Turn Before It's Too Late

Proverbs 29:1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.

Why do we insist on acting as if God is the enemy? When God chastens us, when He corrects and reproves us, why do we insist on continuing to do things our way, as if we know best? Sadly, what God does for our good, and in love, most people view as oppressive. We believe the devils when they whisper in our ears and tell us that God is nothing more than a "wet blanket" who just does not want us to enjoy life. However, that is the opposite of who God is, or why He does what He does when he chastens us. God knows the harm and destruction that results from living a sinful life. He knows what dabbling in a little of this or that will lead to. As a matter of fact, when God reproves and chastens us, it is evidence that we are His children (Hebrews 12), and true evidence of His love for us. However, there will come a time, for those who insist on hardening their hearts and being stiff-necked, that God says, "Enough is enough!" That is when painful consequences emerge and can potentially destroy our life and testimony for Christ. Even worse is the tragedy of one who refuses to acknowledge, and rejects, the offer being made by God, in Christ, life eternal. Romans 1 clearly tells us what the tragic results are of hardening our hearts, to the point where God finally gives man over to their own corrupt thinking and way of life. The ultimate tragedy is that of one whose end is death, with no possibility of ever having eternal life; and instead perishing for all of eternity. My brothers and sisters, we may not be in danger of eternal punishment, because we already have Jesus, but we are not exempt from painful and regrettable consequences, when we refuse to repent and confess those sins we hold on to as "pet sins". A time will come when God will correct His children, even if it means that the consequences of such rebellion, and refusal to listen to God's chastening, lead to a lifetime of pain, while we are still here on earth. So, if God is dealing with us at this moment, and trying to get us to see that He loves us, by chastening us, we must not harden our hearts. The enemy is silently waiting for the opportunity to bring destruction into our lives; and although it is not God who is the enemy, He will allow consequences to come if we become stiff-necked. Turn before it is too late!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Better To Be Poor

Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is crooked though he be rich.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" These two questions that Jesus asked in Mark 8:36-37, should make us stop and seriously consider what it is we are pursuing in life. Are we living to gain more and more of what the world has to offer? Have we bought into the devils' lies that we will be happier if we gain more of the world's riches? Are we pursuing fame and recognition because it promises to bring more material wealth? If so, what are we having to compromise in order to gain it? Who are we supposed to cheat, and lie to? What dishonest script has the world written for us that promises riches, if we follow it? What will we have to do in order to "take care of number 1", namely ourselves? The Word of God makes it very clear that it is better to have less of what the world offers, with integrity, than to be rich and dishonest. This is not to say that every poor person has integrity, or that everyone who is rich is dishonest. God is simply telling us that it is far better to live in accordance to His Word, than to compromise the truth for the sake of gaining the world's riches, which some day will perish. 1 Timothy 6:6 clearly tells us, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain." Why is that? Verse 7 tells us, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." The Apostle Paul goes on to tell us to be content with having food and clothing. In other words, contentment comes with simply being satisfied with what God chooses to provide for us; as He has promised to meet all our needs. In the end, when we breathe our last breath, the only things that will matter is whether we accepted and knew Jesus; and whether or not we truly lived our life here surrendered to Him. The rich man of Luke 16 lived a rich life here, but suffered for all eternity when death came to visit. Lazarus lived life as a poor beggar, but when death came to visit him, he became eternally wealthy. I would have to say that in the end, Lazarus gained the greatest reward. It is far better to have less and live for Jesus than to have all the world has to offer; but in the end wind up in the place that was created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Only God Knows

Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

James 4:13-16 reminds us that boasting of what we will do today, tomorrow, or the next day is evil. It is evil because the basis for the boasting is arrogance. When we boast about the future, we say that we know better than God that tomorrow will come, and that the plans we made will come to pass. Do not get me wrong, this does not mean that we should not plan for the future. However, when we do plan, we must keep in mind that God tells us that life is like a vapor (James 4:14), and that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. In Luke 12 Jesus told the parable of the rich fool. In that parable the rich fool made plans to build greater barns than what he had, in order to store his crops. In response to this man's plans God said, in verse 20, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" The reality of life is that we do not know what is going to happen from one moment to the next. This does not mean that we should live life being paranoid. What it does mean is that we must live this life trusting the Lord with every moment and in every circumstance. We must trust that He knows what is happening, and what is going to happen. We must trust that the future is in His hands, and whenever we make our plans, we make them in pencil and give God the eraser. For this reason James tells us in verse 15 that when we make our plans we say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." The bottom line is that when it is all said and done, only God knows.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Stop the Chase

Proverbs 23:4-5 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Let us stop for a moment and take inventory of what we have gained in life so far, materially speaking. How much of what we have gained, whether little or much, can we take with us when we die? As a born again believer, how much of what we have gained here on earth has heavenly value attached to it? If the economy were to collapse this very second, how much of what we have would we lose or be of much value? These questions should really make us think and reevaluate how we are living, and who we are living for. The reality of this life is that nothing that we can gain here is secure. Though we are to be diligent to work and provide for our families, we are not to make our jobs, or the wealth we gain from our jobs, our gods. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up 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." He went on to say in verse 24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." The one thing we can be sure of is that when the gain of money and material wealth becomes the focus and goal of our lives, loyalty to God, and His will, becomes secondary and eventually nonexistent in our lives. The chase for what we do not have begins, and like the eagle who takes flight, the more we grasp at it, the further away it will go; and the further from God it will take us. Sadly, the end result will be our earthly ruin, and our poverty in respect to what really counts...our heavenly rewards. Far too many of us are trading what is eternal and permanent for what is earthly, carnal, and temporary. Let us seek that which brings true wealth; that is, the things of God that bring Him glory and bring heavenly reward. I will leave us with the words found in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." If we have begun this pursuit, we need to stop the chase.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

We Have An Open Line

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Prayer plays a key role in our ability to live in accordance with the will of God. We are told to rejoice always, and in everything to give thanks, because that is the will of God. That means rejoicing and giving thanks at all times, regardless of the circumstances. How do we accomplish that? We accomplish that by the power of God working in us. How do we access the power provided to us by the Holy Spirit? We access it by prayer. This is why praying without ceasing is so important for each and every believer. We must stay in constant communication with the One who gives us peace and joy, even in the most turbulent times. So today, and going forward, if our desire is to have true intimacy with God, and if we desire to draw from the strength that is available to us, in Him; then we must take advantage of the open line of communication that the Father has provided for us via Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Praise, Honor, and Glory!

Psalms 150:2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise, honor, and glory to the King of kings and Lord of lords! What a wonderful way to end the Book of Psalms. A Psalm that teaches us one of the most valuable lessons we can learn as born again believers; a lesson about praise. This is not praise to just anyone or anything. This is praise for the only One who deserves our praise. This is not praise that is based on whether we think life is going well or smoothly. This is praise that is to be given, regardless of what our circumstances may look like. Our God deserves praise for His mighty acts. In other words, we praise God because of His might and power; a might that He uses for our good and His glory. Our God deserves praise, not because of what we gain personally, but simply because He is God, and because of the magnitude of who He is. Even if the Lord chooses to do nothing else for us for the remainder of our time here on earth, it does not make it any less appropriate to offer up praise and thanks; for He has already done, for us, more than we deserve, when He gave His life for us. So today, let us lift our voices, our hands, and our hearts, in praise to the one and only true God! Let us lift up our praise so that everyone can hear that we are not ashamed to let them know that the God of the universe is our God, and that Jesus is Lord and Savior! Praise, honor, and glory to the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

God Takes Pleasure In Us

Psalms 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

Stop and think about what the psalmist wrote, "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people." What do we bring to the table that God would take pleasure in? The short answer is, "Nothing at all." What do we have to offer God? Especially when He tells us in Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." So what exactly have we to offer that He takes pleasure in? Our faith in Jesus is what pleases our God. Hebrews 11:6 clearly tells us that without faith it is impossible to please Him. When we become the children of God, in Christ Jesus, our Heavenly Father takes pleasure in us; as we show our love for Christ in obeying His commands. Do not mistake what I am saying here. God's love is unconditional. The Bible clearly tells us that He so loved the world, that He gave us His Son; and did this while we were yet His enemies (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). There is nothing we can do to earn God's love, but nothing can separate us from it, once we are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). Nonetheless, God does take pleasure in us as we do all we can to walk in obedience to His Word. Was that not the case with Enoch? Was it not the case with Noah? Was it not the case Elijah? Enoch and Elijah never experienced physical death, because of their walk with God. Noah and his family were saved from a worldwide flood, because of Noah's walk with God. Yet, their favor was not because of their works, but because of their faith. If we are to find pleasure with the Lord, then we must walk a life of obedience, which is the result of walking by faith. Regardless of what the Lord allows us to experience in our walk with Him, if we respond in humility, faith, and obedience to His Word, we can have the assurance that His love is unfailing; and that He finds pleasure in us, in Christ Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Who Is Getting Our Praise?

Psalms 148:11-13 Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and virgins; old men and children. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for His Name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven.

Who, or what, is getting our praise? Today's Psalm is interesting in that it is simply a command to praise. My question to each of us is this, "Who are we to praise, and who is commanded to do the praising?" This is actually a very simple question with a very simple answer. First, it is the Lord and His Name that is the object of praise. That's simple enough. Next, all of God's creation is commanded to praise. In other words, we and all that has life is called to praise and worship our Creator, the one and only true God. Yet, how often do we praise and worship people, material possessions, and even created beings, such as angels? When we accomplish certain things in life, we praise our own talents and abilities, forgetting where those talents and abilities came from. We worship our bank accounts and the wealth that we have gained, and boast about how we gathered it all, but quickly forget that God gave us the health, strength, and ability to gain those things. We praise and worship angels, who are assigned to minister to us and have no desire to be worshipped (Revelation 22:9), and we rob the Lord of the praise and worship that rightfully belongs to Him. There is nothing that we accomplish, that is praiseworthy, that we can take full credit for and boast about. The bottom line is that no one and nothing should ever be the object of our praise and worship. All praise, honor, and glory, belongs to the Creator of the universe, our Lord and Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords. So this I ask again, "Who, or what, is getting our praise?" If it is anyone or anything other than the Lord, then I say as the psalmist said in verse 13, "Let them praise the Name of the LORD: for His Name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven."

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The Heavens and the Heart

Psalms 147:3-4 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.

Today, my heart is overwhelmed with the thought that God, the God of the universe, the God who spoke creation into existence, this same God cares about what happens in my life...in our lives. Yes, the same God who raises up national leaders and removes them. The same God who controls all things and who gives breath and life to all that lives, this is the same God who cares about you and me. He cares about everything from the greatest event in our life, to the smallest most seemingly insignificant detail. I cannot help but think of Psalms 8:4 "What is man that You think of Him, and the son of man that You visit him?" Our God knows how many stars there are in the heavens, and even names each of them. Yet, He takes the time to lower Himself to where each of us is found to heal our broken hearts. He reaches down to mend our hurts. Most importantly, He descended to earth, came to us as a helpless little baby, to walk among us, and eventually give His life for us. If that is not love, then I know not how else to define it. As if this demonstration of love were not enough, and as if giving us eternal life were not enough, He also tells us to bring our cares to Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). So today, when the enemy tries to convince us that God does not care about what we are going through, and when we feel like God is not seeing what is happening in our life; let us be reminded of what we are told in Hebrews 4:13 "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer." The God who knows every detail about the stars in the heavens is the same God who knows and heals our heart.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fools Trusting Fools

Psalms 146:3-5 Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Over and over, in Scripture, we are told to put our trust in the Lord, and not man. Jesus told us to love our neighbor, but the Word of God also tells us to not put our trust in our neighbor (Micah 7). This does not mean that we walk around being suspicious and paranoid about everyone. No, the Lord does not want us to put our trust in man, who is powerless to change any of our circumstances. If anything, when we trust man over God, man complicates our circumstances. Why does this happen? Well, it happens because man is a sinner by nature. We are fallen creatures who are imperfect, selfish, and corrupt. A heart, without Jesus, is deceitful and desperately wicked. Man has no power over the things that God has ordained, and cannot change God's plan for us as individuals, or for what He has planned for these end times. How foolish we are when we, as the church, put more trust in local, state, and national leaders, to fix what God already told us is going to break. How foolish it is when we leave our loyalty to God to follow a man who makes empty promises about things he will not fix or change; because God has already warned us that these times will go in the way He has already determined. Unlike man, God cannot be bought. The psalmist knew that it is foolishness to trust in princes, who are mortal, and can offer no salvation. As a matter of fact, God tells us to trust in Him, and not even in our own understanding (Proverbs 3). Jeremiah 17:5 warns, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord." Who are we trusting today? When we see all the turmoil that is bubbling up all over the world, when we see a country that once included God in everything, but now wants God out of everything, why do we think that turning to man will solve all these troubles? Brothers and sisters, it is long past the time when we should be seeking the Lord, the only One in whom we have salvation; crying out to Him daily, and seeking His guidance and wisdom in how to respond to the troubles of these times. This is the time when we should be praying, reading and studying God's Word, and seeking answers from the only One who has all the answers. We must stop acting like fools who have been convinced to seek deliverance from foolish men, who are nothing more than prideful beings who think they have more power than they really do. If we do not believe this, we might want to read the end of the Book one more time; but this time ask God to open our spiritual eyes so that we can see the truth of how foolish it is to trust in princes, rather than trust in God Almighty. Let us not be fools who are trusting other fools.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

I Will Extol You, My God!

Psalms 145:1-3 I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.

Praise be to the Lord our God who is worthy to be praised! Glory to the Creator, who is our Lord and Savior! Our God is good, loving, patient, and kind! He provides, protects, and His goodness is far more than we deserve! There is no other like Him, and there is no god, but our God! His love and mercy endure forever! Do we believe that? If so, does our life reflect that we believe that? David said that he would extol the Lord. What he was saying was that he would lift up, hold up, and exalt the Lord. How can we, who are mere sinful humans, exalt, lift up, or hold up God? Let us further examine what it means to extol someone. The word also means to promote. What do we do when we own something that we consider a prized possession? Do we not find the most prominent way to display it? Do we not also display it so that we do our best that it is not damaged or stolen? Do we not take every chance we get to tell others about it? Well...that is what we are supposed to do in exalting God in our life. We are to promote Him by giving Him praise and glory in our life in such a way that He is on full display for everyone to see and take notice of; and take great care not to allow our testimony for Him to be damaged or stolen. When we promote or extol God, we are saying that we will love Him the way Jesus told us to love Him; by obeying His commands. We extol God, or promote Him, in our life when we honestly give Him praise and thanks, every day, regardless of our circumstances. We extol Him when we love one another as He commanded us to, and when we treat others with the love of Jesus. When we live our life in such a way that we demonstrate with our words, actions, and deeds, that we love God and love our neighbor, we extol and promote God in our life. God sent His only begotten Son to die for us and make eternal life attainable, by faith in what Jesus did on Calvary's Cross. What are we now doing to show the world that the greatest possession we have is eternal life and an intimate relationship with the Creator, the God of the Universe, who in Christ, and through the Spirit, we now call Abba Father? How are we promoting God in our everyday life? Let us, today, say as David said so long ago, "I will extol you, my God!" However, let us not only say it; let us live it!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Are We Battle Ready?

Psalms 144:1-2 Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; my Lovingkindness and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer, my Shield and He in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This place we find ourselves, as God's children, is not a playground. It is a battleground. We are not just children of God, as born again believers; we are soldiers in God's army. 2 Timothy 2:4 clearly tells us, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier." Being a soldier means that we must be ready, at any moment, to engage the enemy, defend one's self or someone else, from the enemy's attacks. However, we can only effectively do this if we are properly and thoroughly trained. David was a man of war, but having strength and courage was not enough. He also needed skill. He knew and acknowledged that his training had to come from someone who could train him unlike anyone. He knew that Person was God Himself. David goes as far as proclaiming that the Lord not only trained his hands for war, but also his fingers for battle. The hands are useless in war if the fingers remain untrained. What a beautiful picture we have of the body of Christ, the church, training and working together, in order to be able to engage in warfare. God has given each of us the armor we need in order to prepare for the battlefield (Ephesians 6). Nonetheless, even if a soldier has the right equipment, if he fails to become proficient in its use, it becomes useless in battle; and may even become dangerous to himself and others he is supposed to be going into battle with, side by side. Hence, the Lord in training us to use the spiritual armor He has provided, will allow us to test that armor, and how skillfully we use it, by allowing certain attacks by the enemy. There is, however, a key to successfully using this armor and being trained properly. David reminded us that his skill and strength came from the Lord and his security in Him. The Lord was his Rock, Goodness, Fortress, High Tower, Deliverer, and Shield. Ephesians 6:10 puts it this way, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." What the Apostle was telling us is that the only way we will stand firm in battle, and be victorious, is if we put on the Armor, which is Christ Jesus Himself. We must put off the old man, and put on the new, in the power of the Lord. Are we being doers of the Word, and not just hearers? Are we putting our faith to practice, and learning how to effectively use the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God? Are we allowing the Spirit to exercise the Word in our life, as He leads us to obey the commandments of Jesus; by which also we prove our love for Him? Are we allowing the Lord to train our hands for war, and fingers for the battles we may be facing, or the ones that are to come? Are we "battle ready"?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

For His Name's Sake

Psalms 143:10-11 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

We have an enemy that is relentless, and will not give up his attacks. He may back away for a time, when we have drawn near to the Lord, but he crouches and waits for the next opportunity to pounce. Regardless of who the physical enemy is, there is a spiritual enemy behind them. As David cries out to the Lord, and desires that God cut off his enemies, he also acknowledges that there is something he must learn in all of the turmoil. It is something that we too must learn, as we face the troubles of this life. We must learn to do God's will. It is something that we cannot do on our own. Like David, we need to cry out, "Lord, teach me to do Your will!" Like little children seeking our Father, we must humble ourselves, surrender our own will, and ask God to teach us how to submit to His will. Note that I did not say "find His will", but "submit to His will". That is because His will is found in His Word. In our flesh, and of ourselves, we do not know how to love, and we are rebellious and selfish. This is the reason we need the Lord to teach us and help us to do His will. Jesus told us that if we love Him we will obey His commandments. What He was saying was, "If you love Me, do My will." The reality of whether we will truly do all we can to do God's will is reflected in how much time we spend in God's Word, learning what His will is. The Lord has already given us His Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us, and help us walk in Him. So, today, we have all we need in order to learn God's will, and do God's will. We just need the humility to take up our cross, and surrender our will to His, every moment of every day. As we do this, we need to remember that our desire to do this is not about us and our desire not to suffer; for in this world there will always be suffering. No, our desire must be that He teaches us to do His will, for His Name's sake.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The Cave Moments

Psalms 142:1-3 I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord; I make supplication with my voice to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

Today we read the desperate cries of David from the cave. How often have we felt like David, while he was hiding in the cave? The darkness that surrounds us, even when others are around us; the sadness, the frustration, the overwhelming feelings that come with not seeing an end to the turmoil and the persecution. Those moments in life when it seems that people are continually trying to lay traps in our path, when all we want is to walk peacefully with the Lord and others. Yet, the enemy is ever on the move, trying to distract us and trying to make us take our eyes off of the Lord. We cry out for relief, and ask the Lord to release us from the prison of emotional and spiritual oppression. Although we may not find immediate relief, we can have the same comfort that David found in that dark cave. He knew that the Lord was present and knew his path (v. 3). You see, there is no place we can go, or path we can take, that God does not see. He already knows what the enemy is doing, and knows all the traps that have been set and are being set. The greatest comfort we can have is knowing that whatever comes our way will only be what God allows. We can also rest assured that He will be walking with us all the way through whatever the trial. It does not matter if the trial is of our own making, because of a choice(s) we have made, or if it is simply because the enemy is trying to hinder our walk with, and service to, the Lord; God remains faithful. Let us turn to Jesus in prayer, bringing our cares, worries, concerns, supplications to Him, and let the peace of God that passes all understanding get a firm hold of our hearts and minds. Let us have the kind of peace that enables us to make the right choices, even when a door opens for us to take vengeance for ourselves; just as David did when King Saul also entered the same cave. We must be able to, even in the midst of feeling overwhelmed, respond in a way that does not make the situation worse than it is. Most importantly we must not let those cave moments cause us to respond in a way that dishonors the Name of Jesus. We must never forget that regardless of how we feel, we are never alone in the cave. Jesus is always with us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Protect Me from Myself

Psalms 141:3-4 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.

The psalmist begins with a plea that the Lord make haste to hear his prayer. It was his desire that his prayer would be acceptable, and come before the Lord as incense, which was used in the Tabernacle for worship. He raised his hands to the Lord as a sacrifice of praise. Regardless of our circumstances, we should always offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanks. In this prayer, David sought God's protection. However, it was protection against himself and what he knew he was capable of. This is a prayer that all of us need to pray, because all of us are vulnerable to doing the wrong thing, and can easily become like the rest of the world. The Lord tells us to come out from among them and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). In other words, we are in the world, but not of the world, so we need not behave like the unsaved of the world. David prayed that God would set a guard on his heart and his lips. He did not want to act like the world, speak like the world, or even become so comfortable with their ways that he would sit at their table and behave like them. How easy it is to let our heart become hardened toward the things of God, and be swept away by our own desire and what the world offers. How easy it is to speak lies, and speak corruptly, as the world speaks, when our lips are not guarded. The Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9); and only God knows it and can change it. Our tongues are like a fire that consumes and destroys, if not kept under control. We are told not to let a corrupt word proceed out of our mouth, but only what is good for necessary edification (Ephesians 4:29). The only way we will succeed is in the power of the Holy Spirit. Far too often we pray that God protect us from evil people, or that He take vengeance on our behalf. But what we need to concern ourselves with, first and foremost, is that we become the people God wants us to be, and not get caught up in the world and its wicked ways. We need to pray "Lord, protect me from myself."

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

He Would Love to Hear from Us

Psalms 140:6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

After reading Psalms 139, and letting it truly sink in, it is not very difficult to understand the depth of the meaning of today's verse. David cried out to the Lord to hear him, and deliver him from evil men; from those who were continually plotting and scheming against him. As the time draws closer to the Lord's return, this is certainly a prayer we too can, and should, pray. The wonderful thing about praying such a prayer as this is the fact that we have a God who hears our prayers. This is where Psalms 139 comes in. In that Psalm, we are reminded that God is always present, in every place that we may find ourselves, no matter where that might be. Knowing this, as we walk with Him on the path He has set for us, we can be assured that He is watching over us, protecting us, and always ready to hear our prayers. He walks with us, and desires greatly that we realize just how close we can draw to Him; because He promised that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). This does not mean that we are to tempt God and expect Him to deliver us from situations that we deliberately put ourselves in, because we have chosen our own way rather than His. I am talking about walking intimately with Jesus, and walking in accordance to His commandments, simply because we love Him. How wonderful it is to know, and how reassuring it is to know, that no matter where He leads us, He is always available and ready to hear from us. Are we taking the time to talk to the One who told us to talk to Him without ceasing? He would really love to hear from us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

An Examination of Self

Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

How easy it is to see the sinfulness and wickedness of others. How easy it is to judge someone else's actions and motives; yet, be so blind to our own shortcomings. The psalmist clearly declares his hatred for those who are wicked, proud, slanderous, and who hate God. However, he also recognizes that there were imperfections and sinfulness in him as well. For this reason he called upon God, who knew him better than he knew himself, to examine him deep within, in the place he could not see for himself. In doing so, his desire was that God would expose to him any hidden or presumptuous sin, and any hint of mistrust or lack of faith. It is far too easy for us to pray that God would rain justice down upon everyone else who does wrong, but does that include our wrong? A prayer such as this is not one to be prayed lightly. As a matter of fact, it is a dangerous prayer to pray; dangerous because we must be ready, not only for the Lord to show us what is in us, but also ready to let Him lead us in His ways. Today, if our desire is that the Lord would take vengeance on the wicked, then we must first begin with an examination of self. This is one that we cannot conduct ourselves, but ask the Lord to be our Examiner. When He reveals what He knows is already there, we will need to hold on and get ready for a ride that will take us on a path that only He can lead us on. Are we ready?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Our Value Is Found In Jesus

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.

Let me get this one thing out of the way right from the beginning. There is not one person on earth who is worthy of God's salvation. There...it's been said. However, with that said, we need to know that in Christ Jesus, to our Heavenly Father, we are loved, we are valued, and we are God's prized possessions (1 Peter 2:9-10). The one thing the devils and this world want us to think is that, unless we meet a certain standard, set by them, we are completely worthless and useless. I want us to remember today, and always, that in Christ we are valuable and useful for God's Kingdom. The Bible tells us that God formed each of us, and He did so wonderfully and marvelously. He gave us talents, abilities, and a personality; all of which He can use to fulfill His will and plan in our lives. If we surrender our lives to Him, in Christ, He will guide us, and use us in His service, for His glory; for we were created by Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). We are His creation, and when we called on the Name of Jesus, we were not only His creation, but we became His children. We are now bought with a price...His Blood. Therefore, we are commanded to glorify Him in our body (1 Corinthians 6:20). I remind us of all of this to say that we need not look to the world to find value in who we are. Our value is found in Jesus, who He is, and who He is making us. We find value in the fact that we belong to God, the One who made us; and the One who is willing to use us for His glory. Let us go forward, holding our heads high (but with humility), putting aside the lies the devils and the world has told us; and let us serve the Lord with our entire life and being. Let us live in the manner that Matthew described in chapter 5, verse 16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." When it is all said and done, we belong to God, and no one can rob us of the value we have in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior; only if we let them.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). 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 His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).