When severe storms come our ways we are warned to take refuge somewhere safe until the storm passes by.
We seek shelter when thunderstorms approach our areas.
When there are threats of tornados people seek shelter in storm proof shelters or basements.
Where do we turn for help when other storms of life come knocking at our door?
You know the storms I am talking about. The bad report from the doctor. The pink slip from work. The betrayal of a loved one. The death of someone close to you.
Dealing with these things is hard. These things test our faith. They leave us feeling shook up and discouraged.
Thankfully there is someone we can turn too. We can turn to the Lord. We can make Him our refuge, our shelter when the storms of life threaten us.
Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength,
An ever-present help in trouble"
We can turn to the Lord when our storms come.
He is willing to help in our time of need. Have you ask Him to help you?
What are you waiting for?
Go to Him in prayer.
Trust Him to answer.
Watch Him work.
He is Awesome and Mighty.
Lord, Thank You for being our refuge and strength.
We need Your help in our troubles.
Help us to lean upon You.
In Jesus name
Amen
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Monday, May 30, 2016
Watch Your Talk
Words are powerful.
When we speak encouraging words we can build people up and help them draw near to the Lord.
Sometimes the words we speak end up discouraging people. That can hurt our witness for the Lord.
We as Christians should use our words wisely. We should speak in love and grace.
We should be slow to speak and quick to listen.
Colossians 4:6 says,"Let your conversation be always full of Grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
May we speak the truth to each other with grace and love. Let us be mindful of the words we use and remember that we are ambassadors for Christ in this dark lost world.
We are His representatives. May our speech reflect that we belong to Jesus.
Lord,
Help us to build others up with our words and not tear them down. Help us to speak with grace.
In Jesus name
Amen
When we speak encouraging words we can build people up and help them draw near to the Lord.
Sometimes the words we speak end up discouraging people. That can hurt our witness for the Lord.
We as Christians should use our words wisely. We should speak in love and grace.
We should be slow to speak and quick to listen.
Colossians 4:6 says,"Let your conversation be always full of Grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
May we speak the truth to each other with grace and love. Let us be mindful of the words we use and remember that we are ambassadors for Christ in this dark lost world.
We are His representatives. May our speech reflect that we belong to Jesus.
Lord,
Help us to build others up with our words and not tear them down. Help us to speak with grace.
In Jesus name
Amen
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Singing to the Lord
I like to sing and play guitar.
I also like to sing in the choir at Church.
The old traditional hymns and southern gospel songs are among my favorites.
I like any music that speaks good strong biblical truth and gives glory to God.
I realize that I am not a great singer. I am not a great guitar player either. I don't do those things for recognition of myself and talents. I do them because I want to express the feelings in my heart for the Lord Jesus.
Something great happens when believers in Christ come together and sing praises to Jesus. He gave us voices so we can express our love for Him in singing.
We may not think we sound good and maybe we don't. The point of singing praises to the Lord is expressing our love and adoration for Him. It's about Jesus. It is not about us.
Psalm 95:1-3 says," Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving
And extol Him with music and song."
When we come to worship and sing praises to our Lord and King let sing the best we can not to impress others around us, but to express the love and joy in our hearts for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lord,
We come to You with love and in our hearts for You.
Help us to sing praises to You to honor you and worship You.
You are mighty and Awesome.
In Jesus name
Amen
I also like to sing in the choir at Church.
The old traditional hymns and southern gospel songs are among my favorites.
I like any music that speaks good strong biblical truth and gives glory to God.
I realize that I am not a great singer. I am not a great guitar player either. I don't do those things for recognition of myself and talents. I do them because I want to express the feelings in my heart for the Lord Jesus.
Something great happens when believers in Christ come together and sing praises to Jesus. He gave us voices so we can express our love for Him in singing.
We may not think we sound good and maybe we don't. The point of singing praises to the Lord is expressing our love and adoration for Him. It's about Jesus. It is not about us.
Psalm 95:1-3 says," Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving
And extol Him with music and song."
When we come to worship and sing praises to our Lord and King let sing the best we can not to impress others around us, but to express the love and joy in our hearts for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lord,
We come to You with love and in our hearts for You.
Help us to sing praises to You to honor you and worship You.
You are mighty and Awesome.
In Jesus name
Amen
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Run the Race
Running is hard.
It takes time and training to prevent injuring yourself.
I have jogged some around my backyard sometimes.
I have never entered a race though. The Christian life can seem like a long endurance race. There will be stretches when we feel strong and able. We will feel confident and and full of energy.
There will also be times when we will feel beaten down and tired. We may wonder if it is even worth it. We may feel defeated and have the urge to throw in the towel.
I would like to encourage you not to give up. Don't pay attention to those voices that tell you to quit and that running is not worth it. It is worth it because of the One who is waiting for us at the finish line.
Hebrews 12:1 says,
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Hebrews 12:2 says,
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God."
May we repent of any sin and turn away from anything that trips us up. We must run this race with perseverance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Let us set our eyes on the prize. Set your eyes upon Jesus and trust Him to help you through this race we call life.
He will help you. He will encourage you through the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
Lord,
We praise Your name.
Help us to run the Race You set before us.
Help us set our sight upon You Lord Jesus each moment of our lives. Thank you for everything.
In Jesus name
Amen
It takes time and training to prevent injuring yourself.
I have jogged some around my backyard sometimes.
I have never entered a race though. The Christian life can seem like a long endurance race. There will be stretches when we feel strong and able. We will feel confident and and full of energy.
There will also be times when we will feel beaten down and tired. We may wonder if it is even worth it. We may feel defeated and have the urge to throw in the towel.
I would like to encourage you not to give up. Don't pay attention to those voices that tell you to quit and that running is not worth it. It is worth it because of the One who is waiting for us at the finish line.
Hebrews 12:1 says,
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Hebrews 12:2 says,
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God."
May we repent of any sin and turn away from anything that trips us up. We must run this race with perseverance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Let us set our eyes on the prize. Set your eyes upon Jesus and trust Him to help you through this race we call life.
He will help you. He will encourage you through the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
Lord,
We praise Your name.
Help us to run the Race You set before us.
Help us set our sight upon You Lord Jesus each moment of our lives. Thank you for everything.
In Jesus name
Amen
Friday, May 27, 2016
Giving Thanks to the Lord
Throughout our days we may find ourselves grumbling and complaining about something.
We all complain once in a while. Some people seem to make it a priority in their life. They never seem happy unless they complain about something.
Let's face it. There are a lot of things that we could complain about. There is our job, our boss, the government, our leaders and the list could go on.
We complain that we get treated unfairly. Sometimes we get so caught up in complaining and being negative that we drive people away from us. Then we are also in danger of making our hearts heard and driving people away from the Lord.
We end up looking and sounding like the Israelites when they were freed from slavery in Egypt. They followed the leadership of Moses as the Lord was leading them through the wilderness towards the promise land.
They weren't very grateful at all. They moaned and groaned. They rebelled and a whole generation ended up dying in the desert never making it to the promised land.
We who are followers of Christ have a whole bunch to be thankful for. Jesus died for our sins, past , present , and future. We are sealed with the precious Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Jesus.
Psalm 106:1 says, "Praise the Lord,
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His love endures forever."
Instead of complaining about everything let us instead start being thankful for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will do.
He is Awesome and worthy of our worship and praise.
He is also worthy of our thanks.
Lord, We just want to thank You for loving us even when we act
so unlovable at times. Please, help us to be more thankful and complain less. Thanks.
In Jesus name
Amen.
We all complain once in a while. Some people seem to make it a priority in their life. They never seem happy unless they complain about something.
Let's face it. There are a lot of things that we could complain about. There is our job, our boss, the government, our leaders and the list could go on.
We complain that we get treated unfairly. Sometimes we get so caught up in complaining and being negative that we drive people away from us. Then we are also in danger of making our hearts heard and driving people away from the Lord.
We end up looking and sounding like the Israelites when they were freed from slavery in Egypt. They followed the leadership of Moses as the Lord was leading them through the wilderness towards the promise land.
They weren't very grateful at all. They moaned and groaned. They rebelled and a whole generation ended up dying in the desert never making it to the promised land.
We who are followers of Christ have a whole bunch to be thankful for. Jesus died for our sins, past , present , and future. We are sealed with the precious Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Jesus.
Psalm 106:1 says, "Praise the Lord,
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His love endures forever."
Instead of complaining about everything let us instead start being thankful for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will do.
He is Awesome and worthy of our worship and praise.
He is also worthy of our thanks.
Lord, We just want to thank You for loving us even when we act
so unlovable at times. Please, help us to be more thankful and complain less. Thanks.
In Jesus name
Amen.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Taking Time to Be Still
Our lives are busy.
We run from one appointment to the next.
We may find it hard to relax.
We may even feel spiritually drained.
The Lord doesn't want us stressed out all the time. He wants us to be filled with His love, joy, peace, and hope so we can be His light in this increasingly dark world.
We need to set aside some time each day to open our Bible and just sit in the Lord's presence.
This reminds me of Psalm 46:10 which says,
"Be Still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Are we talking time to be still and know that He is God?
Lord,
Sometimes we feel stressed and spiritually drained. Please refresh us by Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for Your presence in our lives.
In Jesus name
Amen
We run from one appointment to the next.
We may find it hard to relax.
We may even feel spiritually drained.
The Lord doesn't want us stressed out all the time. He wants us to be filled with His love, joy, peace, and hope so we can be His light in this increasingly dark world.
We need to set aside some time each day to open our Bible and just sit in the Lord's presence.
This reminds me of Psalm 46:10 which says,
"Be Still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Are we talking time to be still and know that He is God?
Lord,
Sometimes we feel stressed and spiritually drained. Please refresh us by Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for Your presence in our lives.
In Jesus name
Amen
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Finding Rest
There are moments in life when we feel tired and weary.
We may be going through an illness or some kind of trial that robs us of strength.
When we try to carry our own burdens upon our shoulders we then realize how weak we truly are. We need someone to help us with our burdens and troubles.
We can't handle our troubles in our own strength. We all try though at times. We end up feeling restless and stressed out. The strange thing is we may not even realize it until we have an angry out burst or some other stress induced reaction.
We need find rest. Thankfully there is One who promises to give us rest if we just come to Him and that One is Jesus Christ.
Jesus says , "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
When we feel tired and weary from our trials we can come to Jesus and find rest in Him. I can almost picture Him standing there in front of me with His arms spread out open
saying, " Come to me my child and find rest."
Lord,
We come to you with our burdens. Help us give them into Your hands. Help us to seek You more and find rest in You.
In Jesus name
Amen
We may be going through an illness or some kind of trial that robs us of strength.
When we try to carry our own burdens upon our shoulders we then realize how weak we truly are. We need someone to help us with our burdens and troubles.
We can't handle our troubles in our own strength. We all try though at times. We end up feeling restless and stressed out. The strange thing is we may not even realize it until we have an angry out burst or some other stress induced reaction.
We need find rest. Thankfully there is One who promises to give us rest if we just come to Him and that One is Jesus Christ.
Jesus says , "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
When we feel tired and weary from our trials we can come to Jesus and find rest in Him. I can almost picture Him standing there in front of me with His arms spread out open
saying, " Come to me my child and find rest."
Lord,
We come to you with our burdens. Help us give them into Your hands. Help us to seek You more and find rest in You.
In Jesus name
Amen
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
The Lord is My Shepherd
Life isn't easy.
Sometimes things seem to be running pretty smoothly then out of nowhere a rough season occurs.
It is in those rough times we often realize that we need help.
We need the help of One who sticks closer than a brother.
We need the Lord. He is the Good Shepherd that laid His life down for the sheep. We who are believers in Christ are His sheep.
We can say, with David who wrote the 23rd Psalm,
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
The Lord will provide for all of our genuine needs.
Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
We can trust the Lord to provide for us in the good times and the bad.
Are you trusting Him?
Sometimes things seem to be running pretty smoothly then out of nowhere a rough season occurs.
It is in those rough times we often realize that we need help.
We need the help of One who sticks closer than a brother.
We need the Lord. He is the Good Shepherd that laid His life down for the sheep. We who are believers in Christ are His sheep.
We can say, with David who wrote the 23rd Psalm,
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
The Lord will provide for all of our genuine needs.
Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
We can trust the Lord to provide for us in the good times and the bad.
Are you trusting Him?
Monday, May 23, 2016
Still Waiting
We live in a fast paced world. We rush here and there.
Then when things don't seem to be going as fast as they should we get impatient and sometimes angry.
We don't like long lines at the grocery store. We sure don't like waiting in traffic. We have lost our ability to be patient.
I was recently in the drive thru line of a donut shop waiting to get a cup of coffee. It was 4:30am.
There was a white pickup truck in line ahead of me.
I waited patiently for the truck to move along then I pulled up to the window to get my coffee I ordered. The woman apologized for the wait (I didn't feel l I like I waited too long). I told her I understood it was 4:30 in the morning after all.
She thanked me for being understanding. She then said that the person the white pickup truck that was ahead of me swore and rose a commotion because she didn't get her order fast enough.
I felt bad and I apologized to the drive thru girl for the behavior of the other customer.
Why are we so impatient with others?
That incident got me thinking about another question.
Do we treat God that way when He makes us wait?
Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Lord, forgive us for being impatient. Help us to wait on You.
In Jesus name
Then when things don't seem to be going as fast as they should we get impatient and sometimes angry.
We don't like long lines at the grocery store. We sure don't like waiting in traffic. We have lost our ability to be patient.
I was recently in the drive thru line of a donut shop waiting to get a cup of coffee. It was 4:30am.
There was a white pickup truck in line ahead of me.
I waited patiently for the truck to move along then I pulled up to the window to get my coffee I ordered. The woman apologized for the wait (I didn't feel l I like I waited too long). I told her I understood it was 4:30 in the morning after all.
She thanked me for being understanding. She then said that the person the white pickup truck that was ahead of me swore and rose a commotion because she didn't get her order fast enough.
I felt bad and I apologized to the drive thru girl for the behavior of the other customer.
Why are we so impatient with others?
That incident got me thinking about another question.
Do we treat God that way when He makes us wait?
Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Lord, forgive us for being impatient. Help us to wait on You.
In Jesus name
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Be Strong and Courageous
Sometimes life's circumstances can weigh heavily upon our shoulders.
We may feel stressed, overwhelmed, and lacking confidence.
We may feel discouraged and wonder if things will get better.
This makes me think of Joshua in the Old Testament.
In Joshua 1:1-9 we find God reminding Joshua that Moses was dead and now Joshua was to lead the Israelites into the promised land.
Joshua had been Moses's assistant for 40 years.
Joshua knew how these people treated Moses. He knew how disobedient they were to the Lord's commands.
Now the time had come and Joshua was in charge.
What thoughts must have swept through his mind.
The Lord knew that Joshua needed encouragement. We too need encouragement.
The Lord said, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
These a great words of encouragement for you and I as well.
When we put our faith and trust in Christ He promises to always be with us no matter where we go.
He will be with us during the good times.
He will also be with us during those times when we walk through the dark and lonely valley.
We may not always feel like He is with us, but we have His promise from His Word that He is always with us.
We can count on the Lord.
Let us be strong and courageous knowing that that Lord will be with us wherever we go.
We may feel stressed, overwhelmed, and lacking confidence.
We may feel discouraged and wonder if things will get better.
This makes me think of Joshua in the Old Testament.
In Joshua 1:1-9 we find God reminding Joshua that Moses was dead and now Joshua was to lead the Israelites into the promised land.
Joshua had been Moses's assistant for 40 years.
Joshua knew how these people treated Moses. He knew how disobedient they were to the Lord's commands.
Now the time had come and Joshua was in charge.
What thoughts must have swept through his mind.
The Lord knew that Joshua needed encouragement. We too need encouragement.
The Lord said, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
These a great words of encouragement for you and I as well.
When we put our faith and trust in Christ He promises to always be with us no matter where we go.
He will be with us during the good times.
He will also be with us during those times when we walk through the dark and lonely valley.
We may not always feel like He is with us, but we have His promise from His Word that He is always with us.
We can count on the Lord.
Let us be strong and courageous knowing that that Lord will be with us wherever we go.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Loving One Another
When someone asked Jesus what the most important commandment was He answered saying,
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)
We look at the world around us today and we can notice there is something definitely wrong.
There is something missing in many people's lives today.
People are angry, mean, selfish, and hateful to the extreme. This attitude seems to spreading like wild fire.
What's missing?
For starters many have closed their minds and hardened their hearts to a loving God. Many do not know what love really is.
I John 4:8-12 says, "Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.
This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."
We who are followers of Jesus Christ ought to love the Lord with our entire being. We should love our neighbors as ourselves also. We should love other believers in Christ as well.
The world needs to see the love of the Lord Jesus. They need to know that the true living God loves them so very much.
How much?
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)
Are you telling others of God love for them?
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)
We look at the world around us today and we can notice there is something definitely wrong.
There is something missing in many people's lives today.
People are angry, mean, selfish, and hateful to the extreme. This attitude seems to spreading like wild fire.
What's missing?
For starters many have closed their minds and hardened their hearts to a loving God. Many do not know what love really is.
I John 4:8-12 says, "Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.
This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."
We who are followers of Jesus Christ ought to love the Lord with our entire being. We should love our neighbors as ourselves also. We should love other believers in Christ as well.
The world needs to see the love of the Lord Jesus. They need to know that the true living God loves them so very much.
How much?
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)
Are you telling others of God love for them?
Friday, May 20, 2016
Praying To Lord
We who are believers and followers of Jesus Christ have a great privilege that sometimes we fail to use.
We can call out in prayer to the Lord no matter where we are.
In Jeremiah 33:3 we find the Lord saying,"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
The Lord wants to hear from us. We can come to Him with praise and worship. We can bring our request to Him no matter what they are.
We should bring all kinds of prayer request to Him. We need to pray for our families and friends. We should pray for the spread of the Gospel.
We need to pray for revival and all believers in Christ.
When we do pray we must remember to thank Him for being an Awesome loving God.
He always answers our prayers in accordance to His will.
We can trust Him.
I would encourage you to keep going boldly to the throne of Grace with all kinds of request.
We can call out in prayer to the Lord no matter where we are.
In Jeremiah 33:3 we find the Lord saying,"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
The Lord wants to hear from us. We can come to Him with praise and worship. We can bring our request to Him no matter what they are.
We should bring all kinds of prayer request to Him. We need to pray for our families and friends. We should pray for the spread of the Gospel.
We need to pray for revival and all believers in Christ.
When we do pray we must remember to thank Him for being an Awesome loving God.
He always answers our prayers in accordance to His will.
We can trust Him.
I would encourage you to keep going boldly to the throne of Grace with all kinds of request.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Do Not Worry
Worrying about things seems to come very easy to us all.
No one has to teach us how to do it either. There are no Introduction to Worry 101 classes in college.
Worry seems to come naturally to us. There are plenty of things we could worry about.
There is the economy.
Job security.
The Government.
The Country.
Terrorism.
All of these things can cause us to become worried. We should be concerned about them, but we ought not to give into worrying about them.
When I think about worrying I think of Matthew 6:25-34.
Jesus starts out in verse 25 saying, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"
Then Jesus tells His disciples and us to look at the birds.
They don't sow or reap or store there harvest in barns.
We never see birds pacing back and forth worrying where there next meal would come from.
The heavenly Father feeds them. The Lord takes care of them.
Jesus explains that we are of more value than the birds. That means we can trust God to meet our needs as well.
Jesus closes in verses 33 + 34 saying, " But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be giving to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
When we worry we are focusing more on whatever it is we are worrying about instead of focusing on the Lord. He is mighty, awesome, and powerful.
We must continue to remind ourselves, when we are tempted to worry, to look towards Jesus and seek His Kingdom.
Are you seeking Jesus?
No one has to teach us how to do it either. There are no Introduction to Worry 101 classes in college.
Worry seems to come naturally to us. There are plenty of things we could worry about.
There is the economy.
Job security.
The Government.
The Country.
Terrorism.
All of these things can cause us to become worried. We should be concerned about them, but we ought not to give into worrying about them.
When I think about worrying I think of Matthew 6:25-34.
Jesus starts out in verse 25 saying, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"
Then Jesus tells His disciples and us to look at the birds.
They don't sow or reap or store there harvest in barns.
We never see birds pacing back and forth worrying where there next meal would come from.
The heavenly Father feeds them. The Lord takes care of them.
Jesus explains that we are of more value than the birds. That means we can trust God to meet our needs as well.
Jesus closes in verses 33 + 34 saying, " But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be giving to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
When we worry we are focusing more on whatever it is we are worrying about instead of focusing on the Lord. He is mighty, awesome, and powerful.
We must continue to remind ourselves, when we are tempted to worry, to look towards Jesus and seek His Kingdom.
Are you seeking Jesus?
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
A Giant Problem
We all encounter problems at some point in our lives.
Some problems are small and can be fairly easily managed.
Some problems are so overwhelming we are not sure how we will make it through.
When I think of big problems my mind goes to the problem the Israelites had which we find in I Samuel 17.
The enemy of Israel, the Philistines, were on one hill and the Israelite army was on another hill. There was a valley between them.
The Philistines had a secret weapon of sorts and his name was Goliath. Goliath was strong, big, and powerful. He was over nine feet tall and the Israelite army shook in there armor at the sight of this man.
He taunted the Israelite army day and night for forty days.
David, a young shepherd boy at the time, volunteered to go up against Israel's Giant of a problem.
David took his sling and five smooth stones and approached Goliath.
Goliath mocked him and looked down on him.
David didn't rely on his own strength though. Listen to what he says in I Samuel 17:45. He talked to Goliath and said,
"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."
In verse 47 David says, " All those gathered here will know that it is not by the sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's..."
David used his sling and slung a stone hitting Goliath right in his forehead.
David took down this giant by keeping his view on God. David new that God was bigger than this Giant of a problem Israel had.
The good news for us too is that our God is bigger than any problem that we will ever encounter.
Trust Him to fight your battles.
Some problems are small and can be fairly easily managed.
Some problems are so overwhelming we are not sure how we will make it through.
When I think of big problems my mind goes to the problem the Israelites had which we find in I Samuel 17.
The enemy of Israel, the Philistines, were on one hill and the Israelite army was on another hill. There was a valley between them.
The Philistines had a secret weapon of sorts and his name was Goliath. Goliath was strong, big, and powerful. He was over nine feet tall and the Israelite army shook in there armor at the sight of this man.
He taunted the Israelite army day and night for forty days.
David, a young shepherd boy at the time, volunteered to go up against Israel's Giant of a problem.
David took his sling and five smooth stones and approached Goliath.
Goliath mocked him and looked down on him.
David didn't rely on his own strength though. Listen to what he says in I Samuel 17:45. He talked to Goliath and said,
"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."
In verse 47 David says, " All those gathered here will know that it is not by the sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's..."
David used his sling and slung a stone hitting Goliath right in his forehead.
David took down this giant by keeping his view on God. David new that God was bigger than this Giant of a problem Israel had.
The good news for us too is that our God is bigger than any problem that we will ever encounter.
Trust Him to fight your battles.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Here Am I. Send Me!
When you think of where you live, no matter where you may be on the planet, do you consider it your mission field.
We who are believers in Christ have been given the command from Jesus which is found in Matthew 28:19 to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
We are to take the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors, to our families, to our co-workers, and to the world we live in. We have a mission. We have a calling to answer.
When I think of that calling Isaiah 6 comes to mind.
Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted.
Isaiah 6:8 we find the Lord saying, "...Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
Isaiah answered the Lord's question saying, "Here am I. Send me!"
The Lord will help us by empowering us through the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel to our lost and darkened world.
May our reply be like that of Isaiah.
Here Am I. Send Me!
We who are believers in Christ have been given the command from Jesus which is found in Matthew 28:19 to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
We are to take the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors, to our families, to our co-workers, and to the world we live in. We have a mission. We have a calling to answer.
When I think of that calling Isaiah 6 comes to mind.
Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted.
Isaiah 6:8 we find the Lord saying, "...Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
Isaiah answered the Lord's question saying, "Here am I. Send me!"
The Lord will help us by empowering us through the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel to our lost and darkened world.
May our reply be like that of Isaiah.
Here Am I. Send Me!
Monday, May 16, 2016
Troubled Hearts
There are times in our lives when our hearts feel troubled.
Life may seem to be going well for us then out of the blue something bad happens.
We lose our job.
We get sick.
We get bad news that changes our lives as we know it.
I like it when life goes smoothly, but I have been around long enough to know that is not always the case.
Jesus said,"...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Troubles will come to each of us at some time or another.
The trouble may be big or it maybe small.
We must remember that Jesus has overcome the world.
When I think of hearing troubling news I can't help to think about the disciples listening to Jesus in John chapter 14.
The disciples had had just heard troubling news. Jesus told them that He was going up to Jerusalem and the religious leaders were going to kill him, one of the twelve would betray Him, and if that wasn't enough. He told them that Peter was going to deny Him and the others would flee.
The disciples were heart broken.
Take note what Jesus says to them in John 14:1-3
Jesus says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house
are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also
may be where I am."
Jesus tells His disciples and us to trust Him. We can indeed trust Him and we know He always keeps
promises. He is true to His word.
We can take comfort in what Jesus says when our hearts our troubles. He has gone to Heaven to prepare us a place. One day He will come back and take all of us, who are trusting in Him for salvation, home where He is.
This world is not our home. Heaven is a believers true home. Home is where the heart is. When our hearts are surrendered to Christ we have a guaranteed hope that one day we will be with Him where He is.
Are you trusting Him and His promises?
Life may seem to be going well for us then out of the blue something bad happens.
We lose our job.
We get sick.
We get bad news that changes our lives as we know it.
I like it when life goes smoothly, but I have been around long enough to know that is not always the case.
Jesus said,"...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Troubles will come to each of us at some time or another.
The trouble may be big or it maybe small.
We must remember that Jesus has overcome the world.
When I think of hearing troubling news I can't help to think about the disciples listening to Jesus in John chapter 14.
The disciples had had just heard troubling news. Jesus told them that He was going up to Jerusalem and the religious leaders were going to kill him, one of the twelve would betray Him, and if that wasn't enough. He told them that Peter was going to deny Him and the others would flee.
The disciples were heart broken.
Take note what Jesus says to them in John 14:1-3
Jesus says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house
are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also
may be where I am."
Jesus tells His disciples and us to trust Him. We can indeed trust Him and we know He always keeps
promises. He is true to His word.
We can take comfort in what Jesus says when our hearts our troubles. He has gone to Heaven to prepare us a place. One day He will come back and take all of us, who are trusting in Him for salvation, home where He is.
This world is not our home. Heaven is a believers true home. Home is where the heart is. When our hearts are surrendered to Christ we have a guaranteed hope that one day we will be with Him where He is.
Are you trusting Him and His promises?
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
Today is Pentecost Sunday and this is the day, we who are followers of Jesus Christ, celebrate the birth of the Church.
We can read of this account in the book of Acts chapter 2.
I will attempt to paint the picture for you with words.
The followers of Jesus were gathered in one place and they were praying.
They were in one accord. They were waiting. Waiting for what you ask?
Well just before Jesus was taken back up to heaven He said to them, "...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5)
The believers in Christ were doing what Jesus told them to do. They were waiting for the Holy Spirit.
So, there they were praying and waiting.
Then suddenly something began to happen.
Out of nowhere a sound of a mighty rushing wind swept through the room and through each one sitting there in that room. They saw what looked like tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Church was born.
Who is the Holy Spirit you ask? He is the third person of the Holy Trinity.
There is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.
When people come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of them. (Romans 8:9-11)
We believers must learn to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-18)
The Holy Spirit needs more of us.
Are you surrendering to His leading or are you trying to direct Him?
Lord, forgive us for quenching your Holy Spirit who dwells in us who believe.
We have leaned upon our traditions far too long. We need You Lord. Ignite a fresh fire of the Holy Spirit in me and us. I pray for a fresh faith for the entire body of Christ. Revive us Lord. Send the fresh rains of the Spirit upon Your people. To You be all the glory, honor, and praise.
In Jesus name, Amen.
We can read of this account in the book of Acts chapter 2.
I will attempt to paint the picture for you with words.
The followers of Jesus were gathered in one place and they were praying.
They were in one accord. They were waiting. Waiting for what you ask?
Well just before Jesus was taken back up to heaven He said to them, "...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5)
The believers in Christ were doing what Jesus told them to do. They were waiting for the Holy Spirit.
So, there they were praying and waiting.
Then suddenly something began to happen.
Out of nowhere a sound of a mighty rushing wind swept through the room and through each one sitting there in that room. They saw what looked like tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Church was born.
Who is the Holy Spirit you ask? He is the third person of the Holy Trinity.
There is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.
When people come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of them. (Romans 8:9-11)
We believers must learn to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-18)
The Holy Spirit needs more of us.
Are you surrendering to His leading or are you trying to direct Him?
Lord, forgive us for quenching your Holy Spirit who dwells in us who believe.
We have leaned upon our traditions far too long. We need You Lord. Ignite a fresh fire of the Holy Spirit in me and us. I pray for a fresh faith for the entire body of Christ. Revive us Lord. Send the fresh rains of the Spirit upon Your people. To You be all the glory, honor, and praise.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
God's Amazing Grace
I enjoy listening to Southern Gospel music and I also don't mind
other styles as long there is a Christian or Biblical message in it.
I really like traditional hymns that are anchored in the timeless
truths of Scripture. My favorite hymn is Amazing Grace.
When we think about God's grace then we realize how truly amazing it is.
The word Grace means unmerited favor. We can't earn it. It is freely given to us. We must receive it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."
Before I continue talking about Grace I feel the need to explain something about you and I.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
That means you and I and everyone who has ever lived on the
planet has sinned (except Jesus of course)
Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to earth to live a perfect
sinless life. Jesus went obediently to the cross and shed His blood and died for my sins and yours and the whole world's.
We must realize that we are sinners and can't save ourselves.
We need a Savior.
We must receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior , trusting in His sacrifice on the cross to pay our sin debt.
God raised Jesus from the dead showing us He is indeed God.
Jesus is at the right hand of God, but He hasn't left us to fend for ourselves. He gives the Holy Spirit to indwell all of those who put their faith in Him for salvation.
We are not saved by works. We are not good enough to earn our way into heaven. Sitting in a Church on Sunday won't save us.
Only Jesus saves.
I am a sinner saved by His Grace.
I pray that you will trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior if you haven't already.
God Bless you.
other styles as long there is a Christian or Biblical message in it.
I really like traditional hymns that are anchored in the timeless
truths of Scripture. My favorite hymn is Amazing Grace.
When we think about God's grace then we realize how truly amazing it is.
The word Grace means unmerited favor. We can't earn it. It is freely given to us. We must receive it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."
Before I continue talking about Grace I feel the need to explain something about you and I.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
That means you and I and everyone who has ever lived on the
planet has sinned (except Jesus of course)
Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to earth to live a perfect
sinless life. Jesus went obediently to the cross and shed His blood and died for my sins and yours and the whole world's.
We must realize that we are sinners and can't save ourselves.
We need a Savior.
We must receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior , trusting in His sacrifice on the cross to pay our sin debt.
God raised Jesus from the dead showing us He is indeed God.
Jesus is at the right hand of God, but He hasn't left us to fend for ourselves. He gives the Holy Spirit to indwell all of those who put their faith in Him for salvation.
We are not saved by works. We are not good enough to earn our way into heaven. Sitting in a Church on Sunday won't save us.
Only Jesus saves.
I am a sinner saved by His Grace.
I pray that you will trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior if you haven't already.
God Bless you.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Attacking Anxiety
Have you ever worried or have been anxious about something?
Sure you have. We have all been anxious about something in our lives.
Let's face it there are plenty of things that could cause us to be anxious. We can turn on our television and watch the news. There are certainly many things on the news that could worry us if we let it. I am not saying we shouldn't be concerned about those things, we should, but worry is a different ballgame.
Worry and Anxiety takes our focus off of the Lord and feeds our fears. God is bigger and more powerful than our all of our worries and fears put together. When our focus is on our fears our view of God is small, but when our focus is on our mighty, awesome, powerful God our fears shrink.
There are many times in my life when I allowed fear to control me. Fear can be a very powerful.
I remember one time last fall I was driving down I-95 towards Oakfield. It was dark outside. I had too much coffee. I was already feeling a little jittery and nervous before I left. I was heading to hear Kelly O`Mara sing at the Oakfield Baptist Church. She is a great singer of Gospel songs and I can tell she loves the Lord Jesus.
So there I was driving along and I started to feel afraid. Out of nowhere panic started to rise up in me. I have had panic attacked before, so I knew what was happening. My mind started racing. I was alone in my vehicle and there were no cars on the road. I felt so alone and afraid. That short ride from Houlton to Oakfield felt like it was taking for ever I will tell you.
The further I went the more afraid I got. My heart started pounding and my breathing increased. I rolled down my window and I started praying.
I said, "Lord, I know You are with me. You are my God and You promised never to leave me nor forsake me." Then a verse came to my mind and it was
Philippians 4:6-7 which says,
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
After I had prayed, I saw the sign for the Oakfield Exit. I was so relieved. I was tempted just to go back home, but I went to the concert and it was great. I was ok. I was safe. I realized I had scared myself and I felt a little foolish and ashamed.
Sometimes our fears can overwhelm us if we let them. We must lift our eyes to Jesus our Lord and trust the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Christ.
God Bless you.
Sure you have. We have all been anxious about something in our lives.
Let's face it there are plenty of things that could cause us to be anxious. We can turn on our television and watch the news. There are certainly many things on the news that could worry us if we let it. I am not saying we shouldn't be concerned about those things, we should, but worry is a different ballgame.
Worry and Anxiety takes our focus off of the Lord and feeds our fears. God is bigger and more powerful than our all of our worries and fears put together. When our focus is on our fears our view of God is small, but when our focus is on our mighty, awesome, powerful God our fears shrink.
There are many times in my life when I allowed fear to control me. Fear can be a very powerful.
I remember one time last fall I was driving down I-95 towards Oakfield. It was dark outside. I had too much coffee. I was already feeling a little jittery and nervous before I left. I was heading to hear Kelly O`Mara sing at the Oakfield Baptist Church. She is a great singer of Gospel songs and I can tell she loves the Lord Jesus.
So there I was driving along and I started to feel afraid. Out of nowhere panic started to rise up in me. I have had panic attacked before, so I knew what was happening. My mind started racing. I was alone in my vehicle and there were no cars on the road. I felt so alone and afraid. That short ride from Houlton to Oakfield felt like it was taking for ever I will tell you.
The further I went the more afraid I got. My heart started pounding and my breathing increased. I rolled down my window and I started praying.
I said, "Lord, I know You are with me. You are my God and You promised never to leave me nor forsake me." Then a verse came to my mind and it was
Philippians 4:6-7 which says,
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
After I had prayed, I saw the sign for the Oakfield Exit. I was so relieved. I was tempted just to go back home, but I went to the concert and it was great. I was ok. I was safe. I realized I had scared myself and I felt a little foolish and ashamed.
Sometimes our fears can overwhelm us if we let them. We must lift our eyes to Jesus our Lord and trust the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Christ.
God Bless you.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Dealing with Temptations
Sometimes temptations sneak up on us.
We may feel like we are walking close to the Lord and then all
of a sudden a tempting thought seems to come out of nowhere.
I Corinthians 10:12 says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall."
We all get tempted throughout our lives. Being tempted is not a sin, but giving into the temptation is. Remember Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, but Jesus never gave into the temptation. Jesus never sinned.
In Matthew 4:1-11, we can read of that encounter that Jesus had with temptation. We can also see how we too can resist the temptations that came at us.
Jesus quoted Scripture to fend off Satan's attacks and we can too.
We can memorize a verse or several or even write them on an index card and keep it in our pocket. When we feel tempted we can bring that verse to mind or look at that card and repeat it in our minds to resist the temptation.
One of my favorites is found in I Corinthians 10:13 which says,
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
When temptations come and they will we can call out to the Lord for help and He will help us in our time of need.
I will encourage you to read God's Word, the Bible, everyday and trust Him to lead you by His Holy Spirit.
God Bless you all.
We may feel like we are walking close to the Lord and then all
of a sudden a tempting thought seems to come out of nowhere.
I Corinthians 10:12 says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall."
We all get tempted throughout our lives. Being tempted is not a sin, but giving into the temptation is. Remember Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, but Jesus never gave into the temptation. Jesus never sinned.
In Matthew 4:1-11, we can read of that encounter that Jesus had with temptation. We can also see how we too can resist the temptations that came at us.
Jesus quoted Scripture to fend off Satan's attacks and we can too.
We can memorize a verse or several or even write them on an index card and keep it in our pocket. When we feel tempted we can bring that verse to mind or look at that card and repeat it in our minds to resist the temptation.
One of my favorites is found in I Corinthians 10:13 which says,
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
When temptations come and they will we can call out to the Lord for help and He will help us in our time of need.
I will encourage you to read God's Word, the Bible, everyday and trust Him to lead you by His Holy Spirit.
God Bless you all.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Trusting the Lord
There are certain dates on the calendar that trigger memories.
Sometimes the memories are joyous events like a birthday party when we were
a child and our family and friends were there. We remember the gifts and that
delicious cake that our mom made special for us.
Sometimes when a certain date comes on the calendar our memories go back to a time that was not so good. The death of a loved one or a national tragedy.
Today I looked at the calendar and realized that twenty years ago this very day I graduated from the University of Maine in Orono. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems like a long long time ago.
I was only twenty years old when I got my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. I had always wanted to be a police officer since I was a boy, more specifically I wanted to be a Maine State Trooper. I like the color blue.
I did try to pursue my childhood dream, but doors closed and time went on.
Eventually the hound of heaven tracked me down, that's the Lord Jesus. He had been pursuing me for years, but I never realized it. I am thankful He found me and saved a wretched man such as I.
My interests have changed over the years. I am no longer seeking to fulfill a childhood dream. I am seeking Jesus and running the race that He has marked out for me. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
I am thankful that I can trust Him on this journey of life. He knows best and He loves each of us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths
straight.
No matter where life takes you just remember you can trust Jesus to always be with you no matter what.
Are you trusting Him?
Sometimes the memories are joyous events like a birthday party when we were
a child and our family and friends were there. We remember the gifts and that
delicious cake that our mom made special for us.
Sometimes when a certain date comes on the calendar our memories go back to a time that was not so good. The death of a loved one or a national tragedy.
Today I looked at the calendar and realized that twenty years ago this very day I graduated from the University of Maine in Orono. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems like a long long time ago.
I was only twenty years old when I got my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. I had always wanted to be a police officer since I was a boy, more specifically I wanted to be a Maine State Trooper. I like the color blue.
I did try to pursue my childhood dream, but doors closed and time went on.
Eventually the hound of heaven tracked me down, that's the Lord Jesus. He had been pursuing me for years, but I never realized it. I am thankful He found me and saved a wretched man such as I.
My interests have changed over the years. I am no longer seeking to fulfill a childhood dream. I am seeking Jesus and running the race that He has marked out for me. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
I am thankful that I can trust Him on this journey of life. He knows best and He loves each of us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths
straight.
No matter where life takes you just remember you can trust Jesus to always be with you no matter what.
Are you trusting Him?
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
The Most Important Question
Life is full of questions, isn't it? When we were children we asked our poor parents many questions.
The questions ranged from the easy to answer types to the very difficult to answer.
We would ask our parents, "Why is the sky blue?", and other questions like that.
Even as adults we still ask questions and we should.
Jesus asked a lot of questions during His time on earth. There is one question that He asked His disciples that I think is perhaps the biggest and greatest question that has been ever asked.
This question, which I will tell you shortly, is a question that every person on the planet has to answer. Our answer to this one great question has eternal consequences.
That question is found in Matthew 16:15, which says ,"But what about you? He (Jesus) asked. "Who do you say that I am?"
Jesus is asking each person this question as well, " Who do you say that I am?"
Our answer will effect the way we live life here on earth and our answer will affect where we will spend eternity when we die.
I am thankful that I can answer the question just as Simon Peter answered in Matthew 16:16 where he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
I do believe that Jesus is indeed the Christ the Son of the living God.
My prayer is that will be your answer as well.
May The Lord Jesus bless you all.
To God be the Glory.
The questions ranged from the easy to answer types to the very difficult to answer.
We would ask our parents, "Why is the sky blue?", and other questions like that.
Even as adults we still ask questions and we should.
Jesus asked a lot of questions during His time on earth. There is one question that He asked His disciples that I think is perhaps the biggest and greatest question that has been ever asked.
This question, which I will tell you shortly, is a question that every person on the planet has to answer. Our answer to this one great question has eternal consequences.
That question is found in Matthew 16:15, which says ,"But what about you? He (Jesus) asked. "Who do you say that I am?"
Jesus is asking each person this question as well, " Who do you say that I am?"
Our answer will effect the way we live life here on earth and our answer will affect where we will spend eternity when we die.
I am thankful that I can answer the question just as Simon Peter answered in Matthew 16:16 where he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
I do believe that Jesus is indeed the Christ the Son of the living God.
My prayer is that will be your answer as well.
May The Lord Jesus bless you all.
To God be the Glory.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Focused on Jesus
My name is Michael Rairdon and on May 1, 2016 I started my Pastoral Internship at the First Baptist Church in Houlton, Maine. My Pastor, Dr. Rev. Dennis Ashley, will be teaching me and showing me what being a Pastor is like throughout my year long internship.
One thing the Pastor has suggesting is that I start writing a blog and so here it is. I will warn you that I have never attempted to write a blog before and I have never really considered myself a good writer either. Sometimes the Lord wants us to get out of our comfort zones because He has work for us to do. The Lord wants us to be obedient to His call and be focused on Him.
This reminds me of Matthew 14:22-33.
The disciples of Jesus were in a small fishing boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when a storm came upon them. The wind was howling and the waves rocked their little boat. It was night time and it was dark, really dark. They were tired and afraid.
Then all of a sudden they see something approaching their boat on the open water. They were really terrified and they cried out, "It's a ghost." It wasn't a ghost it was Jesus walking upon the water toward them.
Jesus said to them, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Peter replied, "Lord, if it's you tell me to come to you on the water." So, Jesus called out Peter to Come. Peter took courage and stepped out of the boat and walked towards Jesus. Peter got out of his comfort zone and started walking upon the water where Jesus was.
When Peter saw the wind rustling the water he took his eyes off of Jesus and he began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus and he said, "Lord , save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter.
The Lord is calling we who are His followers and believers in Him for salvation to step out of our comfort zone and keep our focus on Jesus Christ. When we find ourselves sinking and sometimes we may. We know that He will catch us if we just trust in Him.
I will trust Jesus to lead me wherever that maybe. My prayer is that you will trust Him too.
To God be the glory.
One thing the Pastor has suggesting is that I start writing a blog and so here it is. I will warn you that I have never attempted to write a blog before and I have never really considered myself a good writer either. Sometimes the Lord wants us to get out of our comfort zones because He has work for us to do. The Lord wants us to be obedient to His call and be focused on Him.
This reminds me of Matthew 14:22-33.
The disciples of Jesus were in a small fishing boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when a storm came upon them. The wind was howling and the waves rocked their little boat. It was night time and it was dark, really dark. They were tired and afraid.
Then all of a sudden they see something approaching their boat on the open water. They were really terrified and they cried out, "It's a ghost." It wasn't a ghost it was Jesus walking upon the water toward them.
Jesus said to them, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Peter replied, "Lord, if it's you tell me to come to you on the water." So, Jesus called out Peter to Come. Peter took courage and stepped out of the boat and walked towards Jesus. Peter got out of his comfort zone and started walking upon the water where Jesus was.
When Peter saw the wind rustling the water he took his eyes off of Jesus and he began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus and he said, "Lord , save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter.
The Lord is calling we who are His followers and believers in Him for salvation to step out of our comfort zone and keep our focus on Jesus Christ. When we find ourselves sinking and sometimes we may. We know that He will catch us if we just trust in Him.
I will trust Jesus to lead me wherever that maybe. My prayer is that you will trust Him too.
To God be the glory.
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