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.

A Hill of Beans

Mark 8:36 says: 

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

What does it profit to start with God, and end with Satan?  What does it profit us to gain the treasures of the world and lose our souls?  Many today are selling out to the world and its pleasures. 

King Saul was one of these men. He had everything he could have ever dreamed of. Fame, fortune and the hand of God was upon him as well. But he chose to listen to the world and not God. He leaned upon his own understanding. This lifestyle of Saul brought him misery and heartache. He was even driven to madness at times and had to have David come and play music to calm him down. See King Saul seemed like he had everything under control. Everything was great for him!  

King Saul was from Gibeah, which in one scripture is defined as "the hill of God" and in another, "Saul's hill". But today it is called "Tel el Ful" which means "Hill of Beans". Which I've always heard doesn't amount to much. Do you think it is a coincidence that it was called these names in the order I have wrote them?

A life that is not surrendered to God will never amount to a hill of beans.
What will this life profit you?

TO GAIN THE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR SOUL DOESN’T AMOUNT TO A HILL OF BEANS

Getting It Done

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

How many of you have a detailed list of things to do for today?  9am, go to the dentist... 10am, pickup medicine... 11am, meet homeowner... 12pm, go to lunch with new client... 1pm, go to the office... 3pm, pickup children in the carline... 4pm, go by resturaunt and get dinner... 6pm, pickup children from ball practice... and on and on until bed, then the same things the next day. 

We all have many things to do on our lists. Some may even be important things to do. But have you given much thought to "How" you get those things done?  The Bible teaches us that no matter what it is we do, we need to do it all in the name of the Lord. Look at it again... "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed..."  This deals with everything we say and do. "Do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus..."  We are to do it ALL as we would be doing it unto Jesus. 

So looking at step one, I would say we have that down pretty good. We realize that we have things to do. Step two, the way we get it done. We may have that down as well. But now on to step three, giving thanks while getting it done. This could be difficult. The Word of God says in whatever we do, do it in the name of Jesus with a thankful attitude. 

Why do you think the Lord wants us to be thankful about what we do?  It's because of the reason we do them. If you were to do all things for Steve, you would be disappointed. But if you do it all in the name of Jesus, you will never be disappointed. 

Let's give thanks to Him today for what is on our lists. Ask Him for the strength this morning to get those things done. Be thankful that we have something to do through Him. Lord help us today to get it done and to be thankful about it. 

I Could Sure Use a Drink

John 4:13-14
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Now I'm not old enough to even remember these days but I have relatives and parents who do. In fact I heard someone just the other day talking about the fountains for the "white" and the "colored" people. When I read it in my history books it seems as if it was years and years ago when the truth is that it wasn't just that long ago. Well let me just get to the point this morning...

Jesus was tired and sat on a well. A well that was known as Jacob's well. When a woman who was known for her character came out to draw from this well at a time when no other women would come. She came in search of some water for her thirst and Jesus was ready. Notice something about this story with me. Jesus didn't tell this woman to follow Him to Jerusalem for some good Jewish water. He didn't satisfy her with any of Jacob's well water either. No he offered her living water!

You see, Jesus doesn't look toward the "white" fountain as the "white" Jesus with His "white" portrait of Himself. He does not look to the "black" fountain as the "black" Jesus with His "black" portrait of Himself. He didn't look to the Jewish fountain or the Samaritan fountain. HE IS THE FOUNTAIN! He is that Jewish Messiah, Son of God and Savior of the World fountain of life. The drunkard can have a drink. The prostitute can come and drink. The heterosexual and homosexual can come to drink. The adulterer and fornicator can come drink. The lost, hopeless and helpless sinner can come and drink! I don't know about you, but I sure could use a drink of that!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2 Timothy 1:16

The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

Have you ever had the breath knocked out of you?  That's probably one of the scariest things that could happen to you. Not being able to breathe is so painful and scary all at the same time. How many times have you thanked God for that breath you just took?  The old phrase that goes, "You don't miss your water till your well has run dry" comes to my mind. We aren't very thankful for the air we breath until we find ourselves gasping for it. 

Brother Paul tells us that one man effected him in ministry so much that he says he was like a refresher to his heart. Paul was thankful for a man named Onesiphorus. He said that he had "oft" refreshed him. This means that Onesiphorus impacted Paul's life!  He was someone that when Paul needed help, he was there. When Paul needed encouragement, he was there. When Paul needed prayer, he was there. When Paul needed a shoulder or ear, he was there. Paul was saying that this man was like a breath of fresh air to him. When Paul was gasping for air and there was a man named Onesiphorus to come into his life. 

My grandad, who is with Jesus now, couldn't walk across the room without gasping for air. He had COPD and emphysema. A hard working and tough man, would find himself bowed over struggling to find air. I hated to see this happen!  It would bother me so much that I would begin to cry and pray for his breath to be restored. He would puff the inhaler, and somehow calm down enough to find his breath. 

I see people on a daily basis that are struggling to find air. They're struggling to stay above water. It bothers me so much. I pray everyday that I would be able to be an Onesiphorus. Lord, let me often refresh others when they can't seem to find their breath and thank you Lord for always refreshing me.  

How many times have you thanked those for being there to often refresh you? First of all Jesus, who always refreshes!  Try and thank them today. 

He is Here!

Genesis 28:16
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

So many times we miss out on the presence and fellowship with God because we weren't really looking for Him. Churches are filled service after service with those who sometimes just aren't really seeking Him. I'm not saying that this happens all the time with everyone, but all of us are guilty at times of not experiencing God simply because we weren't really looking for Him.

What would happen if you woke today and really looked for the Lord in every thing and every situation? What if right now you made a decision to look for Him today?  Surely the Lord would reveal Himself.

I've heard great Christians say things like, "Miracles don't happen much anymore, those were mostly Bible day signs." Think about it...when is the last time you've seen someone raised from the dead? Did you know that it is still happening everyday? Seriously! You're just not looking for it. Every time someone places their life in Jesus they are raised from the dead. The Bible tells us that we were dead in our tresspass of sins, but Christ has made us alive.

Wouldn't it be great to say this morning, "Surely God was here in his place, and I knew it! I felt Him and saw Him working!" Wake up and start looking for Him today.

I Thought You Should Know

Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

In our scripture, Paul says that he knows. There is no confusion on this matter for him. He understands very clearly the issue within himself. When he examined his life he could see that in himself, there is no good thing. Can you see what interrupted this thought? He said, "that is, in my flesh". Paul was testifying of the wretchedness of his carnal, fleshly man. This portion of him was despised and he struggled daily with it.

Look at what he says next. Paul's will was present and he desired to honor God by following His commands. He had a zeal or passion toward the will of God but how to perform the will of God was a different story.

The struggle that Paul had is the same that I have and even maybe you have. One of the things that has helped me is knowing that "my flesh" is carnal and weak. There is nothing good about it or me. My righteousness is as filthy as rags used by a mechanic. I want to honor God. I want to please Him and follow His will. So how can I do this if I find no good thing in me? Jesus! We need to know that we can't do it. It can only be done through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit that has saved us. He has redeemed us. He has set us free. He has made us, who were dead in our sins, to become alive through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Anyway, I just thought you should know also.