The Lord Is Patient With Us

There seems to be a lot of anger around our world these days and there also seems to be a critical spirit in the air.  People complain about this and that.  They complain about the government.  They complain about the price of gas and groceries.  People complain about people complaining.

Some people become so cynical and overly critical that they drive other people away because of their attitude.  There are some people who scoff about other things.  Sometimes people scoff about the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Jesus is coming back one day to judge the world and when He returns He will rule the nations.

Some people scoff at the thought of the Lord Jesus coming back.  They say, "Where is this "coming" he promised?"  There are some who treat Jesus like a made up story from ages past, but the truth is Jesus is real and He is indeed coming back one day.

2 Peter 3:3-10

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 
                                                                                                       

4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

The Lord isn't slow in His coming back, but He is patient with each one of us.  He doesn't want people to perish, but He wants all people to come to repentance and place their faith in the finished work that Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross for our sins.  Unfortunately, there will be many people who will perish and spend eternity in hell because they refuse to repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Lord is waiting for more people to turn away from their sins and trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  One day Jesus will return to the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  His return will be a surprise like a thief who breaks into our home unexpectedly.

There have been many people who have tried to set dates and times for the Lord's coming, but we don't know just exactly when that day will be.  When people try to come up with dates and times it just makes all believers in Jesus Christ look crazy and out of touch.  The truth is that Jesus is indeed coming back sometime in the future and we must be ready for that day which will come at an unexpected moment.

People will continue to scoff and be cynical and overly critical, but we believers in Jesus Christ must cling to the promise and hope that we have in Him.  We also need to stand for the truth of His Word and the truth of who He is.  We must proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ so others will have an opportunity to repent of their sins and trust Jesus as their Savior.

Lord,

We praise Your Name.

Forgive us when we scoff and complain about things especially things that concern the coming of Jesus.

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Help us proclaim the truth of the Gospel to those around us.

Guide our steps by Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

The True Living God

It can be very easy for us to get discouraged when we look at the state of the world around us.  There have been devastating hurricanes and flooding.  There have been earthquakes and wildfires.  There are threats of war and terrorism.  There are a lot of angry people around.  There are many overly critical people that we encounter everyday.

Many people wonder, "what in the world is going on?"  These are very troubling and perilous times in which we find ourselves living.  Many people all around us are just living for today and give no thoughts about God.  Some may not even believe that God exist, but He does.

Many people have a distorted view about God.  There is only one God and He reveals Himself to us through His Creation and especially through His Holy Word, the Bible.  The Bible is the truth about who God truly is, who we are, and how we can be reconciled back to God through Jesus Christ.

There is one God and He exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.  We call this the Holy Trinity.   The Lord is the Creator of all things seen and unseen.  God is Holy and He is the Just Judge of the world.

The God of the Bible is the true living God and there is no other God besides Him.  There is only one way to come to know God and that is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  God demonstrated His love for each one of us by sending Jesus Christ on a rescue mission to save us from our sins.  For we all have sinned and have fallen short of God's glory.

God made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him by sending Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins.  The Lord Jesus rose to life on the third day and one day He will return as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  The Lord loves us and He doesn't want anyone to perish.  There is only one way into Heaven and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  We must come to Jesus by realizing that we are sinners and we need a Savior.  We must repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  We are saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ and not by our works or good deeds.

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins.  When we come to faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ our names are written in the Lambs Book of Life and we have an eternal Home waiting for us in Heaven when we pass from this world.  Those who reject Jesus Christ will spend eternity separated from God in a literal hell.   This isn't because God is cruel mind you, but because He is Holy and nothing sinful can enter God's presence.

God made a way for us to enter into God's presence only through the blood of Jesus Christ.  We must place our faith and trust in Jesus in order to enter into His Holy presence in Heaven.   God is Awesome and worthy of our praise.

There are a lot of bad things happening in our world these days and we don't know what tomorrow will bring.  It is important that we know where we will spend eternity because we will spend it either in hell separated from God or we will spend it in Heaven with the Lord.

It is up to us to receive the gift of salvation that is only available through Jesus Christ.

Lord,
I pray that someone will place their faith in Jesus Christ and receive Him as their Lord and Savior this night.  
Lord, I pray for an outpouring of Your Holy Spirit throughout the Church.
We praise Your Name.
Lead us and guide us.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Using Our Talents For The Lord

We have all seen someone with a great talent and they are so good at their talent that they make it look so easy.  Whether it is singing a wonderful song or playing a musical instrument with ease.  We look at such people with awe or maybe even a little jealousy.

What we don't realize is that such a person poured countless hours of study and practice.  Lots and lots of practice.  There are some people who have a special talent and learning does come relatively easy for them.

Sometimes we get discouraged when looking at all the talented people all around us and we wonder, "where is my talent?"  The Lord has blessed each of us with some kind of talent.  It may not seem grand on the scale of other people's talents, but it is our talent to use.  We may not be a great singer or a great piano player, but we can bring a smile to a friend in need.

We make not be able to play a guitar like Jimmy Hendrix, but we can bring a meal to an elderly person who can't leave their home because of lack of mobility.  The Lord has given each one of His followers something that we are good at and we can use whatever that talent may be to further His Kingdom and share the love of Jesus with those all around us.

The Lord will enable us and empower us to do the things He wants us to accomplish for His glory.  Sometimes we get so caught up in comparing ourselves with others that we forget that God has given us something special to do for Him by serving others in the love of Jesus Christ.

We shouldn't be comparing ourselves with others.  We shouldn't be envious about other people's talents.  We need to serve the Lord with the gifts and strengths that He has blessed us with for His glory, honor, and praise.

Whatever talent that the Lord has blessed us with whether big or small let us use it to draw others to the Lord.


Lord,

You are Holy and Just in Your Judgments.

We praise Your Name.

Help us to use our talents to bring You glory.

Help us not to compare ourselves with others.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

When Life Gets Hard

Sometimes life is hard.  Difficulties arise.  Challenges surface.  Problems creep up on us unexpectedly.  I really like it when things go smoothly and without much problems, but sometimes that is not always the case.  We live in a fallen world that has been corrupted by sin.

We live in trying and difficult times.  The Lord Jesus told us that in this world we will have troubles, but we must also remember that He also said that we should not let our hearts to be troubled because He over came the world.

In life troubles will come,  but we don't have to give into despair because of them.  We must remember where our hope lies.  Our hope isn't in some world leader.  Our hope isn't in a national symbol.  Our hope is firmly established in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He accomplished upon the Cross for each one of us.

God loves us so very much and He showed us by sending Jesus into this world to live a perfect and sinless life.  Jesus went obediently to the Cross where He died for our sins.  We have all sinned and we all need a Savior and we have One in Jesus Christ.  There is no other Savior out there.  There is only One name under Heaven in which people must be saved by and that is the name of Jesus Christ.

We are saved by grace by coming to faith in Jesus Christ.  It is through Jesus Christ that we have forgiveness of our sins and it is through Jesus Christ that we have a home in Heaven being prepared for us.

When life kicks us and knocks us around we must remember to whom we belong and trust in Him to be there for us each step on our journey.  We must come to Him by faith and continue to walk by faith in Him.

Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  Even when life gets hard and difficult Jesus will never allow us to go it alone.  We need to trust Him wherever He leads us.

Lord,
We pray Your Name.
Help us to cling to You when life gets hard.
Thank You for all that You provide us with.
Lead and guide our steps.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Jesus Christ Never Changes

                                          (Photograph by Michael Rairdon)

The leaves on the trees are changing colors as we enter the autumn season here in Northern Maine.  The trees during the summer months where I live were bright green and lovely this year.   The weather was warm and nice, but there hasn't been too much rain as of late.  Now as we enter fall we can sense the change in the air.

I am blessed to live in an area where we get to enjoy ( or complain about) each of the four seasons.  We have Spring (mud season some call it), Summer (which is way too short), Fall or Autumn, and a very long, dark, cold, snow filled Winter (which seems to last for about 7 months so it seems anyway).  We are all used to change in our world, but sometimes we just don't like it.

There is one thing that we all know all too well is that nothing stays the same for long in our world.  Things change.  The weather changes.  The seasons change.  Everything seems to change.  Sometimes change can be hard.  There are times we must change jobs and that might not be easy.  Sometimes our family changes with the loss of a loved one.

Our world is full of things that change.  I am thankful that there is One that doesn't ever change.  The Lord never changes.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.  I am glad that I know the God who never changes and I am thankful to be known by Him through Jesus Christ.

There will be challenges and trials that we each must go through.  There will be tears and sorrow.  There will be change in our lives.  Some change will bring great blessings and other changes will shake us to our core.  We must remember the One who changes not.

Our God is a Mighty God.  He is the true living God.  The Lord is the beginning and the end.  We can count on the Lord to always be there for us in those times of change.  The Lord promises never to leave us and He will never forsake us.  We can trust Him for He is faithful.

Lord, 
We thank You that You never change even when everything around us does.
We praise Your Name.
Help us to draw nearer to You.
Create in us a hunger for Your Word.
Lead us and guide us by Your Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Turning To Jesus When We Feel Weary

Sometimes we get tired and weary.  There are times we seek rest, but not just any rest will do.  We must find our rest in the Lord Jesus Christ first and foremost.  We must come to the Lord by faith and trust in His grace.  The Lord knows how weary we get at times with life.

We all face troubles and we all carry some burden in our hearts.  The Lord wants us to place our burdens upon Him because He cares for us.  The Lord is our rock and our solid foundation on which our faith is built.  The Lord loves us so very much and HE demonstrated His great love for us by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross for our sins.

No matter what comes against us in this life and no matter how weary we feel we can trust that the Lord is good and He is always with us and He will never leave us.  We don't have to walk through this life on our own because we believers in Jesus Christ have the Lord with us each step of the way no matter what challenges come our way.

I like what Psalm 62 says,

"1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. 
                                                                                                       

2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God,

12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

               

When life gets us down and we feel tired and weary we must turn to the Lord.  We can find rest in His loving presence.  He wants us to turn to Him as a child turns to their parent.  Our God won't turn us away if we are seeking Him by faith and if we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The Lord Jesus urges us to come to Him and find rest for our weary souls (Matthew 11:28-30).  God is our rock and our salvation comes from Him.  God is an awesome God and we ought to rejoice in Him for all that He has done for us.

When we feel weary and we feel life we just can't go on lets turn to the Lord and seek Him afresh.  Lets remember that all things are possible with the Lord our God and He loves us with a great everlasting love.

Lord,
We praise Your Holy Name!
Help us O Lord when we are weary and tired.
Grant us strength and revive us again.
Holy Spirit refresh our faith with fresh power.
Help us to turn to You O Lord.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Never Forgeting Our Hope In Jesus Christ

There are a lot of negative things going on in our world these days.  There is a lot of bickering and anger.  There are storms, earthquakes, wildfires, terrorism, and other things that can cause us to be anxious and afraid.  We are living in anxious times that is for sure.

With all the troubling things going on in our world these days and in our own lives it is so very easy to become negative and cynical.  There seems to be a lot of anger and unhappiness in our world.  We believers in Jesus Christ must be careful as not to be pulled into the anger and negativity of all that is going on.

We believers in Jesus Christ have hope in God.  There is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ to whom we belong if we have placed our faith and trust in Him.  God is still on the throne.  God is still sovereign.  He is still at work in our world this very day even though things may appear to be splitting at the very seams.  God is not surprised at all with everything going on in our world today and even in the things in our lives.

The Lord can use all the things that are going on to draw us to Him.  God loves us.  God loves you.  God loves me and He loves each person on the planet.  God desires that everyone come to repentance of their sins and place their faith in the finished work that Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross by dying for all of our sins.

There is still hope for our world today.  We believers in Christ must proclaim the truth of the Gospel to all of those around us.  We must do this with love and gentleness.  God wants to use us to bring others to Him and He will enable us to do just that through the work of His Holy Spirit that indwells everyone who has made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.

Lord,
We praise Your Name.
You are our hope in this world of trouble.
We cling to You for You are our Rock.
We seek shelter from the storm by running to You.
Help us O God in our times of trouble.
Help us endure hardship.
Help us to be patient.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

The Blood Of Jesus Christ

I remember reading some time ago about a person who went to their pastor and asked for permission to sing a song about the blood of Jesus Christ.  The pastor told the person no because he felt the congregation of that church were beyond that.  The person was floored and hopefully found a different church.  The pastor's reaction troubles me deeply and unfortunately there are probably many people in our day that have the same opinion as him.

I for one am thankful for the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  It is through the precious shed blood of Jesus Christ that we obtain forgiveness of our sins.  Without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ there is no forgiveness of sins.  We believers in Jesus Christ must never forget the awesome sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the Cross and we should remember that He shed His blood on the Cross for each one of us.  There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood and not just any blood will do.  The sacrifice had to be perfect and without blemish.  Jesus Christ is the only One qualified for that role.

We have all sinned and we have all fallen short of God's standards.  If we just look at the ten commandments by themselves we have broken them all either in thought or deed.  The blood of sheep and goats can not cleanse our consciences.  Those sacrifices from the Old Testament can't make us right with God.  God made a way for us to obtain forgiveness of our sins by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cruel old rugged Cross.  Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and shed His blood on the Cross for you and me and for the entire world.

Hebrews 9:11-28 says,

"11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,^a he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 
                                                                                                       

12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining^b eternal redemption.

13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.

14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,^c so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16 In the case of a will,^d it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,

17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.

20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^e

21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.

26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. "

The Church has not come to the point where we should stop talking about the blood of Jesus Christ.  The Church needs to proclaim the shed blood Christ to those in our communities and through out the world.  We shouldn't stop there.  We need to proclaim the full Gospel message to everyone.  Jesus died for our sins and He rose from the dead showing us that He is indeed God.  One Day Jesus will return to the earth as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

There needs to be a call of repentance in my country and in every country around the world and hearts need to be turned to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our world is dying and there are people all over that need to hear that there is hope in Jesus Christ.  We believers in Jesus Christ must stand firm upon the truth of God's Word and proclaim the Gospel message  to those all around us who are desperate to hear it.

We must be careful not to water down the truth about God or claim that we have moved beyond what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.  May we cling to the hope that we have in Jesus Christ and continue to grow in Him by submitting to the lead of the Holy Spirit and continuing to be doers of His Word.

Lord,  Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word.

Thank You Jesus for Your precious blood.

There is still wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb and I am thankful for that.

Help us to reach out to others with the Gospel.

May our approach be done in love and through the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

                           

The Word Of God

The Holy Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God.  The Bible is the inspired Word of God.  His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).  We can learn about the Lord from His Word and we can learn a lot about us as well as people.

In God's Word we learn that God is Holy and that there is only One True Living God.  We learn that God is Holy and nothing sinful can enter into His presence.  We learn that people have sinned and all have fallen short of God's glory.  We also learn in the Bible that God made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him through Jesus Christ.  God sent Jesus on a rescue mission to earth to save those who are lost.  Jesus shed His blood on the Cross for our sins, past, present, and future.

The Lord reveals to us in His Word how each of us can have a relationship with Him by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and trust in His finished work on the Cross for our sins.  Reading God's Word is important and it is vital for our Spiritual growth as Christians.  We can not live by bread alone.  We also need God's Word in our lives.

Hebrews 4:12-13 says,

"12 For ¹the word of God is living and ²active, ³sharper than any ⁴two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and ⁵discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 
                                                                                                       

13 And ⁶no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are ⁷naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

 God's Word is true and wonderful.  The Holy Spirit inspired certain men to write down the books that are now our Bible.  When we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us and we are better able to understand God's Word.   Unbelievers don't have the Holy Spirit so they can't understand God's Holy Word.  

I don't always understand things in God's Word, but I firmly believe that it is the Word of God and I know it is the truth.  God doesn't lie.  God is Holy and without sin.  His Ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.  God allows us to come boldly to His throne of grace and find the mercy that each of us needs.  He has given us His Holy Word so that we can grow in our relationship with Him and we enter into that relationship by placing our faith in His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. 

Let's continue to read God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal what God is saying to us.  The Lord speaks to us through His Word.  Let's draw nearer to the Lord by reading and studying the Bible more and being doers of His Word and not just hearers of it.

(Here is a link to the sermon that my Pastor, Dennis Ashley, spoke this morning at the First Baptist Church in Houlton, Maine:

https://soundcloud.com/dcashley/this-i-believe-part-1-the-bible?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook   )

Lord, Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the Bible for it is Your Holy Word.

We praise You!

You are Holy and Just in Your Judgments.

Create in us a hunger for Your Word.

Help us to understand what You are saying to us through Your Word by the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

                

Fixing Our Thoughts On Jesus

People fix their thoughts on many things in this world.  Some put their thoughts on sports.  There are many who think about how to make more money.  Some people fix their thoughts on exercising and eating better.  None of these things are wrong in and of themselves, but sometimes people can be so focused on these things and other things that their entire existence seems to revolve around them.

We believers in Jesus Christ should live in a way that draws people to the Lord and not away from Him.  There is nothing wrong with liking sports or doing well in a career or exercising and eating better.  The question we must ask ourselves is, "what is the main thing that my thoughts are fixed on?"

Are our thoughts fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ? or Are our thoughts fixed on worldly things that have no real bearing on eternity?  Sometimes it is so very easy to get distracted from what the Lord would have us to do.  When our thoughts are focused and fixed on Jesus we will live in a way that pleases Him if we continue to walk in the Spirit and submit to His direction for our lives.

Hebrews 3:1-6

1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 
                                                                                                       

2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.

3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.

4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future.

6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.                    

The Lord is our God and Creator.  He is the Maker of all things seen and unseen.  The Lord is the true living God and there is no other God but Him.  God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to save us sinners by dying on the Cross.  Jesus shed His blood on the Cross and took the punishment that we so rightly deserved because we have all sinned and we have all fallen short of His standards.

God made a way for us to be reconciled back to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ.  We must repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior to be saved.  We come to Jesus by faith and trust in His grace.  What an Awesome God and Savior we have!

The Lord gives the Holy Spirit to everyone who places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  We believers might feel alone sometimes, but we are truly never alone because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.  God promises never to leave us and He also promises that He will never forsake us either.

We must fix our thoughts on the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in the Spirit as we run our race here in this world.  We are to be light and salt in this increasingly dark world.  Times are tough and things we get worse.  People need to hear the live changing message of Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

Lord,

Help us to fix our thoughts on You.
Sometimes we get distracted by things of this world.
Help us not to be distracted and help us to shine Your light in this world.
Empowers us to live by the Spirit and Your Word.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Walking In The Light

There are times when the storms of life come against us and we feel helpless.  We feel battered and tossed back and forth by stormy seas.  Sometimes the trials and challenges that come against us can make us feel weary and tired.  There will be times when we stumble in our walk with the Lord.  Sometimes the storms of doubt or fear assail us.

There are times when sin over takes us and we give into a temptation.  We feel confused and ashamed.  We don't know which way to turn or where to go for relief.  Thankfully, there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  The Lord is always ready from us to turn to Him with whatever is going on in our lives.  Whether we are going through a severe trial or whether we have drifted off the path into sin God is always there to get us back up on our feet.

When we sin we must confess our sin to Him and we need to be honest with Him with whatever the sin is.  He already knows what our weaknesses are and He knows our very hearts, but He wants us to come to Him honestly and humbly.  The Lord is always willing to offer us forgiveness if we come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ finished work on the Cross.


I John 1:5-10

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 
                                                                                                       

6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

We have all sinned and we have all fallen short of God's standards.  God sent Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins and who ever places their faith and trust in what Jesus did for them will be saved.  We believers in Christ will sin even after we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  We shouldn't be seeking ways to sin, but there will be times when we walk right into the middle of it.  

When we do we must recognize our wrong and repent of it immediately then go to the Lord in prayer and confess to the Lord.  The Holy Spirit will help us live in obedience to the Lord, but we must submit to His direction by walking in the Spirit and giving no room for the flesh.

  

Lord,

Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus to rescue us from our sins.

Help us to walk in the Spirit each and everyday.

Help us to confess any known sin to You and help us to repent of it.

Lead us and guide us.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

Being Ready For The Return Of Jesus Christ

There are many bad things going on in our world these days.  There have been severe flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other tragic events unfolding before our very eyes.  Many people are concerned as to what is going on.  There seems to be a lot of turmoil all around us.

When we look at the news on the television or wherever we get our news these days we wonder and worry about what could happen next.  We wonder if we are safe where we live.  Sometimes it seems all to easy to be anxious these days about everything.  There is great fear in people's hearts and minds with everything going on in our world and in our country these days.

The Lord Jesus told His disciples and us that just before His return things would be very bad and the bad things would get increasingly worse until the day He returns.  That is one thing many people just don't seem to talk about anymore.  I am speaking about the  Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  When someone does talk about it people look at them like they are insane and some people don't like to be looked at like they are crazy.

Thankfully, I am used to be people looking at me like that so it doesn't bother me as much as it used too.  Sure it bothers me some, but I know the truth that Jesus Christ is indeed coming back.  I don't know when that will be.  It could be soon.  It could be a ways off.  What I do know is that it is vitally important that each of us is ready for that day.

We will all have to stand before Him and give an account of the lives that we lived.  There is not one of us good enough to get in Heaven on our own.  We have all sinned and have fallen short of God's standards.  The wages of sin is death.  We are all deserving to be cast into a literal hell for all eternity.

God made a way when there seemed to be no way for us.  God out of His great love for you and me sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to live a perfect and sinless life.  Jesus died on the Cross for my sins, your sins, and for the sins of the whole world.  How awesome is that.  Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the Cross.  Jesus paid our sin debt to win us back to God.

God wants to have a personal relationship with us and that is only available through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only Way to the Father.  There is no other name under Heaven in which we must be saved by and that is the name of Jesus Christ.

Who ever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  God raised Jesus to life on the third day and He is at the right hand of God in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to the earth to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in full completion.  This is not something that some crazy person has made up, but this is the absolute truth, Jesus Christ coming back.

The main question that we must ask ourselves is this.  Are we ready for the return of Jesus Christ?

If you aren't ready or you aren't sure.  This is your chance to get ready.  Go to the Lord in prayer and confess that you are a sinner and can't save yourself.  Then receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.  Trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ and His shedding of His blood for your sins in the Cross.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  He didn't leave us as orphans, but He gives us the Holy Spirit to indwell us when we come to Him by faith.

Be Ready!

Lord,  Heavenly Father,
I pray that the people I come in contact everyday would be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
There are many that aren't ready.  I pray that some how that You would us me or another believer to make sure they are ready.
I pray for the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my community and throughout this world.
I pray for a Holy Spirit fired revival to flow into the heart of every born again believer and I pray for a Spiritual Awakening to sweep across the world like never before.
Start the fire in me O Lord for Your glory.
Come Soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Reaching Out To The Lord In Our Troubles

There are times in our lives when trouble shows up and it doesn't want to leave.  We all experience trouble now and then.  We look around our world today and we can see for ourselves that there is a whole lot of trouble going on.  There is a lot of anger and rage.  There are a lot of disasters going on as well with the weather and other things.  There have been fires in the western part of the U.S. and there have been storms that have hit the southern part of the U.S.  There has been an earthquake in Mexico.  There is a threat of terrorism all around our world.  There is a lot of unrest going on around our world.  There is something going on in our world today that just seems not right.

Many people are wondering if God is trying to get people to wake up and come to Him for help.  Sometimes we people can be so very stubborn.  Many people feel as though they can handle things on their own and they don't need God.  That is very wrong thinking because we all need God whether we want to admit or not.  I need God each and everyday of my life and I am thankful that He is in my life.

Perhaps the Lord is using all the troubles that the world is experiencing to draw people to the truth of who He is and the way we can get to know Him.  God is the Creator of all things seen and unseen.  He is the one that we are all accountable to whether we like it or not.  There will come a day when we will all have to stand before God in judgment and account for the way we lived our lives.

Some people try to live a good life so they will please God, but I tell you that won't work for any of us because we have all sinned.  We have all fallen short of the glory of God.  That means there is not one of us that is righteous on our own.  There is none of us that does good.  We have all failed to live up to the high standards that God has for us, but there is good news.

God demonstrated His awesome love toward you and me and toward the whole world by doing something fantastic.  God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to live a perfect and sinless life.  He could do this because He was fully God and fully man.  Jesus kept the law and the commandments that God has established.  He is the only one that has ever done this and He did it because He is God.

Jesus went and laid down His life by dying on the Cross.  The Lord Jesus shed His blood on the Cross for my sins, your sins, and the sins of the whole world.  Jesus bore the punishment that you and I so rightly deserve.  We can't earn our salvation.  We can't earn our way into Heaven.  God made a way when there seemed to be no way for us.  Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and rose to life the third day to show us that He is indeed God.

When we confess our sins to Him and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are saved.  That means we receive His forgiveness by accepting His sacrifice on the Cross for our sins.  We must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith.  We are saved by faith by trusting in God's grace.

The Lord Jesus rose to life the third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day He will return to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in full completion.  The Lord Jesus didn't leave us to fend for ourselves down here while we wait for His return.  When we place our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell within us.

The Lord Jesus told us that in this world of ours that we would have troubles, but He also told us to take heart because He has overcome the world.  There will be troubling things that will occur in our lives and in the live of people all around the world, but we must remember that there is hope in Jesus Christ for everyone who places their faith and trust in Him.

God wants all people to come to Him and we all can.  God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us and that is only available through Jesus Christ.   Some people will scoff and many won't come to the Lord and that makes me sad.  I pray that their hearts and minds will be changed and they too will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

God is truly awesome and He does amazing things all the time.  All things are possible with God.  He invites each one of us into a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  When troubles come and we know they will we have a friend that stick closer than a brother.  The Lord will stick with us each step of the way if we are trusting in Him.  He will never leave us and He will never forsake us.  Even if we find our selves in a terrifying storm we can know that God will be there.

(Read 2 Chronicles 20)

http://www.biblestudytools.com/2-chronicles/20.html

I remember reading about Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20.  He had a lot of trouble coming his way in the form of several armies were coming to attack him and his nation.  Jehoshaphat did something that many people nowadays would think was crazy.  He called for the whole country to turn to the Lord in prayer.  He then sought the Lord in prayer himself while he was in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord.  What an awesome thing when a ruler of a country turns to the Lord for help and asks the people to do the same.

When we are in trouble we need to turn to the only one that can possibly help and that is the Lord.  He is the only true living God.  He is the Maker of all things.  His ways are greater than our ways.  His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  The Lord delivered Jehoshaphat out of his troubles by His power so that He would get all the glory and praise.  We ought to praise the Lord for His help in our troubling times.  We ought to lift up the name of Jesus when trouble comes knocking on our doors.

Let us, "Give thanks to the Lord,
for His love endures forever."

We can trust the Lord with our troubles.  We can trust Him to walk us through any troubling time.  We need to trust Him no matter how grim and bleak things may look on the surface.  We can rest in the arms of Jesus as the storm rages on around us.

Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Thank You for always being with us even in our troubles.
Help us to lean onto Your everlasting arms.
Lead us and guide us safely each and everyday.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Forgiving Others As Jesus Forgives Us

There seems to be a lot of things going on in our world today and many of those things are not good things.  There is a lot of anger and bitterness.  There also seems to be a lot of unforgiveness.  We have all been hurt in the past, but it seems like sometimes we find it hard to let go of those past hurts.

Some people have held onto hurts from the past for decades and they have allowed bitterness to take root in their hearts.  They have held onto these hurts for so long that they have become bitter, angry, and cynical.  If the person is a Christian then their witness is completely tarnished because no one is going to listen to someone who is angry and bitter.

We are called to love the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.  We are also to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  It is impossible for us to love the Lord with our entire being or even love others if we have this horrible bitterness within our hearts.

We must learn to forgive those people in our past who have hurt us.  That doesn't mean that we agree with what they did or that we will trust them again.  When we forgive someone for hurting us we are releasing them into God's hands for Him to deal with as He wills.

God is better at handling people then we are.  We shouldn't be hoping for a lightening strike either, but we should hope that some how the Lord would show them mercy and that they would come into a relationship with Jesus Christ and be saved.

We have all sinned and we have all fallen far short of God's high standards.  There is not one of us that is righteous in our own standing.  We all need a Savior and thankfully there is one and His name is Jesus.  God demonstrated His great love toward us by sending Jesus Christ into this world to live a perfect and sinless life.  The Lord Jesus died on the Cross for our sins.  Who ever repents of their sins and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be saved.

Since Jesus went to such great lengths to save us and forgive us.  Shouldn't we forgive those who have wronged us.

Lord,
Sometimes we get hurt by others.
Help us to forgive them as You forgive us through Jesus Christ.
We praise Your Name.
Come Soon Lord Jesus.
I uplift the people in the state of Florida who are in the path of a major storm.
We pray that Your hand of protection would be on each one.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

Living To Please God

We believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are to live in such a way that pleases the Lord and brings Him honor and glory.  We can't do this in our own power, but we can through the Holy Spirit who indwells everyone who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We must walk in the Spirit and not obey the lust of our flesh.  We are all very weak in our fleshly nature and we are very easily led astray if we are not careful.  That is why we must meditate on the Word and stay close to the Lord in thought and in deed.  We must no longer conform to this world, but we must be renewed in our minds by reading God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us to make wise choices that honor the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:1-8

1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 
                                                                                                       

2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

4 that each of you should learn to control your own body  in a way that is holy and honorable,

5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 

We believers in Jesus Christ are in this world, but we are not to be of this world.  That means we followers of Jesus Christ shouldn't be living as the world does.  Unfortunately nowadays it seems hard for people to tell the difference between a Christian and a worldly person that doesn't know the Lord.  That bothers me.  It also makes me think about my walk with the Lord and if I am walking in a way that draws people towards Jesus or away from Him.

We must live for the Lord and do what pleases Him.  We can do that by walking by faith in Him and obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to live for the Lord in a way that honors Him and lifts Him up in praise and worship.

None of us are perfect.  We can't live a life honing to the Lord on our own.  We need the Holy Spirit to lead us and teach us through the Word, the Bible.  We need to listen and submit to the lead of the Holy Spirit each and every moment of everyday.  

Lord,

We praise Your Name.

Forgive us for not living to please You at times.

Help us to live for You by listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

                                                                             

Submitting To The Lord's Pruning

Tonight I was thinking about how a trained gardener prunes plants.  To the untrained eye it would look as though the gardener was hurting the plant, but it reality the gardener is actually helping the plant by cutting off dying branches so in the long run it will produce better growth and healthier fruit.

I am reminded that as Christians we are like branches that are connected to a vine which is Christ Himself.  I am reminded of what Jesus says in John 15:1-8 which says,

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
                                                                                                       

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^aso that it will be even more fruitful.

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.           

Sometimes the Lord has to prune things out of our lives in order for us to serve Him better.  We can be assured that He is not trying to hurt us by the pruning that takes place even though it may seem unfair and even painful, but in the end that pruning will allow the Lord to produce more fruit in and through our lives for His glory, honor, and praise.

The Lord Loves us with an everlasting love and His desire is for us to grow Spiritually to be more like Jesus each and everyday.  In our own power and work that is impossible, but the Lord will change us through His Holy Spirit if we allow Him.  We must submit to the Lord's will and to His way.  

Sometimes in the local assembly of believers leaders have to make hard choices and sometimes they are called to do some pruning of their own in a way that honors the Lord.  That is not an easy task, but when done it must be done in love and with a humble heart before the Lord.  

We must remember that the Lord Jesus loves us and He wants the very best for us.  He desires us to love Him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls and He wants us to love others as we love ourselves.  He also wants us to bear much fruit for the Lord's glory and we do that by submitting ourselves to His will.

Lord,

I don't like being pruned, but I know it is for the best and for Your glory.

Help me to humble myself before you and submit to Your will no matter what it is.

Produce fruit in and through my life for Your glory.

I praise Your Name and I know You know what is best.

May Your will be done.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen.

             

Letting The Peace Of Christ Rule In Our Hearts

Our world is a dark and troubling place.  There is much brokenness.  There is much hatred and anger.  Peace in this world seems to be far away at times with everything going on all around us.  There have been storms, flooding, fires, threats of war, and many other things going on in our world these days, but definitely nothing peaceful that is for sure.

For the believer in Jesus Christ we can have true peace within our very hearts by knowing Him.  Jesus gives us a peace that goes beyond human understanding.  The situations that we find ourselves in may in fact be extremely far away from being even remotely peaceful, but if we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He will give us a peace within our hearts even though a storm rages all around us.

We can rejoice in the Lord for who He is.  He is the calmer of our storms.  Jesus will give us a peace that guards our hearts and our minds when we trust Him.  Sometimes it seems difficult to keep our focus on the Lord when our lives are falling apart, but we must remember that the Lord loves us and He promises us that He will never leave us and He will never forsake us.

God is for us.  He is not against us if we are His.  When we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we become children of God.  We come to Jesus by faith and we are to trust in His grace.   We are to allow His peace to flow into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  We can't muster up peace in ourselves on our own, but God will produce peace in our hearts through His Spirit who indwells everyone who is a believer in Jesus Christ.

I like what the Apostle Paul says in Colossians 3:15-17,

"15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 
                                                                                                       

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."           

Life is difficult.  Yes, we will all face very trying times, but when we know Christ as Savior we can know that we won't be going through our hard time alone.  We must allow that Lord to comfort us and allow Him to grant us His peace in our hearts through His Holy Spirit.  Tough times will come to all of us eventually, but we can rest easy knowing that the Lord Jesus is always by our side each step of the way no matter where we find ourselves in life's long journey.

Let us be thankful for who the Lord is and all that He has done for us and all that He is doing for us.  God is still at work in our lives and in the lives of those all around us.  We must continue to pray for those we come into contact with each and everyday.  We need to pray that the Lord would use us to draw them to Himself.

May we allow the peace of Christ rule in our hearts as we see the world falling deeper into sin and despair.  We must cling to the truth of who Jesus Christ is and remain true to His Holy Word.  

Lord,

We praise Your Name.

Help us to sense Your peace in our lives.

Empower us with a fresh faith as we cling to You O Lord in our time of difficulty.

Holy Spirit grant us the peace of Christ in our hearts.

Lead us and guide us.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

              

Trusting Jesus With Our Mountains

There are times in life when we need courage.  Sometimes we face extreme challenges and our faith in the Lord is tested to the max.  We must remember that God is always with us each step of the way.  He will never leave us and He will never forsake us.  We can rest assured at His constant presence in our lives when we come to Him in faith.  We may not always feel His closeness.  Sometimes He may seem so very far away.

There are times when there seems to be huge mountains in our way, but we must remember that our God is bigger than any mountain or obstacle that is in our way.  He is a mountain mover.  Sometimes He does remove the mountain, but most often He will lead us up it as we hold on to Him tightly.  When He leaves the mountain He will always teach us things as He walks us up it's steep incline.  He will teach us patience and deepen our trust in Him.

God is an awesome loving God.  He is always true to His Holy Word.  We all face challenges and hard times, but we never go through these things alone because the Lord will always be by our side each step of the way.

Joshua 1:9 says,

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your  God will be with you wherever you go."

We must place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in order to be saved and we must continue to walk by faith in Him and not by sight.  Sometime the road is bumpy and scary.  Sometimes the mountain seems so steep and with no end in sight, but our God is an Awesome God and we can take courage that He will see us through the challenges that we face.   The Lord will always be by our side.  We just need to trust Him.

Lord, 

Sometimes our faith seems small, but we thank You for being a big God and there is no problem that is too big for You to handle.

Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.