Luke 23:34, "FATHER, forgive them for they know not what they do..." Memorial Day is coming and we remember our Veterans for "protecting" our rights and freedom. My Rights? Jealousy because someone has more than me; Greed because I deserve more; or Bitterness because my Rights have been violated? Do I receive some kind of satisfaction from not loving my enemies or forgiving my persecutors? Is demanding my "Rights" more important than showing GOD'S love? Luke 6:29, tells me to "give more than is expected". Maybe this year we can approach Memorial Day just a little differently, remembering WHO did it all for us and gave us the ultimate Freedom. Do you really think as long as there are those oppressed in the world, children dying in their mother's arms, and people going to bed hungry that we have the Right to abuse our Freedom? Have we really committed to follow JESUS, FOR BETTER OR WORSE?
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD!
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Psalm 122:1, "I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the LORD!..." Feelings are important in many areas, but completely unreliable in matters of Faith. The best way to "feel like it" is to do the very thing you don't feel like doing. When we go ahead and go to Church to give thanks by Faith and Obedience, we find we get the "best feelings of all", Feeling for GOD. You will find yourself smiling as you walk in; smiling bigger as you Bless the people you meet; and yes, you may even have a little "zip" in your "get-along" as you start Praising and Praying! Oh, when the offering plate is passed; Smile bigger, Sing louder, Raise your hands toward Heaven in Thankfulness and make giving a JOYful experience for GOD loves a cheerful giver. Have a Blessed Day at Church!
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." If we have love, we have all the rest. GOD is love. We cannot love under our own power, we must have GOD'S power to have true love. GOD puts the HOLY SPIRIT within us (IMMANUEL - GOD with us) and it is with HIS power that we love unconditionally. Just as it is the sap in the branches that produces the fruit, do you think the HOLY SPIRIT within us, produces unconditional love and the Fruit of the SPIRIT? There is no law that is offended by the Fruit of the SPIRIT. Have you ever thought, that you could love everyone in the world (everyone! bad, good, atheist, believers) as much as you love your very own child or spouse? And how can we know GOD'S love without HIM? Love is an immediate response and an immediate beginning (not a thought process) that fills the "void" of our heart's desires. To love GOD and to love others, is not a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! Psalm 91:11, "For HE will command HIS angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." I was helping a friend who had health problems. He was about to lose his home, he had a shut of notice from the utility department and he can't work in his business so there is no source of income. He had always been a proud man who enjoyed helping others and now he can't even provide for his family. As we were talking and praying a young man walked in and needed to talk with my friend alone. When he came back, this big man fell to his knees and began to cry. As I put my arm around him, he told me GOD sent an angel. His mortgage (which was six months in arrears) had been paid; the young man had arranged for someone to run my friends business and was going to even pay his wages. He told me if he never recovered his health or be able to do anything the rest of his life that he was satisfied. He had experienced GOD'S Mercy! When GOD sends Angels we are Divinely Blessed; they are HIS messengers that Glorify GOD. When you experience the Presence of GOD you are Spiritually inspired. We sat in Awe of GOD; how did that young man know all this, how did he know who had the mortgage and why had my friend been selected out of all the people in need? My friend said, you know I really mean it; if I never get physically well, I was born for this moment! Then he smiled and said, "and he gives me a friend like you who is as broke as I am and they are still going to shut off my utilities". I told him, "I may not be able to pay his utilities; BUT I WILL SIT WITH YOU IN THE DARK.
salm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! Luke 5:16, "But HE would withdraw to desolate places and pray." JESUS faced increasing crowds, unceasing demands on HIS time; but it did not deter HIM from spending extensive time in prayer. Perhaps HE approached HIS Devotionals eagerly and excited about HIS time alone with GOD. It was HIS time to hear GOD, It was also a time of preparation; a time of quieting the SPIRIT and HIS mind was not going from thought to thought. HE would hear GOD'S VOICE; a time of prayer and worship. Devotionals are a time of preparation and eagerly looking forward to hearing GOD'S voice; a special time of experiencing GOD in HIS Glory alone with you; and a time to provide strength and guidance for whatever circumstances present themselves today. Maybe that is WHY WE DO DEVOTIONALS.
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! Matthew 7:21, Not everyone who says to ME, LORD, LORD, will enter the kingdom of heaven..." Who better to "spot" a fake than a "fake themselves"? But what if the "fake" doesn't know they are a "fake"? Mark 4:12, "...they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand..." Many of us are convinced we are Saved because we think we are a "good person" and we have said the "Sinner's Prayer". We are further convinced because we go to Church, was Baptized, Confirmed and we read the Bible. SUPERFICIAL SALVATION, the Bible clearly states that we must repent and Believe the Gospel and Forsake (turn away from, leave, quit or renounce) sin, and to Obey GOD'S WORD. Then our Faith will be tested to see if it is genuine or not (James 1:12, 1 Peter 1:7) If our Faith fails before the finish line maybe it is NOT SAVING FAITH! SUPERFICIAL SALVATION, those who have it are leading others in their same beliefs, almost to the point of immunizing against "New Birth". They think they are already born again and this superficiality almost assures they will never be born again! This Devotional was not written to condemn anyone, nor do I apologize for its content; it is written from experience like one "Sermon" I must give! THAT IS, IF I WERE EVER CALLED TO PREACH!
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! 1 Corinthians 13:3, "If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." Actions alone do not reveal motives. We can do and be remembered for, a multitude of nice THINGS, but without love they will not have a lasting effect. This is because Love transforms us; it changes our behavior and most of all, it changes the identity of who we are. Love transforms us and those around us; Love is life on life, and heart on heart, GOD is Love. Without love unleashed, without love applied ACTIONS DON'T ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! Luke 18:16, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of GOD." Have you ever waited anxiously for someone special to come home, or have you ever been filled with JOY just to see that special person coming toward you? You were JOYful because you just wanted to be around and with them; you absolutely were lifted up by their presence, you wanted to hear about their day and share your day with them. You did not ask them for anything, you just wanted to experience and be a part of their lives. I find sometimes (who am I kidding? It is all the time!) when I pray, I am always asking JESUS for some kind of help, whether it is for me or someone else. Today let us just going to enJOY JESUS (I mean absolutely be absorbed in HIM) and enJOY having HIM in us. I REALLY JUST CAN'T WAIT!
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! roverbs 31:28, "Her children rise up and call her blessed..." Mary was the mother of JESUS; Salome was the mother of the disciples James and John: and Jochebed was the mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Mothers are the Bible's most honored woman and it stresses the great influence of mothers. A mother's influence is also emphasized in Ezekiel 16:44, "As is the mother, so is her daughter". No matter what we do or what the world thinks of us; our mothers encourage us, smile when we need it most, and give us the hug we think we are too big for. I believe GOD put mothers here to teach us of HIS unconditional love. For we are loved unconditionally from our Mothers. Sit down and read all of Proverbs 31 with your mother or wife today. And if you can't be with them, read it anyway. Mother's day is everyone's day! She is so unselfish, She is GOD'S gift to us all.
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! John 8:32, "and you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free." Somewhere we get this completely distorted. The worldly interpretation of this scripture is to encourage the pursuit of knowledge and creates within us the expectation that we will be free through knowledge. Do you really think this is what JESUS had in mind? TRUTH is not a composite of thoughts and things. TRUTH is nothing less than the SON OF GOD. Philosophers and scientists have sought to account for TRUTH; one by subjective speculation and the other by observation. Although their discoveries are inspiring "facts" but they are not the final TRUTH that comes by revelation and illumination. Maybe every time we write the word TRUTH we should use a CAPITAL "T".
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! |
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December 2015
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