We Can Win the Battle

2 Corinthian 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Worry, anxiety, and stress, all begin in our thought life. Jesus told us in John 8:44 that the devil is a murderer and the father of lies. Therefore, none of us, who are born again followers of Jesus, should be surprised that our enemy uses lies as one of his greatest weapons. He begins by planting a thought in our minds that causes us to question God's love for, and faithfulness toward, us. When we hear about the troubles and tragedies that happen in other people's lives, even Christians, the devils convince us that these same things will happen to us. Pick any number of things that can cause us to stress, and the devils will whisper the lies in our ears that will start the "worry train" in motion, in our heads. Sadly, we often forget, in the midst of unnecessary bouts of anxiety, that we have a weapon against the lies that the devils hurl at us...God's truth. We have the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and in Christ, 24/7 access to the throne of God, where we can boldly ask for the help and grace we need to take these devilish thoughts captive (Hebrews 4:16). Greater is He who is in us, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Therefore we can be certain that just like the devils have the power to put those lies in our minds, the Holy Spirit has the power to helps us cast them down and take them captive.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

How He Sees Us

Psalms 139:13-14 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

We can be our own worst enemy when it come to what we think of ourselves. Sadly, we create a picture of ourselves, not based on who we really are, but on what the devils want us to think of ourselves, other people's opinions, and how others treat us. We fail to see ourselves through the eyes of the One who truly loves us, and what He has written in the Bible about who we are in Him. Right after God tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, He goes on to remind us that His works are marvelous. We are His workmanship. He proved how valuable we are to Him by giving us His only begotten Son. In and of ourselves, we are sinners, separated from God, and on our way to eternal condemnation in Hell, then the Lake of Fire. However, in Christ we are God's children; His precious treasure. We are His representatives, His holy priesthood, whom He loves with an everlasting love. One author put it this way, in respect to how the Lord sees us, "Jesus sees you when others overlook you, he hears you when others ignore you, and he makes you more powerful than you imagine." We need to stop seeing ourselves from the false image that has been planted in our minds, and begin to see ourselves as He sees us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

It's Because of Jesus

Romans 5:3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;

Anyone who truly enjoys tribulations, please raise your hand. I did not think I would get many hands on that one, including mine. None of us truly enjoy suffering of any kind. However, the fact is that in this world we will have tribulations. Jesus promised that in John 16:33. However, He also told us that in Him we have peace, and in Him, we can overcome, because He has overcome the world. Here in Romans we are reminded once again that tribulations have a purpose. They build perseverance. Note that in order for us to glory in tribulations, we must first remember what we are told in verses 1 and 2 of Romans 5; in Christ we are justified (declared not guilty) by faith, and therefore we are at peace with God. Because we are at peace with God, in Christ we have access to God's grace, which allows us to stand and rejoice in the hope of God's glory. The bottom line is that no matter what we face or suffer, we can stand because of what Jesus did to bring peace between us and God. Thereby we can proclaim, if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Choosing Wisely or Foolishly

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

What does our circle of influence look like? Who do we regularly associate with and spend the most time with? In Hebrews 10:24-25, we are told not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, for the purpose of exhorting, encouraging one another, and stirring up love and good works. In 1 Corinthians 15:33, we are warned that bad company corrupts good morals. In today's verse we are told the difference between, and the results of, choosing our companions. If we choose wise people to associate with, we will be wise. If we choose fools, we set ourselves on a path of destruction. If we want to pick the right companions in life, we must first begin with choosing the Lord. As we fellowship with, and grow in our intimacy with the Lord, our desire for friendship and fellowship with others will be driven by a desire to have companions who will also have a love for the Lord and the things of God. We must not isolate ourselves from the lost, as we are called to win them to Christ. However, our main source of fellowship should be with others who share our faith, so that we form friendships where we can encourage each other in our walk with, and service to, the Lord. Are we being wise or fools in our choice of companions?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Does It Show?

1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

The advice the Apostle Paul gave Timothy is advice we all can, and should, follow. He was encouraging Timothy to be an example to the believers, in the way he lived. He was to give attention to reading, exhortation, and doctrine. He told him to meditate on these things. How many of us can honestly say that we meditate on God's Word? Do we truly give thought to the things of God and the Scriptures, or do we just go through the motions in order to feel good that we did our duty? Is our time with God just a few rushed moments in the morning or whenever we can fit Him into our schedules? Our time with God should not be minimized to just a few quick moments as we rush on with the rest of life. We need to take time in prayer, reading, studying, and then taking the time to revisit it, think about it, and ultimately apply it to our lives and relationship with God and others. I dare ask, how much time have we spent with Him so far today? How much thought have we put into what we have taken in of His Word today? How much time have we invested in growing in our walk and intimacy with our Lord and Savior today? Does it show?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Time to Withdraw

Luke 5:16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

How many of us remember the WWJD craze? What Would Jesus Do? As I think back, I often found that we Christians would try to apply this, but mostly in response to how we treated other people, or responded to trials and persecution. The problem I found with WWJD was that most of the time we were trying to respond as Jesus would when situations caused us to have to respond, but often failed to do as Jesus did the rest of the time. In other words, WWJD became more of a defensive tactic, rather than a way to model how we live everyday life. In Luke 5, Jesus cleansed a leper, and as a result many sought Him in order to be healed. In the midst of the noise and busyness of His ministry, the Bible tells us that Jesus "often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed". How often do we take time to withdraw from our busy lives to just spend the necessary quiet time needed to develop our relationship with God? If Jesus, who is God Himself, took time to withdraw and be with the Father, why would we think that we can walk with the Lord and not need to do the same? If we truly want to do what Jesus would do, why not start with taking time, every day, on purpose, to withdraw from everyone and everything, and just have that quiet, intimate, time with the God of the universe, who desires to spend time with us?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Use Rest For All It's Worth

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

What does intimacy with God mean to us? For some, and I have been guilty of this, it means serving God. However, it is very easy to get so busy with ministering and serving that the lines between serving God and having an intimate relationship with Him get blurred. Quite frankly, we can serve in a number of ministries, and our hearts still be far from God. We can serve, and still be living outside of the will of God. We can work hard at building the façade that makes others think we have intimacy with God, but in reality be as far from Him as one who does not know Him at all. Just like it is important to have a time of rest from the busyness of life, such as taking time off from work and not working overtime to exhaustion, we must take a time of rest, regularly, in serving, so that we make time for building an intimate relationship with the Lord, in prayer, His Word, and being doers of the Word. In Mark 2:27 Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." In other words, God gave us the good and perfect gift of rest, and this gift was given to is for the purpose of receiving the blessing of being able to draw near to the Lord and Savior of our life; not as under the law, but as a freewill choice, in Christ Jesus. Are we using this precious gift for all that it is worth?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

When Was the Last Time?

Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Rest...for some that is a foreign word. It is definitely something we have to do on purpose. We seem to always be in a hurry to go nowhere. I still remember the days when all stores were closed on Sunday. If you needed things, you made sure you shopped on Saturdays, because everything shut down on Sundays. I am not advocating the keeping of the Sabbath as a requirement, as we are no longer under the law. However, we truly find rest for our souls, and our physical being, in Christ Jesus. The Lord told us in Matthew 11:28-30, that in Him we find the rest from our tireless and unnecessary works, trying to earn our way into Heaven, as we cannot earn eternal life; It is given to us, by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). We receive it when we put our faith and trust in Him, calling upon Him for salvation (Romans 10:13). It is always good to take time to shut down, spend a day resting, reflecting on God's goodness, relaxing in His Word, praying, and enjoying His presence. When was the last time we truly took time to just rest and be rejuvinated, and bask in the love of our Wonderful Lord and Savior?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Promises Fulfilled In Due Time

Isaiah 54:10-12 For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord , who has mercy on you. “O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, Your gates of crystal, And all your walls of precious stones.

God's promises to Israel will stand. There is soon coming a time when Jesus will rule, and He will fulfill every promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Nation of Israel. A covenant of peace, not scripted by the hand of man, but by the Hand of God. We too, His church, made up of born again followers of Jesus, have also been made a promise of peace. It has been written and sealed by the Blood of the Prince of Peace. It was by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross that brought the possibility of each of us being reconciled to God and finally being at peace with Him. This does not mean that we will be exempt from troubling times here on earth. This does not mean that we will not suffer persecution or times of tribulation and testing. However, it does mean that whatever God allows us to go through in this life, we always have the peace of God to see us through. We have Jesus, and the Holy Spirit indwelling us, to walk us through the fiery times. We have access to the peace of God that passes all understanding; and like God's promises to His people Israel, so are His promises to His children, the church, everlasting. His promises will never be broken, and every one will be fulfilled in due time.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Who Is Actually Leading?

Psalms 37:4-5 Delight yourself also in the Lord , And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord , Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

The Christian walk can be frustrating at time. However, it is often we who frustrate it. The frustration usually comes from our attempts at making something happen, but failing to take God at His Word, in its context. Many hold on to the promise that God will us the desires of our hearts, because that is the attractive part of the promise; but we fail to remember or acknowledge that we need to first delight ourselves in Him. We are also told to commit our way to Him, and trust Him. Far too often we set our own plans in motion and expect God to bless those plans, when we have not made Him the priority of our lives. We commit things to Him that are often selfishly motivated, then wonder why nothing is working out the way we want it to. We need to take a step back and ask ourselves, "Am I trying to set up my own life, and then asking God to get on board, or am I seeking God, His will, and His plan for my life?" This life is not about us. This life is about the Lord and how we can live it in order to serve Him and glorify Him. If it seems that our life is filled with constant frustration, it may be time to ask ourselves, "Who exactly is leading my life, me or Him?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13). 

The Goodness of God

1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

What is the measure we use in our life to determine God's goodness? Do we measure it by how happy we are, or how much prosperity He allows us? Does His goodness increase when life is going well, but decreases when we experience suffering? The fact of the matter is that God is good all the time, regardless of what direction life takes. Whether we suffer persecution, or suffer tragic circumstances, God is still good. Far too often we blame God for the wrongs that others commit. We live in a fallen world where sinful people will do sinful things, and at times God will allow those people to affect our lives. Even when He allows those people or events to affect our lives, He promised us that in Christ Jesus, as His children who love Him, He will work all those things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Ultimately it also works out for His glory, as He uses it to make us more like Jesus in our response to suffering. I will repeat once more that God is good all the time, and man's actions do not, and cannot, change that fact. It is far better for us to live a life of suffering in Christ, and know that we are heavenbound, than to live a life of happiness and prosperity, and end up in Hell and the Lake of Fire at the end of it all.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Don't Let Your Song Be Silenced

Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.

Who or what is trying to silence your song today? What enemy lurks and taunts you today? Is it a past mistake, a past choice? Is the enemy trying to use those consequences to quench your song? Maybe it is just the consequences of living in a fallen world, surrounded by sinful people. Whatever the struggle, whatever the trial, whatever the circumstances, let us not allow those things to rob us of the joy and peace we have in Christ Jesus. We have a Savior and Lord who is merciful, loving, and patient, bestowing His unmerited grace upon us. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8)! Today, let us continue to sing our songs of praise for the One who will one day come to get us, and take us from this world that has nothing but heartache and pain to offer. If we are truly children of God, then in the power of the Spirit, we can sing so loud that we drown out the voices and accusations of those who would try to extinguish our songs of praise and thanksgiving!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

There Is A Way To Victory

Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

It truly is amazing how much our thinking controls our actions. What we think in respect to sin, and who God is, will ultimately dictate which way we will choose and how we will behave. When I think back on all the times I have messed up "big time", I can clearly see that my mindset at the time was very wrong. It truly is a constant battle to keep our thought life in the right place, so that our actions and decision will follow. However, the only way we will see more victories in this struggle between the Spirit and the flesh is to truly spend REAL time in prayer and God's Word, meditating on the things that will lead to victory over the flesh. Until we take renewing our minds seriously (Romans 12:1-2), and start doing all we can to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26), we will find ourselves getting knocked down by the enemy, the world, and our own selfish desires. Jesus did not save us so that we can live defeated lives, but that we may have life more abundantly (John 10:10). We need to stop making excuses, for God has already made a way...a way to victory, in Jesus, who Himself is the Way.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Imperfect People Do Imperfect Things

Romans 12:17-19 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

One of the most difficult things we deal with as followers of Jesus is dealing with people. Yes, even the ones we say we love. Why is that? Well, because we live in a fallen world filled with imperfect people. Oh yes, and lest we forget, we too are imperfect. If this is so, why do we have such a difficult time doing for others what we would want others to do for us? Why do we get so offended that instead of forgiving, we choose to hold grudges and seek vengeance? Why do we treat others unkindly, and refuse to show them the kind of love that the Lord commands us to show one another? Yet, how quickly do we get annoyed, and have our feelings hurt when others treat us the way we often treat other people? How is it that we seek after God's love, grace, mercy, patience, and forgiveness, toward us when we mess up, but are quick to condemn and stay offended at those that mess up in our relationships? The bottom line is that imperfect people, like us, do imperfect things. So, the next time we decide to be petty about some minor offense toward us, or even a great offense toward us, remember, God forgave us, in Christ Jesus, for all the sins we have committed, and commit, toward Him (Ephesians 4:32). The truth of the matter is that we are the ones who choose how we respond to those who are less than perfect in our lives.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

We Complicate It

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

We make the Christian life more complicated than it needs to be. This is not to say that life itself cannot get complicated. There are always things and circumstances that are beyond our control. However, there are many things that are within our power to control. We can choose to start each day with prayer and reading God's Word. We can choose to live a quiet life, by minding our own business, and choose to bring our business directly to God or a brother/sister in Christ that He has put in our life to be our shoulder to lean on; rather than plaster it all over social media. We can choose to go to work, even if we do not particularly like what we are currently doing, and do our job as working to please Jesus, and not men (Colossians 3:23). We can choose to be careful not to ruin our testimony before the unsaved people at our jobs by having a good work ethic, getting to work on time, and not use company time to gossip, and "goof off". We can choose to protect our testimony around the unsaved, in social circles, by not acting like the world in the language we use, telling inappropriate jokes, and instead using language that encourages and adds flavor to other people's lives (Colossians 4:5-6). We can choose to serve God by serving in the local church and giving of ourselves, our time, and our resources to help those that God puts before us to minister to. The Christian life is really not complicated, even in the midst of hard times, if we choose to keep our focus on the One who can guide us through it, if we choose to walk with Him the way we are supposed to walk with Him, in godly righteousness, by the power of His Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Which One Do We Serve?

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

"What or who is more important to us, and who are we serving, God or money?" I know what the default answer would be. But, if we allowed someone to take a closer look and examine how we spend what we earn or get our hands on, what would be the real answer? Would they find that our real "god" is money and material things, or would God really be our God? Would they find that we spend more money on self, and that all we strive for is to gain more of what the world tells us will make us happy and make us feel important? Quite often our fear and greed is what drives us to chase the ever fleeting dollar. We fear not having. We fear not having food, shelter, and the things we think will make us happy. We covet the things we think will bring us comfort, status, and the praise of men. Yet, God tells us that if we seek the Kingdom first, He will provide the rest. The problem arises when we become dissatisfied with what God is providing, and decide we can do better. Sadly, even when God allows us to gain some earthly wealth, the last thing on our minds is giving back to God and others in need. This is not to say that money is evil; it is not. It is the love of money that is evil (1 Timothy 6:10). The bottom line is that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). We either serve our money and self, or we serve God. We must learn to be content with such things as we have (Hebrews 13:5), and honor the Lord with such things as He blesses us with (Proverbs 3:9). So, I ask again, "What or who are we serving, money and self, or God?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Watching Our Words

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

As followers of Jesus, what is our daily speech like? We often do not think twice about the words we speak. Yet, our words can build others up or break them down. We know from James 3:8-10 that the tongue is dangerous when not kept under control. However, our words not only affect others, but the words we speak to ourselves affect how we think. This is why it is so important to speak the Word of God when we pray. The enemy wants us to repeat to ourselves the lies about who God is in our lives, based on our past failures and shortcomings. The demons want us to believe that God will forsake us, that He no longer love us, and that we are not really saved. In essence, they want us to believe that Jesus is not enough. Let us remember that our salvation is completely dependent upon, and maintained securely, by God Himself. If we speak the Word of God to ourselves, and pray the Word of God, we will not fall for the devils' lies. Today, before we utter words to anyone, including ourselves, we need to stop and ask, "Is what I'm about to say edifying?" "Does what I'm about to say go against, or agree with, the Bible?" Let us take extra care today to watch our words.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

It Costs More Than You Think

Galatians 6:7‭-‬8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Our tendency, when it comes to sin, and making selfish choices, is that we become short-sighted. We focus on what we want now without truly considering what it will cost us later. Sadly, we have fallen into the trap of wanting what we want, when we want it. As a matter of fact, we want it yesterday! We live in a time when it has been made far too easy for us to get what we want, when we want it, even if we can't afford it. The consequences end up being that in the long run we find out that we really did not need what we got, and really cannot afford it, but now it is too late and we are trapped. We are now slaves to the thing we really did not need and should have walked away from. Sin and sinful choices are no different. Sin will always cost us more than we are willing to pay. God desires the best for us, but we complicate our lives by following our own fleshly desires. We must not let the devil, this world, and our selfishness draw us away from God. Let us keep our eyes on things above and the God who loves us more than we realize.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Have We Sold Out?

1 Peter 4:10-11 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

How are we using the talents and abilities God has given us? Are we using them for the glory of God, and being a blessing to the local church, and those in need; or have we sold out to self and the world? Over the years, I have seen Christians who seldom use their talents and abilities to serve God, but have run to the world to sell their talents and abilities, solely for self gain. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making a living with the gifts God has given us, but are we neglecting those gifts when it comes to serving the One who gave them to us? Just as an example, how many have started out using their voices to praise God in the local church, singing for the glory of Jesus, only to sell out to the world, and Satan, singing songs that are blasphemous, just for fame and fortune? Some will make the excuse, "I do this all week. I need a break from it." All to avoid serving others each week. Yet, they will miss a day of worship at the local church, to work overtime, using those very same talents or abilities they "need a break from". What talents or abilities do we have that we can use today to serve God and bless someone in need?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Self or Others?

Acts 20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ "

We live in a country, here in the US, where we have so much, compared to a lot of other places. Yet, we can be very selfish and ungrateful. I remember one of the missions trips to Mexico I participated in years ago. It was amazing to see how little they had at the orphanage we stayed at, compared to how much we have here. Yet, it was surprising to see how content they were. I found that the difference was that they were grateful for what they had, and did not focus on what they did not have. Everything they bought, when they could afford to, and everything they already had, had a purpose. Everything was used for something. Nothing was wasted. On the contrary, we have so much, but focus on what we do not have, and become ungrateful, always looking to get the next best thing. The new and improved cell phone, tablet, laptop, car, house, you name it. Which we also become bored with quickly. Imagine what we could do to help support missions or help a family or two or five, if we stopped looking to buy the next best "whatever", and instead saved up and applied the money to those needs. Sadly, there are very few people today, yes, even Christians, who know the real pleasure and blessing of giving sacrificially to someone who has a real need. Our selfishness is robbing us of the opportunity to be a blessing, by allowing God to use our resources, time, talents, and abilities to be the answer to someone's prayers for help. Are we investing in the lives of others as Christ's representatives here on earth, or is this life about "me, me, me"?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Be A Friend If You Want A Friend

Proverbs 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Friendships can be very difficult to maintain. Especially in a time when people seem to be busy with their own lives. Times have changed, and it seems that most people just do not have time for anything that takes them outside of their own personal bubble, or keeps keeps them from their social media. Interpersonal relationships do not seem to be valued as much or appreciated like they used to. As born again believers, we are encouraged, and commanded, not to forsake the assembling with each other, for the purpose of encouraging each other; especially as the Lord's return draws closer (Hebrews 10). Forging solid friendships takes work, and is possible, especially if we make Jesus the center of those friendships. However, just as we work hard at building human relationships, we must be just as diligent to build a personal, intimate, relationship with Jesus. This means actively seeking Him, in prayer, in His Word, serving Him, and just sitting quietly with Him. It means doing these things on purpose. How are we doing with this today?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Without Love I Am Nothing

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the  gift  of  prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the  poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

The Bible tells us, in the Book of James, that our faith without works is dead. We can say the same about love. Our love without actions is dead. God loves us, and proved it by His actions of coming to earth, living among us, and giving His life for us. We say that we love God, and we claim to love others. Do our actions prove that? Jesus told us, in the Book of John, that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. He was simply saying, "If you love me, then love me with all that you are, and love others as yourself." Does the way we treat others reflect our love for Jesus? Do our actions, and deeds scream "I love you" louder than our mere words? Loving God, loving Jesus, is more than just saying it. If we cannot prove it, as He did, by our actions, our self-denial, and the way we care & help others, then our words are just that...words, and our love is dead. Jesus gave His life on a cross, are we willing to take up our cross today, and every day?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

What Songs Are We Singing?

Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

There are so many instances in our lives when we are going to feel like we are in prison. Sometimes, those prison bars are the result of our own poor choices. Other times it is just the trials of life that God allows, in order to get our attention and help us grow in our walk of faith. How do we respond to these moments? It was while the Apostle Paul was in prison, time after time, that the Lord did some of the greatest work in him, and through him. Others were led to Christ, and today we have Books of the Bible because of those prison times. Are we so busy feeling sorry for ourselves that we are hosting pity parties, rather than leading worship sessions? Are we crying our sad songs of woe, or are we lifting our voices in prayer and praise? Life will have its "valley" moments. They cannot be avoided. However, the Bible reminds us in Psalms 23:4, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Do we truly believe this? Do the songs we sing during those "prison" moments reflect that belief?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Imaginary Giants

Matthew 6:25‭, ‬27‭, ‬34 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" 27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

We can waste a lot of time, as we start each day, thinking about the things and circumstances that lead us down the path of "worry". Sadly, most of the things we worry about usually have very simple solutions or are only problems in our own minds. We feed into the lies that are put into our heads, to the point that our worries and insecurities end up growing into imaginary giants that seem too big even for God to overcome. Well, there is NO giant, regardless of how big we make it, that is bigger than our God. Rather than start the day worrying about things that may not even come to pass, and are just outright lies, why not start the day in prayer, reflecting on God's goodness, and focus on what we can do to be salt and light each day? If we choose to seek Him first, when we open our eyes each day, He will guide us, and lead us, over and through the challenges of the day. We need to stop worrying about the mountains we create in our heads, and use our mustard seed of faith to move them out of the way, in the power of Christ Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Behind the Mask

Judges 6:11-12 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord  is  with you, you mighty man of valor!”

Long before we were told that it was necessary to wear masks, some of us were already wearing one. It was that internal mask, that façade we put on so that others think we are something or someone we are not. We expend way too much energy trying to convince ourselves, and others, to believe we are who we are not. God approached Gideon and called him a "mighty man of valor", while he was busy hiding from his enemies, in fear. Jesus called Peter a stone, when He knew that Peter would one day deny him like a coward. Why did God refer to these two men by a name or title that did not match who they were at that moment? Well, because God deals with us in terms of who He is going to transform us into, by the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit working in us, and not by who we are, or pretend to be, now. However, in order for Him to effectively do this, we must take off the internal masks we have put on, and be honest before God about who we really are. In case you did not know, I will let you in on a little secret. God already knows who we are behind the masks we have put on. We need to be honest with God, and ourselves, and just let God show us who it is He wants us to be in Christ Jesus. Oh, and by the way, note that in Gideon's life, God not only showed Gideon that he was a "mighty man of valor", but He did it in such a way that only God could get the glory. Are we ready to see who we are through God's eyes? Then take off the mask...

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruitful Branch or Firewood?

Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

The question that comes to mind this morning is, "Am I a fruitful branch for Jesus or firewood?" I believe it is a question we need to ask ourselves every single day. Are there areas of our lives that we are holding on to that are causing us to slowly become useless for the cause of Christ? Are we refusing to forsake a pet sin(s) that Jesus is trying to prune out of our lives, but we are refusing to let go; thereby causing more pain and suffering in our lives, and the lives of those around us? Pruning is painful and necessary if we truly want to live fruitful lives in Christ. It is time to let go, and let God remove those thing that are hindering the growth process in our lives, for our good, the cause of Christ, and His glory.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Our Mission Field

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Our mission field is anywhere God places us. Our jobs, social circles, and anywhere else our two feet land. We are called to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Our circle of influence amongst our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the people we encounter in our everyday life, is our mission field. That is where God has placed us, and expects us to carry His message. We must not only speak the Gospel, we must also live it. When was the last time any of us took the time to tell someone about Jesus? How much effort do we put into looking for opportunities to share what Christ has done to purchase eternal life for us and this dying world? More importantly, will we make the effort today?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruitful Pruning

John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

The pruning process is a painful but necessary process, if there is ever going to be real fruit in our life, and walk, with Jesus. I learned a while back that in order to grow apples, tomatoes, or maintain flower plants (so that they continually blossom) you need to constantly prune the dead leaves, dead flowers, and dead branches. If we leave the dead portions on the trees or plants, those parts suck the life from them, and eventually the fruit they produce is useless, if it grows any at all. The flower plants fail to blossom and die quickly. So is the Christian life. If God does not prune our life, eventually we too will become weak, fail to blossom, and die spiritually. Sometimes, God must prune us by way of His discipline, but in the end, the fruit that is produced will result in our life blossoming for His glory. Besides, the Lord's chastening in our life is proof that we belong to Him, and proof of His everlasting love for us (Hebrews 12:5-13).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruit Bearers

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Can we honestly say that we are bearing fruit in our walk with the Lord? Are we still the same person that we used to be, or would our family, friends, and neighbors say that we are a different person than who they once knew us as? The truth of the matter is that we, in and of ourselves, cannot change. If that were possible, we would not need Jesus. Jesus told us that He is the Vine (John 15). We are the branches. The branches cannot produce fruit on their own. The Water in the Vine helps produce the fruit that the Vine causes to grow on the branches. The branches are the ones that display the fruit. As we walk with Jesus, the fruit that is produced in our lives is the fruit of the Spirit. Are we allowing the Spirit to produce His fruit in ours lives, or are we trying to do something that only Jesus can accomplish in us? Stop resisting, and start allowing the Lord to openly display His fruit in our lives that will bring Him the glory He deserves. Spend more time in His Word and in prayer. Then, trust Him, put His Word to action, and see what the Lord does.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13). 

Stop the Excuses

John 15:5-7 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

What an amazing thought, that the God of the universe has made His home in us when we asked Jesus to be our Savior! The Holy Spirit indwells us 24/7. Jesus abides in us. He is available for us to worship and have fellowship with every second of every minute of every hour of every day. How much of that time do we squander, giving it away to things that have no eternal value? How much of that time do we waste worshipping the idols and gods in our lives? As children of God, we have no excuse (although we come up with all kinds) for not spending precious time with our Lord and Savior in worship and fellowship. The Word of God is readily available to most of us, and we can pray anywhere, anytime. What blessings are we missing out on, simply because we are not abiding in Jesus? What prayers are not being answered because we are not praying and asking as we should? So, let me ask you, "What was that excuse again?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).