Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
When I was a sinner not living for God it seemed like nothing ever brought satisfaction. No matter what I tried or did. But when I finally accepted Jesus into my life everything changed. There was incredible peace and a refreshing satisfaction that came into my life.
There have been times in my life as well when I have been tired from work or just life in general. And I really didn’t want to go to church. But as soon as I got into the presence of the Lord I became refreshed and renewed. And as David said in Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Abounding in Mercy
Psalm 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Every one of us messes up. If you are like me, it is usually daily. But thank God, He doesn’t deal with us in anger and God doesn’t give us what we deserve when we do mess up. Even though there are always consequences in our decisions and choices, God always looks at us with eyes of grace and mercy and that is how He deals with us as well.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Every one of us messes up. If you are like me, it is usually daily. But thank God, He doesn’t deal with us in anger and God doesn’t give us what we deserve when we do mess up. Even though there are always consequences in our decisions and choices, God always looks at us with eyes of grace and mercy and that is how He deals with us as well.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Turn your "world" upside down
Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too."
If you are like me, you are tired of all the political commercials and phone calls. They all say they are going to change things and make a difference in the world we live in. On the other hand I have been reading a book that has been challenging me about making a difference in the world. It talks about how we need to get the message of the gospel out to the billions of people who haven’t heard the gospel message. It talks also about how we need to do something about all the people who are suffering from hunger around us.
I must say it has been a thought provoking book. But as I read it and hear all the political commercials, I ask myself how am I going to make a difference in the world? It was then I felt like the Lord reminded me that my definition of “world” was wrong. I was reminded that I could make a difference and affect the world that I live in. I may not be able to affect the “world”, but I can influence and affect the world around me one person at a time. Then maybe it can be said about you and me that we to turned the world upside down as well.
Image Courtesy Scott Rothstein
If you are like me, you are tired of all the political commercials and phone calls. They all say they are going to change things and make a difference in the world we live in. On the other hand I have been reading a book that has been challenging me about making a difference in the world. It talks about how we need to get the message of the gospel out to the billions of people who haven’t heard the gospel message. It talks also about how we need to do something about all the people who are suffering from hunger around us.I must say it has been a thought provoking book. But as I read it and hear all the political commercials, I ask myself how am I going to make a difference in the world? It was then I felt like the Lord reminded me that my definition of “world” was wrong. I was reminded that I could make a difference and affect the world that I live in. I may not be able to affect the “world”, but I can influence and affect the world around me one person at a time. Then maybe it can be said about you and me that we to turned the world upside down as well.
Image Courtesy Scott Rothstein
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Is Jesus the Son of God?
We were at VBS with our daughter the other night and I picked up a magazine that was there at the church. The magazine had a Harris Interactive Poll from 2009 in it. The poll was titled, “Who Believes Jesus Is The Son Of God”. It read like this:
I do know this: 1Cor 15:1-5 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
Oh and by the way Jesus was and is the Son of God.
- All American adults: 73%
- Catholics: 90%
- Protestants: 91%
- Born-Again Christians: 97%
I do know this: 1Cor 15:1-5 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
Oh and by the way Jesus was and is the Son of God.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Clearing out junk
Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
My friend Derrel Harris was preaching a sermon about stuff in our lives. It got me to thinking about something I had just discussed with my wife. You see, our house is for sale and I was looking at all the things we are going to have to move. We were amazed at all the stuff we both have that we either don’t use, no longer use or never used, but when we bought these things we sure thought we needed them. Now we are ready to sale them or give them away.
It is the same way in our spiritual lives as well. We pick up certain things in our lives that we think we need, but they are really no use to us. In fact all they really do is slow us down and hinder us. Or as Derrel pointed out they become distractions to what is really important. What is truly important is drawing close to Christ and hearing His voice.
I want to encourage you as Derrel encouraged us at church to get rid of unnecessary stuff in our lives so we can move easily toward our destiny.
You can read Derrel's blog here: http://derrelharris.blogspot.com/
My friend Derrel Harris was preaching a sermon about stuff in our lives. It got me to thinking about something I had just discussed with my wife. You see, our house is for sale and I was looking at all the things we are going to have to move. We were amazed at all the stuff we both have that we either don’t use, no longer use or never used, but when we bought these things we sure thought we needed them. Now we are ready to sale them or give them away.
It is the same way in our spiritual lives as well. We pick up certain things in our lives that we think we need, but they are really no use to us. In fact all they really do is slow us down and hinder us. Or as Derrel pointed out they become distractions to what is really important. What is truly important is drawing close to Christ and hearing His voice.
I want to encourage you as Derrel encouraged us at church to get rid of unnecessary stuff in our lives so we can move easily toward our destiny.
You can read Derrel's blog here: http://derrelharris.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 16, 2010
Pruning away
John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
I wrote a few months back about how I had planted some tomato plants and how our family of rabbits that live in our backyard decided to eat the plants down to nothing. I pulled up three of the plants but left one of them alone. Even though there was not much left of it, I went ahead and watered the plant and left it alone. It soon began to grow, and now is bigger than any of the remaining tomato plants I have. It has all kinds of blooms and tomatoes on it as well.
I was reminded that sometimes the Lord prunes things out of our lives so that new growth and more fruit can come forth. Even though the pruning is sometimes painful it is very beneficial. We have been through the pruning process, but we have seen an abundance of fruit come into our lives in ways we never dreamed of.
So if you are going through a pruning process, just know that God has something in store for you that is going to make you more fruitful and increase fruit into you life. And if you have been through the pruning process, you can look back and see where you have come from and give God praise.
And by the way, our rabbit family is now made up of several generations!
I wrote a few months back about how I had planted some tomato plants and how our family of rabbits that live in our backyard decided to eat the plants down to nothing. I pulled up three of the plants but left one of them alone. Even though there was not much left of it, I went ahead and watered the plant and left it alone. It soon began to grow, and now is bigger than any of the remaining tomato plants I have. It has all kinds of blooms and tomatoes on it as well.
I was reminded that sometimes the Lord prunes things out of our lives so that new growth and more fruit can come forth. Even though the pruning is sometimes painful it is very beneficial. We have been through the pruning process, but we have seen an abundance of fruit come into our lives in ways we never dreamed of.
So if you are going through a pruning process, just know that God has something in store for you that is going to make you more fruitful and increase fruit into you life. And if you have been through the pruning process, you can look back and see where you have come from and give God praise.
And by the way, our rabbit family is now made up of several generations!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Preparing the Altar in our lives
1Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
After Elijah repaired the altar, he did four things that we need to remember for the fire of God to fall on our lives.
After Elijah repaired the altar, he did four things that we need to remember for the fire of God to fall on our lives.
- 1. Seed = The Word of God. The Word of God has to be first in our lives. The seed represents the Word of God. Mark 4
- 2. Wood = The wood represents the cross. We must never forget the cross. It is more than a piece of jewelry or something we have on our shelves. 1Cor.1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- 3. The Bullock = This represents the sacrifice of Jesus. Without the sacrifice of Jesus we have no salvation. We also are to present our lives as sacrifices for the Kingdom of God as well. Rom.12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
- 4. Water = The water represents the Holy Spirit. We have to have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Altar
1Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
From this verse I see two things. Just as Elijah told the people come near unto me, the Lord is saying the same thing to His people. Come near unto me. We are living in such times that we need revival in our land. And it starts out with getting close to God. Could it be that God is saying come near unto me?
And then Elijah did something that we need to do. He repaired the altar of the Lord. Have the altars been broken down, those things we looked at as sacred but are no longer. Maybe those things that we have neglected and we thought were no longer useful.
From this verse I see two things. Just as Elijah told the people come near unto me, the Lord is saying the same thing to His people. Come near unto me. We are living in such times that we need revival in our land. And it starts out with getting close to God. Could it be that God is saying come near unto me?
And then Elijah did something that we need to do. He repaired the altar of the Lord. Have the altars been broken down, those things we looked at as sacred but are no longer. Maybe those things that we have neglected and we thought were no longer useful.
An altar is a place used for sacred purposes in a place of worship. Our heart has to be a place of worship. There is an altar in our heart. Where we make a choice to serve God.
Has the altar of the Lord been broke down? We need revival now in the time we are living. Many Christians are dry, they are confused, in bondage, under nourished. The world is looking for something; they are not finding it in the church. The church is as worldly as the world.
We need to begin to seek God for our land and revival in our lives and churches. God is saying come near unto me. And then we need to repair the altar of the Lord in our hearts.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Make it LOUD!
Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This is one of my favorite Psalms. I just want to point out a few things from this Psalm.
1. He is worthy to be worshiped, and it is ok to be loud when you do worship!
2. He is God and He made us, everything we have is from Him and He is the one who takes care of us!
3. We are to be thankful and have an attitude of praise. Christians of all people should be full of joy!
4. The Lord is GOOD; He is Faithful and He LOVES YOU!
Jesus loves you and there is nothing you can do about it! So shout to the Lord!
This is one of my favorite Psalms. I just want to point out a few things from this Psalm.
1. He is worthy to be worshiped, and it is ok to be loud when you do worship!
2. He is God and He made us, everything we have is from Him and He is the one who takes care of us!
3. We are to be thankful and have an attitude of praise. Christians of all people should be full of joy!
4. The Lord is GOOD; He is Faithful and He LOVES YOU!
Jesus loves you and there is nothing you can do about it! So shout to the Lord!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Kingdom
Luke 17:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
The Amplified Bible says it this way: Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].
The Kingdom of God, refers to God’s sovereign and gracious occupation in the hearts of His people. This why we are to pray for the Kingdom of God to come, we need the Kingdom realities to be our living experience and possession. The Kingdom has come to those areas of our lives where Jesus is Lord.
This why we have to constantly pray Matt.6:10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Because our lives are under constant attack from the enemy and Jesus desires to be Lord over every area of our lives, our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. If you have accepted Jesus into your life. Then you are in the Kingdom of God and now let the Kingdom to begin to rule and reign in every area of your life. Enjoy life in the Kingdom of God.
The Amplified Bible says it this way: Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].
The Kingdom of God, refers to God’s sovereign and gracious occupation in the hearts of His people. This why we are to pray for the Kingdom of God to come, we need the Kingdom realities to be our living experience and possession. The Kingdom has come to those areas of our lives where Jesus is Lord.
This why we have to constantly pray Matt.6:10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Because our lives are under constant attack from the enemy and Jesus desires to be Lord over every area of our lives, our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. If you have accepted Jesus into your life. Then you are in the Kingdom of God and now let the Kingdom to begin to rule and reign in every area of your life. Enjoy life in the Kingdom of God.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Don't take freedom for granted.
Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
I read where a recent Gallup poll reported that 94% of Americans claim to believe in God or a universal spirit. But obviously with the condition that America is in right now, only a portion really know God. There is a great difference in believing in God and knowing God.
We are so privileged to live in America. As we get ready to celebrate our freedom this Sunday, we need to remember that it is God who has blessed us with the opportunity to live in this great land. If you have ever been outside the USA, you know how blessed you really are.
Pro.14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
No matter what your political party is, we are to pray for our leaders and our land. Prayer is a freedom guaranteed to us by our Constitution, and a God given right to all of humanity. The opportunity to pray is a privilege, honor and sacred duty.
So this week I want to encourage you to pray for our leaders, our country and for revival to take place in our lives and churches. Don't take freedom for granted; act on it.
Have a Blessed 4th of July!
Image Courtesy Amanda Hujber
We are so privileged to live in America. As we get ready to celebrate our freedom this Sunday, we need to remember that it is God who has blessed us with the opportunity to live in this great land. If you have ever been outside the USA, you know how blessed you really are.
Pro.14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
No matter what your political party is, we are to pray for our leaders and our land. Prayer is a freedom guaranteed to us by our Constitution, and a God given right to all of humanity. The opportunity to pray is a privilege, honor and sacred duty.
So this week I want to encourage you to pray for our leaders, our country and for revival to take place in our lives and churches. Don't take freedom for granted; act on it.
Have a Blessed 4th of July!
Image Courtesy Amanda Hujber
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