Hebrews 6:18-20 (KJV) Says, "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
Beginning at the end of verse 18, we find that three pictures are used to demonstrate the security of being in Christ, and being anchored to Him. It is first described as being a safe retreat for us as were the six cities of refuge set aside in the Old Testament for those in need of a safe haven. Being in Christ provides us protection, strength, comfort, and a divine peace which is far greater than any earthly peace could ever be, and it provides us with anything and everything else we could ever possibly need. Secondly the above scripture makes clear that our hope in Him is sure and steadfast just like a well-placed, unbendable anchor. As believers, our anchor is not located in the deepest sea, but rather in the highest heaven. The third figure mentioned above is that of a forerunner, and our forerunner is Jesus. He is positioned in the sanctuary of Heaven, and has opened the way before us, that we may rest assured that we will eventually and certainly enter in with Him.
Having been born with a freewill, we can make the choice as to who or what we will anchor to, placing our trust in, depending on, and having faith that it will sustain us. Some people anchor themselves to their careers feeling as though they can depend on their social status, the amount of money they make, or some worldly possession to sustain them, and bring them peace and happiness. These people never consider the fact that their social status can drop, they could lose their job, and all their worldly possessions; or more importantly that these things can do absolutely nothing for us when we are faced with the trials and tribulations that come upon each of us in life.
When we are anchored in Christ we are anchored to a rock. Like a rock that is so heavy it can't be moved so is Christ. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I know without doubt, that I can trust and depend on Him never having to worry He may reject, hurt, abandon, or disappointment me. I choose to be anchored to Christ knowing that in Him I have hope and His freely given, precious gift of eternal life to be spent in Heaven with Him, and my loved ones that have passed on before me. I choose to be anchored to Christ because I know that I have in Him a best friend who is there for me twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to listen, and to lead, guide, and direct me. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I have in Him someone who loves me tremendously and unconditionally, someone who shows me mercy, understanding, and kindness even when I don't deserve it. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I have in him someone who forgives me repeatedly, and because he is my rock, my strength, my comfort, my refuge, and my hope.
Having made the choice to anchor myself to Christ, I feel His presence in the strength, comfort, divine peace, and in the hope that He freely gives me, and none of these things could ever be remotely matched by anything or anybody in this world. From where do you get strength and comfort? In who or what do you place your faith and trust? Wherein lies your hope? Have you placed your hope in Christ as the anchor of your soul? Do you place your trust, and faith in Him, or do you place it in something else that you are in constant fear of losing? I encourage you to seriously consider what or who your are anchored to?
If you have not come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you have the desire in your heart to do so, then I urge you to take action immediately because we are not promised tomorrow. Simply go to God in prayer, ask him to forgive you for all your sins, tell him you believe that Jesus was born, that he died on the cross for your sins, and that he rose again, and ask him to come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior.
If you prayed the above prayer and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, congratulations you made the greatest, and most important decision you will ever make. May you forever remain anchored to him.
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, August 10, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
In Loving Memory
James 4:6 (KJV) Says, "But he giveth more grace, Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble." Matthew 5:5 (KJV) Says, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 22:37-39 (KJV) Says, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "Proverbs 22:2 (KJV) Says, " The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all."
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of James we are told that God gives grace to the humble, and that He resists the proud. Grace by Christian definition is the free and unmerited favor of God. The verse listed above taken from Matthew chapter five tells us the meek meaning those that are quite, gentle, and humble will inherit the earth. This verse also tells us that those that exhibit these characteristics will share in the kingdom of God on earth, and the blessedness of Heaven. In the passage of scripture taken from Matthew chapter twenty-two Jesus gives us the two greatest commandments which are first and foremost to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and secondly to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Finally, the verse listed above taken from the book of Proverbs reminds us that God created each and every one of us, and that He views us as equals. This verse makes clear that God does not show favoritism based on worldly possessions, and that the rich and the poor will meet together in Heaven. God doesn't look at us as other people do considering our worldly possessions and social status, He looks at our hearts. Praise God that all born again Christians will meet together in Heaven, and that worldly possessions and social status won't matter in the least.
I very recently lost my hero, my Daddy, who went home to be with the Lord and I must add that at fifty-one years old this is the most difficult storm I have ever had to walk through. I miss him so very much, and there is a hole in my heart that can never be filled. My Daddy was loving, kind, understanding, humble, gentle, quiet, friendly, caring, forgiving, and possessed many other great Christian characteristics. That being said, this may seem hard to believe but knowing all of these characteristics to be true of my Daddy, I never really thought about them as a whole. I knew he was my Daddy, that he loved me immensely, that he was a born again baptized believer in Jesus Christ, and that he was a great man. During his final days, at his viewing, and at his funeral service I saw the overwhelming results of him having loved God and putting him first, and of his love for people. I witnessed an outpouring of love for him that could not possibly be measured, and this outpouring of love came from all walks of life.
Daddy lived in a modest home, he dressed modestly, and lived an overall humble life. After retiring he enjoyed tinkering around in his garage on lawnmowers, and having various family members, friends, and acquaintances drop by to chat with him while he worked. Strangers dropped in also, but they weren't strangers for long because with Daddy many, if not all of them soon became friends. He sat for hours in that garage ever day with the exception of Sundays listening to others share with him what they were going through in their lives. They left that Daddy's garage feeling better about whatever might have been troubling them, and they left knowing that someone cared.
My siblings and myself gathered around my Daddy, when we were told by his hospice nurse that he was transitioning, and would soon go home to be with the Lord. We love our Daddy dearly, and we wanted to be with him when God called him home. We gathered at his house along with his siblings the morning of the day before his passing, and were amazed by the number of individuals that joined us not only that day, but throughout the night and into the next evening. There were multiple vehicles parked on both sides of my Daddy's house, in his driveway, and in his front yard. These vehicles belonged to family members, friends, and neighbors whose lives my precious Daddy had touched. As I stood on his front porch looking out across his yard my heart overflowed with the demonstration of love these people had for my Daddy. I was in and out of the house where I stood by his bedside talking to him and holding his hand, and I spent some time outside on his porch and some standing in his front yard.
As I stood in the yard various individuals would pull up in their vehicles, and approach me to check on Daddy and to tell me how very much he meant to them, and how sorry they were he was so sick. At one point, a young man I believe to have been around 30-35 years old, dressed in a very nice suit and driving an expensive looking car came over to me crying and told me he was the pastor of a local church. He went on to tell me he met Daddy, when he brought his lawnmower over for repair some years ago. He told me how great a man he thought Daddy was, and how much he enjoyed stopping by and sitting in the garage to chat with him. He went on to tell me that Daddy was like a father figure to him. As I thanked him for his kind words and began to walk away, another man pulled up sobbing profusely. He was dressed in black and was the polar opposite of the pastor that I had just spoken with. He appeared to be in his 40's and he too told me how very much my Daddy meant to him, and shared that he would come by the garage often to sit and chat with Daddy. He stated that he enjoyed his visits in that garage, and that he looked at my Daddy as a father figure. He went on to tell me how sorry he was that Daddy was so sick then returned to his vehicle, and drove off down the road.
The magnitude of the demonstration of what it truly means to be Christ-like in humility, kindness, love, patience, forgiveness, understanding, and all things good as well as what it truly means to love our neighbors as ourselves did not elude me that day. I was overwhelmed at the number of people who had grown to know, love, respect, and treasure the friendship they shared with Daddy. I saw in those few moments exactly what it means to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. What it means to love people from all walks of life was made visual for me in those few moments also, as were the results of what it meant to treat people equally. I knew my Daddy fulfilled the first greatest commandment loving the Lord with all his heart mind and soul, and on this day God revealed to me that without a doubt Daddy fulfilled the second greatest commandment which is to love thy neighbor as thyself, and even though I knew he obeyed this commandment, it was a blessing to see visual proof of this as a testimony for all to see, even in the face of the worst storm I have ever faced.
Multitudes of people remained at Daddy's house overnight, through to the next day, and into the evening. It was at that time that my siblings and I were informed that we only had moments left with our Daddy here on earth. We gathered around his bed, and each of us took turns holding his hand, hugging and kissing him. We each told him what a great Daddy he was, how much we appreciated how hard he had worked so we could have everything we needed and wanted, and how very much we loved him. With my siblings and I along with a few of his siblings gathered around his hospital bed, our precious Daddy went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2014 in the early evening.
Daddy had touched so many lives that it was necessary for him to be viewed in the chapel of the funeral home in lieu of a regular viewing room which would not hold the multitude of people that came to pay their respects to him. I could hear him saying that he didn't need such a grand celebration because he was one of the most humble people I've ever known. His funeral service further confirmed that he'd had a positive impact on numerous people and that he loved and treated each of them as equals. This was again reflected in the kind words people shared, and the sermon that was preached. The flood of tears I witnessed were a further testament to what a great man he was, and of how much he was loved. This man was my hero and my Daddy.
It is my hope that others can learn from my experience and from what I witnessed and that they will be encouraged to live there lives listening to people, loving them, and treating each and every individual they meet equally. My siblings and I miss our Daddy more than words could ever possibly convey as we loved him tremendously. Praise God we find hope and comfort in knowing that we will one day see him again.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you send me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of James we are told that God gives grace to the humble, and that He resists the proud. Grace by Christian definition is the free and unmerited favor of God. The verse listed above taken from Matthew chapter five tells us the meek meaning those that are quite, gentle, and humble will inherit the earth. This verse also tells us that those that exhibit these characteristics will share in the kingdom of God on earth, and the blessedness of Heaven. In the passage of scripture taken from Matthew chapter twenty-two Jesus gives us the two greatest commandments which are first and foremost to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and secondly to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Finally, the verse listed above taken from the book of Proverbs reminds us that God created each and every one of us, and that He views us as equals. This verse makes clear that God does not show favoritism based on worldly possessions, and that the rich and the poor will meet together in Heaven. God doesn't look at us as other people do considering our worldly possessions and social status, He looks at our hearts. Praise God that all born again Christians will meet together in Heaven, and that worldly possessions and social status won't matter in the least.
I very recently lost my hero, my Daddy, who went home to be with the Lord and I must add that at fifty-one years old this is the most difficult storm I have ever had to walk through. I miss him so very much, and there is a hole in my heart that can never be filled. My Daddy was loving, kind, understanding, humble, gentle, quiet, friendly, caring, forgiving, and possessed many other great Christian characteristics. That being said, this may seem hard to believe but knowing all of these characteristics to be true of my Daddy, I never really thought about them as a whole. I knew he was my Daddy, that he loved me immensely, that he was a born again baptized believer in Jesus Christ, and that he was a great man. During his final days, at his viewing, and at his funeral service I saw the overwhelming results of him having loved God and putting him first, and of his love for people. I witnessed an outpouring of love for him that could not possibly be measured, and this outpouring of love came from all walks of life.
Daddy lived in a modest home, he dressed modestly, and lived an overall humble life. After retiring he enjoyed tinkering around in his garage on lawnmowers, and having various family members, friends, and acquaintances drop by to chat with him while he worked. Strangers dropped in also, but they weren't strangers for long because with Daddy many, if not all of them soon became friends. He sat for hours in that garage ever day with the exception of Sundays listening to others share with him what they were going through in their lives. They left that Daddy's garage feeling better about whatever might have been troubling them, and they left knowing that someone cared.
My siblings and myself gathered around my Daddy, when we were told by his hospice nurse that he was transitioning, and would soon go home to be with the Lord. We love our Daddy dearly, and we wanted to be with him when God called him home. We gathered at his house along with his siblings the morning of the day before his passing, and were amazed by the number of individuals that joined us not only that day, but throughout the night and into the next evening. There were multiple vehicles parked on both sides of my Daddy's house, in his driveway, and in his front yard. These vehicles belonged to family members, friends, and neighbors whose lives my precious Daddy had touched. As I stood on his front porch looking out across his yard my heart overflowed with the demonstration of love these people had for my Daddy. I was in and out of the house where I stood by his bedside talking to him and holding his hand, and I spent some time outside on his porch and some standing in his front yard.
As I stood in the yard various individuals would pull up in their vehicles, and approach me to check on Daddy and to tell me how very much he meant to them, and how sorry they were he was so sick. At one point, a young man I believe to have been around 30-35 years old, dressed in a very nice suit and driving an expensive looking car came over to me crying and told me he was the pastor of a local church. He went on to tell me he met Daddy, when he brought his lawnmower over for repair some years ago. He told me how great a man he thought Daddy was, and how much he enjoyed stopping by and sitting in the garage to chat with him. He went on to tell me that Daddy was like a father figure to him. As I thanked him for his kind words and began to walk away, another man pulled up sobbing profusely. He was dressed in black and was the polar opposite of the pastor that I had just spoken with. He appeared to be in his 40's and he too told me how very much my Daddy meant to him, and shared that he would come by the garage often to sit and chat with Daddy. He stated that he enjoyed his visits in that garage, and that he looked at my Daddy as a father figure. He went on to tell me how sorry he was that Daddy was so sick then returned to his vehicle, and drove off down the road.
The magnitude of the demonstration of what it truly means to be Christ-like in humility, kindness, love, patience, forgiveness, understanding, and all things good as well as what it truly means to love our neighbors as ourselves did not elude me that day. I was overwhelmed at the number of people who had grown to know, love, respect, and treasure the friendship they shared with Daddy. I saw in those few moments exactly what it means to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. What it means to love people from all walks of life was made visual for me in those few moments also, as were the results of what it meant to treat people equally. I knew my Daddy fulfilled the first greatest commandment loving the Lord with all his heart mind and soul, and on this day God revealed to me that without a doubt Daddy fulfilled the second greatest commandment which is to love thy neighbor as thyself, and even though I knew he obeyed this commandment, it was a blessing to see visual proof of this as a testimony for all to see, even in the face of the worst storm I have ever faced.
Multitudes of people remained at Daddy's house overnight, through to the next day, and into the evening. It was at that time that my siblings and I were informed that we only had moments left with our Daddy here on earth. We gathered around his bed, and each of us took turns holding his hand, hugging and kissing him. We each told him what a great Daddy he was, how much we appreciated how hard he had worked so we could have everything we needed and wanted, and how very much we loved him. With my siblings and I along with a few of his siblings gathered around his hospital bed, our precious Daddy went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2014 in the early evening.
Daddy had touched so many lives that it was necessary for him to be viewed in the chapel of the funeral home in lieu of a regular viewing room which would not hold the multitude of people that came to pay their respects to him. I could hear him saying that he didn't need such a grand celebration because he was one of the most humble people I've ever known. His funeral service further confirmed that he'd had a positive impact on numerous people and that he loved and treated each of them as equals. This was again reflected in the kind words people shared, and the sermon that was preached. The flood of tears I witnessed were a further testament to what a great man he was, and of how much he was loved. This man was my hero and my Daddy.
It is my hope that others can learn from my experience and from what I witnessed and that they will be encouraged to live there lives listening to people, loving them, and treating each and every individual they meet equally. My siblings and I miss our Daddy more than words could ever possibly convey as we loved him tremendously. Praise God we find hope and comfort in knowing that we will one day see him again.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you send me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Monday Through Saturday
I Corinthians 3:16 (KJV) Says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Proverbs 15:3 (KJV) Says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
In the above verse of scripture taken from I Corinthians we are reminded as believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that the Holy Spirit dwells within each of us. In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Proverbs, we are reminded that the Lord sees all things everywhere. There is nothing that goes on that the Lord does not see. The Lord is with us always and he sees absolutely everything. We may be able to hide things from one another, but we can't hide anything from God.
Most self-proclaimed Christians attend worship service on Sunday morning where they fellowship with one another, listen to a sermon, and sing praises to the Lord. This is wonderful, but what about Monday through Saturday? When we go to church as we worship, sing, and fellowship among the congregation we behave like any good Christian would be expected to. The behaviors that separate Christians from non-believers, however, in some cases seem to fade rapidly as the week progresses. It's as if many Christians believe that the only place God sees us or cares how we behave is in church on Sunday.
It is easy to identify a Christian, on Sunday, among a congregation of self-proclaimed believers, but what about Monday through Saturday? Does your behavior demonstrate that you are sanctified and set apart by your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Or, do you find yourself behaving in a manner that makes it impossible to identify you as a believer? Do you walk out of the sanctuary on Sunday morning and forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within you? Do you walk out and kid yourself into believing that you have left God sitting on a pew, and that it is perfectly acceptable to behave in any manner you choose until the following Sunday? Or, do you walk out of Sunday service and strive to be the best Christian example to others that you can possibly be no matter what day of the week it is?
No human being is perfect, and that is certain. As the Word of God tells us in the book of Romans we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but if we truly desire to live the best life possible then it is imperative that we do our best to live our lives in obedience to God. We must do the best we can to be the best disciples for Jesus Christ we can be as we go about our everyday lives. As born again believers in Jesus Christ we should stand out as his light shines brightly through us in this extremely dark world, and his light should shine through us everyday; not just on Sundays.
God wants us to have joy, divine peace, and contentment in our lives. He has many blessings He desires to rain down on us. Just as earthly parents love their children, we are his children and He loves us tremendously. He wants for us the best lives possible, but just as earthly parents don't reward their children for bad behavior, neither does our Heavenly Father reward us, when walk in disobedience to him. I encourage you to start living in obedience to God everyday, and to be a great Christian example for those around you at all times. I know that some individuals believe that you can't have fun and be a Christian, but let me assure you that there is nothing further from the truth. We all have some behaviors and attitudes that need work, but God knows our hearts and he knows when we are sincerely working on correcting any ungodly behaviors. He knows when we are making a sincere attempt to turn away from things we know don't fit who we are in Christ. I encourage you to remember that you are a child of the most high God, that you have been set apart and sanctified, that he loves you tremendously, and to do your best to allow your behavior to reflect each of these things no matter what day of the week it is.
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 verse of scripture taken from I Corinthians we are reminded as believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that the Holy Spirit dwells within each of us. In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Proverbs, we are reminded that the Lord sees all things everywhere. There is nothing that goes on that the Lord does not see. The Lord is with us always and he sees absolutely everything. We may be able to hide things from one another, but we can't hide anything from God.
Most self-proclaimed Christians attend worship service on Sunday morning where they fellowship with one another, listen to a sermon, and sing praises to the Lord. This is wonderful, but what about Monday through Saturday? When we go to church as we worship, sing, and fellowship among the congregation we behave like any good Christian would be expected to. The behaviors that separate Christians from non-believers, however, in some cases seem to fade rapidly as the week progresses. It's as if many Christians believe that the only place God sees us or cares how we behave is in church on Sunday.
It is easy to identify a Christian, on Sunday, among a congregation of self-proclaimed believers, but what about Monday through Saturday? Does your behavior demonstrate that you are sanctified and set apart by your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Or, do you find yourself behaving in a manner that makes it impossible to identify you as a believer? Do you walk out of the sanctuary on Sunday morning and forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within you? Do you walk out and kid yourself into believing that you have left God sitting on a pew, and that it is perfectly acceptable to behave in any manner you choose until the following Sunday? Or, do you walk out of Sunday service and strive to be the best Christian example to others that you can possibly be no matter what day of the week it is?
No human being is perfect, and that is certain. As the Word of God tells us in the book of Romans we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but if we truly desire to live the best life possible then it is imperative that we do our best to live our lives in obedience to God. We must do the best we can to be the best disciples for Jesus Christ we can be as we go about our everyday lives. As born again believers in Jesus Christ we should stand out as his light shines brightly through us in this extremely dark world, and his light should shine through us everyday; not just on Sundays.
God wants us to have joy, divine peace, and contentment in our lives. He has many blessings He desires to rain down on us. Just as earthly parents love their children, we are his children and He loves us tremendously. He wants for us the best lives possible, but just as earthly parents don't reward their children for bad behavior, neither does our Heavenly Father reward us, when walk in disobedience to him. I encourage you to start living in obedience to God everyday, and to be a great Christian example for those around you at all times. I know that some individuals believe that you can't have fun and be a Christian, but let me assure you that there is nothing further from the truth. We all have some behaviors and attitudes that need work, but God knows our hearts and he knows when we are sincerely working on correcting any ungodly behaviors. He knows when we are making a sincere attempt to turn away from things we know don't fit who we are in Christ. I encourage you to remember that you are a child of the most high God, that you have been set apart and sanctified, that he loves you tremendously, and to do your best to allow your behavior to reflect each of these things no matter what day of the week it is.
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, May 28, 2014
Never Underestimate God
I Samuel 17:33 (KJV) Says, "And Saul said unto David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." In Judges 6:14-15 (KJV) the Lord is speaking with Gideon, and the verse Says, "And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
The above verses of scripture are just two examples of many given to us in the Word of God where individuals we would never deem capable of a task are chosen by God to take on that very task. Saul did not believe for one minute that David being so young and having no experience in war could go up against Goliath who was not only a giant, but a skilled warrior and defeat him. Gideon was called by the Lord to lead Israel out of the hand of the Midianites who were coming against them, even though Gideon himself had no faith that he was equipped or capable of doing so.
Think about all that God was able to accomplish through the original twelve disciples that he chose from among what we would consider common everyday men. Consider all that God used Paul to accomplish once he surrendered his life, and chose to live in obedience to Him. What God can accomplish by working through just one individual who is willing to surrender their life and follow Him is nothing short of amazing.
Each of us are given gifts from God to be utilized in accomplishing all He desires to accomplish by working through us. He can accomplish great things through every individual, if we will surrender our lives to Him, and follow His instructions. We are born with a freewill, however, and it is therefore up to us as to whether or not we will choose to do that. Many people hesitate to follow God's direction for their lives because they listen to the devil telling them they are not capable. I urge you to remember that the devil is a liar. Some people listen to others who laugh at the idea of them being capable of what God has called them to do. Do not listen to these type people remembering that God can accomplish whatever He chooses to accomplish working through whomever He chooses to use, and that includes you. Step out in faith believing God, put your trust in him, and remember that the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:13 (KJV) we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Knowing these things and that God has never broken a promise, I encourage you to have faith in God without doubt. I encourage you to pray, read and study God's Word and meditate on it. I urge you to listen for God's direction, and follow the plan He has for your life. Don't ever underestimate yourself, because you see, it is not about what you are capable of alone, but what God is capable of by working through you. As we see in God's Word, the things He's capable of accomplishing by working through those we would deem the most unlikely to be chosen, are without question limitless, and nothing short of amazing. Don't underestimate God. I urge you to surrender your life to him, allow him to lead, guide and direct your path, and watch all of the great work He is capable of doing by working through you. Remember we are never too old or too young for God to use us in a great way. We must also remember without fail to give God all the praise and the glory for everything we do accomplish knowing that we can do nothing without Him, and all things with Him.
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.
The above verses of scripture are just two examples of many given to us in the Word of God where individuals we would never deem capable of a task are chosen by God to take on that very task. Saul did not believe for one minute that David being so young and having no experience in war could go up against Goliath who was not only a giant, but a skilled warrior and defeat him. Gideon was called by the Lord to lead Israel out of the hand of the Midianites who were coming against them, even though Gideon himself had no faith that he was equipped or capable of doing so.
Think about all that God was able to accomplish through the original twelve disciples that he chose from among what we would consider common everyday men. Consider all that God used Paul to accomplish once he surrendered his life, and chose to live in obedience to Him. What God can accomplish by working through just one individual who is willing to surrender their life and follow Him is nothing short of amazing.
Each of us are given gifts from God to be utilized in accomplishing all He desires to accomplish by working through us. He can accomplish great things through every individual, if we will surrender our lives to Him, and follow His instructions. We are born with a freewill, however, and it is therefore up to us as to whether or not we will choose to do that. Many people hesitate to follow God's direction for their lives because they listen to the devil telling them they are not capable. I urge you to remember that the devil is a liar. Some people listen to others who laugh at the idea of them being capable of what God has called them to do. Do not listen to these type people remembering that God can accomplish whatever He chooses to accomplish working through whomever He chooses to use, and that includes you. Step out in faith believing God, put your trust in him, and remember that the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:13 (KJV) we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Knowing these things and that God has never broken a promise, I encourage you to have faith in God without doubt. I encourage you to pray, read and study God's Word and meditate on it. I urge you to listen for God's direction, and follow the plan He has for your life. Don't ever underestimate yourself, because you see, it is not about what you are capable of alone, but what God is capable of by working through you. As we see in God's Word, the things He's capable of accomplishing by working through those we would deem the most unlikely to be chosen, are without question limitless, and nothing short of amazing. Don't underestimate God. I urge you to surrender your life to him, allow him to lead, guide and direct your path, and watch all of the great work He is capable of doing by working through you. Remember we are never too old or too young for God to use us in a great way. We must also remember without fail to give God all the praise and the glory for everything we do accomplish knowing that we can do nothing without Him, and all things with Him.
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, April 27, 2014
Stop, Pray, and Trust God
Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV) Says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) Says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
Romans 8:28 (KJV) Says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
The above verses of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah tell us that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and that He doesn't do things in the same way that we would do them. He makes it clear that His ways and his thoughts are higher than ours as He is above us in all things just as the heavens are above the earth. It is for certain that He knows far better than we do what is best for us. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah makes it clear that the Lord wants us to live in peace, and that he doesn't sit around thinking about various evil He can bring upon us. He wants us to have divine peace and joy, and to live joy filled lives here on earth. The final verse of scripture listed above is taken from the book of Romans, and it makes clear that all things come together for good to those who love God, and are following him.
At one time or another, most if not all of us, have found ourselves in situations that are difficult and that we can't understand the reason for. When we do, we don't need to begin whining and complaining. When we are in a tough situation, facing difficulties and hardships, or we are unhappy with where we are in life, we need to stop, pray, and trust God. If we are living our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God and are following Him, then we need to pause long enough to remember that He has a purpose for us to be going through whatever it is we are facing, and that it will all work together for good in the end.
A great example of this can be found in Philippians 1:12-14 (KJV) where Paul says, "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."
In this passage of scripture taken from the book of Romans Paul is in prison. Now take a moment to consider that the prison was cave like with dirt floors, and was far from comfortable. Many people in prison are quite unhappy and find nothing positive about it. Paul, however, makes it clear that he sees the purpose for which God has placed him where he is, and the good that has come out of it. He tells us that the things that have happened to him including landing in prison have served to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. He goes on to tell us that his imprisonment has afforded him the opportunity to spread the gospel in Caesar's palace, and that many Roman Christians were stirred to preach the gospel during his bondage. He states that they became able to do so more boldly, and without fear. So Paul having a close personal relationship with God saw the good in his situation, and the purpose behind him being in it. Paul didn't see the negative and begin whining and complaining about prison conditions or his plight, but rather he trusted God, and continued to spread the gospel from within those prison walls seeing the positive results that were coming from him doing so.
What a great example Paul set here for us to follow, when we find ourselves in situations that we don't understand or see a purpose for. If Paul had adopted a poor, pitiful me attitude the moment he was incarcerated and focused solely on his own discomfort, then he would have missed the opportunity afforded him to spread the gospel throughout the palace, and the opportunity to stir up many of the Roman Christians to be bold in preaching the gospel without fear. Paul knew and trusted that God had a plan, that God knows best, and that the end result would be good.
When you find yourself faced with a difficult situation, I encourage you to trust God. I urge you to remember that his thoughts and ways are not ours, and that he knows what is best for us. We have two choices we can make difficult situations about us, see the negative in them, whine, complain, and miss the good that God intended to come from them; or we can do as Paul did and trust God acknowledging that he knows what is best for us, and that whatever we're facing or going through He will work out for our good.
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, April 13, 2014
God Never Changes
Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) Says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."
As we see from the above verse of scripture, God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We all face changes in our lives which require that we go through periods of adjustment as we grow accustom to where these changes land us.
Some of the changes we face come suddenly, and have a major impact on our everyday life. A few examples of change that can make a major impact on our life are the death of a loved one, losing a job, starting a new job, getting a divorce, getting married, the birth of a child, children growing up and moving out, and as we all know there are many more that can and do occur. All major changes that come along in our lives require that we go through a period of adjustment. As Christians, we can find comfort in the fact that God will be with us during the adjustment periods that come along in our lives. God loves us and he will never leave us or forsake us.
Unlike God, people do change as does the world that we live in. As soon as we are born we begin to age, and as we age and go through various stages in our lives, we face multiple changes. With new inventions and growth in technology being a constant, the world we live in is also constantly changing. Some of the changes we face can be very difficult on us. We can experience sadness and great pain as we work to adapt, and move forward with our lives. God understands that these periods of emotional adjustment are necessary before we can move forward, but it is important to note that he does want us to move forward. One example of this can be found in the Word of God when we read about the death of Moses. Deuteronomy 34:8-9 tells us that the people mourned the loss of Moses for 30 days before moving forward following Joshua as God directed them to.
God knows we are only human and he understands our emotions completely because he experienced all of them firsthand, when he came to earth in the flesh. He has compassion and sympathy for us, and he loves us tremendously.
When you go through changes that have a major impact on your life, I encourage you to remember that you are not going through them alone. I encourage you to remember that God promises he will never leave nor forsake you, and that he has not, nor will he ever break a promise. I urge you to remember that God is right there holding your hand, and that he loves you tremendously. I urge you to allow God to be your anchor. He never changes, and he is steadfast, and immovable. I urge you to rely on God not only as you walk through periods of adjustment in your life, but throughout each and every second of every day.
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.
As we see from the above verse of scripture, God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We all face changes in our lives which require that we go through periods of adjustment as we grow accustom to where these changes land us.
Some of the changes we face come suddenly, and have a major impact on our everyday life. A few examples of change that can make a major impact on our life are the death of a loved one, losing a job, starting a new job, getting a divorce, getting married, the birth of a child, children growing up and moving out, and as we all know there are many more that can and do occur. All major changes that come along in our lives require that we go through a period of adjustment. As Christians, we can find comfort in the fact that God will be with us during the adjustment periods that come along in our lives. God loves us and he will never leave us or forsake us.
Unlike God, people do change as does the world that we live in. As soon as we are born we begin to age, and as we age and go through various stages in our lives, we face multiple changes. With new inventions and growth in technology being a constant, the world we live in is also constantly changing. Some of the changes we face can be very difficult on us. We can experience sadness and great pain as we work to adapt, and move forward with our lives. God understands that these periods of emotional adjustment are necessary before we can move forward, but it is important to note that he does want us to move forward. One example of this can be found in the Word of God when we read about the death of Moses. Deuteronomy 34:8-9 tells us that the people mourned the loss of Moses for 30 days before moving forward following Joshua as God directed them to.
God knows we are only human and he understands our emotions completely because he experienced all of them firsthand, when he came to earth in the flesh. He has compassion and sympathy for us, and he loves us tremendously.
When you go through changes that have a major impact on your life, I encourage you to remember that you are not going through them alone. I encourage you to remember that God promises he will never leave nor forsake you, and that he has not, nor will he ever break a promise. I urge you to remember that God is right there holding your hand, and that he loves you tremendously. I urge you to allow God to be your anchor. He never changes, and he is steadfast, and immovable. I urge you to rely on God not only as you walk through periods of adjustment in your life, but throughout each and every second of every day.
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, April 2, 2014
Questions
Leviticus 19:31 (KJV) Says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 20:6 (KJV) Says, "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (KJV) Says, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Isaiah 8:19 (KJV) Says, "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: Should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
In the above verses of scripture taken from the book of Leviticus we are instructed not to consult mediums or sorcerers. The above passage taken from Deuteronomy instructs us that we are not to use divination. An example of divination can be found in Ezekiel 21:21(KJV) where arrows where whirled around in a quiver and the answer to a question was decided by the first arrow thrown out. We are also advised to avoid astrology, an observer of times such as one that reads the clouds, and not to seek after an enchanter, a witch, or a wizard. We are further instructed not to seek after a necromancer. The Hebrew term for necromancer is "one who asks of the dead." All these practices are clearly condemned in the word of God. These practices are considered abominations. In the verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah, the prophet warns the people about seeking witches, wizards, and soothsayers in lieu of taking their questions and issues to God in prayer.
We all have questions that we would like answered, and each of us desire advice, when faced with important decisions that occur periodically throughout our lives. There are several worldly avenues made available to us in which to seek answers. We can draw straws, flip a coin, seek a medium, go to a psychic, read our horoscope, seek a witch, wizard, palm reader, or take some other worldly route in search of guidance. As Christians, however, why in the world would we do any of these things which God's word makes clear are abominations? Why in the world would we do any of these things, when we have the privilege to go to God in prayer, and talk to him day or night about anything and everything?
You might say well I go to a palm reader, but I don't believe anything they tell me, or I read my horoscope daily, but I don't put any faith in what it says. You might say I go to a psychic, but only about twice a year more or less just for fun. The truth is seeking answers or help with decisions from any of these sources or by any of these means is an abomination in the eyes of God. It matters not the frequency of use or how much faith you put into any of these sources. What is important is the fact that you go to them instead of taking your problems and questions to God in prayer.
When you have a question or you're faced with a problem of some sort, where do you turn? When we honestly consider the power and knowledge of Almighty God, both of which are unlimited, I think we can agree that there is no go to source greater than Him for any and all questions, issues, problems, and worries we may have. The next time you have a need or want of any sort, and desire to seek an answer take your questions to God in prayer. You can go to God in prayer having faith in Him, knowing without a doubt that He understands you, that He has all the answers, He knows what is best for you, and that He loves you tremendously. I encourage you to remember that you can talk to God whenever you choose because He is always available to you. Seek God when you have a decision to make, a question you need answered or help with a problem you're faced with, and remember Psalm 46:1 (KJV) which tells us that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
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 taken from the book of Leviticus we are instructed not to consult mediums or sorcerers. The above passage taken from Deuteronomy instructs us that we are not to use divination. An example of divination can be found in Ezekiel 21:21(KJV) where arrows where whirled around in a quiver and the answer to a question was decided by the first arrow thrown out. We are also advised to avoid astrology, an observer of times such as one that reads the clouds, and not to seek after an enchanter, a witch, or a wizard. We are further instructed not to seek after a necromancer. The Hebrew term for necromancer is "one who asks of the dead." All these practices are clearly condemned in the word of God. These practices are considered abominations. In the verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah, the prophet warns the people about seeking witches, wizards, and soothsayers in lieu of taking their questions and issues to God in prayer.
We all have questions that we would like answered, and each of us desire advice, when faced with important decisions that occur periodically throughout our lives. There are several worldly avenues made available to us in which to seek answers. We can draw straws, flip a coin, seek a medium, go to a psychic, read our horoscope, seek a witch, wizard, palm reader, or take some other worldly route in search of guidance. As Christians, however, why in the world would we do any of these things which God's word makes clear are abominations? Why in the world would we do any of these things, when we have the privilege to go to God in prayer, and talk to him day or night about anything and everything?
You might say well I go to a palm reader, but I don't believe anything they tell me, or I read my horoscope daily, but I don't put any faith in what it says. You might say I go to a psychic, but only about twice a year more or less just for fun. The truth is seeking answers or help with decisions from any of these sources or by any of these means is an abomination in the eyes of God. It matters not the frequency of use or how much faith you put into any of these sources. What is important is the fact that you go to them instead of taking your problems and questions to God in prayer.
When you have a question or you're faced with a problem of some sort, where do you turn? When we honestly consider the power and knowledge of Almighty God, both of which are unlimited, I think we can agree that there is no go to source greater than Him for any and all questions, issues, problems, and worries we may have. The next time you have a need or want of any sort, and desire to seek an answer take your questions to God in prayer. You can go to God in prayer having faith in Him, knowing without a doubt that He understands you, that He has all the answers, He knows what is best for you, and that He loves you tremendously. I encourage you to remember that you can talk to God whenever you choose because He is always available to you. Seek God when you have a decision to make, a question you need answered or help with a problem you're faced with, and remember Psalm 46:1 (KJV) which tells us that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
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.
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