Click here to listen to blog The Lord said: People of Jerusalem, when you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back. So why do you refuse to come back to me? Why do you hold so tightly to your false gods? I listen carefully but none of you admit that you’ve done wrong. Without a second thought, you run down the wrong road like cavalry troops charging into battle.
Jeremiah 8:4-6
A very important part of a nation turning around and going the right direction is that it must "turn back" to God! My nation gave up the God of Heaven in exchange for many false gods and then we marched in the wrong direction for now, many years. It is not enough that we turn around and "do the right thing" in hopes of restoring our greatness. We must also give up our gods and embrace again God Almighty!
Doing the right thing while holding on to a god other than Jehovah would be like people in Noah's time who might decide to build themselves a boat like Noah's! There is no record that anyone did that, but if they had all the boats except Noah's Ark would have sunk in the sea!
So remember, it is not enough to restore the greatness of a nation, you must also put God back on the throne in that land. The greatness of the United States was a byproduct of proclaiming to everyone and even putting on our money: IN GOD WE TRUST!
So, do the right thing and trust the right God! "Lord Jesus, help me to have a heart that holds tight to You and turns and walks the right way instead of the wrong! May You be praised forever. Amen."
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people. Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. I was sent to do this work, and that’s the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
Ephesians 6:18-20
Paul was put in prison for telling others about Jesus. So that's where he kept on telling others about the Lord! Being what God wants you to be and doing what God wants you to do does not depend on where you are. You can proclaim the Name of Jesus in a prison or from a Presidential Palace. If they cover your mouth you can proclaim Jesus by what you do. If they kill you, you have the opportunity to give God the Glory by how you die!
Remember, the Love of Jesus in your heart is the most powerful and unstoppable force on the face of the earth. You have been called to be a channel of blessings from God to the lost world around you. You have the amazing opportunity to let the world know about the Love of Christ and His eternal sacrifice!
If you want to be a "missionary" don't forget that going to another country will not make you into someone who tells others about Jesus. If you are not telling others about the Lord now, then you will not do it in another place.
"Lord Jesus, help me to do what you want me to do no matter where I am. I know that there is no man alive who does not need to hear about what You did on the Cross. Help me Lord to tell someone today. And may You Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: I am the one who holds the seven stars in my right hand, and I walk among the seven gold lampstands. Listen to what I say. I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out that they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, and you have not given up. But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don’t have as much love as you used to. Think about where you have fallen from, and then turn back and do as you did at first. If you don’t turn back, I will come and take away your lampstand. Revelation 2:1-5
When I was a child I learned the song: This Little Light of Mine. The words included such memorable phrases as "put it under a bushel - no" I'm gonna let it shine. And don't forget "Don't let Satan blow it out" I'm gonna let it shine.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told His followers that they are "the light of the world." And He said that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
These verses in Revelation 2 talk about what will happen if you loose your love of Jesus. The consequence will be that He will come and take away your lampstand. A lampstand holds the light up high so many people can see it. Without a lampstand holding up your witness to the world there will be few if any who will see it.
Ultimately the height of your lampstand is determined by how much you love Jesus! If you want your witness to the world to be greater, then fan the flames of your love for Christ!
"Lord Jesus, I pray that my greatest witness to the world around me will be my love for You. Help me to love You more so that more people will come to love You as well. And may You, Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:13-17
The battle we fight against evil as followers of Jesus is successful because we are outfitted with God's protective armor and because we are using God's message as our weapon! If you use some other message than the one from God you will fail utterly.
Basically, the words that come out of your mouth should be from God, not from yourself.
I recently watched a powerful drama on television. The main character was very impressive as every word that came out of his mouth had been carefully scripted so he could deliver it as a gifted actor. Then I saw the same man talking about his role. I could tell it was him, but his words were his own, not the words of the author of the story. The difference between the actor speaking the author's words or his own words was dramatic. As the character in the story his words were moving and powerful. As himself, talking about the role his words were pretty ordinary and certainly not words with force and power.
Are you trying to fight Satan with your own words or are you doing what Jesus Himself did when tempted by the Devil. Jesus answered Satan with the Words that God had written in the "Script." Or should I say Scriptures?
God has written the story and He wants you to use that message to do battle with evil. When you use the Sword of the Spirit you cannot lose, but when you use your own words you cannot win!
"Lord Jesus, help me to learn the Words that I need every day to fight the Enemy. And may You, Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does? “Has anyone known the thoughts of the Lord or given him advice? Has anyone loaned something to the Lord that must be repaid?” Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36
Do you ever try to explain what God does? I think it is even more common for men to tell others what God will not do! We read the Bible as if it were a set of rules for God's behavior as well as our own.
God is the Author and Creator of all that there is and therefore He is the one who decides what is true. God does not proclaim truth, He decides what it will be and can do with truth what He will.
Sometimes we confuse prayer with giving the Lord advice. Praying is not God's counseling session. He does not need our advice, but He does want to know what we desire. Spiritual maturity begins when we learn to pray for God's desires and not our own! It is then that we discover the joy of exchanging our heart's longings for the will of God.
"Lord Jesus, forgive me for thinking that You need my advice about anything. Lord, I need everything from You. You have given me life itself. May You, Lord Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
Strange things will happen to the sun,
moon, and stars. The nations on earth will be afraid of the roaring sea
and tides, and they won’t know what to do. People
will be so frightened that they will faint because of what is happening
to the world. Every power in the sky will be shaken.Then the Son of Man will be seen, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When all of this starts happening, stand up straight and be brave. You will soon be set free. Luke 21:25-28
The world is becoming a very fearful place to live. Hurricanes are not the only worry for those who live near the sea. Now tsunamis (tidal waves) are a real concern for everyone on earth. And the climate change fear seems to be mostly concerned with rising tides.
These verses even refer to the "nations" being concerned with the roaring sea and tides. Near the end of 2015 almost 200 nations met in Paris and signed an agreement to work to counter act "climate change."
Today the Nations are afraid of the rising tides!
It is certainly not foolish today to prepare for the return of the Son of Man. Seeing things happening in the world today that were predicted in the Bible is a good motivation to get ready for Jesus to come again. But once you are ready, stand up and be brave as you remain ready for the rest of the days you live on this earth.
"Lord Jesus, I pray that you will return today, but I ask You Jesus for the strength to keep standing and trusting You until the day that You do return or the day that I leave! And may You be praised forever. Amen."
Very early on the first day of the week,
after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he
had forced seven demons out of her. She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. Even though they heard that Jesus was alive and that Mary had seen him, they would not believe it.
Mark 16:9-11
Seven demons controlled the life of Mary Magdalene until Jesus made them leave. She was
not a role model for young girls until she met Jesus and received the
power to live a life free from the influences of Satan.
Mary and two other women had already seen the empty tomb, but she had
not seen Jesus. Then Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and gave her
first hand proof that He was indeed alive and not still dead! When she told the other disciples that Jesus was alive and that she had
seen Him, they would not believe it!
The significance of the Resurrection of Jesus cannot be stated in simple
terms, it is too profound by far, but this I know. If I follow Jesus
Christ and give my life to Him, He will not only send His Holy Spirit to
live in me, but after I die, I will be raised even as Jesus was!
When Jesus died the world thought that He was defeated, and when you die
men will think that you are "finished."
For me the Resurrection of Jesus is personal. It is a personal reminder
that I too will live again, and this time I will never again meet
death!
"Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Resurrection and the hope that even if I
die before You return, I will also be raised to live forever with You,
my Lord and Savior. Amen."
The kingdom of heaven
is like what happened one night when ten girls took their oil lamps and
went to a wedding to meet the groom. Five of the girls were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps, but no extra oil. The ones who were wise took along extra oil for their lamps. The groom was late arriving, and the girls became drowsy and fell asleep. Then in the middle of the night someone shouted, “Here’s the groom! Come to meet him!” When the girls got up and started getting their lamps ready, the foolish ones said to the others, “Let us have some of your oil! Our lamps are going out.” The girls who were wise answered, “There’s not enough oil for all of us! Go and buy some for yourselves.” While
the foolish girls were on their way to get some oil, the groom arrived. The girls who were ready went into the wedding, and the doors were
closed. Later the other girls returned and shouted, “Sir, sir! Open the door for us!” But the groom replied, “I don’t even know you!” So, my disciples, always be ready! You don’t know the day or the time when all this will happen.
Matthew 25:1-13
Even the foolish girls were ready to meet the Groom when the story
begins. They had their lamps and they had oil in their lamps.
What the
foolish girls did not have was enough oil for more time to pass before
the Groom would arrive.
Are you ready for Jesus to return today? If you are, that is a good
thing. You must be ready for Him to return right now. But what if He
tarries and does not return until more time has passed and you are
tempted to believe that He may not be coming at all?
Like the wise girls at the wedding, we must have extra oil for our
lamps.
We must be ready for Jesus to return today, but we must also be
prepared for Him to return days, weeks, even years in the future.
There
are many signs that may indicate that the coming of the Lord is at
hand, but remember a day for the Lord is like a thousand years! A delay
of "a few minutes" could put the return of Jesus beyond your lifetime.
Be ready for the return of Jesus today, but also be ready to remain
faithful and vigilant for the rest of your life here on earth.
"Lord Jesus I do pray that You will come quickly, but I know I must be
like the wise young girls who had enough oil to wait for Your return.
May You be praised forever. Amen."
Losing self-control leaves you as helpless as a city without a wall. Proverbs 25:28
What is the difference between a wall and a bridge? That is the very public argument today between a candidate for the U.S. Presidency and the leader of one of the largest christian groups in the world. The candidate promises to build a wall to keep out illegal immigrants and the church leader says that is "unchristian." He says that we should build bridges not walls.
Don't forget that a bridge, any bridge enables you to cross a "wall" that was created by God. Rivers, deep valleys and other natural barriers cannot be crossed without a bridge. They are walls built by God Himself.
God built walls between men after the tower of Babel. God told his people to build a wall around Jerusalem. The truth is that Christians don't build bridges, they build walls to keep them from being swept up into the world around them and being invaded by Satan and his followers.
Now here is the thing that the Pope has gotten wrong! And I say that with fear and trembling. Christians don't build bridges, but rather Jesus Himself is the bridge and the only bridge from the world of sin to the God of Heaven! If you try to build a bridge other than Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross, you are constructing a false way to Heaven!
You must build the wall and tell everyone about Jesus who is the Bridge!
"Lord Jesus, You are the only Way to cross over from death to Life. Any other bridge will lead to Eternal death. May You, Lord Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
Jesus told the people who had faith in him, “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
Somehow we have reversed the process of knowing the truth and obedience. Jesus clearly says that knowing the truth comes as we keep on obeying Him. We have "searched the scriptures" to "know the truth" so we can then be obedient!
You see "Truth" is not just a set of facts, it is rather what you experience as an obedient follower of Jesus. Truth encompasses who God is, who Jesus is, who you are, and what your relationship with God has to say about your whole life, from now to eternity! You will be free from the demands of sin on your life because of the Truth!
Knowing the Truth is like a man who desires to take a refreshing swim, but knows that the waters are filled with sharks! His desires are checked by the Truth!
The pleasure of sin is stopped in it's tracks by knowing the Truth about who you are in Jesus Christ! You cannot enjoy Jesus and indulge in sin!
So ask yourself if everything you are about to do today is compatible with being free in Christ or is a step back toward the bondage of sin!
"Lord Jesus, You have set me free by the Truth of who I am in You. Give me the grace to be free indeed this day. And may You be praised forever. Amen."
Proverbs 19:21 Unless you make this verse the cornerstone of your life you will build in vain. The way to make plans that will succeed is to first determine what God's will is in any matter and make plans that parallel His desires! Otherwise you will ultimately run into the firewall of God's will and stop dead in your tracks.
The story of the Tower of Babel is about how God blocked and frustrated men from going where He would not permit. That principle is still true today. Unless God gives a nod to your plans you will not accomplish them, especially if they are counter to His ultimate purpose in the world!
It is the age old story about the free will of men and the Sovereignty of God! Men do have free will but God's Almighty power is never violated by men!
So as you plan your day ask this question. What does God want done in the world I see within my reach? Make your plans to accomplish things that further those desires. You will be blessed beyond your fondest imagination.
"Lord Jesus, show me today how to do the things that Your heart desires. And may You be praised forever. Amen."
“And
there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on
earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and
strange tides.People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”
Luke 21:25-28
Could we be living just moments away from the
return of Jesus Christ? Are the "signs" of His coming everywhere in the
world today?
People today are terrified by what they see
coming on the earth. Nations certainly are in turmoil and there is the
prospect of even greater upheaval in the world.
So if we are
indeed seeing the signs of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ what are we
as followers of Jesus to do? The answer is that we are to "Stand and
Look Up" for our salvation is near!
When Jesus comes He will know
His followers because they will be the ones who are standing and
looking up as He comes down! So be sure and spend all the time you can
today standing up and looking up!
"Lord Jesus, I pray that You
will come quickly and that when You do I will be standing up and looking
up for Your return! May You, Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Hebrews 13:1-2
Have you ever entertained an angel? According to the Bible it is possible that someone who passed your way was an angel! You may not have suspected it at the time, and there is probably no way to know for certain. But it is very important whether or not you believe that such a thing could have actually happened in your life!
As you go through this day consider the possibility that every person you meet along the way may be an angel sent on a mission from God! If you do meet an angel would you not expect that he would tell the Father about his encounter with you? And what would you want him to say?
Greet every person you meet today as if he or she was actually an angel! Say to them what you would say to an angel. Do for them whatever you would do for an angel. Then when your "real" angel arrives you will be practiced and ready for the encounter!
"Lord Jesus, You know everything about me and about my life. You know when I lie down and when I rise up. Help me to consider that everyone I meet today may be someone sent on a mission from You. And may You be Praised forever. Amen."
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Romans 8:18-23 (New Living Translation)
In the affluent western world men and women are encouraged to do everything possible to make their bodies trim and healthy. And of course we all could pay more attention to keeping our bodies healthy, but ultimately the most fit will die just as all men do.
But those who follow Jesus have a promise that is beyond amazing! The new body that He plans for each of His disciples to have will not only be perfect in every way, but it will not be tempted by sin and will not suffer!
Imagine no pain and no desire to do the wrong thing! Evil options will not run through your mind as you go through the day. There will be no need to utter the "Get thee behind me Satan" command! And when you hear someone speak you will know that the words you hear are truth! There will be no lying or deception.
Not only will we not suffer, but there will be no one else to console in their suffering and pain. No hospitals, no funeral homes, no tragedies and certainly no crime! Everything bad on this earth will be gone when we arrive in Heaven! You can do yourself a huge favor by thinking about that today and drawing ever closer to Jesus Christ.
"Lord Jesus, I simply can't imagine how wonderful it will be in Heaven with You forever! But I ask You to help me think about what it will be like. May You, Jesus be praised now and forever. Amen."
Always be joyful and never stop praying. Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
When you reach a point in life where you
honestly don't know which way to go, what should you do? These verses
give some very specific advice for those who can't see clearly what
their next step should be.
First, God wants His children to
always be joyful. If you are not filled with joy as a child of God are
you not telling everyone around you that you don't trust God?
Secondly,
your "prayer life" must not be interrupted by the rough waves in the
storms of life on this earth. As soon as you say "Amen" it is time to
begin another prayer! Prayer is not a thing you do, it is rather the
"breath" of your spirit! You breathe in and your life is filled with His Spirit. Then you exhale in praise and honor to God. While life lasts, you must continually breathe!
Finally, God wants you to thank Him no
matter what happens in your life! If your worst fear becomes reality,
the very best thing you can do is to PRAISE GOD. You don't praise Him
for the evil thing which came upon you, but you PRAISE GOD for being who
He is and you trust Him with all your heart!
"Lord Jesus, help
me to be joyful and continually prayerful today no matter what may
happen. And may I praise Your Holy Name forever. Amen."
You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me.You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts.You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say,and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side.I can't understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.
Psalm 139:1-6 When I am in constant and intimate fellowship with God it is virtually impossible for me to sin! In order to sin I must convince myself that God does not know what I am doing or thinking. Only then can I take steps away from Him.
Adam and Eve tried to hide from God in the Garden of Eden. That is what men do after they have sinned and it is what they do when they are about to sin again.
The best way to protect yourself from the temptations of the Devil is to continually fellowship with Jesus and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When you are moment by moment hearing the Voice of God and feeling His presence in your life, the temptations of Satan will not overcome you.
Immerse yourself in the Word of God and ask the Lord to help you understand how you can be obedient to every Word you hear!
"Lord Jesus, I know that You are always near. Help me today to obey every desire of Your heart for me! And may You, Lord Jesus be praised forever. Amen."
God is love. If we keep on loving others, we will stay one in our hearts with God, and he will stay one with us. If we truly love others and live as Christ did in this world, we won’t be worried about the day of judgment. A
real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of
being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows that we have not really
learned to love.We love because God loved us first. But
if we say we love God and don’t love each other, we are liars. We
cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we
can see? The commandment that God has given us is: “Love God and love each other!”
1 John 4:16-21 Love is not something God does. Love is what God
is! The Love of God pours from His presence to everyone who is able to
come near Him. Everyone who enters the human race is an object of the
love of God, because He is the Creator of everyone!
Remember that
Jesus loves and died for the most horrible sinners who ever lived. The
love of God is not based on the righteousness of those who receive that
love.
God loves because that is His nature, and when we become like Him we will love like He does.
Remember,
you cannot love one person and hate everyone else because love is who
you are not what you do! If you become like Jesus you will love others,
even if those that you love have declared themselves to be your enemy.
"Lord
Jesus, I want to love like You do. Change me into a person who is
love, so that I can love like God! And may You be praised forever.
Amen."
