The Devil Made Me Do It

James 1:13-15

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

The devil made me do it!  How many times have you heard someone use this excuse?  How many times have you used it yourself?  Eve used it in the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed the woman, the woman blamed the devil and satan could blame no one. 

Remember David of the Bible?  The young boy who killed the giant? The great king who was blessed by God? You know at times in his life he sinned against God and greatly against his family and people.  David stayed behind once from war and found himself walking on the roof with wondering eyes. Then his heart was filled with lust and according to Jesus, he committed adultery right then because a plan of sin had begun.  See his lust brought sin, and his sin brought death. His sin caused much grief in his family and kingdom. But what separated David from Adam or Eve, or even you and I, is that when he was confronted by the prophet he said, "I have sinned". He knew, although the devil brought temptation, that the devil didn't make him do it. 

What about us? You?  How long have you blamed the devil or even others for your sin?  Why not confess it today unto the one who is ready to forgive?  Stop blaming them on everyone else and start naming them unto Jesus in prayer. He's ready to forgive.

No more excuses!

Quick, Help Me!

Psalms 38:22
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

I was never the one to look for trouble.  I didn't have to, it always found me.  A few years ago I was thinking about that and wrote a song with these lyrics...

Sometimes it's sickness, sometimes a sorrow,
And sometimes its trouble inside.
Sometimes a burden, sometimes a struggle,
With all of the sin in our lives.
It could be headaches and it could be heartaches,
Or it could be this body we're in
It could be a trial that you've gone through lately
That you thought would never end.

Remember now, I didn't have to find trouble it always found me.  But there were things my dad told me that could help trouble stay away.  He used to say to me, "If you're out past midnight son, you're looking for trouble".  I really didn't pay much attention to that until I got older and looked back.  He was spot on!

There are some times that we can do nothing to prevent these troubles from coming.  Man that is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble. This means that troubles will come. It's not "if" troubles come, but it's "when" troubles come. It's what happens in those times of trouble that make a difference.

David was a man that knew troubles.  Some he couldn't prevent, but some that he caused.  Look at what David knew to do when troubles came upon him.  He would cry out unto the Lord.  He would say, "Help Me! Make Haste to Help Me, O Lord MY Salvation".  He was pleading for the help of the only one who could help.  Notice he was asking God to haste and help.  Run unto me Lord for I need help now.

Maybe before this day has begun you are already in that position.  You need the help of the Lord and you need it now.  Pray unto Him! Ask Him to come speedily and help you.  Thank you Lord for your readily available help to me.  You act quick!  You were so quick to save me and to help me.  I love you Lord! Thank you!

How Long Has It Been?

Psalms 54:2

Hear my prayer, O God;

give ear to the words of my mouth.

When is the last time you devoted just five minutes to God in prayer?  Nothing else going on or distracting you. Just you and the Lord, alone in prayer together.  Before you answer remember that you are all alone in reading this today. No one is asking you to raise your hand in a crowd of people. There is no one to call you out, so please answer honestly. Has it been a while?  Has it been very slim on the time you've given to prayer?  Is it just a "ask everything and tell Him you love Him" prayer?

An old song comes to my mind this morning...

How long has it been since you talked with the Lord

And told him your heart's hid in secrets?

How long since you prayed?

How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through?

How long has it been since your mind felt at ease?

How long since your heart knew no burden?

Can you call him your friend?

How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?

How long has it been since you knelt by your bed

And prayed to the Lord up in heaven?

How long since you knew that he'd answer you

And would keep you the long night through?

How long has it been since you woke with the dawn

And felt this day is worth living?

Can you call him your friend? 

How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?

No matter if it's been a while, or just yesterday, you can find that time again this morning. Before you get busy with the hustle of the day, talk to Jesus. Oh, and please don't forget to take the time to listen to what He speaks to you. So often that's where we fail in prayer. 

God's Stance

John 3:17-19

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

A theory among many believers today is that we must have a stance against sin. While this is true, it must be the appropriate stance. Our stance toward sin is one of a runner that flees from it. All forms of sin we should abstain and run from. So a believers stance toward sin should be one that quickly removes ourselves from it. 

A stance against sin and it's damage is also biblical. We must sound the alarm, blow the trumpet of the enemy and his devices. But look closely, we are to warn others about sin and it's effects, not take a stance against the sinner but the sin. Way too many believers today are busy making picketing signs against sin and sinners when we should actually be consuming our time in the Word of God learning the Gospel message to share with them. The words we need to speak have already been given. The stance we should take has already been given. 

Jesus tells us that he didn't come to condemn but to save. People are already condemned, they need a Savior not a building inspector. Jesus even explains to us what the condemnation is. He says, "that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."  A house that's empty and condemned can't get anymore condemned than it already is. But a house that is condemned, could be restored. It could be saved. I love what the Word of God says to us today. I was condemned because I walked in sin and darkness. But read this scripture...

Romans 8:1

​There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God's stance toward sin is in John Chapter 8. It's a hand that reaches down to the lowest and vilest sinner. Raising them up to walk in the light of His Gospel. His stance is not against the sinner, but rather the sin. His hand is open, reaching, and pierced for your salvation. 

What's your stance?

Straight From The Garden

Galatians 6:7-8

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Wouldn't you love it if we could plant pennies and harvest dimes?  What about planting dollar bills and harvesting hundred dollar bills?  If it only worked like that... I know, it's kinda silly to think this way but I can't help it. Maybe we could plant a transmission and grow a 57' Chevy. 

What if we sow seeds?  Plant okra seeds and you'll harvest okra. Plant tomato seeds and you'll reap tomatoes. If you put watermelon seeds in the soil, you will harvest juicy watermelons. Why is there a difference in planting and harvesting seeds compared to the other things we first discussed?  Because the first are fleshly, desired seeds and not spiritual or needful for life. 

Our flesh wants possessions, wealth and fame. But the Spirit desires the things of God. You see, our flesh wants the things that will please us and our selfishness. The Spirit longs for fruit that will bless others. 

The greatest lesson in this scripture is this... We must be drawing from the resources and nutrients of God through our roots. We must be grounded and saturated with the Holy Spirit in order to produce this fruit. So in all truth, we must be right within ourselves before we can even begin to be the blessed fruit to someone else. After we realize where to draw our water and strength, then we must bear the fruit of the Spirit. Remember, whatever we have sown, we will reap. If we sow the fleshly, dead things we will reap just that...death!  Dead fruit, dead works, dead blessings. 

But if we plant the things of the Spirit we will reap life! Lively fruit, lively works, lively blessings!  Sow life by speaking life! Let the dead things die.

When God Can't Work

Mark 6:5-6

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

When I first read this scripture years ago, I thought to myself that there was never a time God couldn't work. But the scriptures tell us different. Here in His own home town, Christ could do no great works. Look at how the word tells it... "Save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk..."  

The scripture next shows the amazement of Jesus toward their unbelief. The people He was so close to couldn't, or wouldn't, believe. 

Have you ever thought why wouldn't they believe?  What was wrong with these people?  They had Jesus, the Son of God, right there in their own home town and they were missing it. He often walked their streets and these people couldn't see it. They probably talked with Him in the market places and didn't believe. 

I believe it was because they couldn't get past the flesh. What good was Jesus, the son of a carpenter, going to do?  They didn't see Him as the Son of God, but rather just the carpenter's son. Their eyes led their faith as far as it would take them. But the Word of God teaches us that hope that is seen is not hope. Faith that has to be visible isn't faith at all. Romans 8:24-25 "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

Do you wonder why God's not moving? Maybe you think it's because He can't work. The truth is that God can and will work. There is nothing too hard for Him. The reason He can't work is because of our faithlessness. It's because of our disbelief. Only Believe, Only Believe, All things are Possible, Only Believe!! According to His will, He will move and work.

Take Heed

1 Timothy 4:16

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Knock, knock, knock... "Hello, I'm the pastor of the church up the street. I was wondering if you have ever accepted Jesus as your Savior?"  "Oh yeah, I've done that...I've been baptized and joined the church when I was younger" was the response he received. The preacher was wanting to make sure with a few more questions and the man answered again in a firm voice, "I told you that I've done that!"  

Can I tell you this morning if you have "done that" it shows by you "still doing that".  The Bible says we should take heed. To what? First of all to ourselves. We should examine ourselves to see if we are in Christ or not. Second it says we should take heed to doctrine. We should give priority to the word of God and what it teaches us. Then what? Thirdly we should "continue in them". After we have examined ourselves we should learn of God's will for our lives and walk in His will. Way too many are saying one thing but then walking in a totally different way. They say, "been there, done that". But that are not doing it!  

Why should we do these three things? The answer is right there in the scripture. "For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself..." Our salvation is not a thing we did in our youth, it is God reaching in grace unto us. It is a decision we made to follow Jesus Christ in our lives for the rest of our lives. When we have Christ, we live in Christ. Not one day a week but everyday, all day, forever. Then lastly, we do this for the saving of those that hear us. Our lives as Christians should be reflections of Christ. The reason people don't want the Christ you're sharing is because they can't see the Christ your sharing in you. 

So take heed of yourself, to the doctrines of scripture and continue in them. Why? For your salvation and the salvation of others.