GOD'S WILL

Dear Friends, we will be away for the next two weeks on a trip to Washington, DC with a senior citizen’s group. Your prayers for our travels and health will be appreciated. We have had two very busy months and look forward to the time away. Go to Church if able; pray for the Pastor and teachers. May we all be found doing the will of God if the trumpet sounds and we rise to meet the Lord? Long for it, pray for it and be busy ushering it in for it is the will of God for us. We wish for you a glorious Resurrection Sunday. To God be the glory. david

GOD’S WILL

Jesus didn't call us and save us only to follow Him; He called us to be Him. He called us to continue and to ultimately complete His ministry work here on the earth. In order for us to be successful in accomplishing this, He gave us His Spirit and His authority to do what needed to be done. Jesus wants us to experience the same baptism and empowering He received from His Heavenly Father. He wants us to willingly accept this enlightening and empowering because he wants us to have the same relationship to the Holy Spirit He had while He was on the earth. For us to do this, we must be willing to embrace and submit our will to the will of God.

When the people heard Jesus teach and witnessed His miraculous acts they knew He was different. He came to do the Will of God rather than cater to the will of man. Whenever we do the will of God it will be obvious to others and to ourselves; evidence of the transforming power going on within us. (John 7:17; Romans 12:2; Mark 3:35)

One of the greatest witnesses we can have in the world today is to do the good works purposed for us by God. This type of behavior is in stark contrast to the behavior of the world. Godliness is the behavior of godly people and it has the power to silence the ignorant talk of foolish men and women who live as the enemies of God. (1 Peter 2:15)

When we are asked why we live the way we live, we can respond honestly that it is a work of grace; a work of sanctification that enables us to relinquish our will to God in order to live a life that is honorable to Him. (1Thess 4:3-5).

God has a purpose and plan for each and every one of us. By submitting our will to Him we allow the Holy Spirit in us to fulfill that purpose and plan.  Remember the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray? Within it is a line that reveals the ultimate objective our goal God has for his creation. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt 6:9-13)

I share the following hymn with you along with my prayer that each of us will willingly embrace the Will of God and His Will, will become our will.

I Surrender All

1.All to Jesus I surrender;                                                                                                                                all to him I freely give;                                                                                                                                         I will ever love and trust him,                                                                                                                               in his presence daily live.

(Refrain)

I surrender all, I surrender all,

all to thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.

3. All to Jesus I surrender;

make me, Savior, wholly thine;

fill me with thy love and power;

truly know that thou art mine.

(Refrain) 

PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS

Priesthood of Believers

Hebrews 13:15  Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Dear friends, when we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and ask Him to forgive us of our sins, we become a child of God.  We should willingly serve God because we are part of the priesthood of believers and one of the chief functions of a priest is to offer sacrifices to God. While the type of sacrifices the Old Testament priest would have done is different from the sacrifices performed by a New Testament priest, they are still important to be done.

The first and most important sacrifice to be done by a believer is the sacrifice of self. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1) We are to willingly die to self and live for Jesus Christ, serving Him and doing what He would have us do. This is obviously the most difficult sacrifice for any follower of Jesus Christ to make, but once we make the sacrifice of self, the other sacrifices are much easier for us to do.

The second way in which we as believers can offer a sacrifice to God as a part of our priestly duties is in our finances. It is in being generous toward God where we discover the joy of giving. It is the believer’s responsibility to underwrite the cost of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad. Once the financial need is made known the Holy Spirit will place within the spirit of the believer a compelling desire to help meet the need. A good example of this is found in   2 Corinthians 8:2-5 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. Years ago I heard the following statement and it stuck with me: “If God doesn't have your wallet, he doesn't have you.” Throughout my years of ministry I have found this to be true.

The third sacrifice we can make as believers is to “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name” (Heb 13:15)   This sacrifice of praise would be to use our lips to confess the name of Jesus, our voices to sing His praise and taking time in our prayers to offer praise to Him for His great love, mercy and grace. Sacrifices of praise can be done in worship services, Bible studies, our personal quiet time with the Lord or at times when we have an opportunity to share our faith with others. We use our lips to offer a sacrifice of praise whenever we bless rather than curse; when we speak the truth rather than a lie; when our walk matches our talk.

The fourth sacrifice we can make as believers is “to do good and share with others.” (Heb 13:16) You may not have been aware of it, but when you visited that person in the hospital or when you paid a visit to that person who was lonely, the one who is easily forgotten, you were performing a priestly duty. You are doing something that pleases God.  J. Vernon McGee, a powerful preacher of the Word said, “If Christianity does not walk in shoe leather it is no good at all.” We are the hands, heart, feet and voice of Jesus here on earth. As His priest He wants us to perform the same priestly sacrifices He performed while He was on the earth. And after all, He is still here. He is found in you and in His church.  You, as priest of His Church, write the check, write the note, bake the cookies, make the phone call, knock on the door, invite, spend time with, and more importantly pray for those whom God has placed around you and need His tender priestly care; “for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”  From one priest to another, may God richly bless you, david

NOW THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE

Now This Is Eternal Life

John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Eternal life is more than an endless existence. Eternal life is to know God; to know Him in such an intimate way you want to spend eternity with Him. There is only one way to acquire this type of intimacy and that is through His son Jesus Christ.

Jesus died and shed His blood so we could be forgiven of our sins. Sin separates us from God and keeps us from having a meaningful, loving relationship with Him. Sin results in alienation from God and if we remain in our sins we cannot have a personal relationship with God. Once our sins have been confessed and we have asked Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior our sins are forgiven and we are able to respond to the love of God and become a member of His family. Not only are we forgiven and welcomed into God’s family, we are given the gift of eternal life. What a wonderful gift that is!

The Scripture quoted above reveals an important definition of what eternal life really is...to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, His Son. To know God gives the highest meaning to life. It is the most personal, intimate relationship we will ever experience, in this life and for eternity. We were created to enjoy a loving relationship with the Creator God; to walk and talk with God in perfect unity; to love and be loved by Him. Sin separated us from this relationship. Jesus removed the barrier of sin through His death on the cross. His work of redemption gives us a second chance at real life and brings us back into a personal relationship with God the Father. God is not a god or one god among many; He is the ONLY God. The choice to believe or not to believe in Him is a choice we must all make. It is a decision we make individually; no one else can make it for us. If we don’t place our faith in Him we are lost.

In our unsaved condition we cannot know God. Millions of individuals are walking around this planet seeking the meaning of life, and it grieves me to say, they are looking in all the wrong places. The reason Jesus came to the earth was to save us, forgive us and redeem us. He showed the depth of his love by His willingness to die for sinful man.He didn't have to, He chose to in obedience to the will of God the Father. 

Entering into a relationship with God through His Son is the starting point. As we walk together our relationship grows sweeter and sweeter. We look forward to spending eternity in heaven.

How about you? Have you discovered the true meaning of eternal life? If the answer is no, get to know Jesus! To know Him is to know the Father and to know the Father is to know the real meaning of eternal life. david

THE PERSON WHO TOOK JESUS'S PLACE

The Person Who Took Jesus’s Place

John 16:7  But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

It is difficult for us to understand how the disciples would have felt when Jesus told them He was going to leave them. He not only said He was going to leave them, He told them it would be for their good. These disciples had left their families and their jobs to take up with this itinerant preacher, going from town to town proclaiming the coming of the Messiah who would usher in the Kingdom of God. His words were persuasive, His miracles never before seen. He had turned water into wine; miraculously healed lepers; fed thousands with a few fish and a few loaves of bread; restored sight to the blind and enabled the lame to walk. He stilled the raging sea and brought the dead back to life. They believed He was exactly who He claimed to be, the only begotten Son of God, the Savior of the world. And now He was going to leave them and He was telling them it was for their good He was going.

How could this be possible? Who could take His place? The name of the One coming reveals the uniqueness of His replacement. He would be the Counselor, the Comforter, and the One who would convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He would be the Spirit of Truth and would guide all who believe in Christ into all truth. His actions and revelations would bring glory to God and always exalt Jesus Christ.

The Counselor Jesus is talking about is the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) He is the Spirit of power, the Spirit who teaches, the Spirit who lives within us and guides us. He is the One who opens our spiritual eyes and ears and baptizes us into Christ at the point of our salvation. He is the power of our resurrection and searches all things, even the deep things of Christ. He is the Spirit behind our being born again, our becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus. (John 14: 26; John 16:13; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:11; Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Titus 3:5)

Our Comforter, the Holy Spirit, brings relief in the midst of our distress and supplies wisdom in the midst of our confusion. He is our Intercessor, the One who reconciles us to God.

It is this third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised would come to take His place. Jesus knew what His disciples needed and what we modern-day disciples need to be able to live faithfully in a righteous and holy relationship with Him. What a wonderful God, what a wonderful Savior, what a wonderful Holy Spirit Jesus sent to fill the void of His absence. 

Here beloved is the “good news:” all who belong to Jesus have His wonderful Holy Spirit living within them. He is in the process of transforming us to the image of Christ. Hallelujah!  My heart aches for this work of the Spirit to be completed soon. As the chorus of the beautiful hymn says, “Oh to be like Thee! O to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thy art! Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness, stamp Thine own image deep on my heart. 

How grateful we should be to Christ for the giving of His Holy Spirit. david

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God."

Why do you think the angel’s message to Mary concerning the birth of Elizabeth’s child in her old age was important? Mary needed to be encouraged. She had just been told that she was going to give birth to a son and she was to name him Jesus. Mary’s response was, “how will this be…since I am a virgin?” What the angel revealed to her seemed to be impossible. God knew this would be Mary’s response so he sent an angel, a messenger, to strengthen her faith. Mary would have known Elizabeth, a relative of hers, wanted children but she also knew she was beyond normal childbearing age. If Elizabeth was pregnant it would be the result of a miracle performed by God. If God could work such a miracle in Elizabeth’s life, He could work a miracle in her life. The angel’s message strengthened her faith and gave her confidence that she could trust God to do the impossible.  Mary’s response to the angel is the response of faith; “I am the Lord's servant…May it be to me as you have said."  

The angel’s message to Mary is also recorded for our encouragement and the strengthening of our faith. All of us need to be reminded of the sovereignty and power of God. Listen to the angel’s message, “nothing is impossible with God."   Do we believe it? Does our life reflect it? Is this our faith position? When we face trying times; when there appears to be little or no hope and the counsel of others has little to offer, do we hear the Lord speaking to our hearts saying, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

The day we believe this truth is the day we begin to grow in our faith and understand the power of Jesus over all things. With Jesus there will always be hope; even in light of the reality of our weaknesses, whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual. We can draw strength and assurance and comfort in His presence for nothing is impossible with Him. We can rest in His peace and draw from the blessings He makes available to us through His indwelling presence. Is it easy to do? No! Is it doable? Yes!

When this truth is ingrained into our hearts and minds, when it really becomes ours, it will revolutionize our thinking. It will enable us to focus our attention on the sufficiency of Christ rather than the insufficiency of self. We can face our inabilities without shame because we know when we are weak, Jesus will be our strength. When we are shortsighted, Jesus will expand our vision through His living Word. When we need direction Jesus provides us with spiritual ears to hear Him speak to our hearts His blessed truths. Friends, our God is able. His power and sufficiency to save is available to all of us. All we need do is ask. When we need to be encouraged it would be wise to remember the comforting words spoken by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians:  “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

On a personal note: when I become anxious, the Holy Spirit reminds me, I am to be anxious about nothing. Rather than spending time being anxious I can spend time in prayer, asking God for the peace of His presence. And dear friends, when I am obedient and allow the peace of God to wash over my spirit, I can offer a prayer of thanksgiving from my heart; a prayer to Him who is able to do more than I can imagine for God is at work within me. (Phil 4:6-7; Eph 3:20-21) What a Wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord!

While sitting here writing this devotional the Lord brought the following hymn to mind. I share it with you in the hope it will bless you as it blessed me. I looked up the lyrics on the internet and discovered that I could not only read the lyrics but I could also listen to it being played on a piano. As I read and listened I had a wonderful time of worship. The words are so meaningful. They are truly like a balm to my soul. The web address is as follows if you choose to go there: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/334. You may need to cut and paste it in the address bar.

1.      A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
  A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
  Where rivers of pleasure I see.

o    He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
  That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
  And covers me there with His hand,
    And covers me there with His hand.

2.      A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
  He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
  He giveth me strength as my day.

o    Chorus

3.      With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
  And, filled with His fulness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God,
  For such a Redeemer as mine!

o     Chorus

4.      When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
  To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
  I’ll shout with the millions on high.

o     Chorus

Lyrics:  Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915)

Music: William James Kirkpatrick(1838-1921)

God bless you all. Who knows the next time we see each other we may be dressed in His brightness, meeting Him in the air. We will shout together to His praise and who knows it may be one of Eleanor’s favorite words we will shout in honor of our King: Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen!

david

PEACE BE WITH YOU!

 Peace Be With You!

John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

One of the most wonderful blessings available to mankind as a result of the resurrection is the peace of God. Prior to the resurrection this peace was not available to anyone. It’s interesting to note the first greeting Jesus gave to his disciples when he met with them following his resurrection from the grave was, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus knew what the disciples were going to need, for the task He would commission them was not going to be easy. Many of His followers would be ordered to renounce their faith under the threat of death. Their refusal to do so could result in their death and the death of their families and friends. In this fallen and sinful world under the influence of Satan, it would prove to be very difficult to find a lasting peace. Jesus knew there would be only one place, one source, for the peace the world would so desperately need and that was to be found in Him.

The peace of Jesus continues to be needful in the day in which we live; a day characterized by evil and sin. People are unwilling to turn to the source of righteousness and peace, Jesus Christ. Idols are being fashioned daily in the hearts and minds of those who are unwilling to accept the gospel of peace offered to them. God’s of man’s own choosing are being worshiped by countless millions. The darkness in which they dwell is so complete within them they are unable to see their true condition; their separation from the source of eternal life. They go about life proclaiming peace, peace when in reality there is no peace. Their hearts condemn them for they are inwardly convicted of their sin but they refuse to turn to God for forgiveness and the peace that follows their confession of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. (1Jn 3:20)

This lack of peace so prevalent among us, has been and continues to be studied and written about by doctors, psychologists, researchers and pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to bring relief to the troubled soul, yet the answer remains as elusive today as it has ever been. Why? They are looking for the answer in all the wrong places? There is only one place that has the answer for the individual who is looking for peace, the Bible. The Bible reveals the source of peace found only in the person of Jesus Christ. The peace He offers does not come cheaply. It cost Him His life. He died a cruel and horrible death and yet had He not died, there would have been no resurrection; without a resurrection there would be no peace. Without the resurrection the disciples would not have had the wonderful experience of having Jesus coming to stand among them and hearing these wonderful words spoken by him, “Peace be with you.” Not only would the disciples have missed hearing these wonderful words, we too, as his modern-day disciples, would not be able to hear Him speak to our hearts the wonderful words that bring us comfort and ease our fears and anxiety, “Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Troubling times will come but they are no match for the peace of His presence. Do you need to hear Him speak today? Sit quietly before Him.  Envision His presence and thank Him for coming. Ask Him to give you ears to hear and a heart to believe and to speak words of comfort and peace to your heart. Then allow Him to speak to your heart and fill you with His peace.  david

·         Romans 5:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

·         Romans 15:13 (NIV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

·         1 Corinthians 14:33 (NIV) For God is not a God of disorder but of peace… 

·         Ephesians 2:14 (NIV) For he himself is our peace…  

I Am Always With You

Psalm 73:23-26 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

He is the Lord your God and He is mighty to save. He takes great delight in you and rejoices over you with singing. He is always with you and holds you by His right hand. He will guide you and make known to you His counsel and His will and after you have spent time on this earth, walking with Him, He will take you into His glory, into His very presence. 

Rest in the Lord today with the sure knowledge this earth has nothing to offer you of any eternal significance. The Holy Spirit that dwells within you has the power of revelation and insight; today, he will take you to a deeper level in your understanding of who God is so you will be able to confess that you have none other in heaven or earth besides Him. Making that confession will be strong medicine to your heart and to your spirit. His right hand continually reaches out to you and will be available to you throughout everything you experience today. When you are too weak or unable to hold His hand He will hold to yours and will not let go. You belong to Him! If that doesn't make you shout HALLELUJAH, nothing will! 

Beloved the Bible contains hundreds of words of encouragement to those who love God. Yet there are four words you can repeat over and over today that will be a source of great comfort; God is with me! God is with me! God is with me! Knowing this enables you to live without fear. Be encouraged in your soul as you walk with the Lord, your Savior for He is mighty to save and He loves you. 

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He takes great delight in you; he will rejoice over you with singing allowing you to rest in the peace of his presence. Praise the Lord! 

Isa 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU

You Are in Me And I Am in You

John 14:20 (NIV) On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  

What difference should it make to you knowing you are in Jesus Christ and he is in you? Hopefully, a big one. It means whatever touches you touches him. It means Jesus Christ intimately knows you and that means, to REALLY KNOW YOU! He knows when you sit and when you stand up. He knows your thoughts. He knows when you’re going out and when you’re lying down; he is familiar with all your ways. Before a word is on your tongue, he not only knows the word, he knows the intent of the words you are going to say. God’s hand will not only be your guide, it will be your support. Even when going through the darkness of sickness and despair, God’s light will continue to be around you and God’s comforting presence will never fail you. God was fully aware of you even before you were born. His eyes saw your unformed body before you were conceived. The days ordained for you were written in his book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:2-17)

God is close to those who are going through difficult times, not because he loves them more, but because they need him more. It pleases him when we focus our thoughts on him, and ask him for the strength we need to walk faithfully with him. When you rest in Jesus, the Holy Spirit will fill your mind with the things of God; his love, his faithfulness, his truth, his power to deliver. It is these thoughts that will bring courage to your heart enabling you to rejoice in the midst of all circumstances. (Philippians 4:4)

Today and every day is a good day to take delight in the Lord. Committing everything that you have, everything you are going through, everything you need to do, to him. He has given you the promise he will walk with you and never leave you and when the going gets rough if need be, he will carry you in his loving arms.

God says what he means and means what he says. You can count on it. Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow! How blessed we are to be His! Hallelujah! David  

  

A GREATER MIRACLE; RESURRECTION POWER

A Greater Miracle; Resurrection Power

John 11: 14-15 " So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

 Why in the world would Jesus have said, “for your sake I am glad I was not they are,” when He received the news that Lazarus had died. He certainly was not implying He did not care about Lazarus and his family. Jesus loved this family deeply. He had something else in mind when He made the decision not to go to the family when He first heard about Lazarus’ illness (v 6). Jesus is omniscient and he knew what Mary and Martha, Lazarus sisters, needed even though they didn't  He also knew what the disciples needed to see in order to strengthen their faith in Him and in His saving, resurrection power. 

God’s ways are not our ways and God’s ways will always prove to be the best. Even when our prayers are not answered in behalf of a loved one; even when marriages fail and families are torn apart; even when our financial problems cause great pain and loss; there is Hope! And where there is hope there will be praise and glory given to God for the last chapter is yet to be written. It will be written by God. 

When Jesus arrived, the disciples, the family of Lazarus and all the onlookers, thought it was too late. Mary and Martha were disappointed because He had not come quicker. Jesus did what He did to give us the assurance of resurrection power. He showed us in a graphic way that the grave and death is no longer a threat to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We would not have a record of those wonderful words of comfort He spoke to Mary when He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” We would not have a record of His powerful question to her and to all who follow Christ; a question that should cause each of us to reflect on our faith in His resurrection power, “do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) 

Jesus was testing Mary’s faith. He is testing our faith. Do you believe in His resurrection power? If not, why not? Jesus revealed His power over death and the grave to all who were present that day and it should be just as real for us. Jesus went to the tomb and told the people to remove the stone that sealed the grave and spoke these exciting words of resurrection power: “Lazarus, come out.” (John 11:43) And Lazarus did as he was commanded. The people saw the glory of God being demonstrated through Jesus Christ, God’s Son. (John 11:40) 

Here’s a new question for reflection: would you rather Jesus answer your prayers the way in which you have prayed or answer them in the way He knows is best?

My dear friends, if Jesus had healed Lazarus when He was miles from him, we would never have known in such a powerful way the power God has over death and the grave. Because of the way in which God answered the prayers of Mary and Martha, we know the grave is not our final destiny. When we draw our last breath on this earth we are responding to the call of God “to come out;” to come out of our bodies, to come out of this world of sin, sickness and death and enter into our eternal home prepared for us by the God who loves us.  We can fully entrust our lives, all that we are, to His love, power and purpose for us. The story of Lazarus is that there is a greater miracle than physical healing. It’s the miracle of the Resurrection! Be encouraged, yes! Be quick to give praise and glory and honor to our Lord. Amen and amen. david

DIRECTIONS FOR LIFE

Directions for Life

Psalm 119:2-3 (NIV) ² Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. ³ They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.

God’s blessings are available to those who keep his statutes. His statutes are a reflection of his will for all of mankind. For a believer to be blessed by God they must follow God in fateful obedience to his revealed will. God’s will, his statutes, are the guidelines and plans for His special people, a chosen people. Even though this 119^th Psalm was written with Israel in mind it is still applies to the church, the body of believers, today.  It is God’s desire for all who have come to him for salvation to continue to live righteously. They do that by willingly submitting their will to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

God’s way will always be different than man’s way. God’s way is the “way of righteousness”. God’s way is revealed to believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit, through prayer, through reading His Word and through fellowshipping with other believers. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit draws us into a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Because the Holy Spirit is our teacher and our guide, the way of God is not difficult to discern. God’s way will always stand in opposition to human wisdom, worldly values and our human desire to be in control. God’s way will never make sense to the natural mind of fallen humanity because it has to be Spiritually discerned and believed by faith. When we walk in the revealed way of God, we will always walk in the way of righteousness.  

Beloved, God created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we need and when we need it. We will never be able to satisfy our hunger and thirst from what the world offers. If we reject his way and continue to go our own way we will continue to walk in darkness and never enter into the light of his presence. To walk in the way of our own choosing is to continue to live in sin, resulting in broken homes, wrecked relationships, shattered dreams and disappointment. Those who reject God will one day stand before him and then they will know the truth but it will be too late. It has never been God’s intention or desire to live apart from us. If we are separated from God, we are the ones responsible. We are the ones who failed to respond to God’s invitation to walk in faith. We are responsible for our sin and if we continue to reject the Way of God we fail to accept God’s deliverance and salvation made available to us through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.  

When we ask Christ to come into our lives, the Holy Spirit gives us insight into these truths; hopefully, we will turn to him and seek him with all our heart and desire to walk in his ways. Dear friends, when God created you in love, he also created a manual for you on how to live. He gives you access to it each day. Within its pages are revealed the Way of God, the Way of Righteousness. You know the name of this manual, it’s  the Bible. Open it up. Read God’s love letters to you and follow His directions. You will grow to love it in the same way you grow to love Him. david

THE WALK OF FAITH

The Walk of Faith

Genesis 5:24 “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Enoch walked with God. He had a special relationship with God; it was so special in fact that he did not see death, at least not in the normal sense. When it was his time to leave this earth and enter into the presence of God, God took him away. His relationship with God was so special that God blessed him with a special “mini-rapture.” One millisecond he was here on the earth and in the next instant, he was in the presence of God. His body was never found because it was instantaneously changed into a glorified body and was taken to heaven. Enoch was blessed because he had chosen earlier in his life to walk in close intimacy with God.

How did he do it? First of all he responded to God’s call on his life. His response was a faith response. He had no idea of where God was going to lead him but he was willing to go. As he walked with God, God taught him the ways of righteousness and holiness. Enoch became a disciple; he became a follower of God and would be known by those around him as a man of God. God spoke to Enoch and Enoch lived as God instructed him. His talk matched his walk! God was preparing Enoch for eternity, just as He is preparing each of us when we choose to become His follower. God worked out His plan and purpose in Enoch’s life and He desires is to work out His plan and purpose in each of our lives as well.

Walking with the Lord is a challenge. It was not easy for Enoch to give God his undivided attention and surrender his will to God, but when he did, his life was changed. His worldly and flesh desires were replaced with the desires God had in mind for him. This transformation was not an easy thing to accomplish. And yet his willingness to submit himself to the leading of God led him into a more intimate, loving and knowing relationship with the God who had created him. The more faithful the walk, the more intimate the relationship becomes and the less we allow the world to creep in and replace our time with God. That was true in Enoch’s day just as it is today. Enoch chose to spend more and more time in God’s presence, and one day while the two were out walking God said to Enoch, “Enoch, let’s go home.” I can’t begin to imagine the joy that he would have felt as he heard God’s gracious invitation.

May I ask you a question for your reflection? Who are you intentionally walking with each day? Does your daily walk reflect your talk? I’d like to share a quick story with you. About fifteen years into our marriage, Eleanor and I were riding somewhere, I was driving and she was sitting in the passenger seat next to the window. She looked over at me and asked, “Why don’t we sit really close to each other like we used to? Remember when we were dating and after we first got married and before we had children?” My answer was, “Eleanor, I haven’t moved! I’m still siting where I always sit.” After a few seconds of reflection, we both broke out in laughter. She then said, “You’re right,” and moved over next to me. For years that space had gotten filled with kids, dogs, groceries, you name it. The things of life had moved in; not bad things, but even good things can keep you from the best place to be. If your walk is not as close as it once was, God hasn't moved. Maybe it’s time for you to move back. 

God loves you. Celebrate it and enjoy His presence. david

COME TO THE FATHER'S HOUSE

Come To The Father’s House  

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

Have you answered the invitation God sent you “to come to the Father’s house?” He sent you an invitation in the person of Jesus Christ. God the Father wants you to be a part of His family and is preparing a place for you to live. It’s a beautiful place called heaven. It’s a place with unlimited resources and beauty and the amazing thing is, it’s available to all who respond to His invitation. It is a city that doesn’t need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb, Jesus, is its lamp. (Rev 21:23)  It’s a city that will never again experience night. God’s presence and the glory of His being will be its source of illumination. We will live there and reign with God forever and ever. You may be thinking to yourself, “Can this really be true?” The answer is, “Yes!” All the promises of God are trustworthy and true. (Rev 22:5-6)

Jesus is not only preparing a special place for you, He is also preparing you a special body, built for eternity. Your new body will be like His body, a glorified body perfect in every way. Your new body will not age, grow weary, get hunger, become wrinkled or become diseased. You are a new creation in Christ, the old has gone, and the new has come! You have been reconciled to God and given a living hope in the resurrected Christ. You are born into an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade (2 Cor 5:19; 1 Peter 1:3-4) One of the greatest blessings you will have is complete understanding for you will have the mind of Christ.(1 Cor 2:16)   

Beloved, Jesus wants you to come to this place He is preparing for you. He wants you to invite your family and friends. There are no limitations as to who can come. You can invite your entire neighborhood; those you know well and those you hardly know at all; in fact Jesus wants you to invite the strangers you meet as you go about your day. This invitation is given to all. The RSVP is placing your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

The greatest blessing of all, I saved for last. You will see the face of Christ. I cannot begin to comprehend what this will be like but one thing I know, I hunger for it. I see Him in His Word and hear His voice in the leading of the Holy Spirit but my heart hungers to see Him face to face and to know Him as I am known. At the first glimpse of the dear face of my Savior I will rejoice and exclaim, "My Savior and my God."

 I invite all of you to join me for eternity. What a day that will be. I love you in Christ, even those of you I have never met face to face. I look forward to joining you and millions of others around the Throne of God’s Grace. david

HIDDEN IN THE APPLE BLOSSOM

I Received this today and it was news to me, the part about the apple and the worm. But what a wonderful illustration. Hope you not only enjoy it but can use it in your witness and testimony to others. david

Hidden in the Apple Blossom

Contributor: Lynn Shuyler

Topics: Sin

"If you find an apple with a worm hole, it does not mean that there is a worm inside the apple. It simply means that an insect laid an egg in the apple blossom.  Sometime later, the worm hatched in the heart of the apple, then ate its way out."

 Application:

Despite the appearance, the worm doesn't work its way into the apple, it works it's way out. And so it is with sin. It doesn't work its way into our hearts, it works its way out. Although manifest much later through our words and actions, it was there all along, hidden in the very blossom of our human nature. 

"It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart" (Mark 7:15, NLT). 

Copyright © 2011 Illustration Exchange, All rights reserved.

HE CAME TO HIS OWN

HE CAME TO HIS OWN!

Jn 1:11-13 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

He came to His own in the Garden of Eden; to those whom He had created for Himself. He came to them and they hid. They listened to the voice of the enemy rather than to the voice of God.  He came to His own throughout the Old Testament.

He came to His own but His own wanted nothing to do with Him and in their selfishness, ignorance and intolerance they attempted to destroy Him.  

He came to His own in fulfillment of His revealed Word but His own twisted and contradicted His Word and listened to their god, Satan, the father of all lies.

He came to His own and demonstrated in Word and in deed that God had given Him complete authority over all creation. His authority and power is unmatched. He brought something out of nothing. He brought strength out of weakness. He brought courage out of despair. He brought life out of death and placed eternity in the hearts of those who believe in Him. But His own believed him not and challenged His authority. Rather than submit to the authority of God they chose to submit to the authority of man.

He came to His own with Words of hope and deliverance. He came to His own to show them a better way, His Way; a better truth, His Truth; and a better life, His Life. His own chose not to believe His “good news.” Instead they turned their backs to Him and went the way of their choosing. They wanted to decide what truth was and what constituted the “good life.” They chose to believe He was lying and attempting to get them to turn their backs on their religion and its practices. They chose to believe a lie. They chose the way of death.  

He came to His own with the purest intentions and the purest love known to mankind. He didn't come to judge or to condemn, He came to save. His own responded to this unimaginable love by questioning His motives.

He came to His own and they mocked Him; they mocked His claims, they mocked His miracles. They said His power came from Beelzebub and that He was possessed by demons. His own chose to reject His Kingship and to seek out another to rule and reign over them and they submitted themselves to the prince and power of darkness.

Jesus came to His own, leaving His home in heaven, putting aside His glory. He humbled Himself and took the very nature of a servant, willingly dying on a cross for our sins. God in Christ willingly submitted Himself to be slapped, spit on, mocked and beaten. He allowed Himself to be made a spectacle before others, being stripped naked and openly tormented by those calling for His death. Jesus, in dying, paid the penalty of mankind’s sins. He became man’s sin sacrifice, satisfying God’s penalty for sin. He saved us and redeemed us by His blood.  

Hallelujah! What a Savior! 

Now would be a good time to praise Him. david

FEELING GUILTY FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING

 Feeling Guilty For Doing the Right Thing; Spending Time with God 

Has this ever happened to you? You get your Bible or your devotional book and head for a comfortable place to have a time alone with God. Almost immediately, as you open the Bible and begin to read, other thoughts come into your mind. The things you need to do start crossing your mind and you begin to think you had better get up and get moving. You feel this urgency to take care of these “things” rather than stay a little longer spending time in prayer and study. You can’t get your mind to stay on track. If you want to really get distracted get down on your knees to pray! Then we feel guilty for not staying with the Lord and guilty for not getting our “things” done. After all, the things we think need doing are not bad things. 

What’s going on? Why the guilt? Of all the activities we do, why do we struggle with concentrating when spending time with the Lord? Think about it. Of all the things we do, what would Satan most want to distract us from? Right! Time with God. The fact you want to spend time with the Lord is evidence that the Holy Spirit is drawing you into a more personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.  Rejoice in that fact. What we must do is train ourselves to “be still”; learn to wait and listen. And like anything worth doing, it takes working at it and practice.

Here are some suggestions that may be of help to you in your attempt to have a satisfying and fulfilling time with the Lord.

1. Make a commitment to establish a daily time to read the Bible, worship and pray.  
2. 2.   Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remain focused on what you are doing.
3. 3.   Print or write out a small card with the following on it: Jesus is with me. The Holy Spirit indwells me.  When you find yourself being distracted, read the card to yourself or out loud as a reminder that what you are doing is pleasing to God. Then, get back to doing what you were doing before you were distracted.
4. Read short passages and then stop and ask yourself the following: What truth is being revealed? How does it apply to me?

Spending time in the presence of God is not only a blessing, it is also spiritual warfare. Satan doesn't want us to get to “know” Christ. He doesn't want Christ to be our passion. He doesn't want us to grow spiritually and become all that God desires us to be so he tries to distract us. But remember, he has already lost the battle. We have the victory in Jesus, our precious Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit lives in us, always guiding, drawing, wooing us to the One who is closer than a brother.  Speak the name of Jesus – Satan will flee. Praise and thank God that He wants to spend time with you. 

Beloved, we were not designed to find satisfaction in this world. We were created in God’s image. Heaven, living in His presence, is our ultimate destiny, our eternal home.  God places a heavenly desire in our hearts so we will seek Him and when we do, it is a delight to Him (Ps 27:8).  Let His presence encourage us to relax and rest in Him; seeking Him with all our hearts, with every fiber of our being. His love will continue to transform us into His image as we become more and more like Him.  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! david

YOUR PROBLEMS, HIS PRESENCE

Your Problems, His Presence

Hebrews 12:2a: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” 

Beloved, are you aware that the face of God is shining upon you as you go throughout your day? His presence will enable you to walk and live in peace and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Today you may find yourself surrounded by a vast sea of problems but don’t lose heart, He is with you and can provide the peace you need as you deal with your day. Don’t focus on the problems, focus on Jesus. The problems you will face in life are too much of a burden to bear on your own (Matthew 11:28-30). 

The circumstances you may find yourself in are like a raging sea, the waves may be reaching heights well above your head and look very frightening, but you can do what the Apostle Peter did in the midst of his storm; he cried out to Jesus for help: “Lord save me” and Jesus responded (Matthew 14:30). He will do the same for you. He will take you by the hand, lift you up and place you in a safe place. Remember He is the one who never changes. His mercy and grace will be enough to meet your every need. Stay close to Him, seek His face, His presence, and the fear of the future will not trouble you. 

At times life will be weary and burdensome for a believer. We are in a constant state of temptation and engaged in an ongoing battle against the desires of the flesh. When we keep our vision on Christ and walk in obedience to his revealed will we experience the peace of his presence and are given the strength we need to deal with the difficulties of each day. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us. As he does our spirit will be refreshed and we will find rest in his loving care. His healing and the peace that passes all understanding will be ours. 

The rest that Jesus promises is not the end of all our labor for we will continue to labor in service to the Lord. But his rest will deliver us from the meaningless and wearisome toil that is the result of our doing battle with the world. 

On an uplifting note, there is one type of labor that will never prove to be burdensome and that labor is found in keeping  and obeying the commands of Jesus (1 John 5:3). When we obey His commands, we overcome the world and when we overcome the world we are victorious over sin and over God’s enemy, Satan. In 1 John 5:5 the Apostle John asks a question, “Who is it that overcomes the world?” His answer revealed by the Holy Spirit is, “only he who believes that Jesus is the son of God.” 

Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith! Hallelujah! We do not perfect ourselves – He does! Another hallelujah! What do we do – we obey; we listen; we pray; we study His Word; we walk with Him each day allowing Him to lead, resting in His faithfulness, truth and love. That’s a win-win as far as I am concerned. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Let go and let God!”  Well, let go……and let God! To God be the glory, Amen! david

WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN

When Bad Things Happen

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

This is a verse of Scripture written by Paul the Apostle in a letter to the church at Rome. When it was read to the believers it would have been difficult for them to understand or to believe. How can all things possibly work for the good of those who love God?

They lived in a city dominated by a madman by the name of Nero. This is the madman that in A.D. 64 blamed the Christians for a fire that started in Rome and devastated a large area of the city. He charged the Christians with the crime. Many were persecuted and killed for a crime they did not commit. It is quite likely that Peter and Paul were executed while he was in office. Nero’s thirst for power led him to kill his stepbrother and his mother. Later he banished his wife Octavia before having her killed. He was, by any judgment, an evil man responsible for much hardship, suffering and death over those he ruled. It is understandable why the people would have asked the question, “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?”

It was this concern the Apostle Paul addressed and he did so to reassure the followers of God that God was aware of what was going on and he would bring something good out of all of the evil. The good would come to them in their weakness and their brokenness with the greater good coming to them when they stood in His presence. Even if they or their loved ones suffered the worst things imaginable in this life, God would work it together for their good. His promise to them and to all who call on the Name of the Lord is that they will be blessed with the gift of eternal life.

Their suffering and our suffering is to be viewed as a refining process. The Bible declares it is in the difficulties and the trials of life where faith is tested and proven to be genuine. It may not be easy for us to understand this and it is without question, something that has to be accepted by faith. We must often remind ourselves it is not going to be easy to go through this refining process. It wasn't easy for Jesus either. He will never require anything of us that he hasn't experienced himself. When he was touched by the greatest act of evil in the history of mankind, crucifixion, He trusted His Heavenly Father to deliver him. We are to do no less. Jesus faced the worst His enemy could bring against Him and it cost Him His life. We are to follow His example, even to the point of losing our lives and just as he did, we are to trust in our Heavenly Father.

It doesn't matter what evil the enemy of God throws against us our faith responds with the affirmation: God is at work in “everything” that touches us and it will work for our good. Even though we live in an evil, fallen world; a world characterized by its sin and evil behavior, God is working out His plan and purpose in our lives and our ultimately victory in Christ.  Remember dear friends, God didn’t come into this world to make us happy. He came to fulfill his plan and his purpose in our lives that leads to our redemption, forgiveness and restoration. For those who have confessed and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and been born again, they have the assurance that regardless of what happens to them in this life, they are safe and secure in Christ.

This assurance is not for everyone but only for those who have “in faith” responded to the call of God’s love and believed on His Son, Jesus Christ. They have been born again and possess a new heart, a new mind and a fresh hunger and thirst for righteousness. They walk by faith, not by sight, and when the going gets difficult they trust in God to deliver. Their security is not in the world and those who are a part of the world. Their security is in Jesus their Savior and in their Heavenly Father who is eagerly awaiting their ultimate arrival in heaven. Knowing this they too eagerly await His coming or their homegoing. The faith and trust they have in Christ will keep them secure when the trials and tribulations of life are raging around them. Their faith, though tried, will remain true in pain or in persecution because they know God is with them. Hallelujah what a Savior. Love in Christ, david   

THE DEVILS CRUSHED; DEFEATED

The Devils Crushed; Defeated

Romans 16:20 (NIV) The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Back in the early 1980s Eleanor and I had the privilege of serving a church in North Florida. It was a rural setting and the parsonage and church were located in the middle of hundreds of acres of farm land. The place was well known for its rattlesnakes and alligators. Alligators are quite visible but rattlesnakes are stealthy and easy to overlook and miss.

Several men, members of the church, loved to drop by the parsonage and would pull in front of it and wait for us to come outside, especially Eleanor. She was a city girl and they loved to tease her. One day Albert and Quinteen Deas drove up in their truck, got out and waited for us to come out. Eleanor saw him and walked out to see at he wanted. They told her they wanted to show her something so she walked over to the truck without thinking anything about it. When she looked down into the truck bed there was a 5 foot diamondback rattlesnake.  Now Eleanor doesn't even like pictures of snakes, she screamed and ran for the house. Of course she had no way of knowing it was dead. They got a big laugh out of her reaction which is exactly what they wanted. They told her the snake was dead and when she looked again she could see that the head of the snake had been crushed. Albert then proceeded to prove the snake was dead by reaching in and grabbing the snake by the tail. As soon as he touched the snake’s tail the head of the snake immediately darted around as though it was trying to strike him. Albert jumped back! This is a strange phenomenon known to those who have handled snakes. Even though the head may be crushed, even completely cut off, the body can continue to move and to twitch for several hours.  Needless to say, Eleanor got the last laugh!

This rattlesnake as big and fearsome as it looked, even with its quivering and moving, was dead. It had suffered a mortal wound, a crushed head and was powerless to inflict any damage to anyone attempting to handle it. Even though its head was crushed it was still able to cause an individual to jump back in fear and to keep their distance.

Our enemy the devil is much like a headless snake. He may look and sound frightening but his bite is gone and he is a defeated foe. The evil and ungodly trials that result in great spiritual battles that often try our faith are coming from a defeated foe. Satan is an enemy of God who is consistently lying to us, attempting to mislead us and cause us to sin and live in fear. He wants to take away the joy of our salvation and our reliance upon the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit. He wants us to think our lives are out of control and there is nothing we can do about. Whenever we lose our peace, he rejoices. Whenever we doubt our salvation and question the security that is ours in Christ, he thinks he’s winning the battle. He may look formidable; he may look fearsome but he has no authority over a child of God; his threats are empty just like the quivering and striking motion of that rattlesnake. The deceptions, lies and counterfeits that have been used so effectively in the lives of countless millions of individual will one day come to an end. 

That old snake, that old serpent, the devil, will be destroyed for time and eternity. He will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur with the antichrist and the false prophet along with his dreams of ruling and reigning over the people of God. He will come to a dismal end and rather than ruling, he will spend eternity in torment (Revelation 20:10). PTL! 

Don’t waste your time and energy fighting a dead enemy, resist him and use the weapon, God’s Word against him and he will flee. God wants you to spend your time reading the Word and obeying it; serving the living God!

Beloved, be ready to come under attack after reading this. Satan will test you but remember you are an over-comer in the victory of Christ. david