Jesus is Lord!

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always. 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, {Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Prayer is one the greatest gifts the Father has given us and one of the most under used. James 5:16 tells us, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.” Are you spending time every day talking with the Creator of the universe? When you pray, do you get results? If not, you have a weak prayer muscle. Prayer takes time and practice just like the muscles of your body. Taking a healthy adult and immobilizing him in bed, his muscles will eventually not function and become useless. The same is true of your prayer muscle. Commit to pray to God who sent His Son to save you from your sins. When you pray, pray in the name of Jesus Christ and pray according to the Word of God. Remind God of His promises. Use simple words and begin by thanking God for all that He has done for you. Just spend time worshipping Him and consciously be aware that you are now in the presence of God. Take the attitude of putting everything in God’s hands. Agree with another believer for the answers you need. And finally pray in faith, believing. It doesn’t take great faith to believe in a God who never fails. If Jesus needed to spend time in pray, how much more do we? He never made a move without direction from the Father. He lived in perfection and yet needed to pray. While you are here in this world make it a habit to pray.

Have a God Day!

15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family calling him “Father, dear Father.” 16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Since we are children of God, we are to share the suffering that Jesus Christ suffered. But if we share His suffering, we will also share His glory. When Christ hung on the cross people passing by hurled insults at Him and mocked Him, even the criminal hanging next to Him cursed Him. This added to the suffering Christ was already going through. But He did not lash out at them; He did not come back with a response to their insults. Instead He prayed for God the Father to forgive them. Today we suffer as Christ did when others hurt us, when others sin against us. There is not one Christian alive who has not had someone hurt them. It doesn’t matter if the hurt was malicious or not, the pain we feel is real. God uses these experiences to teach us to forgive. Just as He forgave us of our sins, we are to forgive others who sin against us. It doesn’t matter if they meant to hurt you or not, you are to forgive them, just as God has forgiven you. This is hard to do and it is suffering, just as Christ suffered. But you are to do no less than then He did. And if Christ can pray for forgiveness for those who purposely hurt Him, how can you do less. Pray for those who hurt you and forgive them and then forget the deed. God will give you the strength to do it and He will allow you to share the glory of Christ.

Have a God Day!

17 But what if we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then find out that we are still sinners? Has Christ led us into sin? Of course not! 18 Rather, I make myself guilty if I rebuild the old system I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, I realized I could never earn God’s approval. So I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. 20 I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Paul knew from studying the scriptures that he could not be saved by keeping God’s law. Because we have all been infected by sin, we cannot keep God’s law perfectly. The law given by God to the nation of Israel was a pointer directing them to the perfect sacrifice that was to come. Jesus Christ was that perfect sacrifice because He was fully human and fully God and was without sin. Because He was human, he could die. And He went freely to the cross to take the penalty for our sins, so that we could be free from the power of sin and death. But we have to accept His death for us. Even though Jesus died for every sin ever committed and every sin ever to be committed, we do not receive that forgiveness unless we accept His act of love. And when we do accept, we are crucified with Christ. Now Christ lives in us. We continue to live in our earthly bodies, but we are trusting in the Son of God who now lives in us. God has provided a way of salvation that depends completely on Jesus Christ and not our own efforts. And it is by His power that we are able to live for Him and we are able to keep His Word. Do not treat the grace of God meaningless, God provide a Way for us to be reconciled to Him. Accept His Way and then live for Him, as He lives in you.

Have a God Day!

5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. 6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. 7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. 9 “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I know! I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

In times of trouble, those who trust in humans will be disappointed and are spiritually weak, so they will have no strength to draw on. But those who trust in the Lord will have more strength than they need. Providing not only for their own needs but for the needs of others. Are you satisfied being unfruitful or would you like to be like a well watered tree and have strength in times of crisis and even having more to share? God makes it very clear why we sin; it is a matter of the heart. Our heart is inclined toward sin from the time we are born. It is easy to fall into the routine of forgetting and forsaking God. But we can still choose whether or not to continue in sin. We can yield to temptation or we can ask God for the way out. Those who forget God are like the tree living in the barren wilderness. They are stunted and will wither. But those who turn to God in times of temptation will be full and produce much fruit. You decide which tree you would like to be.

Have a God Day!

Daily Scriptures Readers,

If you have not received the daily scripture via email in the last few days, it is because the list server I am using has gone down. They are currently working to get the server back up ASAP. I will continue to email out the scriptures, but will also post it on the blog.

Thanks
Chris Zimmerman

3 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak in his dealings with you; he is a mighty power among you. 4 Although he died on the cross in weakness, he now lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in him and have God’s power-the power we use in dealing with you. 5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. 6 I hope you recognize that we have passed the test and are approved by God.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Can others tell that Jesus Christ lives in you? This is the true test of Christianity. Being a Christian isn’t belonging to a church or a religion, it is having the Lord Jesus Christ live in you. It is living in this sinful world as a forgiven sinner working to become more like Christ. Many call themselves Christian but fail the test because Christ is not in them. There is a difference in knowing about Christ and accepting His gift of grace in your life. Once you accept Christ, you turn from your sin and turn toward Him, God becomes the Lord of your life and you now live for Him. The old person is gone and a new person is born. Ephesians 4:24 states, “You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness-righteous, holy, and true.” How do we become a new person? Only through Him can we have the righteousness of God. Because He became weak and now lives by the power of God, so we who are weak can live by the power of God in us. Take the test and see if others can see Christ in you. Maybe you are living with one foot in Christ and one foot in the world. This will not pass the test. Christ wants your whole heart and your whole life. Don’t wait another moment to make Christ your focus and your Lord.

Have a God Day!

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

God is able to give us everything we need, even though He does not give us everything we want. God has given us so much; there has never been a generation of people who have so much. Yes, there are still many poor in this country and this world, but most of the people reading this message are extremely blessed. But even though we have so much, many are not satisfied. The more we have the more we want. This attitude is contrary to the Word of God, and is not what Jesus did when He was here. He had nothing, no home, no job, no family, and yet He had everything. To become like Christ, we need to practice an attitude of gratitude, we need to practice being content with what we have. Look at the needs of others around you and find someone you can help. Do it in the name of Christ with no expectation of anything in return. Practice doing this and always give your tithe and offerings first. Walking in obedience to God in this way will change your heart to one of thankfulness and praise for your God who provides for you. Instead of thinking about what you do not have, thank God for what you do have. After all, our most important possession is free and available to everyone, eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Have a God Day!

6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8 So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for Christ. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News. 9 It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began-to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to everlasting life through the Good News
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Because God saved us to live a holy life, we have nothing to be ashamed of. It is nothing we did or even could do. God planned to send Christ before time began and He agreed to come to give us life. So we must never be ashamed to tell others about Christ, no matter what they may think of us. When they reject the power of Christ working in you, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting God. We have been commissioned by Christ to preach the gospel to every living person. His last instructions before leaving the earth were for the disciples to go out and tell the story. Then He said He would return. So before He comes back, we all have the same mission of reaching others for Christ. And it is the power of God working in you that will draw them to Christ. Jesus Christ broke the power of death and gave us ever lasting life, give others the chance to receive Him by letting them see Christ in you and then tell them the power is from God.

Have a God Day!

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

The power to live as Christ did comes from the Holy Spirit. Because Christ died and rescued us from sin, we are free from sin’s control. God gives us the power and the understanding to live according to His will and to actively live His Word. We do all of this while we look forward to the Day when Christ will return for His Church and then comes to set up His earthly rule. It is not enough to renounce sin and evil desires, but we must also live actively for God. It is our belief in action. It is too easy to say that we believe God, it is more difficult to live our faith with our actions. But our actions, the way we behave and things that we do, speak louder than what we say. Talk is cheap, but actions are gold. Active service for Christ means serving His body. When we serve His body we are showing our love for Him. It is God who gives us the desire to do this and then will give us the power as we act in faith. Live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God and you can not go wrong. You will be actively living your faith.

Have a God Day!

24 Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go? 25 But the Lord says, “The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children. 26 I will feed your enemies with their own flesh. They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood. All the world will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

It is important to remember that we are not at war with flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” As a child of God, we are in a spiritual battle, sometimes for our own understanding and sometimes for the understanding of those in darkness. For our loved ones living in darkness, the words of Isaiah apply, they will be set free. God tells us that He will fight for those that we fight for and God will save our children. To penetrate the minds of those who live in darkness, we need to expose them to the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to reach beyond the level of their flesh and blood and go into the battle where it is. And the battle is in the their minds and while they are in darkness, the best way to reach them is on this battlefield. We pick up our sword and fight the enemy with his own weapons and bind those in darkness to light of Christ. We continue to fight until they are no longer in darkness but living in the light of the love of God. All our prayers have a cumulative impact, for our prayers which are according to the will of God are NEVER without effect. So claim the promises of God and continue to fight for those you love who are in darkness and NEVER give up, for God will save your children!

Have a God Day!