1 Corinthians 8:3
But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
Oh how I love Jesus! I can't think of anyone who has ever loved me like He has. I can't think of a God who has done so much for someone like me. He left Heaven, was fashioned as a man and died a sinners death for me. Did you hear that? For me! For you!
It is easy for me to love God. If you were to ask anyone around you if they loved God and your answer would most likely be an assured yes. Look at His love for us! Let's look deeper this morning. Our love is because of His love for us. It's easy to love someone who loves you and cares for you.
Our scripture says, if any man love God, the same is known of Him. We know we love God but He also loves and He knows us. I'm glad that God knows me. I'm glad that He loves me. I'm glad that He is my shepherd. I'm glad that I'm saved by Him, kept by Him and sealed through Him!
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Holding the Flashlight
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Remember being in Vacation Bible School singing, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine"? We would come to a part in that song that said we wouldn't hide it under a bushel. Why would we attempt to hide the light of Jesus? No! We need to let it shine now more than ever before. But we need to learn how to shine our lights.
When I was young, I would help my dad work on our cars. We were always repairing something with duct tape, haha. My job was to hold the light. It never failed. I always wanted to get my hands in there and get greasy but dad always handed me a flashlight and said, "Here, hold this." I didn't know that there was a certain way to hold it. My mind often wondered while he was working and I didn't pay attention to where he was at. Dad would say, "Hey, are you holding that light? Well, I can't see anything with you holding it right there!" He wanted me to shine the light onto the spot he was working on. Imagine that, I know right?
The light that shines in us is our salvation. We are not to shine it upon ourselves, but upon our works after salvation. We are to shine them upon where God has fixed us and then always give glory to God. We should be shining our lights upon Christ Jesus for the salvation He has given!
My dad is the one who fixed the vehicles, I just shined the light. My Savior Jesus is the one who fixes the broken-hearted. I'm just shining the light. Holding the flashlight.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Remember being in Vacation Bible School singing, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine"? We would come to a part in that song that said we wouldn't hide it under a bushel. Why would we attempt to hide the light of Jesus? No! We need to let it shine now more than ever before. But we need to learn how to shine our lights.
When I was young, I would help my dad work on our cars. We were always repairing something with duct tape, haha. My job was to hold the light. It never failed. I always wanted to get my hands in there and get greasy but dad always handed me a flashlight and said, "Here, hold this." I didn't know that there was a certain way to hold it. My mind often wondered while he was working and I didn't pay attention to where he was at. Dad would say, "Hey, are you holding that light? Well, I can't see anything with you holding it right there!" He wanted me to shine the light onto the spot he was working on. Imagine that, I know right?
The light that shines in us is our salvation. We are not to shine it upon ourselves, but upon our works after salvation. We are to shine them upon where God has fixed us and then always give glory to God. We should be shining our lights upon Christ Jesus for the salvation He has given!
My dad is the one who fixed the vehicles, I just shined the light. My Savior Jesus is the one who fixes the broken-hearted. I'm just shining the light. Holding the flashlight.
Monday, March 19, 2018
Slow But Sure
Nahum 1:3
The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power,
and will not at all acquit the wicked:
the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
How powerful is our God! This scripture today shows the awesome power of our almighty God. Look, it says He is great in power. It says that the Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm. The clouds are the footprints, the dust of His feet. Think about it! How big is our God? To think that the clouds are dust from His feet. God you are powerful! You are great! You are huge!
If God wanted to He could stop this evil with one footstep. He could have judgment upon this world with just His spoken word. God could end everything. Notice the beginning of the scripture... Our Lord is slow to anger. Although our God could put an end to it now, He is gracious and longsuffering.
Don't misunderstand it. He is gracious and merciful but He is not slack. He will judge this world and its wickedness. I'm thankful for His slowness to anger and also thankful for His sureness of judgment.
Who is a God like you? Not only is your power great but your heart, O Lord is great as well. I love you.
The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power,
and will not at all acquit the wicked:
the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
How powerful is our God! This scripture today shows the awesome power of our almighty God. Look, it says He is great in power. It says that the Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm. The clouds are the footprints, the dust of His feet. Think about it! How big is our God? To think that the clouds are dust from His feet. God you are powerful! You are great! You are huge!
If God wanted to He could stop this evil with one footstep. He could have judgment upon this world with just His spoken word. God could end everything. Notice the beginning of the scripture... Our Lord is slow to anger. Although our God could put an end to it now, He is gracious and longsuffering.
Don't misunderstand it. He is gracious and merciful but He is not slack. He will judge this world and its wickedness. I'm thankful for His slowness to anger and also thankful for His sureness of judgment.
Who is a God like you? Not only is your power great but your heart, O Lord is great as well. I love you.
Friday, March 16, 2018
I’m Sorry
Psalms 38:18
For I will declare mine iniquity;
I will be sorry for my sin.
One of the most difficult things for people to say is, "I'm sorry." It just will not come out of the mouth the right way. If you have noticed we must be born with this deficiency. Children struggle with this from birth so it must just be something that is difficult for us all. It's something that we must give to Jesus and allow Him to teach us.
Let me ask you an important question... What do you think of when you see or imagine Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary? If I told you that it was your sin that placed Him there, what would you feel? Sorrow! I would want to cry out and say, "I'm so sorry!"
Did you know that you can do that now? Say it. I'm sorry Lord! I will declare that it was my sin that placed you there. It was my sin that caused you to leave glory and God, I am sorry! I'm sorry that my selfishness in sin caused you the pain and death of Calvary. The nails were because of my sin. The crown thorns was my crown. The beating, mine. The death should have been mine but you stepped in and took it all! I'm sorry!
I love you Lord! Thank you for forgiving me and never, never leaving me. I will be sorry for my sin and I will repent of it. Lastly, I will give you thanks and praise for listening and forgiving.
For I will declare mine iniquity;
I will be sorry for my sin.
One of the most difficult things for people to say is, "I'm sorry." It just will not come out of the mouth the right way. If you have noticed we must be born with this deficiency. Children struggle with this from birth so it must just be something that is difficult for us all. It's something that we must give to Jesus and allow Him to teach us.
Let me ask you an important question... What do you think of when you see or imagine Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary? If I told you that it was your sin that placed Him there, what would you feel? Sorrow! I would want to cry out and say, "I'm so sorry!"
Did you know that you can do that now? Say it. I'm sorry Lord! I will declare that it was my sin that placed you there. It was my sin that caused you to leave glory and God, I am sorry! I'm sorry that my selfishness in sin caused you the pain and death of Calvary. The nails were because of my sin. The crown thorns was my crown. The beating, mine. The death should have been mine but you stepped in and took it all! I'm sorry!
I love you Lord! Thank you for forgiving me and never, never leaving me. I will be sorry for my sin and I will repent of it. Lastly, I will give you thanks and praise for listening and forgiving.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
How Well Do You Know People?
2 Timothy 3:10-11
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
In God's word today, Paul says that Timothy and his towns people knew all about him and what he stood for. Paul says, "You have FULLY know my doctrine". I love this! Doctrine does not mean what Paul was teaching, but what Paul believed and lived through action. Very few today have doctrine in their walk with Christ. They say and teach many things, but not walk in the doctrine (belief) of Jesus. Paul was strong enough to say that they have FULLY known his doctrine. In other words, it is absolutely no secret who Paul believed in or served.
Notice the next thing he speaks of, "manner of life". Speaking of how Paul lived his life. Which describes the next things written down. "Purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, and how the Lord delivered him out of trouble.
Examine your life this morning... Stop to take an inspection for just a moment. Do people know your doctrine. I'm not talking about everything that your against, but do people see your belief in Jesus through your walk? What is your manner of life? Are you living out your purpose? Are you sharing the faith of Jesus with everyone? Are you longsuffering, loving and patient? What about when you go through persecutions or afflictions are you still living the same doctrine, purpose and manner of life?
Everyday someone is watching you. They are observing your doctrine. Be Jesus! Another old song that I used to sing comes to my heart again today. It says...
"You're the only Jesus some will ever see, and you're the only words of life some will ever read. So let them see in you, the One that's true and all they'll ever need, cause you're the only Jesus some will ever see".
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
”Usward”
Psalms 40:5
Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Why? Why would a God, who is far above us in glory, position and power, have such works and thoughts toward us? Think about the beauty of the sunset over the horizon. Think of the sunrise coming up the side of a mountain in the morning. The trees that try and reach the sky, or the birds that sing in them. Think of the body and its ability and agility. Think of the process of birth and how God designed all of these works as a blessing for us. They can't be counted up in order to begin and speak of them all.
Please look at that one portion of our scripture this morning... "and thy thoughts which are usward:" Doesn't that stop you in your tracks? To think about a God so holy, so glorious and so mighty. Knowing that He has thoughts toward us. I must tell you today. There are times in my prayers that I wonder what God thinks of me. I have never wondered if He loved me, but I have wondered at why He would love me. I question why He is so good to me. He often makes me stop in my tracks.
I don't think you understand the depth of this scripture! It tells us that "Many, O Lord my God... are thy thoughts which are usward". Every thing that He has created, He did with us in mind. God, as David said so say I, there are too many to count. I can't even begin to thank you for them all even if I started now and spoke every one until I die or you come back for me.
Thank you for it all! Thank you for your works! Thank you for your words! Thank you for your thoughts toward me! How could I not love you O Lord my God!
Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Why? Why would a God, who is far above us in glory, position and power, have such works and thoughts toward us? Think about the beauty of the sunset over the horizon. Think of the sunrise coming up the side of a mountain in the morning. The trees that try and reach the sky, or the birds that sing in them. Think of the body and its ability and agility. Think of the process of birth and how God designed all of these works as a blessing for us. They can't be counted up in order to begin and speak of them all.
Please look at that one portion of our scripture this morning... "and thy thoughts which are usward:" Doesn't that stop you in your tracks? To think about a God so holy, so glorious and so mighty. Knowing that He has thoughts toward us. I must tell you today. There are times in my prayers that I wonder what God thinks of me. I have never wondered if He loved me, but I have wondered at why He would love me. I question why He is so good to me. He often makes me stop in my tracks.
I don't think you understand the depth of this scripture! It tells us that "Many, O Lord my God... are thy thoughts which are usward". Every thing that He has created, He did with us in mind. God, as David said so say I, there are too many to count. I can't even begin to thank you for them all even if I started now and spoke every one until I die or you come back for me.
Thank you for it all! Thank you for your works! Thank you for your words! Thank you for your thoughts toward me! How could I not love you O Lord my God!
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Why Can’t You Be Like Your Brother?
Acts 3:4-6
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
I have to start out this morning by saying that my parents never said that to me. I have an older brother that I was always trying to imitate while growing up, but my parents never told me to do that it just came naturally. Me being the younger sibling, I wanted to do what my brother did. I wanted to go where my brother went. I tried my best to be cool like my brother.
I remember that he started playing around with a bass guitar once. It wasn't long until I had that thing in my hand. I put some sunglasses on and an Elvis song. I came sliding into the living room in my socks and sang some "Hound dog". I thought I was cool (and still do). But I did this because of my brother and his messing around with the bass. Growing up I tried to do a lot of things that my brother did. I played football because he did. I wore Guess jeans because he did (well they were his). I rolled up my pants on the ends because he did. It was just in me as a younger brother to look at him and be like him.
Peter one time told a man to "Look on us." After this man looked upon Peter and John he hopefully could see the big brother Jesus. You see Peter didn't want that man to see Peter. He wanted him to see Jesus. Peter fashioned the rest of his life to look and do things that his brother Jesus would do. He went to the places Jesus went. He shared the same words Jesus spoke. He lived his life trying to be like his brother Jesus.
Would you rather spend your life with everyone looking at you and trying to be you? I spent much of my earlier years wanting people to look at me and be like me but I have finally figured out that I want people to look like my big brother Jesus. How do I get them to be like Jesus? Be like my brother, Jesus.
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
I have to start out this morning by saying that my parents never said that to me. I have an older brother that I was always trying to imitate while growing up, but my parents never told me to do that it just came naturally. Me being the younger sibling, I wanted to do what my brother did. I wanted to go where my brother went. I tried my best to be cool like my brother.
I remember that he started playing around with a bass guitar once. It wasn't long until I had that thing in my hand. I put some sunglasses on and an Elvis song. I came sliding into the living room in my socks and sang some "Hound dog". I thought I was cool (and still do). But I did this because of my brother and his messing around with the bass. Growing up I tried to do a lot of things that my brother did. I played football because he did. I wore Guess jeans because he did (well they were his). I rolled up my pants on the ends because he did. It was just in me as a younger brother to look at him and be like him.
Peter one time told a man to "Look on us." After this man looked upon Peter and John he hopefully could see the big brother Jesus. You see Peter didn't want that man to see Peter. He wanted him to see Jesus. Peter fashioned the rest of his life to look and do things that his brother Jesus would do. He went to the places Jesus went. He shared the same words Jesus spoke. He lived his life trying to be like his brother Jesus.
Would you rather spend your life with everyone looking at you and trying to be you? I spent much of my earlier years wanting people to look at me and be like me but I have finally figured out that I want people to look like my big brother Jesus. How do I get them to be like Jesus? Be like my brother, Jesus.
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