He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not...

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not.... He loves me!  Did anyone do this when you were young?  We depended on daisies to tell us our fate in the love category. Something that is funny to me is young children today. They have invented these paper fortune tellers. They write girls or boys names underneath these little flaps and turn it in and out by counting numbers. And then the flap is lifted with their loves name on it.  They giggle and shout sometimes. At times they don't get the person they wanted and feel down about it. Isn't that funny?

We all at times feel unloved. We look at how people treat us and evaluate their love for us. We count all the things that people have given us and talley up their love for us. We say, "They love us, they love us not..."  Some even feel that God has changed His love for us. They sometimes feel unloved because of suffering and trials but the love of our God is not dependent upon what we have or don't have. It's not given because we have deserved it or earned it. He loves us, and that's all.

Maybe you're thinking, "He loves me, He loves me not..."  But let me tell you this!  "He loves you, He loves you, He loves you, HE LOVES YOU!" 

1 John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

Crackers in the Meatloaf

Luke 9:13-17

But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

With God, there is always enough!  Sometimes there is more than enough, but all the time there is enough. As I think back upon my life this morning and take inventory, I recall the sufficiency of God. Even as I recall my childhood, God was always sufficient. 

I remember this one time my dad bragging on my great-grandmothers hamburgers. I suppose I remember it well because of the argument that it started. My mom made hamburgers and dad begin to recall his grandmothers style of burger. Then the statement came out... "Boy Granny-Clay sure could make a good hamburger". (From dad of course) Then my mom told him to just go on over there and let his granny make him a burger if they were so good. (it wasn't intense, just picking at each other). Well somehow we got on the subject of how moist and tender Granny-Clay's burgers were. And then I heard it. Mom said, "She puts crackers or old bread crumbs into her burgers and meatloaf". I said, "What? Why would someone put crackers in the meatloaf?"  My mother then begin to explain of hard times. She said they would do this in order to stretch out the meat. They didn't have much meat at times to feed everyone so they would put the crackers in the meat to stretch it out. 

In our scripture today, God takes a little boys lunch and turns it into an "All You Can Eat Buffet". Remember little is much when God is in it. 

As you take inventory this morning on how blessed you are, I'm sure there were times that you've had plenty. Blessed more that the freezer could hold. Other times you probably think that you were not blessed as much. But if you will stop and think about it those could have been the blessed times that God was, and is, being sufficient. You look at your five loaves and two fish and believe it's not enough. It's because it is in your hands. Put it into the hands of Jesus. 

Maybe there are crackers in your meatloaf or hamburgers, but "Boy they sure are good". AND ALWAYS ENOUGH! 

Everything That Glitters Ain’t Gold

Acts 17:19-20
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

When I was younger my mother would always tell me, "Everything that glitters ain't gold son". She would always say this to me when I was dating a girl. I would come home talking about how pretty they were and how popular they were. Most every time it would end with her making this statement. It wasn't that she didn't like these girls, she didn't even know many of them. It was they way I spoke of them and what attracted me to them.

I really never understood what she was trying to teach me by always telling me this statement until I grew older. You see I always saw the face, the features and sometimes even the status of a girl. My attraction was just skin deep. I'm almost certain that I wasn't alone in this battle. Boys always wanted the pretty girls and girls always wanted the good-looking guys. It's our youthfulness. What is funny is how my mom would say it. Her eyebrows would raise and give me that look of, "Be careful son... Remember, everything that glitters ain't gold".

Can I tell you that we live in a world today that will tell you that all is well. Everything is okay if you are enjoying it. "Do what makes you happy" is the motto of America. But always remember this, "Everything that glitters ain't gold". It's sad to say, but even in our churches this attitude has flooded our pulpits. The lack of conviction, preaching and repentance is prevalent. The scriptures say that God once winked at ignorance but now commands that everyone should repent. Repent means to feel sorry, or convicted for your sin to the point that you confess it and TURN from it. Feeling bad or sorry about sin isn't repentance, turning from it is. Repentance is like gold because of its worth.

Thank you Lord for giving me an opportunity to repent. Thank you for showing me that repentance isn't just skin or statement deep. It goes to the point of turning from sin and turning toward you. Please help all today that are at this point right now. Help them to see the golden opportunity and not just fool's gold of feeling sorry.

Beating Out Of My Chest

Job 37:1
At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

Job's friend, Elihu, is telling Job of how great God is. If you could take the time this morning, go back and read Job chapters 36 and 37. It tells of how awesome are the works of God. He is above all things. Our God is perfect in knowledge. He is mighty in strength and wisdom. Our God is a preserver of life to the righteous. He is a provider and blessing to those who keep His commands. It also tells of how great God is in His justice and judgment. If we will keep His words and commands, He will establish us and bless us. If we choose to disobey Him then He will have perfect judgment.

Elihu goes on to ask Job, "Who can teach God?" He says that God is great and no man can number His years. He is found in the light. He shines always, even above all the clouds of doubt and sin. He sends His wind (Holy Spirit) to remove those clouds so that His light can shine through. He is God!

While talking about God and His greatness he confesses, "My heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place." He was saying that when he thought about God and His greatness that it felt as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

How do you feel when you think about your God? Let me try to explain the way I feel. When I saw my wife coming down the aisle of the church as my bride eighteen years ago, I felt like my heart was in my throat. It was pumping so fast that I thought I was going to spit it up right there in front of everyone. I was so overwhelmed with love that I though my heart would escape my chest. I still feel the same way about her. Well, when I think of God and what His Son did for me... It's magnified!

I need to go check my blood pressure now...

What Are You Talking Aboout?

Acts 8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Our scripture tells us about a man of God named Phillip. He was preaching a meeting where hundreds were being saved and God told him to leave and go down to Gaza. God had someone there for Phillip to witness to. He found this man riding along and reading the word of God. Phillip asked him if he understood it and he answered by saying, "How can I, except some man explain it to me."

So Phillip opened his mouth at the same scripture and preached Jesus unto him. He shared with him how Jesus fulfilled the words of God that he was reading. Jesus was the sacrifice that Isaiah was speaking of in those scriptures. In short, Phillip's message was Jesus Christ!

Paul said that he only knows the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What more do we need? Why do we feel that stories, jokes or flare is needed for people to understand the Gospel. I understand that each person is different and is used greatly by God because of their character. My point is when will we realize that the message is simple. It is plain. It is truth and it is powerful. It's Jesus! Give people less of you and more of Jesus.

God help me always to know that people will still die and enter Hell if they know me, but can have salvation eternally if they surrender to you.

So let me ask you, what are you talking about? Or better yet, who are you talking about?

The Benefits of Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

What are the benefits of bodily exercise?  Well for me personally it is...better shape of the body (less round), no medication to help with my blood pressure or diabetes, a better feeling of energy and accomplishment. The benefits of exercise can be awesome!  I never, in my whole life, thought I would say that I like to run and exercise but I do.  The stress that comes off of me while listening to my Christian music and running is just so crazy. But what is cool is that not only do I benefit from it, but my wife and boys benefit from it as well. I hope I'm a better husband and daddy because of the benefits of a healthy body. 

But notice what the scriptures say, "Bodily exercise profiteth little:". God did not say that exercise wasn't good for you. You know what is so funny?  I've heard people use this scripture to teach exercising does you no good. That's not what God is teaching here. He is saying... Compared to Godliness, that profits unto ALL things, the benefits of bodily exercise is little. You see, bodily exercise benefits for years, but Godliness benefits for eternity!  Bodily exercise benefits here on earth, but Godliness benefits in this life and our life of eternity which is to come. What is really cool is that not only do we benefit from exercising Godliness, but our spouses will, our children will, our churches will, our employers will, our friends will, our neighbors will.  Can't you see how much greater it is?

So while we exercise our bodies, never forget to exercise our spirit in Christ Jesus, because that's what will profit the most in the end. 

Somewhere I Have Never Been

Joshua 3:4-5
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

What was your prayer this morning? What would happen if we would pray, "God, take me somewhere I've never been"? What if we asked God to do something in our lives that has never happened before? What could God do? Where could God take us?

God told Joshua that He was going to do great things on this day. He said that He was going to cause them to pass by a place that they had never been to. Do you know what God did with Joshua and these people? He allowed them to cross through the middle of the Jordan river. Right through the middle of it. While the priests stood in the water with the ark of the covenant, all the people passed through. Praise the Lord! When God brought them through the Red Sea, He was breaking them away from the bondage of the Egyptians. When God brought them through the Jordan River, He was breaking them of their doubt and disbelief and bringing them into a land of promise and hope.

Oh, Lord will you please take me to places I've never seen? Not states or countries, but to a place of worship, ministry and service that I have never experienced before. I will trust and I will follow. Take me Lord to a higher place. To a place that you desire for me to be and that I have never seen before. As I cross through, remove me from all of my past burdens and bondage. Remove from me the doubt and disbelief. As they did, so do I. I sanctify myself unto you my Lord today. Cleanse me, purge me, forgive me, lead me Lord and I will follow.

Take me somewhere I ain't never been.