All Those Decisions

Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,

And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

Job 17:9

Sometimes we are handed decisions which offer two very different options, one easy and the other difficult. We know that just because it is easy does not mean that it is what is best for us and for others.

When we are making difficult decision, we can pray for wisdom to make the right decision and then proceed with confidence no matter what.

Find the strength to do what is right.

 

Ambassadors For Christ

 

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

What inspires you? What does it take to get you on your feet and doing something?

We live in a nation with a Christian church on almost every corner. Nowhere else in the world is it so easy for people to engage with the church. Yet millions of people never go to church except for weddings and funerals.  Sad, huh?

So my question is what are you going to do about it? We are charged to take the gospel to the world. The last time I looked the world was right outside my front door.

Let us be what we are called to be, Christ’s ambassadors, and go knock on a few doors and extend the hand of fellowship to those who are outside the fellowship of the church.  

Sometimes all it takes is a personal invitation to get people to come to church.  

Do your best and God will do the rest. 

Enjoy The Journey

Do you not know you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

God lives in us and we are filled with His Spirit. We should not be surprised when this spills out on those around us. We are to take the Gospel to the world, and God has equipped us well for this task.

Enjoy the journey.

 

Be The One

 

As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus answered and said, “Were their not ten cleansed? But the nine – where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

And He said to him, “Stand up and go, your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:11-19

All Jesus asks for all He does in our lives is that we say “thank you.” We do not need to burn candles or beat pots and pans; all we need to do is humble ourselves and acknowledge His power in our lives.

An attitude of gratitude can extend into our daily lives. We can give thanks to God, and we can give thanks to people who help us – like the teller at the bank, the clerk at the gas station or a teacher who takes a few extra minutes with our child.

Giving thanks costs us nothing, and does much to further the Gospel.

Be the one to say thank you.

Right is Right

 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry.

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.”’

Luke 4:1-4

Jesus was tempted just like us. The devil is a sneaky fellow who will try to make something that is wrong or that we morally oppose, look right or even legal so that we feel obligated to do it to appease others or perhaps make our own lives easier.

Jesus’ answer to the devil’s suggestion that He turn the stone into bread was from Deuteronomy 8:3, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you manna which you did not know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”

The laws and social customs of men change, the Word of God never changes. 

Be on guard, if something does not look right, it probably is not the right thing to do.

Love God, love others and do not be deceived. 

God Loves Us

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16

The love of God for His creation is warm and emotional. He deeply cares for mankind and desires a relationship with us all. God’s love draws us to Him. If we are far off from God, it is because we have chosen to be there. God’s love transcends our sins and wayward ways, and reaches out to us. His arms are wide open and waiting to embrace us.

God does not stand off at a distance and inflict pain and punishment; God stands close at hand and extends to us all the free gift of salvation through His Son.

God loves us.

Angels On Duty

 

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

When we are afraid or face perplexing decisions, we can trust God that He will be with us and guide us.

Our God loves us so much that He has given His angels charge over us.

Trust God, He has angels on duty.

God Cares For You

 

Blessed be the Lord,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him and I am helped;

Therefore my heart exults,

And with my song I shall thank Him.

Psalm 28:6-7

In good times, in bad times and at all times God watches over us. When we cannot see the end, God is already there waiting for us.

God cares for you.

Treasure People

 

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal, for where your treasurer is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

What do you treasurer? We like getting a new car. Nothing attracts dents and scratches like a new car. The first dent or scratch can really set us off, especially if the one who did the damage is one of our kids. 

Why is that? A car is an inanimate object, which has the purpose of transporting us from one place to another. Man made it and man can fix it. Twenty years from now, the car will be a heap of rust and we will not care that our kid dented it.  Perhaps we should consider that in the here and now and cut the kids some slack.

Our children are a greater treasure than any car. 

Treasure people not things.  

God's Plan For You

 

“…For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” 

Jeremiah 29:11

Every now and then some big mouthed person who has experienced some colossal failure will proclaim that God hates him. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that God loves us all and He has plans for our well-being, if we will yield our lives to Him. This does not mean that we will never experience failure, what it means is in the long haul we will be blessed.

Some of the world’s most successful people had failure after failure before they succeeded in life. Zane Grey had a tough transition from being a dentist to being an author. School teachers thought that both Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein were not too bright. The inventor of the Hula Hoop was laughed at. When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, people could not see any reason anyone would want one. Madame C J Walker was doing laundry to get by when she started making beauty products in washtubs and selling them door to door and she became one of the first woman millionaires in the United States. God’s plan is bigger than any plan we can devise and is full of surprises.

When things don’t go quite as we plan, we need to keep in mind that God has a bigger plan. And, God’s plan gives us hope.

In The Night

 

When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches,

For You have been my help,

And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

My soul clings to you;

Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:6-8

It has been said that when people are up from bed in the middle of the night they are either worrying or praying.

I think that is about right.  Lots of things can keep us from sleeping and worry is a big one. 

Prayer brings us closer to God and brings us comfort and hope.  We may not have all the answers to life's problems, but we can trust that God has everything under control and will help us through whatever may come.

Prayers and sweet dreams to you.

God's Mercy Is For Everyone

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:12-13

Like the Apostle Paul, we were ignorant in our unbelief and did things which violated the laws of God and man. But this did not preclude us from the grace of God and salvation through His Son, Jesus. The grace of God was abundant toward the Apostle Paul and toward us. Through faith we are forgiven.

Because we know the grace and mercy of God, we extend this hope to those, who think they are not worthy of the love of God. 

Jesus loves you and will welcome you with open arms. Ask Jesus into your heart today.

Better Than They Deserve

 

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down and shaken together and running over. For by your standard of measured it will be measured to you in return.

Luke 6:36-38

When we show kindness in the face of unkindness or ignore a wrong doing against us, we are setting the stage for God to pour out His blessings on us.

The kingdom of God is not built by harsh judgment and condemnation but by overlooking and forgiveness. We cannot minister those around us if we approach them with the same attitude which they display toward us. The big shock for unbelievers is when they received kindness.

Just as God is merciful to us, we are to be merciful. When we bless those who least deserve it, God blesses us.

All That Whining

 

The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”

Numbers 21:5

We have all been there. Things aren’t going the way we think they should, so we complain to God. We may be struggling financially or with unruly kids or we may be suffering from a severe case of, “Why me?” It doesn’t matter what it is that sets us off, once we start complaining to God, it’s hard to stop. So, what do we do?

We can remember that it is human nature to whine about what we think is not right in life. And, remember that God has promised to provide everything we need, plus the desires of our heart. Then we can trust God and thank Him for His never ending love and care.

After all, God saw fit to deliver the Israelite to the promise land and they were serial whiners. So, why not me, too?

Just Do It

 

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go, behold I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes, and greet no one on the way.”

Luke 10:2-3

We spend time thinking about why we can’t do things we are called to do. We worry that we aren’t good speakers or that our clothes aren’t good enough or people might not like what we say or that people will make fun of us or argue with us and we won’t know how to respond. Not to mention that we are just plain scared. 

Jesus understands this and that is why He said we should go and not worry about what we don’t have but concentrate on delivering the message of salvation to those who are waiting to hear it. We can use glitz to spark interest in the message, but sometimes glitz is out of order when people are hurting and the simple truth of the Gospel is what they need.

Just do it – take the Gospel to the world. We can start right where we are and see what God will do. The message never changes; Jesus is the Savior of the world. Ask Him to come into your life today.

Go share the Gospel.

God's Gifts

 

Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

Luke 11:11-13

When I was a child, my Dad would take me for a ride to the gas station. His purpose for the trip was to get gas, but my purpose was to get a treat. Whatever I asked for, be it a bottle of pop or a candy bar or gum, Dad bought it for me because he wanted to do it for me. That’s the way it is with God; He wants to do things for us.

Jesus wanted people to know that God is good. God is our heavenly father and like earthly fathers He wants to give us that which we need and that which will bless us.

The Holy Spirit is God’s comforter. When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives He brings comfort, wisdom and the power to overcome victoriously whatever comes our way. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the Holy Spirit is that He infuses believers with boldness to witness to others about salvation through Jesus.

Ask God for the Holy Spirit and prepare to have your life super charged.

Spread A Little Happiness

 

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

A few years ago, my daughter wanted to go to lunch. I was not having the best day, but I said alright. We met up at the restaurant and my daughter had brought along a friend’s twelve year old daughter. We ate and chattered. We talked about junior high school and our favorite television shows. To me it was a regular lunch.

Later, my daughter called and said when they got in the car, the girl started crying. When she asked her what was wrong, she said, “Your mother. She is so happy.”

I think about that and I think about how important it is for us to put forward our best Christian behavior.  All around us people are suffering and discouraged and we never know who we will bless by being kind and smiling.

Happiness is serving the Lord. He delivers it to us and we can deliver it to the world.

Spread a little happiness.

God Will Do The Fixing

 

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.  Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 

Romans 14:12-13

There is no bigger landmine to a new believer than to encounter Christians who want to fix him or her.  Yes, the new believer may look to be a mess – wrong clothes, wrong words, wrong lifestyle, wrong, wrong, wrong.

This is not our problem to fix.  For us fixing a new believer is like teaching a new born baby to eat with a spoon.  It’s not going to happen. 

Our job is to treat new believers with tenderness – to welcome them, to pray for them, and to encourage them to read the Bible and to pray.  If they need fixed, God will do the fixing. 

God is the Master of the life makeover, and all we have to do is stay out of His way. 

Be Strong

 

Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 31:24

Sometimes we do not feel strong.  We are weighed down by life and responsibilities and things which cannot do anything about.

God encourages us to be strong and courageous and trust that He has everything under control.

We have hope in all things. 

God Loves Us

 

Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7

God loves us. We are the apple of His eye. All through the scriptures God again and again speaks of His love for us. So valuable are we that He has numbered the hairs on our heads.

How much does God love us? God loves every inch of us.

Happy Mother's Day

 

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land the Lord your God gives you.

Exodus 20:12

Give your mom a kiss and a hug. It’s the best gift of all.

It Is Not Us, It Is The Power Of God

 

Your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5

We have all met them, people who cannot understand our faith in God and the redemptive power of Jesus. When I was young and working in an office, a co-worker, Chris, said to me, “You should become a nun because you are so religious.” I remember laughing at the idea. 

Years later, long after we both had changed jobs Chris called and asked if I would like to go to a revival meeting at the church she was attending. I said “yes.”

Chris picked me up and we were driving to the church, when she said, “I understand what you were saying all those years ago. I cannot believe how my life has changed since I accepted Jesus as my Savior.”

I asked her if she remembered that she suggested that maybe I should become a nun. She said, “No.” We both had a good laugh.

We should not dwell on the fact that we are not the most dynamic witnesses for Christ or that our lives are not perfect. We are called to take the Gospel to the world. It is not us, it is the power of God which turns human logic upside down, and changes the hearts of men and women.

When You Think There Is Not An Answer

 

… The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

James 5:16

Many years ago friends of mine were in dire financial shape. The husband had an industrial injury and was off work for months, leaving the family without income because the company he worked for fought his disability claim. They struggled to pay their bills.

Their monthly house payment was $400.00, which at the time was a lot of money, but every month they somehow came up with the cash to make the payment. The couple credited God’s blessing on them that they were able to do this. One month, they had no idea where they would get the money to make the house payment. Then the wife’s parents, who had never given them a dime, sent a check for $300.00. My friend said she prayed and thanked God for the money, and added that it was not quite enough to make the payment.

The next day she received letter from Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes stating that she was a winner; enclosed was a check for $100.00.

That is the way it is with God. When we pray and we do not see any way that a problem can be resolved, God has already got it covered. He is just waiting for us to ask.

Prayer can accomplish much.

You Were Made For Good Works

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the free gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2: 8-10

Our salvation through Jesus is the free gift of God. All we have to do is acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, Master and Savior. Because we have received this great gift, we want to do things which reflect the love of Jesus in our lives. We do not do good works to be redeemed; we do good works because we are redeemed.

So, the next time, when out of the blue you get the urge to do something nice for someone, like mowing your neighbor’s lawn or paying for the food of the person behind you at a drive up window, go ahead and do it. It is just what God made you for – good works.

God Will Revive You

 

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right had will save me.

Psalm 138:7

We all have times when we face trouble.  It might be at our job because of a bad boss or a co-worker who is "out to get us."  It might be when we are swindled out of money.  Maybe it is even our own families that cause trouble for us.

Somethings are not our fault, yet there they are tormenting us. 

The good news is in all things God is with us and He is there to save us.

Have faith, God will revive you.

The Lord Surrounds Us

 

Those who trust the Lord

Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So the Lord surrounds His people

From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 125:1-2

God does not call us to abandon us.  He is always with us and cares intimately for us.  His care goes beyond anything we might expect from mankind.

We trust the Lord and the Lord surrounds us and protects us.  We are His and He is on our side.

Jesus Is The Same

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Even if we drift away from Jesus, He is still waiting to welcome us back. He did not come to condemn us, He came to love us. Jesus, who called you the day you asked Him into your heart, still loves you and looks after you. Nothing will ever change that.

Lift your hands to the heavens and call His name, Jesus. Feel His presence wrap around you in love.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do What You Do With Purpose

 

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

We do somethings for personal gain. We go to work get money to take care of our needs. We buy car insurance so if we have an accident we do not suffer a huge financial lost. Most of what we do is for our own benefit.

But the Apostle Paul points out that while we are doing these things we need to consider that we are children of God, and act like it. This means we operate with honesty, we treat people fairly and in some cases better than we think they deserve. We are generous and merciful. We treat others as we want to be treated.

And, we do not hesitate to share why we do this. We do this because Jesus is our Lord, Master and Savior, and we invite others to know Jesus, too.

Our purpose is not to gain great wealth, but to serve God.

Be At Peace

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Romans 12:18

I think this means that sometimes we need to keep our mouths shut. If we disagree with what someone is doing or how someone is doing something, and it is something that does not matter, we should keep quiet and maintain the peace.

There are plenty of worthy battles. You will know them when you see them. Save your fight for those.

 

More Alike Than Different

 

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:5-8

The Apostle Paul wanted Christians to present a united front against those who opposed the church. Christianity still faces problems with discord between the various denominations because they do not agree on the same interpretation of all the scriptures. While we may not all understand the scriptures in the same way, we all share the common confession of Jesus Christ, Lord Master and Savior.

We may be different denominations, but we all serve the same God, and we should act like it and act like we are more alike than different, if for no other reason than to better present the Gospel to the world.

Now smile at your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

No Such Thing As A Lost Cause

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58 

We may spend years praying for people who are bent on self destruction and in whom we see no change.  

We may work for years trying to fix a wrong because it is hurting people.  

We may think that nobody is paying attention to what we are trying to do, but God is paying attention.  God has called us to work for what is right and for the good of all people.  

Take courage. Be strong. Keep on keeping on for the Lord. 

With God there is no such thing as a lost cause.