09/01/14
STAND STILL

Scripture: Exodus 14:13 "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord."

God led the people of Israel into a hard place and they found themselves encamped between the enemy and the Red Sea. Notice that God was the one who put them in what seemed to be a 'no win' situation. As Pharaoh's army approached, the Israelites had no way of escape. They were in a terrible trap and fear began to grip their hearts. They spoke of surrender and were ready to return to Egypt as slaves rather than face death. They failed to consider that God had led them into this precarious place and that if He had put them there, He surely had a plan of escape. They had no idea that they were hours away from a mighty miracle and what they were about to experience would be talked about for centuries. Books and movies would recount this marvelous story of deliverance of God rolling back the Red Sea for His chosen people.

Moses told the people to stand still and watch God work. It is very difficult to stand still in the face of adversity when everything within us cries out for action. Anxiety plagues our soul and fear tells us to run away or give in to the enemy. Doubt and unbelief tell us to hide until the battle is over. Presumption says move out ahead of God and fight the battle yourself so that you can just get it over with. It becomes a matter of fight or flight. God's wisdom, however, tells us to stand still until we get further instructions. When God says go forward, He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He is very creative. In this instance, God did something that He had never done before. He parted the Red Sea, and the Israelites went across on dry land in the midst of this sea. God then used that same sea to destroy their enemies. What a fantastic plan. What God's people thought was evil, He used for good.

If you are in a hard place with no way of escape, do not fear. Stand still until you hear from God. His thoughts are much higher than your thoughts and His ways are much higher than your ways. God does have a plan! Ephesians 6:13-17 says to put on the whole amour of God, which is truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and take the Sword of the Spirit or the Word of God, and then stand. Having done all that you can do about the situation, you are to stand and depend upon the sufficiency of God. As you stand still on the edge of your Red Sea, you will discover the certainty of God's unchanging Word. He is able to deliver you and will create a miracle on your behalf. +++ 

09/02/14
TAKING YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE

Scripture: II Corinthians 10:5 "... Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Do you ever wonder what is really going on in your life? It seems as though things are way out of control and it is one battle after another. The truth is that we are in spiritual warfare and we must put on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to wrestle and stand against the enemy. The Apostle Paul told us in II Corinthians 10:3-6 that although we are walking and living in a fleshly body, our battles are not with flesh. He tells us how to combat the enemy that comes against our mind. He says that we must be ready to revenge ourselves by speaking out against anything that opposes what Christ has purchased for us on the cross of Calvary. We must take action in three areas; pull down strongholds in our lives, cast down imaginations in our minds, and take our thoughts captive.

Paul gives us a picture of the enemy who has come into our minds. The enemy builds a fortified city and puts up strong walls and towers to protect the territory that he has taken control of. The strongholds that Satan puts in our minds are spiritual and traditional in nature. Our battles may be hereditary such as generational diseases or they may be social such as poverty and popularity. The devil is not playing games with us. Whatever stronghold the devil tries to enforce in our life, they are designed to kill, steal, and destroy. If he is allowed to build a stronghold in our mind, we begin to expect his results. He begins to plant negative thoughts and imaginations inside the strongholds. He brings us to a point that we can't develop faith for healing, prosperity, or receiving answers for any of our needs, for he is in control.

In fighting this battle in our mind, Paul told us to deal with these hard, strong, impenetrable fortresses. We are to destroy them by prayer and the authority of God's Word. It takes time to tear down the fortresses that have been built in our minds just like it would if we were to tear down a brick wall, brick by brick. But when the walls come down, the contents within will be exposed so they can be dealt with. It is then that we can deal with the vain imaginations and bring into captivity the thoughts that are disobedient to Christ. It is not enough for us to be victorious over the strongholds in our minds, we must keep the victory. To do this, we must continue to hold our thoughts in captivity to the Spirit of Christ. As we renew our minds daily in God's Word and fellowship with Him in prayer, truth will prevail and every thought will become obedient to Him. +++

09/03/14
THE LEAST OF THESE

Scripture: Matthew 25:40 "In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it unto Me."

The call to ministry is not primarily a call to be behind a pulpit or in the limelight of a radio or television ministry. Neither is ministry just for a chosen few who have been to seminary and studied how to minister. Jesus taught His disciples about true ministry. He talked to them about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, and ministering to those in prison. He said, "When you minister to the least of these, you have ministered unto Me." Ministry is designed for the believer and it is about fulfilling the needs of others whether the need is physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual. It is helping people and encouraging them on their journey towards Jesus and eternity.

We would walk miles and stand in long lines just to get a brief glimpse of Jesus. If the opportunity presented itself, we would even sit in a tree like Zacchaeus did and wait for Jesus to come so that we could hear Him speak. There would be no sacrifice too great for us to make in order to be able to witness His awesome power. We would do anything and go anywhere in order to see Jesus change water into wine, heal the sick, multiply the bread and fish, calm the storms, and walk on the water. Words cannot explain how thrilled we would be if Jesus asked us to do something for Him or to minister to Him in some special way. Yet according to His own words, Jesus gives us ample opportunity to do just that. He comes to us more often than we realize. Most of the time, we do not recognize Him because He comes in the form of the beggar on the street or the hungry children of the world. He comes to us as the poor who need to be clothed or He sits behind bars as a prisoner who needs to be encouraged by a visit. Jesus is there in many ways but because we are searching for Him to appear in a supernatural way, we miss Him altogether. 

If you would start each day with a simple prayer such as, "Jesus, show me what I can do for You today", you would be surprised how many needs would present themselves. The Lord would open your eyes to see the hungry, thirsty, and homeless that were about you. You ears would be sensitive to the cries of those who were sick and you would understand the loneliness of those in prison. The Lord would fill your heart with His love and show you how to respond to their simple needs. Jesus would teach you the same element of truth that He shared with those closest to Him. That truth is that the Lord is pleased when you touch the life of those who are neglected, overlooked, and considered to be the least in His kingdom. His message to you would be to "love all people" even the very least. For when you love and care for others, it will be as though you were loving and caring for the Lord Himself. +++ 

09/04/14
HEARING JOY

Scripture: Psalms 51:8 "Make me to hear joy and gladness."

Joy is necessary for our spiritual and natural well being, for it is the joy of the Lord that gives us supernatural strength. Joy enables us to make it through the most difficult trials and gives us a resistance against temptations. James 1:2 tells us that we are to count it all joy when we enter into a place of temptation because God is going to use it for His glory. Temptations try our faith, but when we are able to maintain our joy in the midst of it all, God is able to complete a work within our heart and do greater things than we can ever imagine.

David said, "Make me to hear joy and gladness." He was in a very discouraging place when he said these words to the Lord, for Nathan, the prophet, had just exposed David's sin with Bathsheba. David loved God with all of his heart, but when his sins were exposed, he was forced to admit and face his own faults. With grief in his heart, he confessed his sins, pleaded for forgiveness, and asked that the joy of the Lord be restored in his life. He knew that God was merciful and that God's joy was there and still available to him. But David needed God to open his ears for him and help him hear the joy that surrounded him.

Many situations come in our lives to steal our joy. Like David, it is hard to find joy when you know that you have sins and faults in your own life that you need to deal with. It is also hard to hear the sounds of joy when you have lost a loved one to death, when you are in a broken relationship, when you are stressed financially, when you are going through trials, and when your health is failing. Yet, it is the strength that joy provides that will sustain you during these adverse situations.

Jesus said, " I have spoken to you that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11). He spoke words to us so that we could have joy. We desperately need the strength of these words that bring His supernatural joy. It is one thing for joy to be present and available and it is another thing for us to be able to hear it and receive it. We must ask God, as David did, to make us able to hear the sounds of joy and gladness that will take us through the difficult times and places. +++

09/05/14
GOD'S FRIEND

Scripture: James 2:23 " ... Abraham was called the friend of God."

What an enormous statement and an honor to be called "God's friend." The friendship between Abraham and God didn't just happen. It was developed over a period of time as they shared many experiences and as they learned to trust one another. God called Abraham out from his own country and away from his family to become the Father of many nations. When Abraham obeyed the call, God faithfully blessed him and delivered him from every threatening situation. In the test and trials that Abraham faced as he made his journey, he learned that he could trust God and rely upon God's faithfulness. And through those same tests and trials, God found that He could trust Abraham.

Abraham was a man who was willing to make every sacrifice, even if it meant offering his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. He knew the nature of God and was assured that this special Friend would never let him down. Abraham believed that God would keep His promise to bless his seed, so he placed Isaac in God's hands and trusted God to spare him. Abraham had so much confidence in God that in the midst of this contrary situation, he told Isaac, "God will provide Himself a lamb." Even as Abraham bound Isaac to the altar and raised his own hand to slay him, Abraham knew that his Friend named God would not fail. 

II Chronicles 19:7 spoke of Abraham as being God's friend forever. It wasn't just a passing relationship. It was destined for eternity. Scriptures are given for our examples. If Abraham and God could share this kind of friendship, we should be able to experience the same, for God is no respecter of persons. This thought alone should revolutionize our lives. Like any other friendship, however, if we want to be friends with God, we have to be a friend to God. When we reach for His hand, it's always there. He expects no less from us. True friendship doesn't shrink from responsibility. It shares the good and the bad.

God is not just someone to call on every time that we get in trouble or need help. He desires personal fellowship. He seeks to love and be loved, to trust and be trusted. Our trust level should be so high that we would follow God anywhere and our love should be so strong that we would do anything that He asked of us. God wants us to be His friend and He wants to be a friend to us. He wants to hear us calling His name out loud. As friends, He wants to talk with us and share His thoughts, and He wants us to talk to Him and share our thoughts. The Almighty God offers Himself to us on this intimate level. He chooses to be our friend, but it is up to us to respond to His invitation. +++

09/08/14
YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN

Scripture: Isaiah 49:4 "Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain."

Isaiah spoke these words prophetically in reference to the Messiah who was to come. Yet at some point in our lives, most of us have felt this same way, that our labor has been in vain and that we have nothing to show for a life of hard work. It could be in any area of our life. We may be successful financially, but our children may have strayed from the values that we trained them to respect. They may not be serving God and we wonder how this could be when we so diligently labored to keep them in the faith when they were young. Or maybe we labored with all of our strength in the work force only to find that we are not in the financial position that we had hoped to be at this stage in our life. We may have labored in a ministry that fell apart or lost our retirement in the market or in a corporation that failed. As we look at our present circumstances, we may think that all of our labor has been in vain and that every ounce of strength that we have spent has brought us nothing.

We cannot allow our thoughts to end in this sad and painful conclusion. Isaiah continued this verse of scripture by declaring, "Yet, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with God." The Message Bible quotes his words by saying, "Nevertheless, I'll let God have the last word. I'll let Him pronounce His verdict." Only God, Himself, knows if our labor has been in vain or not. We must trust in God and believe that He will bless our efforts and that our labor will not be counted in vain. When it looks like everything has failed in our life, we must allow God to have the last word on the subject.

We need to look at our good works like the farmer looks at his fields. The farmer plants his seed and then sees nothing for weeks. He can see the fields that he labored in and the rows where he planted, but no positive results. For days and weeks the sweat of the farmer's brow and the long hot hours that he spent may appear to have been wasted. There are no outward signs to reinforce his faith and to assure him that his labor and strength had not been in vain. He can't look beneath the soil or examine the results of his tedious labor. He must wait out the season and put his trust in God.

We must do the same. If you have felt that you have labored in vain, remember that Jesus understands your heart and then allow this promise from the Apostle Paul to encourage you. Paul said, "My beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58). +++ 

09/09/14
A SIMPLE PRAYER

Scripture: Job 22:29-30 (NLT) "If people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued: they will be rescued because your hands are pure."

God created man in His own image and by His great design and His intentions were that all men should follow Him and honor all of His laws. God planned a future for all of His creation, yet He is a God who gives men a free choice. He allows them to make their own decisions even though their choices may be against His will. Many times we have friends, family, sons, and daughters who go astray. They may even know God's Word and understand the difference in right and wrong, but they have allowed their desires to overpower the truth that is in their heart. And sadly, they have chosen to follow a path into darkness.

As much as we love and care for them, we are helpless in trying to rescue them because it can't be done in the natural. They will not listen to any of our persuasions and our words of warning fall to the ground as if they were never spoken. We cry out to God in our distress, saying, "How can this be and where will it end"? We suffer grief over the situation and even wonder if we are at fault in some way. We would do anything to change the circumstances. Yet, we realize that it will take a miracle of God to turn them around and set them on the right path again. Our heart aches for them, for we know they will suffer physically because of the path that they have taken. But more importantly, we want to spare them from the spiritual and eternal consequences of their choices.

Our prayers become desperate. We pray, pray, and pray until finally, we have no more words to say and don't know what else to do. God understands where we are and His words are always there to comfort and instruct us. This simple prayer that is mentioned in the book of Job is mighty. It simply says, when our loved ones are in trouble, all we need to say is "God, help them." And then, somehow "God will rescue them because of the pureness of our hands." God is faithful and when we seek to serve Him with all of our heart, He is attentive to our words. James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." We can depend upon God to honor His Word. We must continue to stand in the gap for those whom we love. God sees our heart and He is not looking for long prayers with a lot of words. When we can find no other words to say, we can call our loved one's name out to God and pray this simple prayer, "God, Help them!" +++ 

09/10/14
REDEEMING THE TIME

Scripture: Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

To redeem means to regain possession of something, to receive something by exchange, or to make up for lost time. Paul encourages us to live each day in such a fashion so that each moment we spend, we exchange it for something that is of value. In the previous verse, he said, "Live purposefully, worthily, and accurately, not as unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible, and intelligent people ... making the most of time" (Ephesians 5:15 Amplified Bible).

Each deed that we do should be done as unto the Lord and every word that we speak should minister grace to the hearer, encouraging their hearts and renewing their spirits. Our lives should be salt and light in this world of darkness. Time and opportunity is priceless and once they are spent, they are gone forever. Redemption of these precious commodities must occur as the moment happens. Yet, sadly, we often find that we've missed our opportunity and the precious moment has passed into eternity. We find ourselves saying, "I wish I had said this, or I wish I had done that." We begin to realize that we've spent our time on things that had no lasting purpose or eternal value. 

We live in a world that is full of hurting people and we encounter them daily. Yet rather than trying to mend their pain, we come up with insignificant answers. Some of the words taken from a song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither say, "When the house is burning to the ground, there's just no time to stand around arranging all the pictures on the wall." The rest of the song mentions spending time writing songs and preaching sermons to answer questions that no one is even asking. In other words, we must stopped wasting our moments. To redeem the situations when we encounter them, necessary actions need to be taken and significant words need to be spoken.

God's desire is that we rearrange our priorities, for the time is short and the days are evil. Our main interest should be the needs of others and the condition of their hearts with respect to eternity. We have been given the opportunity to lead others to a hill called Calvary and to show them how to touch the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. We must make the most of time, and buy up each opportunity by sharing the Living Water with the thirsty and the Bread of Life with the hungry. As we do, we will be redeeming the time for eternity by revealing the Redeemer. +++ 

09/11/14
FORSAKEN BY OTHERS BUT NEVER ALONE

II Timothy 4:16-17 "All men forsook me ... but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me."

Knowing and serving God is a one-on-one personal endeavor. It is an individual life of obedience to the Father. Although we may worship with others, our personal relationship with the Lord is never a group effort. Very often it requires standing alone in our convictions and following the Holy Spirit when no one understands. Like the Apostle Paul, many voices may rise against us and our closest friends may forsake us when God begins to deal with us. As we follow God, the reasons for our actions may be questioned and our motives scrutinized. Simply standing in the midst of this adversity will become a test of our faith. Then, as we choose to follow God instead of giving in to the opinions of others, we usually find ourselves rejected and standing alone. This is the price of servanthood and the cost of freedom.

Oswald Chambers wrote, "A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone." We must become so accustomed to this place of solitude that we do not think of it as being strange. Like the eagle that soars alone, solitude must become our comfortable place. We must know that God is with us, for He has made a commitment to never forsake us or leave us alone. Paul knew very well how it felt to experience this place when he was beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. Yet, he never allowed these places of solitude to disillusion him or cause him to give up. When all men forsook him, Paul knew that God was standing with him and he found renewed strength in that belief.

Even Jesus' disciples abandoned Him in a crucial hour. When Jesus was taken from the Garden of Gethsemane, all of His disciples forsook Him and fled (Mark 14:50). Judas had openly betrayed Him. Yet, it seemed that at least one of the remaining eleven disciples would have chosen to stay by Jesus' side. After all, they were His closest friends. Even those that He had healed or delivered did not come to His rescue and the thousands that He had fed when He multiplied the loaves and fish were nowhere to be found. Instead, Jesus was despised and rejected of all men and forced to stand alone when it came time for Him to fulfill God's plan.

Like Jesus, our passion must be fueled by God's will and purposes for our lives regardless of whom it separates us from or where it takes us. We can be sure that when all men forsake us, the Lord will stand with us and strengthen us. We must abandon ourselves to God and take refuge in His presence so that the greatness of His being can be birthed within our souls. +++ 

09/12/14
MEDITATION OF THE HEART

Scripture: Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer."

Our concerns about righteousness are usually about what we have done or said, but God is interested in much more than that. He considers not only our words and actions but also the meditations of our heart, for it is the thoughts and feelings of our heart that determine who we truly are. Sometimes we respond with the correct words and a seemly right attitude when in reality we are frustrated in having to deal with a person or a matter. We only pretend to be patient, loving, and kind, but the true meditations of our heart are hidden. They are not in agreement with our false actions. Our pretense on the outside looks good to the world but our heart is void of the inward fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The truest measure of integrity is explained as doing the right thing when no one is looking. It is obeying the laws of life and also the laws of the heart when there is no one there to judge us. If our hearts are right, it won't matter if we have an audience or not, we will always choose to do the right thing. We will give knowing that we will gain nothing from the receiver of our gift. We will be kind to the unlovely when there is no glory to be received. We will be honest even though no one will ever know the difference. We will do our work with excellence even though no one is watching us. We will be discreet in every respect of life and walk out what we profess to believe.

David prayed concerning the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart. He wanted both to be acceptable in the sight of God. David knew that we could have our words right but that the meditations in our heart could be very wrong. He also recognized that God was his Strength and Redeemer so he called out to Him. We must understand as David did that God is very aware of the intents of our hearts. He sees our actions but He also knows our thoughts and meditations. God discerns the evil and is saddened but He rejoices in the goodness that is within us. He desires that we live in truth and manifest the fruit of His Spirit. Like David, before the words of our mouth and the meditations of heart begin to conflict with the heart of God, we can call out to the Lord. God is always near and He is there to help. He will give us strength in our weakness and be our Redeemer in every situation. +++

09/15/14
GOD'S PLAN

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

When God formed each of us, He had a specific plan and purpose in mind. So He did not give us the same qualities and abilities, but placed within each of us all that we would need to be able to do His divine will. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts." His thoughts and plans are higher than ours. In fact, the scriptures declare that the distance between God's thoughts and our thoughts is as far as heaven is from the earth. This is because, for the most part, our thoughts are concerned with today's business and what is happening right now and God's thoughts are on eternity.

Sometimes we find ourselves in great difficulties and can't understand why, but Romans 8:18 declares that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. We may think that we are in a hopeless place with no way of escape because we are surrounded by darkness and separated from others. Yet, we must remember that regardless of how hopeless our situation may look, God has a plan, and it is for good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope.

Consider the butterfly. God had a future for it, but it had to go through much turmoil before it was released to display God's beauty and glory. It began by spinning itself into a cocoon and may not have realized that the end result of its spinning would be capturing itself in a small dark place for a very long season. It may have been surprised when it found itself separated from others in this quiet place, totally alone with God. This place was also humbling, for there was no beauty in the appearance of the cocoon attached to a branch. It probably wondered what happened to its original dream.

As bad as the outside may have looked to others, the inside was much worse for the caterpillar itself. It was in greater turmoil than anyone could ever imagine as it struggled on its own, in great labor and difficulty. No one could help it get through its ordeal, and no one could set it free but God. Receiving its release meant it had to force its body through a narrow passage. Yet, this was God's provision of glory and beauty for the butterfly. It is through the pressure caused by moving through this narrow passage that nature forces the juices into the vessels of the wings and releases the beauty that God intended. If someone intervened and stop God's process by releasing the butterfly early, it would end up with a huge swollen body and shriveled wings and it would be forced to crawl through life rather than fly.

God knows where you are and He understands your struggles. You must believe that He has a glorious end in sight. He wants you to be complete and fully equipped to operate in His plan. God will call you out when He sees that you are ready and not a moment before. He does not want you crawling through life like a shriveled caterpillar but instead soaring like a beautiful butterfly. God is working His plan in your life, but you must call upon Him and search for Him with all of your heart. Remember that as you pass through the dark and narrow places, He is preparing you for the time of your release. Trust in the Lord. He does have a future with a hope, and in the fullness of His time, His glory will be revealed in you. +++ 

09/16/14
THE LORD'S GOODNESS

Scripture: Psalms 107:15 "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

God is so good and His works are wonderful, yet we rarely stop to consider all that He does for us. He hides us under the shelter of His wings like a mighty eagle that protects her young. He is our shield in the time of battle and He is our hedge against problems. He walks with us in the midst of the fire and He keeps us safe in the flood. He calms the raging storms and leads us through the dry barren desert. He stands beside us when the lions roar and also helps us to conquer every giant that mocks us. He is our daily provision and our hope for the future. He is our Shepherd who leads us through the dark valley and our intercessor who continually sits at the right hand of God. He is our Savior and our best friend. How could we ask for anything more? 

As I read the many prayer requests that come through this ministry, I realize how thankful we need to be on a daily basis because God is sparing many of us from some of the heartache and pain that others are facing at the moment. Yet, I remember a season when I was pressed beyond measure on every side just as others are experiencing at this time. In that year, my husband passed away after a long battle with cancer, my brother died, and my home was flooded with over two feet of water from a tropical storm. My heart was broken because of the loss of my loved ones, and in the midst of my grief, I was forced to handle financial situations and make decisions that I had never had to face alone. It was a terrible season of hard work, financial loss, grief, and sorrow. But in every situation, God's grace proved sufficient, and my experiences became a training ground for me to learn how to love and encourage others who would later face the same challenges.

We are reminded of these seasons of heartache and pain, from time to time, and may even wonder how we made it through the various trials. Yet, how often do we give thanks to the Lord that we are not experiencing similar circumstances at the present time? We should give thanks every day of our life, for each day God protects us in some way that we do not realize. He spares us from sickness or some unseen situation that He knows we are unable to handle because He has promised that He would never put more upon us than we could bear. He allows only a portion of pain for a given season so as not to overwhelm our spirits. If we could see all that the Lord had spared us from, we would be as passionate as the psalmist. We would agree with his declaration of desire. We would become one of those people who would "praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" +++ 

09/17/14
FAITH DEMANDS ACTION

Scripture: James 2:17 "Faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone."

We are saved by faith and not by works, and yet faith always generates good and productive works. Faith demands corresponding actions and when faith stands alone without any actions to support its beliefs, it is dead. In the previous verses, James gave an example of a brother or sister who were naked and destitute of daily food. He said that if we tell them to go in peace and be warmed and fed, and do nothing about their situation, there is no profit. Our words are dead and have no life. Then, James told us that the same thing is true of our faith. When we just talk about what we believe and wait for something to happen, it profits nothing. There is no fruit unless we act on what we believe.

Faith works and faith has works. The blind man's faith caused him to cry out to Jesus for healing. He even cast away his beggar's garment by faith when Jesus called for him to come. He had faith that he would be healed and he got rid of his garment because he believed that he would not have to beg again. The faith of the leprous men caused them to search out Jesus for cleansing. The lame man acted in faith and picked up his bed and walked at Jesus' command. Peter acted on his faith and walked upon the water when Jesus bid him to step out of the boat and come to Him. Zacchaeus was a small man but his faith prompted him to climb up in a tree so that he could see Jesus. The faith that was in the heart of the woman with an issue of blood caused her to push through the crowd of people so that she could touch the hem of Jesus' garment and be healed. Lazarus had to put away the graves clothes and walk out of the tomb when Jesus called him to come forth. Noah acted on faith and built an ark and Moses led millions of people across a desert. These are just a few that put actions to their faith.

Our lives are full of opportunities every day to express our faith in the Lord and His Word. I am almost sure that none of us will be called to walk on the water or walk out of a tomb, but our faith will be challenged, none the less. We will have to put actions to our faith and show what we declare to believe. If we believe that God can take care of all of our needs, we will have to stop worrying and cast all of our cares upon Him. If we believe God's Word about giving to Him and others, we will have to share in our own lean times and expect the Lord to honor His promise of a greater return. If we believe that Jesus paid the price for our healing, we can't give up. We must stand in faith until our answer comes. In every situation that demands faith, we will have to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and not lean upon our own understanding. Faith's actions are not easy, but they are always evident. If faith is standing alone and does not have works, it is dead. +++ 

09/18/14
IF WE CONFESS

Scripture: I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

This promise from God's Word does not give us a license to sin, but an assurance that if we do sin, God will always be faithful to forgive us. God's love and grace will prevail in every situation if we will humbly confess and freely admit to Him that we have sinned. Often, however, to keep from admitting our sins, we label them as faults or group them together and ask God to forgive us of all of our wrongs. It's really hard for us to admit that we have sinned and to call our sins out, naming them one by one. Yet, this is what God requires. It is the only way to true repentance and cleansing, for when we confess our sins, the blood of Jesus washes away every trace of unrighteousness.

God desires that we look at our thoughts and actions and then measure them against His Word and His standard. There are no little sins or big sins. He looks at the intents and motives of our heart because our heart attitude is just as important as our actions. Jesus teaches us this principle in Matthew 5:28 saying that the one who entertains lust and evil desires in his heart is the same as the one who commits the sin. There is no distinction and all sin, outward and inward, must be confessed if we want to be free and experience God's will and purpose in our lives.

Another passage of scripture that speaks of the benefits of our confession is in Psalms 32:1-5. The Message Bible translates David's words very plainly:

"Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be -
You get a fresh start, your slate is wiped clean.
Count yourself lucky - God holds nothing against you
and you're holding nothing back from Him.
When I kept it all inside,
my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans.
The pressure never let up ...

Then I let it all out;
I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God."
Suddenly the pressure was gone -
my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared." 

God is faithful and His Word is true! If we will confess our sins, He will be faithful to forgive! +++ 

09/19/14
KEEPING YOUR HEART AND MIND

Scripture: Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus."

God has a remedy for frustrating times and days filled with confusion. His Word says that He will give us a peace that goes beyond our understanding and this peace will keep our mind and emotions stable even in the midst of our troubled world. Yet, there are things that we must do to achieve this blessed state of peace. Paul gives us three instructions that will help us to receive and maintain peace in our personal lives.

First, Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always ... then again rejoice" (verse 4). Rejoicing, singing, and praising God, in the midst of difficult situations releases tension and brings peace to you. As you rejoice in the Lord, faith builds in your heart, and that faith strengthens your inner man. Many times in the Psalms, David spoke of being in distress and in fearful situations. He expressed how he was hated and rejected by individual men and surrounded by nations that were trying to destroy him. He had lost his confidence in men and leaders. Yet, regardless of the current situation, David declared, "This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). He was determined to praise the Lord in the midst of all of the controversy and confusion that surrounded him.

Another thing that is vital to peace is prayer. Paul said, "Pray and be careful about nothing" (verse 6). Paul instructed us not to be anxious about anything, but to pray, ask God to supply our needs, and be thankful. Jesus also told us not to take anxious thoughts about our personal needs, but to seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:25-34). This doesn't mean that we are not to make plans, for faith is not the absence of planning for the future. We are just not to be anxious or over burdened about life because we have a heavenly Father who is concerned for us. He is the same heavenly Father who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field. He has creative resources and can care for you sufficiently, so just tell Him your needs.

Third, Paul said, "Think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous, and worthy of praise" (verse 8). You must train yourself to think along these lines and guard your mind by disallowing negative thoughts to intrude and build strongholds. When you allow your mind to meditate on a word or a thought, you will eventually receive it into your spirit. After it is settled in your spirit, you will eventually give place to it and act upon it. It is like a seed that grows and plants its roots deep. Negative thoughts must be weeded out immediately before they take hold.

When you keep your mind on God and His Word, He will keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). So rejoice in the Lord, pray, and think on good things. As you do, you will have the peace that passes all understanding, and that peace will keep your mind and your heart in this troubled world. +++ 

09/22/14
MASTER OF THE STORM

Scripture: Mark 4:41 "What manner of man is this?"

Jesus instructed his disciples to go to the other side of the lake. As they obeyed His words, they found themselves in a terrible dilemma, for there arose a great storm. Winds beat against their ship and the waves began to fill it with water. Fear gripped the disciples' hearts and doubt filled their minds. Yet, somewhere in the midst of all this turmoil and confusion, they remembered that Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat. When they finally called upon Him, He brought all things back to normal by rebuking the wind and speaking peace to the sea. It took only a few words from the lips of Jesus and suddenly there was a great calm. 

In the midst of this great storm, the disciples found that they had no reason to fear. Jesus was still in control of the ship, the wind, the seas, and even their hearts. And even though Jesus saw their hearts were filled with fear and unbelief, He still worked a miracle on their behalf. When the storm ceased and the ordeal was finished, the disciples marveled, saying, "What manner of man is this?" They experienced a new depth of reverence for the One who had caused the winds and sea to obey Him.

What manner of man is this Jesus whom we serve? If we examine our life closely, we can say that Jesus has never lost control of our lives. He has never sent us to a place where His grace could not keep us. Like the situation with the disciples, if He tells us to go to the other side of the lake, He is well able to help us fulfill that mission regardless of the storms that may come in between. He is the Master of the sea and is never alarmed by the winds, waves, and the rocking of our ship. Jesus sees our doubt and unbelief, but is faithful to extend His mercy and help in the time of our need.

Our greatest danger is not the raging sea that surrounds us, but the raging lack of trust within our own spirits. The storms of life will either cause us to shipwreck or they will strengthen our faith. As we face the storms, we must understand what manner of man Jesus is. He loves us and seeks to protect us. There is no storm so great that His presence cannot bring calm into the atmosphere so have faith and trust in Him. Jesus is always at rest within our spirit. He is waiting for us to call upon Him so that He can rescue us from the present danger. +++ 

09/23/14
GATHER THE FRAGMENTS

Scripture: John 6:12 "Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost."

When Jesus made this request He had just finished feeding over five thousand people. He fed them by blessing and multiplying five loaves of bread and two small fish that His disciples had obtained from a young boy. It seems strange that Jesus would gather up the leftovers after such an awesome experience because surely He could multiply food again if needed. He didn't gather the fragments that remained so that He could show that the miracle that He had just performed supplied more than enough, for they ended up with twelve full baskets of leftovers. Nor were they collected in order to keep the grounds and hillside clean. His words clearly indicated His intentions, "that nothing be lost."

God is awesome in His power and He is His own source. Yet we see in this story that even though He can create anything, He wastes nothing. He is not slothful in any sense but is faithful in all things. He always takes care "that nothing be lost."

God is watching over you just as Jesus watched over the fragments that remained that day among the people. What may seem insignificant in the eyes of others is important to the heart of God. In Joel 2:25 He says, "I will restore all the years that the locust has eaten." He looks at your life that has been broken just like the bread and the fish and He believes that He can mend you. You may feel that you have no significant purpose, but the Lord says I have hope and future plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).

You see only crumbs, but the Lord sees baskets that are full. You see yourself as having been scattered, but He sees you drawing close to Him. Your life to you seems as nothing but brokenness, but He sees great potential. And, Jesus speaks into your life as He spoke to His disciples. He says, "Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." So begin today with what little you have and bring those fragments of your life back to God. He will take the pieces that you give to Him and bless them. He will restore you to full measure so that nothing will be lost in your life. +++ 

09/24/14
THE CREATOR

Scripture: Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created ..."

God was very busy in the first chapter of Genesis. With the exception of five verses in this chapter of thirty-one verses, God is either planning, making, dividing, creating, speaking things into existence, or blessing His finished work. He took no rest until His work was complete. This first verse of this chapter presents us with God and reveals that He is the Creator. We also learn from the very beginning that God is constant and we know that everything that He set in order thousands of years ago still continues to function precisely today.

James 1:17 calls God, "The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." God, Himself, declared in Malachi 3:6, that "He changed not." If God doesn't change, then He is still Creator today just as He was at the beginning of time. As Creator, we see Him at work when He rained down manna from heaven for the people of Israel and caused water to come from the rock. One minister encouraged us not to fear and said that "God hasn't lost the recipe for manna." He can create it again if He needs to. Regardless of our current circumstances, what the future holds, or how hard times may get, we know two things; God is in control and God can create the things that we need from absolutely nothing.

Verse two tells us that in the beginning, God's Spirit hovered and moved over the earth, which was without form, void, and covered in darkness. The Holy Spirit was waiting for the voice of God to speak so that He could move and bring light into darkness and life into a hopeless situation. In the same manner, the Spirit of God hovers over our lives when we do not know where to turn or what to do. The Holy Spirit sees our pain and confusion but He waits for God the Father to speak and release Him to move in our situations that are out of order, void, and covered in darkness.

God on the other hand is waiting for us to make our request to Him and speak words of faith concerning our needs. James 4:2 said, "You have not because you ask not." Then, again in Mark 11:23, Jesus instructed us to speak to the mountains in our lives. Jesus said that if we believed what we said, the mountains would be removed and we would have the things that we say. We must realize that the power of life and death are in our tongues and that God will create the fruit of our lips (Isaiah 57:19). God created us in His image and we are to speak words into the ears of God so that His Spirit can work in our lives. God will begin to create when our desires line up with His will, our words are filled with faith, and there is no doubt in our hearts. As you read the scriptures, allow God's Word to come alive in your heart by faith. Speak them over your circumstances and watch God turn your darkness into light. +++ 

09/25/14
UNIQUELY MADE

Scripture: Psalms 139:14 "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

David praised God and acknowledged that man was an awesome creation of God. God very carefully put every one of us together as He desired while we were still in our mother's womb. Each person has more than 50,000 genes that influence their intelligence, personality, physical and mental talents, and behavior. And each gene differs in a number of ways when compared to the genes of another person. Our voices are so uniquely different that we can recognize the voices of our family members, friends, and famous people in the midst of a million of other voices. And regardless of how good a voice impersonator may be, they are not completely convincing to those who are truly knowledgeable of the person they are impersonating. Our fingerprints and hair strands can also be used to positively identify one person from another. God created us with a brain that is far greater than any computer and He has also given us the ability to be able to love, experience emotions, and commune spiritually with Him. 

Consider this reference in the Dake's Reference Bible - Concordance:

"The body is wonderfully made. It consists of various chemicals - iron,
sugar, salt, carbon, iodine, phosphorus, lime, calcium, and others -
about 98 cents worth. The body has 263 bones; 600 muscles;
970 miles of blood vessels; 400 cups on the tongue for taste;
20,000 hairs in the ears to tune in to all sounds; 40 pound jaw
pressure; 10,000,000 nerves and branches; 3,500 sweat tubes to
each square inch of skin or 40 miles long; 20,000,000 mouths that
suck food as it goes through the intestines; 600,000,000 air cells to
the lungs that inhale 2,400 gallons of air daily; and a telephone system
that relates to the brain instantly any known sound, taste, sight,
touch, or smell. The heart beats 4,200 times an hour and pumps
12 tons of blood daily."

When we think about these facts, we realize that we are truly wonderfully made and blessed beyond our comprehension. We serve an awesome God and He not only formed us, but continues to watch over the being that He created. Jesus said, "The very hairs of our head are numbered" (Matthew 10:30). In other words, God is so concerned and involved with our personal life that each time we lose a hair, He is on the scene, calculating how many hairs we have left. We are blessed that this God who created us is unique in Himself and that He has fearfully and wonderfully created each of us in His own unique image. +++ 

09/26/14
KNOWING HIM AND BEING PERSUADED

Scripture: II Timothy 1:12 "For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

Shortly before the Apostle Paul was martyred, he wrote these words to Timothy, his son in the faith. He wanted Timothy to understand that to know God is to love God and to trust Him with every detail of your life. When you choose God, you choose a life of commitment and fulfillment. When you walk with Him, it leaves no room for fear and intimidation. You place your very life in His hands and come to the same conclusion that Job did, "Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him." You stake your faith in God's wisdom and you rely upon Him to keep you in all situations. Even when you sense that bad things are about to happen, you trust God to cause everything to work together for your good.

True knowledge of God comes by a relationship that is bound together by times of communion and experiences that are shared. When you watch God intervene in your life and see Him push back your own personal sea of difficulty, like He did the Red Sea for the Israelites, you become acquainted with His power and His tremendous faithfulness. You begin to be persuaded that even though you can't see it, God is at work for you in the darkness of the hour that you are facing. When you have been nourished daily by supernatural manna or have actually watched God multiply your natural food when things were scarce, you become persuaded that He will continue to take care of all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. When God walks with you in the midst of the fire or keeps you safe in the lion's den, you accept it as an indication that He will be there beside you in the next danger that you encounter.

In the midst of a raging storm, Jesus asked His disciples "Where is your faith?" He wanted to know who and what they believed in. Was their faith in the circumstances of the fierce hour that they were facing or was their faith in the Son of the Living God who was right there in the boat with them? Were they persuaded that the storm would take them or were they persuaded that Jesus would keep them in this moment of present danger? The Lord has not changed. He is still very interested and moved by the persuasion of our heart. He is touched when He knows whom we believe in and He honors our faith when we believe that He will keep those things which we have given and committed to Him. +++

09/29/14
RESPOND WITH PEACE

Scripture: Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men."

Any time that two or more people are gathered together, there is a possibility for conflicting opinions and disagreements. Sadly, these situations can get out of control and turn into strife and division. God, in His wisdom, knew this may happen and that there would be times that it would be impossible for us to maintain peace with all men. He was aware that we would come face to face with those who would distort the truth and provoke us to anger. God also foresaw the useless and fragmented conversations that we would be engaged in as we desperately tried to explain and reason with irate individuals. In society we are taught that when these situations occur, we should take a deep breath and very slowly count to ten. That is a wonderful idea and it may help us to calm ourselves down so that we do not act inappropriately, but it is not a guarantee that things will be brought together and that peace will prevail.

The scriptures teach us how to approach the matter in another way. They tell us to follow after the things that make for peace and that edify one another. We are not to avenge ourselves nor be overcome with evil, but to overcome all evil with good. David said, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious ointment upon the head" (Psalm 133:1-2). God loves for His children to be in unity just as we desire for our own children to work together and be in unity.

However, there are situations beyond our control. Even Jesus faced these situations in His life. He was heralded into the earth by angels singing, "Peace on earth, good will to men." Yet, His teachings provoked the religious leaders and His presence stirred the very forces of darkness and evil, causing demons to cry out when He came on the scene. And Paul, who instructs us with this scripture to live peaceably with all men as much as possible, found it almost impossible for himself because of his commitment to the gospel of Christ. Everywhere Paul went there "arose no small stir" because he spoke the Name of Jesus (Acts 19:23).

When the opportunity comes for you to face strife and division, you don't need to count to ten. Just think about Jesus and yield to Him, for He is the Prince of Peace. As much as you allow Jesus to rule and reign within you, He will endow you with His supernatural presence, which will invoke peace. Whatever your personal challenge may be, He will give you strength to respond with a silence that is able to create peace in the hearts of men. +++ 

09/30/14
SOWING IN THE TIME OF FAMINE

Scripture: Genesis 26:12 "Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him."

There was a famine in the land, but God gave specific instructions to Isaac not to go into Egypt to have his needs met. Instead, God told Isaac to dwell in the land that He was leading Isaac to and that He would be with him and bless him there. Isaac stayed where God placed him, and in reward for his obedience, he became very prosperous. In fact, he gained so many possessions and servants that the Philistines envied him (Verse 14).

The story of Isaac deals with sowing actual seed and reaping real financial and material blessings. It can work for us as well as it did for Isaac. Like Isaac, we are not to look to Egypt or the world as our source of supply. When we are willing and obedient to God's command, He makes certain promises to us. His Word tells us that God will meet all of our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We will eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). As we sow into God's kingdom, we will reap. As we give, our blessings will come back to us "pressed down, shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38).

The famine that comes to you may not be in the area of finances. Yet, this same principle of sowing and reaping is also valid when you face famine in other situations. Your famine may be in the areas of your relationships, health, or emotional well being. When any area of your life is lacking, you are to trust the Lord with all of your heart and not lean to your own understanding. God can bring about a harvest in the time of famine if you will simply sow.

If you are experiencing famine in a relationship with your spouse, parent, sibling, or close friend, you must sow into that relationship. At first it may look as though nothing will come from your seeds of love, compassion, forgiveness, and trust, but remember that seeds remain dormant for a season before they bring forth a harvest. If you remain diligent, you will eventually see the results. You may be facing a famine in the area of your health and lack the initiative to press forward. However, as you discipline and force yourself to sow the necessary seeds of proper diet, rest, and exercise, you will reap a harvest. Your famine may be in the area of your emotional well being and things may look hopeless and overwhelming to you. During this discouraging and very challenging famine, you must sow God's Word into your life. As you do, He will quicken your mortal body and bring you new mental strength. You will only reap what you alone sow. Others cannot sow for you. So be diligent with your seed even in the time of famine. Make sure that you plant your seeds and then expect to see a hundred fold harvest. +++