April 21, 2012 

“Cushion of Peace”

Scripture: Psalm 29:11

The LORD gives His people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. (NLT)

Observation:

There comes an incredible amount of peace into ones life when you surrender (all that you are and all that this world is) to the LORD our God and Creator (John 14:27). Just knowing that you have in your corner the wisest and most powerful being that will ever exist takes the heaviest of loads and not only makes them bearable, but brings calm into the midst of those turbulent storms that would, without God’s strength and peace, completely consume and destroy you forever (Jeremiah 16:19). In other words; it is God’s mighty strength which provides the peace that cushions our souls even in the most difficult of times—like the everyday battles that so many people are facing just to stay alive in this godless world that puts little value on human existence.

Application:

We live in a fallen world that is cursed with sin and death, which brings trouble and pain, and it is because of this cursed condition that we are destined to live in chaotic uncertainty and fear without God’s strength and peace. The many stressful conditions that every person on earth has to endure are far too great for any one person to endure on their own. And even with the help of others, it is never really enough to make us feel secure in a world that is spinning out of control. So how can anyone find peace in this uncertain and dangerous world? There is only One Way, my dear friends; we must put it all into the Hands of God. Know that He is Sovereign. Trust in His Strength (Psalm 27:1). And let His Peace fill your heart and mind in Christ Jesus our Lord; the true Prince of Peace. It is by knowing and believing in God’s story of creation and redemption that we are able to tap into His mighty sovereign power and experience His peace that endures all things. We don’t know the future, but God knows. We don’t have the strength, but God does. You will never know the true meaning of peace, nor will you ever truly experience it until you make the only Living God both your Master and Confidant. Without the Lord we will always lack the strength and the peace to persevere and win this battle for life. Without God’s strength we have little peace if any at all. And without God’s peace there’s only hopelessness, and when we live in hopelessness it is impossible for us to share the gift of God’s incredible cushion of peace with the many hopeless souls of this sin-cursed world who so desperately need peace with God.

Prayer:

Only with You, dear Lord, can we find the calm in the many storms of life. Only when we trust fully in You and Your promises can we find peace in this chaotic world that longs for the peace of God. Thank You Lord, for the hope that knowing You brings.

Amen

April 14, 2012

“Mercy’s Gift”

Scripture:

Matthew 5:7
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. (NLT)

Observation:

As God’s created people—His very own possessions—He commands us to be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 19:2); to be other than; to set our lives apart from the ways of this fallen world. But even today, after two thousands years of Christianity, it is still much like it was in the days of Jesus; so many people who lack the gift of mercy. Some people are just plain cruel or unkind but most of us who live in the world get so consumed with our own self-gratification that we either ignore or we simply neglect the needs of others. Mercy is not an inherent human attribute. It is not a characteristic we acquire at birth. The mercy we receive and the mercy we are able to give others comes out of Heaven in the form of a gracious gift to those who are truly seeking God (James 3:17).

Application:

The Christian faith is first and foremost grounded in the unconditional mercy and grace of the only Living God. The mercy and grace of God is what sets the Christian faith apart from all other faith’s and religions. It is only because of God’s mercy and grace that anyone can be saved from the consequences of being controlled by power that Satan has over this dark and self-absorbed world which teaches self-gratification above all else. The beauty of mercy is that it pours out from the heart into action when we begin to understand the extent of the unearned mercy that the Lord has shown us. It is only by knowing mercy’s gift that we can truly sacrifice and begin to meet the needs of those less fortunate than ourselves. We become merciful by taking action and showing others the same kind of mercy and grace that the Lord our God has shown us. As our world draws closer to the end of its allotted time the needs of people everywhere are continuing to grow at a rapid pace. It is impossible for mankind to take care of every basic need for every living person. Many dream of leading the way to utopia, but it will not be realized until Jesus Christ returns to set up His Kingdom on earth for the final thousand years of this age. Fallen mankind is incapable of doing what only God can do. Imperfect man cannot accomplish what only a perfect Creator can. But as Christians—God’s chosen people—we can be merciful to those we can; to help feed and clothe them, and most importantly, point them to the One who showed us what mercy is by paying our debt. As you are merciful, so, too, will God be merciful unto you (James 2:13).

Prayer:

Oh, Lord God, all mercy comes from You and You alone. Without Your mercy we would know no mercy because our human nature is self-focused. It is only because You are merciful that we, too, can follow suit and be merciful as well. You have set the tone for mercy’s gift.

Amen

April 7, 2012

“The Message & the Cross”

Scripture:

Genesis 3:14-15
So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you will be punished. You are singled out from all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth to be cursed. You will grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly. From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head and you will strike His heel.” (NLT)

Observation:

Before the Lord was nailed to the cross to die; before the Lord was buried in a tomb; before the Lord was risen back to life and before the Lord ascended back into Heaven, He, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fulfilled God’s promise to the Serpent many years ago after the Devil succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve, causing mankind to fall away from God Presence. It was thousands of years ago that Jesus, knowing He was about to be crucified, took His disciples to the Mount of Olives to pray. And when Jesus went off alone to pray to the Father, an angel from Heaven came to give Him the strength He would need to do God’s will, rather than His own human will (Luke 22:43). While alone and on His knees with His spirit in agony beyond human words, Jesus prayed so intensely that the sweat dripping from His brow onto the ground was that of blood. But with the strength from Heaven, Jesus stood on His feet and stomped fearlessly on the head of Satan crushing forever the power that the Devil held over mankind.

Application:

Because Christ Jesus overcame the power of Satan, He was able to do for us what we could never do for ourselves; defeat both the power of sin over our lives and the grip of death that held us captive to our fears and failures. What a power-filled message the cross has for any and all peoples everywhere, for once you believe in the message of the Cross and the resurrection and redeeming power that its truth holds, and once you begin to understand the significance of what our Lord God volunteered to do for the salvation of mankind, we, too, will humbly fall to our knees asking God to forgive all of our ignorance in sinning, and to fill us with the resurrection power of God to fight the everyday battles against the Enemy of our souls so that we can live out our lives in thanksgiving and praise to the awesome God who saved us from all Hell. Jesus was the first of many to rise from dead into eternal life. In this selfless act of love, Jesus defeated the power of sin and death that Satan had over our human existence. Jesus has indeed been raised from the grave, my friends, after being murdered at the hands of Satan, so that we, too, can experience His resurrection power and have a share in God’s Glory, where we will once again live and walk and breathe in God’s Holy Presence on a new Earth, in a new universe, for all eternity.

Prayer:

Thank You, dear Lord, for paying the debt of my sinful rebellion and that of every believer. What a selfless act of love this is. Even thought it is impossible to give back what you so graciously gave us, the least anyone one can do is live this difficult in ways that bring glory to You.

Amen

April 1, 2012

“Life & Victory”

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:3, 4
Do not be afraid as you go out to fight today! Do not lose heart or panic.
For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against
your enemies, and He will give you victory! (NLT)

Observation:

Everyday (as people who are looking for the best ways to survive) we must face a fallen world which is not always very user friendly, especially for those of us who seek to live the Christian way of life. As God’s people we must go into battle and fight everyday to protect our faith, our children, and the very lives of our hearts and souls—battles against the relentless attacks of this dark world that prides itself on the lies from the most deadly and dangerous Enemy to mankind—Satan; the father of all that is evil and wicked and perverse—the most powerful of the fallen angels who hates God above all else.

Application:

Most of the people living in the western world are being bombarded with lies that are brainwashing both the innocent and the desperate into believing that it is by satisfying our many hungers for living that we become complete—that our own self-worth is the most important achievement that one can attain to finish out his or her life. At the hands of Satan and those who believe his lies, this misguided and deceived secular world is moving further and further away from the God who created us. They have taken over every government in every country, including the United Sates of America; a Union that was created by God to be used for God’s purpose. Many of our government’s leaders are blind when it comes to God’s Truth and are doing their best to destroy the Church, God’s institutions of marriage and family and everything that belongs to or speaks of God. Our state funded schools are teaching our children to rebel against God—that biblical morals are unjust and unfair and immorality is just fine if it feels right for you—and truth…well, it is whatever floats your boat. Satan is using the power of the media; newspapers, magazines, television, radio, Hollywood, and the internet to corrupt our minds so we can be led, ever so cleverly, into the abyss of hell. We live in an out-of-control world where murdering the unborn is not only legal but is encouraged as well, and the not so perfect and the elderly are the next in line to be discarded like garbage. Yes, my dear friends, life in this sin-filled world is indeed an excruciating battle; a battle that must be fought with every breath we breathe; a fight that we must fight daily until that day when we breathe our last and final breath. As believers in Christ Jesus, the Lord and Savior of the world, we need never go into battle on our own power, for God is always with us. We must never fear standing up for God and that which is holy and righteous. We must neither become discouraged nor give up, for the LORD our God is Mighty to Save and He is always ready to fight for those who follow Him. And our Mighty Savior, the Lord over all creation, has promised to give us everything we need in Life to fight the good fight all the way to Victory!

Prayer:

Please help me and all those who love you, dear Lord, to stand strong in this battle of human life in a fallen world lead by Satan. Help us know what is good and what is not. Help us know what is wrong and what is right. Give us Your Power to stand for You.

Amen