Sunday Scriptures

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holiness and godliness...?" - 2 Peter 3:10-11

This passage is talking about the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation period. When Chirst comes to establish His kingdom here on earth, He will literally cause the atoms that make up all things here on earth to be dissolved and burned with fire. Peter's main goal in telling this is to show the readers of this passage that because all the things of this earth will be gone and destroyed someday, should not we be living for something, or should I say Someone, that will last? It has especially been put before my eyes lately that it is useless to live for the things of this earth because when you die, you will not be taking any of it with you. It is all temorary; it will only last for a little bit and then it will all be gone forever. So what will last? A life that is lived for Christ - a life that is dedicated to following Him. All those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior will stand before the Lord to give an account of the life they have lived, and all that will matter then is whether or not you have lived your life for Jesus. Once that time comes there will be no going back to live a life that is pleasing to Christ. We will have to live with the choices we made. This motivaes my own heart to make sure I am making the most of this life and living it solely for God. I pray it does the same for you too.

The Cards You've Been Dealt

Here is another thought-provoking video that speaks to my heart, and I hope it will speak to you as well.

                               
  

"...For I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." - Philippians 4:11

Getting Back Up....Again

Has there ever been a time in your life that you messed again and you feel like you have too far, to the point where God can not forgive you any more and there is no turning back? I think everyone who has trusted in Christ as their Savior has felt that way at one time or another. But it is comforting to know that no matter what we do, no matter how many times we stumble God's love and forgiveness is still there. 1 John 1:9 says,''If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." True repentance is a acknowledgement of our fault and if we are truly sorry there will be a seeking to turn from the sin in our life. If you have that attitude, and you ask God to forgive us, it is guaranteed that the Lord has forgiven you. You can have a new beginning. God is with you to help you do better. He is the One who holds you up and gives you the strength to live this life. There are going to be times where you will fall...again, but God is here to pick you up if you are sorry for your sins. God gives us His grace that holds us up. Believe me, you can never sin so terribly or mess up so many times that God's forgiveness and grace can not reach you. So get back up again and keep going in the power of the Lord. He will never let you down.

Sunday Scriptues

We are going to take a look at Psalm 57:7 this Sunday. Though just one verse, it provides great insight into the constant battle in the Christians life between faith and feelings.

"My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." - Psalm 57:7

So what is this verse trying to say. Well, just as in any passage from God's Word, you have to look at the context. The author of this Psalm was telling God about how his life was in danger and even though this was the case, He would choose to trust God. Did you notice the word choice. I said choose. That is what Psalm 57:7 is talking about. Just as David did, we need to choose to fix our heart to not listen to lies that Satan tries to get us to listen to but rather to trust God. One thing that helps us to do this and strengthens our faith is when we praise and even sing to the Lord about how He is faithful and true. I struggle in this area alot and I wish I could say I am always victorious. But a true victorious life is when we get back up and keep trying in the power of God. So do not listen to your feelings. Choose to trust God.

God's Chisel

Here is a great skit called "God's Chisel" that speaks to me every time I watch it. Before you play the video ask God to speak to your heart and believe me- He will.

Everyone Who Names the Name of Christ...

"Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity"-2 Timothy 2:19

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Wow! These verses are really eye opening aren't they? As Christians it is so easy to get caught up in the things of this world and we totally forget that our citizenship is in heaven. If we have turned to Jesus Christ to save us from our sins then we no longer belong to this world or it's ways. We have been born again (John 3:3-8) into God's family and we are called to a new life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:1-14)
So this poses a serious question: Are you walking in your new life? Are you seeking to serve God, Live for Him, and depart from iniquity? Christ shed His blood on that cross so that we could be forgiven and live a new life that is dedicated to following after God. Read what Romans 6:4-5 says,"Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.''
This is serious. It is not something that you can just read and then forget about it five minutes later. God has explicitly said ''Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" - 2 Tim. 2:19. It is time that we turn from seeking our ways and the things of this world that go against the what God wants for us. The things of this world are fleeting. We as true believers in Christ will stand before God at the Judgement seat of Christ to give account for the things we have done in this life. So will we be able to say," Lord, I gave You the number one spot in my life; I followed You not the fleeting things of the world I lived in." As I evaluate my own heart, evaluate your own also. Again this is not an option. God did not say,"Well, if you want to live for me than go ahead, but you don't have to." No way! He has commanded us to turn from sin in our lives and whatever we have put before Him and to seek Him wholly. It is a daily choice that we have to make. When we get up in the morning, we need to in our hearts choose to follow God and put Him first in our life that day. Ask God to help you because there is no way we can do any of this the way we should in our own power. When you humble yourself and ask Him for help, He will come to your aid.

''Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." - Romans 6:13-14

If you have never asked Jesus to be your personal Savior from your sins, just see the page to your upper-left entitled "The Most Important Decision of Your Life" where you will learn how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sunday Scriptures

This weeks passage of Scripture is James 4:7-10.

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.'' - James 4:7-10

All of us need to check our hearts and ask ourselves if we are seeking to draw closer to God and to go deeper into a close relationship with Him. If we are not then we probably have some sin in our life that we need to be mournful and repentant over. Sin cuts off the intimate fellowship we should have with God. We need to guard our hearts from the sin that would do that. A intimate relationship with the Lord brings true and lasting joy and peace that lasts even throught the tough times. So draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

By the way, make sure you check back on Tuesday for a very important post.

Reaping

"And let us not be weary in well in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9

This is one passage of Scripture that sometimes is hard to believe. However no matter what we feel God's Word is still true (1 Samuel 15:29). Without going into too much detail, here is an illustration in my own life that proves that what this passage is saying is true.

A while ago I was pretty discouraged about a ministry God had given me. It just seemed to be going nowhere. I did not really know whether I should let go of that ministry or not so I prayed about it and got some counsel from others. For a while I did not feel like God wanted me to continue, but the Lord showed me later that I should keep going and serving in that ministry. So I did. Still there seemed to be not too many results, but I knew I should perform the task God had given as unto the Lord and not unto men. I also thought,"Who knows, maybe the Lord is causing that ministry to reaching people I don't even know."

So a while later, I found out that God was using that ministry to help people that I did not know! It was unbelievable to see God working and using what I was doing. I have seen that ministry blessed more and more as time goes on.

Then it came to me that maybe the Lord was trying to use this experience to teach me something. It hit me like a ton of bricks: the Lord blesses faithfulness to Him even when things look bleak. Our Heavenly Father is very well-pleased when we choose to obey Him and follow Him even when it seems like following what God would have for us would not be what is best for us. But remember what Isaiah 55:8-9 says. God's ways are not always our ways and His thoughts are not always our thoughts - but they are certainly better than ours. If we remain faithful to God eventually we will see the fruit of our perseverance. Sometimes we will not even see those fruits in this life, but we will see them when we get to heaven. God rewards those who trust Him and choose to follow Him no matter what.

Decisions, Decisions

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Have you ever been faced with a decision and you just were not sure what to do? I sure have! Here is a acrostic that will help you alot.

Determine the options that are before you.
Inquire of the Lord.
Search God's Word to see what it has to say about your type of situation.
Consider godly counsel.
Eliminate worldly thinking that goes against what God's Word teaches.
Recognize God's leading.
Never compromise the truth.

OK. We have this acrostic that can help us make Godly decisions, but all this is not going to help you unless you have a submitted heart. Are you willing to do what God would have you to do even if it goes against would you would like? "... God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." - James 4:6. It really is pride and selfishness when we hang on to our will and do not yield to what God would have. God's way is perfect and best. Isaiah 55:8-9 says,"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" When we follow these steps with a willing heart, we will feel an assurance of what is God's will. Just as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, we should not rely on what we think is right, but we should acknowledge God and seek what He would have. Trust Him that He will show you what to do because He will! Just follow what He would have you do.

Sunday Scriptures

Here is a verse that promises God's strength in our weakness and His comfort in our distress.

Isaiah 25:4 "For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."

Spiritual Warfare

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ..."

Have you ever had something in your life that you battled with, some sin that you just could not seem to get the victory over . If you say you haven't, you should probably check your pulse because I think every person, except the Lord Jesus Christ, has battled with something huge- a stronghold in their life. The reason why we don't have the victory over our own personal struggles with sin is because we tap into the wrong power source. We try to do the battling in our own power, our own strength, but that just will not work. In Romans 7:13-25 we see what we can have victory over when we battle in our own power- nothing. The only way we can resist temptation is when we rely on the power of God and when we gird ourselves in the armour of God (Eph. 6:10 -18). Take a good look at Ephesians 6:10-18. Look at what we are supposed to stand strong in- the truth of God's word, guarding ourselves by standing firm in righteousness, preparation to give the gospel, faith (which is the most important according to v.16), living in the new and righteous life we are called to, using God's word against temptation, and a solid prayer life. Draw close to God and rely on His power to resist the struggles that you face whatever they may be. There will still be times that you may fall flat on your face, but don't be discouraged. True victory is when you get back up and keep fighting in the power of God. Proverbs 24:16 says,"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..."

God wants to use the struggles that we face to bring us into a deeper relationship with Him, but we must come to Him to experience that relationship. You can have the victory in your life- just trust God to help you. 

It's a Relationship

Have you ever felt that your personal devotions time was becoming dry? Does it just seem like it's become a routine instead of the special time with God that it used to be? I know what this is like because I've had it happen to me too. One of the main problems with these situations is that Satan can really use them to get you off the spiritual coarse you should be.
 If you find yourself in this situation, you need to find what went wrong and go the other direction. Ask the Lord to show you what went wrong. Many times it can be because sin is in our life and we need to get it right with God. Other times, it can be because we have let our private times with God become a routine. If this is the case, we need to focus on the fact that when we read our Bible and pray, that is our personal relationship time with God. We speak with God and He speaks with us through His Word, the Bible. God comes to have fellowship with you. Those special times with God are so wonderful and precious. They bring us peace and they draw our hearts closer to God. When we do not have any sin in our hearts that hinders our relationship with God, and we have not let it become routine, our private times with the Lord are so wonderful. It's a relationship- not a routine.

Sunday Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11-14

This is one of my most favorite verses in the entire Bible. It is a promise that can keep those who have trusted in Christ going even through the times when things just seem to be falling apart.

"'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the LORD,' thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you' says the LORD..." -Jeremiah 29:11-14

Even when you may not see the light at the end of the tunnel, just remember, if you stick with God and don't turn away, you will see God turn it all out for good. He does have a good future planned for you filled with hope and peace. Just keep seeking Him.