Jesus is Lord!

2 Corinthians 13:3-6
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 lived as a human 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

Philippians 4:11-13
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 had 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!

1 Timothy 1:6-10
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!

Isaiah 49:24-26
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!

John 10:1-10
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
 
Jesus said He came to give life, not just an ordinary existence but life in its fullness, abundance and prosperity. On the other hand Satan comes only to steal and destroy. The enemy would rob us of what God has for us. If he can keep us from knowing about God, he can keep us from His blessings. Scripture shows us that God wants us to be contented and prosperous. This does not mean we will all be millionaires, but that we would be at peace in our situation with Christ at all times. We are told in Genesis that God made everything and declared it good. Then He gave the earth to Adam. Dominion over all the earth was given to man. From the beginning we were intended to have prosperity, health and contentment, abundant life. Jesus is telling us that He has come to restore what the enemy has stolen from what God has given us. Through Jesus Christ we can break and block the Satan’s intent to prevent us from receiving what God has already given us. He calls us today to know Him and know of His blessings, but we have to take action to claim what is ours. But we can’t claim a blessing we don’t know about.  If we don’t know God’s Word, Satan already has prevented us from what God wants for us. Don’t let the enemy steal any more from you. Be empowered by knowing the Word of God and claiming what God has already said is yours.
 
Have a God Day!

Proverbs 4:18-25
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over. 20 Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. 21 Don’t lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, 22 for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. 24 Avoid all perverse talk; stay far from corrupt speech. 25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Living effectively for God begins with respecting and appreciating who God is. God’s wisdom applied in our lives starts with reverence and awe in recognizing God Almighty as Lord. Effective living requires we trust in God and His Word. We allow His Word to speak to us personally and we are willing to obey. Then we act on God’s direction in our daily devotions with Him. This will result in effective living for Christ in a world of sin. We live in compliance to God’s Word and experience what God can do through that obedience. Do you have victory in your walk with Christ? Or is it a daily struggle for you? If so, apply God’s wisdom by honoring Him and trusting in His Word, then act on His direction. Take time every day to have a praise session.  Lift up your voice in praise to God and thank Jesus Christ for going to the cross for you.  The power of the Holy Spirit in you will guide you step by step as you feel the presence of God all around you in every situation.

Have a God Day!

John 12:37-43
37 But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?” 39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, 40 “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts-so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” 41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory. 42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn’t admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

People during every age at any time in human history have refused to believe in God despite the evidence He has given us. Before Christ, they refused to believe in what God was going to do, after Christ they refuse to believe what He has done. The people who had seen Christ raise Lazarus from the dead, refused to believe He was from God. Even though they knew Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. As a result, God hardened their hearts. Does this mean God intentionally prevents people from believing in Him? No, He simply confirms the choices they have made. They refuse to believe the evidence before them. After a lifetime of resisting God, people become so set in their ways that they won’t even try to believe in Christ. Even if someone comes back to them from the dead they will not believe. Pride is what prevents them. That is why pride is one of the deadliest sins. For such people, it is virtually impossible for them to come to God because their hearts have been hardened by their own pride. Many know about Christ, but refuse to believe it. This is just as bad, and Jesus had strong words for these people. The Pharisees that believed Jesus was the Messiah refused to admit it for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue and afraid of losing their positions among the other religious leaders. When you feel the tug of God on your heart, don’t turn Him away or you may never have the chance to receive Him again. Today is the day of salvation and today is all you have.

Have a God Day!

Joshua 1:7-9
7 “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Most people today are so passive and without passion that they do not seek out the power they need to make it through their problems in life.  The enemy picks up on this weakness and wreaks havoc in their lives because they are passive to the point that they refuse to stand up and say, “Enough!” Passive people do not win in life.  People expect that after they become Christians, everything will just fall from heaven into their laps.  This isn’t the Word of God. Joshua tells us that we become prosperous and successful when we speak God’s Word.  We become successful when we meditate on it day and night, and keep or observe it.  It takes effort to speak, effort to read and study and meditate on the Word of God.  It takes effort to do the Word every day, day in and day out.  But that is what is required if we are going to see the promises of God in our lives.  Ask God to give you passion for His Word and let the enemy know you have had enough by keeping God’s Word on your lips and in your heart every day of your life.

Have a God Day!

Ephesians 6:18-20
18 Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. 19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words as I boldly explain God’s secret plan that the Good News is for the Gentiles, too. 20 I am in chains now for preaching this message as God’s ambassador. But pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Undiscouraged and undefeated, Paul wrote powerful letters of encouragement from prison.  Paul did not ask the Ephesians to pray that his chains would be removed but that he would continue to speak fearlessly for Christ in spite of them.  God can use us in any circumstance to do His will.  Even as we pray for a change in our circumstances, we should also pray that God will accomplish His will through us right where we are.  Knowing that God’s plan will be done in us no matter what circumstance we are in will keep our hearts encouraged as we go through a difficult time. Make your life a prayer as God is always first in your life.  Seek His will in every situation and always give Him praise.  Remember, “That God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)  If you give God first place in your life, He will always work out all circumstances for good because you love Him!

Have a God Day!