Don’t Be So Concerned About Perishable Things

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Don’t Be So
Concerned
About Perishable Things

Scripture

John 6

²⁷ But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

Observation

What do you want from Jesus?

The crowds were following Jesus just because He had miraculously fed 5,000 men with just 2 small fish and 5 small loves of bread. Actually it was more like 15 to 20 thousand people that were miraculously fed that day if you count the women and the children.

The crowd continued to follow Jesus hoping to experience another miracle, but they were not listening to His message of Eternal Life.

The truth is that you and I are going to live forever. We are going to either live in Heaven or Hell.

We are not going to just cease to exist when we die.

Jesus told the crowd, “Spend your energy seeking the Eternal Life that the Son of Man can give you.”

The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The crowd wanted from Jesus only what would perish – mere food, when Jesus wanted them to have way more. He wanted them to have Eternal Life.

What do you want from Jesus?

John 10:28

    I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

John 5:24

    "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Romans 5:8

    But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 5:11-15

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Application

I will trust Jesus for everything in my life. How about you? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, these are tough days. Help me trust You totally with every detail of my life. I know that You are with me right in the middle of the storms that come against me and against those that I love. Show Yourself powerful in the lives of those that are struggling with health issues. Work a miracle in their lives. You are the Mighty God and nothing is too hard for You. You are the Giver of life and our very breath is held in Your Mighty Hand.

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6



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Those Who Listen To My Message And Believe In God Who Sent Me Have Eternal Life

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Those Who Listen To My Message
And Believe
In God Who Sent Me Have Eternal Life

Scripture

John 5:24

²⁴ “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

Observation

What do we have to do to be condemned for our sins? Nothing! The Bible says, 

    “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” You and I are going to sin. It is our nature! It is not good people that go to Heaven and bad people that go to Hell. It is forgiven people that go to Heaven. 

We are all sinners. “For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.” Romans 3:23

   

You are either a forgiven sinner or a sinner that has not yet been forgiven. Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins. You and I have a choice. We can either surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and put our faith and trust in what He did on the cross for us or we can die in our sins and face certain condemnation and judgment.

The message that Jesus Christ has for you and for me is found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

I know that when I die I will be in Heaven with Jesus Christ. It is not because of anything that I have done or anything that I can ever do. It is not because I am a good person or because I do good things. I am a sinner. I deserve to go to Hell.

But I am a sinner that has been saved by God’s grace through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have already passed from death to life. How about you? Where are you in your spiritual journey?

    

 Application

 I will continue to share the message that Jesus Saves. How about you? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that there may be a person reading this blog today that has not placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ. I pray that You open up their spiritual eyes and their heart to the Good News that Jesus saves. Don't let them go one day longer in unbelief. Help them to believe!

Daily Bible Reading:  Nahum 1,2,3; John 5

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They Put A Ring Through His Nose, Bound Him In Bronze Chains, And Led Him Away To Babylon

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They Put A Ring
Through His Nose, Bound Him In Bronze Chains,
And Led Him Away To Babylon

Scripture

2 Chronicles 33

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings. ¹¹ So the Lord sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon.
 
¹² But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.
 
¹³ And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God!

Observation

Evil King Manasseh came to the end of the rope. He finally hit rock bottom.

It took a ring in his nose, some heavy bronze chains, and probably some very bad physical abuse by his captors.

This guy was bad through and through. He was the worst of the worst.

Just read what he did to the people he was supposed to take care of.

But when this horrible, terrible guy hit rock bottom, while he was in deep distress something happened, he suddenly remembered the God of his father King Hezekiah and King Manasseh sought the Lord in brokenness and humility.

God heard his prayer and brought him back to Jerusalem and restored him to his kingdom – This is an amazing story of God’s Grace and Mercy!

I am praying for some people close to me. They need to hit rock bottom so that in their deep distress the only place that they have to look - is up! I hope it doesn’t take a ring in the nose and bronze chains but whatever it takes Lord, for them to look up and put their faith and trust in You.

Application

I don’t deserve God’s love, His mercy, or His grace either. I will pray and ask the Lord to do whatever it takes to cause those I love to look up and trust in Him. Whatever it takes Lord, whatever it takes!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as I read the story about King Manasseh I realize that Your love for us is so big. King Manasseh was so bad, but You gave him the opportunity to repent and change his ways. I pray for those around me that need to turn from a life of selfish living and turn to You. I want them to experience life the way that You meant for them to experience it, a life full of purpose and meaning. All they experience now is a life full of drama and strife. Do whatever it takes Lord to get them to look up and call upon You. Do whatever it takes to change the direction of their lives. Nothing is too hard for You. 

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

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I Wait Quietly Before God, For My Victory Comes From Him.

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I Wait Quietly
Before God,
For My Victory Comes From Him.

Scripture

Psalms 62

¹ I wait quietly before God,
    for my victory comes from him.

Observation

I am so tired of watching and hearing the stupid and ridiculous things that continue to come out of the mouths of our country’s so called “leaders”. 

If you are like me you have to be saying or at least thinking, “Is this the best our country has got?” 

So if you want some sanity this Monday morning open up your Bible and get God’s perspective on our sad situation. 

This is what I read this morning in Psalm 62:1-2, 7-8 

“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.”  My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” 


Thank goodness our God has this all under His control! 

Psalm 146:8 “…The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly.”

Application

I will wait quietly before the Lord, for my victory comes from Him. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for our presidential candidates. Give them wisdom. Help them to see the need to seek Your guidance and Your direction. Help us, as we have to endure the next few months of listening to their nonsense. I pray for a godly leader. I pray that someone would emerge and save us from the direction that our country is heading. Thank You for letting us know that we are on the winning team and for letting us know that You have this craziness all under Your control. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 65,66; Psalms 62; John 3

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Give Thanks To The LORD, For He Is Good!

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Give Thanks
To The LORD,
For He Is Good!

Scripture

Psalms 107

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

⁸ Let them praise the Lord for his great love
    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.

Observation

Aaron Myers taught my Sunday school class for me not too long ago and he taught the class a lesson on prayer that he and the other AWANA teachers had used with the kids.

It is the Hand Illustration for prayer!

Hopefully I will have the chance to share this illustration at the church where I am preaching this morning.

Our thumb and our pointer finger represent “Praise” and “Thanksgiving”!

Our middle finger, which is taller than all the rest, is for “Intercession” - praying for others.

Our ring finger reminds us of “Confession” – we need to confess our sins. 

The pinky, which is the smallest of all of our fingers, is for “Petition” – praying for the things that we need for ourselves. Notice that it comes last!

Corrie Ten Boom said this, “Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.”

“Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.” E M Bounds

 Application

I will pray all the time. How about you?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Never stop praying.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege I have in Christ. I can come directly to You in prayer. You  have given me the keys of Heaven. I can bring Heaven down to earth through my prayers. You love me. You love to hear me when I pray and You want to talk to me through Your Word. And when I pray help me to always expect great things.

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 63,64; Psalms 107; John 2

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From His Abundance We Have All Received One Gracious Blessing After Another

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From His Abundance
We Have All Received
One Gracious Blessing After Another

Scripture

John 1

¹⁶ From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

Observation

God is good! All the time! All the time! God is good! 

I love it when I ask some people at Mission Tampa how they are doing and they respond back to me, “I am blessed and highly favored!” 

I love it because it is so true! 

I have been reading about the life of missionary Hudson Taylor. Take a minute and Google his name and read about his amazing life of faith. 

He was a man of prayer and was mightily used by God in the nation of China. 

Once when he was at a hard place financially he wrote in a letter to his sister, “We have 27 cents in our account and all the promises of God”. 

You and I are so blessed. Let’s not focus on what we don’t have. 

Let’s meditate today on the goodness of our Heavenly Father. “From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another”!

Application

I am thanking God today for His goodness. Why don’t you do the same?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it doesn’t matter how much money Kathy and I have or don’t have in our bank account because we have all of Your promises and we know that we can count on every single one of them. We can hold on to them tightly. They are secure. You are totally trustworthy. As I read about men and women like Hudson Taylor, E M Bounds, Andrew Murray, George Mueller, John Wesley, Corrie Ten Boom, Lottie Moon, and William Carey it encourages me to be like them when it comes to prayer. Don’t let me doubt Your promise to me in John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”

   

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 60,61,62; John 1


> 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.

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And Remember, Our Lord’s Patience Gives People Time To Be Saved

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And Remember,
Our Lord’s Patience
Gives People Time To Be Saved

Scripture

2 Peter 3

⁸ But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. ⁹ The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

¹⁵ And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—

Observation

I am praying for certain people in my family just like you probably are and I am asking God to save them.

I want them to put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and I want to see their lives transformed. And I will let you know that I am not the most patient guy in the world.

This passage of scripture is a huge encouragement to an impatient guy like me. How about you?

Do you have some people on your impossible list? Don’t give up on them.

You and I did not deserve salvation and yet God saved me and if God saved you it wasn’t because you deserved it either. The people that we want to see come to faith in Christ don’t deserve salvation either but God wants them to be saved.

He is patiently giving them more time. Maybe you have not given your life to Christ yet – to you I will say this – today is the day to make the decision to surrender your life to Him.

Application

I will continue to pray for those that God has put on my heart that need a personal relationship with Him and I will not give up praying for them. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me a godly Granny that prayed for me to be saved. I believe that because of her prayers for me I know Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Savior. I don’t deserve salvation but because of Your Grace and Your Mercy I have it.

I pray for those in my family that live like You do not exist. I pray for their salvation. I want them to experience the life that Kathy and I get to experience and I want them to have Eternal life. Bring people into their lives that will challenge them to repent and turn to You. Open up their spiritual eyes and turn their hearts away from sin and self and turn their hearts towards You. Give me patience and the faith to not stop praying for them. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 57,58,59; Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3

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For You Are A Slave To Whatever Controls You.

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For You
Are A Slave
To Whatever Controls You.

Scripture

2 Peter 2


19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Observation

I don’t think any person when they took the first drink of alcohol did it thinking, “Oh boy one day I will be a slave to alcohol and I will get to become an alcoholic.”

Or the guy sitting in front of his computer that clicked on a picture that took him to a porn site thinking, “I know that this is going to destroy my marriage and sexual perversion will dominate and control my soon to be miserable life 24/7!” 

The girl when she tried drugs for the first time never ever thought that it would lead her to an existence (not life) on Nebraska Avenue selling her body for a few dollars to buy her next fix, living a life as a slave to drugs and a slave to the pimp that both now own her life.

None of us plan for sin to wreck our lives, but you and I are slaves to whatever controls us.

We all need to be set free!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Jesus Christ wants to set us free from a life of sin. He wants to empower us to live our lives to the fullest, filled with purpose and meaning. Are you ready to turn your life over to Him?

I have been set free! How about you?

Application

I will stay away from stupid sins today. I will resist the devil and draw close to God. How about you?

⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. ⁹ Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:7-10

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as I think about people I know who are still caught in the slavery of sin it makes me sad. When I know that if they would just turn from sin and turn to You that they could be walking in victory and not defeat. I know that they could experience joy instead of sorrow and pain, but so far they choose to stay where they are. So I continue to pray for them. I ask You Lord to set them free. Help them to see that Jesus and only Jesus can set them free. Bring people into their lives that help them to see that Jesus is their only Hope. Set them free Lord. Set them free. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 53,54,55,56; 2 Peter 2

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You Thrill Me, LORD, With All You Have Done For Me!

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You Thrill Me,
LORD,
With All You Have Done For Me!

Scripture

Psalms 92

⁴ You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
    I sing for joy because of what you have done.

Observation

Every one of us should be able to make this same statement, but is that what is overflowing from our hearts this morning? 

If not, why don’t we just stop and think about all of the wonderful things that our Lord has done for us – lets do that right now! 

If I listed everything that the Lord has done for me you would probably get very bored after the first few hundred pages. 

Did you know that God says that giving Him “thanks” is the best offering that we can give Him? 

I can honestly say along with Psalmist this morning, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, and your faithfulness in the evening”. 

Application

I will take time this morning to thank the Lord for all that He has done for me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You have given me life. You have allowed me to come back from the point of death now many times. Everyday I am allowed to live on this earth I consider a gift from You. You thrill me, Lord, with all that You have done for me. I give You praise. I don’t deserve the love that You have poured out on me. Help me to live the rest of my life in a way that pleases You. I know that each and every breath that I take You hold in Your hands. My breath and my very life are always held tightly in Your Hands. 


Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 50,51,52; Psalms 92; 2 Peter 1



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Lead Them By Your Own Good Example

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Lead Them
By Your
Own Good Example

Scripture

1 Peter 5 

² Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
 
³ Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
 
⁴ And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

Observation

Our kids are all grown they have their own families and tomorrow our oldest granddaughter Lyric will be twenty years old!

Kathy and I want to continue being an influence in each one of their lives.

We have talked about this a lot.

We have decided that the best way to influence our children and our grandchildren is to be good examples to them.

We desperately want them to see Jesus in us.

The most important flock that God has entrusted us to care for is our family.

Are we setting a good godly example for them to follow?

 Application

I want to be a godly influence. I want my children, my grandchildren to see Jesus in me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I have fallen very short when it comes to being the best Dad for my kids. I made so many mistakes that I wish that I could do over, but I can’t. What I can do is live in a way that helps them to see Jesus in my life. Help me to be a godly influence. Help Kathy and I to be good examples to our children and our grandchildren. I pray for those believers close to me that just don’t seem to understand that how they are living now and acting out has a negative damaging impact on their kids who are watching them, and others around them. Open their eyes. Help them to get it. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 46,47,48,49; 1 Peter 5

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Do You Have The Gift Of Helping Others? Do It With All The Strength And Energy That God Supplies.

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Do You Have
The Gift Of Helping Others?
Do It With All The Strength And Energy That God Supplies.

The majority of Christians I believe I have been given the spiritual gift of “helps”. When I see people at a major event I can easily pick out people that are using the gift of helps like God intended for it to be used! For example: Kathy and I got to our church’s beach baptisms yesterday late because I was speaking at another church. As soon as Kathy and I walked up Bobby Baker came up to us and said to us, “Let me make some sandwiches for you” and he began showing us where everything was and helped us get our sandwiches. He even got some ice tea for us and had it ready for us at a table. You couldn’t ask for better service than that and this was a picnic not Bern’s Steakhouse!

Scripture

1 Peter 4

¹⁰ God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
 
¹¹ Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. 

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Observation

The majority of Christians I believe I have been given the spiritual gift of “helps”.

When I see people at a major event I can easily pick out people that are using the gift of helps like God intended for it to be used! Of course, you can too!

Kathy and I got to our church’s beach baptism yesterday late because I was speaking at another church. As soon as Kathy and I walked up Bobby Baker came up to us and said to us, “Let me make some sandwiches for you” and he began showing us where everything was and helped us get our sandwiches.

He even got some ice tea for us and had it ready for us at a table. You couldn’t ask for better service than that and this was a picnic not Bern’s Steakhouse!

Bobby didn’t serve us because I am a pastor or because he and I are very good friends, even though both of those things are true, he did it because he was exercising the spiritual gift that God had given to him.

Others were doing the same thing yesterday and it was a neat thing to watch. I heard someone else talking to people getting them to help financially to take care of meals of a church member who had experienced a bad injury and her family needed our help!

I could go on and on. By the way, have you ever noticed Justin Elwell and what a hard worker around the church he is? Wow! He volunteers and is ready to work at the drop of a hat! So proud of him and so many others like him!

There were also people who got out to Ft Desoto early to set up for the event and I am sure that people stayed and cleaned up after the event. Most people that serve go unnoticed, but no church can function without them!

My thanks to every person that had a part in making yesterday’s event a big success!

 Application

I will look for ways to serve this week. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to serve You with all the strength and energy that You supply so I can bring glory to You through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to You forever and ever! Amen.


Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 43,44,45; 1 Peter 4

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Don’t Be Discouraged, For I Am Your God. I Will Strengthen You, And Help You.

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Don’t Be Discouraged,
For I Am Your God.
I Will Strengthen You, And Help You.

Scripture

Isaiah 40

³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41

¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Observation

It takes very little to discourage us these days just turn the television and listen to the news or open up a Newspaper and read the headlines. 

And it seems like the least little thing can ruin my day and spoil a pretty good positive attitude.

And that is why it is so important to start out in God’s Word everyday.

These are two of my favorite verses. They speak to me this morning. How about you?

This is the God that I serve and these verses are a reminder of how much He loves me. I hope they do the same thing for you!

Application

God is on my side I will not be discouraged. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You encourage me. I take You at Your Word. Because I trust in You I will find new strength. I will soar high on wings like eagles. I will run and not grow weary. I will walk and not faint. I will not be afraid because You are with me. I will not be discouraged because You are my God. You will strengthen me and help me. You will hold me up with Your victorious right hand.
 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 40,41,42; 1 Peter 3

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What’s More, You Are His Holy Priests; So Come To Him And Offer To God Those Things That Please Him

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What’s More,
You Are His Holy Priests;
So Come To Him And Offer To God Those Things That Please Him

Jesus Christ is the Corner Stone. You and I are God’s holy priests. We are the living-stones in the Kingdom that God is building. What do you and I have that we can offer God? A priest in the Old Testament offered sacrifices for the people of God. Jesus Christ our High Priest offered His body as a sacrifice for our sins. God has called us to offer ourselves to Him as “living sacrifices”. God says that you and I are “priests” – we have a living sacrifice to offer Him – ourselves – our very own lives! Lets make Him smile by the way we live our lives. It is a choice that we must make every single day – lets live for Him today and lets make it a habit!

Scripture

1 Peter 2 

5 And now you have become living building-stones for God’s use in building his house. What’s more, you are his holy priests; so come to him—you who are acceptable to him because of Jesus Christ — and offer to God those things that please him.

Observation

Jesus Christ is the Corner Stone. You and I are God’s holy priests and we are the living-stones in the Kingdom that God is building. What do you and I have that we can offer God?

A priest in the Old Testament offered sacrifices for the people of God. Jesus Christ our High Priest offered His body as a sacrifice for our sins.

God has called us to offer ourselves to Him as “living sacrifices”. 

 “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” Romans 12:1 MSG

God says that you and I are “priests” – we have a living sacrifice to offer Him – ourselves – our very own lives! Lets make Him smile by the way we live our lives. It is a choice that we must make every single day – lets live for Him today and lets make it a habit!

Application

I will strive to offer God those things that please Him. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me put into practice what I have read today from Your Word. I want to be a living sacrifice to You. Help me live this day in a way that pleases You. Don’t let me be conformed to the world around me. I want to make You smile today. Show me anything in my life that is not pleasing to You. Let me the moment that I sin so I can confess it and stay right with You. I pray for the people in my life that are struggling to change the direction of their lives. Give them victory over the old habits, over the old empty way of life and help them to offer their bodies as living sacrifices. Help them to bring You honor and glory with the way they live. 


Daily Bible Reading:  2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38,39; Psalms 75; 1 Peter 2

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So Live As Outsiders During Your Time Here

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So Live As Outsiders
During
Your Time Here

Scripture

1 Peter 1

¹⁷ You call on a Father who judges each person’s work without favoring one over another. So live as outsiders during your time here. Live with the highest respect for God. 

¹⁸ You were set free from an empty way of life. This way of life was handed down to you by your own people of long ago. 

You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold. 

¹⁹ Instead, you were bought with the priceless blood of Christ.

Observation

Like no other time in my life I am extremely aware of and I sense and feel the pressure of the world around me trying to squeeze me into its mold.

Folks, I was set free from that empty way of life. I was bought with a price. I have been redeemed. I have been set free.

That empty way of life will never be okay for anyone that has been set free by the precious, priceless blood of Jesus Christ.

Even though I believe there is truth in the saying “we cannot legislate morality, I don’t think that means that we stop being a moral voice in our community. You and I are called to be the “Salt and Light” to the world around us. The cost of speaking out, the cost of being “Salt and Light” gets higher and higher each and every day!

I am not saying that we should ever be mean or ugly and viciously attack people. Jesus Christ died for them just like He died for me, but we never should condone or make excuses for immorality.

And everyday I am more and more aware that I am an outsider! This is not my final home. This life is a journey and I am not home yet!

Romans 12: 1-2

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Application

I will strive to be “Salt and Light” to those around me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I have to admit that I am not encouraged with the direction that our country and our world seem to be heading. If I didn’t have Your Word filled with all of its promises I would be very discouraged right now. I don’t know how people that don’t have a relationship with You can face these days of uncertainty. I have an Anchor and His name is Jesus. My salvation is secure. I know that You have all of this planned out and I know that all of us who have our faith and trust in You will be just fine. 

Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 36,37; Psalms 76; 1 Peter 1

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Anyone Who Lives The Way God Wants Can Pray, And Great Things Will Happen

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Anyone Who Lives The Way God Wants
Can Pray,
And Great Things Will Happen

Scripture

James 5

¹³ Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing.
 
¹⁴ Are you sick? Ask the elders of the church to come and rub oil on you in the name of the Lord and pray for you.
 
¹⁵ If such a prayer is offered in faith, it will heal anyone who is sick. The Lord will heal them. And if they have sinned, he will forgive them.

¹⁶ So always tell each other the wrong things you have done. Then pray for each other. Do this so that God can heal you. 

Anyone who lives the way God wants can pray, and great things will happen.
 
¹⁷ Elijah was a person just like us. He prayed that it would not rain. And it did not rain on the land for three and a half years! ¹⁸ Then Elijah prayed that it would rain. And the rain came down from the sky, and the land grew crops again. 

Observation

The prayer of a godly person is powerful. Things happen because of it. A godly person is a person that lives the way God wants. It is a person that strives to put God first in his or her life everyday. Godly doesn’t mean perfect.

Elijah was a person just like us (I am quoting James 5:17) and look what happened when he prayed. 

This is how you and I can have a prayer life that is powerful and effective, by living our lives the way God wants. 

When we do great things will happen! We have God’s Word on that!

I also read this morning in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles how King Hezekiah prayed and asked for God’s help. Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria, had taunted King Hezekiah and had insulted and ridiculed the nation of Judah’s dependence on their God, ridiculed them for trusting in their God to save them. 

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah prayed and in one night the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians and he put to death 185,000 people.  So the Lord defeated the Assyrian army and King Sennacherib returned to his palace where his two sons murdered him just as the prophet Isaiah said would happen. 

Application

I will strive to live the way God wants me to live. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, when I read Your Word I marvel at how You worked in and through the lives of people like Isaiah, King Hezekiah, and James the brother of Jesus. And I know that You can work in my life just like You did in their lives if I will live the way You want me to live.

 Help me to live my life in a way that pleases You. Don’t let me do stupid sins that keep me from experiencing all the good things that You have for me to experience. I want to pray to You knowing that great things will happen when I pray. 


Daily Bible Reading:  2 Kings 18,19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5




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Do You Know Where Your Fights And Arguments Come From?

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Do You Know
Where
Your Fights And Arguments Come From? 

Scripture

James 4

Do you know where your fights and arguments come from? They come from the selfish desires that make war inside you.

Observation

I snapped at Kathy yesterday (yes, I did) and she said back to me, “Are we grouchy this morning?” No matter what excuse I could give and I can probably think of quite a few dozen excuses to blame my ugliness on in a nana-second but the truth is that the meanness is coming from a selfish heart. Just so you know, I did say that I was sorry for being grouchy a few minutes later.

Kathy has learned that the best way to handle me when I am ugly and mean is to respond back to me in a way that lets me see my remark for what it is – Thank goodness she doesn’t usually return my hurtful remark back with something even more hurtful.

Fights and arguments, we are all going to have them. Why? You and I are sinners that’s why! You and I are selfish! “Me, Myself, and I” is my problem. The problem is “ME”. It is not the person I love!

I love you. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?

Three phrases that you and I better memorize and use each and every time we get into a fuss or a spat. Even when we are right – we need to learn to say them. The person we love is more important than you and I always having to be right. 

Application

I will not make excuses for my bad selfish behavior. I will confess it as sin. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it is the Fruit of the Spirit that I want showing in my life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You and I both know that my heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and my life needs to be under Your control. I yield my life to You. Take control of my tongue, my eyes, and my heart, help me live out this day in a way that pleases You. 


Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 29,30,31; James 4 

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God Is Our Protection And Source Of Strength He Is Always Ready To Help Us In Times Of Trouble

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God Is Our Protection And Source Of Strength
He Is Always
Ready To Help Us In Times Of Trouble

Scripture

Psalms 46

God is our protection and source of strength.
    He is always ready to help us in times of trouble.

² So we are not afraid when the earth quakes
    and the mountains fall into the sea.

³ We are not afraid when the seas become rough and dark
    and the mountains tremble.

Observation

Always and Never are two words that we should not use when we are talking about our spouse!

When and if we use them it is almost “always” to complain about what he or she has done or not done - He always does that or she never does that! He never picks up his clothes. She is always late! He never does anything around the house! She always brings stuff up from 5 or 10 years ago when we have a fight she never forgets one thing!

But when we use “always and never” to describe our God or when the Bible uses them to describe the attributes and character of God they are “always” used in a positive way aren’t they?

Psalm 46:1 is a great verse for us today!

God is on our side and He is always ready to help us in times of trouble!

 Application

God is my source of strength and protection. How about for you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I can count on You. Others may let me down and I may let someone else down but I know that will never happen with You. All of Your promises are “Yes”. You keep Your Word. You are faithful even when we are not. Great is Your Faithfulness. You are Perfect. Yes … always means yes when it comes from You and No always means no. I pray for those going through times of loss. Give them Your strength. Help them. You are the God of all comfort and all compassion.  

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 28; Psalms 46; James 3

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You believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

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You believe that there is one God.
Good for you!
Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
 

Scripture

 

James 2:14

¹⁴ What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

¹⁹ You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
 
²⁰ How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

Observation

It is so easy to say, “I believe in God”. Demons not only believe that there is one God, they know it and they fear and tremble. Believing in your head, in your mind that there is a God does not save us even the demons know that.

It is only when we put our faith and our trust in what God did for us through His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary that we are saved.

The most important 18 inches in the world for you and me is the distance from our brain to our heart! Some of us have the head knowledge about God. We believe that He exists, but we have never exercised the faith to trust in Him as our Lord and Savior.

What kind of belief in God do you have? Head knowledge or has it moved to your Heart?

Application

I will look for ways to show that my faith in Jesus Christ is genuine. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to live out my faith this week. Help me to be more concerned for those around me and less concerned about myself. I pray for opportunities to show that my faith is real.

Hebrews 10:24-25

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
 
²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.


Daily Bible Reading:  Isaiah 32,33,34,35; James 2

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