Jesus is Lord!

Good Morning!

Matthew 5:27-30
27 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye even if it is your good eye causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand even if it is your stronger hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

What do you do when the thought to sin comes into your mind? The first initial thought is not necessarily sin. We are all faced with temptations every day of our lives. And every sin that is committed started with a thought. Sometimes these thoughts come from our own sinful nature, but sometimes the thought is planted by the enemy. It does not matter where the thought came from. Any evil thought can become a sin if it is allowed to grow. Sin rarely happens spontaneously, it always comes to us as a thought. First it is a thought, and then we justify our right to the thought and continue to think about it. We have just stepped into sin. Once we dwell on the thought and our right to the deed, follow through is not far ahead. So, the initial thought is not the sin, it is dwelling on it and then to follow through with it. That is why Christ stated that even thinking about another person in this manner is a sin. We make up our minds to sin before the deed happens. So your first thought is not the sin, but if you continue to dwell on it and justify it in your mind, now you have sinned. Rebuke the thought and pray for understanding to keep your thoughts pure. We are all going to think evil thoughts and as a child of God, we need to remember that and keep our thoughts pure.

Have a God Day!

James 1:19-24
19 My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls. 22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law-the law that sets you free-and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

When the Word of God is readily accepted into the heart, there is change. When it is fully understood how hopeless we are without Christ, there is true repentance. Those who have become so accustomed to doing evil lose their ability to change. And doing evil in the eyes of God is not the same as what we think. We think of people who do worse than we do, but God sees it differently. Matthew 12:30 state, “Anyone who isn’t helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” Anyone who is not serving God is against Him. God never rejects those who truly repent. We see many who are sorry for their sin only because they are caught. They have lost the ability to repent, but they are always the first to want the blessings of God and cry out to Him when they are in trouble because of their sin. If we are not careful, our attitudes and patterns of living can become so set that we will lose all desire to change and will no longer fear the consequences. Many cry out to God only because they want to be rescued and do not want to turn from their sin. Make God your desire and keep looking into His Word so you will know what to do and you will not forget. Repentance will change your heart and you will not have to repeat the same problems. Make Christ Lord of your life and become His servant. Recognize Who He is and give Him the glory for what He has done in your life. Don’t turn away and forget what He has told you and you will receive more from Him. More power to do His work and more love to serve Him.

Have a God Day!

Luke 9:28-35
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 Then two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking of how he was about to fulfill God’s plan by dying in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and the others were very drowsy and had fallen asleep. Now they woke up and saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, this is wonderful! We will make three shrines-one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud came over them; and terror gripped them as it covered them. 35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” 36 When the voice died away, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone what they had seen until long after this happened.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Have you ever had a such a wonderful experience where God touched you in a way that you never wanted to leave that place? God works with each of us differently, but many of us have had a touch of God that has left us speechless. Although we need to experience God in such a way, we need to come down off the mountain top and go back into the reality of our life. Knowing that struggles await us in the valley may encourage us to linger on the mountain top. Yet staying on the mountain prohibits our ministering to others. Instead of becoming spiritual giants, we soon become dwarfed by our self-centeredness. Our desire to stay in the place that we experience God the most will only keep us from going back into reality and doing the work He has called us to do. We need times of retreat and renewal, but only so we can return to minister to others. Our faith must make sense off the mountain as well as on it. Desire to have God fill you with overwhelming love, but then go out and share what He has done for you even though that may bring you into a world that is not pleasant because this is the will of God for you.

Have a God Day!

Deuteronomy 10:17-21
17 “The LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and takes no bribes. 18 He gives justice to orphans and widows. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. 19 You, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. 21 He is your God, the one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done mighty miracles that you yourselves have seen.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Once Christ resides in our hearts, we are to imitate Him in all that we do. It is submission in our hearts as well as our bodies. It is very difficult to claim to love the Lord with all your heart while being in conflict with the body of Christ. A measure of our relationship with God is how we get along with others. How we treat others will show the depth of our relationship with God. If our hearts have been cleansed and made right with God, then our relationships with other people can be made right. The body of Christ is Christ and how we treat each other should reflect the love He gives so freely to us. We are to show that love to each other, as Christ shows it to us. This is not always easy, but if we have received the love the God, then it will show in our relationships with others. We don’t always like what we see others do, but we are to love them as Christ loves us. Only through His power can this be accomplished, only a sanctified heart can be gracious and show the love received to those in the Church. But by working with and for the body of Christ will show Christ to those outside the Church. When your heart has been cleansed and you have been reconciled to God you will begin to see a difference in how you treat others.

Have a God Day!

Psalm 139:13-24
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!
19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you; your enemies take your name in vain.
21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who resist you?
22 Yes, I hate them with complete hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

God knows everything there is to know about you. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb and His love for you has never changed. It never changes not matter what we do or how far away from Him we are. His love is constant and never changes. It can sometimes be embarrassing to know that God knows every tiny detail of our lives, as there are parts many of us do not want Him to know. But we can not hide from God. He is with us where ever we go and that can also bring us great peace. Knowing His great love for us should bring us to David’s prayer and daily go before our God and ask Him to search our hearts and to point out anything that would be offensive to Him. We can do this, because we know that 1.) He is always with us and will never leave, 2.) He knows the worst about us and still loves us, 3.) Christ died on the cross for all of our sins, not just the ones people know about, all of them even the ones we wish God did not know. Stop what you are doing right now and say this Psalm as a prayer to God and ask Him to search your heart and point you in His direction. That problem you are facing right now, He already has answer on the way, just ask Him.

Have a God Day!

James 1:22-25
22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law the law that sets you free and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless
you for doing it.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Living a pure live before the Lord is not a quest for perfection as much as it is a quest for freedom from those things that prevent us from living effectively for Christ. The Word has a powerful way of opening up to us the things we need to change. But it will also confirm the things we are doing right. As we look at our lives in comparison to Christ we realize how far we have to go, but we also can see times when He is reflected in our lives. This is the function of the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. We measure our conduct and character against the Lord Jesus and then allow God to shape us into His likeness. It is more than just knowing. James 2:19 tells us that, “Even the demons believe and tremble!” It is applying what you know to how you live. It is a message to obey. So when you understand the Word, remember it and let your behavior reflect what you believe.

Have a God Day!

Luke 9:23-27
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. 25 And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process? 26 If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27 And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see the Kingdom of God.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

What part of your life is not fully dedicated to Jesus? Do you walk in obedience in some parts better than others? Take a look and examine your life in Christ and see what areas need to given over to Him. Some people do a great job when they are around other Christians and in church on Sunday, but put them in a situation at work and you would never know that Christ is the Lord of their life. What good does it do if others can not see Christ in you at all times. If you look too much like the world who will know that you are not of this world. It can not be both ways. Jesus demands 3 conditions to be called His. You must be willing to deny self, to shoulder your cross daily and to follow Him. Does this describe your walk with Christ? If not then you need to ask Him to show you what areas you need to change. All of us will need to keep working at this until we die, no one will ever fully be complete in their walk with Christ, but we can improve. Start by asking yourself, “What is the most important thing in my life?” If you say Christ, but it does not show, then you are only fooling yourself. Ask again and do not be ashamed to say what it is, but bring it before Christ and seek His wisdom in helping you to make Him first. If you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you when you stand before Him. Start today and do a little self examination. Ask yourself who or what the most important things in your life are and if it is not serving Christ, then start today to put Him first.

Have a God Day!

Luke 9:1-6
One day Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the coming of the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Don’t even take along a walking stick,” he instructed them, “nor a traveler’s bag, nor food, nor money. Not even an extra coat. 4 When you enter each village, be a guest in only one home. 5 If the people of the village won’t receive your message when you enter it, shake off its dust from your feet as you leave. It is a sign that you have abandoned that village to its fate.” 6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

The truth about Jesus is that He is both God and man, both spiritual and psychical. The salvation He offers is both for the soul and the body. When Jesus sent His disciples out, He sent them out to save, but also to heal the sick. He is concerned about every aspect of our lives, both the physical and the spiritual. When a person is hungry, they are not going to be concerned about their soul until they are fed. When a person is physically hurting, they are not going to hear God over the pain. It is impossible to minister effectively to one type of need without considering the other. Christ taught this throughout His entire ministry. A little later after this, Christ feed 5000 men and their families with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He had been teaching them and they were too hungry to walk back to town. What physical need is keeping you from hearing the voice of God today? What need has become bigger than your need for Jesus? God cares about that need and He is going to touch you both physically and spiritually, but it is a matter of trusting Him. Do you believe He cares about every aspect of your life? Do you believe He will heal you? Move forward as if you have your answer from God and He will make it a reality. Bring your need before Him and leave it with Him. Because only He can provide everything that you do need. Trust in His Word and trust Him because of what He has already done in your life for both the physical and the spiritual.

Have a God Day!

Hebrews 12:1-4
Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. 2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God. 3 If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about his patience as sinful men did such terrible things to him. 4 After all, you have never yet struggled against sin and temptation until you sweat great drops of blood.
The Living Bible, (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1997.

Why do cleansed Christians return to sin after receiving the grace of God? God’s ability to love, forgive, and cleanse sinners is incredible. We confess, He purifies and forgives…every time…and in every way. But even cleansed people can sin again. It is difficult to understand why God left us to deal with our old nature and the new nature of Christ within us. It is a question of faith, will we trust that God knows what He is doing with every detail of our lives? When we sin, we chose our own wisdom over God’s. Most Christians know what to do. we just need to do it. The incredible benefit of this life in Christ is the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Romans 8:9 tells us, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Suddenly, we can do something we could never do before. We can, with the power of the Spirit of God within us, dispose of sin like old clothing. To say we have Jesus in our life, and the Holy Spirit’s power, yet claim we can do nothing about habitual sin is absurd. Taking on the righteousness of Christ needs to become a habit. We need to strip off every sin that holds us back from becoming all that God intends for us. And we can do that because we have His Word that we can and the proof is His Spirit in us. Confess your sin before God and remove it from your life and become Christ in the flesh to your world.

Have a God Day!