Just Say Yes to Jesus!

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God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,  There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.

1 Timothy 2 : 4-5

The free will of man and the Glorious Sovereignty of God collide with an eternal tragedy for those who reject Jesus Christ!

How can Almighty God create a being who can oppose the Will of his or her creator?

Every human being born as a child of Adam and Eve has the amazing ability to refuse to fulfill the desire of God. They can take the road of sin and separation from God which delivers them to the fires of Hell forever.

You can say “No” to God and His glorious will for your life!  But you have also been given the ability to say “Yes” to the Creator of all there is!  When you say “Yes” to God and come to Jesus in faith with love in your heart for the One who saves you Eternal Bliss will be your reward!  

The advertising campaign of Satan is this: “JUST SAY NO TO JESUS.”  If you do that the Devil has won the battle for your heart!  But when you say “Yes” to Jesus, His blood cleans your heart and mind and makes you ready for Eternity!

“Lord Jesus, show me how I can say “Yes” to You today in everything I do!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”

Fear Only God

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When Peter came to Antioch, I told him face to face that he was wrong.  He used to eat with Gentile followers of the Lord, until James sent some Jewish followers. Peter was afraid of the Jews and soon stopped eating with Gentiles.  He and the other Jews hid their true feelings so well that even Barnabas was fooled.  But when I saw that they were not really obeying the truth that is in the good news, I corrected Peter in front of everyone and said: Peter, you are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews?

Galatians 2 : 11-14

How could Peter, who had preached on the day of Pentecost need to be corrected for “not obeying the truth that is in the Good News?” 

It was the same old “fear of men” that had plagued Peter in the early morning hours of the crucifixion day.  Then he was afraid to be known as a follower of Jesus.  In these verses Peter was afraid of the Jewish Christians who were separating themselves from Gentile believers!

There are some very important lessons we can learn from Peter’s  failure.  First, don’t let the fear of men come between you and being fully obedient to the Lord.  Second, don’t let your culture and traditions separate you from other believers in Christ.

Also remember that something you did years ago can rear its ugly head and try to take control of you again.  I am sure Peter believed he had learned his lesson.   He must have thought that he would no longer be concerned about what other people think or do.

“Lord Jesus may I never be more concerned about what men think of me than I am about what You think!  May I worship and fear You and You alone.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.”

Employee or Child?

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Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in.  On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, "We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles."  But I will tell them, "I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!"

Matthew 7: 21 - 23

Calling Jesus Lord is not the same as allowing Him to be the Lord of your life! These verses are frightening because they say that you can call Jesus, Lord, preach in His Name, even force out demons and do many miracles and still go to Hell!

So you can work miracles for God and not be saved.  God employed the services of Pharaoh and prompted the king to do things that accomplished God’s purposes.  But Pharaoh was not pleasing to God.  He was not one of “God’s people.”  

It is the difference between employees and children.  Employees work for a man, but his children obey him!  It matters not how much you work for your employer.  Your work will not make you his child!  And, it doesn’t matter how much you work for God.  All those good deeds will not make you a Child of God!

Being a child is not a reward for what you have done or will do.  You don’t become a child by working.  And you don’t become a christian by doing good deeds.

Again, employees work, children obey!  The difference is dramatic.  If you have been seeking to be a worker for the Lord, you can do that without giving Him your heart and mind.  Make the choice to rather become His child by trusting Jesus as you are obedient to everything He says!  It is the Blood of Jesus that saves you and nothing else. When you are “born again” you stop being an employee of the Lord and become a child!  The difference is dramatic!

“Lord Jesus, I know that all my work for You means nothing if I am not Your child!  Help me to obey Your every Word today and always!  Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name now and forever.  Amen.”

Sewer of Satan

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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.

Revelation 22: 1 - 2

In many ways Indonesia is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen.  But there is a river flowing down the middle of Jakarta, Indonesia’s main street.  It is not crystal clear and it’s waters do not give life.  In fact, it is not a river at all.  The river in Jarkarta is an open sewer!  According to reports, 96% of the city has no real sewage system.  Raw sewage flows into that stream!

I once saw a man brushing his teeth in the water of that sewer.  The image still is vivid in my mind.  

The question I would ask is this: Are you drinking water from the River that Gives Life, or from the Sewer of Satan?   

The River that Gives Life comes from the throne of God.  It refreshes, sustains and strengthens those who drink from it’s water.  

The Sewer of Satan flows from every disgusting thing imaginable.  It brings disease and death to your heart and it rots every bone in your body. 

Remember, every time you give in to temptation you are dipping your water glass into the Sewer of Satan for a drink!  Drinking from a sewer is disgusting and will make you sick.  Giving in to temptation is disgusting and it will also make you very sick!

“Lord Jesus, may I have the strength and wisdom to drink only water that comes from You.  May I never again drink from the Sewer of Satan!  Jesus, praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.”

God's Bow and Arrow

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Listen to my concerns, God, and protect me from my terrible enemies.  Keep me safe from secret plots of corrupt and evil gangs.  Their words cut like swords, and their cruel remarks sting like sharp arrows.  They fearlessly ambush and shoot innocent people.  They are determined to do evil, and they tell themselves, "Let's set traps! No one can see us." They make evil plans and say, "We'll commit a perfect crime. No one knows our thoughts."  But God will shoot his arrows and quickly wound them.

Psalm 64: 1 - 7

You may think that you have “terrible enemies” who have secret plots and fearlessly shoot and ambush innocent people.  It is not your imagination!  

If you have decided to follow Jesus there will be people who try to set traps for you. They think they can commit the “perfect crime.”  They believe “no one knows” their thoughts.

Evil is not just when someone gives in to temptation and steps off the path of righteousness. Disciples of Jesus are continually under attack. Evil gangs attempt to lead them from the way Jesus would have them go.  

But there are people who are given over to evil and have no desire to live a life that honors God. These people traffic in lies, deceit and slander. They are vicious in their attacks on righteousness. When light shines on their darkness they are exposed before everyone. The evil they embrace is then seen by all! 

Don’t pretend that all disagreements are honest differences in point of view. That does happen, but there are also conflicts that are fundamental good versus evil struggles! When that happens and you are a follower of Jesus, call out to God and ask Him to “Shoot His Arrows.”

“Lord Jesus, protect me today with Your strong arm and Your powerful Bow! May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever. Amen.” 

Touch the Hand of Jesus

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I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night.

Psalm 63: 6

What do you ponder as you are closing your eyes to sleep for the night? Do the regrets of the day fill your mind and trouble your heart? Are you filled with worry about things that you can’t control? Do your thoughts keep you awake for hours as you try to “get some rest” from the problems of this world?

Or do you focus your mind on the Lord? Close your eyes and imagine standing before Him in Heaven.  Then nothing on this earth below can disturb your peaceful heart.  Sometimes you begin to wonder if what you see in your mind is imagination.  Perhaps it is or reality disguised as imagination!

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit, your thoughts of Heaven may come from the Holy Spirit in your heart. Even the possibility of such a thing brings peace to my heart!  

Let your mind step out of the boat of your five senses. Walk on the water of thinking about Heaven! When you do that the troubled thoughts of this world seem to fade away as you reach out and touch the Hand of Jesus!

“Lord Jesus, may I put You in the forefront of my mind as I close my eyes for the night. Give me thoughts that come from You even if they are pretending to be simple dreams! Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.” 

Lord, What Are We Doing Today?

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Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong.  You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.  As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering.  Soldiers on duty don't work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer.

2 Timothy 2: 1 - 4

When someone asks you the question “What do you do for a living” the answer should always be “I try to please Jesus Christ.”  That should be the primary goal of your life!  When Jesus is pleased with your life, nothing else matters.  When Jesus is not happy with the way you are living you have a serious problem.  

My wife has a calendar that keeps a schedule of our commitments.  I often ask her in the morning, “What are we doing today?”  That is the best question to ask the Lord after you wake and are preparing for your day.

“Lord, what are we doing today?  Paul told Timothy to let You make him strong.  I am weak Lord.  Make me strong and able to do Your will today.  May I be the one You use today to do what You desire!  Praise Your Holy and Precious Name now and forever.  Amen.”