I had the opportunity to see the movie, "I can only imagine", at the local movie theater where I live. The young group from my church was going and I was asked if I would like to go and I said yes. I am glad I went and saw this movie. It was a very touching story of forgiveness and redemption.
Sometimes it can seem extremely hard to forgive those who have hurt us really badly either physically or emotionally. It is hard to forgive those who have hurt someone we love. We may want to forgive them, but we just feel like we can't for one reason or another. We may feel like if we forgive them that we be acting like what they did was no big deal.
When we do forgive someone we aren't not saying what they did wasn't wrong, but when we forgive someone we are releasing them into God's care and allow Him to deal with them. That doesn't mean we should hope that the Lord, "smokes them", or sends a lightening bolt to fry them as tempting as that may be depending on the situation that we are dealing with.
When we don't forgive someone we may grow bitter and angry. We end up hurting ourselves when we refuse to forgive someone that has hurt us. Forgiving is not easy. God could have very easily decided that mankind was just not worth saving and He could have destroyed us all.
Thankfully, God is rich in mercy and He loves us. The Lord is crazy about us. He doesn't desire that anyone perish and be sent to a literal hell. We have all sinned and we are all deserving of being sent to hell forever and separated from God who is Holy.
God made a way for us to be reconciled back to Himself by sending Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for our sins. Jesus shed His blood for you and me and for the whole world. God raised Jesus to life on the third day. We must repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in order to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith. We are not saved by works, but it is the gift of God that we must receive ourselves.
Everyone that has trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them. The Holy Spirit will help us to live for the Lord each and everyday.
We all need forgiveness of our sins and that is only possible through Jesus Christ. Let's forgive those who have hurt us as Christ has forgive us.
Lord,
Thank You for forgiving us of our sins through Jesus sacrifice in the Cross.
We praise Your Name.
Help us to forgive those who have hurt us.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Friday, March 30, 2018
Holy Week Reflections
Throughout this week we believers in Jesus Christ have been reflecting on all of the events that occurred during what we call Holy Week. This past Sunday we remembered when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people praised Him and waved palm branches. This reminds me of how important it is to express our love for the Lord by lifting up our voices in praise to Him. After all the Lord is worthy of all of our praise and our worship.
Then last night we remembered the time when Jesus sat down with His disciples to eat the Passover meal. During that time Jesus took the bread and blessed it. He told them to eat the bread and we know that the bread represents His body that was broken for us on the Cross. He took the cup and told them to drink of it for the cup represents the blood of Christ that was shed for the sins of the whole world.
Today is Good Friday. This is the day when we remember how the tone of the crowds had changed from Palm Sunday. People were shouting," Hosanna" on Sunday, but by Friday the crowd was shouting, "Crucify!". We remember all of the events that occurred during Holy Week and we remember all that Jesus endured for you and I.
Jesus was betrayed, mocked, beaten, mistreated, and crucified. Jesus was fully Man and fully God. He went obediently to the Cross where He laid down His life for you and I. We have all sinned and we have all missed the mark. We can't earn our forgiveness by good works. We must receive the Grace that Jesus provides. Jesus took the punishment that we should have received, but God showed us mercy and amazing grace by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cruel Cross in our place.
When we remember the events leading up to and including Good Friday we must pause and remember that Sunday would come. Jesus was raised from the dead. He was resurrected. Praise the Lord! Christ Arose!
He is alive and He is at the right hand of the Father. One Day Jesus will return to the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
May we remember all that Jesus has done for us and then let's go to a world that is hurting and dying and tell them what Christ has done for them.
Lord,
Thank You for all that You have done and will do for us.
We praise Your Name.
Thank You Jesus for dying on the Cross for our sins.
Thank You that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Then last night we remembered the time when Jesus sat down with His disciples to eat the Passover meal. During that time Jesus took the bread and blessed it. He told them to eat the bread and we know that the bread represents His body that was broken for us on the Cross. He took the cup and told them to drink of it for the cup represents the blood of Christ that was shed for the sins of the whole world.
Today is Good Friday. This is the day when we remember how the tone of the crowds had changed from Palm Sunday. People were shouting," Hosanna" on Sunday, but by Friday the crowd was shouting, "Crucify!". We remember all of the events that occurred during Holy Week and we remember all that Jesus endured for you and I.
Jesus was betrayed, mocked, beaten, mistreated, and crucified. Jesus was fully Man and fully God. He went obediently to the Cross where He laid down His life for you and I. We have all sinned and we have all missed the mark. We can't earn our forgiveness by good works. We must receive the Grace that Jesus provides. Jesus took the punishment that we should have received, but God showed us mercy and amazing grace by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cruel Cross in our place.
When we remember the events leading up to and including Good Friday we must pause and remember that Sunday would come. Jesus was raised from the dead. He was resurrected. Praise the Lord! Christ Arose!
He is alive and He is at the right hand of the Father. One Day Jesus will return to the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
May we remember all that Jesus has done for us and then let's go to a world that is hurting and dying and tell them what Christ has done for them.
Lord,
Thank You for all that You have done and will do for us.
We praise Your Name.
Thank You Jesus for dying on the Cross for our sins.
Thank You that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Walking With Jesus When Life Gets Hard
Sometimes the seasons of life can be hard. We may feel tired and weary. We may feel beaten down and discouraged. Sometimes the struggles in life can make us feel lonely and we wonder if things will ever get better. We all have troubles and struggles in life. We all go through things and some of those things are really hard and challenging.
The Lord Jesus told us that in this world that we would indeed have trouble, but He also said that we should take heart because He has overcome the world. Troubles will come to us as we all know, but we don't have to encounter those troubling times on our own. We believers in Jesus Christ have His promise that He will be with us through our troubles. We believers in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and He will lead us and guide us no matter what difficulties we face.
I recently read about someone who was facing a hard season in life and I would have to agree with her that I too am finding this season of my life hard and even lonely, but I am thankful that I have the same hope that she has. I have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
I am thankful for all the Lord has done for me and all that He will do in the future. The journey that we are on may get tough and troubling, but I am thankful that God isn't finished with me yet. God has a purpose and plan for our lives. We may not always see or know what exactly the Lord is doing in our lives, but we know that He is working out all things for our good in accordance to His purpose and His will.
We need to learn to praise the Lord in the storms of life and also in the smooth joyous times of life as well. Times are hard, but God is still good and we can trust Him. Sometimes trusting can be difficult. Sometimes things just don't make sense to us. We must realize that God knows exactly what He is doing and He knows what needs to take place in our lives to prepare us for the next step that He has planned for us to take.
We must continue to walk by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him more. I am weak and fail a lot at things. I know that God is strong and all things are possible with Him. I am thankful that I don't have to walk this journey alone because I know that the Lord is with me each step of the way and also their are fellow Christians all over praying for me and I praying for them as well.
We don't always know what lies around the next corner. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I am thankful I know the One who holds my tomorrow.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
You are Holy.
We ask that You help us keep our focus on You during the hard times of life.
We are frail and weak, but You are strong.
Lead us and may Your will be done in our lives.
I uplift all of those who are facing hard times and feel lonely.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
The Lord Jesus told us that in this world that we would indeed have trouble, but He also said that we should take heart because He has overcome the world. Troubles will come to us as we all know, but we don't have to encounter those troubling times on our own. We believers in Jesus Christ have His promise that He will be with us through our troubles. We believers in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and He will lead us and guide us no matter what difficulties we face.
I recently read about someone who was facing a hard season in life and I would have to agree with her that I too am finding this season of my life hard and even lonely, but I am thankful that I have the same hope that she has. I have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
I am thankful for all the Lord has done for me and all that He will do in the future. The journey that we are on may get tough and troubling, but I am thankful that God isn't finished with me yet. God has a purpose and plan for our lives. We may not always see or know what exactly the Lord is doing in our lives, but we know that He is working out all things for our good in accordance to His purpose and His will.
We need to learn to praise the Lord in the storms of life and also in the smooth joyous times of life as well. Times are hard, but God is still good and we can trust Him. Sometimes trusting can be difficult. Sometimes things just don't make sense to us. We must realize that God knows exactly what He is doing and He knows what needs to take place in our lives to prepare us for the next step that He has planned for us to take.
We must continue to walk by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him more. I am weak and fail a lot at things. I know that God is strong and all things are possible with Him. I am thankful that I don't have to walk this journey alone because I know that the Lord is with me each step of the way and also their are fellow Christians all over praying for me and I praying for them as well.
We don't always know what lies around the next corner. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I am thankful I know the One who holds my tomorrow.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
You are Holy.
We ask that You help us keep our focus on You during the hard times of life.
We are frail and weak, but You are strong.
Lead us and may Your will be done in our lives.
I uplift all of those who are facing hard times and feel lonely.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Thanking God For Sunny Days
The sun was shining today and the skies were clear. It was still rather cold with the wind blowing over the still deep snow pack. There are signs of spring starting to show here in Northern Maine. The winter has seemed very long, cold, and dark, but now hints of warmer days are approaching.
Sometimes the moments and trials of life can seem rather long and leave us feeling drained emotionally and spiritually. We may not understand why we are going through a particular trial or even why, but just as we know that warmer weather will return to Northern Maine we can also know that God will be with us each step of the way in our journey of life.
We just need to trust Him and we need to have a proper relationship with Him through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The day's ahead may seem tough and they will be for many of us in one way or another, but we must remember how Mighty and Awesome and all Powerful our God is.
God is the Creator of all things. He is our Maker and He loves us more than we can fathom. Seeing the sun shining in the sky today reminds me that the Son, Jesus Christ, shines on us daily and in us through the Holy Spirit. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
We must keep our focus on the Lord even when dark and gloomy days come upon us. God is still God and He hasn't changed. He is still in control. The Lord will provide for us and He will sustain us through our trials.
Lord,
Thank You for sunshine and Your love that shines upon us as well.
We praise You and we love You Lord.
Lead us and guide us.
May Your will be done in our lives.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Sometimes the moments and trials of life can seem rather long and leave us feeling drained emotionally and spiritually. We may not understand why we are going through a particular trial or even why, but just as we know that warmer weather will return to Northern Maine we can also know that God will be with us each step of the way in our journey of life.
We just need to trust Him and we need to have a proper relationship with Him through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The day's ahead may seem tough and they will be for many of us in one way or another, but we must remember how Mighty and Awesome and all Powerful our God is.
God is the Creator of all things. He is our Maker and He loves us more than we can fathom. Seeing the sun shining in the sky today reminds me that the Son, Jesus Christ, shines on us daily and in us through the Holy Spirit. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
We must keep our focus on the Lord even when dark and gloomy days come upon us. God is still God and He hasn't changed. He is still in control. The Lord will provide for us and He will sustain us through our trials.
Lord,
Thank You for sunshine and Your love that shines upon us as well.
We praise You and we love You Lord.
Lead us and guide us.
May Your will be done in our lives.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Siding With The Lord
There is a lot of anger in our world these days. It would seem that the loudest voices in our world today are those who have an agenda to drive out God from society itself. Sometimes there seems to be a mob mentality in our world. People want to be heard for one reason or another and they hop on a bandwagon of sorts so they can be heard. There is absolutely nothing wrong at all in speaking up for something and voicing our concerns, however we need to make sure that our arguments are reasonable and logical.
We must make sure that we are not just going with the crowd without completely understanding what the crowd is standing for. Sometimes what seems right in one's own eyes is not right at all in the eyes of God. We are living in a day and an age where people are doing what is right in their own eyes and have no concern about what God thinks.
One day we will all stand before the true living God at the end of our lives and we will all have to give an account of the way we lived our lives here on the earth. Whether you believe that their is a God or not doesn't matter. We will all appear before Him for it has been appointed for people to die once then face judgment.
We have all sinned and fallen far short of God's high standards. We have all missed the mark. We are all off target when it comes to being right with God on our own. We are all law breakers. We have broken God's law. We are all deserving of being eternally separated from God and placed into a literal hell. There is not one of us that is good enough in our own to earn our salvation and entrance into Heaven.
Thankfully, God made a way for you and I to obtain the salvation for our souls by sending Jesus Christ into this world to save sinners like you and I. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life and He went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood for our sins past, present, and future. We must come to Jesus by faith and trust in His grace in order to be saved. We must remember that God raised Jesus to life on the third day and He is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to this earth and He will bring the Kingdom of God to full completion.
We believers in Jesus Christ must persevere in our journey here on the earth as we wait for His return to the earth. There will be difficult times ahead for we believers in Christ Jesus. There is a growing movement in our world that is anti-God and at it's very core is an evil agenda straight from the devil himself. The agenda may seem very innocent on the outside and even helpful, but I tell you the truth it is far from innocent. It is actually pure evil and full of wicked intent.
We believers in Jesus Christ must stand firm upon God's Word and the truth of who the Lord is. God will not be mocked. We must continue to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that everyone will have a chance to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation before it will be too late.
We need to make sure that we are on God's side and not fighting against Him. We must read the Bible and have discernment which comes from the Holy Spirit. May we be reasonable and follow God and not the crowd.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to discern right from wrong.
Help us to understand what it is You would have us to do.
Lead us and guide us into all truth through the Holy Spirit.
Give us the courage to proclaim the Gospel to those around us.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
We must make sure that we are not just going with the crowd without completely understanding what the crowd is standing for. Sometimes what seems right in one's own eyes is not right at all in the eyes of God. We are living in a day and an age where people are doing what is right in their own eyes and have no concern about what God thinks.
One day we will all stand before the true living God at the end of our lives and we will all have to give an account of the way we lived our lives here on the earth. Whether you believe that their is a God or not doesn't matter. We will all appear before Him for it has been appointed for people to die once then face judgment.
We have all sinned and fallen far short of God's high standards. We have all missed the mark. We are all off target when it comes to being right with God on our own. We are all law breakers. We have broken God's law. We are all deserving of being eternally separated from God and placed into a literal hell. There is not one of us that is good enough in our own to earn our salvation and entrance into Heaven.
Thankfully, God made a way for you and I to obtain the salvation for our souls by sending Jesus Christ into this world to save sinners like you and I. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life and He went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood for our sins past, present, and future. We must come to Jesus by faith and trust in His grace in order to be saved. We must remember that God raised Jesus to life on the third day and He is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to this earth and He will bring the Kingdom of God to full completion.
We believers in Jesus Christ must persevere in our journey here on the earth as we wait for His return to the earth. There will be difficult times ahead for we believers in Christ Jesus. There is a growing movement in our world that is anti-God and at it's very core is an evil agenda straight from the devil himself. The agenda may seem very innocent on the outside and even helpful, but I tell you the truth it is far from innocent. It is actually pure evil and full of wicked intent.
We believers in Jesus Christ must stand firm upon God's Word and the truth of who the Lord is. God will not be mocked. We must continue to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that everyone will have a chance to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation before it will be too late.
We need to make sure that we are on God's side and not fighting against Him. We must read the Bible and have discernment which comes from the Holy Spirit. May we be reasonable and follow God and not the crowd.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to discern right from wrong.
Help us to understand what it is You would have us to do.
Lead us and guide us into all truth through the Holy Spirit.
Give us the courage to proclaim the Gospel to those around us.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Friday, March 23, 2018
God Will Help Us
Sometimes the challenges that come against us in life can seem rather overwhelming. We may feel discouraged and even hopeless. We have all been through tough times in our lives. We have all had those moments when the bills keep adding up and we wonder what we are going to do.
Life can be hard at times. We must not lose heart as we live in an increasingly negative and dangerous world. The Lord will be with us through the challenges that we face throughout our lives. Our journey may not be easy by any means, but we know that if we are believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, He will lead us and guide us to where He wants us.
The world is growing darker day by day. There seems to be new scandals reported on the evening news programs every day. It is easy for us to have a troubled hearts these days.
When our hearts feel troubled and we feel pulled down by life we need to open up the Bible and read. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us to understand what God's Word is saying to us. We need to spend quiet moments with the Lord and also call out to Him in prayer.
We believers in Jesus Christ need to submit to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light into the lives of those around us for God's Glory and Honor.
Let's draw near to the Lord during these darkening days.
God is good and He is our help in our time of need.
Lord,
You are Holy and Just in Your judgments.
We praise Your Name.
Help us not to lose hope for You are our hope.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Life can be hard at times. We must not lose heart as we live in an increasingly negative and dangerous world. The Lord will be with us through the challenges that we face throughout our lives. Our journey may not be easy by any means, but we know that if we are believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, He will lead us and guide us to where He wants us.
The world is growing darker day by day. There seems to be new scandals reported on the evening news programs every day. It is easy for us to have a troubled hearts these days.
When our hearts feel troubled and we feel pulled down by life we need to open up the Bible and read. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us to understand what God's Word is saying to us. We need to spend quiet moments with the Lord and also call out to Him in prayer.
We believers in Jesus Christ need to submit to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light into the lives of those around us for God's Glory and Honor.
Let's draw near to the Lord during these darkening days.
God is good and He is our help in our time of need.
Lord,
You are Holy and Just in Your judgments.
We praise Your Name.
Help us not to lose hope for You are our hope.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Remembering What Jesus Has Done For Us
The world is becoming a very dark place. There has always been danger in our world, but it would seem that it is increasingly getting worse. The world is a hostile place especially to those of us that are followers and believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are many people in today's world that want nothing to do with God. There are many people in our world today that are self seeking. They are more interested in themselves than in having a relationship with the true living God through Jesus Christ.
We have all sinned and we have all fallen short of God's standards. We can't save ourselves. There is not one of us that is good enough on our own to earn a way into Heaven. I am sinner. I have failed many times. I can't save myself. I am not good enough. Thanks be to God that He made a way for you and for me to be reconciled back to Himself through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on a rescue mission to the earth to save us from our sins. Jesus lived a perfect sinless life. He went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood and died for my sins, your sins, and the sins for the entire world. Jesus didn't stay dead. No, God raised Jesus back to life on the third day. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to the earth and reign as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
We must humble ourselves. We must realize that we are sinners and that we can't save ourselves and we can't even keep ourselves saved. We must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We need to repent of our sins and trust Jesus sacrifice on the Cross. He took the punishment that we so rightly deserve.
God loves us so very much and He has done so much for us. May we always remember how much God loves us. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to the earth to save us from our sins by dying on a cruel old rugged Cross.
I am thankful that the Lord Jesus loves me so much that He died for my sins. Jesus took the punishment on the Cross that I so rightly deserve. I am just a wretched sinful man. I can't save myself. There are no amount of "good works" that I could do to pay the price for my sins. Jesus paid it all.
May we remember all that Jesus has done for us.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Thank You Jesus for dying for our sins on the Cross.
Thank You that You rose again and one day You are coming back.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
There are many people in today's world that want nothing to do with God. There are many people in our world today that are self seeking. They are more interested in themselves than in having a relationship with the true living God through Jesus Christ.
We have all sinned and we have all fallen short of God's standards. We can't save ourselves. There is not one of us that is good enough on our own to earn a way into Heaven. I am sinner. I have failed many times. I can't save myself. I am not good enough. Thanks be to God that He made a way for you and for me to be reconciled back to Himself through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on a rescue mission to the earth to save us from our sins. Jesus lived a perfect sinless life. He went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood and died for my sins, your sins, and the sins for the entire world. Jesus didn't stay dead. No, God raised Jesus back to life on the third day. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to the earth and reign as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
We must humble ourselves. We must realize that we are sinners and that we can't save ourselves and we can't even keep ourselves saved. We must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We need to repent of our sins and trust Jesus sacrifice on the Cross. He took the punishment that we so rightly deserve.
God loves us so very much and He has done so much for us. May we always remember how much God loves us. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to the earth to save us from our sins by dying on a cruel old rugged Cross.
I am thankful that the Lord Jesus loves me so much that He died for my sins. Jesus took the punishment on the Cross that I so rightly deserve. I am just a wretched sinful man. I can't save myself. There are no amount of "good works" that I could do to pay the price for my sins. Jesus paid it all.
May we remember all that Jesus has done for us.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Thank You Jesus for dying for our sins on the Cross.
Thank You that You rose again and one day You are coming back.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Like A Tree Planted By Streams Of Water
We live in a world that seems to be full of negative words and actions. We are even shocked when someone gives us a compliment. Sometimes we may have a hard time receiving a positive compliment because we are so used to hearing negative ones.
It is very easy for us to develop a negative mindset and become cynical even if we are followers of Jesus Christ. We can get sidetracked and fall into the pit of negativity and hopeless feelings if we are not careful.
We believers in Jesus Christ must guard ourselves from such pitfalls. We can do this by making sure we spend time with God in prayer and meditating on the Bible, His Holy Word. We need to have our minds focused on Jesus and we need to take every thought captive and make them obedient to Christ.
We need to make sure we are following the Lord and not the world. Are we being influenced by those around us? or Are we influencing the world toward belief in Christ? Sometimes it is very easy for us just to, "go with the flow". We believers are not to go along with the flow of the world. We have been called to be in the world, but not of the world.
We have been called to go against the grain of society and live for Jesus Christ in hopes to draw people to Him. We believers in Jesus Christ ought to be different in such a way that draws people to the Savior of the world. We are His witnesses. Sometimes our witness suffers because we get afraid and don't want to stir up trouble for ourselves.
The other night before I went to bed I read my devotional which I normally do before I pray and go to sleep. The devotional was based on Psalm 1.
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
It is very easy for us to develop a negative mindset and become cynical even if we are followers of Jesus Christ. We can get sidetracked and fall into the pit of negativity and hopeless feelings if we are not careful.
We believers in Jesus Christ must guard ourselves from such pitfalls. We can do this by making sure we spend time with God in prayer and meditating on the Bible, His Holy Word. We need to have our minds focused on Jesus and we need to take every thought captive and make them obedient to Christ.
We need to make sure we are following the Lord and not the world. Are we being influenced by those around us? or Are we influencing the world toward belief in Christ? Sometimes it is very easy for us just to, "go with the flow". We believers are not to go along with the flow of the world. We have been called to be in the world, but not of the world.
We have been called to go against the grain of society and live for Jesus Christ in hopes to draw people to Him. We believers in Jesus Christ ought to be different in such a way that draws people to the Savior of the world. We are His witnesses. Sometimes our witness suffers because we get afraid and don't want to stir up trouble for ourselves.
The other night before I went to bed I read my devotional which I normally do before I pray and go to sleep. The devotional was based on Psalm 1.
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
The next day as I was working a woman walked by me and said, "You are like a tree planted by the streams of water." and she just kept on walking. I said, "Thank you. I try."
Some days I fall far short I am afraid. There are times I get distracted by the things of this world and I go off course. I try to meditate on God's Word everyday. I try to read the Bible and pray. I want to be a good witness for Jesus in hopes of drawing people to Him.
I know that in my own power I can't even come close to doing that. I need to submit to the Holy Spirit more often to accomplish those things in my life. I can't do anything without the Lord, but I know and I am still learning that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
May we no longer, "go with the flow", with the world, but may we live for the Lord in hopes of drawing people to Him. I want to live for Jesus. I want Him to get all the praise and honor for anything that I do.
I don't feel I do all that much honestly, but whatever I do I hope that He is blessed by it and I hope that people are drawn closer to Him.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to be like a tree planted by streams of water.
Help us to be more like You.
Draw us nearer to You.
Create in us a hunger for Your Word.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.3
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Jesus Will Hold Onto His Own
I had a rather strange dream last night. Most of the time I can't remember all of my dreams that I dream, but this one seemed different. Dreams don't always make sense as we all know, but this one seemed more like a message or something.
In this dream I was driving my vehicle from Northern Maine and I was headed to Massachusetts. I had my camera with me and I remember wanting to take a picture of Mount Katahdin. I was driving along and I was headed to a Homeless Shelter that was near an airport in Massachusetts. I arrived there and got out of my vehicle. When I got out I saw Mount Katahdin and I took a picture of it (I told you sometimes dreams don't make sense. Mount Katahdin is in Maine.)
Anyway, I checked into this Homeless shelter. I stayed there a long time and I ministered the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these people. I played my guitar, I served meals, and I developed close friendships with the staff. The weird part of this dream is that I can remember just about everything about it and that doesn't usually happen. At the very end of the dream I told the staff that I was leaving and that I had to go back home. Everyone seemed sad and I felt sad also, but I knew the Lord was calling me home.
There was this young woman who was a staff member. I held her hand because she had tears in her eyes and I told her I was sorry that I had to go. She gave me a hug and she said that she would never let me go.
Usually when a person has a dream, the people in the dream are people that one knows in real life, but I didn't know anyone in my dream in real life and yet they felt familiar.
I know dreams are dreams and most of the time they don't mean very much. I have been thinking about this one all day as I was working. Today as I worked I felt the Lord speak to my heart in a the most tender way and He said, "I will never let you go." When the words entered my mind tears started to form in my eyes and my heart felted warmed by His embrace.
This is what I taking away from this. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior there is no where we can go that he won't be right there with us. He will hold onto us no matter what hardships we face and He will never let us go.
Lord,
Thank You for Your love and Your amazing Grace.
We praise You Name.
Help us to be Your servants.
May Your will be done in and through our lives.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
In this dream I was driving my vehicle from Northern Maine and I was headed to Massachusetts. I had my camera with me and I remember wanting to take a picture of Mount Katahdin. I was driving along and I was headed to a Homeless Shelter that was near an airport in Massachusetts. I arrived there and got out of my vehicle. When I got out I saw Mount Katahdin and I took a picture of it (I told you sometimes dreams don't make sense. Mount Katahdin is in Maine.)
Anyway, I checked into this Homeless shelter. I stayed there a long time and I ministered the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these people. I played my guitar, I served meals, and I developed close friendships with the staff. The weird part of this dream is that I can remember just about everything about it and that doesn't usually happen. At the very end of the dream I told the staff that I was leaving and that I had to go back home. Everyone seemed sad and I felt sad also, but I knew the Lord was calling me home.
There was this young woman who was a staff member. I held her hand because she had tears in her eyes and I told her I was sorry that I had to go. She gave me a hug and she said that she would never let me go.
Usually when a person has a dream, the people in the dream are people that one knows in real life, but I didn't know anyone in my dream in real life and yet they felt familiar.
I know dreams are dreams and most of the time they don't mean very much. I have been thinking about this one all day as I was working. Today as I worked I felt the Lord speak to my heart in a the most tender way and He said, "I will never let you go." When the words entered my mind tears started to form in my eyes and my heart felted warmed by His embrace.
This is what I taking away from this. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior there is no where we can go that he won't be right there with us. He will hold onto us no matter what hardships we face and He will never let us go.
Lord,
Thank You for Your love and Your amazing Grace.
We praise You Name.
Help us to be Your servants.
May Your will be done in and through our lives.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Monday, March 12, 2018
Revive Me Holy Spirit
It is all too easy to be frustrated with the way the world is and the Spiritual condition of the Church in America. It is easy to point fingers and accuse, but we must refrain from doing such things. We know that things are rather Spiritually dry and denying that would be plunging ourselves into disillusionment.
There is something missing in our Churches in America. There are many people that are just going through the motions of attending church without drawing near to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
People are crying out for a Revival that would spread across this Nation from one coast to the other. I have heard some people that this Revival has already started. I can't speak for other people and I won't, but I recognize that sometimes I get Spiritually dry.
There are times when we need to test ourselves and take a our Spiritual temperature. We must come boldly to the throne of grace and call upon out Lord Jesus to Revive us individually and also as the Body of Christ.
We must cling to the truth of God's Holy Word, the Bible, and not depart from it. We need to fan into flames those gifts that the Lord has brought into us through the Holy Spirit. We need to repent of our lack of love and our Spiritual dryness.
We need Revival and we need the Holy Spirit to invade our lives and our Churches in a powerful way.
Lord,
I praise Your Name.
Forgive my Spiritual dryness.
Send Revival into my life.
Give me a hunger for Your Word.
Pour Your Spirit afresh into my life.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen.
There is something missing in our Churches in America. There are many people that are just going through the motions of attending church without drawing near to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
People are crying out for a Revival that would spread across this Nation from one coast to the other. I have heard some people that this Revival has already started. I can't speak for other people and I won't, but I recognize that sometimes I get Spiritually dry.
There are times when we need to test ourselves and take a our Spiritual temperature. We must come boldly to the throne of grace and call upon out Lord Jesus to Revive us individually and also as the Body of Christ.
We must cling to the truth of God's Holy Word, the Bible, and not depart from it. We need to fan into flames those gifts that the Lord has brought into us through the Holy Spirit. We need to repent of our lack of love and our Spiritual dryness.
We need Revival and we need the Holy Spirit to invade our lives and our Churches in a powerful way.
Lord,
I praise Your Name.
Forgive my Spiritual dryness.
Send Revival into my life.
Give me a hunger for Your Word.
Pour Your Spirit afresh into my life.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen.
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Remembering Our Hope In Jesus Christ
Sometimes life can be rather difficult and at times frustrating. The world seems to be getting darker and some people seem to be getting angrier and mean. The world has definitely changed over the years and not necessarily for the better. There has been a definite moral decline over the past several decades and it would seem that it is just going to get worse unless God intervenes.
If we look at the world and the way it is we could get a little depressed and even feel like there is no hope at all. We believers and followers of Jesus Christ know that there is hope in Jesus. There is no hope for the world apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the only Way to the Father. There is no other name under Heaven in which a person must be saved by.
We are approaching the Easter season when we reflect on all of the events that unfolded leading up to Resurrection Sunday. We recall the events when Jesus was betrayed by one of His own and handed over to the Jewish leaders and then turned over to the Romans to be nailed to a Cross. We remember the pain that Jesus endured and we also remember that no one took His life, but He laid down His life voluntarily for you and me.
Jesus took the punishment that you and I so rightly deserve. We have all sinned and we are all deserving of being eternally separated from God and placed into a literal hell because of our sin. God showed us great mercy and outstandingly amazing grace by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross in our place. Jesus died for our sins past, present, and future. We must come to faith in Jesus Christ. We need to realize that we are sinners and we can't save ourselves. Then we must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and trust in His finished work on the Cross.
We must also remember that Jesus didn't stay on the Cross. He is no longer on the Cross. He is no longer in the borrowed tomb either. God raised Jesus Christ to life on the third day. Praise the Lord! Christ Arose! He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
The Lord Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return at His Second Coming and bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in full completion. We believers in Jesus Christ await His Second Coming with eager expectation. We have great hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a fantasy or pie in the sky by and by, but this is the absolute truth and we believers rejoice in the awesome assurance that we have.
When life gets hard and frustrating and it will we must keep clinging to the great hope that we have in Jesus Christ. He didn't leave us as orphans to fend for ourselves until He returns, but He has given us the Holy Spirit to indwell each one of us that have placed our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior.
The best days for the believer are directly ahead of us. We may encounter hardships and difficulty, but we must keep our eyes upon Jesus and await the day when we see Him face to face in our home in Heaven. I can't wait for that great and awesome day when I get to kneel before the feet of the One who died for me so that I could live for all eternity with Him.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Thank You for the hope that we have in You.
Help us to tell others about You O Lord.
Make us a witness to draw others to You.
Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to do Your will.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
If we look at the world and the way it is we could get a little depressed and even feel like there is no hope at all. We believers and followers of Jesus Christ know that there is hope in Jesus. There is no hope for the world apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the only Way to the Father. There is no other name under Heaven in which a person must be saved by.
We are approaching the Easter season when we reflect on all of the events that unfolded leading up to Resurrection Sunday. We recall the events when Jesus was betrayed by one of His own and handed over to the Jewish leaders and then turned over to the Romans to be nailed to a Cross. We remember the pain that Jesus endured and we also remember that no one took His life, but He laid down His life voluntarily for you and me.
Jesus took the punishment that you and I so rightly deserve. We have all sinned and we are all deserving of being eternally separated from God and placed into a literal hell because of our sin. God showed us great mercy and outstandingly amazing grace by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross in our place. Jesus died for our sins past, present, and future. We must come to faith in Jesus Christ. We need to realize that we are sinners and we can't save ourselves. Then we must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and trust in His finished work on the Cross.
We must also remember that Jesus didn't stay on the Cross. He is no longer on the Cross. He is no longer in the borrowed tomb either. God raised Jesus Christ to life on the third day. Praise the Lord! Christ Arose! He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
The Lord Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and one day Jesus will return at His Second Coming and bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in full completion. We believers in Jesus Christ await His Second Coming with eager expectation. We have great hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a fantasy or pie in the sky by and by, but this is the absolute truth and we believers rejoice in the awesome assurance that we have.
When life gets hard and frustrating and it will we must keep clinging to the great hope that we have in Jesus Christ. He didn't leave us as orphans to fend for ourselves until He returns, but He has given us the Holy Spirit to indwell each one of us that have placed our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior.
The best days for the believer are directly ahead of us. We may encounter hardships and difficulty, but we must keep our eyes upon Jesus and await the day when we see Him face to face in our home in Heaven. I can't wait for that great and awesome day when I get to kneel before the feet of the One who died for me so that I could live for all eternity with Him.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Thank You for the hope that we have in You.
Help us to tell others about You O Lord.
Make us a witness to draw others to You.
Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to do Your will.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Friday, March 9, 2018
The Lord Our Shepherd
(Photograph by Michael Rairdon)
Sometimes in life we have to go through things that we would rather not have to go through. No one really likes to endure pain, unless you are out of your mind. I am kind of wimpy when it comes to pain and uncomfortable things.
When things get tough and troubles come we must cling to the Lord Jesus and trust Him. We need to persevere and keep running the race that the Lord has set before us. Sometimes it can be all too easy to complain and grumble about what we are going through, but we must develop an attitude of gratitude. There is a reason for what we are going through. We may not know what exactly that reason is on this side of eternity, but the Lord can use this difficult season that we are going through for our ultimate good and for His Glory.
When life gets hard and it snows on us all the time we need to remember that God is still God and He loves us. The Lord wants us to love Him and to draw near to Him. There are some seasons of life that we may not like to go through, but the Lord promises us that He will walk us through them. We can trust Him each step of the way no matter how difficult the journey may seem.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
The Lord is our shepherd. He wants us to follow Him wherever it is that He wants to lead us. Sometimes the journey is difficult one. The journey may involve heartache, pain, and unending periods of snow and cold temperatures. The Lord will provide for all of our needs no matter what we are going through.
The Lord will lead us and guide us. The Lord will fill us with His joy and a peace that only He can give to us. The Lord will quiet the noise in our souls if we allow Him to. He will restore our soul and He will revive our spirit with His Holy Spirit.
The Lord will guide us in the paths of righteousness to bring honor, praise, and glory to Himself. We need to be obedient to His lead and submit ourselves to Him in every area of our lives. We will need the help of the Holy Spirit to do that.
Sometimes we will have to walk through the lonely and dark valley in the shadow of death, but even then the Lord will be by our side. He will protect us and He will comfort us. We have great hope in the Lord even in hard times and even in harsh environments.
If we have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we can also know that the Lord is preparing a place for us in Heaven one great day. This world is not our home. The true home for the believer in Jesus is in Heaven where we will be with the Lord forever.
We may have to go through hard times and make difficult decisions, but we believers in Jesus Christ know that one day we will be with the Lord and what a great and joyous day that will be. May we not complain, but may we turn our eyes toward Jesus who will lead us if we just trust Him.
Lord,
We praise Your Holy Name.
Thank You for being our Shepherd.
Help us not to complain, but trust You more.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Waiting Patiently
Sometimes it can be hard to be patient. We don't necessarily like to wait, do we? No, we live in a world where we can obtain things quickly. When we go to the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant we expect to get our food fast and if it isn't fast enough we get upset. We cringe when we are standing in a checkout line at our local grocery store and there is someone ahead of us that has to get their change purse out and they start counting out coins to the cashier.
I don't like to wait for things. I get impatient at times, but I am learning that there will be times in our lives in which we must wait. God will make us wait for His timing in things. We can't rush God. He will work out things in His timing in His way and according to His will. We need to trust Him and be patient.
God knows what He is doing and He is working out things in our lives for our good. We may not see what He is doing at this very moment, but there will be a time in the future when we will look back and understand what God was doing in a better light.
I have been trying to write my blog lately, but my internet connection seems to be having some difficulty. I thank you for your patience as I try to figure out the problem with my connection. Hopefully I will be able to post this blog writing tonight.
We must remember to wait on God's timing in our lives. Sometimes that is not an easy thing to learn. We need to trust the Lord more because He knows what He is doing and He loves us.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to be patient and wait on You.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
I don't like to wait for things. I get impatient at times, but I am learning that there will be times in our lives in which we must wait. God will make us wait for His timing in things. We can't rush God. He will work out things in His timing in His way and according to His will. We need to trust Him and be patient.
God knows what He is doing and He is working out things in our lives for our good. We may not see what He is doing at this very moment, but there will be a time in the future when we will look back and understand what God was doing in a better light.
I have been trying to write my blog lately, but my internet connection seems to be having some difficulty. I thank you for your patience as I try to figure out the problem with my connection. Hopefully I will be able to post this blog writing tonight.
We must remember to wait on God's timing in our lives. Sometimes that is not an easy thing to learn. We need to trust the Lord more because He knows what He is doing and He loves us.
Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to be patient and wait on You.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
The World Needs True Love
We could make a very long list of all of the things that are wrong with our world these days. There is indeed a lot of anger, bickering, and finger pointing. If I had to chose just one thing that is wrong with the world I would have to say that the main problem with the world is a extreme lack of true love. The more I look at the world around me the more I am sure that people have forgotten how to love.
What the world passes off as love is not love at all. The world's love is actually shallow and at times ungodly. It also appears to be very self centered. The world doesn't understand true love. True love has to do with sacrifice and giving. The world's shallow view of love focuses more on, "what is in it for me?"
I am a 42 year old single man. I have never been married. I have never even had a girlfriend, but I know what love is. The only way to truly know what love is we must look to God. For the Bible tells us that God is love. God loves each one of us with an unconditional love.
John 3:16, says, "For God so loved that world that He gave His one and only Son, so that who so ever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." God demonstrated His great love towards each one of us by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life. Jesus went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood for our sins. Jesus showed us how much He loves us by dying on the Cross in our place. He took the punishment that you and I so rightly deserve.
God raised Jesus up from the dead on the third day and one day He will come back to the earth as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Everyone who has repented of their sins and have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.
I like what the Apostle Paul says about love in I Corinthians 13 which says,
"1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
What the world passes off as love is not love at all. The world's love is actually shallow and at times ungodly. It also appears to be very self centered. The world doesn't understand true love. True love has to do with sacrifice and giving. The world's shallow view of love focuses more on, "what is in it for me?"
I am a 42 year old single man. I have never been married. I have never even had a girlfriend, but I know what love is. The only way to truly know what love is we must look to God. For the Bible tells us that God is love. God loves each one of us with an unconditional love.
John 3:16, says, "For God so loved that world that He gave His one and only Son, so that who so ever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." God demonstrated His great love towards each one of us by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life. Jesus went obediently to the Cross where He shed His blood for our sins. Jesus showed us how much He loves us by dying on the Cross in our place. He took the punishment that you and I so rightly deserve.
God raised Jesus up from the dead on the third day and one day He will come back to the earth as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Everyone who has repented of their sins and have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.
I like what the Apostle Paul says about love in I Corinthians 13 which says,
"1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
God showed us what true love looks like. True love isn't self seeking. True love involves something deeper and more meaningful. We must love God first and foremost if we are truly to know what love is. We can't really understand what love looks like until we understand the Cross of Christ and the sacrifice that He made on our behalf.
True love is patient and it is kind. There is a lot of impatience and unkindness in our world today. Love doesn't dishonor others, it is not self seeking. It is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love always protects. Love always trusts. Love always hopes and it always perseveres no matter what trials may come in life. The world around us is blind to true love. People's hearts have grown cold. We believers in Jesus need to reflect His love to others and tell them how much God loves them so they can begin to understand God's love.
Let's love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, bodies, and souls and may we love others as God so greatly loves us. The world needs to embrace the love of Jesus Christ. In order to know what love is we need to we need to understand what Jesus has done for us and then enter into a relationship with Him by placing our faith in Him.
Lord,
Thank You for showing us what love is all about.
Help us to demonstrate true love to those around us.
Help us to share the love of Jesus Christ with all of those we meet.
I pray for other single believers, that they would continue to grow more in love with You and not be discouraged.
Lead us and guide us by the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)