Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV) Says, "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
In the above passage of scripture we are asked if we have heard, and if we know that God is everlasting. I as well as most, if not all of you, would answer yes to both questions. We are reminded that He is Lord, that He is the creator of all, that He never faints or grows weary. He has understanding that goes beyond anything we can imagine. We are told that He gives power to those who are faint, He gives them might, and increases their strength. We are also told that even young men grow tired and weary, and that they sometimes fall. We are then promised that if we wait upon the Lord He will renew our strength, we shall mount up with wings like eagles, we will run and not be weary, and that we shall walk and not faint. It is so comforting to know that, when we are facing a personal storm we can count on our Lord and Savior to strengthen us in the midst of it, stand with us in the center of it, walk with us through it, and bring us out on the other side.
Like all of you, I have been through times in my life where I have grown tired, and weary. I like you have faced more than one personal storm, and to be honest, I have been facing a very large one for a few months now. My Daddy, whom I love more than words could ever possibly convey, is very ill, and his illness has taken a toll on him physically. It is tremendously difficult for me to even look at him without crying, because he looks nothing like the pillar of strength that I've known all my life as my Daddy. Our conversations normally consist of joking with one another, and talking about things going on in the family, but this hasn't been the case of late. At his choosing we now discuss memories from as far back as my childhood, things he wants me to take care of, and things he wants me to know before he passes away. I tell him how much I love him, and how much I appreciate all he's ever done for me. I tell him what a wonderful Daddy he is, and how blessed I am to have him. His being ill is so difficult for me that before I enter his bedroom to talk with him I ask God to take the lump out of my throat, and to give me the strength I need to visit him, and to say what I want to say to him, while leaving my tears outside the door. I am not sharing this for sympathy, but rather as a testimony to the power of God, and His willingness to see us through our storms. Each and every time I visit my Daddy, I call on God for strength and ask Him to stand with me. Each and every time I call my Daddy on the phone I call on God and ask Him for the strength I need to control my emotions throughout our conversation, and each and every time I call on God He answers me. Not only does He answer me, He answers me within seconds of hearing my prayer. He provides me with the strength I need to face what I'm facing, and He stands with me through it all.
Let me make it clear that there is nothing wrong with weeping when we are sad, and I've done quite a bit of that recently, but I don't want to break down and cry in front of my Daddy. I don't want our phone conversations, and visits to consist of me sobbing, and him consoling me. I shared this story to let you know that I can testify firsthand that God keeps the promises, and fulfills the truths in the above passage taken from Isaiah. Lately, on more than one occasion, I have grown tired, weary, and weak. I can tell you that without the power of God, His strength, and His presence as I walk through this personal storm I would fall. There is no doubt about it. Thankfully, God has given me the strength I need, He has held me up, comforted me, and has been with me every step of the way.
If you are facing a personal storm, call on God. Go to Him in prayer, tell Him you're tired, weary, and weak. Ask Him to give you strength, and walk with you through your storm. He will answer you. He has not failed me, and He will not fail you. If we attempt to go through storms without God then we will fall, but when He walks through them with us, we are able to stand. I know this firsthand because I am standing. I've heard many people question where God is in their storm, but that is not a question I have to ask because I know where He is in mine. He is walking with me, giving me strength when I grow weary, and He is holding my hand.
Since writing this blog, my precious Daddy has gone home to be with the Lord. I just want to take a moment to thank God that I know for a certainty that my Daddy is with him in Heaven for eternity, and for the comfort of knowing that I will see him again one day. I want to thank God also for the strength and comfort that He gives me as I walk through the pain of such a tremendous loss in my life. I also want to thank God for all of the lessons He has shown me throughout my Daddy's sickness, his passing, and in the days that followed. Finally, I want to thank God for blessing me with loving family members and friends who have been there to love and support me every step of the way. God bless each one of them.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Saved By The Grace Of God
Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV) Says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. John 3:16 (KJV) Says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 5:24 (KJV) Says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Romans 10:9 (KJV) Says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Revelation 3:5 (KJV) Says, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out His name out of the book of life, but I will confess His name before my Father, and before His angels."
In the above passage taken from Ephesians it is explained that it is by God's grace that we are saved through faith. This means that when we pray a prayer of salvation and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are saved. God gives us the gift of salvation free of charge. We aren't deserving of it, but by His grace we can receive it, if we only ask. We do not have to do anything but ask in order to receive it, and this ensures that no person can brag that they did something to earn their salvation. There is no credit due us for our being saved. Salvation is free for the asking by the grace of God through faith. The above verse from John chapter three clearly states that God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, and that whosoever believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life. The above verse taken from John chapter five clearly states that whoever hears God's Word, and believes in Him will have eternal life, will not be condemned, and will pass from death meaning our natural death into life meaning our eternal life with God in Heaven. The above verse taken from the book of Romans clearly states that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and will believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. Finally, the scripture taken from the book of Revelation says that he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment meaning those who have genuine faith in Christ have the righteousness of Christ accounted to them through the redeeming blood of the Lamb. The book of life is a list of the saved of all ages. The promise not to blot out our name out of the book of life is an emphatic assurance of the eternal security of the true believer. The statement in Greek contains a double negative, which may be translated, "I will by no means blot out his name." Christ will confess the name only of genuine believers.
There are many believers who are walking around in fear that if they make a mistake God is going to revoke their salvation. This is a fear that has been instilled in them by a family member, preacher or teacher of God's word, and they firmly believe it. What does the message that God may revoke your salvation, if you sin after being saved say to non-believers visiting a church or being witnessed to? For many it says why bother? I know I can't live a perfect life as a human being because no human being can. That is not who God is. In the above passages of scripture we are given instructions on how we may receive God's precious gift of salvation, and that once we have done that God promises we will spend eternity with Him in heaven. God has NEVER broken a promise or went back on His Word. If God revoked the salvation of every person who sinned after being saved Heaven would be void of saved souls.
Once we have been saved we continue to sin because we are human beings. The difference is we are new creatures in Christ and are not going about sinning willfully. We are all works in progress and we strive to follow the example that Jesus set for us on how to live our lives righteously. We do not feel the same way when we commit sin after we have been saved as we did prior to accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior because we have the Holy Spirit living in us. We are immediately aware when we do something that is not pleasing to God, and we are remorseful for it. We must ask forgiveness for our sins everyday, and we should never sin purposefully, but God is not going to take back his promise to us that we will spend eternity in Heaven with him, if we have prayed a sinners prayer, and accepted Him as our personal Lord and Savior.
Scripture tells us that there is celebration in Heaven each time a lost soul is saved, but no where in scripture do we read of weeping because God has taken back his gift of salvation from a believer who has accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. II Corinthians 5:10 (KJV) Says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The judgment seat here is the judgment seat of the believer. While it is true that for the Christian there is no condemnation it is not correct to assume that God will not hold us responsible for the deeds done in the body. We will lose and gain rewards according to our behavior here on earth, and we will be accountable for all we say and do. We do not, however, need to walk around in a constant state of worry and fear wondering whether or not God is going to take back the precious gift of salvation that He gave us freely for the asking by grace through faith.
If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. It is the most important decision you will ever make. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask him to forgive you of your sins. Tell him you believe that Jesus was born, that he died on the cross for your sins, and that he rose again. Ask him to come into your heart, and tell him you want to make him your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer you have been born again, and are a new creature in Christ. In fact, Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) confirms that we can't lose our salvation. It says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption."
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage taken from Ephesians it is explained that it is by God's grace that we are saved through faith. This means that when we pray a prayer of salvation and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are saved. God gives us the gift of salvation free of charge. We aren't deserving of it, but by His grace we can receive it, if we only ask. We do not have to do anything but ask in order to receive it, and this ensures that no person can brag that they did something to earn their salvation. There is no credit due us for our being saved. Salvation is free for the asking by the grace of God through faith. The above verse from John chapter three clearly states that God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, and that whosoever believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life. The above verse taken from John chapter five clearly states that whoever hears God's Word, and believes in Him will have eternal life, will not be condemned, and will pass from death meaning our natural death into life meaning our eternal life with God in Heaven. The above verse taken from the book of Romans clearly states that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and will believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. Finally, the scripture taken from the book of Revelation says that he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment meaning those who have genuine faith in Christ have the righteousness of Christ accounted to them through the redeeming blood of the Lamb. The book of life is a list of the saved of all ages. The promise not to blot out our name out of the book of life is an emphatic assurance of the eternal security of the true believer. The statement in Greek contains a double negative, which may be translated, "I will by no means blot out his name." Christ will confess the name only of genuine believers.
There are many believers who are walking around in fear that if they make a mistake God is going to revoke their salvation. This is a fear that has been instilled in them by a family member, preacher or teacher of God's word, and they firmly believe it. What does the message that God may revoke your salvation, if you sin after being saved say to non-believers visiting a church or being witnessed to? For many it says why bother? I know I can't live a perfect life as a human being because no human being can. That is not who God is. In the above passages of scripture we are given instructions on how we may receive God's precious gift of salvation, and that once we have done that God promises we will spend eternity with Him in heaven. God has NEVER broken a promise or went back on His Word. If God revoked the salvation of every person who sinned after being saved Heaven would be void of saved souls.
Once we have been saved we continue to sin because we are human beings. The difference is we are new creatures in Christ and are not going about sinning willfully. We are all works in progress and we strive to follow the example that Jesus set for us on how to live our lives righteously. We do not feel the same way when we commit sin after we have been saved as we did prior to accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior because we have the Holy Spirit living in us. We are immediately aware when we do something that is not pleasing to God, and we are remorseful for it. We must ask forgiveness for our sins everyday, and we should never sin purposefully, but God is not going to take back his promise to us that we will spend eternity in Heaven with him, if we have prayed a sinners prayer, and accepted Him as our personal Lord and Savior.
Scripture tells us that there is celebration in Heaven each time a lost soul is saved, but no where in scripture do we read of weeping because God has taken back his gift of salvation from a believer who has accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. II Corinthians 5:10 (KJV) Says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The judgment seat here is the judgment seat of the believer. While it is true that for the Christian there is no condemnation it is not correct to assume that God will not hold us responsible for the deeds done in the body. We will lose and gain rewards according to our behavior here on earth, and we will be accountable for all we say and do. We do not, however, need to walk around in a constant state of worry and fear wondering whether or not God is going to take back the precious gift of salvation that He gave us freely for the asking by grace through faith.
If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. It is the most important decision you will ever make. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask him to forgive you of your sins. Tell him you believe that Jesus was born, that he died on the cross for your sins, and that he rose again. Ask him to come into your heart, and tell him you want to make him your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer you have been born again, and are a new creature in Christ. In fact, Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) confirms that we can't lose our salvation. It says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption."
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
What Do You Stand For?
Judges 21:25 (KJV) Says, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Proverbs 21:2 (KJV) Says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts."
In the above verses of scripture we are told that there were periods of time in which every man did what they thought was right, not necessarily what God said was right, but what they as individuals decided was right in their own eyes. Being born with a freewill, we have the option to create and set our own standards by which we will live, and all these years later there are still many people who are opting to live their lives doing just that; some of them believers.
The Bible is our instruction guide on how we are to live our lives as Christians who have chosen to accept and follow Christ. Many individuals have opted to ignore the Bible completely, and head out on their own choosing to do whatever they deem right in their own eyes no matter what God's word says about it. The Bible is absolute truth and there are no greater standards for which to live by. Many have chosen to base their decisions as to what is right and what is wrong on what they personally deem acceptable, and this is a practice that is rampant in society today. We have no set standards in the world, people are ignoring God's instructions, and opting to follow their own hearts. All we have to do is look around to see that the consequences of this are devastating. God and His Word are being taken out of every aspect of society, and the result is continued degeneration. We are living in a society where people care more about what others think of them, of what they do, of where they go, of what they wear, of what they listen to, and of what they watch than they care about what God thinks of all those things. With numerous people having no beliefs or convictions on which they stand firm refusing to waver, society is becoming more and more unsafe, and unhealthy. People with no firm convictions are easily swayed, and will compromise what they know in their hearts to be right for many different reasons. Some compromise what they know to be right for money, some to be popular, some for material possessions, some because they are afraid of losing friends, and those are just a few examples. When we compromise what we know in our hearts to be right we are damaging our character, and more importantly we are disobeying God. There is not enough money, popularity, or material possessions in the world worthy of compromising our character, and more importantly who we are in Christ. If you have friends that attempt to convince you to do something that you know in your heart doesn't fit who you are as a Christian, then they are the wrong kind of friends.
What do you stand for? Do you have firm convictions that you're not willing to compromise no matter what? Do you live your life following the instructions and standards that God set for us in His Word? When you're in a crowd and they decide to do something that doesn't fit who you are as a Christian, do you go along with them, or do you stand firm in your convictions, and do what you know in your heart is right?
I urge you to do what is right, not in your own eyes, but in the eyes of God. Follow the instructions God provides for us in His Word, and make His absolute truth your standard of living. I urge you not to make excuses for disobeying God, and to stand firm in your convictions no matter what.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above verses of scripture we are told that there were periods of time in which every man did what they thought was right, not necessarily what God said was right, but what they as individuals decided was right in their own eyes. Being born with a freewill, we have the option to create and set our own standards by which we will live, and all these years later there are still many people who are opting to live their lives doing just that; some of them believers.
The Bible is our instruction guide on how we are to live our lives as Christians who have chosen to accept and follow Christ. Many individuals have opted to ignore the Bible completely, and head out on their own choosing to do whatever they deem right in their own eyes no matter what God's word says about it. The Bible is absolute truth and there are no greater standards for which to live by. Many have chosen to base their decisions as to what is right and what is wrong on what they personally deem acceptable, and this is a practice that is rampant in society today. We have no set standards in the world, people are ignoring God's instructions, and opting to follow their own hearts. All we have to do is look around to see that the consequences of this are devastating. God and His Word are being taken out of every aspect of society, and the result is continued degeneration. We are living in a society where people care more about what others think of them, of what they do, of where they go, of what they wear, of what they listen to, and of what they watch than they care about what God thinks of all those things. With numerous people having no beliefs or convictions on which they stand firm refusing to waver, society is becoming more and more unsafe, and unhealthy. People with no firm convictions are easily swayed, and will compromise what they know in their hearts to be right for many different reasons. Some compromise what they know to be right for money, some to be popular, some for material possessions, some because they are afraid of losing friends, and those are just a few examples. When we compromise what we know in our hearts to be right we are damaging our character, and more importantly we are disobeying God. There is not enough money, popularity, or material possessions in the world worthy of compromising our character, and more importantly who we are in Christ. If you have friends that attempt to convince you to do something that you know in your heart doesn't fit who you are as a Christian, then they are the wrong kind of friends.
What do you stand for? Do you have firm convictions that you're not willing to compromise no matter what? Do you live your life following the instructions and standards that God set for us in His Word? When you're in a crowd and they decide to do something that doesn't fit who you are as a Christian, do you go along with them, or do you stand firm in your convictions, and do what you know in your heart is right?
I urge you to do what is right, not in your own eyes, but in the eyes of God. Follow the instructions God provides for us in His Word, and make His absolute truth your standard of living. I urge you not to make excuses for disobeying God, and to stand firm in your convictions no matter what.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Out of the Fire
Daniel 3:19-27 (KJV) Says, "Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was hanged against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. "
In the above passage of scripture the king, Nebuchadnezzar, had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into a fiery furnace because they refused to worship a golden image; that he had commanded by decree everyone must worship. These three men continued to openly worship the one and only true God. Now the king was so angry at them for refusing his command that he had the furnace turned up; making it seven times hotter than it usually was. It was so hot that the heat killed the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. Note that the scripture says the king was astonished at what he saw when he looked into the furnace, and he questioned his counselors on the number of men that were cast into the fire in order to confirm how many it had been. He knew that they had thrown three men into that furnace, but when he looked he saw four, and one of them he stated was like the Son of God. Also note that the king saw them walking around in the middle of the fire even though they were bound when they were thrown in. The king also noticed that the men were in no way harmed. The counselors confirmed it was indeed three men that had been thrown into the fire, and the king then ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the furnace, now calling them servants of the most high God. Once out of the fiery furnace, it was clear that the fire had no power over their bodies. Not one hair on their heads was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they didn't even smell like smoke. It's made clear by all the evidence presented that those men weren't walking in that furnace alone.
We may not literally walk around in the middle of a fiery furnace, but it is certain that we will walk through fiery trials in our lives. Have you ever been through a time in your life, when you felt as though the pressures of the world were coming at you from all sides? Have you ever thought that you were facing so many trials at once that you simply couldn't handle them all? Have you ever felt pulled in a hundred directions? Have you ever felt that all your problems were caving in on you? I think we all have at one time or another; in fact I would venture to say most of us have experienced these feelings more than once. There are many types of trials such as relationship issues, financial problems, sickness, difficulties on the job, the death of a loved one, and that's just to name a few. Sometimes we have more than one of these issues come down on us at the same time, and when that happens it can definitely be defined as a fiery trial. Situations like this may leave us with a heavy heart; especially if our trial involves someone we love dearly falling ill or passing away. God understands that these things leave us with a heavy heart, and it is perfectly normal to be sad, and to mourn, but as we do let's keep in mind that we have Almighty God to lean on.
We are blessed tremendously, in that we have hope in Christ. Most people would have given Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up for dead, when they were thrown into that fiery furnace, but because they had faith in God, and he was standing with them even fire was harmless in their case.
We are not promised that we won't face trials, and temptations in our lives, but we are promised that God will never leave nor forsake us. We are promised that He will hold our hand, and that He will lead us through our storms. God has never broken a promise. Friends if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are never alone. The Holy Spirit dwells in you, and is therefore everywhere you go, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. I urge you to remind yourself of these things if you've recently; or are currently experiencing a fiery trial. I've been going through one myself over the past month or so, and it's been with a heavy heart because one of my issues is that someone I love more than words could ever convey is quite ill. I have hope, and faith in God, and I trust him with all that I am. He is my rock, and I find strength, comfort, and rest in Him knowing that just as He did with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego He will walk through this trial with me, and He will bring me out of the fire. Friends, the next time you are facing a fiery trial in your life, I urge you to remain steadfast in your faith, and to remember you're not walking in the furnace alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture the king, Nebuchadnezzar, had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into a fiery furnace because they refused to worship a golden image; that he had commanded by decree everyone must worship. These three men continued to openly worship the one and only true God. Now the king was so angry at them for refusing his command that he had the furnace turned up; making it seven times hotter than it usually was. It was so hot that the heat killed the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. Note that the scripture says the king was astonished at what he saw when he looked into the furnace, and he questioned his counselors on the number of men that were cast into the fire in order to confirm how many it had been. He knew that they had thrown three men into that furnace, but when he looked he saw four, and one of them he stated was like the Son of God. Also note that the king saw them walking around in the middle of the fire even though they were bound when they were thrown in. The king also noticed that the men were in no way harmed. The counselors confirmed it was indeed three men that had been thrown into the fire, and the king then ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the furnace, now calling them servants of the most high God. Once out of the fiery furnace, it was clear that the fire had no power over their bodies. Not one hair on their heads was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they didn't even smell like smoke. It's made clear by all the evidence presented that those men weren't walking in that furnace alone.
We may not literally walk around in the middle of a fiery furnace, but it is certain that we will walk through fiery trials in our lives. Have you ever been through a time in your life, when you felt as though the pressures of the world were coming at you from all sides? Have you ever thought that you were facing so many trials at once that you simply couldn't handle them all? Have you ever felt pulled in a hundred directions? Have you ever felt that all your problems were caving in on you? I think we all have at one time or another; in fact I would venture to say most of us have experienced these feelings more than once. There are many types of trials such as relationship issues, financial problems, sickness, difficulties on the job, the death of a loved one, and that's just to name a few. Sometimes we have more than one of these issues come down on us at the same time, and when that happens it can definitely be defined as a fiery trial. Situations like this may leave us with a heavy heart; especially if our trial involves someone we love dearly falling ill or passing away. God understands that these things leave us with a heavy heart, and it is perfectly normal to be sad, and to mourn, but as we do let's keep in mind that we have Almighty God to lean on.
We are blessed tremendously, in that we have hope in Christ. Most people would have given Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up for dead, when they were thrown into that fiery furnace, but because they had faith in God, and he was standing with them even fire was harmless in their case.
We are not promised that we won't face trials, and temptations in our lives, but we are promised that God will never leave nor forsake us. We are promised that He will hold our hand, and that He will lead us through our storms. God has never broken a promise. Friends if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are never alone. The Holy Spirit dwells in you, and is therefore everywhere you go, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. I urge you to remind yourself of these things if you've recently; or are currently experiencing a fiery trial. I've been going through one myself over the past month or so, and it's been with a heavy heart because one of my issues is that someone I love more than words could ever convey is quite ill. I have hope, and faith in God, and I trust him with all that I am. He is my rock, and I find strength, comfort, and rest in Him knowing that just as He did with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego He will walk through this trial with me, and He will bring me out of the fire. Friends, the next time you are facing a fiery trial in your life, I urge you to remain steadfast in your faith, and to remember you're not walking in the furnace alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
The Tongue
James 3:7-12 (KJV) Says, "For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."
In the above scripture it is brought to our attention that mankind can control every lesser creature, but can't seem to control his own tongue. James explains that man is made in the image of God, and therefore, to curse people and bless God out of the same mouth is inconsistent with who we are to be as children of God. James teaches here that as salt water cannot make sweet water, the person who curses others cannot bless God. The cursing of people truly indicates what lies within a person.
Our tongue, although the smallest member of our body, can land us in the most trouble, and how we use it shines a great deal of light on who we truly are. As Christians, we should have the desire in our hearts to use our tongues to express edification, understanding, compassion, encouragement, love, and all other things positive. Having freewill, it is up to us to decide what we are going to allow to come out of our mouths. The above scripture makes it crystal clear that a fountain cannot send forth salt water and sweet in unison. We can't allow ourselves to say whatever comes to mind the moment someone makes us angry. We can't tell a dirty joke, curse, use our tongues to spew hatred and gossip, only to turn around and bless God with the same tongue believing that to be acceptable. The above scripture tells us that this should not be done. We must decide who we are going to be, and our tongues play a large role in demonstrating who that is to other people. Are we going to be one who goes about using our tongue to gossip, curse and complain about people and situations, or are we going to demonstrate through our words that we are created in the image of Christ, and have chosen to follow Him? We must decide which it is going to be because it cannot be both.
When I say that we should have the desire in our hearts to speak right things, that is not to say doing so always comes easy. Learning to control my tongue has been one of the most difficult things for me to do, as it has been a weakness of mine. With that said, I have the desire in my heart to do so, and I work on it daily. God knows that we are only human, and therefore are imperfect. He knows we have weaknesses, and he knows that controlling my tongue is one of mine, but He also knows my heart and knows I am working on it constantly. For me the difficulty comes when someone says or does something that upsets me or makes me angry. I am happy to say that I have come a long way with this, and have much better control over my tongue than I had in my younger days. I pray everyday for God to help me control my tongue, and to put the right words in my mouth to be spoken at the proper time, and He continues to bless me with growing strength in this area.
If you have difficulty controlling your tongue, but have a true desire in your heart to do so, pray about it. Ask God to help you. Stop and think before you speak, and ask yourself if God would approve of what you're about to say. Ask yourself if you are handling the situation the way God would want you to. Ask yourself if what you are about to say is going to diffuse the situation or inflame it. Ask yourself if what you are about to say about someone will help them or if it is simply gossip. Words are very powerful whether spoken or written. I urge you to consider that they can be used for good or they can inflict pain and cause a great deal of hurt. I also urge you to stop and think about whether or not your words, whether spoken or written, coincide with who you are in Christ.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above scripture it is brought to our attention that mankind can control every lesser creature, but can't seem to control his own tongue. James explains that man is made in the image of God, and therefore, to curse people and bless God out of the same mouth is inconsistent with who we are to be as children of God. James teaches here that as salt water cannot make sweet water, the person who curses others cannot bless God. The cursing of people truly indicates what lies within a person.
Our tongue, although the smallest member of our body, can land us in the most trouble, and how we use it shines a great deal of light on who we truly are. As Christians, we should have the desire in our hearts to use our tongues to express edification, understanding, compassion, encouragement, love, and all other things positive. Having freewill, it is up to us to decide what we are going to allow to come out of our mouths. The above scripture makes it crystal clear that a fountain cannot send forth salt water and sweet in unison. We can't allow ourselves to say whatever comes to mind the moment someone makes us angry. We can't tell a dirty joke, curse, use our tongues to spew hatred and gossip, only to turn around and bless God with the same tongue believing that to be acceptable. The above scripture tells us that this should not be done. We must decide who we are going to be, and our tongues play a large role in demonstrating who that is to other people. Are we going to be one who goes about using our tongue to gossip, curse and complain about people and situations, or are we going to demonstrate through our words that we are created in the image of Christ, and have chosen to follow Him? We must decide which it is going to be because it cannot be both.
When I say that we should have the desire in our hearts to speak right things, that is not to say doing so always comes easy. Learning to control my tongue has been one of the most difficult things for me to do, as it has been a weakness of mine. With that said, I have the desire in my heart to do so, and I work on it daily. God knows that we are only human, and therefore are imperfect. He knows we have weaknesses, and he knows that controlling my tongue is one of mine, but He also knows my heart and knows I am working on it constantly. For me the difficulty comes when someone says or does something that upsets me or makes me angry. I am happy to say that I have come a long way with this, and have much better control over my tongue than I had in my younger days. I pray everyday for God to help me control my tongue, and to put the right words in my mouth to be spoken at the proper time, and He continues to bless me with growing strength in this area.
If you have difficulty controlling your tongue, but have a true desire in your heart to do so, pray about it. Ask God to help you. Stop and think before you speak, and ask yourself if God would approve of what you're about to say. Ask yourself if you are handling the situation the way God would want you to. Ask yourself if what you are about to say is going to diffuse the situation or inflame it. Ask yourself if what you are about to say about someone will help them or if it is simply gossip. Words are very powerful whether spoken or written. I urge you to consider that they can be used for good or they can inflict pain and cause a great deal of hurt. I also urge you to stop and think about whether or not your words, whether spoken or written, coincide with who you are in Christ.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
When People Come Against You
I Samuel 18:5-9 (KJV) Says, "And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistines, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day forward."
Saul became jealous of David because when they returned from war the women of the city gave David more credit for their success in the slaughter than they gave him. As the scripture tells us Saul pursued David from that point forward. Now Saul being king had a number of men, chariots, horses, and anything else he may need in order to pursue after, and capture David, but David was forced to run from him having very little in the way of weapons or men. There was something that David had which Saul was lacking, and that something made all the difference in the world. David had Almighty God on his side, and he protected and kept him safe the entire time Saul pursued him allowing no harm to come to David.
It isn't a question of whether or not we will have people come against us in our lives, it's a matter of how many people, and how many times. They may come against us because of jealousy as Saul came against David, or it may be they're angry at us for speaking a truth they didn't want to hear. It could be that they are not happy with themselves, and so they feel the need to lash out at other people. It could be they come against us because they have allowed themselves to become bitter and we are a convenient target. Some people can read a status, on a social networking site, that has their name no where in it, and automatically think it applies to them. Now the only way one would come to that conclusion is if they knew they were guilty of the content of the status. Some people come against us out of pride refusing to admit when they are wrong, because admitting they are wrong warrants an apology, and they are not willing to apologize. There are a number of reasons that people come against us, and having all experienced it at some time or another in our lives, I'm sure you know the list could go on and on.
It is tempting in the flesh to respond to people who come against us with their negative comments, and rude statements or whatever ugly avenue it is they choose to take for whatever reason, but we should never allow ourselves to respond to them in a like manner because then what difference is there in our behavior and theirs? Saul was in pursuit of David in an attempt to kill him literally, yet when David had the opportunity to slay Saul he didn't take his life, he spared it.
One of the most common attacks people make against us in today's society is on our Christianity. The moment they decide they have a valid reason to spew hatred, and they can't think of anything to come against us with, it is all to common for them to go off topic and use personal attacks including ones on our Christianity. The irony is that most of them know absolutely nothing about our present lives or our situation, and yet they spew pure meanness as if they do. Obviously they have no idea how God frowns upon such personal attacks or it may be that God's opinion of their behavior never crosses their mind. The thing to remember is that as born again believers we can rest assured that God is always with us. He promises he will never leave nor forsake us, and other than ourselves, he is the only one who knows our hearts. When people come against you don't fall prey to their antics rise above it as a Christian, forgive them, pray for them, and love them anyway.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Saul became jealous of David because when they returned from war the women of the city gave David more credit for their success in the slaughter than they gave him. As the scripture tells us Saul pursued David from that point forward. Now Saul being king had a number of men, chariots, horses, and anything else he may need in order to pursue after, and capture David, but David was forced to run from him having very little in the way of weapons or men. There was something that David had which Saul was lacking, and that something made all the difference in the world. David had Almighty God on his side, and he protected and kept him safe the entire time Saul pursued him allowing no harm to come to David.
It isn't a question of whether or not we will have people come against us in our lives, it's a matter of how many people, and how many times. They may come against us because of jealousy as Saul came against David, or it may be they're angry at us for speaking a truth they didn't want to hear. It could be that they are not happy with themselves, and so they feel the need to lash out at other people. It could be they come against us because they have allowed themselves to become bitter and we are a convenient target. Some people can read a status, on a social networking site, that has their name no where in it, and automatically think it applies to them. Now the only way one would come to that conclusion is if they knew they were guilty of the content of the status. Some people come against us out of pride refusing to admit when they are wrong, because admitting they are wrong warrants an apology, and they are not willing to apologize. There are a number of reasons that people come against us, and having all experienced it at some time or another in our lives, I'm sure you know the list could go on and on.
It is tempting in the flesh to respond to people who come against us with their negative comments, and rude statements or whatever ugly avenue it is they choose to take for whatever reason, but we should never allow ourselves to respond to them in a like manner because then what difference is there in our behavior and theirs? Saul was in pursuit of David in an attempt to kill him literally, yet when David had the opportunity to slay Saul he didn't take his life, he spared it.
One of the most common attacks people make against us in today's society is on our Christianity. The moment they decide they have a valid reason to spew hatred, and they can't think of anything to come against us with, it is all to common for them to go off topic and use personal attacks including ones on our Christianity. The irony is that most of them know absolutely nothing about our present lives or our situation, and yet they spew pure meanness as if they do. Obviously they have no idea how God frowns upon such personal attacks or it may be that God's opinion of their behavior never crosses their mind. The thing to remember is that as born again believers we can rest assured that God is always with us. He promises he will never leave nor forsake us, and other than ourselves, he is the only one who knows our hearts. When people come against you don't fall prey to their antics rise above it as a Christian, forgive them, pray for them, and love them anyway.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Priorities
Matthew 6:31-33 (KJV) Says, "Therefore take no thought saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:24 (KJV) Says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
In the above passages of scripture it is made clear to us that we are to put God first in our lives. We are further advised that if we put God first in our lives, we shouldn't worry about our needs being met because He knows what we are in need of, and He will meet our needs. We are also advised that no man can serve two masters. It is made clear that we cannot serve God and mammon. The word mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Here Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude toward them.
Do you put God first in your life? Are your priorities God, family, friends, and then your career. How do you divide your time? Is God only allotted an hour every Sunday for a worship service, or do you spend personal devotion time with Him on a daily basis? Do you set aside time for television? Do you make time for hobbies? Do you set aside at least a week a year for vacation? Do you make time to nap? Are you a workaholic? Do you spend a good deal of time polishing your new vehicle, or working around your house? Do you spend a great deal of time shopping? If you are not setting aside time to spend with God on a daily basis in order to build a close relationship with Him, what is it that you are putting before God? What mammon (possessions or wealth) are you putting before God?
If your priorities have some how gotten out of order, and you're not spending time with God, and building a strong personal relationship with Him then I urge you to change that immediately. Set aside time for God daily; even if it's only five minutes that's a start. I urge you to consider the fact that God blesses us with ALL things, without Him we would not exist, and there would be no need for careers, money, or worldly possessions. God has given us life, He sacrificed his only Son so that we may have eternal life if we choose to accept His precious gift of salvation, and that is just to name a few blessings; yet many of us don't bother to set aside even a few minutes of our day to spend with Him. I encourage you to take a good, hard look at how you divide your time while considering all the things God has done for us and continues to do for us. I feel certain we can make time for our Creator. He doesn't deserve to be ignored, and trumped by of the things of this world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passages of scripture it is made clear to us that we are to put God first in our lives. We are further advised that if we put God first in our lives, we shouldn't worry about our needs being met because He knows what we are in need of, and He will meet our needs. We are also advised that no man can serve two masters. It is made clear that we cannot serve God and mammon. The word mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Here Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude toward them.
Do you put God first in your life? Are your priorities God, family, friends, and then your career. How do you divide your time? Is God only allotted an hour every Sunday for a worship service, or do you spend personal devotion time with Him on a daily basis? Do you set aside time for television? Do you make time for hobbies? Do you set aside at least a week a year for vacation? Do you make time to nap? Are you a workaholic? Do you spend a good deal of time polishing your new vehicle, or working around your house? Do you spend a great deal of time shopping? If you are not setting aside time to spend with God on a daily basis in order to build a close relationship with Him, what is it that you are putting before God? What mammon (possessions or wealth) are you putting before God?
If your priorities have some how gotten out of order, and you're not spending time with God, and building a strong personal relationship with Him then I urge you to change that immediately. Set aside time for God daily; even if it's only five minutes that's a start. I urge you to consider the fact that God blesses us with ALL things, without Him we would not exist, and there would be no need for careers, money, or worldly possessions. God has given us life, He sacrificed his only Son so that we may have eternal life if we choose to accept His precious gift of salvation, and that is just to name a few blessings; yet many of us don't bother to set aside even a few minutes of our day to spend with Him. I encourage you to take a good, hard look at how you divide your time while considering all the things God has done for us and continues to do for us. I feel certain we can make time for our Creator. He doesn't deserve to be ignored, and trumped by of the things of this world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)