Never Too Soon to Obey Jesus

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Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross.  When the people heard this, they were very upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Friends, what shall we do?"  Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit.  This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live."

Acts 2 : 36 - 39

It was not the Gospel of Peace and Joy that prompted men and women on the Day of Pentecost to repent.  The stark reality came upon them that Jesus was Lord and Christ and they responded to Him by killing Him!  

They were very upset, as anyone would be who discovered that they had, even unknowingly opposed God Himself to the point of Crucifying Him!  They were guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt!  There was nothing they could do to make it right.  And when they realized that Jesus had risen from the grave, they could only imagine the vengeance that He might take on every one of them!

Instead of running away from God, Peter told them to run to Jesus and be baptized in His Name!  He told them that then they would experience forgiveness of their sins and would be given the Holy Spirit!  

Instead of trying to define and understand the theology of what Peter was telling them to do, they rushed to the waters of baptism that day!  Like prisoners would rush from the confines of their cells when the doors were opened, three thousand of those who killed Jesus responded quickly and without debate!  

Even today when a man or woman becomes convicted of their sin and the ultimate consequences of that sin, unqualified obedience becomes the next step!

Don't be guilty of slowing people down in their response of obedience to Jesus!  You cannot obey the Lord too soon!

"Lord Jesus, show me today how I can continue to be obedient to You in everything I do.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Are There Fish in Your Net?

Are There Fish in Your Net

Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias.  Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, were there, together with two other disciples.  Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing!" The others said, "We will go with you." They went out in their boat. But they didn't catch a thing that night.  Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was.  Jesus shouted, "Friends, have you caught anything?" "No!" they answered.  So he told them, "Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish." They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.  Jesus' favorite disciple told Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water.

John 21 : 1-7

The disciples had been with Jesus for three years but still did not recognize Him when they saw Him on the shore.  But when they followed His advice, they filled the net with fish!  

When you try to "fish for men" without letting Jesus tell you where to drop the net, the results may indeed be the same!

Also don't be surprised if at some point in your walk with Jesus, He speaks and you don't know that it is Him!  You may ask yourself, "Was it Jesus who prompted me to speak to that stranger?"  or "Is the Lord directing my path today by allowing my car to break down, sending me to the auto repair shop?"

The answer is simple: Look at the net and see if there are fish in it! When you see the fish in your net, you will recognize Jesus on the shore!  And when you see Him, do what Peter did!  Jump in the water and swim to Jesus!

"Lord Jesus, I know You desire to direct my steps as I fish for men!  Show me today where to go and what to do as I drop the net for today's catch!  May Your Holy Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."   

Peter's Polar Opposite

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When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?" Simon Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know I do!" "Then feed my lambs," Jesus said.  Jesus asked a second time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you!" "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus told him.  Jesus asked a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you." Jesus replied, "Feed my sheep.

 I tell you for certain that when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands. Then others will wrap your belt around you and lead you where you don't want to go."  Jesus said this to tell how Peter would die and bring honor to God. Then he said to Peter, "Follow me!"  Peter turned and saw Jesus' favorite disciple following them. He was the same one who had sat next to Jesus at the meal and had asked, "Lord, who is going to betray you?"  When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"  Jesus answered, "What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me."

John 21:15-22

The night before the Crucifixion Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus!  Then, after the Resurrection Jesus asked Peter to declare three times that he loved the Lord!  After that Peter was the first of the Apostles to preach publicly the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  

When you repent, you not only stop repeating your sin, but you also start doing the "Polar Opposite" of that sin!  When you stop hating your neighbor, you start loving him!  When you stop stealing, you begin being a blessing to others as you give of your means to help those in need!  When your actions bring shame on the Name of the Lord, your repentance means that you give  God Glory in everything you do!

When Peter repented of his denial of Jesus, he began a life long walk of declaring his love for the Lord.  Saul who was a murderer became Paul the man who brought life to all those he encountered.  

When you repent of your sins, you will begin to walk in the opposite direction.  With Jesus and the Holy Spirit in your heart your life will go up from the place where you "hit bottom!"  Don't be surprised if the Holy Spirit leads you to minister to those who are caught in the very sin that had captured you!  

Peter denied the Lord in a very dramatic and memorable way.  Peter also glorified the Lord by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus until the day he died.  

"Lord Jesus, show me how today to bring Glory to Your Holy Name even as I repent of my sin!  And Lord, may You Name be praised now and forever!  Amen."

Shadow of God

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Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful.  Then you will say to the LORD, "You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you."

Psalm 91 : 1-2

On a hot summer day, the shadow of a large tree, a soft breeze and a cool drink of water bring comfort to any traveler.  In a shadow the air is cooler and the light does not blind!  Add cool water and a breeze to the mix and you will be refreshed and ready to go.

When you stay in the Shadow of God your life will be blessed in so many ways!  The cool breeze of the Holy Spirit will refresh you and the Water of Life will give you the strength to carry on!

 Don’t forget that you must stand close to God to be in His shadow!  Jesus is the only way to God and He is the only way to stand in God’s shadow.  Unless you are a follower of Jesus you will not be able to get close enough to God to feel the Cool of the Shadow of God!

 “Lord Jesus, thank You for making it possible for me to stand in the Shadow of the Father!  There is no other place to find Peace forever!  May Your Holy Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”

Far and Wide

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But the LORD says, "Now I will do something and be greatly praised.  Your deeds are straw that will be set on fire by your very own breath.  You will be burned to ashes like thorns in a fire.  Everyone, both far and near, come look at what I have done. See my mighty power!"  Those terrible sinners on Mount Zion tremble as they ask in fear, "How can we possibly live where a raging fire never stops burning?"  But there will be rewards for those who live right and tell the truth, for those who refuse to take money by force or accept bribes, for all who hate murder and violent crimes.  They will live in a fortress high on a rocky cliff, where they will have food and plenty of water.  With your own eyes you will see the glorious King; you will see his kingdom reaching far and wide.

Isaiah 33 : 10-17

Christian discouragement is one of Satan's best weapons.  The devil wants to kill your courage and keep you from being a bold believer!  If you are convinced that God will not do many things today, you can easily settle in to an attitude of despair.  Why ask God to do anything if you don't believe He will?

Instead of making a list of the things that God will not do today, spend your time and energy looking for the things that He is doing!  Today God is rewarding those who live right and tell the truth.  God is displaying His mighty power before the eyes of all those who are looking to see it!  

The most amazing thing happening in all the world today is the spread of the Kingdom of God "reaching far and wide!"  Even those who are enemies of Christ are seeing Him and yielding to His love as they become Christ followers!  A fire is burning around the world like never seen before! 

"Lord Jesus, thank You for letting us see Your Mighty Power as Your Kingdom spreads to the far corners of the earth.  May Your Holy and Precious Name be praised now and forever.  Amen." 

Because God Said It

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Now I want you to know that Christ is the head over all men, and a man is the head over a woman. But God is the head over Christ.  This means that any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head brings shame to his head.  But any woman who prays or prophesies without something on her head brings shame to her head. In fact, she may as well shave her head.  A woman should wear something on her head. It is a disgrace for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair. But if she refuses to wear something on her head, let her cut off her hair.  Men were created to be like God and to bring honor to God. This means that a man should not wear anything on his head. Women were created to bring honor to men.  It was the woman who was made from a man, and not the man who was made from a woman.

1 Corinthians 11 : 3-8

These verses show how the Word of God is opposed to the world system.  According to accepted "truth" in today's world to say that, "a man is the head over a woman" is offensive and wrong!  It is also objectionable today to quote God's Word when it says "Women were created to bring honor to men."   

There are those who say: "If God said it, then I accept and believe it."  And others would take the position: "If God said it, then I reject it and refuse to believe it."  They decide to reject whatever, if the source of those Words is God!  They don't consider whether or not the Words are true, but rather who said it!  It is what rebellious children do when they decide to always be disobedient to their parents.  That attitude will result in a bad outcome for a child!  It is also like two opposing political parties who always object to the position of the other party with no regard for truth!

Sometimes a parent tells their child to believe something "BECAUSE I SAID SO."  When you are a child there is great wisdom in believing your parents.  When you are a child of God, there is great wisdom in believing His Word even when you don't understand it!

Because of who God is and who you are, you will never completely understand God while you live here on this earth.  But you can believe God and every Word that He speaks!  You will understand it when you step past the Gate of Eternity and see Him face to face!

"Lord Jesus, I confess that I don't understand everything You say, but I choose today to believe Your Word and be obedient to it!  I believe You because of Who You Are and not because You always make sense to me!  May Your Holy Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Pinhole Into Eternity

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When one of you has a complaint against another, do you take your complaint to a court of sinners? Or do you take it to God's people?  Don't you know that God's people will judge the world? And if you are going to judge the world, can't you settle small problems?  Don't you know that we will judge angels? And if that is so, we can surely judge everyday matters.

1 Corinthians 6 : 1-3

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you will be appointed to the Ultimate Supreme Court!  These verses clearly say that Christians will judge the world and angels.  I can imagine how we might be in a place to judge the world, but I can't imagine how, why or when we will judge angels!  

Reading the Bible is like looking through a pinhole into Eternity.  It gives us a glimpse of something that will only be understandable when we arrive on the Shores of Heaven.  Walking by faith and not by sight on this earth qualifies us to be able to judge even the angels in Heaven!  

Everything the Bible tells us about the life to come is only a tiny fraction of what Heaven will be like!  Like an unborn baby can hear the muffled sounds of his mother's voice we know so little of Eternity!

Don't spend all your time and energy trying to understand Heaven.  Instead, put your hand to the Plow of God so you will be ready to go when He calls your name!  

"Lord Jesus, I can't imagine what it will be like in Heaven.  But Jesus, I can know what it is like to listen to Your voice and obey every Word that comes from You today.  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

NO MATTER WHAT

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I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea.  Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband.  I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people.  He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.

Revelation 21 : 1-4

Living together without being married is very common today in the western world.  Men and women try to enjoy the blessings of marriage without the comitment.  But the problems of an intimate relationship without the security of an assurance and vow of “forever” are great.  That is what marriage adds to a relationship.  The "NO MATTER WHAT" permanency of marriage brings great peace and joy to the sometimes rough seas of blending two lives into one!

Living with Jesus without the "Wedding" will not happen!  Jesus will not respond to your offer of a relationship without commitment.  You will either be totally His and fully committed to Him, or you will not be with Him at all!  Jesus will not have a "mistress!"

  Determine today to make Jesus not only the Lord of your life, but also the desire of your heart!  You will not only be with Him here on earth, but you will live with Jesus as His Bride forever in Heaven!

"Lord Jesus, I do look forward to being with You at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Story of Your Mark

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After this I saw four angels. Each one was standing on one of the earth's four corners. The angels held back the four winds, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. These angels had also been given the power to harm the earth and the sea. Then I saw another angel come up from where the sun rises in the east, and he was ready to put the mark of the living God on people. He shouted to the four angels,  "Don't harm the earth or the sea or any tree! Wait until I have marked the foreheads of the servants of our God."

Revelation 7 : 1-3

Sometimes when you go to a public event instead of giving you a ticket to get in they will put a mark on your hand.  That mark will prove that the price has been paid for you to be there.  Even if you leave for a short while the mark will allow to you get back in without any further payments!

When Jesus paid for your sins on the Cross He put His mark on you!  Nothing else is owed for you to enter the gates of Heaven and live with Jesus forever!  

I once worked with a man who had tattoos on almost every available spot of skin that could be seen by others, except his face.  During a break he told me about the reasons he got those marks on his body.  He had a story behind every one of them.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ other people will notice the mark that Jesus put on you!  The testimony that you have to tell others is about that mark and how you came to get it!  Sometimes followers of Jesus tell others that the mark of God on them is "really nothing at all," or it is something  "that I did when I was young and was stupid."  Those are the kinds of things some people say about their tattoos!  

But when you turned your heart to Jesus Christ and He marked you as His very own child, He gave you a story to tell to everyone you know or even meet!  Determine to tell someone the Story of Your Mark today!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for putting Your mark on me!  Give me the courage to tell the Story of when You put Your mark on me.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Love is the Proof

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No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is truly in our hearts.  God has given us his Spirit. That is how we know that we are one with him, just as he is one with us.  God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. We saw his Son and are now telling others about him.  God stays one with everyone who openly says that Jesus is the Son of God. That's how we stay one with God and are sure that God loves us. 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.

1 John 4 : 12-16

Some people have mistakenly assumed that the “gifts of the Spirit” are the most important evidence that someone is a true follower of Jesus.  The real evidence that the Holy Spirit is living in you is the “Fruit of the Spirit.”  It starts to look and smell like a small beautiful flower and then blossoms and is transformed into a gorgeous, tasty and nourishing fruit!  

The fruit hanging on your branches tells the world that you are a Jesus follower!  

Even a magician can appear to do miracles, but real love for your brothers and sisters cannot be successfully imitated!  

So, our job as a follower of Jesus is to love God and each other and tell everybody we know about the Savior!  The love that we have for each other is the mark that proves that we really do belong to Jesus!

“Lord Jesus, help me today to love You more and to love Your other followers!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”

Smell the Food Cooking in Heaven!

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You survivors in Israel, listen to me, the LORD. Since the day you were born, I have carried you along.  I will still be the same when you are old and grey, and I will take care of you. I created you. I will carry you and always keep you safe.  Can anyone compare with me? Is anyone my equal?

Isaiah 46 : 3-5

I have heard so many people talk about when they “found the Lord.”  Perhaps you were young, or already an adult.  Some of us don’t come to know Him until we are already old.  But these verses in Isaiah remind us that God has carried us and kept us safe from the day we were born.

God has known you from the very moment you were conceived and even before!  He provided for you during the days of your childhood, as a young adult, into maturity, and now that you are “old and grey.”

When it is almost dinner time you can smell the aroma of a wonderful meal soon to come.  When you know Jesus and you look in the mirror and see that you are old and grey, take heart.  With a deep breath you can smell the aroma of the marriage supper of the Lamb as it being prepared!

So when you are tired and the pains of old age remind you every day that this life won’t last very much longer, take a long slow breath and enjoy the aroma!  There is a song that says it well.  “Soon oh very soon, we are going to see the Lord!”

“Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope of Your soon coming as well as the hope of my soon going!  The food really does smell great!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.”

The Language of God!

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God sent a man named John, who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith.  John wasn't that light. He came only to tell about the light.  The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world.  The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word.

John 1 : 6-10

When God speaks everything in the cosmos understands His Word!  Everything,  except human beings!  The heavens may declare the Glory of God, but unredeemed people only hear a loud noise and have no idea what it means!  

They do not speak the language of Heaven!  When men of this world hear the Word of God it is only a bunch of words in an old book that mean nothing to them!  But when a man decides to have faith in Jesus that unintelligible language becomes crystal clear!  He hears the old, old story of Jesus and His love!

It is very difficult, if not impossible to live in a land and not know the language!  People of this world don’t understand the language of God!  They see His Creation and may even hear His voice, but it all means nothing!  When a man turns to Christ it begins to make perfect sense.

That is why a “new believer” is sometimes “obsessed” with reading the Bible!  Learning the language of God is a miracle that happens when you receive the Holy Spirit!

“Lord Jesus thank You for teaching me the language of God and helping me to understand His Word!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”

God Loves You Like He Loves Jesus

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Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.

I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.

I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one.  I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world’s people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me.

John 17:15-23

How much do you love your children?  Who can answer that question without going beyond human ability.  My mother would always say, "I love you more than words can tell!" 

Indeed my mother's love was not just words. She loved me with sacrifice every day.  I remember when we had one chicken to divide among our family of four, including two teenage boys.  My mother would often say that her favorite piece of chicken was the back.  The back of course had almost no meat on it.  

If God loves you as much as He loves Jesus, what could that mean?  It means that God loves you more than words can tell!  Some have said the Bible is a love letter from God.  It is that, of course, but if all you have is a love letter or even 66 love letters you may still  indeed be sad!  

A love letter without a living relationship with the author of the letter is empty.  The love letter of God is written by the Holy Spirit.  And that same Holy Spirit also comes to live in your heart!  And the One who loves you leads and guides you every day!  He is able to empower you to live a life that is amazing to those who do not know God!

So let your mind pause for a moment and ponder that God the Father loves you like He loves Jesus!  And His love is in Word and in Deed!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for paying the price that it took to redeem me from the world and the sin that had me in chains!  Thank You for loving me more than Words can tell!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

The Blessing that Lasts Forever

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Fig trees may no longer bloom, or vineyards produce grapes; olive trees may be fruitless, and harvest time a failure; sheep pens may be empty, and cattle stalls vacant -- but I will still celebrate because the LORD God saves me.  The LORD gives me strength. He makes my feet as sure as those of a deer, and he helps me stand on the mountains. 

Habakkuk 3 : 17-19

God is a God who blesses His people!  When you take your next breath of air, it is God who deserves the praise and thanks for it!  When you awake in the morning and once again discover that you stayed alive through the night, God deserves the praise!

Praising God when “things” are good on this earth is not so difficult to do.  But praising God and celebrating Him when the trees don’t bloom, the harvest fails and the sheep and cattle are taken away is hard!

We often praise God “for” the material blessings we have received from Him.  But can you praise God without the "reason" of blessings?  Who God is, is the best reason to Praise Him!  

Remember, all the blessings of this earth will one day pass away, as will the Earth itself.  But the blessing of knowing Jesus Christ will last forever and ever!  

“Lord Jesus, You are the Blessing that lasts forever.  You are the only Reason to live and the only Reason I am alive!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”

The Demands of Your Body

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My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires.  If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say "No" to your desires.  Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children.  God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.  God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children.

Romans 8 : 12-16

Every follower of Jesus Christ has a war going on right inside his or her own body.  It is the War between the Flesh and the Spirit.  Of course, there are attacks that come from the outside, but even if you were hidden away on a desert island, you would struggle with temptation!

Your physical body demands that you fulfill it’s desires. The Holy Spirit in you as a Christian wants to lead you in a way that is opposed to the flesh.

If there is no conflict between the flesh and Spirit in your life there are only two possibilities.  You are either dead, or the Holy Spirit has not come into your heart! 

Even Jesus felt the pull of the flesh when He prayed that He not have to go to the Cross!

When you follow the Holy Spirit instead of the desires of your body, you can call God your Father.  You will also be sure that you are His child! 

Make it your goal today to say Yes to the Holy Spirit and No to the desires of your flesh! When you do that, you will be able to delight in the fact that you are a Child of God!  

“Lord Jesus, I know that You won the war with Satan when You died on the Cross.  But Lord, there is a battle yet today as my flesh challenges the Will of the Holy Spirit in me!  Help me to say Yes to You, today and every day!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.” 

SEE GOD'S HAND and BE GOD'S HAND!

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Warn the rich people of this world not to be proud or to trust in wealth that is easily lost. Tell them to have faith in God, who is rich and blesses us with everything we need to enjoy life.  Instruct them to do as many good deeds as they can and to help everyone. Remind the rich to be generous and share what they have.  This will lay a solid foundation for the future, so that they will know what true life is like.

1 Timothy 6 : 17-19

Did you know that God is rich?  In fact, the riches of God are beyond our imagination. God is so rich that He is not in the ”one percent.”  God is the 100%!  God created and owns everything there is.  Every star you see in the sky above is owned by God!  Every drop of rain that falls comes from His generosity and love!  Every beautiful flower in your garden was crafted on God’s table of blessing!

This may shock you, but being rich is not a sin.  Neither is being poor.  You can be poor and depend on God for everything you need in life.  And you can be rich and depend on God to replace your wealth that you give away in God-like compassion.  God is the Good Giver!  God feeds birds, but He also cares for you! 

If you are poor determine to see God’s gracious Hand of blessing as He cares for You  in all your needs.  If you are rich recognize that a “rich man” can be like God as one who gives to others generously! I am sure that being rich makes it harder to be pleasing to God.  Rich people are tempted to trust in their money and not in the One who gave it to them. 

If you are poor strive to See God’s Hand every day as He delivers blessings that you need.  If you are rich seek to Be God’s Hand as you let Him use you to distribute His blessings to others!

“Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me what I need in this life.  And Lord thank You that sometimes I can Be Your Hand as You give Your great gifts to others in need!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”