Doing It, For GOD

Good Morning!! Everyone sees and appreciates good works,...and there are so many people doing good works. Philanthropists, volunteers, every day people to Hollywood stars, are seen doing good works around the globe every day. But "good works" is not what God is interested in. God is supremely concerned, for the glory of God. It is for this reason that Jesus was not satisfied to simply command charitable deeds, random acts of kindness, or the many other good works that all the world hails. Rather He wants us to know their ultimate purpose,...to glorify God.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.—Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

 

Jesus tells us this,...because it is so easy for our pride, our selfishness, and our people-pleasing nature to take even our best Christian efforts. and turn them into an occasion for our own self-glorifying. Jesus always; pointed to His Father, gave His Father full credit, directed the attention to His Father. If the Son of God Himself rejected the acclaim of men for His good works, how much more should our lives be mirrors that reflect the glorious goodness, and grace of our God and Father?

 

Don't let your good works get twisted.  

 

Father in Heaven, we ask for Your help, that we decrease,...that You may be increased, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

"It's not what's in our pockets that makes us thankful,...but what we have in our hearts." 

Thankful, Always

Good Morning!! The Apostle Paul frequently expressed his thanks to God for the faith, love and work seen in the churches where he had labored. He acknowledged that these godly fruits were because of God’s blessings on them,...and therefore gave thanks to God. He constantly expressed thankfulness for his godly fellow laborers,...but consistently expressed thankfulness to God for even their faithfulness. (Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3; 1Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3)

always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.—Ephesians 5:20 (NIV)

 

Paul was able to expressed appreciation for tribulations (Romans 5:3),...and even acknowledged that he took pleasure in “infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake” because God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:10) If God’s sufficiency is displayed in my insufficiency, Paul said, then I am thankful for each opportunity for His strength to be shown in my weakness.

 

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15) 

 

Father, we thank You,...for all things! Amen.

 

"To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light."  

No Life Wasted

Good Morning!! Who among us, has not wished for a "do over",...looked back over your life, and wished back wasted moments? Even today, I have regrets, sorrows, and wounds I wish I could undo. Although it is true that we may very well suffer life-long trials because of past sinful choices, the Lord is able to restore the years that you may feel have been eaten up by disobedience, guilt, sinfulness, or the poor choices of immaturity. God says, “I will restore to you the years…” How can this be? Will He reverse our life clock, will He turn back our calendar? No. But God is able to pack so much good living, so much vitality, so many blessing into the years that we have left, that we will be able to live and enjoy a life-time of joys, victories, and pleasures, in whatever time remains.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.—Joel 2:25 (KJV)

 

Take for example the thief on the cross,...here was a man with just minutes to live, who had squandered all his life on murder, thievery, and selfishness,...and, yet, God took him in the waning moments of his life, brought him to repentance and faith in Christ,...and then used the fleeting few minutes he had left to leave behind him an everlasting testimony of God’s grace to save, to pardon, to instruct,...and even to resurrect.

 

The most wonderful promise of God, is that He does not only forgive the repentant sinner,...He heals the repentant sinner, and his life.

 

All praises to God, the Most High,...Who's grace and mercy is far greater than we could ever hope to understand! Amen.

 

"To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light."   

Called to Worship

Good Morning, On This Another Wonderful, Worshipful Wednesday!! We are consistently called to thanksgiving and worship, by our faithful pastors, by the Word of God, and by godly friends,...yet there is another source from which we should expect this admonition,...our own soul. Like David preaching to himself in Psalms, we should constantly be preaching to ourselves.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—Psalm 103:2 (NKJV)

 

The most powerful antidote to depression is a grateful heart,...and the most effective way to develop a grateful heart, is to consciously, specifically, recount the Lord’s blessings,...and to thank Him for each one. Are you spiritually cold or disheartened? Preach today's sermon to yourself; "Bless the Lord, O my soul! " Are you discouraged? Forget not all His benefits.

 

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

Praise Your Holy name, Father God,...we love and thank You,...just for being You! Amen.

 

"To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light." 

The Lord Is Our Sheperd

Good Morning!! Embedded in the pastoral imagery of today's scripture, are two clear lessons regarding, the predicament of the sheep and, the provision of the shepherd. The very statement "I shall not want because the Lord is my shepherd" implies a hunger without the shepherd. All sheep are quite helpless without their protector and provider close by. In comparing us to sheep, the psalmist suggests the danger that we are in,...sheep have no natural defenses, the understanding we lack,...we know sheep are not the smartest animals, the direction we need,...sheep can’t hunt or find their own way, and the frailty we show,...sheep are relatively fragile creatures.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.—Psalm 23:1 (NKJV)

 

This is our condition,...without our Shepherd; we are sheep in our understanding, vulnerability, and weakness. Therefore, when we least understand God’s Will,...when it frustrates us the most,...when it seems the most contrary to all that we desire, know this; it is at that moment that we are most wrong, about what is good for us. Do not try to go your own way: follow your Shepherd, and trust in His wisdom.

 

We need a shepherd to provide for us,...direct us,...help us,...and feed us.

 

Good, Watchful, Faithful, and Tender Shepherd, keep and protect us,...Your sheep. Amen.

"To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light."

 

Reject Sin

Good Morning!! In this day and time, we have minimized sin to the point, that we' ve become almost numb to its pervasive influence in our lives,...and in our society. Being afraid to speak up in the face of evil, not believing Jesus Christ, worshiping material things, sexual sin, witchcraft, lying and deception, even murder,...these all have become so commonplace in the world, that we run great risk of thinking that God is just as ambivalent toward our wickedness as we are. But here, in this end-of-the-world revelation, we are reminded that "hell-fire and brimstone" sermons, while not always preached the right way, or for the right reasons,...certainly have a clear foundation in Scripture.

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”—Revelation 21:8 (NIV)

 

But the Good news of the gospel, is that the Way that we need, the Truth that we need, the Light that we need is all found in the person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6). He is not only love,...He is truth (John 4:24),...He is light (1 John 1:5),...and He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). If we desire to have fellowship with Him, then, we cannot walk in our own way; we must walk in His light (1 John 1:6).  But no matter how callused we become to personal sin, no matter how well we may be able to justify it to ourselves or others, no matter how much society may condone or excuse it,...God assures us that the end of persistent, unrepentant sin, is an everlasting lake of fire.

 

Do not rest in your sins, and do not trust in your good works, either,...Salvation is only found in Jesus.

 

Holy Spirit, help us to turn away from all, that is not pleasing to our Father. Amen.

 

 "To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light."

 

 

 

Continue To Pray

Good Morning!! Why should we even bother praying? If God is always going to do His will,...and His will is always perfect, then why should we ever pray? The answer, it is important to recognize, comes from the same God Who tells us that He “works all things after the counsel of His own will.” This very same God informs us that effectual, fervent prayer on the part of His people avails,...not just a little bit, or for a little while,...but much!

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.—James 5:16 (NIV)

 

So now you may ask; "How can an immutable, all-knowing, eternal God listen to our prayers and allow them to influence the outcome of events, great and small?" Honestly, we may never know, or understand. But this we do know: God tells us that our prayers make a tremendous impact. So, how should we respond to temptations or trials? Pray. What should we do on behalf of sick, or lost, or hurting loved ones? Pray. What is our responsibility toward those that have authority over us? Pray for them. How can you make a difference in the world around you? Pray.

God says; the hard work of sincere and fervent prayer gains much ground, does great good,...do you believe Him?

 

Holy Spirit, help us to pray like it makes a difference,...because it really does. Amen.

"Only the Holy Spirit can conquer the; 'I want to be different but can't.,...I know what's wrong , but I keep doing it anyway' thing."