Monday, October 26, 2020

SPIRIT CRAFTED CONSCIENCE

 

 

King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, “I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me.”

Daniel 13:13-15

Daniel's three friends were thrown into the fire for refusing to worship the false god set up by the king!  If you have never heard the story, you need to know that the men survived, unharmed without even the smell of smoke on their clothing!

If the leaders of your nation are requiring that you be unfaithful to the God who made you, you do have a choice.  You can obey them and step outside the protection that comes from being obedient to God, or you can defy them and be faithful to God!

Being obedient to God may send you to the fiery furnace.  But God will either rescue from the flames or use the flames to usher you into Heaven.  There you will stand before His Throne! 

As a follower of Jesus Christ you must always choose obedience to Him, no matter what the consequences.

Spending time with Jesus in prayer, mediation and reading His Word will give you the Spirit Crafted Conscience needed to understand what He wants you to do in every situation!  

 "Lord Jesus, give me the courage to always choose Your Will no matter what the threat that comes for being obedient!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."    

Saturday, September 5, 2020

Headline of Every Story







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When Jesus' disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we attack them with a sword?”  One of the disciples even struck at the high priest's servant with his sword and cut off the servant's right ear.  “Enough of that!” Jesus said. Then he touched the servant's ear and healed it.  Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the temple police, and the leaders who had come to arrest him. He said, “Why do you come out with swords and clubs and treat me like a criminal?  I was with you every day in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But this is your time, and darkness is in control.”

Luke 22:49-53

Matthew, Mark and John also tell this story, but none of them mentions the fact that Jesus healed the servant's ear!  This final miracle before the Crucifixion was different from all the others.  Instead of this miracle of healing drawing men to faith in Jesus, it simply removed the evidence that would have surely gotten Peter arrested, and for good cause!  

How could the servant of the High Priest testify that his ear had been cut off by Peter, when everyone could see the ear was clearly attached to his head as it had always been?

The story of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ was not to be about how Peter saved Him from the crowd, or about how Peter joined Jesus on his own cross that day.  It is believed that Peter did die on a cross, but that came much later.

The story of Peter's life was about what Jesus did through him and not what Peter did for Jesus!  Your story should be the same.  Don't "live your life for Jesus."  Rather, let Jesus live His life through you so that His will becomes the headline of every story of your life!  

"Lord Jesus, may You be the author of my "Life Story" today.  Live in me and through me each moment of today and every day for the rest of my life.  May Your Name be praised Now and Forever, Amen!"






Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Cities in Chaos



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A city without wise leaders will end up in ruin; a city with many wise leaders will be kept safe.

Proverbs 11:14

If you don't think the Bible speaks to every situation, think again!  I was told of a man who memorized the entire book of Proverbs.  The one who told me complained that the fellow "could not speak two sentences without quoting a proverb."  

The Word of God is a "User's Manual" for life itself.  With the Word of God in your mind you are able to rest easy in the boat of daily living while the storms of life rage on the sea!  

The truth of Proverbs 11:14 is playing out right before our eyes, with foolish leaders allowing their cities to crumble into chaos as they remove the safe guards of security and stability!  Even a small child can see their lack of wisdom.

If the "End of all things" is not soon upon us, future generations will look at our demise and see how we railed at God and became the victims of our own stupidity.  

Instead of fighting against flesh and blood let God be your armor and His Word your Sword.  Draw near to Him and hold tightly to Him today and every day.  

"Lord Jesus, there is foolishness and chaos all around me in the world!  May your wisdom and peace fill my mind and my heart as I wait for Your return and tell others that You are Lord of all!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."
 
 

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Crossing Over Jordan



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Then Joshua told the people: Years from now your children will ask you why these rocks are here. Tell them, “The Lord our God dried up the Jordan River so we could walk across. He did the same thing here for us that he did for our people at the Red Sea, because he wants everyone on earth to know how powerful he is. And he wants us to worship only him.”

Joshua 4:21-24 CEV

 
When God led the Children of Israel out of Egypt He did an obvious miracle to mark the moment they escaped!  He did the same thing when He dried up the Jordan River as they entered the Promised Land forty years later.

God, today still wants everyone on earth to know how powerful He is!  So when you are snatched from the grip of Satan, His power will be evident to everyone you know!  And when  you cross over to the Promised Land at the end of your journey here on earth, the waters of the Jordan will part as you leave!

As we live on this earth as Christians we are no longer "slaves to sin" in the captivity of Egypt, but we are not yet standing before His throne in the glories of Heaven!  The day you walked across the Red Sea on dry ground was wonderful, but even more wonderful and glorious will be the day you walk across the Jordan River into the presence of God Himself!

"Thank You Jesus for making a way for all those who follow You to enter into the Throne Room of Heaven and sing Your Praises forever and ever!  Amen."



Monday, July 27, 2020

Take Off Your Mask



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God said, “Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.”  So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women.  God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.

Genesis 1:26-28 CEV 

The "Over Population" of planet earth is never a concern for God!  No where in Scripture does He tell us that we need to be concerned that there are too many people on the earth.  

The Blood of Jesus is powerful enough to cover the sins of every descendant of Adam and Eve.  I don't remember who first said it, but there is "Room at the Cross" for everyone!  

Simply put, if you bring ten people to a knowledge of Jesus Christ and they bring ten others, the job will be done when that happens only ten times!  There are less than 8 billion people on earth today!

If you tell 10 people who tell 10 people, when that is repeated less than a dozen times everyone will know about Jesus!  Covid19 is a deadly imitation of what can happen with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  In a short period of time it can spread around the world and touch every culture, country, village and town!  When the Gospel goes Viral it will spread life and not death!  

Take off your mask and breathe the breath of life on all those around you today as you tell them the Story of Jesus!

"Lord Jesus give me the courage today to tell someone about You and what You have done for all of us!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Christmas Morning in Heaven




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God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won't he freely give us everything else? 

Romans 8:32 - CEV

When you hear a sermon on "Giving" you might think the preacher is going to talk about what you should give to God.  But giving is not primarily about us as humans.  Giving is about God and what He gave and continues to give to us!

Jesus came to earth, not to bring judgement to men,  but rather Eternal Life.  Jesus is God's gift to you.  When you give your life to Jesus, you are only doing the same thing that He did for you.  

What has Jesus given you beyond forgiveness of your sins and the right to spend Eternity with Him in  Heaven?  Is there more than that?  Romans 8:32 says that God will "freely give us everything else."  What is the "everything else" that God gives us? 

The Bible clearly says that it is beyond our imagination to know what God is going to do for us for Eternity.  You can rest assured that the Blessings of Heaven will be Wonderful and greater than any wild speculation could dream up!  It will be a pinnacle of joy that is not for a just moment, but goes on forever!  And yes, it is many times greater than that!

As humans, we don't have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the taste buds to appreciate, the nose to smell or the mind to understand all the joys of Heaven.  Our human senses are limited to earthly experiences, but in Heaven we will have a new set of abilities that will go far beyond what we now can experience!  

The best we can do here is to anticipate the Glory of Eternity, and live in the expectation of living forever without all the things that bring suffering and death here, but will not be there!

So when you think about the time that God has appointed for you to leave this earth, and you are a follower of Jesus Christ, let your mind be at peace and your heart rejoice for what is coming next!  

"Lord Jesus, I know I can't even imagine the blessings of Eternity, but I can, like a child look forward to 'Christmas Morning in Heaven' when I see all the things You have prepared as Eternal Blessings for me.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be Praised now and forever.  Amen." 

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Coming Back With Jesus!



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We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died. 

1 Thessalonians 4:14 - CEV

Almost 80 years ago a famous World War II general declared "I will return" when he left the Philippines!   A few years later he did return and fulfilled his promise. 

Jesus Christ also declared that He will return to planet earth and gather His followers to be with Him forever!  But if you die before that day this verse in I Thessalonians tells us that you will return with Jesus on the Day of His Second Coming!  As a follower of Jesus Christ you will be there when Jesus returns.  You will either look up and see Him returning with the clouds or you will be looking down with Him as you join Him in His return!

All of the Jesus followers will be there on that Day.  No Christian will be missing on the Day of the Second Coming!  And then will begin the forever of Eternity and we can only imagine what it will be like.  

"Lord Jesus, we wait and hope that even today may be the Day when You return and take us Home to be with You forever.  Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name now and always!  Amen."   

Monday, July 6, 2020

The Voice of Jesus



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Jesus said: I tell you for certain only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen.  But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.  When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice.

John 10:1-4 - CEV

Walking on the Path to Heaven can be confusing for someone who lives on earth!  There are many voices who will claim to tell you the next step you need to take on your journey.  But there is only one way to Heaven and that way is Jesus Christ Himself.  There is no other one who can lead you to Eternity and no other path that will end in Heaven!  

How then do you know that you are going the right way?  The answer is simple: You listen for the voice of Jesus!  If you are on the right road you will hear Jesus talking as He walks in front of you.  If you don't hear the sound of the voice of Jesus, it is time to stop until you do hear Him.  

As a child I remember hearing my parents talking as I was going to sleep.  I couldn't always hear what they said, but I always could recognize their voices.  It brought great comfort and peace to a sleepy child. 

Being near enough to Jesus to hear His voice is the same.  The comfort comes not from hearing Him tell you what to do, but rather just hearing Him because you are so near that you can hear His voice! 

"Lord Jesus, let me hear Your voice today so that I will know that I am near You and walking behind You on the Road to Heaven!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Accountable to God




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Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours.  Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables.  But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone.  What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right. 

Romans 14:1-4 - CEV

These verses may shock some followers of Jesus when they read them!  They clearly say that some Christians will believe it is right to eat "anything" and some may believe that you must eat only vegetables!  And almost amazingly neither side in this "culinary controversy" is encouraged to win the other side over to their opinion!  

The heart of the Gospel is not the rules of self-discipline you bind upon yourself, but rather the love of God poured out when Jesus shed His Blood on the Cross!  As you walk the Road to Heaven you will find there are things that will hinder you on that journey.  Those are the things that you decide you should not do.  Then there are things that will make the trip to Heaven easier. Those things become habits and "must do" items for your daily list!

Of course, it is good to encourage others in their walk with Jesus, but don't attempt to bind your opinion on others.  They are accountable to God, not you and "the Lord will make sure they do right!"

"Lord Jesus, help me today to do everything I know to do to stay close to You.  And Lord may I avoid the things that pull me away from Your Holy presence.  Praise Your Name, now and forever.  Amen." 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Water, Blood and Spirit



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Water and blood came out from the side of Jesus Christ. It wasn't just water, but water and blood. The Spirit tells about this, because the Spirit is truthful.  In fact, there are three who tell about it.  They are the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and they all agree. 

1 John 5:6-8 - CEV

All you need to live as a follower of Jesus Christ is clearly described in these three verses.  You need the Blood of Jesus to cleanse you from your sins.  You need the Life Giving Water that only comes from Him.  And you must have the Holy Spirit who lives in you and guides your every step as you walk on this earth!  

When the soldier stabbed the side of Jesus after He died on the Cross, water and blood came out!  Jesus not only forgave your sins by the power of His Blood, but He also gave you the Life Giving Water that flows from the Throne in Heaven!  

On the day that Jesus died He gave His "Sin Erasing Blood" and the Water that gives Life, but His followers had to wait until the Day of Pentecost for the Holy Spirit to come upon them and fill them!  Then it was done, and the Life of Jesus spread in the hearts of forgiven men and woman ever since that Day!

Life, Forgiveness, and Guidance are all a part of the supply that comes from Jesus for your daily walk with Him!   So when you think of Jesus and what He did on the Cross, don't forget the Water and the Blood that came from His side, and remember the Holy Spirit who wants to guide your every step!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for the Blood and Water that came from Your side and thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to lead us through this life!  You, Lord Jesus have given us everything we need for all Eternity!  Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name, now and forever, Amen!"

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Powerful and Loving Warrior



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When we love others, we know we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God.  But even if we don't feel at ease, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.  Dear friends, if we feel at ease in the presence of God, we will have the courage to come near him.  He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him.  God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This is also what Jesus taught us to do. 

1 John 3:19-23 - CEV

The love of God extends to every man, woman and child ever born on planet earth!  As you grow to be more like Jesus, the greatest evidence is that you come to love even the unlovely!  The most despicable person on earth was created in the image of God Himself.  When you don't love others you are not living in the likeness of Jesus!

How does the persecuted Christian love the one who is meeting out his suffering?  The answer is simple.  When you come to know the "Big Picture" of God's love for all men and His desire that all would be saved, then you can look at even the most evil among us and see them as people who are loved by God.  As followers of Jesus, our job is not to condemn the lost.  They have already done that for themselves.  Our task is to bring them the life giving message of what Jesus did on the Cross, and what that single act means for all the lost!

Some have pondered the question of whether or not their "loved ones" will be lost.  The answer is this: If you love all the people created by God, and even one of them is lost, then your loved one will be lost!  

But God has placed in your heart the most powerful weapon that could ever be waged against Satan!  The Good News of Jesus Christ is able to rip out of the hands of the Devil anyone who hears it and turns his or her heart to Jesus!  

When you enlist in God's Army, you will be headed for the most amazing combat on the field of battle you can imagine.  And these verses in I John 3 tell us that we will feel at ease in the presence of God Himself.  You will indeed be a powerful and loving warrior!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for loving those who don't love You.  And thank You, Lord for enabling me to do that as well.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen." 

Sunday, June 28, 2020

The Healing Kiss of Jesus



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So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him. 

Hebrews 9:28

When I was a very small child I remember my mother responding to my crying after I might stumble and bump my knee or my elbow by saying "Let me kiss it and make it well!"  She would kiss me where it hurt and it did make it better.  

The love of a mother wants to make her child better in every way, and the love of Jesus wants to make you free from not only the consequences of sin, but free from sin itself!  

The Kiss of Jesus is the Cross and everything it does for your past, present and future!  Jesus makes you well again and as an old hymn says "heals the sin sick soul."  

Every man's heart is wounded and broken by the sin that floods the world around him and even in him.  Everyone needs Jesus to "Kiss it and make it well."  Open your heart and let Jesus see where it is broken and bruised and let Him touch your heart with the Eternal Kiss of Salvation.  

"Lord Jesus, You are the One who loves each one of us even more than a mother loves her child. May Your touch make us well for Eternity. May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Dining With Jesus



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When you give a feast, invite the poor, the paralyzed, the lame, and the blind. They cannot pay you back. But God will bless you and reward you when his people rise from death. After Jesus had finished speaking, one of the guests said, “The greatest blessing of all is to be at the banquet in God's kingdom!”

Luke 14:13-15

When will the “Feast” begin in Heaven? The Bible does not say, but here on earth when someone arrives at your home the first thing you do is to make sure they have something to eat! I think the “Feast” will be first in Heaven.

God designed our human bodies so that they need to regularly consume food and drink in order to stay alive. And He made it that those activities are very enjoyable and provide marvelous times of fellowship and sharing. I can’t imagine that our New Body will not enjoy an even more wonderful experience of eating Heavenly Food and Drink!

When we arrive in Heaven we will be able to dine with Jesus! That will be the most amazing time of fellowship with Him that anyone could imagine. But did you know that you can dine with Jesus today? When you open the Word of God and taste the morsels of Spiritual Food as they go deep inside your heart, you are dining with Jesus here on earth!

The Bible does not say, but Jesus must have also eaten some of the fish and bread that He used to feed the five thousand! Jesus shared a meal with His disciples the night before He was crucified. Jesus wants to share a meal with you today as you taste, chew and swallow food from His Word! It will make you strong and peaceful in these times where you see weakness and uncertainty all around you.

“Thank You Jesus, for providing all I need to stay strong and healthy in the world today! And thank You, Lord for the Hope of Heaven and the Glories of sharing Eternity with You there! May Your Name be praised now and forever. Amen.”

Friday, June 26, 2020

Joined to Jesus



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Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.

John 15:4-5

Without Jesus you can do nothing! That is one of the most sobering truths in the Bible. What can you do for Jesus? The answer is quite clear. We as human beings can do “nothing” in and of ourselves. But when we are joined to Jesus we can do anything that needs to be done!

Trying to work for God without Jesus is the fruitless existence of the religious person. You may be continually busy and involved in all kinds of beneficial programs, but you cannot even touch the work that God would have you do without a complete partnership with Jesus! Being joined to Jesus means that His strength comes through your hands, His Words come out of your mouth, and His thoughts fill your mind! With Jesus you become the Real Super Man!

But when you are not joined to Jesus you are no more powerful than a Kid in a Cape who is playing like he has power!

The strategy of the Devil is to separate you from Jesus so that you stumble through life without the Power of God flowing through you. Remember, you can be polished, precise, cultured and highly educated without being joined to Jesus. Being able to work for God has nothing to do with your natural abilities or even your educational credentials. Working for God all depends on whether or not you are joined to Jesus!

So spend today, talking to Jesus, listening to Jesus, asking Him all the questions that come to your mind, searching the Scripture to learn more of His life here on earth, looking for evidence of Him in everything around you!

“Lord Jesus, I want to stay joined to You today. Help me to go only where You are comfortable going, hearing those things that please You, looking at only things that reflect Your Glory, and putting my hand to the tasks that You desire that I do. May Your Name, Lord Jesus be praised now and forever. Amen.”

Monday, June 1, 2020

Our Future Without Jesus




The earth is under a curse; its people are dying out because of their sins.  Grapevines have dried up: wine is almost gone—mournful sounds are heard instead of joyful shouts.  No one plays tambourines or stringed instruments; all noisy celebrating has come to an end. They no longer sing as they drink their wine, and it tastes sour.  Towns are crushed and in chaos; houses are locked tight. Happy times have disappeared from the earth, and people shout in the streets, “We’re out of wine!” Cities are destroyed; their gates are torn down.

Isaiah 24:6-12 

Enough is enough!  Protests that started in one American city after the death of a man detained by the police have escalated into destructive riots and looting in dozens of other cities.  This is coming after three months of "sheltering in place" because of a virus pandemic!

Everyone is asking "How can we stop the rioting and destruction?"  The simple answer is that we can't stop it, but JESUS can!  You don't have to be a genius to recognize that the rise of "real" Christianity in the world has paralleled lifting of women to a place of honor, the freeing of slaves, and stopping the abuse of children!

What we are seeing now is our decline back into the days of rejecting God as a nation.  For more than a generation we have screamed about the need to keep God separate from our government.  I think God has, for now, turned and quietly stepped away taking His blessings of peace and prosperity with Him.  

What we are seeing on the television every day will be our future without Jesus!  The news report that we all want to see is what will happen when we all turn back to God!

"Lord Jesus, we have sinned and turned away from God as a nation and we are reaping the harvest of that rebellion.  May Your loving mercy convict us of our need for You and only You now and forever.  Amen."

 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Send Flowers to an Atheist



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Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers.  God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith!

Luke 12:27-28

Did you know that God designs flowers?  My daughter loves flowers.  She inherited the love of flowers from her mother.  My wife knows all the names and how to care for most of them.  We share a good size garden with my daughter in which she only plants flowers!  

When I look at flowers I imagine God at His designing table working on each one of them.  The colors range all the way from beautifully pale to stunningly bright!  The flowers on plants and trees from which we get fruit attract bees which are essential to the production of food!

The beauty and intricacy of flowers declare to me the reality of God Himself!  How could "chance" or evolution develop such fragrant beauty?  It is beyond impossible!

If you know someone who claims to be an atheist, send them a bouquet of flowers!  You can't look at the beauty of a rose and smell its fragrance and not wonder who decided that it would be the way it is!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us Your greatness in everything You created!  By the way Lord, I especially love the smell of Jasmine!  Thank You for that!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."  

Friday, May 22, 2020

Are We Wise or Lazy Fools?

30 



These Words of Wisdom come from the Bible Book of Proverbs!

I once walked by the field
and the vineyard
    of a lazy fool.
31 
Thorns and weeds
    were everywhere,
    and the stone wall
    had fallen down.
32 
When I saw this,
    it taught me a lesson:
33 
Sleep a little. Doze a little.
    Fold your hands
    and twiddle your thumbs.
34 
Suddenly poverty hits you
    and everything is gone!


Proverbs 24:30-34 (CEV)

I never met a foolish man or women who recognized their own foolishness.  Foolish people usually think they are wise in what they do.  

The world is now consumed with the "orders" from their leaders to  "Sleep a little.  Doze a little.  Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs."  This is their instruction while we wait for the Corona virus to go away!  

The virus spread around the entire world in a short time!  The US government has decided that printing and passing out paper that looks like real money will help stop the problem.  We are like a pilot who shuts down the engines on his airplane because the turbulence is bad and then finds it very difficult to restart them before the plane crashes!

The final words of Proverbs 24 are a stunning warning to the entire world today!  "SUDDENLY POVERTY HITS YOU AND EVERYTHING IS GONE!"

"Lord Jesus, may we hear Wisdom from You about how to live in this very difficult time!  May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven even today.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Where is God in the Pandemic?





The voice of the Lord echoes over the oceans.
The glorious Lord God thunders above the roar of the raging sea, and his voice is mighty and marvelous.
 The voice of the Lord destroys the cedar trees; the Lord shatters cedars on Mount Lebanon.
 God makes Mount Lebanon skip like a calf and Mount Hermon jump like a wild ox.  The voice of the Lord makes lightning flash.

Psalm 29:3-7

How many times have you prayed, "Lord I want to hear Your voice?"  Perhaps the question should be this: How many times have  you heard God's Voice and didn't recognize it?

It is easy to ascribe to nature itself the voice and action of God!  Is the Will of God involved in the storm, the tornado, the hurricane, the tsunami or the flood?   Where is God in the Pandemic?  If God is good and He is All Powerful why does He not stop Evil that moves in the world around us?  

The answer to that and a thousand other questions is beyond our human understanding.  But this you can know for certain: God is at the top of the Pyramid of Power in the  World.  No one and no thing is greater and more powerful than God!  If something exists at all, it is because God is allowing it to be so.  

So when you are troubled by the Evil that touches your life in this World remember that it would not be able to even come near you without God Himself allowing it!  Let God show His power to you and through you as you overcome Evil every day!

"Lord Jesus, the Father used the Evil that came against You on the Cross to accomplish the greatest Good that has  ever or could ever be done on this earth!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

WHAT WILL I SEE?



The last chapter in the Bible begins with these words:

"The angel showed me a river that was crystal clear, and its waters gave life. The river came from the throne where God and the Lamb were seated.  Then it flowed down the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river are trees that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations.
God’s curse will no longer be on the people of that city. He and the Lamb will be seated there on their thrones, and its people will worship God and will see him face to face. God’s name will be written on the foreheads of the people. Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever."
Revelation 22:1-5
     When I open my eyes after closing them for the final time as I leave this earth, what will I see?  Perhaps an angel will be with me and show me the crystal clear river that comes from the throne of God and the Lamb!  I may see the city's Main Street with the Crystal Clear River flowing down the middle of that street.  And yes, I may gaze upon the trees that have a different kind of life giving fruit each month and leaves that heal!
     And don't forget the Face of God!  Yes, I will see His Face and on my First Day in Forever I will finally know what it will be like to have His eyes meet mine and see the One who created me and loves me beyond my fondest imagination!  And I will see Jesus who died so that I might be there!  Truthfully, I have known what Jesus looks like for a long time now, because He has spent years changing me into His likeness!  
     I will see the Name of God written on the foreheads of all the people standing there with me!  Every great artist signs his work and so does the Greatest Artist of all!  
     And that will be just the beginning of Forever with Jesus!
     "Lord Jesus, thank You for everything that has been and everything that is to come with You forever.  Praise Your Holy Name now and always.  Amen."

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

God's Many Children



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In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words.  All of our thoughts are known to God. He can understand what is in the mind of the Spirit, as the Spirit prays for God’s people.  We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so that his Son would be the first of many children.

Romans 8:26-29

As a follower of Jesus, when you, in your weakness don't know what you pray for, the Holy Spirit prays for you.  The Spirit, who lives in your heart, goes to the Father and expresses to Him the needs that you have.  You may not even know what those needs are and the Bible does not say that the Spirit tells you!  

Then you can know that the bread you find on your table and the Wine you discover in your cup come straight from the Heart of God!  Even sorrow and pain touch your body, soul and spirit because the Holy Spirit has seen an important place for them in your life.  It is only for your good that you are pressed on every side!

And the reason all this happens is truly amazing!  God has decided to let you become like Jesus in every way so that you will be one of God's Many Children! And that is what you will be forever!

"Lord Jesus, I am amazed that the Father's plan for me is to allow me to become like You!  May I, even today see the steps You took where I can put my foot today.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."