Jesus is Lord!

John 12:3-8
3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples the one who would betray him said, 5 “That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples’ funds, and he often took some for his own use. 7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Judas often dipped into the disciples’ money bag for his own use.  Quite likely Jesus knew what he was doing, but never did or said anything about it.  It seems odd that the Son of God would not address sin in His own group, but God had a bigger purpose to fulfill.  And sometimes when we sin God does not stop us from doing so.  When we chose to sin, we are choosing to step outside of His love and guidance and we chose to go against His will.  God doesn’t step in and always stop us.  It is the condition of the heart that determines our obedience and if God always came in and stopped us from sinning, we would not sin because of His interference, and not because we knew it was wrong.  Sometimes we have to go down a road of sin to understand His love for us.  It is not always the best way to go, but it is our decision.  We can read His Word and learn how others have sinned and lost, but sometimes we are hard hearted and need to learn the hard way.  God has given us many examples of the downfalls of sin and many examples of how living His will keeps us safe in His love.  But we are stubborn people and some never learn.  So the next time you are tempted to sin remember it is a decision of your heart to disobey God.  And God may let you go down a wrong road to learn of His love, but it is not without pain and struggling.  You don’t have to feel the flame of fire burn you to know that others have died from it.  Just because God does not stop you, does not mean He approves of what you are doing.  So learn to know His will by knowing His Word and then live it as He did.

Have a God Day!

Luke 16: 16-17
16 “Until John the Baptist began to preach, the laws of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and eager multitudes are forcing their way in. 17 But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force in even the smallest point. It is stronger and more permanent than heaven and earth.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

John the Baptist’s ministry was the dividing line between the Old and New Testament.  With the arrival of Jesus came the realization of all the prophets’ hopes. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ were the fulfillment of the Law.  It did not negate the Law, but fulfilled and continued the Law.  That means that what was true about the Law is still true today.  Not the parts added to it by the Jews, but the original laws given to them by God.  The 10 Commandments are just as relevant today as they were when God wrote them on stone.  The same is true with what we do with the money God has given us to manage.  Many Christian’s today say that since the death of Christ we are no longer required to give a tenth of what we have.  But Christ Himself stated in Matthew 23:23, “…You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.”  Just as we should not steal or not commit adultery, we should tithe.  The Words of Christ leave us with a clear picture, “But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force in even the smallest point.”  Study the Word and then study your own behavior and see if you need to change.  Seek to know His Word and your heart will seek to do His will in all areas of your life.

Have a God Day!

Luke 15:25-32
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

The father forgave his son out of love for him.  But his brother refused to forgive because he was bitter about the injustice of it all.  Life is just like that, some seem to get more favor than others even though they do not deserve it.  But it is not about what we deserve or even about being fair.  There is no fairness in life.  The sooner you learn that the sooner you will be able to go on with what you have to deal with.  Even though life is not fair, God is.  His love is the same for every person in this world no matter what they have done or not done.  To us this is not fair, because we may have done more “good” than others and yet God loves them just as much as He loves those who do His will.  God rejoices greatly over any sinner when they voluntarily come to His love.  That is what He wants.  It is not that He does not rejoice over those who walk in His love, because He does, it is just that there is great joy throughout all of heaven when someone comes to God of their own will.  It does not matter what they have done.  Even Hitler or Bin Ladin would receive the same love and mercy, if they truly repented and accepted God’s love.  How easy it is to resent God’s gracious forgiveness.  But if our self-righteousness gets in the way of rejoicing when others come to Jesus, we are no better than the Pharisee of Christ’ day.  Who do you need to forgive today?  Go to God first and then go to them if you can and let it go!  Rejoice that God loves them as much as He loves you.  After all, there are people that you have hurt and they need to forgive you.  None of us is without sin, no matter how small or how great.  Forgive and rejoice over those whom God loves.  Wouldn’t you want the same from those who look at you as the greater sinner?

Have a God Day!

Matthew 16:15-23
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

What voice are your hearing today?  Are you hearing from God and walking in obedience to that voice?  Or are you hearing from your enemy who would keep ineffective for Christ?  It is not important which voice you hear, but which voice you obey.  Just as God speaks to all of us, so Satan also speaks to us.  Only his purpose is to keep you ineffective for God or to completely turn you away from Him.  Satan would have you dead if he could.  Peter was walking with Christ and yet Satan whispered in his ear and Peter acted on that voice.  Notice that Jesus did not rebuke Peter, but the voice he had listened to.  Shortly before Peter had heard the voice of God and acted on it, as Christ told him that the truth he stated was not revealed to him by Peter’s own wisdom, but came from God the Father.  These verses show us that we will walk with Christ, but yet will hear from our enemy.  We need to be able to discern where the voice we hear is coming from.  God will keep us safe in His care as we turn to Him and walk in obedience to His Word.  But we need to know the Word to obey it.  Pray for discernment as you walk with Christ to know where the voice is coming from that you hear.  If it is from God obey it, if it is from Satan rebuke it.  God will lift you up but Satan will tear you down.  You have the power of the Spirit of God living within you, use that power to hear His voice and act on His will.  Your connection to Christ is only as strong as your understanding of Him.  Hear what He is saying to you today and then go and walk according to that Word.

Have a God Day!

Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 “The day will come,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Jeremiah was predicting forward to the day of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant He would make with all people.  This prophesy was not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles too.  No longer would the Laws of God be written on stone, but on the hearts of those who would accept His gift of grace.  When Jeremiah wrote this it was all in the future for him, but it is in the past for us. But verse 34 is also in the future for us.  We know that today we have to go out and say to people, “You should know the Lord.” So this verse has not come to past yet, but will when Christ is ruling this world.  At that time we will not need to tell others about Him because they will know Him.  Jeremiah 33:17 states, ” For this is what the Lord says: David will forever have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel.”  David’s descendant is not on the throne at this time, so we know that it is in the future for all of us today.  Christ will be that ruler, but until that Day when He returns, we must tell others about Him.  With the strength of the laws of God written on our hearts and the love of God keeping us, we can continue the work of telling others about Him until that Day when He returns.  Don’t let the sacrifice of Christ become dormant in your life, take what God has given you and tell others about Him.  God will work through you to accomplish His purpose in your life.  Remember, God does not give you power to be all you want to be, He gives you power to be all He wants you to be.

Have a God Day!

Luke 13:24-30
He replied, 24 “The door to heaven is narrow. Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter, 25 but when the head of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. Then you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know you.’ 26 You will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you. Go away, all you who do evil.’ 28 “And there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets within the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. 29 Then people will come from all over the world to take their places in the Kingdom of God. 30 And note this: Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Our measurement of God in our lives is not in what we own or how much we succeed according to the standards of this world.  Wealth is not a measurement of how pleased God is with your life; it is merely a gift and should be looked at it that way.  God does not “reward” us with health because we obey Him; He rewards us with spiritual health for our obedience.  Now that does not mean that God will not help us financially or heal us of our sickness, because He can.  But if He choses not to heal us, we must understand that it is not a measure of His righteousness in us, but is a part of living for God in a sinful world.  God uses His power to accomplish His purposes through His people.  God doesn’t give you power or heal you to be all you want to be, but He gives you power and heals you to be all that He wants you to be. Because no matter where you are today, wealthy or poor, sick or healthy, it is all to be used for His glory and His purpose.  No matter where you are in this life, God can use you for His purposes.  Do not let your circumstances prevent you from being used by God for His purpose.  Do not be one of the many who will say, “But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.”  The heart of these people will not be Christ but will be for their own gain, even though they “look” like they are serving Christ. Know Him, love Him, serve Him according to His purpose and do not let your circumstances hold you back.  God always has a work for you no matter what you are going through.  If we wait for perfect conditions, they will never come.  Remember God is more interested in your connection to Him than in your comfort. Make His will your primary desire and everything else will fall into place.

Have a God Day!

Luke 12:35-39
35 “Be dressed for service and well prepared, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready! 39 “Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. 40 You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Jesus repeatedly said He would return back to the earth.  Those who are ready and waiting for Him will be rewarded with special favor.  Since no one knows exactly when He will return we should be ready for Him to come every day.  This could be the day He returns for His Bride.  Those who are ready are those who know Him.  Are you ready today for Him to return?  This is a question we should ask ourselves every day.  To be ready means that we are walking in obedience to His Word.  It means we believe Him and live according to His purpose.  Christ’s return at an unexpected time is not a trap or a trick by which God hopes to catch us off guard.  God gave us many signs of His returning and just as people knew He was coming the first time, many are ready for Him today. We are ready because we know what the Word of God says about His return.  It could happen at any moment and in fact on God’s timeline, His return is the next event to happen.  Prepare your life today for this event and don’t be one of those who were taken by surprise at His return.  You have His Word and He has given us plenty of warning.  Don’t be one of those who knew their duty, but refused to do it.  Be prepared by living in obedience to Him and receive all that Christ has for you into this world and the next.

Have a God Day!

Luke 11:9-12
9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. 11 “You fathers-if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Do you get discouraged when you think God is not answering your prayers? Or when you think He is not even hearing you when you pray?  Many of us do, but many times it is not that God is not answering our prayers, it is that our prayers are not centered on His will for our lives.  We make plans and then ask God to bless them after we have decided what we want.  Luke 12:21 states, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” The most important thing we can do or desire is a closer relationship with Jesus.  This is what God desires most from us.  And if we are making plans and doing what we think is best for us, then our prayers will reflect our will and not His.  And this may be the reason for unanswered prayers.  God is not going to give us that which would take us away from what He wants most for us and that is a relationship with Him.  But that means that we live according to His purpose for our lives and not ours.  That should be the focus of our prayers.  Jesus said it best when He was asking God the Father to take the cup of punishment He was about to drink away from Him.  But His prayer was if it is possible, not make it happen because it is what I want.  His ultimate prayers was “Your will be done.”  If God the Father did not spare even His own beloved Son, how much more do you think you will be spared from the trails of this life?  Going through that trail trusting in His will may be the best thing that ever happens to you.  It may make you stronger in His strength and more like Christ.  So accept where you are today and start from this place and seek to know what He wants you to do and not what you want Him to do for you.  Be strong in the power of the Spirit that live is in you and not the spirit of this world. And never stop seeking and asking for more of Him.

Have a God Day!

Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

There is no life in Christ outside of His Body.  As a child of God, we were not made to be His outside of His Body.  Therefore we must be connected to Him through the Body.  Just as a hand or a foot cannot live without being attached to our human body, so we can’t live in Christ without being a part of the Body of Christ.  Saying you are in Christ, but not having any Christian connections means you are walking alone.  Christ never intended this.  We are to help and strengthen one another and this can only be done by connection.  Who do you spend the most time with, those in Christ or those outside of Him?  If you are spending more time with those not attached to Him, then you will struggle and will not grow.  Do not neglect getting together with, developing friendships with, and supporting those who are in Christ.  Outside of Him there is no life.  And if you are not connected to a body of believers, then you are outside of Him.  Matthew 6:21 states, “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.”  What friends are your treasure?  Are they in Christ?  If not then you are spending too much time outside of Him and you will struggle in your walk with Christ.  Those outside of Christ will pull you away from Him.  So do not neglect your connection to those in Christ.  Find a body of believers who love the Lord and spend time with them in worship.  You find a big difference in your walk with Christ and in your struggle against your “old nature.”

Have a God Day!

Romans 12:17-21
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.  19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.”  21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

It is our nature to want to strike back when we have been the victim of evil.  We want them to hurt as much as we have been hurt.  But this is not our responsibility, it belongs to God.  God never wants us to repay evil for evil. Because He knows that when we do, we become evil. We become a judge and we now function outside of God.  He has told us that He will take vengeance and we need to trust Him to do it His way and in His time.  Remember that we are not above evil; we have done wrong to someone at some point in our lives.  We deserve to be punished for the things we have done.  But God in His grace has forgiven us by the Blood of Jesus Christ.  And don’t those who have done you wrong deserve the same?  We are to forgive and to love and let God deal with the vengeance.  But to forgive does not mean we are to continue to allow someone to keep abusing us.  We are to forgive, but we are also free to move on.  Do not let evil continue.  It is love to also be removed from a situation that is not healthy.  Ask God for direction and move in His will.  Forgive and love but do not allow evil to continue.

Have a God Day!