Be On Guard. Stand Firm In the Faith. Be Courageous. Be Strong. And Do Everything With Love.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Be On Guard. Stand Firm In the Faith.
Be Courageous. Be Strong.
And Do Everything With Love. 


Scripture

1 Corinthians 16

¹³ Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ¹⁴ And do everything with love.

Observation

“Be on guard.” 

Why? Because you and I have an enemy that wants to take us out! Don’t give him a foothold. If you give Satan an inch he will take a mile. Don’t kid yourself. Satan knows where you and I are weak and that is where he will attack us. 

1 Peter 5:8-9a

⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.


“Stand firm in the faith.” 

Jesus’ call on your life and His call on my life is a call for us to hold our ground and not retreat. We are in a spiritual battle. Every day our faith and our faithfulness are being tested.

“Be courageous. Be strong.” 

God wants us to be men and women of courage and strength. He wants us to be examples for others to imitate. He didn’t save us for us to be wimps and a bunch of cowards!

“And do everything with love.”  

EVERYTHING means EVERY THING; it means every single thing that we do 24 hours a day, we must do in love! There is no wiggle room for meanness! 

 Application


I will be on guard today. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are All-Powerful. Nothing is too hard for You. Give me courage and boldness today. Help me to stand firm in my faith. Help me to do everything with love.

I pray for anyone that may be reading this blog today. Help them to live out this verse. Help them to walk in victory today. I pray for those who are sick. I pray for healing. I pray that You touch their bodies with Your Mighty Healing Power, that same Power that raised Jesus Christ from the grave. Show them that they can trust in You. Show them Your goodness, Your mercy, and Your grace!

Daily Bible Reading:  Judges 9,10; Psalms 49; 1 Corinthians 16




Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Be Strong And Immovable Always Work Enthusiastically For The Lord

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Be Strong And Immovable
Always Work
Enthusiastically For The Lord





Scripture

1 Corinthians 15

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Observation

I watched someone this week exemplify this verse!

She didn’t have to do what she did! It was not even her responsibility to do what she did, but because no one else was willing to own the task she did it! And she didn’t just do the job; she did it with a lot of joy, compassion, and with great enthusiasm.

I know that she made God smile! It is refreshing to be around people like that.

Going the second mile, doing more than we are asked to do, doing what we do like we are doing it for Jesus, these are all signs of a heart surrendered to Christ.

He must increase and you and I must decrease!

 Matthew 5:41

If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

Colossians 3:17

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:23

23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Matthew 25

⁴⁰ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Application

I want to serve the Lord the way this young person did this week. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to see Jesus in action through the life of this young woman. I pray that You bless her and her family. Don’t ever let her lose her love and her zeal for You. May Your face shine brightly on her. Give her the desires of her heart, answer all of her prayers, and make her and her husband’s plans successful!

Daily Bible Reading:  Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Mighty Hero, The LORD Is With You!

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Mighty Hero,
The LORD
Is With You!


Scripture

Judges 6

¹² The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

Observation

Take a couple of minutes to read this amazing story in Judges 6-7!

When the angel of the LORD said this to Gideon, Gideon was actually hiding from the Midianites. Gideon was down in the bottom of a winepress threshing wheat where his enemies couldn’t see him.

When the angel of the LORD said to him, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you”, I think that Gideon must have thought that the Lord was speaking to someone else.

What did it take for Gideon to become a “Mighty hero”? 

What will it take for you and me to become “Mighty heroes”? Or we could ask this question: what was the key to Gideon’s success?

Gideon’s amazing victories were only possible because of his faith and his willingness to obey what God told him to do. God wants to do mighty things in our lives too!

Faith + Obedience = Success!

Application

I will pray and ask God to help me be a man of faith and obedience like Gideon. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I am a lot like the Gideon that was hiding from his enemies. I know that You see more potential in me than I see in myself. Help me to be an obedient warrior. Don’t let me be a coward. Don’t let me be a wimp. Help me to be a man of faith and obedience. I want to be successful in this life in Your eyes. I want to make You smile. Help me live out this day in a way that pleases You. You are worthy of all praise!

Daily Bible Reading:  Judges 6,7; Psalms 52; 1 Corinthians 14; Psalm 29, Psalm 129, Proverbs 29

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Love Never Gives Up, Never Loses Faith, Is Always Hopeful, And Endures Through Every Circumstance

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Love Never Gives Up,
Never Loses Faith, Is Always Hopeful,
And Endures Through Every Circumstance

Scripture


1 Corinthians 13

3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. 

It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
 
⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
 
⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Observation

God’s love for us is unfailing. It is beyond our comprehension. And God has asked us to love those around us with that same kind of selfless, sacrificial love – we are to love them with the love of Christ! 

Yesterday I shared that the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:31b, “But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all”, and if you and I want to enjoy a life that is best of all, then we have to live out 1 Corinthians 13. 

It is impossible to splash the love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13 on others if we are not completely filled with the God’s Holy Spirit. 

And if we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit then this kind of love – Agape Love – will be obvious to those we encounter today.

Everyday is a test: Will we be selfish or will we be self-less? It is a struggle for all of us. I watch people struggle with this choice everyday and I battle it myself!

Application

I want to stay filled with God’s Holy Spirit so I can love people with the love of Christ. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You know my heart this morning. You know that I want to be able to love people in the way that You described in 1 Corinthians 13. Give me a heart like that Lord. Give me the ability to be selfless and not selfish. I want to be like Jesus. Point out anything in my life that is not pleasing to You and that keeps me from being all that You want me to be. Fill me right now with Your Holy Spirit. I surrender every part of my life to You. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Judges 4,5; Psalm 39,41; 1 Corinthians 13

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

But Now Let Me Show You A Way Of Life That Is Best Of All.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

But Now
Let Me
Show You A Way Of Life That Is Best Of All.



Scripture

1 Corinthians 12

31b … But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

I Corinthians 13

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
 
² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
 
³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Observation

All of us if we are followers of Jesus Christ have been given at least one spiritual gift! And that spiritual gift no matter what it is does not make us more important than anyone else in the Body of Jesus Christ. 

It is so easy for us to think that we are more important than we really are! 

I like what Paul says in Galatians 6:3, “If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

Lets look for someone this week that needs our help! No matter how spiritually gifted you and I are if we don’t love people and show that love by serving them – we are worthless in God’s kingdom! 

Jesus said in Mark 10:45, “For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

If we want to know and experience a way of life that is best of all, then let’s find someone this week that needs our help and lets love them with the love of Christ! 

Slaves/Servants of Christ … not … Christian CEO’s!

 Application

I will look for someone that needs help this week and I will serve and help him or her with the love of Christ. How about you? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that if I don’t take time to serve others then I am not a servant in Your kingdom. Help me to look for someone that needs my help this week and help me to love him or her with the love of Christ. Guide and direct me this week to the person or persons that need my help. Don’t let me get so wrapped up in my own interests that I don’t have time for others. Give me Your heart for those around me. Give me the capacity to love people the way that Jesus would love them. Help them see Jesus in me! 

Daily Bible Reading:  Judges 1,2,3; 1 Corinthians 12



> If you are reading this simple blog this morning you are an encouragement to me!

> I have made it a habit to pray for those who read this blog! I enjoy lifting you and your family up to the Lord in prayer.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

This I Know: God Is On My Side!

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

This I
Know:
God Is On My Side!

Scripture

Psalm 56

… This I know: God is on my side!
¹⁰ I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
¹¹ I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?

Observation

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What causes you to be afraid today?

Each one of us have a future that is uncertain, you and I do not know what tomorrow is going to bring.

It is another reason why we should know in a personal way the One who holds our future.

Every morning when I wake up and I open up and read God’s Word I am reminded that God is on my side!

And if I trust in God, why should I be afraid?

Psalm 139

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
³ You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
⁴ You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
⁵ You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
¹⁸ I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

Application

I trust in God so why should I be afraid!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I realize that my future is not something to be feared because You are on my side. You are watching out for me. You have always taken care of us and You always will. Your promises never fail. You keep everyone of them. Your love for us is more than we can even understand. It is beyond my comprehension. Thank You for loving me and for taking care of me. I don’t deserve everything that You have poured out on me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 23,24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11; Psalm 56, Psalm 86, Proverbs 26



Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Give Your Burdens To The LORD, And He Will Take Care Of You.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Give Your Burdens
To The LORD,
And He Will Take Care Of You. 

Scripture

Psalm 55

²² Give your burdens to the Lord,
    and he will take care of you.
    He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Observation

Psalm 55:22 does not say, “Give your burdens to the LORD, and He “might” take care of you! It says, “And He Will Take Care of You!” So quit carrying those burdens, roll them off of your shoulders and on the Lord’s. He can handle them and you and I can’t.

You might say, “I give my worries to the Lord and then a few minutes later I catch myself worrying about them again.”

This is something that we are all guilty of so let me suggest this:

Every time we start to worry and every time we begin to carry that burden on our shoulders again let’s pray and give it back to the Lord, a thousand times during the day if necessary!

We have to do what it says to do in Philippians 4:6-7, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

   

And let’s not forget what God says to us in 1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”

Application

I am going to keep giving my burdens to the Lord and I am going to let Him carry them. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that You care about me. And I know that You care about the person that may be reading this blog.

Help us roll our burdens off onto You and remind us when we begin to worry and carry them ourselves. I know that we were not designed to carry our own burdens. We were made and designed to trust in You and depend on You to handle all of the things that make us worry. So today remind me every time I begin to worry and remind me that I can totally trust in You because You care about me.

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 21,22; Psalms 47; 1 Corinthians 10; Psalm 55, Psalm 85, Proverbs 25

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

The Godly May Trip Seven Times, But They Will Get Up Again.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

The Godly
May Trip Seven Times,
But They Will Get Up Again.




Scripture

Proverbs 24

16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
    But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

Observation

A godly person is not someone who is perfect, or someone who never sins. A godly person is someone who has decided to live each day striving to keep his or her relationship with God as his or her number one priority in life.

Will the godly mess up, slip up, and yes, even fall down? Yes, they will!

But every time they fall down they will get up again, brush themselves off and move on. Why? Because the very same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in them!

Have you messed up? Have you fallen down? Have you let yourself or someone else down? Confess your sin to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you and anyone else that you may have hurt and then move on.

It’s what a godly person does!

 Application

I will strive to live a godly life, getting up every time I fall down. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that Your word to us over and over again in the Bible is for us to be bold and courageous. I know that You repeat that over and over again because our natural tendency is to be fearful and wimpy. Give me the strength that I need today to face whatever comes my way. 

Give me the strength and the courage to pick myself back up when I trip and fall down. I know that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me.

I pray for anyone that may be reading this blog today that feels like they can’t get back up after messing up. Give them the faith and the strength to get up and to get moving. Help them to live their lives for You. Show them today just how powerful You are!

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 18,19,20; 1 Corinthians 9; Psalm 54; Proverbs 24

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

It Is Impossible To Please God Without Faith

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

It Is
Impossible
To Please God Without Faith



Scripture

Hebrews 11

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

 5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying— he disappeared, because God took him. For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 

⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Genesis 5:23-24 

 Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.  

Observation

 Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. (Genesis 5:23-24) “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying— he disappeared, because God took him. For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:5)

I don’t know about you, but I want to have Enoch’s kind of faith! 

I want the Lord to be so delighted with me that He one day just decides to take me up to Heaven because we are walking so close together! 

How about you? 

What in us needs to change in our walk with the Lord for this to happen? 

“By faith”  … It is the only way for you and me to please God!

Application

I want a walk so close to the Lord that He takes me to Heaven just like He did with Enoch. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that everyday You give me opportunities to walk with You and it is all by faith. I know that is why my life is filled with so many challenges. Those challenges give me the opportunity to trust in you and to walk by Faith.

Problems, troubles, and challenges are all designed to provide me with opportunities to live by faith and to please You. The more that I live by faith the closer my relationship is with You. Lord, You know that I want to walk in a close relationship with You. Give me Enoch’s kind of faith!

I pray for my brother Rick today on his birthday! Bless him Lord. Thank You for giving me such a great brother. Help him today to sense Your presence, Your love, and Your power. Give him all the wisdom he needs to be able to do his job well and help him to have favor with those he works with and may they be able to see Jesus in him! 

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 15,16,17; 1 Corinthians 8, Psalm 53, Psalm 123; Proverbs 23; Hebrews 11

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

God Paid A High Price For You, So Don’t Be Enslaved By The World.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

God Paid A
High Price For You,
So Don’t Be Enslaved By The World.



Scripture

1 Corinthians 7
23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.

1 Corinthians 6
²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Observation

Why should you and I live differently than the rest of the world?

Because God has purchased us, we have been blood bought with the precious blood and sacrifice of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ!

The world still wants to enslave us even though God has set us free from the bondage of sin!

Lets not make excuses for our being enslaved. There is no excuse.

“I can’t quit.” “I have tried a lot of times but I just can’t quit.” Yes, we can!

Here is why we can, “For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.”  Philippians 4:13, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you…”Romans 8:11

Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Peter 1:18
 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

Job19:25
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.

Application

I will help and encourage those who are breaking free from the power and grip of sin. Realizing that I too am just a sinner saved by God’s grace. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for redeeming me from the destruction of sin. I have been bought with a high price. Help me to never forget what it cost You to buy me back from the punishment of sin. You paid a high price, a huge ransom for me. Help me not to become enslaved to this world. I have been set free.

I pray for those that may be reading this blog that realize that they have become enslaved in some area of his or her life and are struggle to break free. Show them that they can overcome anything if they will totally trust You and depend on You to set them free. Set them free today from whatever it is that they are struggling with and that they want to quit. Set them free!

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 12,13,14; 1 Corinthians 7

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

I Must Not Become A Slave To Anything

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

I Must
Not
Become A Slave To Anything

Scripture

1 Corinthians 6

¹² You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

¹³ You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. 

They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
 
²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Observation

Food, Sex, Alcohol, Drugs (prescription or illegal), Gambling, Pornography, Cigarettes just to name a few, we should not be a slave to any of these! Okay you are probably not going to read the rest of this blog because I have gone to meddling! 

Please take time to read and think about this. 

Why? Because you and I were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies!

Yesterday, my two daughters and two of my grandchildren brought over my birthday present. Jenny and Debby and their kids went in together to get me a special gift. I am now a proud owner of a Fitbit! Not just any Fitbit mind you this is a Charger 2 Fitbit! This thing is amazing!

As I think about this passage from 1 Corinthians 6 this morning I can’t help be reminded that the Lord cares about my body. He paid a high price to ransom me from sin and certain destruction. So I must honor God with my body!

He paid a high price for your body too! We can’t afford to be couch potatoes. It is not okay to abuse our bodies with Food, Sex, Alcohol, Drugs (prescription or illegal), Gambling, Pornography, Cigarettes … or INACTIVITY!

If you have one of these Fitbit’s I understand that you can challenge me and we can encourage each other. My account is set up under Eddy Williams; my email address is pastoreddy.kathy@gmail.com 

Application

I will exercise and take care of my body. I will not become a slave to anything except Jesus. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that my girls’ bringing me that Fitbit was something that made You smile. I know that what I do with my body is important to You. I know that You care about me and I know that You paid a high price for me.

I know that You care about those who may be reading this blog. Help them to stop abusing their bodies. Don’t let them be slaves to anything. Give them the strength and power to stop whatever it is and give them victory over whatever has enslaved them. Give them victory so they can bring You glory and honor!

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 9,10,11; 1 Corinthians 6

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Make Thankfulness Your Sacrifice To God

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Make
Thankfulness
Your Sacrifice To God

Scripture


Psalm 50

¹⁴ Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
    and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
²³ But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
    If you keep to my path,
    I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

Observation

I just asked Kathy how she was doing in her Gratitude Journal and she reported to me that she now has 982 things that she is thankful for and she has almost reached her goal of 1000!

She started this journal over a year ago and has faithfully been writing down things that she is thankful for as they come to her mind! Maybe you and I are included in her list!

God says that giving Him thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Him! Think about that! Take time right now to make the sacrifice of thanksgiving!

Let’s start out this week full of gratitude and thanksgiving to our Lord!

Ephesians 5:20

“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Application

I have so much to be thankful for – and so do you! Let’s thank Him!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that a happy heart is a grateful heart! I give You thanks right now. Thank You for taking such good care of me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Thank You for meeting every one of my needs! Thank You for answering my prayers. Thank You for allowing me to live another day. Thank You for my family and my friends. You are a Mighty God. You are Worthy of All Praise!

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 7,8; Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5; Psalm 50, Psalm 80



Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

For When They Die, They Carry Nothing With Them

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

For When They Die,
They Carry
Nothing With Them

Scripture

Psalm 49

    [16] So don't be dismayed when the wicked grow rich,
        and their homes become ever more splendid.
    [17] For when they die, they carry nothing with them.
        Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
    [18] In this life they consider themselves fortunate,
        and the world loudly applauds their success.
    [19] But they will die like all others before them
        and never again see the light of day.
    [20] People who boast of their wealth don't understand
        that they will die like the animals.

Observation

This Psalm is a reminder to me that money and wealth are not everything. In fact, having lots of money and stuff only causes us to miss out on what we were really created for in the first place.

As I write this I am sitting on a campsite table listening to all of God’s creation. All kinds of birds are saying good morning to Kathy and I! It is amazing just how wonderful God’s creation is!
Getting away to a secluded place and having the opportunity to enjoy God and everything that He has created is something that all of us need to do to maintain our sanity and a close relationship with the Lord. 

Pastor Rapley Armstrong made this statement one time and I wrote it in my Bible: “You must come apart or you will come apart!” 

It is sad how quickly our priorities can get messed up by what the world is always offering us. 

So millionaires and billionaires, you don’t impress me! When you die you are not taking any of it with you!

Application

I will enjoy my life and everything that goes with it! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing Kathy and I the opportunity to go camping this weekend. What a wonderful world You have created. Thank You for all of the people that You have brought into our lives. We are so blessed. Thank You for giving us so many great friends. They are worth more than anything that money could ever buy. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 3, Joshua 4; 1 Corinthians 4; Psalm 49

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

You Are Acting Like People Who Don’t Belong To The Lord.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

You Are Acting
Like People
Who Don’t Belong To The Lord. 


Scripture

I Corinthians 3:3

[3] for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord.

Observation

The Apostle Paul was letting the believers in Corinth know just how he felt about their behavior. When you and I act like people that don’t belong to the Lord hopefully someone like the Apostle Paul will at least confront us and call us out on our bad behavior. 

We are all sinners and sometimes we are all going to need to be corrected. 

Correction may come through your Christian spouse or even one of your children, maybe by a brother or sister in Christ, maybe by a pastor or maybe if what we did was really bad even by the entire church, but each of us will one day find ourselves being corrected by someone that loves us and cares about us. 

Let’s strive to live and walk in the Spirit and let’s not let ourselves be controlled by our sinful desires! 

What are some ways we acting like we don’t belong to the Lord? Let’s change those ways!

Galatians 5:22-23

    But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. 

 Application

I will accept a brother or sister in Christ speaking to me in truth to correct me when I have acted or I am acting in an ungodly manner. How about you? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me walk in a way that brings You honor and glory. Help me to accept correction when I need it. Help me to watch my attitude and my motives when I help a brother or sister that has fallen into sin. Help me to offer correction in humility and with gentleness and always remind me of my own sinfulness.

Daily Bible Reading:  Joshua 1, Joshua 2; 1 Corinthians 3

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

No Eye Has Seen, Nor Ear Has Heard, And No Mind Has Imagined What God Has Prepared For Those Who Love Him

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

No Eye Has Seen, Nor Ear Has Heard, And No Mind Has Imagined
What God
Has Prepared For Those Who Love Him


Scripture

1 Corinthians 2

⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”

Observation

Becoming weary and wanting to give up is so very easy in a life that is so hard and difficult and it why we read about so many tragedies everyday in the morning news.

It is also why we need to start each day in God’s Word so that we can have God’s perspective on life and especially so we can be reminded that we are on the winning team!

Perspective is everything! God’s Word helps us and inspires us when everything and everyone else puts us down and makes us want to quit and give up. 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” Hebrews 12:1-3

 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

Application

I will persevere and plug on! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word. It gives me everything that I need to live the Christian life. I don’t lack anything. You are Mighty God. You have me in the Palm of Your Mighty right hand! You give me hope and You give me a bright future. I will hold on tightly to all of Your promises!

I pray for anyone that is reading this blog today that is ready to give up. Give them strength Lord. Help them to dig into Your Word and help them to hold on tightly to every one of Your Promises.

Daily Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 32,33,34; 1 Corinthians 2

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

This Is The Key To Your Life

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

This Is The
Key
To Your Life

 Scripture

Deuteronomy 30

¹⁹ “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.
Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
 
²⁰ You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. 

This is the key to your life. 

 And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Observation

Okay, here it is! You want to know how to have a successful life? Here it is! And it all hinges on the small little word, “if”, but that little word is HUGE! Here is the key to our life, it is found in verse 20, “if you and I choose to love and obey the LORD, and commit ourselves firmly in him, then we have found the KEY to life!

It is my friend a choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.

Simple as that!

Surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and begin to live the abundant life! It will be the best choice that you ever make!

Application

I choose today to love the Lord my God with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my strength! How about you? Blessings or curses – the choice is ours to make!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to live an abundant life. I am blessed. You are so good to me. Thank You for bringing so many wonderful people into my life. Thank You for giving my life purpose and meaning.

I pray for anyone that may be reading this blog today. Help them to choose to love and obey You. Help them to commit themselves totally to You. Give them strength today. Those that are sick I pray for healing and strength. For those who need to be encouraged I pray that You bring people into their lives to encourage them. For those who need jobs I pray that You give them just the right job and show them that they can trust in You.

Daily Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 30,31; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

If You Think You Are Too Important To Help Someone, You Are Only Fooling Yourself. You Are Not That Important.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

If You Think You Are Too Important To Help Someone,
You Are Only Fooling Yourself.
You Are Not That Important. 

Scripture

Galatians 6

3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
 
¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have te opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Observation

Who needs your help today? Who needs my help today? 

We can go through this day thinking only about ourselves or we can think of someone who needs our help and help him or her. Let’s look back over this past week, this past month, this past year and just add up and count how many people we have personally helped.

Galatians 6:9-10 gives us the reason to why it is so important to help others. If you and I want to reap a harvest of blessing then we have to spend more of our time helping others and spend less of our time on ourselves.

Somebody needs our help right now. Lets ask God to show us who needs our help and then lets help them!

Application

I will look for someone to help today. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, don’t ever let me be content just being concerned about myself. I know that You have me here on this earth to help others. I also know that You know everyone of my needs and You have promised to take care of those needs as long as I keep my relationship with You as the number one priority of my life. And I know that the way to serve You is by serving others. Do don’t let me be selfish. Don’t ever let me think that I am too important to take time to serve those around me.

Daily Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 28,29; Galatians 6

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

When You Follow The Desires Of Your Sinful Nature, The Results Are Very Clear:

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

When You Follow
The Desires Of Your Sinful Nature,
The Results Are Very Clear:


Scripture

Galatians 5

¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

Observation

It is impossible (in my opinion) to live a victorious life in Jesus Christ without being in God’s Word on a daily basis. 

If you and I are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ then every single day there is a battle raging inside of us: our old nature that loves chaos, drama, and sinful pleasures against our new nature that desires to walk close to the Lord that produces in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

Newspapers, news on television/radio and now even the Internet if filled with what happens when our sinful natures are allowed to run wild. It is always what makes the headlines! Murder, rape, suicide, deaths caused by drunk drivers, drug overdoses, and gang related death and violence, political corruption and scams of every kind saturate our news. 

Which nature is going to win the battle in our lives today? It is the one we feed the most!

Lets dig into and devour God’s Word! 

 Application

I will read God’s word everyday. How about you? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You have warned me in Jeremiah 17:9 about what my old nature or what my wicked heart is like, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” I know that when my life is not under Your control that I am capable of the most vicious and horrible sins. I am a sinner and everyday I must surrender my life and place it under Your control. I want people to see Jesus in me. Help me to live with my sins confessed so the fruit of Your Holy Spirit shines through me.

Daily Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 25,26,27; Galatians 5

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

I Am Losing All Hope; I Am Paralyzed With Fear Come Quickly, LORD, And Answer Me, For My Depression Deepens

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

I Am Losing All Hope; I Am Paralyzed With Fear
Come Quickly, LORD, And Answer Me,
For My Depression Deepens




Scripture

Psalm 143

⁴ I am losing all hope;
    I am paralyzed with fear.

⁵ I remember the days of old.
    I ponder all your great works
    and think about what you have done.

⁶ I lift my hands to you in prayer.
    I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.
⁷ Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
    for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
    or I will die.

⁸ Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.

Observation

Did you wake up to a King David kind of morning? King David must have been having a rough Monday; it sounds like he was having a month of bad Mondays! 

It was a depressed, losing all hope, paralyzed with fear kind of day! 

If you and I find ourselves in a bad place today and we don’t see that we have much to look forward to then let’s do what King David did. 

In verse 5 of Psalm 143 David looked back over his life and remembered how faithful God had always been to him in the past. Then David called out to the Lord and put his faith and trust in God’s unfailing love! 

Exactly what you and I should do today!

Application

I will trust God’s Heart when I cannot see or understand what is going on! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for taking such good care of me in the past. You have been so good to me. Looking back I can see so many things that You have done for me. You are wonderful. Thank You for showing me that I can trust in You even when things look uncertain. I know that You love me and that You care about me. 

For those that may be reading this blog this morning I pray that they will also be able to look back on how You have taken care of them and I pray that they will be able to see that they can put all of their trust in You. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 22,23,24; Galatians 4; Psalm 43, Psalm 143, Proverbs 13

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!