11/01/13
THE PROMISE OF BLESSINGS

Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:13-14 "Love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, ... I will give you the rain on your land in due season ... so that you may gather in your corn, wine, and oil."

This is a powerful promise from the Lord our God, but notice what the order of our relationship with Him needs to be. We are to love Him first, and then serve Him. Our love for God should be the catalyst of our service for Him. Yet, there are times that we get the process reversed. We start out loving and our love motivates us to serve, but then serving overtakes our personal relationship with God and our focus becomes distorted. We become like the church at Ephesus, which did good works, had patience, and could not bear that which was evil. Yet, regardless of their wonderful works and righteous deeds, the Lord said that He had something against them. They had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). They were so busy doing things for God that they didn't have time and energy for a relationship with God.

Service should never be a substitute for our intimate communion with God. Love is so simple. When you love someone you long to be in their presence, to hear their voice, to share their interest, and to feel their touch. You are driven to have personal contact with them. When you truly love God, you will feel these same desires and you will find time to fulfill them. You will create a space in your busy life to pray and commune with God. You will read His word and listen intently for His voice. You will push things to the side to be in His presence so that you can feel His tender touch on your life. You will glory in the moments that you share with Him, and then your service for Him will be birthed out of that experience. You will serve Him because you love Him, not in order to fulfill a duty or obligation.

We must examine our lives from time to time and see where we stand on this issue. We must determine if our first love has become our ministry and our good deeds or if our first love has continued to be for God, Himself. If we find that we have drifted away or grown cold because of our busy schedules, we need to simply return to the Lord and find the time to make Him first in our lives. We can renew our commitment to the Lord at any time. We can start today wherever we are. God said that if we draw near to Him, He would draw near to us. He confirms this promise again and says that if we seek Him, we will find Him. When we renew this place in our hearts and choose the Lord to be our first love, He will shower His blessings upon us and we will find new strength for our souls. +++

11/04/13
HE GOES BEFORE YOU

Scripture: John 10:3-4 "... the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and He leads them out ... He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him for they know His voice."

You never have to fear the path that is set before you because the Lord Jesus goes before you each step of the way. You never have to tread where His feet have not been or suffer things that are foreign to His knowledge. He leads you out and then He goes before you, discerning every situation. He notes the paths that are too narrow and the rocky steeps that are too dangerous. He will lead you around every pitfall and protect you from every foe. As he goes before you He encounters every obstacle that you will experience along the way so that He can understand your feelings and be touched by your infirmities. His presence makes the crooked way straight and His mighty hand opens every door that needs to be opened and closes every door that needs to stay shut. Jesus will never lead you into a place that is too difficult and you will never find His grace to be insufficient.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He cares for His sheep. He loves you individually and doesn't get you confused with someone else. He calls you by your name. He also allows you to know Him in an intimate way so that you can recognize His voice. He doesn't disguise His voice or speak foreign words to you but makes Himself very plain. All you must do is listen for His still quiet voice saying, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). His voice will gently bring repentance and scatter the sounds of condemnation. His words will give direction and drive away the spirits of confusion. He will never lead you astray and the simple knowledge that He is leading the way should give you great hope and confidence in your journey.

The Lord's presence will bring peace in the midst of your turmoil. As you follow Him one step at a time, you are not to look sorrowfully at your past, be confused about the present, or fear the future. Tomorrow is unknown but His voice says, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for it will take care of itself." He is God and if He can feed the birds and clothe the flowers of the field, He can take care of you. Jesus goes before you. Just follow Him without doubt and fear, for He is already there in the future that you are about to experience. +++

11/05/13
EL SHADDAI

Scripture: Genesis 17:1 "I am Almighty God."

The Lord appeared unto Abraham when he was ninety-nine years old and identified Himself as the Almighty God, which in the Hebrew is El Shaddai. El Shaddai was derived from a related word that means mountain or overpowering one, but it is also interpreted as the "God that is more than enough." When God spoke to Abraham, He told Abraham that he was going to be the father of many nations. Abraham and Sarah by natural laws were obviously too old to have children and they laughed at this news. Yet, God declared that He was El Shaddai in their lives. He could do what they couldn't do. Abraham and Sarah didn't need the laws of nature working for them, for they had the Almighty God who is more than enough.

We see all through the scripture that God was truly always more than enough. For forty years, He provided manna for the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness. They had plenty for each day's provision and didn't have to scrimp and save. In fact, there was manna left over each day that they were instructed not to save. When Jesus fed the 5,000, everyone must have had plenty to eat because there were twelve baskets of fish and bread left over. When He fed the 4,000 men, plus women and children, there were seven baskets left over. His provisions surpassed the needs and were always more than enough.

Many times we limit the Holy One of Israel. Our minds are too small to allow our hearts to have faith to receive God's wonderful and miraculous blessings. Yet, He is able to do exceedingly beyond anything that we could ask or think, and provides for us according to His riches, not according to our own resources. We must stop looking at and worrying over our situations and start looking at God and believing that He can do the impossible for us. He can stretch our funds and multiply our means. You may not choose to believe it, but I have personally seen God multiply soup as I poured it from one container to another in order to share it with those in need. When I finished pouring the soup, there were two full containers and everyone had plenty to eat. That was El Shaddai at work nearly forty years ago, and He hasn't changed. He is still the same today. His simple blessings can overpower the laws of nature and bring miracles into existence. When circumstances challenge our faith, we just need to trust in God and believe that He is still El Shaddai, the God that is more than enough. +++

11/06/13
DRAWING NEAR TO GOD

Scripture: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

This is a wonderful promise and so simply stated. God promises us a personal one-on-one relationship with Him. How many other very important and powerful people have made this promise to you? Very few, I'm sure. Yet because of our hectic schedules and limited time, most of us do not exercise our option to enter into the Lord's presence on a daily basis for any great length of time. We spend a few minutes with a devotional, say a short prayer, and then we're off to meet the day's challenges. We promise to spend more time with Him later. But when the day is finished, we're exhausted and just too tired.

Those in scripture who spent time with God knew Him intimately. And those who knew Him intimately had great power with Him. Even the Sanhedrin marveled and took notice of Peter and John because they recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). Elijah was a man of fervent and earnest prayer and his relationship with God resulted in mighty miracles. But these and other mighty men only knew God's heart because they spent time in His presence. They drew near to God and God drew near to them and manifested His power through them.

Drawing near to God is a gradual process towards a place of intimacy with Him. One definition of "intimacy" is "into-me-see." It is only as you begin to pour out your inner most thoughts to God and allow Him to see inside of you that He responds and shares His most inner thoughts with you. Even our natural relationships show us this. We can only truly know those with whom we have solitary fellowship. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:6 to enter into our closet and shut the door when we talk to Him. Jesus wants us to fellowship with Him in secret so that He can speak to us in secret. He set the example for us several times in the scriptures as He. Himself. found solitary places to commune with the Father (Mark 1:35). Jesus drew near to God a great while before the day began and spent all night in God's presence.

How close do you want to be to God? You are the one who will determine the depth of the relationship. Those who move towards God, evoke a response from Him. He gave the invitation and the pattern for us to enter His presence. He said, "Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you." Or, you take a step towards me, then I will take a step towards you." +++

11/07/13
LEAD ME TO THE ROCK

Scripture: Psalms 61:2 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

God made this day and we should rejoice and be glad in it, for He makes every day for our pleasure. Yet even though we know that this is true, we still experience stress, disappointments, things we don't understand, and things that we cannot fix. We make an effort to approach the day with optimism but when confusion enters our world, we lose our sense of peace. Our schedules become hectic and the issues that surround us become horrific. We must deal with illness, death, and situations in our relationships. There are also life changing decisions to be made and financial pressures to cope with. Many times these things leave our spirits totally overwhelmed.

However, God does not want us to be overwhelmed by any problem, regardless of whether it is large or small. He sent His Son so that we could live in peace and have true joy every day of the year. God's Son, Jesus, is the Rock that is higher than you or me and He is our strength and our security. He is the one that we can run to and the one whom we can depend upon when our situations and emotions try to overpower and upset us.

David declared that from the ends of the earth he would cry out to the Lord for help. He was at the end of his ordeal and he felt overwhelmed, but he had hope because he knew that there was one who was higher than himself. Yet, knowing about the Rock who is higher than us and finding the Rock in times of pressure are two different things. David had a solution to this situation. He asked God to lead him to the Rock. David knew he would find peace and comfort in God's shelter, for God always met him at the level of his need.

God will do the same for you and has given you His word of promise for peace and comfort. When you find your emotions stressed, your body wearied, and you are overwhelmed by any pressure, you can receive help by praying this same simple prayer that David prayed, "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." +++     

11/08/13
POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

Scripture: Isaiah 50:7 "For the Lord God will help me; therefore I shall not be confounded."

We take pride in our accomplishments so defeat and failure in any area of our lives can become confounding and confusing for us. It can cause us to be frustrated not only in front of our critics but also ashamed in the face of our close friends who are really standing with us. Failure can also be so discouraging and disappointing that we do not want to try again. Yet, failure is a necessary part of life because it is a natural consequence of trying. If we never try, we will never fail, and likewise, we will never fail if we never try. On the other hand, we will never succeed if we do not try, for success demands that we attempt the goal.

Sooner or later everyone who does anything will fail at some point in their lives. It may be with a career, a relationship, or the hopes and dreams for the future. When these failures occur we can allow them to either destroy us or teach us about the frailties of our own abilities. If we work with our failure, it can add strength to our character by allowing us to understand others when they fail and it can also teach us the importance of offering them a second chance. Failure will show us that life is very unpredictable and that the road to tomorrow will have many twist and turns. It will present unexpected challenges, but we must not allow the uncertainty of the path to deter our journey or keep us from reaching our destiny. Regardless of adversity, we must continue to press towards success. 

Michael Jordan, a famous basketball star, acknowledged his failures in life, but didn't allow his failures to keep him from his potential success. He missed more than 9,000 shots in his career and lost almost three hundred games. He said, "On twenty-six occasions I have been entrusted to the game's winning shot ... and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is precisely why I have succeeded." He recognized that his success came because he refused to be destroyed and defeated by mere failure. He refused to be confounded and instead, he pressed on to victory in the midst of shame.

Like Michael Jordan, you must remember that you are not destroyed or defeated regardless of how many times you miss the goal. You only stifle your dreams and limit your potential for success when you, yourself, give up. You must not lend yourself to this mindset or allow yourself to be confounded, but realize that the Lord is for you and not against you. God has given you a potential for success so look to Him for help and keep trying until you obtain the victory. +++

11/11/13
LIFE AND BREATH

Scripture: Job 33:4 "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life."

There are two special things about us that we need to understand so that we can enjoy life the way that God intended for us to enjoy it. First, the Spirit of God made us and that makes each one of us special in our own way. We did not evolve from some lower beings, nor were we were created by chance. We were made in God's own image and according to His special design. Our voices are different and we do not act or think the same as anyone else on Earth. We are individuals and this is a marvel of God. God has created millions of people since the Earth began and yet we all look different and each of us can be identified by our own personal fingerprints. It is a miracle that God could make a half inch square on our thumb totally different from that of the other millions of people that have lived and not duplicate Himself in the process. God is an awesome Creator and we are His awesome creation. 

Most of the times, we do not think in these terms and may even look at ourselves and wish that we were someone else or wish that we could at least be like them. Yet, God's choices are sovereign and we should never question His work. The same people that we admire may be looking at us in the same manner. We can't afford to be envious of each other or complacent about who we are. Red roses are my favorite flower but it would be sad if all the flowers of the field were red roses. Where would the variety be? Can you imagine every floral arrangement being a dozen red roses? God is creative and His work is never boring and that includes you and me.

The second special thing about us is that the breath of the Almighty gives us life. We were alive within the womb, but the first gift that we received when we exited our mother's womb was breath. God was there at our birth and He, Himself, breathed His breath of life into our being. Without His breath, there is no life. Yet we seldom think about our ability to breathe or give thanks for our breath. We take it for granted and it is only as we experience some sort of episode where we are unable to breathe that we give thought to this awesome gift.

As we make our way through today, let us realize that life should be exuberant and exciting. God loves each and every one of us and we should love ourselves just the way that He created us. We are definitely one of a kind, fingerprints and all. So let us acknowledge and give thanks to our Maker, cherish our life and breath, celebrate who we are, and enjoy every moment of the day. +++

11/12/13
SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Scripture: John 16:13 "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come He will guide you into all truth."

Truth in these last days is becoming a rare commodity, whether it be from those in the advertisement field, politics, news media, or the ministry. Many times we don't know what to believe and sometimes even our personal relationships fail in this area. Yet, God has not left us helpless. He has endowed us with His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, which is a discerner of men's hearts. One of the Holy Spirit's main responsibilities is to lead us down the right path and bear witness with our spirits to confirm the truth and expose the error that we encounter.

In Matthew chapter twenty-four, Jesus warned us of several voices that would seek to deceive even the very elect of God. He spoke of the deception of men, those who would come in His name, false prophets, and even those showing great signs and wonders. We must realize that everything supernatural is not always spiritual. The Apostle Paul warned us of the deceptions of good words, fair speeches, and doctrines of men that would attempt to deceive the simple (Ephesians 5:6; Romans:18). He also said that we could even deceive our own selves (Galatians 6:3).

Scriptures declare that Satan comes as an angel of light to deceive, which means that he makes things look nearly correct. This tactic makes his deception more dangerous for us because when something is blatantly wrong we are more apt to recognize it. Consider a clock that is incorrect. If it is off by just a few minutes, we may not recognize the error until precise timing is required of us. However, if the clock is off by several hours, we would immediately recognize that it is wrong because our routine habits would conflict with the time displayed. Even a clock that is not running is still exactly correct twice a day. The spirit of error tells us just enough truth to deceive us, but notice that John said that the Holy Spirit guides us into ALL truth. ALL means that the Holy Spirit is not sometimes right and sometimes wrong. He is the Spirit of Truth and is one hundred percent correct - one hundred percent of the time. He will not force us along the way, but will gently lead and guide us. We must be very sensitive to His voice and yield to His leading so that we can walk in His truth. +++

11/13/13
ORDER MY STEPS

Scripture: Psalms 119:133 "Order my steps in Thy Word."

What a simple but profound request this is. Can you imagine where you would be today if this had been your prayer each day many years ago? What if God had ordered each step that you took according to His Word? This would mean that every situation in your life would have been the perfect and ordained will of God. Unfortunately, as we look back on those yesterdays, we can see many times that we strayed from the perfect path that God had placed before us. It looks all too clear now that God was trying to direct our steps. But instead of allowing His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, we followed our own wills and desires. As a result, some of the paths turned out to be pretty dirty and bumpy. They were surely not through the green pastures and beside the still waters. 

Jeremiah 10:23 tells us that it is not in man to determine and to direct his own way. It is not in us to even know what direction to take. Our natural man cannot envision the ultimate purpose and plan that God has for our lives. And although God may show us the large picture of His plan so that we can work towards it, He only leads and guides us one step at a time. Each step we take must be taken in faith for He requires that we trust Him with all of our heart and that we do not lean upon our own understanding. As we acknowledge God in all of our ways, He promises to direct our steps.

Psalms 37:23 says that God busies Himself with every step you take. He is right there watching you take steps through life just like a loving father watches his child walk. God wants to give you direction, but He will not force you. As you step out into life each day, think about your future being set in order by the Lord. Imagine the enormous changes that may happen in your life if you start each day with these eight simple and profound words, "Order my steps in Thy Word, O Lord." +++

11/14/13
THE GOLDEN RULE

Scripture: Luke 6:31 (NIV) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

We've heard this Golden Rule since we were children but we may not realize that these words are right in the middle of a sermon that Jesus preached nearly two thousand years ago. Yet, the value of these words still remains. In this great exhortation, Jesus spoke of loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us. He told us to bless those that curse us and pray for those who use us. If we are struck on the cheek, we are to turn and offer our other cheek to our abuser. Jesus' teaching also declared that if someone decided to take away our coat or material goods, we should allow them to take even more. We are to lend and expect nothing in return. We are also to show mercy in all situations and not be judgmental.

In this teaching, Jesus takes us through several areas of abuse: emotional abuse because our enemies hate us; verbal abuse by those who curse us; physical abuse by those who actually strike us; and abuse by those who would take advantage of us materially. How can we do good to these types of people and why should we obey this command? The answer is found in verse thirty-five, which tells us to love our enemies and our reward will be great. Love is the "How" and God's reward is the "Why."

As God enables us with His supernatural love, we are able to bless, forgive, and pray for those who abuse and do evil against us. We may not like the circumstances or appreciate the actions against us, but we can love because Jesus lives within us. He is the vine and we are the branches. As His life flows through us, we are able to manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit. His life is full of mercy, love, and forgiveness and His grace extends to all situations. II Corinthians 13:4 & 7 tells us that His "love is patient and kind ... and is able to bear and endure all things."

Our Heavenly Father showed us by example how to love the unlovely. He obeyed His own Golden Rule and sacrificed His Son, by being "kind to the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35). When we are able to emulate our Heavenly Father, Jesus said that we would receive a great reward and be called children of the Highest. Doing good to others is a very small price to pay for such a great reward. +++

11/15/13
WOUNDED SPIRIT

Scripture: Proverbs 18:14 "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

The spirit of a man is amazing. Your spirit will rise up and sustain you when you are in physical pain or other trouble. It will give birth to a determination that you didn't realize you had. Your spirit will inspire you and assist you in conquering the present adversity that challenges you. It will tell you to keep going in spite of the difficulties, and that you can make it. You will find yourself taking courage and doing what you could not do before, even fighting battles that you never thought possible. Many people have lived through life-threatening illnesses simply because when they heard the evil report that was issued against them, their spirit came alive and rose up with a new and exceptional strength that enabled them to fight for their life.

While it is true that your spirit will sustain you during your season of infirmity or adverse situations, it is also true that it is difficult for one to rise up when their spirit has been wounded, crushed, or broken. Physical wounds usually come from without and are easy to understand and cope with, but there are no simple bandages for a wounded spirit. Wounds to the spirit are sudden blows, and most of the time we don't see them coming, for they usually come from those whom we love and trust the most. This makes it hard to forget the incident or to forgive the one who inflicted the pain. It may be years before reconciliation and restoration of the relationship can be achieved, for we tend to continually analyze the situation. We are never quite sure how our loved one could have tread upon our heart and transgressed our feeling in such a grievous manner. It happens with our spouse, children, family, and friends. An unexplained action or an innocent but insensitive remark from someone we love can wound our spirit and this wound will be hard to bear.

Jesus knows and understands all that you are going through. He understands how you can be wounded by rejection because many rejected Him and His own disciples abandoned Him in the time of His greatest need. He knew the tears of pain and sorrow as He grieved for His friend, Lazarus. He understood how it felt to be misunderstood because His own mother and brothers did not understand Him and even declared that He was mad. He was also wounded and hurt by the same people that He ministered to and gave His life for. Because He understands your feelings so well, He is able to not only dry the tears in your eyes, but also to wipe them from your heart.

You do not have to bear your wounded spirit alone, for Jesus will bind up your wounds for you. He will stay near you when your heart is broken and continually apply the comforting healing balm of the Holy Spirit. He will minister to your broken spirit by giving you beauty for the ashes and disappointments of your life. He will give you the oil of joy for mourning and replace the heaviness that is in your soul with a garment of praise. A wounded spirit ... who can bear? Only Jesus. So, trust and lean upon Him. +++

11/18/13
STRETCHED BEYOND MEASURE

Scripture: II Corinthians 1:8 (NIV) "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure."

A couple of years ago I stored some documents in my garage. I had put them in envelopes and then placed a rubber band around the envelopes. I was surprised when I went to retrieve them, for the rubber bands that secured them had lost their elasticity and had become limp in some parts and brittle in others. When I touched the rubber bands, they fell apart. They had been stretched beyond their ability to endure and had collapsed under the enormous pressure they were under.

We are much like the rubber bands in the story. God has designed each of us in such a way that we have a great capacity to face challenges and handle everyday stress. He also gave us a promise that He would not put more upon us than we could bear. Yet, we often take on more than God, Himself, intended for us to carry. We get overly committed and allow stress to weave its way into our lives by embracing every challenge that comes our way. We stretch ourselves beyond our limits and don't know when to let go. We then wonder what is happening with our life. We are serving the Lord, but we are overwhelmed with all of life's activities. It seems that there is pressure coming against us from all sides. We are so involved physically and so over extended emotionally that we can't stop and get a grip on our situation.

We may feel that we have too much to do and can't justify seasons of rest and relaxation. Yet, Jesus had a greater commission to fulfill on Earth than we will ever have. His limited time was very valuable, but He always took time to rest and commune with God. Jesus called His disciples away from the crowds to rest with Him, and He even took a nap on the boat. Even though He was the Son of God, He did not allow Himself to be stretched beyond His natural limitations. It doesn't matter what we are called to do in life, we need seasons of rest. Even those in ministry are never at their best when they are continually stretched beyond their measure. Like the rubber band, without rest, we either become brittle and limp or eventually break. We must find that balance where we can stretch our lives to meet the challenge at hand and then relax and regenerate in the life that God gives. It is only then that we will have the ability to endure. +++

11/19/13
EMBRACING THE MOMENT

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:12 (Living Bible) "There is nothing better for a man than to be happy and to enjoy himself as long as he can."

Life on this earth is as a vapor, and compared to eternity it is as a moment in a day. James 4:14 tells us that our life "appears for a while, then it vanishes." Not only is the span of life that we are given very short, it is also divided into many unpredictable seasons. Some of them are joyful and some are sad. Solomon said there are seasons to laugh and seasons to cry. There are times to love, to hate, to build, to tear down, to have peace, and to be at war. He lists many other seasons that we will encounter in our lifetime, but he says, "God makes everything beautiful in His time." 

For so long, we have murmured and complained and taken so many things for granted. We are often dissatisfied because we see our glass as half-empty instead of half-full. It is only when we encounter sickness that we begin to appreciate health. Or when we come face to face with death that we see life as a gift, and our every breath becomes precious to us. We give very little thought to our vision and mobility until we see a close friend suddenly lose their eyesight or another become paralyzed due to injury. We never think of the blessing of being able to hear until our hearing grows dull or is gone. Our voice and ability to communicate is considered mundane until we are unable to speak or sing. And it is only when a loved one is stricken with a fatal disease that we come to the realization that we should cherish our loved ones and thankfully hold on to each and every moment that we have together and spend life very carefully.

Solomon told us to learn to be happy and enjoy life as much as you can. Whatever season you find yourself in, even in the midst of a trial, rejoice knowing that God is sovereign and God is in control. Don't murmur and complain about insignificant things. Instead, be thankful and embrace the little things of life that you have taken for granted. In the midst of your disappointments, don't consider what you have lost, look at what you have left and praise the Lord. Right now, if you have breath and life, embrace the moment and appreciate what that moment has to offer. +++

11/20/13
APPLE OF GOD'S EYE

Scripture: Psalms 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings."

The apple of the eye is the pupil, or the darkest part and very center of the eye. It is the most precious part of the eye because it lets the light in and allows the body to see. The eyes are very delicate and demand extreme care and protection, and if lost, the whole body suffers and is left handicapped. David knew the value of his own eyes and the lengths that he would go to in order to protect them, so he prayed and asked God to keep him as safe as God would the very apple of His own eye. The word 'keep' in this text meant to guard, protect, or hide like the eagle hides her young under her wings.

In the natural, God made provisions to protect the human eyes. The eyes have eyelashes, eyebrows, and eyelids that guard against small things like dust, dirt, and smoke. The eyes are also deeply entrenched in the skull with bones around them to protect them from further injury. The arms and hands also act instinctively and spontaneously to guard the eyes if something harmful should come in their direction. The head will turn or duck and even the knees bend to lower the entire body to help the eyes get out of the way of injury. The entire body responds to protect this vital organ and would rather suffer injury itself than to allow the eye to be damaged, for it recognizes that the eyes are precious and irreplaceable.

Just as David was kept as the apple of God's eye, so are you. You are a valuable part of God's body and kingdom, and just as you would protect your own eyes from harm, God is there to protect and guard you. If someone were to hit you in the eye, you wouldn't try to hit them back with your eye. Your eye is not designed to fight for itself so the other parts of your body, like the arms and hands, would take up the eye's defense. In the spiritual realm, God is your defense. God's Word says that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Psalms 94:1). Zechariah 2:8 says, "For he that touches you touches the apple of God's eye." In other words, when others come against you, they are touching a very sensitive part of God and He will respond. Verse nine says that "God will shake His hand against those who touch you." When others come against you, you can't fight your own battles, but God can fight for you. Your part is to simply shut your spiritual eyelids to the offense, leave things in God's hands, and pray for those who come against you. You are the apple of God's eyes so rest in Him and allow Him to hide you under the shadow of His wings. +++

11/21/13
RUN WITH FAITH

Scripture: I Samuel 17:48 "David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine."

David had no fear when he came against Goliath because his heart was full of faith. He refused Saul's armor and placed his confidence not in a big sword, but in a big God. David knew that the God he served could and would deliver him because this same God had fought David's battles before. David came against the giant in the Name of the Lord and He also came with a purpose and a cause. That cause was to stand against the spirit that was defiling the armies of the Living God. As David began to maximize and magnify God with his words, he minimized and diminished the giant that was challenging him. David did not shrink in the sight of the giant even though Goliath threw out frightening threats and disdaining accusations. Instead, David ran towards the giant and the Philistine army with great courage.

We are continually called to face giants in our lives whether they be in our homes or work places. There are situations that even come up with those that we love because the enemy is at work. He is still seeking to defile the people of God and their purposes. The devil makes his mission known with frightening threats and accusations in his effort to reduce us to nothing before the real battle even begins. The secret to our victory is the same as it was for David. We must have a cause within our heart and the Name of the Lord in our breath. We must rely upon what we know about God and His Word and our purposes must line up with His will. We cannot rely upon someone else's armor, for it will be too weighty and unproved. We must come to believe so much in the Name of the Lord and His purpose that it becomes a mighty force and power within us. 

We cannot shrink back in our despair or hide in our darkness. We must be bold and run towards the enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. God's Word promises that if we resist the enemy, he must flee. He has no choice! David said that the battle was the Lord's and he relied totally on that premise. He did not rely on his own strength or ability. He allowed God to work through him with a simple sling and a stone against a mighty giant who held a huge spear, sword, and a shield. Yet, David prevailed without a sword in his own hand. You may feel very inadequate as you come against the giants in your life. God may only provide you with meager weapons as he did with David. Your natural sling and stone may not look like very much as you view the spear, sword, and the shield of the enemy. However, you must not consider what you hold in your hand but what you hold in your heart, for God will honor your faith and your pure motives. Run with faith towards the enemy and God will stand with you as you fight for His cause and in His Name. +++

11/22/13
FAITH WORKS

Scripture: Mark 5:34 "Your faith has made you whole."

Jesus spoke these words to a woman who had put her faith to work for many years. She was plagued with an issue of blood and had sought desperately for healing but obtained no results until she had an encounter with the Master. In her quest for healing and her refusal to stay ill, we see how her faith progressed.

First, she placed her faith in the physicians until she had spent all the money that she had. By the time that she had exhausted all of her finances, she had suffered many things just trying to get healed. When all natural help failed and there was no hope medically, her heart began to open to the supernatural. She started hearing reports about a man named Jesus who could heal the sick. The more testimonies that she heard about this man, the stronger her faith grew. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word."

Finally, she began to make her way towards this healer named Jesus. As she moved towards Jesus in hopes of receiving a miracle, she heard another testimony of faith. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, ask Jesus to come lay His hands on his own daughter who was dying. As she heard these words, she may have thought, "If Jairus believes that his daughter will be healed when Jesus touches her, then I believe that I shall be made whole if I can only touch Jesus' clothes." Her final steps to victory were to get her confession to agree with the faith that was in her heart, and then to reach out and touch Jesus. As she did this, she was healed.

Mrs. Charles E. Cowan in Streams In The Desert quoted this selection:

"We cannot create the wind or set it in motion, but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes;
We cannot make electricity, but we can stretch out the wire upon which it is to run and do its work;
We cannot, in a word, control the Spirit, but we can place ourselves before the Lord, do the things He asks us to do, that we may come under the influence and power of His mighty
breath."

The faith of the woman with the issue of blood was not just a simple thought. She set her sail to catch the wind. She ran the necessary wire to carry the electricity. She put her faith to work. James 5:26 says, "Faith without works is dead." Similarly, your personal efforts alone cannot cause your miracle to happen. But you can move in faith towards the victory like the woman with the issue of blood did. Start by doing all that you can do in the natural. Listen to God's Word and the testimonies of others and allow faith to arise in your heart. Move towards God, not away from Him, and confess positive words concerning your situations. Most importantly reach out to Jesus and allow your faith to touch Him. Then you will discover that faith works. +++

11/25/13
THINGS VALUED

Scripture: Proverbs 15:6 "In the house of the righteous is much treasure."

I can remember a time in my life when you never saw a penny tossed away on the ground because it actually had significant value. Even though my family didn't have much materially, we never seemed to be poor because we had the same as those around us. It was just after World War II and things were scarce for everyone. When we got a penny for bubble gum, we were thrilled. We would chew the gum during the day then place it on a saucer at night and cover it with a drinking glass. The next day, we were allowed to dip it in sugar to sweeten it up. This was a real treat because sugar was rationed. Can you imagine the joy of a penny being stretched so far? When I started school, things were better and we were given nickels to spend and the penny began to lose some of its value. With a nickel you could either buy a nourishing mid-morning snack or in the afternoon get a coke from the new soda machine. Eventually, the cost of cokes went from a nickel to six cents and this caused the worth of the penny to increase because it was again needed.

Today, pennies are almost worthless except for the precious words inscribed on them that remind us, "In God we trust." How many things in our lives have become like the penny? The relationships that we once viewed as valuable and precious are now taken for granted. We have friendships that we are too busy to make time for and family members who suffer neglect because of our busy careers. The jobs that we desperately sought after have turned into mundane labor and brought on extra stress. Our passions for our spouse whom we once held dear may have dwindled. As time has passed the values of our hearts have been altered and things once precious are now neglected. We are driven by the need to prosper and succeed and have lost sight of the true treasures of life, which are basically free.

Solomon said there is much treasure in the house of the righteous. We need to think about his statement and allow this season to remind us to look around and focus on the blessings that we have, for there are hidden treasures all about us. We must place value on those things that are more important than the wealth that can be measured in dollars and cents. If we know God and have family, friends, love, health, food, clothing, and freedom, we are indeed blessed and must recognize that within the walls of our own home there is much treasure. We should be thankful for these blessings and reflect on their value, for where our treasure is there is our heart also. +++

11/26/13
GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS

Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

There are times in our lives when there seems to be enormous plans that are working against us, and in our innocence, we fail to recognize that it is plans of a shrewd enemy. We assume that we are wrestling against flesh and blood, when in fact, we are in a spiritual warfare against the "wiles and strategies of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). God tells us that when we find ourselves in these situations, we are to be joyful and give thanks "in" everything. He did not say give thanks "for" everything, but "in" every situation be thankful to God. James 1:2 says that we are to "count it all joy."

Why are we to be thankful and joyful? James 1:3 says, "the trying of our faith is working patience in our lives." Trials develop character and character produces fruit. According to Romans 5:23, tribulations are not meant to destroy us, but to cause God's glory to come forth in our spirits as His fruit of patience develops. Romans 8:28 tells us that we can "know (not hope so, think so, pray so, but KNOW) that ALL things are working together for good to those that love God, and are called according to His purpose." We look at the example of Joseph as he was rejected by his own brothers and sold into slavery for many years. His situation was certainly not good, but he recognized that his circumstances were in the perfect plan of God. He knew that things in his life would work out for good and he continued to believe that God's purposes would be established in spite of how bleak his present situation seemed. Even though Joseph had to endure much heartache and pain, he was grateful that God had called him to the kingdom at such a critical time. With a thankful heart, he told his brothers, "You thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

If you love God and are called according to His purpose but find yourself in adverse situations, be assured today that He is still working in your life. The devil thinks evil against you and works to that end. Like Joseph, you may not see present evidence, but God is on the other side working all things together for your good and also for His eternal purposes. So in everything give thanks, for this is God's will concerning you. +++

11/27/13
GIVING HIM THANKS

Scripture: Luke 17:15-16 "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks."

Ten men who were plagued with leprosy found the time and the energy to seek out Jesus when they needed Him. As Jesus came to their village, they unashamedly cried, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Jesus instructed them to go and show themselves to the priest, and as they went their way they were all healed. However, only one of the ten returned to glorify God and give Him thanks. The one that returned could not thank Jesus enough for the healing that he had received. Yet, his attention went beyond his miraculous healing as he focused on the Healer. He was so grateful to Jesus that he fell down on his face at Jesus' feet in worship and gave Him thanks.

Jesus' response was "Where are the other nine?" They had sought Jesus out, crying for mercy and calling Him Master. They were also healed of leprosy, but once they were healed, they did not return to give Jesus even a small word of thanks. If they had any gratitude at all, it was silent to the ears of the One who had healed them. Their new found healing called them back to their own lives and self interest. They no longer had time to follow Jesus or allow Him to be the Master of their lives, for they were in a hurry to get on with their own agenda.

Our circumstances may not be perfect, but if we look around us, we will find that we have much to be thankful for. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, " In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." God has done so many things for us and we need to thank Him for everything. Our words of gratitude should be one hundred percent. We shouldn't return and give thanks for just one thing and leave the other nine undone. How sad it would be if Jesus responded to our efforts and said, "What about the other nine things I did for you? Aren't you thankful for them also?" We get so busy during this season that we forget the reason for the season. We forget why we are supposed to be Happy at Thanksgiving and Merry at Christmas. We must be careful and give diligent thought to the true reason for our happiness and joy. We have happiness and joy because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Let us be sure to turn away from ourselves, our busy schedules, and celebrations during this season long enough to return to Jesus and give Him a simple word of thanks. +++

11/28/13
BE THANKFUL

Scripture: Psalms 100:4 " ... Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name."

In this Psalm of praise, David exhorts us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, to serve Him with gladness, and to come before Him with singing. We are to recognize that the Lord has made us and acknowledge that we are His people. We are to express our thankfulness and bless the Lord, for He is good and His mercy is everlasting. Many times, however, we take our many blessings for granted instead of taking notice and expressing our appreciation to God for all the things that He has done for us. Too often, it takes seeing the sufferings of others or experiencing our own suffering to remind us of how short our thankfulness has fallen.

Martin Luther made a very strong point about our lack of thankfulness when he wrote of "God's Unceasing Kindness." In part he said, "If our heavenly Father were not so liberal in the distribution of His gifts, we would be more thankful to Him." Martin Luther then went on to explain this theory. He said that if God had caused all men to be born with only one leg or foot, and later, at the age of seven, was given the other leg and foot, man would be more thankful. He would appreciate his legs for the rest of his life and would never again take them for granted. Likewise, if a man were born with one arm and one hand, but given the other arm and hand at the age of twenty, he would appreciate his arms and hands and prize them more highly.

God has bestowed upon us great and bountiful blessings. Yet many times, it is only as we are deprived that we begin to appreciate them. Sometimes it takes the electrical power going out in the midst of a storm to remind us of how much we appreciate having lights. It takes illness to remind us of how precious good health is. It takes the threat of death before we become thankful for each breath that we are allowed to take. Like Luther's story, what if you were born with one leg or arm, blind, or deaf? Would you be more appreciative when you were restored? When was the last time that you gave thanks to God because you could walk, talk, see, and hear? Have you thanked the Lord lately for your family, friends, shelter, and food? Don't wait for adversity to remind you of what you have and what you should be thanking God for. Begin right now to acknowledge God's awesome goodness to you personally and praise Him for the daily benefits that He is providing. Be thankful to God and bless His Name! +++

11/29/13
THANKSGIVING 

Scripture: Psalms 100:4 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His holy name."

At times we stand outside the gates of God's presence and wonder why we can't feel God or sense His awesome power. We are plagued with our lack of direction and haunted by our unanswered prayers. We question the meaning and purpose of the desperate situations and circumstances that surround us at the moment. We even wonder if things are ever going to change. We feel that if we could just get to God and present ourselves to Him that everything would be all right. We know that if we were in His presence, He would surround us with His love and shed His glorious light on our dimly lit path. We sense His Spirit drawing us, yet we just grope around outside of the gates without a clue of how we once were able to find that wonderful place at the foot of God's throne. 

In this verse, the psalmist gives us insight into how to enter the gates that bring us into the presence of God. He says that our initial approach to God requires a heart of thanksgiving and lips full of praise. This is a very important issue with God. We must be thankful and verbalize our gratitude, for this kind of heart attitude opens the gates that lead to the courts of God. Thankfulness is like the hinges on which the gates swing. Without a grateful heart, the hinges will not work and the gate will not open. As a result, we will not be able to enter into the presence of God where our prayers are answered and where we find peace.

Very often, we must offer up sacrifices of thankfulness. It may be hard to thank God in the present situation that you are in, but your words are important to Him. He cherishes your thankfulness and praise. The Lord listens to your every word and as you express your thankfulness to Him, you magnify Him. He is more pleased with your thankfulness and praise than He is with your tangible sacrifices like the animal sacrifices that were made under the old covenant long ago (Psalm 69:30-31). When you voice your thanksgiving, you make God big not only in your own sight, but in the sight of those who hear your words of praise. As you praise and thank Him, God oils the hinges of the gate and it begins to open. His Holy Spirit then ushers you through the gate and into God's presence. +++