WE expect, GOD delivers!
So, are you expecting?
When a woman is having a baby, we use the expression, "she's expecting". This means just what it sounds like. She's "expecting" to have a baby soon. When she is expecting, she doesn't just sit and wait until the baby comes. She doesn't just ignore the fact that the baby is on the way. She is "expecting". She is preparing. She makes room for this miracle. She names her baby, she gets everything she will need for the baby. She eats healthy, she avoids things in her body that could harm the baby, she tells everyone she is expecting. It's all she thinks about day and night. She feels it moving, and gets excited the closer to the delivery she gets.
It is the same with us in our Christian walk. God has promised us miracles. He has promised us deliverance, healing, blessings, answers, direction, salvation, and many other gifts. Do we just sit and wait for God to birth this miracle in our lives while we go on with our daily lives? Do we ignore the promise and hope that some day it will be birthed in us? Or, do we actually begin expecting the miracle as the woman expects this baby? Do we make room for it? Do we name it? Do we tell others that we are expecting it? Do we get excited when we think about it? Do we think about it day and night? Do we do everything we need to do in order to receive this miracle? If we expect, we will receive. It takes faith to expect when we don't see it yet. It takes faith to wait and expect when the circumstances look like it's not going to happen. If we wait on God, expect, believe and look to Him, He will deliver. He will keep His promises and He will never fail.
If you are discouraged today, are you expecting God's hope? If you are sick today, are you expecting His healing? If you are struggling with the past, are you expecting God's forgiveness? Are you expecting His strength when you are weak? He can give you any miracle you need, but you must expect. Anticipate. Long for. Prepare for. The expectant mother delivers her miracle. When WE expect, GOD delivers!
So, are you expecting?
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Is Jesus Your Friend or Just An Acquaintance?
| "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" (Philippians 3:10). How do you get to know someone? If someone asked you if you know a celebrity or famous person, you might say yes, but do you really know them? Do you know their favorite color? Do you know what their favorite food is? Do you know what their likes and dislikes are? Do you know what makes them truly happy? Do you know all the details of their lives? If not, then you do not know them. You only know about them. They are just an acquaintance. In order to really get to know someone, you must spend time with them and talk with them. Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. He had such a relationship with the Lord that so many before and after did not have. At one time, he was such an unrighteous man. His name was Saul at that time. He actually persecuted Christians and enjoyed it. He was on his way to persecute Christians when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:1-6). After he had this encounter with Jesus, his life was radically changed. His name was even changed to Paul. Paul served the Lord and became an apostle to many churches in the world at that time. He had a special relationship with the Lord; yet he states that he wants to know the Lord. He was not content with the depth of his knowledge of who Jesus is. He was striving to continue to learn more about Jesus. How much do you know Jesus? Do you just know about Him or do you really know Him? Are you determined to continue to learn more about Him? Do you spend time with Him daily? Do you talk with Him (not just to Him, there is a difference). is a Friend or acquaintance? Can you say as the Apostle Paul said, "That I may know Him"? Is that your heart's desire?  |
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
"Father, May I?"
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." (Psalms 37:23)
Remember the game we played as a child, "Mother, May I?" When one player (Mother; or Father if a boy was playing,) told the other player (child) to take a certain kind of step, the question, "Mother (or Father), May I?" had to be asked before the step could be taken. If the step was taken without asking for permission , the player had to go back to the beginning and start over. The goal is to walk to "Mother" or "Father" in a straight line without messing up to only have to start all over again.
In this life, we are all taking steps every day. We are either walking toward God or away from God. Satan often tries to get us to take steps and do things that take us away from God. In every case, every day, with every decision, we should stop and ask, "Father (God), May I?" In other words, "If I take this step, will it bring me closer to You? Will it glorify You? Is it pleasing to You? Is it Your will?" or, "If I take this step, will it separate me from You, will it take me from You, will I be led astray?" etc. Our goal is to get as close to the Father as possible and not lose ground and go backwards from Him.
So the next time you are tempted to take a step, stop and ask, "Father, may I?" Your soul's eternal destination (and those who may be following you) depends upon it.
Remember the game we played as a child, "Mother, May I?" When one player (Mother; or Father if a boy was playing,) told the other player (child) to take a certain kind of step, the question, "Mother (or Father), May I?" had to be asked before the step could be taken. If the step was taken without asking for permission , the player had to go back to the beginning and start over. The goal is to walk to "Mother" or "Father" in a straight line without messing up to only have to start all over again.
In this life, we are all taking steps every day. We are either walking toward God or away from God. Satan often tries to get us to take steps and do things that take us away from God. In every case, every day, with every decision, we should stop and ask, "Father (God), May I?" In other words, "If I take this step, will it bring me closer to You? Will it glorify You? Is it pleasing to You? Is it Your will?" or, "If I take this step, will it separate me from You, will it take me from You, will I be led astray?" etc. Our goal is to get as close to the Father as possible and not lose ground and go backwards from Him.
So the next time you are tempted to take a step, stop and ask, "Father, may I?" Your soul's eternal destination (and those who may be following you) depends upon it.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Why Toil?
Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:4-7).
Have you ever worried, worked, stressed, been anxious, feared and toiled over a situation and it seemed the more you did, the worse the situation became? We worry over finances, economy, jobs, children, crime, violence, inflation, and situations we have no control over. We become stressed and doubtful that they will ever improve. This is not God's plan for our lives.
Jesus had told Simon to launch his net out into the deep for a draught (or haul, or catch). So He pretty much guaranteed Simon a successful catch if he would simply obey. However, Simon; like most of us today, began to whine and complain and offer excuses as to why that was not a good idea. (It's not a good idea to tell God His ideas aren't good ideas). Simon told Jesus that he had toiled all night and not caught one fish. Not one. He had fished all night, toiling, stressing, worrying, being anxious, over working, and becoming frustrated all for nothing. This sounds like a lot of us today. We wear ourselves out trying to get our goals accomplished the conventional way. We become mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically and Spiritually exhausted trying to do things our way. Simon was a fisherman, he knew how to catch fish; yet he toiled all night to no avail.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12).
At the simple command of Jesus to cast the net in a different location, he caught so much fish the nets began to break. Another ship was summoned to help and both ships almost sank because of so many fish. Simple obedience.
It is not God's will for us to toil and do things our way. It is His plan for us to listen to Him and obey Him. When we obey Him, we receive an over abundance of blessings.
"...my cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5).
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).
So, you can toil and do it your way with no joy, no peace, no hope and no results, or you surrender all to God in obedience and be blessed!
Have you ever worried, worked, stressed, been anxious, feared and toiled over a situation and it seemed the more you did, the worse the situation became? We worry over finances, economy, jobs, children, crime, violence, inflation, and situations we have no control over. We become stressed and doubtful that they will ever improve. This is not God's plan for our lives.
Jesus had told Simon to launch his net out into the deep for a draught (or haul, or catch). So He pretty much guaranteed Simon a successful catch if he would simply obey. However, Simon; like most of us today, began to whine and complain and offer excuses as to why that was not a good idea. (It's not a good idea to tell God His ideas aren't good ideas). Simon told Jesus that he had toiled all night and not caught one fish. Not one. He had fished all night, toiling, stressing, worrying, being anxious, over working, and becoming frustrated all for nothing. This sounds like a lot of us today. We wear ourselves out trying to get our goals accomplished the conventional way. We become mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically and Spiritually exhausted trying to do things our way. Simon was a fisherman, he knew how to catch fish; yet he toiled all night to no avail.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12).
At the simple command of Jesus to cast the net in a different location, he caught so much fish the nets began to break. Another ship was summoned to help and both ships almost sank because of so many fish. Simple obedience.
It is not God's will for us to toil and do things our way. It is His plan for us to listen to Him and obey Him. When we obey Him, we receive an over abundance of blessings.
"...my cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5).
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).
So, you can toil and do it your way with no joy, no peace, no hope and no results, or you surrender all to God in obedience and be blessed!
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Take It or Leave It
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-22).
In this passage of Scripture, we see these fishermen who were going about their daily activities. This was like any other day. These men made their living by fishing and selling those fish. This was their life every day. Suddenly, Jesus walked by as they were casting their net in the sea and told them to Follow Him. Jesus had not begun His ministry yet, and these men were not His followers at this time. Now, these men had a choice to make. They could have ignored Him and gone on with their fishing. They could have argued with Him and told Him to go away because they had work to do. They could have explained to Him that they could not follow Him because they could not leave their nets unsupervised and they had to stay there. They could have asked Him, "Follow You where? How long will we be gone? Why are we going? What are we going to do once we get there? What's in it for me?" According to this passage, they left their nets behind, and followed Him, no questions asked. In verses 21-22, those men not only left their nets, but they left their boat and their father and immediately followed Jesus. Remember, Jesus was not a public figure at this time. They had not witnessed any miracles, signs or wonders. They had not listened to His wise teachings and parables. Yet, they followed without hesitation and question. They left all to follow Him, not knowing all the whys and wherefores.
Looking through fleshly eyes, that must have been a tough thing to leave the only source of income behind to follow someone without any details. They could have taken their nets and boats and continued fishing. They could have taken the day to fish for their income. They chose to leave it all and follow Him. This took faith. They realized that He was the way, the truth and the life. They knew that if they left it all behind, that He would meet their needs as they arose and would take care of them. They left their fleshly ways behind. They left the natural way of doing things by the way side. They stepped from the natural to the supernatural by giving up their abilities and following Jesus.
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (John 4:28-30).
Jesus was at the well in Samaria, when he met this woman who came to draw water. He began to minister to her and changed her life that day. This passage says that she left her waterpot and went to share the good news of Jesus with others. She could have taken her waterpot, gotten her water and gone her way. She could have gone back home with her water and done her daily chores. However, she realized that the natural way of getting water was not as important as Jesus the Living Water. Jesus was the most important priority in her life at that time.
We must realize that Jesus is most important in our lives. Without Him, nothing else matters. We hold on to things (attitudes, thoughts, lifestyles, habits, relationships, activites, etc) when Jesus is saying, "Follow Me". We can't follow Him still holding onto the things of the flesh. We must decide today, the world, or Jesus; the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit. We can't have both. Today is the day to choose. Will you lay down all to follow Him? Will you surrender all to obey Him?
He's coming by your way today asking you to Follow Him. What are you willing to lay down to obey Him?
In this passage of Scripture, we see these fishermen who were going about their daily activities. This was like any other day. These men made their living by fishing and selling those fish. This was their life every day. Suddenly, Jesus walked by as they were casting their net in the sea and told them to Follow Him. Jesus had not begun His ministry yet, and these men were not His followers at this time. Now, these men had a choice to make. They could have ignored Him and gone on with their fishing. They could have argued with Him and told Him to go away because they had work to do. They could have explained to Him that they could not follow Him because they could not leave their nets unsupervised and they had to stay there. They could have asked Him, "Follow You where? How long will we be gone? Why are we going? What are we going to do once we get there? What's in it for me?" According to this passage, they left their nets behind, and followed Him, no questions asked. In verses 21-22, those men not only left their nets, but they left their boat and their father and immediately followed Jesus. Remember, Jesus was not a public figure at this time. They had not witnessed any miracles, signs or wonders. They had not listened to His wise teachings and parables. Yet, they followed without hesitation and question. They left all to follow Him, not knowing all the whys and wherefores.
Looking through fleshly eyes, that must have been a tough thing to leave the only source of income behind to follow someone without any details. They could have taken their nets and boats and continued fishing. They could have taken the day to fish for their income. They chose to leave it all and follow Him. This took faith. They realized that He was the way, the truth and the life. They knew that if they left it all behind, that He would meet their needs as they arose and would take care of them. They left their fleshly ways behind. They left the natural way of doing things by the way side. They stepped from the natural to the supernatural by giving up their abilities and following Jesus.
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (John 4:28-30).
Jesus was at the well in Samaria, when he met this woman who came to draw water. He began to minister to her and changed her life that day. This passage says that she left her waterpot and went to share the good news of Jesus with others. She could have taken her waterpot, gotten her water and gone her way. She could have gone back home with her water and done her daily chores. However, she realized that the natural way of getting water was not as important as Jesus the Living Water. Jesus was the most important priority in her life at that time.
We must realize that Jesus is most important in our lives. Without Him, nothing else matters. We hold on to things (attitudes, thoughts, lifestyles, habits, relationships, activites, etc) when Jesus is saying, "Follow Me". We can't follow Him still holding onto the things of the flesh. We must decide today, the world, or Jesus; the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit. We can't have both. Today is the day to choose. Will you lay down all to follow Him? Will you surrender all to obey Him?
He's coming by your way today asking you to Follow Him. What are you willing to lay down to obey Him?
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Are You Hungry?
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
Remember when you came home from school and your mother would ask you, "Are you hungry?" As an adult, when you visited your mother, she would ask you, "Are you hungry?" She would then give you something to eat to curb that hunger in you and fill that longing. She would often say, "Don't eat too much, or you'll spoil you're dinner". She knew if we ate too much junk food, we wouldn't want to eat the healthy food.
Have you ever been hungry and wasn't able to get anything to eat at the time? Perhaps you were at work or on a trip or somewhere where there wasn't any food. Your stomach began to growl and all you could think about was food. You would do almost anything at the time to be able to eat. You would be willing to pay whatever price necessary in order to eat something. People spend lots of money in markets, restaurants and stores buying food to fill their natural bodies. Food is necessary to keep our body functioning properly. Without it, life would not be possible.
Have you ever experienced hunger for the things of God? Have you ever hungered for His presence? For His peace? For His joy? For His voice? For His love? For His grace? For His mercy? For His wisdom? If you have, then you know that you would be willing to pay whatever price is necessary in order to partake of what He has to offer. Just like the natural food costs money, hungering and thirsting for more of Him will cost also. It will cost time, effort, sacrifice, self denial, and living our own way. We must be willing to pay the price to partake of what He has to offer us.
Sometimes when we leave the table, we feel full and satisfied, but shortly thereafter, we feel hungry again. We soon began looking for a snack or dessert to munch on to fill us back up again. We must eat daily in order to stay healthy and strong. If we partake of the world's junk, we will lose our desire for the things of God. We must avoid the things the world has to offer.
Only Jesus satisfies. However, we must partake of His presence daily in order to stay strong and healthy spiritually. Just praying or reading the Word in church isn't enough. Only worshipping Him during the church service won't fill that longing in our soul. That would be the same as eating one meal a week. Our bodies couldn't survive if we did that. We must hunger and thirst for Him daily. We must seek Him every day. We must pray, seek His face and worship Him every day. He promised to fill us, but we must hunger for Him.
"Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine" (John 21:12).
Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Come to His table and be filled today. What He has to offer won't cause you to gain weight. It will, in fact, cause you to shed those weights and sins that easily beset and separate you from God. He has more than enough to fill and satisfy. Don't ignore His invitation.
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