His Blood on My Door!

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When you eat the meal, be dressed and ready to travel. Have your sandals on, carry your walking stick in your hand, and eat quickly. This is the Passover Festival in honor of me, your Lord.  That same night I will pass through Egypt and kill the first-born son in every family and the first-born male of all animals. I am the Lord, and I will punish the gods of Egypt.  The blood on the houses will show me where you live, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Then you won't be bothered by the terrible disasters I will bring on Egypt.

Exodus 12:11-13

The Passover Meal which is still celebrated by Jews today began on the night that the Angel of Death went through the land of Egypt and killed every "first born" son. The exception to this great sorrow in the land was those houses that had the blood of the lamb on the door post. When the Lord saw the blood of the lamb, the Death Angel did not go in that house and no one died!

Today, the Passover is happening every day and all over the world! But this Passover is about the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is the Lamb and the door to your heart is where God looks for the Blood of Jesus! Without the Blood of the Lamb of God on the Doorposts of your heart, you will surely die and be separated from Jesus in Hell forever!

This is a good day to do a "Door Check" of your heart! Look and confirm that the Blood Jesus is there for all to see. If someone comes to your house and sees blood on the door, I'm sure they will want you to tell them about it. And when they ask, tell them it is the Blood of Jesus!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for letting me put Your blood on the door to my heart! May all those who knock on my door know that I am protected by the Blood of Jesus! May You be praised forever. Amen."

The Justice of Heaven!

 

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God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to this!  My friends, while you are waiting, you should make certain the Lord finds you pure, spotless, and living at peace.

2 Peter 3:13-14

The United States government has a "Justice Department."   As a "man of modern research techniques," I looked up the word "Justice" on Wikipedia and found that mankind is truly confused about "Justice." Does it mean fairness or paying for your crimes? Perhaps it means both, or some think neither. The concept of "Justice" differs from culture to culture.

But God is not confused about justice. In the New Heaven and the New Earth Justice will rule and no one will be confused about what justice really is. No one will be in Hell who does not deserve to be there, and everyone who will be in Heaven will have had their record expunged by the Blood of Jesus Christ.

The Justice of Heaven is this: You will get what Jesus deserves because Jesus got what you deserved!

"Thank You Jesus, for suffering the justice that I deserve on this earth so that I can have the Justice that You deserve in Heaven! May You be praised forever. Amen."

Believers in Hell!

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It is written:  "As surely as I live, says the Lord,
every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:11-12

There is great pride in being an Atheist. Consider the perspective of the man who does not believe in Almighty God. He rails against the Creator of the Universe and declares that God is either dead or never existed in the first place and yet he continues to live and breathe and go about his business like everyone else! I’m certain that every, would be Atheist sticks his toe in the water of unbelief to see if he will be struck by lightning for standing against God.

But God’s great mercy and love permits a man even to become His enemy without immediate retribution. The arrogant unbelief grows as the atheist becomes convinced that God is indeed dead, asleep, or never existed at all. It is all a part of free will. Humans have been given the freedom to choose or reject God. It is unique. The animals that populate the earth do not struggle with faith. The principalities, powers and powers of the air, including Satan himself are not Atheists.

Atheism is a temporary state of man which will end on your knees before the Creator of Heaven and earth! There will be no Atheists in Hell. They will all come to faith on that day when they stand before God to give account of themselves.

The question for you, that will make an eternal difference is this: “When will you come to faith in Jesus Christ?” If you do it now, you will live forever with Him in Heaven. If you wait until you become a believer by the force of reality, as you stand before God, you will spend eternity in the fires of Hell.

Becoming a believer on the Day of Judgment will be too late! You have this moment to accept Him. You will become a believer, and you will bow before Him. For Heaven’s sake do it now!

Three Parts of Babylon!

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“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, “It is finished!” Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth.  The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath.

Revelation 16:15-19

What a curious thing, these verses say that when the greatest earthquake ever hits, the cities of many nations fall into heaps of rubble, but the city of Babylon will be split into three sections. Why would not Babylon become a pile of bricks like the other cities? Of course, the Bible does not say. Notice it doesn't say that Babylon is spared destruction. It simply notes that Babylon is divided into three sections. That could mean that the fault line or lines that cause the earthquake will run directly underneath Babylon.

So wherever Babylon is in the world will be the target for God's "fierce wrath."

Speculation about who Babylon will be at the time of the End is certainly interesting, but ultimately irrelevant. The judgment of God may focus on Babylon, but it will extend to everyone who opposes Him and refuses to turn their hearts to and accept Jesus Christ, the Lord!

The point is this: God is the Judge and all unrighteousness will be judged in the End! No one will "get away with" opposing God! God is Love and Light for those who follow Jesus, but God is also the author of Righteous Judgment against those who stand against Him!

"Lord Jesus, it is only because of You that I don't have to fear what is coming on the earth! But Lord, I know that those who do not know You have much to fear! Help me today to sound the alarm for those who don't know You! May You be praised forever. Amen."

Small Answered Prayers!

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I praise you, Lord,
for answering my prayers.
You are my strong shield,
and I trust you completely.
You have helped me,
and I will celebrate
and thank you in song.

You give strength
to your people, Lord,
and you save and protect
your chosen ones.

Come save us and bless us.
Be our shepherd and always
carry us in your arms.

Psalm 28:6-9

If you answer the telephone when I call, then I can say for certain that you are alive! If you don't answer when I call, it may be because you are not alive! If you do answer when I call my doubts about whether or not you exist are all wiped away.

If you pray to God and there is no answer, how do you know that you are not praying to the wind? But if your prayers are answered you can be certain that your religion has turned into a relationship.

I once met a man who was very religious, but then became a follower of Jesus. Before he came to know Jesus he prayed five times a day. I asked him to tell me about the difference in his praying before and after he became a Christian. He said: "Before I became a follower of Jesus I prayed five times a day, but my prayers were never answered. But after I became a Christian my prayers were always answered!"

Every answered prayer strengthens your faith in Jesus. It's like a small child on the playground running back to his mother every few minutes just to make sure she is still there!

It's OK to pray one of those "I just want to hear Your voice" prayers. "Small talk" between friends does serve an important purpose, and "small answered prayers" remind us daily that God is still there and has not forgotten us or changed!

Don't wait for a "big need" to come along in your life before you pray. Ask God about small things, then watch and listen carefully for His answer.

"Lord Jesus, there is nothing in my heart or mind that does not concern You. Today I will open my ears to listen for Your answers to my prayers, even about small things! And may You be praised forever. Amen."

You Are a Slave of Your Savior!

 

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The famine became so severe that Joseph finally bought every piece of land in Egypt for the king  and made everyone the king’s slaves,   except the priests. The king gave the priests a regular food allowance, so they did not have to sell their land.  Then Joseph said to the people, “You and your land now belong to the king. I’m giving you seed to plant,   but one-fifth of your crops must go to the king. You can keep the rest as seed or as food for your families.”

 “Sir, you have saved our lives!” they answered. “We are glad to be slaves of the king.”

Genesis 47:20-25

God's purpose in sending Joseph to Egypt was to save the lives of Jacob and his family. The plan worked perfectly and 400 years later a family had become a nation and Israel began the journey to the Promised Land.

But the people of Egypt themselves became slaves to Pharaoh because they traded all their possessions, land and even liberty and freedom for food to keep them alive. The food Pharaoh sold them had come from those to whom he sold it. But they saw him as their savior and gladly became his slaves.

The sobering truth of this story is this: You will become the slave of the one who saves you and provides your needs! If your heart and mind are focused on this world and the things that it provides, then you will become it's slave. But if you look to Jesus for all that you need and give Him the credit for everything you have, you will be His slave and He will be your Loving Master!

Every human being is in dire need! You need many things to live in this world. If you look to Pharaoh (that would be the government) to provide what you need, then you will become a slave of Pharaoh! But if your heart is focused on Jesus Christ and you see Jesus as the source of everything you need, then you will be His slave, but being the slave of Jesus means that you will be free forever!

"Lord Jesus, I know that the only real freedom I have in this world, is the freedom to choose my master! I can choose the world system to provide my needs or I can choose You to be my Savior and provider! So Jesus, I once again declare that You are all I need and You are my Master and Lord. May You be praised forever. Amen."

All I Have is All Jesus Needs!

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When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd. He felt sorry for them and healed everyone who was sick.

That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This place is like a desert, and it is already late. Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the villages and buy some food.”

Jesus replied, “They don’t have to leave. Why don’t you give them something to eat?”

But they said, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish.”   Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him,   and he told the crowd to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples, and they gave it to the people.

Matthew 14:14-19

It was "tradition" in my childhood home that before each meal we would "give thanks" for the food.  But sometimes that, usually short prayer was referred to as "saying the blessing."  I never even stopped to think about the fact that there was a difference in those two things.

Giving thanks is appropriate and necessary as we daily consume the things that God has provided on this earth to sustain our lives.  "Saying the Blessing" is what Jesus did over the five loaves and two fish before using them to satisfy the hunger of 5,000 people! 

So here is a thought to ponder.  Instead of trying to accumulate a lot of things or even money so that you can "do God's will," perhaps you need to consider asking God to bless the little you have.  If Jesus can feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, imagine what he could do with what you have!  Remember God is not limited to a 5000 to 1 ratio of blessings, but even at that rate the ten dollars you give to Jesus would be worth $50,000!  If you had a hundred dollars Jesus could bless it to be worth a half a million!  And if you were really "well to do" and could present Jesus with a thousand dollars it would be worth Five Million dollars in real value!

So when you see a need around you, do this: Ask yourself how much you have available to fulfill that need and take it to Jesus!  Then prepare yourself to see a miracle!

"Lord Jesus, I bring You what I have so that You can multiply it in ministering to the needs of others.  Lord, all I have is all You need to bless the world around me!  And may You be praised forever.  Amen."

What’s In Your Box?

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Sound a warning!
Israel, you broke our agreement
and ignored my teaching.
Now an eagle is swooping down
to attack my land.

Israel, you say, “We claim you,
the Lord, as our God.”

But your enemies
will chase you
for rejecting
our good agreement.

You chose kings and leaders
without consulting me;
you made silver and gold idols
that led to your downfall.

Hosea 8:1-4

There is at least one nation on this earth that prints "In God We Trust" on their money. But the sad fact is this: That nation has for more than a generation now tried to run away from trusting God by the way they live and the laws their leaders make.

Actions do speak louder than words when I comes to trusting God as a nation, but it is also true of your life as well. Do you wear the name "Christian" and let everyone know that you are a follower of Jesus Christ? Like money, you may have "In God I Trust" stamped on your forehead, but in your heart your trust is in something else?

Have you ever opened a box and found that the box was "mislabeled?" The thing on the inside of the box was not what the label said it was.
I'm afraid that is also true of some Christians. The label on the outside of their "box" says "Follower of Jesus Christ," but on the inside they are followers of the world and all it's alluring charms.

God is not impressed with a mislabeled heart. Just because you claim to be a follower of Jesus, does not make you one. Following Jesus is seen clearly in the decisions you make every day. Of course, it is a good thing to have the proper label on your heart, but the label does not change what is in your box!

"Lord Jesus, I want my heart to belong completely to You. Help me not to try to deceive those around me by putting the wrong label on my heart! I want to be totally and completely committed to You! May You be praised forever. Amen."

You Write the Story!

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Then he (Jesus)  taught them many things by using stories. He said:

A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field.  While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds.  Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots.  Some other seeds fell where thorn bushes grew up and choked the plants.  But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced 100 or 60 or 30 times as much as was scattered.  If you have ears, pay attention!

Matthew 13:3-9

Jesus told lots of stories! People like to hear a good story and they remember stories. The parables of Jesus did not identify by name the characters in the stories, but the Bible never says that these were not true stories.

I know it is beyond our ability even to image but the Lord knows all the stories of every person who has ever lived, so why would he need to present a story that was fictional? Of course, the Bible doesn't say whether or not the stories were from the lives of real people, but they could have been.

But here is a sobering thought. If Jesus wanted to tell a story from your life what could it be and how would it end? Would your story be one of the stories that begins with tragedy and ends in triumph? Or would your story be a sad tale of so much promise that ended in defeat?

Remember, every day is a chapter in the story that Jesus is telling the Father about you. You write the story and Jesus tells your story to God! Let your story be about a man or woman who in spite of suffering, pain, sorrow and temptations of all kinds, held on tightly to the Heart of Jesus. That's the kind of story that Jesus loves to tell the Father. But if your story is one of giving in to temptation, let today be the day in your story when you turned you heart back to Jesus and began to walk in His blessings!

"Lord Jesus, I pray that my life today will be a story that You are blessed to tell the Father! And may my story today encourage others to follow hard after You as well! May You be praised forever. Amen."

My Future is Bright!

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You, Lord, are all I want!  You are my choice, and you keep me safe.  You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright.  I praise you, Lord, for being my guide.  Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind.   I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear.

Psalm 16:5-8

The temptation to fear is everywhere in today's world. The list of things to fear seems to get longer every day. Terrorism, fatal diseases, tragic accidents, crumbling economies, oppressive governments and religious persecution are everywhere today.

If your life being a pleasant one is dependent on none of those things upsetting your peace and earthly security, then you will be terribly disappointed.

There is only one way to stand calmly and serenely in this world of turmoil and trouble. And that path to a pleasant life and a bright future is to give up your citizenship in this world and become a citizen of Heaven. When Jesus is all you want in this life or the next, and His teaching fills your mind, your future will always be bright!

When Jesus stands beside you and you look to Him for everything, He will protect you from fear! Remember that with Jesus in your heart you will never, stand, walk, sit, or ever even be alone!

"Thank you Jesus, for protecting me from fear! There are so many things in this world that make me want to fear, but because You are with me, my future is bright and there is nothing I need to fear! May Your Holy Name be praised forever. Amen."

Forever is For Heaven!

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On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city.  Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus.  But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.
Hebrews 13:14-16
I once bought a "life-time" subscription to a satellite television service.  It was pretty expensive, but a lot cheaper than paying by the year for twenty or thirty years.  The only problem was it was the "life-time" of the satellite, not me.  After a couple of years the satellite crashed and burned.  So much for a "forever" promise here on earth.
I saw an inscription on a gravestone in a cemetery near my house.  It said "we will remember you forever!"  Nothing on this earth is "forever."  The earth will end with "extreme global warming."  Forever is for Heaven not for Earth!
So many followers of Jesus live as if life on this earth was going to go on forever.  It will not.  Even if you lived as long as Methuselah life here on earth would eventually come to an end.  It does make sense to prepare for our last days here on earth, but it makes much more sense to prepare for our eternal days in Heaven!
If you have prepared for every problem that could arise here on earth, but have ignored Heaven, your life on earth will have been wasted!  But if you have given your heart to Jesus Christ, you will be an eternal success!
"Lord Jesus, help me to do something today that You want me to do before You return!  And Jesus, may that Day come soon.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  Amen."

God is My Autopilot!

 

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God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense.
Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with her.In her right hand Wisdom holds a long life, and in her left hand are wealth and honor.

Wisdom makes life pleasant and leads us safely along. Wisdom is a life-giving tree, the source of happiness for all who hold on to her.By his wisdom and knowledge the Lord created heaven and earth. By his understanding he let the ocean break loose and clouds release the rain.

Proverbs 3:13-20

What is the relationship between wisdom and intelligence? You certainly can have intelligence without wisdom and you can be wise with only a limited amount of intelligence. Wisdom is not how much you know, but how you handle the things that you do know.

I don't have any wisdom about "open heart surgery" because I don't know how to do it. But I do have some wisdom about how to cut and split firewood for my stove. Humanly speaking you can only be wise about things that you know.

But when God gives you His wisdom, you become wise about things far beyond your own knowledge! I may have a situation in my life about which I don't have all the details. I can't make a wise decision because I don't know all the facts. But God does know the facts of every situation and He can instruct me with His wisdom. Then I can act wisely without really knowing what I am doing!

I may not know how to pilot an airplane, but if the plane is on "automatic pilot" I can sit in the captain's seat and the plane will safely proceed on it's journey. The wisdom of God is the autopilot for my life. The simple truth is this: Without God's wisdom as your "automatic pilot" your life is certain to crash and burn!

"Thank you Lord for helping me make wise decisions about things that are beyond my ability to know! Lord, today I choose to give you control of everything in my life. May You be praised forever. Amen."

Master of Keeping Secrets!

 

 

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At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.  Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!”

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.   Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:25-30 (NLT)

God is the Master of keeping secrets. God hides some things from some people, and He reveals things to others. If God does not want you to know something, you will not know it!

If you think of yourself as wise and clever, you can be sure that there are many things that God is hiding from you! But if you are childlike, you can know for sure that God is revealing things especially to you!

Those who are "High and Mighty" in this world are the ones who are weak in the eyes of the Lord.   And those who are humble and weak in this world are given knowledge from God that is too wonderful to imagine!

So what is your choice? Would you rather be wise in this world and powerless before God or a fool in the eyes of the world and stand with the Creator of everything?

Remember that God will show you things that only He knows if you humble yourself before Him.

"Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me the Father, and revealing to me things that are hidden from those who think they are wise. Only You Lord Jesus are truly wise. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

How Much Wine?

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The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.  The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”  “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”  But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.  When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.  “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

John 2:1-10 (NLT)

I have heard and then read this story all my life.  The point to the story is, of course that Jesus made wine out of water!  But have you ever noticed how much wine Jesus made?  I am told that these six stone water jars together would hold somewhere between 120 and 180 gallons of wine.  That would be the equivalent of two or three 55 gallon drums of wine!  A very rough estimate of the price of that wine today would be somewhere between one and two thousand dollars.

This was not a small, insignificant or "minor" miracle.  Jesus made a lot of wine for the wedding, and it was really good.

So I must ask myself this question: "Is my need too big for Jesus to provide?"  And of course, the other side of that coin is this: "Is my need too small to merit the attention of God?"  The answer to both of those questions is NO - your need cannot be too big and it cannot be too small! 

The important thing to remember is that whatever you need, Jesus can provide!  If you need a simple word of encouragement in your life today, Jesus can send someone to give it, or He can lead you to that Word in the Bible.  If you have a mountain of need, never forget what Jesus said about Faith and Mountains and the Sea!

How much wine did Jesus make that day at the wedding?  He made plenty and it was certainly enough.  How much can Jesus do for what you need?  He can do more than you need, but He will certainly do enough! 

Your job is to tell Jesus about the need and then fill the jars with water!

"Lord Jesus, I know that You can make wine out of water in my life today.  And so I give You all my needs and trust that You know what is best in everything.  And may You be praised forever.  Amen."

Wisdom and Understanding!

 

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If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking.    But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.  If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.

James 1:5-8

Are you a wise man? No one ever becomes wise without first recognizing their own foolishness! I believe that is why there are so few men who are indeed wise. It is very hard to admit that you are not wise. And it is only those who know they need wisdom who will humble themselves and ask God for it!

Foolishness and prejudice are close friends. If a man comes to a conclusion about anything before he knows the facts, he is prejudiced and foolish! When you "pre-judge" any situation without seeking truth above all else, you are walking in the path of a fool!

But when you ask God for wisdom the Bible says that it will be given to you! The only condition is that you must have faith and not doubt. You must believe that God will give you the wisdom you are seeking.

Remember that wisdom and understanding are not the same. When I was a small child my parents would give me wise advice and if I followed it, I would be blessed! But I did not understand the wisdom that they imparted to me until I was older myself.

You will not always, and maybe never on this earth, understand the wisdom of God! God's wisdom is based on the Truth of Eternity that only He can know! And His wisdom points to the path of life because He can see all the way to the End. We can only see a few feet in front of our faces!

"Lord Jesus, I need Your wisdom today. The wisdom of this world is like Your foolishness! I know that as I walk on this earth I may never understand Your wisdom, but I also know that You have promised to give it to me! So I choose to believe and thank You today Jesus for Your wisdom. May You be praised forever. Amen."

Judged by Your Heart!

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“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord! ’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.  On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?   ’Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’

Matthew 7:21-23

Preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles do not qualify you for Heaven! Knowing Jesus does!

You know from your own life that the desires of your heart and the things that you do sometimes don't match. You may desire to be the lord of your own life and yet you do the things that make people think you are a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. And you may seriously desire to follow Jesus, but often fall to temptation.

Other men look at your outward deeds, but God looks at your heart. Satan wants you to focus on things that make you look like you are living a righteous life, but Jesus wants you to have your heart right with Him! When your heart is turned toward Jesus, will you still sin? Of course you will but sin will not be your normal state of existence. Sin will be the exception!

Don't be impressed by someone who does all the outward deeds of righteousness but doesn't know Jesus. And don't be discouraged because of someone whose heart belongs to the Lord, but still struggles with sin.

If you do "good works" to impress those around you rather than because the Holy Spirit is leading you to do them, then they will mean nothing. If you do the same deeds at the prompting of God's Spirit and because your heart belongs to Him, they will mean everything!

"Lord Jesus, help me to remember today that You see my heart and not just the things that I do. Hold my heart today close to Yours! Praise Your Holy Name forever. Amen."

Learn Your Song!

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Then I heard a sound from heaven that was like a roaring flood or loud thunder or even like the music of harps.   And a new song was being sung in front of God’s throne and in front of the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn that song, except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been rescued from the earth.   All of these are pure virgins, and they follow the Lamb wherever he leads. They have been rescued to be presented to God and the Lamb as the most precious people on earth.   They never tell lies, and they are innocent.

Revelation 14:2-5

The life you live determines the music you will love. Wherever you live in the world there is music that you and those you live with especially enjoy. These verses in Revelation 14 talk about a song that only the 144,000 who were rescued from the earth could learn. These people are described as "pure virgins" who never tell lies and are innocent.

The life you live also determines the kind of praise you are able to give to God! The 144,000 are able to learn a song that the rest of us cannot learn, but every follower of Jesus Christ is able to learn a song of Praise to God.
Many love stories on this earth include the part where "they are playing our song." There may be a song that is especially important to a couple because it tells their own love story.

When you PRAISE THE LORD, remember that it is not just words themselves that make a song an important expression of praise. True Praise comes from the life experiences you have had and the walk you are currently on with Jesus.

Let me simplify what I am saying. As you walk through every moment of this day, look for things for which you can PRAISE THE LORD! Every step you take should provide you with something else to put in your list of things to praise God for. Don't limit your praise to the songs that someone else has written. Sing a "new song" of praise to God. Maybe no one else will ever hear it and it may be a song that only you can learn, but search your heart and your life to see if there is anything else for which you can Praise the Lord!

"Lord Jesus, help me to learn my song of praise today! Let my heart bring before Your throne a song of praise like none other! And Jesus may you truly be praised forever. Amen."

Are You Circumcised?

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God lives fully in Christ.   And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority.   Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body.

Colossians 2:9-11

As a follower of Jesus Christ you will find that He circumcises your heart and takes away your selfish desires! 

Circumcision was a sign that a Jewish man belonged to God.  The sign was a reminder primarily for the man himself.  He was marked by God at a private place that would rule his life, if God did not rule it. 

Circumcision of the heart is the mark of God today.  Circumcision of the heart is not just for men, but for all followers of Jesus.  Jesus marks your heart by cutting off part of your heart and leaving a scar that always reminds you that you belong to Him.  Like circumcision of the flesh the sign is not for everyone to see, but it is to constantly remind you that you belong to Jesus!

Without Jesus your own heart will rule your life.  You will do whatever your heart desires and you will follow your own dreams and live your life only for your own pleasure. But if you have given your heart to Jesus, then He will be the Ruler of your life and you will do whatever He desires, even if what He desires is opposed to what your own heart would like! 

So if you want to be a follower of Jesus, then let Him put His mark on your heart!  It is a mark that will last forever!

"Lord Jesus, take my heart and cut off everything in my heart that opposes You.  Leave me Lord with a heart that only beats to do Your will!  And may I do that will Today!  May You be praised forever.  Amen."

Ignoring God!

 

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“How much longer will you enjoy being stupid fools? Won’t you ever stop sneering and laughing at knowledge?

Listen as I correct you and tell you what I think.

You completely ignored me and refused to listen; you rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you.

“So when you are struck by some terrible disaster, or when trouble and distress surround you like a whirlwind, I will laugh and make fun.

You will ask for my help, but I won’t listen; you will search, but you won’t find me.

No, you would not learn, and you refused to respect the Lord.

You rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you.

“Now you will eat the fruit of what you have done, until you are stuffed full with your own schemes.

Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools.

Proverbs 1:22-32

God is not an insurance policy that you can ignore, except for paying the premiums and then expect Him to bail you out when trouble comes! The country in which I live recognized and honored God when it was founded and for many years after that, but then came the day when we began to tell God to leave us alone. We decided that we did not need Him anymore and that all of our blessings came from our own diligence and intelligence!

How very foolish we have been. We are like a house which says to it's foundation, "I don't need you anymore, I will stand without you!" We are like a bird that tells it's wings that it will fly very nicely without them or a car that says "no more gas for me, I will run on my own."

As we plummet to moral depths of nations that cease to be relevant as a force for good in the world, our leaders wonder why our former glory is slipping away. They are trying to fix it with more taxes, then less taxes. They try one party, then the other one. But turning back to God seems not to be on their list of options.

Here is a worthy old saying: Jesus is the answer, what is your question?

"Lord Jesus, may my nation's turn back to You begin with me today. Draw my heart close to yours and let the revival begin to burn in my life. May You be praised now and forever. Amen."

Read the Will!

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Christ died to rescue those who had sinned and broken the old agreement. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God's eternal blessings!  In fact, making an agreement of this kind is like writing a will. This is because the one who makes the will must die before it is of any use.  In other words, a will doesn't go into effect as long as the one who made it is still alive.

Hebrews 9:15-17

If you have written a "Will," after you die the words of that document will be carried out by those in charge of your "earthly possessions."  I'm sure you have heard the stories of a "rich uncle" dying and leaving an unsuspecting relative a fortune!  It does happen, but it would be foolish to live your life as if all your financial needs would be taken care of by a rich uncle!

Did you know that Jesus made a Will and when He died it went into effect?  For you the death of Jesus Christ was much better than a rich uncle dying.  The Will of Jesus says that you are to be given Eternal Life with Him in Heaven.  Just like the will of a rich uncle, it is who you are, not what you do that qualifies you for Eternal Life!

There is nothing that I can do to make you my uncle, and there is nothing that I can do to make Jesus my Lord!  Just like I can refuse to accept money from a relative, I can also refuse to accept Eternal Life from Jesus! 

If you are alive and breathing, the Will of Jesus says you can receive Eternal Life.  All you must do is to receive it! 

"Lord Jesus, thank You for remembering me in Your Will!  Help me to always be willing to receive Your will for today!  Praise Your Name now and forever.  Amen."

How Can God Not Remember?

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But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side, and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power.  By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.  The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,  “When the time comes, I will make an agreement with them.I will write my laws on their minds and hearts.  Then I will forget about their sins and no longer remember their evil deeds.”

Hebrews 10:12-17

I am told that it is a sign of aging. The ability to forget things, and sometimes they are important things, is part of growing older. When I go to the store, I always take a list. If it is important that I remember anything, it is best that I write it down.

But how can God forget about my sins and no longer remember my evil deeds? I know that God can do anything, but doesn't it strike a blow against the "all-knowing" nature of God to say that He forgets my sins?

I want to propose another possibility of how to understand God's forgetfulness.

What if God's forgetfulness is based upon the fact that the sacrifice of Jesus not only paid the price for my sins, but also wiped them from the annuls of history? If God can do anything, He can not only forgive my sins, but also re-write history and remove them from the record. Then it would make perfect sense that even God Almighty cannot remember my sins, because they are no longer there!

Perhaps forgiven sins are like a dream at night. The dream seems so real and we get very involved and even upset about the dream. But in the morning we realize that it was not real. Your sins may be like that dream when the Blood of Jesus is applied to your life. That part of your life seemed so very real, but when Jesus' Blood is applied to your history, your sins vanish!

Now here is a most amazing reality. If I am to be like God in my heart and mind, then I too will not remember my sins! And I will not remember your sins as well! I can live in peace with the Righteousness of Christ evident in every part of my life!

So when the Devil tempts you by "reminding you of your sin," tell Satan to bring your sin up to God and see if God remembers it! Because of Jesus Blood even God can't remember the wrongs you have done!

"Lord Jesus, renew my heart and mind to remember only the things that You can remember! May You be praised forever. Amen."

Glorious Opportunity!

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The Lord God took some soil from the ground and made a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing. The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.

Genesis 2:7-8

God put Adam in the Garden of Eden.  It was the place where God wanted Adam to be.  But as wonderful as the Garden of Eden was, there was there  the TREE that brought trouble and death into the lives of Adam and Eve and to everyone born since that day.  We all know that children suffer because of the sin of their parents, and we all suffer every day because of the sin of Adam and Eve.

Remember, that the solution to the problem of sin was in the Heart of God before He ever created the first man and woman.  The Garden with the TREE and the Serpent with his tantalizing temptation provided Jesus with the Glorious opportunity to be the Savior of all who will call upon His Name! 

So when you look at the wicked world around you, never forget that the Blood of Jesus has the power to redeem every man, woman, and child alive today.  The sinful world is the field of wheat that Jesus died for, so that you can be about the harvest! 

Show and tell someone today about the power of the Cross of Christ!  Let all men know that He loves them and is the answer to all the problems of life, now and forever.

"Lord Jesus, let me see Your power today freeing men and women from the grip of Satan and may I see You drawing them close to Your heart, forever! Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  Amen."