What ever happen to "Sweet Hour of Prayer"

"And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon..." (Ex. 30:8-9).

In the bible incense is symbolic of the prayers of God's people (Rev. 5:8; 8:3). Just as Aaron the priest was to burn incense before the Lord in the tabernacle continually, so believers today are to offer up prayers to God that burn from their hearts. The incense that Aaron was to burn unto God was not only to be offered continually, but it was to be made of very specific ingredients. If it did not contain those ingredients, even if it was offered continually, it would be viewed by God as strange fire. 

Is the sweet incense of prayer burning in our hearts and in our churches today? Jesus said, "My fathers house shall be called a house of prayer." But sadly, God's house today is known for everything else but prayer. It's known for programs, music, and sunday morning talks, but the fire of prayer has gone out. Prayer in many churches today seems to be more of a formality to be endured than a foundation to be established.  Call for a prayer meeting and no ones shows. Whatever happen to "Sweet hour of prayer? Sweet hour of prayer has become the bitter hour of prayer.

Besides the promises of God that assure that he moves in answer to prayer, do we not have enough reason to cry out to God continually. During the early church age when Peter was thrown in prison awaiting execution Luke writes, "...but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church" (Acts 12:5). And when Peter was released in answer to "earnest prayer" he went to the church where Luke records, "many were gathered together and were praying (Acts 12:13).  

Sadly, today the last place where many Christians are gathered is in a prayer meeting. In fact, many churches have abandoned their prayer meetings. I believe one reason they have is because Christians no longer see the "benefit" of the prayer meeting. Perhaps the reason that some churches have not experienced the benefits of prayer is because what they are offering to God is not "earnest prayer" but "strange fire." Prayer that is not first offered unto God in worship, mixed with faith and fervency, will not be a sweet aroma unto God.  James wrote, "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16 KJV)

E.M. Bounds profoundly hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "Little prayer is the characteristic of a backslidden age and of a backslidden church.  Whenever there is little praying in the pulpit or in the pew, spiritual bankruptcy is imminent and inevitable. The cause of God has no commercial age, no cultured age, no age of education, no age of money. But He has one golden age, and that is the age of prayer. When its leaders are men of prayer, when prayer is the prevailing element in worship, like the incense giving continual fragrance to its service, then that cause of God will be triumphant."

The church today has lost its power to spread the good news of Jesus in our world. And the need of the hour is to return once again to the sweet hour of prayer. We don't need to reinvent the church to find the power and presence of God. No, we don't need to reinvent the church as much as we need to rediscover the lost secret to it's power, namely "prayer." May our hearts and churches burn once again with the sweet incense of prayer to the glory of our savior and the spread of his cause in the world.

For love sake

"Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus" (Philemon 8-9). 

In Paul's letter to Philemon he was writing on behalf of Onesimus. Onesimus was an indentured servant of Philemon's, who had ran off and apparently taken a few things which did not belong to him. Somewhere along the way Onesimus came to Christ under Paul's ministry. And after spending some time with Paul it was time for Onesimus to return to Philemon and fulfill his obligations. But Paul did not want Philemon to hold anything against him, but to receive him back as a brother in Christ. However, Paul did not want Philemon to do anything out of obligation, but for love's sake. Therefore Paul made an appeal to him rather than a demand. Paul could have commanded Philemon to do what he felt was right. But Paul's power and authority was tempered by love. It wasn't about imposing his will or his preferences. The appeal that Paul made sprung from love that was not about self interest, but the interests of others. Making appeals that are motivated by love rather than demands motivated by self interests opens the door for others to respond in kind. May all that we do be motivated by the love of Jesus to the glory of his name. 

Keep your hearts pure

"To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled" (Titus 1:15). 

In 1974 a research firm surveyed 35,000 young people from the ages of 16 to 25 to determine their values. The study revealed that only 31% viewed premarital relationships as morally wrong, compared to 52% in 1969. Opposition to abortion dropped from 58% to 45%. The proportion who considered living a clean moral life a very important value fell from 71% to 52%. That was 1974. What's it like today? I heard a statistic recently that 90% of all high schoolers are no longer virgins by the time they leave high school. Today many of the television shows that professing Christians are glued to, advocate and defend promiscuous living, adultery, homosexuality and a whole host of other perversions. What was considered 30 years ago as pornography, believe it or not, is on our television screens advertising everything from lingerie to perfume. 

When we live in a society that celebrates perversion how can Christians keep their hearts and minds pure? First we must purify our minds "by the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:23). We need to take a bath in the word of God everyday to keep from being desensitized by this world. In addition, we must turn to God to search our hearts and confess those areas where we have defiled ourselves (1 John 1:9 Psalm 51). And with a heart filled with the word and cleansed by the blood of Jesus we must "abstain from all appearance of evil." Keep your hearts pure. 

He is faithful and worthy of our trust

"So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:19). 

In this passage of scripture the author of Hebrews is illustrating the necessity of persevering in faith.  The majority of the children of Israel that came out of Egypt did not enter the promised land because of unbelief. Consequently, they not only wandered in the wilderness for forty years, but they died without ever possessing the land. The bible clearly teaches that we are not only saved by faith, but we are to walk by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). All that God desires for us, whether it has to do with how we live our lives or how we serve his kingdom must be achieved by faith. But many Christians today are not fully possessing all that God desires for their lives because of a lack of faith or a misunderstanding of what true faith is. 

Once again the author of Hebrews wrote, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. "(Hebrews 11:6 KJV). Faith is coming to God believing that He is who he says he is and will do what he promised, namely reward those who diligently seek him. The faith necessary to progress in our Christian walk and to possess all that God desires for us is not faith in faith or believe it and you can achieve it. Faith is believing God. In the context of the kind of faith that can move mountains, that believes God in prayer to do the impossible Jesus said, "Have faith in God, " (Mark 11:22). 

Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China, said the Jesus' words in Mark 11:22, "Have faith in God," could be translated, "Hold on to the faithfulness of God." 

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, former pastor of London's Westminister Chapel, appreciated Taylor's insight and said: "Faith is holding on to the faithfulness of God and, as long as you do that, you cannot go wrong. Faith does not look at the difficulties...Faith does not look at itself or at the person who is exercising it. Faith looks at God..Faith is interested in God only, and it talks about God and it praises God and it extols the virtues of God. The measure of the strength of a man's faith, always, is ultimately the measure of his knowledge of God...He knows God so well that he can rest on the knowledge. And it is the prayers of such a man that are answered." 

Sometimes we feel like throwing in the towel because we focus on ourselves or our circumstances and fail to diligently seek The Lord. O how we must Keep looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith lest we get weary and faint in our minds. He is faithful and worthy of your trust!

"He's been faithful"
Brooklyn Tabernacle choir

In My Own Suffering

Through Every Pain Every Tear

There's A God Who's Been Faithful To Me

When My Strength Was All Gone

When My Heart Had No Song

Still In Love He's Proved Faithful To Me

Every Word He's Promised Is True

What I Thought Was Impossible 

I've Seen My God Do

He's Been Faithful

Faithful To Me

Looking Back He's Love And Mercy I See

Though In My Heart I Have Questioned

And Failed To Believe

He's Been Faithful, Faithful To Me

When My Heart Looked Away

The Many Times I Could Not Pray

Still My God Was Faithful To Me

The Days Are Spent So Selfishly 

Reaching Out For What Pleased Me

Even Then God Was Faithful To Me

Every Time I Come Back To Him

He Is Waiting For Open Arms

And I See Once Again

He's Been Faithful

Faithful To Me

Looking Back He's Love And Mercy I See

Though In My Heart I Have Questioned

Even Failed To Believe

Yet He's Been Faithful, Faithful To Me

"That in all things he might have the preeminence"

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  ¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: ¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:14-18).  

Does Jesus have preeminence in your life? It's been said that in the lives of many believers Jesus is prominent, but he is not preeminent. In other words, Christians tend to compartmentalize their lives in the sense that there are many areas of their lives that they have not surrendered to the control and influence of the Lord. Brothers and sister, this ought not to be. We ought to desire for the Lord to have his way in all aspects of our lives. And the motivation for why we should desire for Jesus to reign supreme in our lives should not be becasue we want to earn his acceptance or approval. It ought to be becasue although we are wretched sinners deserving of judgment we have been redeemed and forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. More than that Jesus deserves the peeminence in our lives not only becasue of what he has done for us, but becasue of who he is. Our loving, merciful, and gracious redeemer is also the Sovereign Lord and Creator of the universe.

Keep a close watch on yourself

"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers"
(1 Tim. 4:16).

In Paul's letter to Timothy he instructs the young minister in how to continue to develop and progress as a Pastor. Whether as a Pastor or a lay person in the church all believers have been called and gifted to serve the body of Christ. One of Timothy's major responsibilities as a Pastor was to teach the word of God. But notice that Paul said to Timothy, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." A minister if he is not careful can devote so much attention to the teaching of God's word that he neglects his own spiritual life. Whether we are a Pastor or not if we are going to effectively influence others for Christ we must do so from the overflow of an intimate devotion to Christ. Paul went on to right, "Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." Live a balanced Christian life and you will be doubly blessed as God ministers to you and through you for Jesus sake.

Prayer for the Elections or The "Elect"? by Daniel Henderson

Prayer for the Elections or The "Elect"?

Daniel Henderson Sep 19, 2012

I am always grateful for efforts to encourage more prayer among believers.  Few can ignore the numerous efforts to induce Christians to pray for America in light of the coming elections.  The Lord knows our nation needs prayer.

However, I have some concerns.  It is not my intention to stir up controversy.  I simply hope to challenge many of you who partner with us in our vision for “pastor-led, local church-oriented movements of Christ-exalting, worship-based prayer – leading to a full-scale revival, supernatural evangelism, and cultural transformation.”  (Please ponder and pray for the Lord’s blessing on that vision and its ramifications.)

A Subtle Message?

One burden I cannot seem to shake these days is the subtle assumption in some of the calls for accelerated prayer leading up to the elections.  Here it is: That the outcome of the elections is the key to the needed change to our society.

Let me be swift to say that God has ordained civil government.  “For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1).  Government leaders are described as “God’s ministers” to punish civil evil and are to be honored (Romans 13:2-7).  That is saying a lot since Paul wrote these words while under the rule of a violent emperor and a wicked Roman government that would eventually execute him for his faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul also says that all political leaders are worthy of our prayers (I will address this further in another section).

I believe every Christian should know the crucial issues and faithfully exercise the stewardship of citizenship by voting.  However, we must remember that government is not the force for societal transformation.  Transformation occurs in hearts, not through laws.  The Gospel transforms hearts.  The church is the agency of the Gospel.  We are the salt and light of the world.  No political party can fulfill this role.

Potential Disappointment?

I am guessing that many immature or marginal Christians are enthusiastically praying for a specific, desired outcome in the presidential contest – presumably that the “pro-life” and “pro-traditional family” candidate will win.  Unfortunately, some may conclude that if we pray hard enough and skip enough meals that God is obligated to cause “His candidate” to win.  If the election does not turn out as expected, some may wonder if God answers prayer or if fasting really “works” to produce the answers we want.

The Vote or the Voters?

The greater concern in this election is not really the outcome of the vote, but the worldview of the voters.  Candidates will come and go.  Laws will be made and later reversed, only to be reversed again.  In the long run, the moral and philosophical drift manifested in the elections is the deeper dilemma.  Again, this is reflective of the condition of the human heart.  Only the Gospel can change the heart and renew the mind according to the word of God.  Christians, manifesting the life and proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ day after day and year after year, are the stewards of the power of the Gospel.

The Positive Side of a Negative Environment

Because Americans desire (and think they deserve) a comfortable life and the promise of a prosperous future, even Christians in our nation long for things to go “our way.” Of course I, too, would love to see a government that is pro-life, pro-family, and financially prosperous.  Yet, I have to remember that the goal of our lives on this earth is the demonstration and declaration of the Gospel, not a better GDP or faith-friendly laws.

We would do well to remember that the Gospel has often flourished most powerfully under oppressive governments and in the face of extreme persecution.  I am not wishing for this but I do long for the American church to be awakened from its spiritual slumber and revived with passion for Christ, expressing supernatural witness in His name.  Whatever it takes for this to happen, hard as it may be, is the ultimate answer to our prayers for the advancement of the Gospel and for His glory.

The Essential Focus for Our Prayers

Many of us want to comply with Paul’s admonition from 1 Timothy 2:1 & 2, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority....”  Again, Paul had Nero in mind.  This Roman tyrant made most of our political leaders look like angels.  How did Paul pray for Nero? What should we expect from our prayers for political leaders? Read on.

“That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2: 2-6)

What changes as we pray? We do.  How do we change? We become more quiet and peaceable in order to live a godly and reverent life.  Why? Because this is good.  Why is it good? Because God desires for men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  Why? Because Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for a world lost in darkness.  Our witness and lifestyle are the avenue for this message in a dark and confused world.

A Look into the Mirror

Tolstoy said, “Everyone dreams of changing the world but no one dreams of changing himself.”  I say it often that our problem is not “Osama, Obama, or our Momma.”  Terrorists, politicians, and problems from our childhood can be real worries.  However, the darkness exists and grows because of a failure of the light.  We have to take a long look into our individual and collective mirror and focus our prayers on our own apathy, toleration of sin, and waning passion for Jesus Christ.

I hope we will all pray as the Lord leads us preceding the November 6th national vote.  However, I long that we will fast and pray enduringly for the “elect.”  We need revival.  The church in America needs a spiritual awakening.  Politicians and laws will come and go.  Until we experience revival, our nation will drift, hearts will remain dark, and our ultimate calling in this life will be neglected.

Copyright © 2012 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved. Originally Posted at strategicrenewal.com.

Enriching your prayer life

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy," (Col. 1:9-11).

Do you ever struggle with how or what to pray for? The prayers of Paul recorded in his epistles are vitally instructive in not only guiding our own prayers, but also revealing why we struggle to pray effectively. Notice that Paul prayed for believers to be "filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col. 1:9). This one prayer request by Paul not only gives us some direction about one of the things we should be praying for, namely wisdom, but also what is often lacking in our lives that keeps us from praying effectively, namely spiritual understanding. How do we get wisdom and spiritual understanding? Well we know that we should be seeking God in prayer for wisdom, but in addition we need to prayerfully spend time in God's word seeking wisdom and spiritual understanding. In Colossians Paul wrote, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom..." (Col. 3:16). If we're weak in the word we will be weak in prayer. If we're strong in the word we will be strong in prayer. Enrich your prayer life by allowing for God's word to dwell in you richly.

They will care to know when they know you care

"This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down" (2 Cor. 13:10).

 We've all heard the saying regarding a parent disciplining their child, "This hurts me more than it hurts you." Paul loved the Corinthians in this way. Although they had deep struggles with sin, and although some among them opposed Paul's ministry, he still cared deeply about their spiritual welfare. The reason he wrote 2 Corinthians was because he was hoping to change the hearts of those who were not only in sin, but who were losing confidence in his ministry. Some accused him of being in the ministry to serve his own interest and not the interest of others. Therefore Paul not only wrote this letter so that they would have a change of heart, but so that when he visited them he would not have to spend time confronting sin and those who opposed him. Paul was not afraid to confront sin, but he didn't take pleasure in tearing others down. One lesson we can take from this letter is that even when others were falsely accusing Paul he didn't act impulsively or out of self interest to get back at them, and neither should we. But there's another lesson, namely that some people will more readily receive correction when they know its coming from someone who genuinely cares for them. When Paul wrote this letter he wasn't just trying to defend his reputation. His greater concern was that those who may be thinking wrongly about him would know the truth and continue to receive his ministry to them without reservations. Before you go trying to correct someone in the Lord, remember the old saying, "Some will not care to know what you have to say until they know that you care."

Walking in love

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph. 5:1-2). It's been said that the lives of Christians are the only bible that some people will ever read. We can go one step further. Many that open the bible for the first time to read about God's love do so because they first see God's love in the life of a Christian. "Saint Francis of Assisi once invited a young monk to accompany him to town to preach. The novice was honored at the opportunity. The two set out for the city, then walked up and down the main street, then several side streets. After some time they returned by another route to the abbey. The younger man reminded Francis of his original intent. "You have forgotten, Father, that we went to town to preach." "My son," he replied, "we have preached. We have been seen by many. Our behavior was closely watched. Out attitudes were closely measured. Our words have been overheard. It was by thus that we preached." May are lives be a pleasant fragrance of God's love to those around us to the glory of Jesus Christ.

Finishing what we started

"And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Cor. 8:10-12).

Have you ever had difficulties finishing what you started? The Corinthians seemed to be having this problem. They expressed a desire to give to the collection for needy believers, but for some reason they did not follow through. It appears that they lost their motivation. In reminding them to finish what they started, Paul writes, "For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." This exhortation by Paul to give according to their means, not above it, was intended to encouraged them to finish what they started. If we are going to finish what we felt led of God to begin, we do have to make it a priority, we do have to have a plan and we do have to be discipline. But sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Maybe we can't give all the time or money we intended to give. But that doesn't mean that we should just give up on it entirely. God knows your heart. Do the best you can with what God has given you. He'll make up the difference.

Love without restrictions

"We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also" (2 Cor. 6:11-13).

We've all heard of the expression, "He/she has a big heart." When we use that expression we are referring to someone who feels deeply about others, especially when they have a need. In addition, a big hearted person is often moved into action to help meet the needs of others. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote, "...our heart is wide open..." The KJV says, "our heart is enlarged." Paul had a deep affection for the Corinthians, but the feelings were not always mutual. Paul wrote that they were restrained in their affections and he exhorted them to enlarge or widen their hearts. Why didn't they have the same big heart for Paul that he had for them? Some people are harder to love than others and if you know anything about the Corinthians they weren't the most lovable bunch, but then again, you don't need a big heart to love lovable people.

But, surely Paul was someone who would be easy to love. What was restricting their hearts? Among another things, the Corinthians struggled with immaturity, pride and listening to the wrong voices. There were some among the Corintians that made false accusations against Paul, which poison the hearts of those who gave ear to it. Paul could have easily come up with reasons not to love the Corinthians, but his big heart wouldn't allow him to. He loved them like Jesus loved him. Thank God for those who even though they may have seen the uglier side of us, love us anyhow. May we seek for God to enlarge our hearts that we might love like Jesus loves us.

Christians are to be God's love letter to the world

"And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Cor. 3:3).

I've heard it said that the word of God is God's love letter to us. The grand story and theme of the bible is how God through the sacrificial death of his son and resurrection saves lost sinners like you and me.

But has it ever occurred to you that if you trusted Jesus as your Lord Savior that his Spirit is at work in your heart to make you a living letter of his love to the world. What kind of living message our we sending to those around us? What does our life say about God? May we seek God everyday to write on our hearts the story of his love and make us his love letter to the world.

God's love letter to the world

"And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Cor. 3:3).

I've heard it said that the word of God is God's love letter to us. The grand story and theme of the bible is how God through the sacrificial death of his son and resurrection saves lost sinners like you and me. But has it ever occurred to you that if you trusted Jesus as your Lord Savior that his Spirit is at work in your heart to make you a living letter of his love to the world. What kind of living message our we sending to those around us? What does our life say about God? May we seek God everyday to write on our hearts the story of his love and make us his love letter to the world.

Be a refreshing to someone's spirit today

"I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such" (1 Cor. 16:17-18).

Although the Apostle Paul was close to the Lord, he wasn't immune from the heartaches and headaches of life. He had needs just like we all do and was humble enough to admit it. Paul wasn't to proud to ask for help or to acknowledge those who were a refreshing to his spirit.

As Paul needed the help and encouragement of others, so do we and others that God has placed in our lives. In proverbs we read, "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" (Prov. 15:23). Make a persons day by reaching out to them with a word or encouragement or by offering them a helping hand. Be a refreshing to someone's spirit today.

"...by whom we have now received the atonement"

"And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar...and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven" (Lev. 4:30-31).

During the time of Moses, the Priests offered animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. The word "atonement" is a theological term of great eternal significance. While some take this word in connection with animal sacrifices to simply mean the temporary covering of sin, in Christ the implications are eternally greater Regarding to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Paul wrote, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:11).

The atonement that Christ provides not only involves expiation (the removal of sin), but also propitiation (the appeasement of wrath). On the one hand, sin calls forth God's wrath and results in sinners needing a substitutionary sacrifice for God's wrath to be appeased. On the other hand, sin defiles and must be removed (expiation)."

The blood of animals no longer needs to be offered so that we may be accepted of God. Neither do we need to try harder to be loved by God. The once and for all sacrifice of Jesus fully and forever atones for the sins of all who have put their trust in Him. Praise His name.

Trust God's will not your good intentions

"I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter... 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits" (1 Cor. 16:5-7).

As Paul shared his intended travel plans, notice that he hoped to be able to spend some time with the believers in Corinth, if the Lord permitted it. There is no doubt that Paul prayed and sought the will of God in all the plans that he made. And there were (rare) times when God did speak to him directly, as he did on the road to Damascus. But God didn't always speak directly to Paul about every plan that he made. Instead, Paul used the principles found in God's word to make decisions, like travel plans, and then trusted God to go before him. But as Paul set out to fulfill his plans, he was open for God to alter or even close the door to those plans as his sovereign will determined. Paul had good intentions, but his good intentions were not the determining factor for how he went about discerning God's will.

In spite of his good intentions and predetermined plans, Paul continued to pay attention to God. If things didn't work out as planned, Paul was humble enough to accept it and submit to God's ultimate will for his life.

If you were not able to follow through with plans you thought were of the Lord because of circumstances beyond your control, yield to God's will and trust that He knows best.

The danger of idolatry

"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Cor. 10:14).

The warning Paul gave to the Corinthian believers in his day is a warning that we must heed with the same urgency that Paul expressed when he wrote, "flee from idolatry." In order to heed this warning we must understand that idolatry is more than bowing down to an image or a statue that represents a false god. An idol can be anything in our lives that takes the place of God, or trying to find in something or somebody what we can only find in God. The danger of having an idol or idols in our lives is that idolatry robs us from the satisfaction, security, and acceptance that is found when we look to Jesus and his finish work on the cross to meet the deepest needs of our hearts. If we r going to flee from idolatry we must first identify our idols. "Here's one way to get your idols into focus: simply think about whatever it is in your life that, if u lost it, would make u want to quit living. Or, to put it positively, what are you really living for? Ultimately, if it's anything or anyone other than Jesus, then it's become an idol" (T.T). Flee from idolatry into the loving arms of Jesus.

What is the most important quality of a great leader?

"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them" (1 Cor. 9:19)

What would you say is the most important quality of a great leader? Is it intelligence, vision, or competency? These may all be necessary qualities of an effective leader, but neither one of them lines up with what God's word reveals is the most important quality of all, namely "humility" (or a servant spirit). Paul, who live in a time and place where slavery was legal said, "For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all..." Paul, who had apostolic authority, who wrote most of the New Testament, who saw the risen Lord with his own eyes, wanted to be known as a true servant in the eyes of those he sought to lead to Christ. To the Corinthian church he wrote that although he had a right to receive momentary funds for his gospel work, he did not seek it or require it in order not to be a stumbling block unto others. During his missionary travels, Paul was willing to sacrifice everything, give up his rights, and go along with any tradition or cultural standard (as long as it didn't violate scripture) in order to remove any hindrance to reaching people for Christ. Thomas Merton wrote, "To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell." When we make the gospel ministry about "me myself and I" not only are we not serving the cause, but we will be a hindrance to the cause of Christ. Paul's motivation and satisfaction as a leader was not personal advantage, looking good, or even satisfying his own ego. His motivation and satisfaction came from knowing that by preaching the gospel and serving others he was serving the savior and his eternal cause. Make serving the cause of Christ about serving Jesus, about making him look good and you will be blessed!

It's time for some folks to grow up!

"But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" (1 Cor. 3:1-3).

Notice that Paul differentiates between spiritual people and people of the flesh or infants in Christ. What category do you fall under? Before we look at how to answer that question its important to note that becoming a spiritual person is an ongoing growth process. This process involves a steady diet of not only reading, hearing, and studying God's word, but applying it to your own life. All believers at one point are infants in Christ. But when Paul writes, "I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready," he's implying that there were some believers who were stuck in spiritual infancy. The rest of the chapter reveals that what was stunting their growth was their human ways of pride. They were more focused on their own reputations and the reputations of others before men, rather than recognizing their own spiritual needs before God. Let's put away our pride and "grow up" in Jesus.

Dealing with feelings of inadequacy

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

Do you struggle at times with feelings of inadequacies? I have, and those feelings of inadequacy have caused me to not only experience fear, but to question my calling as a minister of the gospel. How do we overcome these paralyzing feelings? Do we deny them? Do we believe instead that we are adequate and that we do have what it takes? When writing about his accomplishments in the ministry to prove that he was qualified, Paul wrote, "Not that we r sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but r sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant." (2 Cor. 3:5-6a).

God doesn't call us unto salvation or service because we our wise, eloquent or competent. He calls us unto salvation by his grace and equips us for service by his power. When it comes to God's calling, as someone has wisely said, "our responsibility is our response to His ability. Trust Him to use u by his power and for his glory.

Avoid them like the plague

"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive" (Rom. 16:17-18).

In my years in the ministry I have learned that what causes more damage to the hearts of Christians is the venom released from an untamed tongue. One Pastor put it this way, "I know what most easily destroys churches. It is not crack cocaine. It is not government oppression. It is not even lack of funds. Rather, it is gossip and slander that grieves the Holy Spirit."

One of the great dangers about those whose tongues bring so much damage is that their poison is disguised in, as Paul wrote, "smooth talk and flattery." In addition, Paul wrote, that they prey on and "deceive the hearts of the naive." I plead with you to avoid those who under the pretense that they are looking out for you, are causing division and creating obstacles in your life. They're a cancer and we must avoid them like the plague.

Seek the fullness of God

"And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God" (Ex. 29:46).

When we think about why the Israelites were brought out of Egypt the first thing that may come to r mind is deliverance from slavery or to be brought into the promise land. When we think about why we were saved we may also think about being delivered from hell and a home in heaven. But notice that the Lord said to his people, "And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them" (Ex. 29:46). God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to dwell among them and he saves us for the same reason. God among us is what ought to set us apart from the rest of the world. The great need of the church today is a greater fullness of God dwelling among his people. We will not know that fullness if we r content to go without it. Seek the fullness of God in your life and in your church.

Don't jump ship

"Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved" (Acts 27:31).

Paul was arrested in Jerusalem for his faith and appealed his case to Caesar. Although it seemed like evil would triumph, God revealed to Paul that it was his will for him to go to Rome for the sake of the gospel. Now, as Paul traveled to Rome by ship under Roman guard, which provided protection from his persecutors, they encountered a severe storm. As the ship was nearing land, some on board were about to abandon ship when Paul spoke up and said, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." God had revealed to Paul not only that his life would be spared, but also everyone else who stayed on board. Often when people find themselves in a difficult place they feel that the answer is to jump ship. But jumping ship may be jumping outside of God's will, which is the last place we need to be. Jesus is the captain of life's ship. Stay on board with Him and His power will work all things out for good in your life.

Give yourself to prayer

"Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue...and fought against me without a cause. For my love they r my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love." (Ps 109:1-5).

The Psalmist was is deep distress because of the adversity that he was experiencing from his adversaries. What made it extra hard on him was that those he loved, served, and cared for mistook his acts of love as being against them. As a result, they rewarded him evil for good. His response to these heart wrenching trials was, in his words, "...but I give myself unto prayer." A wise woman once said, "there is no panic in heaven, only plans." R u going through an incredibly hard time right now? Give yourself to prayer. God will see u all the way through.

Remember to pray for others

"So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord" (Ex. 28:29).

When Aaron the priest went before the Lord he didn't just come representing himself. He came representing the people of God. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were not only etched on stones that he bore upon his shoulders, but the 12 precious stones on his breastpiece also represented the 12 tribes. So when he came before the presence of God he came with the burdens of his people on his shoulders and concern for their welfare on his heart. God's people today are to come before the Lord in a similar fashion. The blood of Jesus has made all believers kings and priest before God (1 Pet. 2:9). As such, we are to come before God not only with our own burdens, but with the burdens of others on our shoulders and their concerns on our hearts. Do you come before the Lord with the needs of others on your heart?

If you're like me sometimes your memory will fail you. Therefore, as the priest wore stones etched with the names of the tribes of Israel to remind them of who they were representing before God, we should do the same. I don't mean that we should put on the attire of an Old Testament Priest. But what we can do is keep a prayer journal. It's been said, "The weakest ink is better then the best memory." Remember to pray for others.

Seek the glory of God

"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it" (Ex. 25:8-9).

God commanded Moses and His people to build a tabernacle where He could dwell and commune with them. In addition, he gave them a very specific pattern for how it was to be constructed. When the tabernacle was completed in accordance with God's design, his glorious presence would fill the place. Today, God doesn't dwell in tents, but He does dwell in the hearts of His people. And His glory can be and must be manifested in His body, which is the church. When His glory is not seen in the church, the church looses it's power to effect change in the world. Sadly, when people go to church today they're looking for everything, but the glory of God. We look for things like entertaining music, abundance of programs, dramas, comedy, etc. And because many churches believe that success means drawing a bigger crowd, they are more concern with giving people what they're looking for then they are the glory of God.

The manifest glory of God, as it relates to the church, has to do with God's beauty and power being seen in the church. We can manufacture things like good music by human means, but we can't manufacture the glory of God. What we can do is follow the pattern that God has set in His word for what the church is to major on (i.e. worship, prayer and the word) and give ourselves wholly to it. May we give ourselves to seeking the glory of God.

The best evidence for Christianity

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13).

Although the Apostles did not have any formal training they made a tremendous impact upon their culture for Christ that is still felt today. Even those that did not believe were amazed by their powerful witness. In addition, they attested to the fact that their bold witness was the result of the fact that they had been with Jesus.

Someone has well said, "The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians--when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths."

If you were on trial for being a Christian and those in your circle of influence were the jury what would be their verdict? Remember that even the lost in the Apostles day knew that their amazing witness came from being with Jesus. Have you been much with Jesus lately in prayer and in the word?

The Apostle Paul wrote, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18). The more that we seek and behold the glory of Christ the more we will be like him. The Psalmist also wrote in the following passages, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4). "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee" (Psalm 63:1).

As the moon reflects the light of the sun because the sun shines upon it, so too will we reflect the light of Jesus. The more we spend time with the son the more the light of His glory will shine upon us and transform our lives. Seek and you will find!

Little by little

"I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land" (Ex. 22:29-30).

The Lord brought the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt to bring them into the promise land. He promised to go before them, and drive out their enemies so that they might take possession of the land. But although the Lord had the power to do so, he was not going to drive out their enemies over night. He said that he would do it, "little by little." The reason for this was because if he drove them all out at once the Israelites would not be prepared to occupy and care for the land. In addition, the Lord knew that it would take time for them to be ready. Therefore, the Lord would drive out the enemy little by little knowing that his people would grow in preparation to take possession of the land little by little.

God has more for you, but you need to be prepared for it. How do you get prepared for it? Little by little, day by day and step by step. Are you having financial struggles? Don't ask God to bless you with more if you are not faithfully handling the little that he's already given you. Many are in debt today because of poor choices and then they want God to bless their mess. Someone might be asking, "How do I get out of my mess? How about deciding today that you are not going to keep adding to your mess and with God's help you're going to drive out the enemy little by little, one day at a time and one step at a time.

In addition, we tend to want all that God desires for us all at once. We want the promotion, the success, and the blessings but we don't want to pay the price for it. We want it easy. We don't take up our cross, we don't labor in prayer, we don't study the word, we don't spend time cultivating our relationship with God. In the parable of the pounds Jesus rewarded the faithful servant by saying, "And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities" (Luke 19:17). Be faitful to God where you are no matter how little or big the task my seem and God will bless you with more.

Does your view of God need some adjusting?

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3).

In the movie, "The Adjustment Bureau," staring Matt Damon, God, (referred to as the Chairman), is viewed as some supernatural being who goes by many names, and who has a unique plan for each earthly individual. Man is viewed as evolving, but not yet at the point where they can figure out on their own the best plan for their lives. Therefore, the Chairman, in the mean time, maps out the course for their lives with the help of mysterious agents who run interference and intervene whenever a subject deviates from the "Chairman's" plan. And that is precisely what happens when the two main characters fall in love contrary to the chairman's plan. But in the end their desire and persistence to be together, not only convinced the "Chairman" that their plan was best, but moved him to adjust his plan to accommodate their plan.

This view of a god which restricts man to keep them from pursuing something good was painted by Satan in the garden and they fell for it. What about you? Have you fallen for Satan's spin on who God is? The first commandment states, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3). Although you may profess to only worship the one God of the bible you're breaking the first commandment if your view God is something other than what God intends for it to be.

In a article written by Pastor Colin Smith He shares his take of this movie. He writes, "The Adjustment Bureau suggests that you need to make choices that will deliver you from a dark and sinister God. But the real story is about how you need the sovereign God to deliver you from the dark and sinister power that inhabits your choices. The film suggests that your will is supremely good and that God cannot be trusted. But the real story is that God is supremely good and that you dare not trust your own will. The Adjustment Bureau suggests that the best plan for your life is the one that originates with you. The real story is that pleasures beyond anything you can imagine are at God’s right hand, and he is able to deliver you from the self indulgent choices that would keep you from them." You can find the entire artice by Pastor Colin Smith at the link below.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/05/13/the-adjustment-bureau-adjusted/


If you believe that God needs to adjust His will to yours then your view of God needs some serious adjustment. God knows and desires your good? Let Him be God in your life.

Keep fighting, keep trusting, keep believing

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19-20).

After the crucifixion of Jesus the disciples, who had trusted in Jesus as the messiah, became confused and afraid. And on the first day of the week, when he had promised that he would rise again, they were assembled together. But this was no Sunday worship service. They were hiding in fear. But then Jesus appeared in their midst. And when they saw him and knew that he was alive, these sad disciple became glad disciples. What seemed to be the greatest tragedy of the lives was actually the greatest triumph. Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light. Keep fighting, keep trusting and keeping believing.

Caring for someone in need

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (John 19:26-27).

As Jesus hung on the cross before His death He saw HIs mother and John His beloved disciple standing near by. And although he was suffering as he was giving up his life for the sins of the world (including his mother's sin), he was also concerned about the physical welfare of his earthly mother. Therefore he looked to John the disciple whom he loved and says, "Behold thy mother!" What did Jesus mean by this? Notice what John records that he did next, "And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." John took what Jesus said to mean that He wanted him to care for His mother. James wrote, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction." Show the love of Jesus to the world by adopting a child, visiting the sick or caring for someone in need.

Holding up our leaders with prayer

"And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword" (Ex. 17:11-13).

While Joshua led the fight against the Amalekites down in the valley, Moses stood on the hill above holding up the rod of God. As long as he held up the rod of God in his hand, Israel prevailed against the enemy. But when Moses got tired and lowered his hands the enemy prevailed. Therefore Aaron and Hur put a stone under him so he could sit down and also came along side of him to help hold up the rod of God in his hand. As a result, Israel was victorious over the enemy. But although God ultimately gave his people the victory, Israel still had to fight and fight hard. God is not going to do for us what we are to do ourselves. God is not going to bless laziness. But at the same time we can't do for ourselves what only God can do.

The picture of Moses holding up the rod of God is symbolic of our need to depend upon God. As Moses held up the rod of God the people were being held up by God against their enemy. We can do the same thing for others today through prayer. One of the best things that a leader can do for those he's called to lead is to pray for them. And one of the best things we can do for leaders is to pray for them too. We need our leaders to lead with the power of God. But they are still human and life beats them up like it beats up those who they lead. Hold up your leaders with love and prayer. We will all be better off for it. Amen!

Prayer moves the hand that moves the world

"There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;" ( Psalm 33:16-18).

Where does your hope come from and where do your derive your sense of security? Is your hope and security in money, favorable circumstances or people? Perhaps most Christians would say that their hope is in the Lord and that's where it should be. But ourr life styles don't always match our professions. It's been said and I believe its true, "many who profess Christianity live like practical atheist." Is that true of you and me? One of the best ways to test whether we are truly hoping in the Lord is to check our prayer lives. Your prayer life is the greatest proof of the measure of your hope and trust in the Lord.

There is no military power or weapon on the planet that is greater than the power of the God who spoke the world into existence. And that same God said, "Ask and it shall be given." Prayer moves the hand that moves the world. There are many forces in this world that men look to for hope.

"But there's a power, which man can wield
When mortal aid is vain,
That eye, that arm, that love to reach,
That listening ear to gain.
That power is prayer, which soars on high,
Through Jesus to the throne,
And moves the hand which moves the world,
To bring salvation down (J. A. Wallace).

Hope in God.

Oh, What a Savior!

"And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians...12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15 And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel" (Judges 10:10-16).

In a fiery sermon, Pastor Fred Boyd, who recently spoke at church said, "We make sinful decisions and serve the devil and then when things go wrong we blame God or we cry out to him for mercy. Why don't you cry out to the devil for mercy--he's the one that you've been serving." God used that sermon to bring several in our church to repentance. One of them said to me, "Pastor, I've been blaming everybody else for the consequences of the poor decisions that I've been making. But it's nobody else's fault, but mine. Today, I'm taking responsibility for my sinful decisions and their consequences. I've asked the Lord to forgive me and from this point on I want to serve and honor him with my life."

Have we truly repented of our sin? In other words, have we turned from it and desire instead to honor and please the Lord? A person that has truly repented has an attitude that says, "I deserve whatever consequences I have coming to me. And whether or not God has mercy on me I'm going to, with his help, forsake my sin and serve him." God is merciful and if he gave us what we really deserve we would be in Hell. But God is also a Holy and loving God that will deal with the sin in our lives. Have you sinned against the Lord? If you are a Christian that has strayed from the Lord, Cry out to him in true repentance and God will be faithful and just to forgive your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). If you've never been born again I urge you to turn from your sin and self rule and trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. God's holiness demands that you pay for your sin in hell for all eternity. God's love and grace cannot bear to see you there. Therefore God sent his son Jesus Christ to die on a cruel Roman cross to satisfy his justice on your behalf. Three days later he conqurered death by rising again, proving that he has the power to grant eternal life to all who believe in him. Oh, what a savior!

O what a Savior

Verse 1
Once I was straying
In sin’s dark valley
No hope within could I see
But they searched through Heaven
And found a Savior
To save a poor lost soul like me

Chorus
O what a Savior
O Hallelujah
His heart was broken
On Calvary
His hands were nail scared
His side was riven
He gave His life’s blood for even me

Verse 2
Death’s chilly waters
I’ll soon be crossing
But His hand will lead me safely o’er
Then I’ll join that chorus
In that great city
I’ll sing up there forever and ever more

Repeat Chorus

Order My steps Lord and I'll do your blessed will

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:133).

People often ask the question, "What is God's will for my life? But an even more important question we need to ask ourselves with regularity is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do today?" When Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus he asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And the Lord, rather then giving him a detailed plan for his life, said, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9). Paul did have a general understanding that he was to preach the gospel to the gentiles, but Paul did not know how that was all going to play out ahead of time. In fact, it wasn't until a few years later that Paul received direction from the Lord about going on his first missionary journey. What Paul did know to do when he first encountered the Lord was to go into the city of Damascus. After praying and fasting for 3 days Paul would encounter a disciple of Jesus named Ananias, who Jesus also gave direction to about meeting up with Paul. This encounter was another step in how God would direct Paul's life. I think many r missing out on what God wants them to do today because they're trying to figure out what God's will is for their whole life first. God's will for your life is discovered as u seek for God to lead u one day at a time. Let God order your life one step and one day at a time.

Brooklyn Tabernacle sings a song titled, "Order my Steps." This song has encouraged my heart and I believe it will bless you too.

Order my steps in Your word, dear Lord
Lead me, guide me everyday
Send your anointing Father, I pray
Order my steps in Your word
Please order my steps in Your word

(Repeat Chorus)

Humbly I ask Thee, teach me Your will
While You are working help me be still
Though Satan is busy, God is real
Order my steps in Yor word
Please order my steps in Your word

Bridle my tongue, let my words edify
Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in Thy sight
Take charge of my thoughts both day and night
Order my steps in Your Word
Please order my steps in Your word

Bridge
I Want to walk worthy, my calling to fulfill
Please order my steps, Lord
And I'll do Your blessed will
The world is ever changing
But You are still the same
Please order my steps, Lord
I'll praise Your name

Order my steps- In Your Word
Order my tongue- In Your Word
Guide my feet- In Your Word
Wash my heart- In Your Word
Show me how to walk- In Your Word
Show me how to talk- In Your Word
When I need a brand new song to sing
Show me how to let Your praises ring
In Your Word, in Your Word
Please order my steps in Your Word (2xs)

Light up your life

"Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him" (John 11:9-11).

These words spoken by Jesus were in response to the concerns of his disciples who worried that he was making a mistake in deciding to go back into Judea. But Jesus didn't go anywhere without a divine purpose and clear direction from His Father above. I've stubbed my toe enough times to know by now that its safer to navigate my way around my bedroom with the night light on then to try to do so in the dark. This is the point that Jesus was making. Jesus knew what he was doing and where he was going because he was not walking in darkness but in the light.

Notice also that Jesus said that those who stumble do so "because there is no light in him." Do you have enough light in you to keep you from stumbling? The Psalmist wrote, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). When we daily store up God's word in our hearts the Spirit of God will use it to illuminate our lives and guide us in the way we should go. Get God's word in your heart and the Spirit will light up your life.

Bow your knees to the God you need

"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them" (John 12:37-40).

Why did many in Jesus day not believe in him even though he worked great miracles? John explained that the Lord hardened the hearts of Jews in his day and as a result they did not believe. What does this mean? Men often reject God's revelation of himself because they want to be god or because they want to create their own image of God. The religious Jews rejected Jesus because he did not meet their expectations of what the messiah was suppose to be like and also because they sought their own glory rather than God's glory. God knew they would and in fact the bible says that God planned it that way. "God gave them what they absolutely needed and did not want, and in that way 'blinded their eyes and hardened their heart" (Piper). Are you rejecting the God u need for the god you want? Bow you knees to the God u need.

Saved, Sanctified and Sent

"Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him" (John 10:36-38).

As Jesus spoke to the religious crowd of his day he challenged them to believe that he was sanctified and sent by God not only because of the words that he proclaimed but because of the works that he performed. Jesus not only talked the talk he walked the walk. As the world was to believe that Jesus was sanctified and sent by God in His day, so the world today is to believe that Christians r sanctified and sent unto them as witnesses for Jesus. To this end Jesus prayed unto the Father saying, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth" (John 17:18-19). If u r a Christian today u have been saved, sanctified and sent by Jesus to be a witness of His saving grace. To be effective witnesses, like Jesus we must give more than lip service. We must live r lives in a way that makes God look good. Repeat these words, "As Jesus was sent into the world, so have I been sent into the word." U r a sent one. Live like it for Jesus sake. Amen!

Walk in the light of the Lord

"Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" (John 9:41).

Jesus came into the world to open the eyes of those who r spiritually blind so that they might know Him and be saved. Some who were blind when they saw his miracles and heard his messages believed on him unto salvation. But there were others who, although they saw with their physical eyes his miracles, refused to trust in him. And in so doing the spiritual darkness and blindness of their hearts was furthered revealed. In addition, the more they resisted the light of Jesus the more dark and blinded their hearts became. The light of Jesus could have showed them how blind they were and how much they needed to embrace his light that they might see. But instead their resistance to the light, on the account of believing that they could already see, actually resulted in more darkness and greater blindness. Jesus also said, "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light" (John 12:36a). When we respond to the light that God gives us he will give us more light. But when we resist the light we plunge ourselves into greater darkness and blindness. To those who have embraced the light of Jesus Paul wrote, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Eph 5:8). Do u desire to see brighter days? Walk in the light of the Lord.

Give God's word its rightful place in your life

"I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you" (john 8:37).

Jesus rebukes the religious crowd of his day saying that the reason they sought to kill him was because his word had "no place" in them. The reason the word had no place in them was because they were filled with others things like pride, envy and their own agendas. Is there room for God's word in your life. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt 4:4). If we r going to be strong in the Lord God's word must have more than a prominent place in r lives, it must have the preeminent place in r lives. We must not just find time but we must make time to hear, read and study God's word. Too often we r so filled with this world that not only do we not make time for the word of God, we have no appetite for the word of God. Its been said, "The more u read the word the more u want to. The less u read the less u want to. Give God's word its rightful place in your life.

Experiencing God's Love

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21).

It seems that Jesus is saying here that if we love him and keep his commandments he will love us and manifest himself to us. And yet the apostle John also wrote, "We love Him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Does God love and manifest himself to us only if we love Him first and keep His commandments or do we love God because He loved us first? Before we try to answer that question know that the commandments that Jesus is referring to, which we must keep for God to love us, (so it seems) r loving God and r neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-40). So the question is even more clearer, Does God love us only if we love him and others or do we love him and others because he first loved us? Is there a contradiction here? The answer is that they r both true. First of all, we love God because he first demonstrated his love to us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. At the same time the more that we love God because he first loved us, the more that we will "experience" His love. God is love. If your saved there is noting u can do to make Him love u more and there is noting u can do to make him love u less. But the more devoted u r to him, the more u spend time with him, the more u love Him, the more of His love u will experience. God's love for u is like an ocean that never runs dry. Devote yourself wholly to the one who loves u with an everlasting love (this means serving others too) and u will not only know greater and greater depths of His love, but His love will overflow in your life unto others.

Reading for the glory of God

"For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" (John 5:46-47).

In Jesus day the religious crowd claimed to believe the Old Testament, but they failed to believe in the one that the sum of the Old Testament pointed to, namely Jesus. They knew a lot about the bible, but they didn't really know God as he desired for them to know him. If they had they would have believed in Jesus who is the brightness of God's glory. The whole of the bible is not only to make us wise unto salvation in Jesus, but to cause us to grow in his grace and knowledge. Jesus said that one of the causes for why the religious crowd missed the whole reason for the bible is that they were more interested in their own glory rather than the glory of God (John 5:44). They wanted to be made much of more then wanting to make much of God. They loved the praises of men more then the praises of God. Many today are missing the whole point of the bible not only because they are not reading it, but because they are not seeking the glory of God. If you really want to know the bible don't read it as one would read a self help book looking for things that will suite your fancy. Instead, read it with a desire to seek and live for the glory of God.

Leave your water pot behind you

"So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" (John 4:28-29).

Notice that after the woman at the well had an encounter with Jesus she left her water jar behind and went back into town to tell others about what Jesus had done in her life. Why did she leave the water jar behind? Was she so excited about meeting the one who gives "living water" that she had forgotten why she came to the well in the first place? Perhaps, but more then likely she wanted so bad to tell others about what Jesus had done for her that she left the water jar behind so that it would not slow her down. There are so many spiritual applications (if you see one please share) that we can make here, but I will just focus on one. Sometimes we hold on to people, places or things so tightly, which might not be a sin in and of itself that it hinders us from doing what God is calling us to do. Jesus saves, sanctifies and satisfies by his grace power and love. He is our fountain of living water that never runs dry. We were created and saved to enjoy searching the depths of his ocean of love. We were also saved to share his love and spread his fame to all nations. Leave the water jar behind, serve the cause of Christ and he will do in and through you what only he can. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Whatever It Takes

There's a voice calling me, from an old rugged tree
And He whispers draw closer to me
Leave this world far behind, There are new heights to climb
And a new place in Me you will find

And whatever it takes, to draw closer to You Lord That's what I'd be wiling to do And whatever it takes, to be more like you That's what I'd be willing to do

Take my houses and lands, Take my dreams and my plans. I place my who life in Your hands. And if you call me someday, To a land far away, Lord, I'll go and Your will obey.

And whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord, That's what I'll be willing to do. And whatever it takes for my will to break, That's what I'll be willing to do.

TAKE THE DEAREST THINGS TO ME, IF THAT'S HOW IT MUST BE TO DRAW ME CLOSER TO THEE LET THE DISSAPOINTMENTS COME,LONELY DAYS WITHOUT THE SUN IF THROUGH SORROW MORE LIKE YOU I'LL BECOME.

And whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord, That's what I'll be willing to do. And whatever it takes for my will to break, That's what I'll be willing to do.

Integrity matters

"Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee" (John 1:47-48).

In Proverbs we read, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold" (Prov. 22:1).

Our word ought to be more valuable to us than gold. But sadly we live in a world that values money and material possessions more than their personal integrity. People today will not only lie, steal and cheat to get ahead, but they will do all these things and expect for God to give them His blessing. He will have to violate his own word to do so and he will not. Although many today may not value being men and women of integrity, God sure does. And what the God who holds our breath in his hands knows about us ought to matter to us more than anything in this world. Jesus said of Nathaniel, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile (deceit)!" What does Jesus see in you? Be a man, be a woman of integrity. It's worth more than gold.    

Obedience without compromise

"So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?" Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." But he said to them, "The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you are asking..." (Ex 10:8-11).

When the Plagues became to much for Pharaoh to deal with he would reluctantly agree to let God's people go. But he would only agree to let them go under certain conditions. One such condition was that he would only allow the men to go and worship the Lord. The women and children were to stay behind and remain slaves in Egypt. In the same way the god of this world, if he fails to keep us blinded to the freedom we can find in Jesus and slaves to sin, he will switch to plan b. Plan b is keeping us from influencing others for Jesus including our families. And if we compromise in this way we will not only be disobeying God but we will not experience the fullness of God's mighty power and presence in our lives. Moses made it out of Egypt alive, but God sent him back to lead his people out of there too. And because he obeyed God without compromise he got to experience the hand of God at work in many miraculous ways. Do you desire to see God at work in your life? Get out of you comfort zone and ask God to use you to bring somebody into a saving relationship with Jesus.

One more night with those stinking frogs

And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? And he said, To morrow" (Ex. 8:8-10).  

Because Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go, God displayed his mighty power through  a number of plagues that would come upon Egypt. One such plague was causing the land of Egypt to be overwhelmed with frogs. The frogs were everywhere; including in their houses. When Pharaoh finally had enough, so it seemed, he came to Moses and asked him to plead with God to get rid of the frogs. Moses then ask Pharaoh to tell him when he should plead with God to destroy the frogs. And Pharaoh responded, Tomorrow. It appears that Pharaoh wanted one more night with the frogs. In 1935 Cane Toads were imported from Hawaii to Australia to deal with Beetle's that were destroying their sugar cane crops. But because of how fast these frogs multiplied and the toxins that they produce, today in Australia these frogs are consider a dangerous pest that are causing major environmental problems. The frogs in Moses day were also a major headache that they needed to get rid of. But pharaoh said, give me just one more night with the frogs. Why? Was it Pride, stubbornness, or maybe he thought if he just waited one more night they would just go away? Perhaps it was all the above. But what did waiting one more day really accomplish in Egypt when Pharaoh decided to put off the disposing of the frogs until tomorrow? The next day Pharaoh and all of Egypt woke up to more frogs, bigger problems and greater aggravation. Putting off dealing with a problem until tomorrow doesn't make it go away. Instead, it multiples the problem. It's been said, "If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it." Is it about time that you started dealing with the frogs in your life? Don't multiply the problem by putting it off until tomorrow. Start dealing with it today. Ribbit!

Are you in the place where Jesus can nourish your soul?

And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families" (Gen. 47:12).

In order to nourish his brethren during a time of famine, Joseph brought them from their land to Egypt. In the land of Egypt where Joseph ruled he was able to be near to and care for his entire family. Like Joseph, Jesus desires to care for and nourish the souls of all who are in the family of God. He does so as we draw near to his heart, abide under his rule and feed on his word. Are u at the place where Jesus can nourish and care for your soul? "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).  

Regard not your stuff

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours" (Gen. 45:19-21).

When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers to be alive and ruling in the land of Egypt, he commanded them to bring the rest of the family to Egypt to escape the famine. In order to do so Joseph provided wagons and the provision needed for the journey. He also gave the following admonition, "regard not your stuff (goods) for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours." Egypt was the most powerful and prosperous kingdom on earth. And God worked it out so that all that his covenant people needed to continue to advance God's heavenly kingdom was available to them. When we are living to advance God's kingdom today, like Joseph brothers we can trust that God will provide for all our needs according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus (Philip 4:19). Are you worried about stuff? Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteous and all these things shall be added unto you." If seeking first God's kingdom is your # 1 priority Jesus is saying to you today, "Regard not your stuff for the riches and power of heaven is behind you."

Guilt

"When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him" (Gen. 50:15).

Although Joseph had forgiven his brothers for their sin against him, they did not feel secure. They feared that he was determine to pay them back for what they did to him. But they had Joseph all wrong. He had not only fully forgiven them he was fully committed to looking out for their best interest. Joseph's willingness to forgive his brothers is a reflection of the wonderful grace and mercy of God. In addition to their wrong view of Joseph, his brothers probably still had unresolved guilt regarding their past sin. What they needed to do was make things right with God, seek his forgiveness and rest in His grace and mercy. Do you have feelings of guilt and insecurity?  Make things right with God and others to the best of your ability. But above all rest in the love of God demonstrated on the cross where Jesus shed His blood for you. Amen!

It's not for me to reason why; It's but for me to dare and die.

"And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?" (Ex 5:22-23).

When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt it took some persuading. Moses had no confidence in himself to lead. God had to reassure him that he would be behind him with all his mighty power. All that Moses had to do was to trust and obey and God would do the rest. But the results of his first attempt at trusting and obeying the Lord didn't turn out as he hoped. In fact, things went from bad to worse. Not only did Pharaoh refuse to let the people go, he made their lives even more miserable by increasing their work load. Therefore, Moses filed a formal complaint to the Lord and personally delivered it. Moses cried unto the Lord saying, "Why is it that thou has sent me." God graciously responded to Moses and reassured him that he would deliver Israel and display his power through Pharaoh's stubbornness and pride. Moses was to continue to trust and obey.

Spurgeon, while preaching on the obedience of faith wrote, "Theirs not to reason why; Theirs but to dare and die." Spurgeon no doubt was quoting Alfred Tennyson, who wrote a similar phrase in his famous poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade." In the poem, Tennyson writes about the bravery and heroism of soldiers, who at the command of their superiors charged into battle against all odds. God could have responded to Moses, "Yours is not to reason why;
Yours is but to dare and die." Who is Moses and who r we to question God? Paul wrote, "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?" (Rom. 9).

Although it is foolishness for us to question God, he knows that we r but dust and he let's us do it. And sometimes he will even gives us an answer. But not always. Sometimes we must march forward into the fray trusting that God knows what he's doing. The reason that we enjoy the freedoms that we have today is because of those who without hesitation obeyed their orders and fought for those freedoms even if it cost them their lives. Let us never forget not only their sacrifices, but the sacrifice of r savior who in obedience to the Father laid down his life to save r souls. May we have the kind of faith in r great savior to be willing to say, "It's not for me to reason why; It's but for me to dare and die." God knows what he's doing. When we trust and obey his grace will see us through. Take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Fulfilling every good resolve

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 1:11-12).

Reading Paul saying, "To this end we always pray for you..." (2 Thess. 1:11) really gets my attenttion. It gets my attention for serveral reasons. First of all Paul was a man of faith. He was a man that believed God and trusted in his word. And it follows that when you are a man of faith that you will be a man of prayer. Paul prayed always because he always trusted in God. Paul always looked to God in prayer in total dependence on him for everything thing, at all times and for his every need. This scripture get my attention because its a reminder to me that men of God-- men of faith are men of prayer.

Secondly, this passage gets my attention because it gives me insight into what a man of faith and prayer prayed about. It gives me insight into what burned in Paul heart. I've learned that we don't truly pray effectively until we get a real burden--a real concern about something. When we pray and we're not burdened or concerned we just go through the motion. God doesn't care so much about our words when we pray as much as he does our hearts. When we are unconcerned and unmoved we will find it really difficult to pray. But when we get a burden--when we begin to really care about what God cares about--when the things of God begin to burn in our hearts our prayer life will be set ablazed--our prayers will be white hot with faith, fervency and persistence. Paul prayed always because he was burdened with the cares and cause of Christ. When we care more about missing our favorite tv show then we do the things of God we will not make much of an effort to pray or to gather with God's people to pray on a Wednesday night. Paul's prayer gets my attention because it gives me insight into what a man caught up with Jesus prayed for. In this case Paul interceded for others. He valued the power of intercessory prayer. And this is not only seen in that he prayed for others but He coveted the prayers of other. Notice that what he prayed for on behalf of others was first that God would make them worthy of His calling. The underlying motivation of Paul's prayer was the glory of God. He prays that others would live their lives in a manner that was worthy of the name of Jesus--in a manner that would spread the fame of Jesus and make him look good. In addition, Paul prayed that God would fulfill every good resolve in others (the underlying motivations being the glory of God). This got my attention because it reminded me that I must have intentional goals and plans that I'm striving to achieve. Like a heat seeking missile if I'm going to fly straight, if I'm going to get to where God wants me to be and accomplish all that God wants me to accoplish for His glory, I must have a clear target. I must know what I'm shooting for or I'll never hit the mark. And if I don't know what the target or mark is how would I ever know what to aim for--what to plan for. I don't want to live this life aimlessly. I don't want to just be busy. We can be busy doing things but never really getting anywhere. In Daniel 1:8 we read, "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank." Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself." In the KJV it says that he "purposed in his heart." To get to where God wants us to be we need some godly resolves in our lives. With purpose of heart we need to identify the "will nots" and "I wills" and strive by God's grace to achieve these resolves. Our prayer life will change and how we live our lives will change when we know what we're living and praying for.

What also gets my attention is that Paul prayed that they not only fulfill their good resolves but also their work of faith. The resolves that we make for good are not going to fulfill themselves. God fulfills them but he does through the "work of faith." God is not going to do for us what we're suppose to do for ourselves. But at the same time we can not do for ourselves what only God can do. That is why it is a "work of faith." We must do our part while trusting God to do what only He can do. Paul said it best when he wrote, "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily" (Col. 1:29).

God's word for me today:

1. Review and identify the "will nots" and the "I wills" that the Holy Spirit has reveled to me.

2. Renew my resolve to go after what God is calling me to do.

3. Pray everyday that God will fulfill in and through me all that He has put in my heart.

4. Strive and labor (do my part) with God's strength to go after it.

5. Do everything by faith and for the glory of Jesus.