Sleep Well, My Brethren

Psalms 3:5-6 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.

What keeps us awake at night? What burdens do we neglect to leave with the Lord, and choose to carry with us to bed each night? Do we worry about work, finances, family issues, the condition of our country, or the outlook of the future? Do we lay our heads on our pillows at night as if God has somehow lost control of the world, or our tiny circumstances (tiny in comparison to much greater issues around the globe)? Has Jesus lost His power since the last time we read our Bibles, and spent time in prayer and fellowship with Him? Oh, wait...have we forgotten to do that? Have we neglected our quiet time with Him, and now it seems like everything is hopelessly spinning out if control? Well, I have good news for us all! We can go to bed tonight, lay our heads on our pillows, and sleep soundly. What we will discover, should Jesus tarry, is that when we wake up in the morning, the world will still be here, and God will still be the one and only True God in control of all things. As He protected King David, and gave him peaceful rest, even when he was running from his own son, who betrayed him; so we also can rest peacefully, knowing God is watching over us, and knows every move of those who would try to harm us. He knows every twist and turn of our circumstances, and knows how to guide us through them; if we would only stay close to Him, and trust Him. The God who controls our every breath and heartbeat is the same God who is aware of every single, tiny, detail of what we are going through. So my advise to us all is to take our eyes off of life's circumstances, and put them on the One who has the power to get us through them; so sleep well, my brothers and sisters.

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 Worry...He Laughs

Psalms 2:1-4 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.

Why do we worry so much? Have we not read in God's Word that people will become more and more corrupt in these here end times? Have we not read that the world is heading, full steam ahead, to a one world government, one world currency, and one world religion? Will our fear, worry, and anxiety, change God's plan? The short answer is, "No, it will not." So, I ask again, "Why do we worry so much?" The fact of the matter is that God is still on the throne, and Jesus is still King of kings, and Lord of lords. Nothing, and no one, can change that; not even Satan himself. The devils want us to believe that God can be, and is being, dethroned, but that is a lie from the pit of hell. While we are busy worrying about the outcome of all the nonsense going on in our country, and around the world, God sits in Heaven, laughing at the nations and their leaders. A time is coming soon when the world, and this world's system, will find out, up close and personal, Who is really in control. Those who continue with their wicked acts, oppressing the people, especially the children of God, will one day mourn at the return of Jesus (Matthew 24:29-31). Acts 17:31 clearly tells us that there is an appointed day when Jesus will return to judge the world in righteousness. Knowing this, instead of worrying about things we cannot control, why not, instead, take full advantage of these times to proclaim the Good News of what Jesus has done, is doing, and is going to do? As the world gets darker, our light, in Christ, should be shining brighter. Remember, while we are busy worrying about what will happen to disturb our comfortable lives, the Lord sits in Heaven, laughing at the wicked, because Jesus is already set to judge all the evil we see in the world. So let us get busy shining the light of Christ, and proclaiming the Name of Jesus, for our time is shorter than we think.

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).

Where Is It Coming From?

Psalms 1:1-2 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night.

Where is it coming from? "Where is what coming from?" Our advice...our guidance...where is it coming from? So many followers of Jesus want to reap the benefits of God's blessings; yet, we waste a lot of time listening to the worlds rhetoric and foolishness. We follow the advice of an unsaved world, and then cannot figure out why our lives are filled with fear, panic, depression, and anxiety. We wonder why we cannot seem to catch a break, but fail to acknowledge that the root of the problem is us. The very first chapter of Psalms puts it right out there, telling us that if we want to be blessed, or happy, we must steer clear of the world's way, and delight ourselves in the Word of God. Not only must we delight in the Word, we must meditate on it day and night. With everything that is happening in the world today, there are far too many of us running scared. The devils are having a grand old time keeping the followers of Jesus oppressed and afraid to fellowship and worship God together. It is time to stop listening to the world's propaganda, get away from all the garbage on social media, and spend more time in God's Word, and connecting with each other. In case we have forgotten, God warned us that the world, and even Christianity, would "go sideways" as Jesus' return draws closer. However, God also told us that as that time draws near, we are not to forsake getting together and encouraging one another. Do we want to be blessed, or happy, as Psalms 1 tells us we can be? Then we need to stop walking in, and listening to, the world, and start walking closer to God, in prayer, and in His Word. So, if we want to avoid being fearful, panicked, depressed, and anxious about all that is being continually paraded before our eyes, and instead want to enjoy the blessings and the peace of God available to us, in Christ Jesus, then our advice and guidance needs to come from God and His Word...period. Where is yours coming from?

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).

Adjusting Our Focus

Joshua 23:14 "Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed."

Joshua lived a full life, and it was now coming to an end. He was a dedicated servant who suffered in life because of Israel's unbelief. Yet, at the end of his life, he could, without hesitation, gather Israel (v.2), and encourage them by reminding them of God's faithfulness. It is no secret that in life we will suffer many things; some, as a result of our own doing, and others that are out of our control. In all our trials and sufferings, where we choose to focus is up to us. We can put our eyes on the trial, and we can put our eyes on the ones who cause us pain and suffering. The result will be that we will walk a path of bitterness, hatred, and an unwillingness to forgive and move on. Rather than add to the misery of facing life's challenges, we can also choose to focus on God's goodness and faithfulness. Like Joshua, we can choose to hold on to God's promises, that never fail. Not only can we choose to focus on, and trust, God's promises, but like Joshua, we can choose to proclaim them to others. As we are given the peace that passes all understanding, we can share God's love and promises with others, and encourage them to trust the Lord throughout life's challenges. The bottom line is that we can choose what we focus on. It will make the difference between walking a path of personal misery, or a path of personal victory, praise, and thankfulness, for the glory of God, in 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).

Life's Delays

Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

Regardless of how long we have been on this earth, or how long we have been walking with Jesus, we know that there will be delays in life. Those moments of waiting can be some of the most challenging to our faith-walk. It is often in the impatience of our waiting that we choose to take matters into our own hands. The Israelites, after waiting 400 years to be free from Egyptian bondage, now find themselves waiting again. Although the time that Moses was on the mountain with God was no comparison to the time the Israelites spent in slavery, they became restless and made a choice that led them down a path of great sin. This is a danger that still exist in our walk with Jesus today. The delays in lives are not meant for our hurt. On the contrary, God often allows delays in order to prepare us for the blessings that He is going to pour into our lives. Please do not equate every blessing with prosperity, or material blessings. Blessings come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. God may allow a delay in order to prepare us for a particular ministry. He may allow a delay in order to redirect us so that we avoid making a life choice that will bring pain and disappointment. He may allow a delay in order for us to realize that we are walking a path that is littered with covetousness, idolatry, and leading us away from Him. The bottom line is that delays in life are not "bad things". Delays can be blessings because they are opportunities to slow down, re-evaluate, consider our priorities, and allow God to make necessary changes in our lives. Delays in life are opportunities to draw near to God. Let us not grow weary or impatient during those moments of having to wait. It may seem like God is silent and not doing anything, but we serve a God who does not waste a moment. Instead, He uses every single second of every single hour to work together for our good 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).

We Are All in the Battle Together

Exodus 17:11-13 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

This past year, for many, was a year of isolation. Sadly, the enemy used much of what happened in 2020 to his advantage, and put one of his greatest weapons to work against us...fear and isolation. We were convinced that the best way to get through the turmoil, and uncertainty, was to keep to ourselves, avoid close fellowship, and worship God by watching services on little screens. Sadly, there will be many who, because of fear, will not return to a physical place of worship, and rob themselves of the encouragement and support God wants us to have in these difficult times. The fact of the matter is that regardless of what is happening in the world, God calls us not to forsake the assembling with one another, especially as His return draws closer (Hebrews 10:24-25). I was reminded last night, as we had fellowship with other believers, that God is the One who has numbered our days (Psalms 139:14-16). Today's verses are a reminder that we need each other. We need fellowship, and we are all in this battle together. Rather than let fear drive us, we need to let God's Word drive us and guide us. We need to make a greater effort to be there for one another, and encourage one another. We need to come along side our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for each other, and WITH each other. We have not been given a spirit of fear. So, let us show the world that in spite of what it tells us, it is God in who we put our trust in. It is time, this year, that we stand together, as the church, to hold each other up, as we all fight the battles that in reality have already been won in 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).

Which Way, Lord?

Psalms 143:8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

As we near the end of 2020 and look forward to 2021, there is no doubt that this past year has been one that brought many challenges. Many suffered trials, tribulations, and losses. There was great uncertainty, and for many, even for us followers of Jesus, there was stress and anxiety. However, throughout all of the chaos there was one thing that was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt...God was still on the Throne and still in control. Regardless of what lies ahead in 2021, God will still be God. He will still be the same God who readily hears our prayers. He will still be the God who walks with us, as He will never break His promise to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). He is still the God who will be found by those of us who diligently seek Him. As in the past, when we find ourselves in a place of uncertainty, will still have a God who has the answers, and want to guide us by His Spirit. It will take a commitment on our part, a submission on our part, to walk with Him. We must seek Him in the morning, read and study His Word, pray, apply His truths to our lives, and trust that He will guide us. We must commit to loving Him by obeying His Word, and choosing His ways, rather than our own way; even when His way seems more difficult. Our God did not abandon us in 2020, and will not abandon us in 2021. For even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. He will show us which way we should walk.

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).