December 8, 2012

“God is With Us"

Scripture:

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But sinners stumble and fall along the way.
(Hosea 14:9) NLT

Observation:

The Lord our God neither left us to chance nor to our own demise. When God expelled man from His Holy Presence to live on his own, God was always careful to keep watch over us so He could direct our way back into His Holy Presence once again, only this time, it would be forever lasting.

Application:

The Lord created us in such a way that we would always need to depend on Him for a life that would truly be worth living. God graciously gave us His Word so that we might gain the wisdom and understanding to live smartly and righteously while living in an evil world that is merciless. God gave us His Son as our Saving Light; that we might know our Savior in an up-close and personal way; that we could physically see the path to healthy living and then follow suit. And in the most dramatic way, the Lord gave up His life so we would be forever forgiven and recipients of God’s saving grace and salvation. And finally, the Lord sent His Holy Spirit to help us achieve what would have otherwise, been impossible—to give us the strength and the courage to stay on His path, where we would show other lost and desperate souls the way into His Presence and then on to everlasting life. But we also have a God who gives us many opportunities to choose the path of our choice. God allows us to make our mistakes that help us learn from our first-hand experiences. He gives us the mental capacity and the ability to research and weigh all the different options we are given. He gives us the plain truth and the common sense to see how our choices will affect us and what the end results will bring. Many people choose to take the world’s path, opting to go after those things that satisfy our selfish human desires, which in reality, leads us slowly into a darkness that is extremely difficult to navigate in and will eventually take us into the abyss. God’s path, on the other hand, is brightly lit with the glory of God and we can see clearly where we are going and able to choose the right paths that are not only good for us, but for those around us as well. And by remaining in the Light of God, we gain access to His personal touch; where the Lord can comfort us in our times of trouble, give us confidence in the choices we make, and the solid guarantee that we will make it safely Home; a glorious destination that awaits our arrival.

Prayer:

Thank You O God, for watching over my life even while I was rebelling against You. Thank You O God, for protecting me from dying in my sin. I hate to think where I would be without Your loving grace and salvation. You are an incredibly awesome God!    Amen

November 24

 

“Hear His Voice?”

Scripture:

He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by His wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25) NLT

Observation:

We have all, at one time or another, walked in the darkness of this world gone astray—a world that is drifting further and further away from the Holy One who created it and everything in it. I spent most of my life wandering in this darkness, grabbling for whatever I could get my hands on, trying to make sense out of a life that really made no sense at all. For when we live within the realms of darkness that covers this world, we can neither see, nor understand the glory of our God and what He accomplished for mankind (1 Corinthians 2:12)—which is the hope of personal salvation for every living person who walks upon this earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Shepherd of our souls, left the Glory of Heaven to do for us what we nor the world could ever do; He saved the world from obliteration and its people from eternal darkness. He gave us Hope, He gave us good purpose. He gave us Himself as the perfect and final sacrificial Lamb of God, suffered for our sins, paid the full price for our disobedience and that of mankind’s, and graciously accepted the wrath of condemnation that was both fair and justly due.

Application:

This single act of our loving and merciful and gracious God was a gift freely paid for and one freely given to all the peoples of this world who would have, otherwise, never been able to afford the price tag it carried, nor ever earn the blessings it offered (Roman 3:23-24). The Good News of our Shepherd is we no longer have to wander the earth in its darkness, searching for truth and the right path that will lead us Home. For the Shepherd has come calling to follow His Voice, so He can bring us out of the darkness and heal our wounds. We have a Good Shepherd that watches over His flock day and night; One who never sleeps, but keeps His focus on the journey that will get us all Home. For all those who have turned to the Good Shepherd, we know how important it is to remain in close to His Presence, for when we do we can be sure of our safety and the direction of His Way. The road is not easy and many detours will be made, but with God’s mercy and grace leading the Way we are encouraged and strengthened and will remain steadfast. And on our journey we must remember to pray for the lost; that they will hear His Voice and follow it out of the darkness and death, and into the Light of His everlasting Glory. For it is here that we find hope and peace and comfort for our weary souls—souls that were lost, but are now so graciously found (Luke 15:32).

Prayer:

Thank You, O God, for the greatest gift ever given to us. Thank You for saving us from darkness of this world and securing our Home with You. None of us deserves what you so feely gave. What a wonderful Savior we have in You. Amen

November 17

“The Way Home”

Scripture:

“Your are My flock, the sheep of My pasture. You are men, and I am your God, says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 34:31) KJV

Observation:

These God breathed words from the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Israel are like an act of foresight when God would once again walk among His people on earth, only this time to be their Good Shepherd (John 10:11-13), calling the lost out of darkness and bringing them into the safety of His Fold. From the beginning of time the Lord has never stopped searching for the lost to gather them under His wings, where He could heal their wounds, comfort their souls, and then safely usher them Home. The LORD sees through the darkness that we find ourselves lost in and He knows how helpless we are to escape on our own, and He sees the futility in our attempts to find our way home without the guiding Light of Christ Jesus, the Greatest Shepherd of all.

Application:

In this fallen world there are many false shepherds with many strange voices that are filling our minds and stealing our hearts--voices calling for us to follow—voices of empty promises—voices of many shattered dreams. There is the voice of pride that tells us that we don’t really need the Good Shepherd to find our way Home, though many have tried and many have failed. The voice of human reason whispers into our ear; “there is more than One Shepherd with whom we could follow”—they’re many good shepherds that can heal our wounds and show us the many different paths that lead the way Home. The airways are filled with many diverse voices of Satan, promising the riches of this world when we follow his ways. We hear the voice of defeat screaming over our failures—saying we’re too lost to be found—too wounded to be healed—too far gone to be saved. But amidst all the loud voices calling out for our hearts there is but One Voice that stands out from the rest—One Voice that speaks only Truth. And the Voice we recognize is that of Christ Jesus our Lord, our God, our Savior and Good Shepherd. The Lord God no longer uses a human prophet for His Voice to be heard, because the barrier between God and man has been removed by the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus being nailed to a wooden Cross (Mark 15:37-38). It is because of His onetime, selfless act of love and sacrifice that we are able to reconnect with God, for He lives within His flock where He speaks directly into their hearts. We can trust the Good Shepherd to be the Lord of our lives—the One who’s True Voice we can recognize and follow, especially those who are lost and in fear for their lives. And with each lost one found, He gathers them up in arms and washes them clean, heals their wounds, comforts their hearts, and then leads them Home. There is no greater Shepherd, nor One more faithful than He. There is no other Savior with whom we can trust with our lives. There is only One Lord; only One God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who knows the Way Home.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for calling your people out of darkness and into Your Light. The world can only promise us temporary riches, while You offer us the richness of Your shared inheritance which is eternal. Help us drown out all voices but Yours—the Voice that comforts our souls. Amen

November 10, 2012

“Heaven’s Light”

Scripture:

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. (Proverbs 27:12) NLT

Observation:

There have been times during my life-journey in Christ when I fell through the safety net of my salvation to become blind to the real dangers that exists in our world to date. It is from these falling experiences as a born-again Christian that I learned these slips were a result of being way too confident in my new status and much too comfortable in the Truth I had learned, and I simply overlooked the obvious precautions that help keep the evil in this world at bay. And much like the simpleton’s blindness, I found myself simply ignoring the dire consequences that sin brings into ones life—consequences that can so easily lead an unprotected soul into the darkness that consumes those who walk blindly through this life. And when this kind of carelessness transpired, it becomes quite clear that the war on my heart for God (as with all hearts for God) will continue to rage on until Christ Jesus returns to make all things right.

Application:

As believers in God and followers of Christ, we should know what the future holds for this rebellious world and those who choose to follow it rather than God. For this saving knowledge, which God has so graciously shared, should keep us ever-so mindful and forever grateful for the amazing saving grace that our Glorious God has chosen to pour out on this sin-filled world that is in such dire need of its Savior; Jesus Christ, our Lord and God. Although we all fall prey to sin, we must remain confident in the Truth we have received through Christ Jesus (Hebrews 10:35), no matter what. We must hang on to the Hope we have and not let our sin put a wedge between our relationship with God and His will for our lives (Hebrews 10:36). Although God allows sin in our lives with the covering of Christ, we must humbly acknowledge our sin and live moment to moment in repentance. No person borne of this world can keep from sinning—it is just the way it is for the time being. But what we have in our reach to battle the problem of sin is the Key that can unlocked the chains that hold us enslaved and condemned, and the Power of God that will keep us free and alive. You cannot escape the darkness alone, my friend; you will fail each and every time you try. The power of Satan is strong, but the Power of God is the Greatest. Our willingness to sin and reap the pleasures it brings is far greater than our ability to refrain. It is so easy to get lost in the darkness that sin brings, but not so easy when it comes time to escape. The best and only defense we have in keeping our freedom is to stay in the Light that God has provided and be mindful to walk daily in His Presence, for when you remain under His protection you will be assured the forgiveness of sin (Daniel 9:9) and His Promise of a New Life in Him. 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please help me remain close to You, especially when I am tempted to slip into the darkness. Help me remain in Your Light for protection and forgive me when I slip. Your are my Strength—there is no other, but You! Amen

November 5, 2012

“Out of Darkness” 

Scripture: 

Son of man, you live among rebels who could see the truth if they wanted to, but they don’t want to. They could hear Me if they would listen, but they won’t listen because they are rebellious. (Ezekiel 12:2) NLT

Observation: 

Christians who believe and follow the Living God of the Bible are the minority in this troubled world that reeks of sin and rebellion; a world that wages war against the Holiness of God—a world where evil is sacred and anything goes. We live in a world that’s headed for destruction—a world held captive to its own ungodly ways. We live in a world where the truth is not true —where falsehoods run ramped and to lie is the norm—where voices of deception speak loudly and often—to poison the mind and defile the heart (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The world’s wicked ways have turned the truth upside down—where bad is good and good is bad; where being wrong is right and right is wrong; where the Almighty God has been reduced to whatever or whomever we want Him to be.

Application: 

Because of mankind’s inherent rebellion we find ourselves in a moment to moment fight for survival in the clouds of darkness that gets thicker by the moment. But even though our gracious God has sent His Light to shine in darkness and His Spirit to inform us, the clouds remain. The war against God’s Church is a furious war indeed; a war that will rage on until the very end of the age. Satan and his army of followers are not only working overtime to enslave the world, but they are also working deep within the Church, trying to falsify our belief, discourage our faith, and blind us from knowing the Truth and the victory that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Book of Revelation is one of the least read books of the Bible, because Satan is spreading his lies that the revelation of Jesus Christ is not only too hard to understand, but is nothing more than a mythical story of little value. The last Book of The Bible is the last Book in the Bible for a reason, my friends, so we could see into future days and know what lies ahead in the war against God and how Satan is defeated. King Jesus is Heaven’s Commander in Chief and He will return in all His Glorious Splendor to defeat Satan and those who have chosen to follow him into the ever burning Lake of Fire (Revelation 17:14). Satan, the Prince of the power of the air, is the evil spirit who works in the sons of disobedience to eradicate the Truth about his demise. Evil will not prevail, dear souls, even though at times it seems that it will. For we know the Hope we have while living in this cloudy and rebellious world—the Hope of our Savior, King Jesus—the One who lights the path from darkness so we can see clearly to follow our Victorious Leader Home (1 John 5:4). 

Prayer: 

Please help me, O Lord, to live a holy life and gain the strength to follow you Home. Amen

October 27, 2012

“Out of the Fog” 

Scripture:  

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. (Titus 2:12-13) NLT

Observation: 

Turning away from ungodly living that indulges in an array of sinful pleasures that this fallen world approves and embraces is much easier said than done. Unfortunately, mankind’s falling nature towards sin (like gravity) is a powerful force that must be reckoned with every single moment of our lives (Ephesians 2:1-3), whether we are recipients of God’s saving grace or not. 

Application: 

I believe the most important step in combating our sinful behavior is to first recognize what sin really is—that it is a curse on our human nature that causes us to turn away from the holiness of God to live as we see fit; believing there are no eternal consequences or that God will lovingly overlook our disobedience to the holy lifestyle He commands us to live. We grow up in this fallen world that is flooded with many kinds of false or misleading doctrine—one being; that this short life’s purpose is to quickly satisfy the pleasures sought by our humanness; and that however we attain these worldly pleasures, whether right or wrong, is of no real consequence, because we can always justify our self-seeking motives hoping they will remain hidden from sight. This world rejects God, therefore, rejects absolute truth. Instead, the world teaches truth as being whatever we want it to be and it can be changed at any moment depending on the circumstance. There are many God opposing forces in the world that are working nonstop to either scare or blind us from knowing the Absolute Truth that comes from the God who created everything that exists. But the good news is: we have a Savior amidst all the deception and there is a Way we can discover the Absolute Truth and learn just how sin decays the mind and destroys the heart and soul. The Way is found in the inherent, Holy Word’s of God, which if read and digested fully, brings truth and wisdom directly from the Holy Spirit. God’s Word not only defines our sinful behavior and the eternal ramifications, but it also brings us the revelation of Jesus Christ, which saves the soul and sets the body free from its bondage to sin. For when God’s Word is planted deep into the heart, it gives you the wisdom to successfully fight against sin, the power to remain free from its bondage, and the blessed transformation from godlessness to godliness—ways that are pure and good—ways that honor God and reveal His Glory. Sounds easy enough, but in reality this life-changing, life-saving transformation is not by any means an easy transition for anyone, because the sinful human nature in general not only fears and doubts the righteous changes that God can make, but most of us will hang on to some of our sins like hanging onto a cliff for dear life. And for the Lord to remove these sinful things that have shaped our lives can sometimes be like pulling healthy teeth that are well rooted in. And adding to the challenge, most of us find it difficult to wait on anything, especially when it comes to personal change. Our Heavenly Father always knows best, because unlike us, He sees the entire picture of creation. And it is because of His abundant mercy and grace, and His great love for people that the He has revealed the Absolute Truth, for He wants everyone to break out of the fog and into the Son, and wait patiently and faithfully for His Glory to come. 

Prayer: 

How forever grateful I am, O God, that you lifted me
out of the fog and into Your Son. Thank You! Amen

October 23, 2012

 “Pure Victory”

Scripture:

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for His purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21) NLT

Observation:

Christ’s sacrificial death was the final and complete atonement for mankind’s sin and rebellion against the LORD God (Colossians 2:13-15). For when you confess your sins to God, asking for forgiveness, and hence, accept His authority over your life, and you do this with humility and conviction, the Lord will personally cleanse you, giving you a new life and a new beginning in Him. The old sins from the past no longer have control over you and the fear of death looses its power. But in return for God’s incredible gift of salvation, we must keep ourselves pure (1 Timothy 5:22) in repentance, by continually bringing any new sins before the Lord, because although the power of sin has been broken, our nature to sin remains.

Application:

Until Christ’s return we cannot fully escape our weakness to sin—we will always fall short of God’s standard and in the interim, we need to rely on God’s amazing grace for forgiveness and His strength to fight the war against sin and the goodness of God. No human being can successfully fight the enormous evil power that Satan and his forces possess. Without the Lord we are weak and vulnerable to the dark forces of evil that has its grip on this war torn world that is screaming for peace and pleading for truth. We are borne into a world that is consumed in both physical and spiritual warfare; a world where the battles of good and evil are fought 24/7. From the moment we are conceived in our mother’s womb the battle for our existence begins, and with our first breath of life they continue to rage on, but not only for our physical survival, but for our hearts, our minds, and eventually for our eternal souls. Although Satan is the Prince of this fallen world for now, Christ Jesus is King (1 Timothy 1:17). Our God and Savior is in control of all goings on in this world—nothing happens that He does not know about, or allow, for Satan is but a mere puppet in the scheme of God’s glorious plan for His creation. The Devil knows what his fate will be, and make no mistake about it, my friends; he will go down fighting hard and he will take many with him. But God is preparing His people well by giving us the two greatest gifts of this age; His Word and His Church. Both of these incredible gifts from our Sovereign God provides the courage, strength, comfort and most importantly, the Truth, so that we, the Church, can go out into the world spreading the Good News of God’s victory through Christ Jesus, our Lord—a very sweet victory for all those battle weary saints whose Commander in Chief is the Son of God, the One who will return one day soon with fire in His eyes and a very sharp sword to clean up the mess and bring us into His pure victory!

Prayer:

You are to be praised, O Sovereign God, for the victory we find in Your Son, Jesus Christ. For Christ’s victory will prevail and not even the powers from Hell are a match for You. For all it takes is a word from Your mouth and it will be done immediately without delay. You are the Great I Am!

                                                                                                                                                 October 23, 2012

                                                            Soap

                                         “Pure Victory”

Scripture:

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil

God can use for His purpose.  Your life will be clean,

and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)  NLT

Observation:

Christ’s sacrificial death was the final and complete atonement for mankind’s sin and rebellion against the LORD God (Colossians 2:13-15).  For when you confess your sins to God, asking for forgiveness, and hence, accept His authority over your life, and you do this with humility and conviction, the Lord will personally cleanse you, giving you a new life and a new beginning in Him.  The old sins from the past no longer have control over you and the fear of death looses its power.  But in return for God’s incredible gift of salvation, we must keep ourselves pure (1 Timothy 5:22) in repentance, by continually bringing any new sins before the Lord, because although the power of sin has been broken, our nature to sin remains.

Application:

Until Christ’s return we cannot fully escape our weakness to sin—we will always fall short of God’s standard and in the interim, we need to rely on God’s amazing grace for forgiveness and His strength to fight the war against sin and the goodness of God.  No human being can successfully fight the enormous evil power that Satan and his forces possess.  Without the Lord we are weak and vulnerable to the dark forces of evil that has its grip on this war torn world that is screaming for peace and pleading for truth.  We are borne into a world that is consumed in both physical and spiritual warfare; a world where the battles of good and evil are fought 24/7.  From the moment we are conceived in our mother’s womb the battle for our existence begins, and with our first breath of life they continue to rage on, but not only for our physical survival, but for our hearts, our minds, and eventually for our eternal souls.  Although Satan is the Prince of this fallen world for now, Christ Jesus is King (1 Timothy 1:17).  Our God and Savior is in control of all goings on in this world—nothing happens that He does not know about, or allow, for Satan is but a mere puppet in the scheme of God’s glorious plan for His creation.  The Devil knows what his fate will be, and make no mistake about it, my friends; he will go down fighting hard and he will take many with him.  But God is preparing His people well by giving us the two greatest gifts of this age; His Word and His Church.  Both of these incredible gifts from our Sovereign God provides the courage, strength, comfort and most importantly, the Truth, so that we, the Church, can go out into the world spreading the Good News of God’s victory through Christ Jesus, our Lord—a very sweet victory for all those battle weary saints whose Commander in Chief is the Son of God, the One who will return one day soon with fire in His eyes and a very sharp sword to clean up the mess and bring us into His pure victory!

Prayer:

You are to be praised, O Sovereign God, for the victory we find in Your Son, Jesus Christ.  For Christ’s victory will prevail and not even the powers from Hell are a match for You.  For all it takes is a word from Your mouth and it will be done immediately without delay.  You are the Great I Am!    Amen