We have a "Natural" longing and desire for TRUE JOY.  JOY is the "complete good", "the sum of all good" and "leaves nothing more to be desired".   The BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:1-12), teach us GOD'S Vision for our lives; THE ABUNDANT LIFE!  They are a complete contradiction to the "world's" understanding of happiness and JOY.  That is why, when we lack Spiritual JOY, we try to find it in carnal "pleasures".   Do we really want GOD to increase our hunger for HIM?  Do we really want to desire HIM above all else?  Do we know we can JOYFULLY pursue GOD'S will for us by living the BEATITUDES?  HIS WILL for us, is to have ABUNDANT LIFE!

Today is a great day to think about THINGS.   The kind of THINGS that are impossible for men, but with GOD all things are possible; Matthew 19:26.   THINGS like GOD being able to make a Camel small enough to go through the eye of a needle!  THINGS like, only GOD can remove the love for the world out the human heart. THINGS like, "changing our hearts" where our SOULS desire the true riches of GRACE and MERCY.  THINGS like seeing our own SPIRITUAL POVERTY!  I have  come to the conclusion, that I cannot  imagine or perceive, ALL THINGS!  AMEN.   

THINGS  like a walk in the breeze, or  THINGS  like a warm HUG

Have things happened in your life and have you done things where you "could not even lift your eyes t o Heaven" (Luke 18:13)?  At this time we begin to "taste" Heaven; "like a mustard seed that grows into a tree"; (Luke 13:19).  GOD'S Love and Mercy grows in us until we are absorbed beyond completely. HEAVEN attracts us, and others to GOD through us, when WE CAN'T LIFT OUR EYES TO HEAVEN!

Do you have those moments when anything and everything draws you closer to GOD?  It can be anything that defines GOD'S presence in you.  How about "UNCHAINED MELODY" by the Righteous Brothers?  It was not written as a PRAISE Worship Song, BUT, change the words a little and see what happens!  "YOU are my Soul and my Highest Inspiration, YOU are my reason for living and for dying; without YOU JESUS what good am I?  Of course some words are changed to give GLORY TO GOD.  1 Corinthians 14:36, "Or was it from you that the WORD OF GOD came...?"  How  has GOD touched your heart today and became YOUR SOUL AND INSPIRATION?

It is not how many "good" things I think I've done; It's not how many times I go to Church; and It's  not the "pats on the back".  MY FAVORITE TIMES come when I least expect.  When I think the least of myself, when I am "disgusted" with my sins, when I absolutely can't even imagine how GOD can forgive me even one  more time, I HEAR; "I am GOD, I am in your midst, I rejoice over you with gladness; I am quieting you with MY love, I exult over you with loud singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).  These are the times I quit trying to "earn" GOD'S Favor, and just live in that FAVOR!  It is a time when I want to love GOD and others with the love HE has for me.  It is the CERTAINTY of GOD'S love for me that are MY FAVORITE TIMES!

May today be your FAVORITE TIME.

Sunday Church Services only "read" scripture 3% to 21% of the Service.  Why?  Because some Churches use Scripture for doctrine and moral teaching; 2 Timothy 3:16,  "...useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training..."  Some use the Scriptures for personal devotionals and inspiration; Psalm 119:27, "Let me understand the teaching of  YOUR precepts, then I meditate on YOUR wonders".  While yet other Churches use Scripture primarily for Worship.  Don't we need to STUDY to see how our Faith is Rooted and Grounded in CHRIST?  Where is our Greatest Inspiration?   What provides the greatest PRAISE AND WORSHIP of GOD?  Are Church Services limited to twenty minutes so people will attend? That is only 2 minutes to 10 minutes of Scripture in any Service.  Is ignorance of the Scriptures, ignorance of CHRIST?  So, are Church Services to be used for Doctrine and Moral Teaching; OR,  are they to be for Inspiration; OR, are they to be primarily for Worship?  Have we divided ourselves by being EITHER OR CHRISTIANS?

 Let us Pray for our Preachers, Leaders and Priests to PREACH GOD'S WORD!

Have we ever experienced seeing someone Promoted (who wasn't qualified), Honored (when we knew the "dirty" secrets of their life) or Revered (because of there wealth)?  We knew it wasn't because that their efforts or knowledge was better than ours, it was because THEY KNEW SOMEONE!  Philippians 3:19, "That I may know HIM, and the power of HIS resurrection..."   When I think about my own life; my multitude of sins and my unworthiness, I am so THANKFUL that IT'S NOT WHAT I KNOW, BUT WHO I KNOW!  

Has it ever occurred to us after hearing about how Jonah was swallowed by a BIG fish when he tried to run away from GOD that we focus on "the BIG fish" instead of THE BIG GOD?  When we face adversity in our lives (whether it is finances, relationships, death, how to stay close to GOD or threats to GOD'S MINISTRY) do we respond in selfishness or fear?  Do we try to make GOD in our image to do what we want?  Or do we call out to the LORD, out of our distress and HE answers us? (Jonah 2:1).  Do we get discouraged and  frustrated because we rebel against GOD because we keep looking  FOR THE BIG FISH? 

Prayers for a GREAT REVIVAL in us, AMEN!

Have we heard; "I don't know if I should tell you this"; "I don't want you to take this the wrong way"; or "I'm not one to judge, BUT..."?   They call it "concern", GOD calls it GOSSIP, RUMOR, SLANDER, BACKBITING, RAILING and even REVILE.  Do we "listen" to such talk that can DESTROY US; DESTROY A CHURCH or a MINISTRY?  If we listen to such talk, and do nothing, we are participating as much in the GOSSIP as the one speaking! Lev. 19:16, "You shall not go around as a SLANDERER"; Prov. 11:13, "...a slanderer does not have a trustworthy SPIRIT"; Prov.26:20, "...where there is no whisperer (Gossip), quarreling ceases"; Jer. 6:28, "They are rebellious, going about with slanders..."!  So the next time someone says, "I don't want you to take this the wrong way"; YES THEY DO!

Let us Pray for a GREAT REVIVAL! AMEN!