Love Over Fear

Good Morning!! As we move through the final days of yet another year,...shake off those chains that have held you down, for far too long. It's so easy to become intimidated and fearful, when we are confronted with situations and people that remind us of past hurts. Out of that fear and intimidation, we can find ourselves giving in to, or acting on our emotions and allowing them to take control. While we have the right to feel angry, sad, and hurt,...it doesn't mean that we have the right to act on those negative feelings.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.—2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

Jesus has commanded us to love our enemies, those who purposely use us, and are set on destroying us. Although at times, it may seem impossible,...if we'd just surrender our emotions to the Holy Spirit of God, He will empower us to do what Jesus has asked of us. The love of God that dwells within us is more than able to overcome any situation we may find ourselves confronted by. If we'll learn to react, based on the perfect and pure love of God,...then that's who others will see. 

Our fear is nothing more than a lack of focus,

...direct your eyes back to God and the things of God.

 

Our Father, which art in Heaven, we choose today to love, regardless of whoever and whatever we might have to face. Give us what we need, to put our emotions in check and allow our reactions to be birthed from Your perfect love, that dwells within us. We choose to forgive the offenses, and place all of our emotions and feelings in Your capable hands, knowing that You will bring the victory. In Your presence, our hearts remain calm and all fear and anxiety will cease. Thank You Father God! Amen.

 

"God does not want us to live lives that are paralyzed by fear,...He wants us to trust Him."

 

 

 

 
 

Peace To The World

Good Morning,...It's The Last Friday Of The Year!! And what we seek is endless peace. Whether we're thinking of our need to recover from the craziness of the Christmas season, or pondering the conflict-ridden state of the world,...we all long for peace. And if that peace could be endless,...all the better,....and how full of thanks we would be. 

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.—Isaiah 9:7 (NIV)

The Messiah was supposed to bring endless peace. Isaiah promised that he would uphold justice and righteousness from the time of his coming and ever after. And he has. Even though we can't always,...or don't often,...see it, we believe that God's justice and righteousness have been established and made known through Jesus Christ,...and we experience and know them now, only in part.

For now, we live with hope and gratitude, for the day to come when righteousness, justice and peace will reign throughout the earth.

Father in Heaven, we thank You for all that You have given us through Your SON,...and all that will be.

"Worship showers our souls with the presence of God."    

Wonderful Is His Name

Good Morning!! Jesus is wonderful,...He is drawing men to Him, and He is interceding for His people. And He shall be wonderful,...He is coming back some day, and His appearance will be wonderful. Then the redeemed host will praise Him forever as they stand in His presence, and understand as never before, that Wonderful is who He is!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.—Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

This Old Testament prophecy describes our Savior, Jesus Christ,...in beautiful terms. His name would be called Wonderful. He has always been wonderful, for He is the Ancient of Days, and it was by Him that the world was created. He is God,...and He became a man. His virgin birth was wonderful. His life was wonderful. His death and resurrection were wonderful.

Jesus called His disciples friends, and when we remember that He is our wonderful friend,...one that will never leaves us or forsakes us,
...we too can find a reason to rejoice, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

 

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, You are Wonderful,...and we thank You for Your very presence. Amen.

 

"Worship showers our souls with the presence of God."

The Gospel Message

Good Morning,...And We Thank GOD For The Gift Of JESUS!! Christmas is a wonderful day for most of us,...we join family and friends, eat too much, and unwrap gifts. But Christmas is more than remembering to open gifts. It is the day we remember that God sent the decisive Word of Salvation, into the world. On Christmas God speaks,...and what He says is "Jesus." We celebrate a day when God "became flesh and lived among us." There is nothing more dramatic or significant or meaningful in all of history.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.—John 1:14 (NIV)

Remember that predetermined moment when God in Jesus, entered our experience by transecting, and bisecting the world of time, we call history. The first Christmas was a moment in time,...but unlike any moment of time that happened before, or has happened since. It was a unique moment because at Christmas, as T. S. Eliot wrote, "time was made through that moment: for without the meaning, there is no time,...and that moment gave the meaning."

Yesterday we should have celebrated that moment when the Word became flesh.

Father God, we continue to thank You, for the gift of giving our time meaning,...by entering into our time, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

"Worship showers our souls with the presence of God."

Salvation By Faith

Good Morning!! Our salvation is not based on our own good works, on our best efforts at religion, or on our foreseen faith. (faith itself being the free gift of God). Our faith, therefore, is not in faith, of itself,...but rests in Jesus Christ alone as its perfect and glorious object. So salvation is of the Lord,...and it is entirely based upon His sovereign grace. Faith placed anywhere else, or in anything else, will be defeated, deceived, or be derailed.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)

What a joy grace is! If we could earn salvation,...then we could lose salvation. And if we could lose salvation,...we would lose salvation. (remember even perfect Adam lost his perfection) But because salvation is by grace, our faith in Jesus Christ will never be disappointed or dismantled. It is as secure as God Himself can make it.

The faith through which we are saved, is the free gift of God.

Holy Spirit of God, help us to walk in that faith today,...to rest in God's grace today,...and to work for God today. Amen.

"Place and keep God where He belongs,...in your head, in your prayers, on your lips, and in your heart, always."    

Repentance

Good Morning!! The story of the Prodigal Son describes us all, as children of God,...well, me for certain. We're unfaithful children, of our benevolent Heavenly Father. We've all squandered the abundant inheritance He so graciously has bequeathed to us. And we all, at one time or another, have known what it is to finally "come to ourselves". Willful sin is insanity. It's an unreasoning, illogical,... and it leads to a self-destructive way of life.

When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!"—Luke 15:17 (NIV)

Sin ignores the plain hand of our Heavenly Father,...full of every provision we need, and follows after the hallucination of worldly pleasures and fulfillment. But when we finally come to ourselves, we realize that starving out in the pigpen is not what our Father planned for us. We are the King's children! No one in His house is hungry, or wanting,...and yet here we are in the mud pit of sin, because we forsook the house of our Father. When we finally come to ourselves, we finally come back to Him. We must grow up, and forsake the miserable quest for self-gratification,...and seek the abundant life that is only found in God alone. Know that there is always a warm welcome for those who come to God, by His Son Jesus Christ.

Coming to ourselves, means finally coming back to God.

 Holy Spirit of God, speak to our hearts, remind us all that no matter how far we go a stray,...we are just a pray away from God. Amen. 

"The Father gave us His Spirit, to make us like His Son."  

It Makes A Difference

Good Morning!! What difference can one thought,...one word,...one man make? Human history is just chalked full of examples of one man, one woman, or one child making an enormous impact,...either for good, or evil. Adam, by eating of the fruit which God had forbidden, plunged himself and all his posterity into sin. And the inevitable result of sin was death. The world is full of "if onlys". If only Adam had not eaten of that fruit! If only the people had listened to Noah's preaching! If only Moses had not lost his temper! If only Peter had stood up for Jesus! 

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned,...—Romans 5:12 (NIV)

One Man entered the world, and made history 2,000 years ago,...and He lived a life free of "if onlys", so that we might live lives free of regret, and full of joy,...in His service, and to His credit. Jesus unwound the "if onlys" of Adam's sin and its effects, and wove them into a magnificent tapestry of grace, to the glory of His Holy name.

A life of regret, or a life of service,...the choice is ours.

 

May our lives be empty of the "if onlys" that come from disobeying, the clear instructions of God, in His Word. May history be filled with the "what ifs" of our faithful acts of obedience to God. In the name of Jesus,  Amen.

 

"The Father gave us His Spirit, to make us like His Son." 

All There Is, Is God

Good Morning!! As God Himself points out in the ensuing command, that we owe this one true God our undivided affection, worship, and service. Serving any other god,...including our own schemes, aspirations, or lusts, is an act of colossal rebellion against the loving, holy, and good Lord of creation,...any such insurrection is doomed to failure. So the real question is do you recognize the God of the Bible as the one Lord of your life?

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.—Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (KJV)

This passage of Scripture has been used as a proof-text for the Trinity,...and rightly so, because it teaches that there is only one Lord God. But just as importantly, this declaration is a statement of exclusivity,...the God of the Bible is the one and only sovereign Lord over heaven and earth.

God is is the Lord of the universe,...and He deserves our all of everything.

Father in Heaven, we recognize the God of the Bible as the One True Lord of our life. Our hearts unite to fear His name,...and our soul revels in the brilliance of His majesty. We seek a time when our energies are spent solely for His glory. Amen. 

"The Father gave us His Spirit, to make us like His Son." 

 

Let It Go,...To Be Like Christ

Good Morning!! Not only did Jesus purchase salvation for His people on the cross,...He also gave us a perfect example of how to suffer graciously, to the glory of God. In the seven statements by Christ on the cross that are recorded for us in Scripture, we are given seven molds that should shape our responses to grief, tragedy, pain, and injustice. The first words that we hear from our Savior's mouth,...as He suffers at the hands of ignorant, cruel, and deceitful men, are words of kindness and mercy. And so the first lesson we learn from our suffering Lord is this: forgive and pray for those who have wronged you.

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.—Luke 23:34 (NIV)

Of course, this is never our first inclination. We want to strike back, speak out, or add it to all the other wrongs that we've suffered. Yet here is the only truly innocent person that has ever lived,...and while He's dying at the unjust and cruel hands of His enemies, He is speaking words of genuine pity and pardon. It is evident that the New Testament Christians took this example to heart,...because they emulate Him time and again. As Stephen was being stoned to death for preaching the gospel, his prayer was "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". (Acts 7:60)

(L.I.G.) Let It Go, not just for others sake,...but for your own.

 

Sweet and Holy Spirit of God, remind us the the battle with the wicked, is not ours to fight,...but the Lords. The Bible teaches; that those that come against, or miss treat, the children of God, will be dealt with by God. Ours is to forgive those, who we feel has wronged us, so that we may continue on the path, our Father has placed before us. Amen.

 

"The Father gave us His Spirit, to make us like His Son." 

 


 

What's To Come

Good Morning!! Paul knew enough about what was coming to say, I reckon, an accounting term, meaning he had taken a careful inventory, done the calculations, and come to a careful and reliable conclusion. And what Paul was comparing was the sufferings of this time (with which he was intimately and personally acquainted), and the glory to come for every believer in Jesus Christ. He added up the multiple trials, heartaches, losses, and sorrows of this world and carefully considered this sum in relation to the glory afterwards, he came to this stunning realization: the two should not even be compared, because the amount of the one,...is so much more than the mass, of the other.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.—Romans 8:18 (KJV)

Anyone who has experienced even a fraction of the pain, that this world holds, will find this hard to imagine. We cannot conceive of a happiness so deep,...a pleasure so complete,...a glory so glorious that our grief here is swallowed up by it. But God does not ask us to fathom such a claim,...He simply requires that by faith we believe it.

Get to know Jesus now,...and start experiencing that coming joy, today.

Most gracious Heavenly Father, Your love for us, is so vast that we cannot fully comprehend it. Because of our human limitations and constant failings, we cannot envision past what we understand. Because we will never embrace Your vastness,...help us just relax and anticipate Your wondrous glory, by faithfully living for You. You tell us, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Glory to Your name. Amen.

"God goes before us, follows behind us, and hems us safe inside the realm of His protection."    

What We Need

Good Morning!! One thing is needful. How difficult it is to learn this lesson! Martha meant well,...and so do we, oftentimes. There are a thousand things that call for our attention each day. There are obligations to fulfill, schedules to be kept, and people to be pleased. But in the midst of the daily hubbub, whether you are a homemaker or a chief financial officer, do not forget that one thing is needful.

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.—Luke 10:42 (KJV)

A promising career is not needful. The approval of peers is not needful. A well-padded retirement account is not needful. Even the affection of family members is not needful. One thing,...and one thing alone,...is absolutely essential. What could possibly be that important, in every culture and for every person? Jesus tells us: it was exactly what Mary hath chosen. The one thing that is needful is to sit "at Jesus' feet" and "hear His Word" (v.39).

We must make time in the busyness of our daily lives to spend at the feet of Jesus, submitting ourselves to God's Will,
...and opening our hearts to Him in prayer.

Holy Spirit, help us to say "No" to the countless number of distractions that threaten to pull us away from God, throughout the day. Move us to hear His Word,...which He has shared and preserved for us, in the Bible.

"God goes before us, follows behind us, and hems us safe inside the realm of His protection."  

 

Righteousness At Death

Good Morning!! God, who is Holy and wholly good, can not even stand the presence of evil, before Him. (Habakkuk 1:13) Yet, when believers die they go straight into the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). How can this be? David by faith says, "I will behold thy face in righteousness". Somehow this sinner, will somewhere between the moment of death, and the moment of waking in God's presence,...he (and we) will be made perfectly and completely righteous. Our record will be cleaned, our heart will be chaste, our mind will be pure,...and just what does this perfection look like to God?...it looks like his Son, Jesus Christ.

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.—Psalm 17:15 (KJV)

Only the righteousness of Christ, will allow us to stand before the Holy face of God. That is why God predestined His people, to be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Heaven is, as earth should be, Christ-centered. It is for this reason that David also declares, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness". The great satisfaction, the great reward, of heaven is experiencing the presence of Christ and being made like to Christ. Heaven is, ultimately, not about being reunited with deceased love ones, or being healed from all sickness,...Heaven is all about Jesus.

"Whom have I in heaven but thee?" (Psalm 73:25)

Those who are in Christ, awake in His likeness, and in His presence,…and therefore to complete and lasting satisfaction. Holy spirit let that be us. Amen.

"God goes before us, follows behind us, and hems us safe inside the realm of His protection."    

Faith In Action

Good Morning!! A father brought his son, who had an affliction from childhood,...to see if Jesus would heal him. He first ran into Jesus' disciples and asked them for help, but they could not. By the time he finally got to see Jesus, there was a growing doubt in his mind as to whether his son could ever be healed. And the instant he comes into the presence of Jesus, with his son wallowing on the ground, foaming at the mouth,...He timidly puts his request to Jesus, "if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Only to have Jesus throw the ball back in his court, "everything is possible for one who believes."

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"—Mark 9:24 (NIV)

Can you imagine how hard this father must have struggled, looking for the right words,...the right response. Finally, through his tears, he gives this confession: First, he calls Jesus his Lord. He knows Jesus has authority that is not of this world and humbles himself before him. Then he cries out, "I believe!" This is not an arrogant presumption that he has the faith Jesus requires, but a sincere statement of why he came to Jesus in the first place. Finally, he admits his fear and doubt, and runs to the right place for help: "help me overcome my unbelief." Without realizing it, this father displayed exactly what great faith looks like! 

Genuine faith does not trust in one's own ability to believe,...to work,...or to obey. True faith looks to Christ, to fulfill all our gaping inadequacies.

Lord, we too believe,...help our unbelief. Amen.

"God goes before us, follows behind us, and hems us safe inside the realm of His protection."