You Can Do It!

 I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Is there some task you have wanted to try or some goal in mind that you want to do? For example, I used to say I wanted to run a marathon by my 50th birthday but I did not make that goal. I have set other goals to make and worked towards them. Let's say you know you need to lose weight and start being better disciplined in exercise. With God's help and your willingness to do your part, you can set your mind on making this a reality.

Discipline is a thing we need to develop in our spiritual life as well. Not just the lofty goal we often hear of reading the the Bible, although that is admirable, but say of studying each and every day and insuring you are growing your spirit and learning the truths in the Bible. The enemy would love to steal your time. He will make you feel you are "too busy" for taking time in the morning for a prayer or Bible time. He will make the things of Christ seem unimportant on Sunday. Anything Satan can do to clutter your mind and keep it distracted he will do. God is yearning for time with you. Quick question. Do you give time alone with God as much time as Facebook or social media or a hobby? Ouch.

Pray and ask God to examine your heart and bring conviction of the areas you know you need to change to truly make Him first in your life. Don't just say it but live it!

 PRAYER: Lord Jesus there have been many times I have done my own thing or said I was too busy for my quiet time. I know that is only Satan trying to get me off the course you want me to be on. I pray for those in my family he has tricked as well. I pray blinders come off and once again we can all hunger and thirst for righteousness. In Jesus' name. Amen.

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

When you are depressed or in despair over something how do you react? Do you simply give up and worry or do you get out your Bible and look up verses to give you renewed strength and hope? That is what God's word does you know. You can claim promises in scripture and pray scripture over a situation. But first you have to know the word. To know it is necesssary to make it more than a coffee table ornament. It is meant to be used, and yes you can even underline things as you go.

What if some day your government made your Bible illegal? It could happen. There are many countries where a person can be jailed or executed for their Christian faith. If it were to be taken from you do you have any verses committed to memory that you could cling to each day? Do not think I am crazy or this is a fairy tale as many nations can not have God's word. There may be some readers from some of those countries. There are people in the United States, maybe some who even say they are Christians, who barely pick up their Bible except maybe on Sunday out of obligation. How many communist regimes do you know where the Bible is outlawed and Christians need to go "underground" to hold church and Bible studies or the consequences could be dire?

Why not commit today to start hiding the word of God in your heart? Do not take God for granted. Do not take your Bible for granted!

Each day write on your calendar "time with God" and do not allow "more important" things to squeeze out that time. What is more important than spending time with the King of kings? Learn to "stand on the promises" of God so you can have victory over Satan who works overtime to get you to stumble and turn your back on Jesus.

I am going to list a few verses with promises below. Do you think you can memorize some in the next few months? Do not allow the "tyranny of the urgent" to put God aside till Sunday. Busy people often shut God and church out of their lives entirely. Many have been hurt or do not trust God to help them.

2 Peter 1:4 'He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.'

Jeremiah 1:12 'God is watching over His Word to perform it.'

Isaiah 55:11 'so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.'

Do a word search on promises of God then claim them and speak them out for yourself. Do not allow the enemy to drag you into his pit. Stay strong and stand strong on God's promises.

PRAYER; Lord Jesus you have hundreds of promises in the Bible.I love the truth and I love your word. I need not fear for you are with me. Thanks for bringing hope through the Word of God. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Click on link below for a wonderful praise song.
http://youtu.be/FaUTv1pXRyU

IS CHURCH THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE OR IS CHRIST?

What is more important to you, going to church or loving the Lord? Sad to say, to many, neither matters much. They live life and give Christ little, if any, thoughts throughout their day or their week. Many people talk about their church but hardly ever talk about the Lord. It is like they are embarrassed. Mark  8:38 says "whoever is ashamed of me in this adulterous and sinful generation, of Him the son of man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father and his holy angels". Why is it so easy to cheer at a sporting event but not get excited at all about worshipping the Lord? There are those who claim the name of Jesus but deny his power. Titus 1:16 says "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good."

Church becomes like a social club of sorts or Holy Huddle club. That is one reason so many people who love the Lord and choose to not go, as they reason there are too many hypocrites there. Go figure. For many we go there and feel comfortable and punch the 'Sunday go to meeting ticket' so to speak but then when the clock strikes 12, just like in Cinderella, all things go back to normal. This is really not what loving Jesus and being a Christian is all about. We need to be living for the Lord throughout the week where life's journey takes us. As I sit here writing this at a local car dealer while I get my oil changed, I recognize I may be the only Bible some folks here in the waiting room ever 'read' or in other words we are to be good examples for Christ. A good place to start would be to smile.

Do you think someday,for those making it to heaven, that it will be a place where no one raises their arms and voices in praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Believers will be excited to bow to the Almighty Saviour and be in awe in his presence. You could start practicing doing it here on earth maybe?

Do you suppose in heaven  there will be a Baptist section, a Presbyterian section, a Methodist section, a Catholic section, an Episcopalian section, a Jewish section, and so forth? The answer is no. We will be in unity with our Lord and Saviour worshipping Him.  Acts 2:46 says "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts". Further Ephesians 4:5 says "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism." How all the different denominations started I can not explain. I just know that we are to be one in the name of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:10 says "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." There is only one name and that name is JESUS. We are not to be ashamed to say the name or proclaim His name. Are you?

Why not start getting excited now about loving Jesus more that loving your church or your denomination? We need a place to worship but we need to realize Jesus is the reason for our worship. Psalm 95:6 says "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker". It does not say to do that when you die and go to heaven. It means NOW! Revelation 5:13 says "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" Love Jesus more!

PRAYER: I love you Lord and I lift my hands in praise to you King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Help me to represent you well out in the world and never hide the light of Jesus. Help me not put church before loving and worshipping you in spirit and in truth. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on following link and worship the Lord:
http://youtu.be/Aq8P5i9U7-g