1 John 3:8
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
I recall singing Jesus Loves me at 5 years old in Sunday school. My aunt and the ladies of the church would make peanut butter cookies and cherry Kool Aid and we would sing. That song is still my favorite hymn. It tells all about our relationship to Jesus. Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me---Yes Jesus loves me---Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me, Him who died. Heaven's gates to open wide. He will wash away our sin, let His little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me---Yes, Jesus loves me---Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so...
Ah, what memories of such innocent days. From those days that song lost its luster in my life, for a season. Thank God I returned and the song was reborn into my heart. I was drawn to His word and will for my life at 12, the summer after my mother went home to glory. What blessed assurance I have knowing my name is in the book of life.
If you are not certain about your salvation---or you have journeyed from His throne of grace in search of the things of this world. I want you to reflect and meditate on this last passage, then find a believer or in the solitude of your day where you are.
Acknowledge the sovereignty of God and that you are a sinner, Believe that Jesus Christ came to rescue you from all your sin and wash it white as snow, and lastly as you have humbled thyself in the Lord's presence, Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and His cleansing blood on Calv'ry was the ink used to write YOUR name into the book of life.
Jeremiah 18:6
"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
Are you on the potter's wheel? Are there trials you feel drawn not to accept into your life?
If you hear voices and feel drawn away from the Lord's work---who could it be that is calling? Surely God will not call you from His work and will in your life. I tell you that Satan is real. He looks about the earth for souls to devour and consume. Resist the devil and he MUST flee.
Yield you life to Jesus Christ and be free.
Isaiah 13: 9-12
See, the day of the LORD is coming --a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.
What is written in Isaiah has come true in former times---in the days of Jesus. Therefore I say unto you, Isaiah is written by the breath of God and is true to our generation. My dear friends, God is indeed coming. Are you ready? He moves swiftly and even handed---none will be exempt from His justice. Every knee WILL bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. When there are no stars in the clear night sky-will you be afraid? Should the darkened sun rise and their be no moonlight on a clear night---will you be afraid? The punishment of the Lord will be nigh.
Draw to His love now and receive love and life everlasting. Come into His house on Sunday and draw nigh his warmth and love as it will carry you through the trials of your days ahead. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord. He stands ready to throw his arms around you and share His love---be open and let God into your life. He has given it and He knows the number of our days. Let Him rule in your heart and you will live as you never have before.
Proverbs 2; 7-9
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path.
Often times when we commit to doing God's work we fall short. Part of the flesh and its weakness. Often God calls us to his work and we serve not knowing the depth or breadth of His work through us. That is difficult for our minds because we like to see our fruits as they grow. But we are quick to pluck ripe fruit from the vine.
It is not for our good that we serve but for the good of others---some of whom we do not and never will know this side of glory.
Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
James 5: 19-20
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. _
Can there be any question about your salvation in Jesus Christ? Is there any question in your life of what God has called you to do?
Right now, today before you turn off your computer. Stop and consider all you have and the good name you are given. Think of what God has done for you just today---just this minute. There are tremendous spiritual battles in our daily lives. God has brought forth tornadoes, war in Yugoslavia, and the sad tragedy of Columbine. Why? Well, what does God's alarm clock sound like? Do any or all of these events speak to your heart? Has the world numbed you to feeling the tragic loss of life, on a school day? Do the waves of emotion fall silently on the sands of your life. Rolling calmly back to the sea, or do the waves of emotion break harshly upon your heart and cause you to be mournful? Does the fact of NATO attacking Yugoslavia fill you with compassion for the people there who are not in their military? Tornadoes---a force of "nature" or God's way of showing our true significance next to His power and might?
Praise God for His loving kindness. Glorify the Lord for His grace. For He alone is worthy to be praised and adored. If you have not before received Jesus Christ into your life-there is no time like now. Read the following prayerfully and God will bless your life richly.
..."Lord God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ died upon the cross of Calvry to cleanse me and wash my sins away. I long to live for His glory. Lord, right here--right now, I give my sin and worldly ways to your loving care. Father, bring me to Christians this day who will minister to me and draw me closer to Your loving throne of grace. Bring Your word, fresh and new each morning. Lead me daily as I seek your will for my life. Feed me from your abundant word, that I may grow closer to your love. In Jesus precious name, thank you for saving me from eternal death. Amen."
Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Proverbs 22:1
A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
When you consider the life of Jacob, it is not much different than most of ours. Father, it reminded me of the times my aunt would tell us how our family was like this or that. How we were strong minded, hard workers, and proud people. She did not tell of my father's compassion, or his deep love for his children. Father, Jacob wrestled with you and did not pass from that night without insisting on a blessing and you touched him and put his hip out of socket. So that his walk with you would change and people would see a significant difference in his walk.
It reminded me of how I had fallen in Texas and dislocated my foot. As I lay on the icy sidewalk, looking into the gray sky, I remember thinking "to God be the Glory for the things he has done". In the days since then, my life has been different. I loved to run and would be late or just under the wire, by Thy mercy. Since that icy morning, my walk is stronger for your work Lord. Thank you for the fellowship of saints and to hear Thy word among your people.
1 Corinthians 1:2
To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by
calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Surely as Satan has his army of demons, God has His army of saints. God's saints are everywhere---even where the demons of Satan thrive. (The soldiers in God's army are you and I who are baptized in the Holy Spirit.) Jesus was known to associate with whoremongers, drunkards, and tax collectors. Jesus did not condemn these people. He loved them and hated only the things they did which were not of God.
So should we as God's army among His people do also? We represent the cure for a sick and dying world. There are people around us that are hurting---held captive in Satan's fortresses, dens of iniquity, and regions of darkness that absorb the soul and scorn the light.
David, Job, Judas Iscariot, and Peter were General's in God's army---yet Satan entered into their lives for a season. How much different are we than they? NONE!
Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit to battle Satan and intercede for ourselves and our brothers and sisters. Surely as we all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God. Be encouraged...
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Satan knows all that is written in the Bible---That makes him a formidable foe for those of us baptized in the Holy Spirit. That is why is prudent for us to study Thy word and show our selves approved. Satan knows the proper and the improper roads and clearly chooses to mark the path to death for each of us.
By God's will we have choices and are accountable to God for the choices we make in our lives. Whether we serve the Lord now, or at a moment when Satan is revealed as a wicked creature, we ALL serve God. Satan has no authority unless we give it to him. God has full authority and commands all---
Satan has an army, therefore he can not do all his work alone. Satan relies on temptation to lead us from our paths of righteous living and from the Lord's presence. It is YOUR choice to follow Satan to certain death, or to follow Jesus Christ to salvation and victory over Satan and his armies.
Many times we do battle with a demon of Satan's army. When Satan or one of his demons stands against you or yours, stand firm for greater is He that is in thee than he that is in the world. Satan can not stand against the Lord God Almighty. Never can, never will.
Joshua 3: 15-16
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.
I grew up near the banks of the Allegheny River near Ford City Pennsylvania. When the river would flood, we were told to stay away from the raging waters---rightly so. Watching the flooded river, I saw full grown trees being carried away like a small child carries a helium balloon. The water ran brown with silt from a thousand farms. What chance would I have against such power? In the flesh, no chance! As lead by the Lord, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Stand firm in your faith and the warmth of the Lord will give you rest.
As God calls to you today, follow His will obediently. Like the priests who obediently stepped into the raging Jordan River, God will guide your steps. Jesus calls us to see where He is working and to learn His ways. Jesus said...