WorksOfTheLord.com

Throughout this site, scripture is quoted, followed by a prayer and or confession based on the scripture in italics. Although these are good examples of applying God's Word, don't treat them as a formula. Use these scriptures to fellowship with the Lord. Since faith comes by hearing, according to Romans 10:17, confessing the Word helps build our faith.  Our words have more of an impact on our lives than we know.  According to Proverbs 18:21,  "death and life are in the power of the tongue."  In Mark 11:23, Jesus teaches that faith-filled words can move mountains.

Now, start moving the mountains out of your life!

1/20/26 God's Good and Perfect Gifts 

James 1:17 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

We should only embrace God's good and perfect gifts and reject everything else. 

8/27/25 Our Eyes, Thoughts, and Words

Ps101:3-4 I will set no worthless or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the practice of those who fall away (from the right path); It will not grasp hold of me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not tolerate evil.

We can lead blameless lives if we avoid:
1. Looking at wickedness - anything vile or vulgar
2. evil or associates
3. Slander
4. Pride
(John MacArthur)

The heart and the eyes work together, for what the heart loves, the eyes will seek and find. (Eccl 2:10; Jer 22:17).
(Warren Wiersbe)

4/17/25 Cling to God

In Joshua 23 and 24, Joshua addressed God's people just before his death and gave them great instructions that are just as applicable to God's people today. In chapter 23, v. 8 he says to “cling to the Lord your God.”   

When I hear the word cling, I think of Velcro. It has great holding ability but it can be separated with enough effort if we choose. 

The Hebrew definition of the word Dabaq, translated cling, is: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.

Clinging to God is a choice that we have to make but according to James 4:8, there's a great promise if we do. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

8/31/24 A Little Dab'll Do Ya

Brylcreem is a brand of hair cream that's been around for about a century. They used a catchy phrase to market their product years ago, “A Little Dab'll Do Ya,” which meant, just a little bit went a long way.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says, Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little simpleminded folly (just a dab) is weightier than wisdom and honor. 

4/8/24 Shake it Off

In Acts 28 we read about the Apostle Paul being bitten by a poisenous snake as he was gathering wood for a fire. What was his reaction? He shook it off.

There are many things that try to attach themselves to our lives such as wrong thoughts, words, and actions. Sickness and disease often attack by attaching to or in our bodies. What can we do?

2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Luke 13:10-13 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Eph 6:10-18 above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

3/23/24 First Thing First

Luke 1:5-20 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. 8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

9+ months later…

Luke 1:57-64 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her. 59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No, but he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they were making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God.

Zechariah, because of his unbelief, lost his ability to speak for over 9 months. When his voice returned, the first words out of his mouth were praise to God. He probably missed his ability to do this.

We can learn from this by making praise to God a priority in our lives. 

Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah. Praise Yah! 

1/22/24 Watch and Pray

Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing,but the flesh is weak.

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before he would be taken captive and crucified. Matt 26:36-75

Watch means, give strict attention to, be cautious, active. To take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one. 

Jesus knew what was about to happen, the physical pain and humiliation. But the worst part was the sin problem. Our sins, that God wanted him to bear. For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor 5:21. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed 1 Peter 2:24.

While praying to the Father, Jesus committed himself to fulfilling the will of the Father, His plan of redemption for us. Thank you Jesus!

As his disciples today, Jesus' instructions to watch and pray are still beneficial to us.

8/19/23 Our God of Order

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Gen 1:1. The book of Job is considered to be the oldest in the Bible. In Job 26:7, God gave Job a revelation that was pretty amazing. It says, He (God) stretches out the north over what is formless And hangs the earth on nothing. Think about that. Earth, along with every other planet, star, or moon is placed in space unsupported by anything physical.

So, how does God's marvelous creation stay in perfect order? Hebrews 1:1-3 gives us the answer. It says, he (Jesus) upholds all things by the word of His power. And, He is not stressing about the maintenance of His creation. Verse 3 says, having accomplished cleansing for sins, (Jesus) sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

7/17/23 What We Have Too

Acts 3:1-10 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they used to set down daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But when Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him, he said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene⁠—walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. And leaping up, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were recognizing him, that he was the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the portico called Solomon’s, full of wonder. But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Him (Jesus) has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Peter said, "what I do have I give to you." What did Peter have? He had the authority to use the name of Jesus. We too, as believers today, have the authority to use the name of Jesus and can expect the same results if we develop our faith in His name. Rom 10:17      

Here's a great message to help develop faith in the name of Jesus.

7/13/23 Love the Word + Love People = __________

Ps 119:165 says, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." There is a connection between loving God's Word, (hearing, believing, and doing), and walking free from offense. The result is - Great Peace!

7/9/23 Follow Jesus

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven [believers] followed him [Jesus] upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

When Jesus returns believers will be following Him; therefore, we should be closely following Him each and every day. 

6/30/23 Strong and Healthy!

Matt 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias (Is 53:4-5) the prophet saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare or sicknesses.

Since Jesus took our weaknesses and bore our sicknesses, where does that leave us? Strong and Healthy!

6/12/23 Speak Truth, naturally

Prov 12:17 LSB He who breathes out truth declares what is right.

Most of the time, when we breath, we don't even think about it. It happens naturally. When we speak, we are of course exhaling.

When we speak, we should speak truth, naturally. 

5/4/23 Be a Neighbor

In Luke 10:25-37 we read about a lawyer who asked Jesus what he must do to to inherit eternal life. This passage reveals the lawyer's true motive, he was trying to test Jesus and justify himself. 

While the lawyer knew that he should love his neighbor, Jesus taught him, and us, that we are often guilty of hand picking who our neighbors are.

Instead of "choosing" neighbors who look like us, act like us, and believe like us, we need to remove all filters and be a neighbor to anyone we meet, especially those who are in need. 

We need to be reminded, "while we were yet sinners, Christ (our ultimate neighbor) died for us." Rom 5:8

3/1/23 Pick Up the Spoon

The garbage truck had just left and I went to retrieve the can. I noticed a plastic spoon on the road that was probably ours. My first thought was to ignore it but then imagined dozens of cars running over it making the cleanup much more difficult later. So, I picked it up and tossed it in the can.

I was reminded of Proverbs 22:3 (also Prov. 27:12), A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, 
But the simple pass on and are punished. Picking up the spoon was easier than cleaning up a mess later. Many of life's messes can be avoided by making prudent decisions.  

8/3/22 And _______ Believed God

For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Rom 4:3

This verse is referring to Gen 15:6 which states, "And he (Abraham) believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." We also are saved by God's grace, His free gift, through faith in Him, because Jesus paid the price for our sins, Eph 2:8-9.

On a daily basis, we are faced with opportunities to demonstrate that we believe God, not affecting our salvation, but they have an effect on our relationship with Him.

So, we should strive to place our name in the _______ and choose to believe God and what He has said in His Word.

5/1/22 1st Round Knockout 

The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further. Prov 17:14 GNT
The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. Prov 17:14 NKJV
The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Prov 17:14 NAS

The start of a fight can be the end of the fight, not by defeating the other person, but by knocking out the strife that's trying to escalate the situation.

4/17/22 3 Crosses, 1 Savior, 2 Choices

Luke 23:33 LSB And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 39 And one of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

The criminals on each side of Jesus were being punished for their crimes, their sins. Hanging on the middle cross was Jesus, the perfect, Holy, Son of God, who was paying the price for all sinners, including the men next to him. These men, just like us, had just two choices, believe in Jesus, or reject him. One made the right choice and has been in heaven ever since. The other soon found out he made the wrong choice.

John 3:16 LSB For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Rom 10:9-10 LSB that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation.

What's your choice?

3/24/22 God's Strength God's Peace

Psalm 29:11 LSB Yahweh will give strength to His people; Yahweh will bless His people with peace. Whose strength? God's! Whose peace? God's!

God has given me His Strength! God has given me His peace!

3/20/22 Be Hearers, Prayers, and Doers

My current favorite game to play on my phone is Wordscapes. While playing, I don't really pray for God's help. Why not? It's just a puzzle, a game, that has no eternal relevance. 

When reading the Bible, God's Word, it's easy to "put in the time" without seeking to draw out what God wants to teach us. Proverbs 20:5 LSB says, "Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of discernment draws it out." An important step to "draw out" what God wants us to glean from His Word is to pray.

James 1:22 LSB tell us to, "become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves." While it's good to be a hearer, our goal is to be a doer of the Word. To help reach this goal, we need to be a prayer. 

2/15/22 A Perfect Place!

Gen 1:1 NASB In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Gen 2:2 NASB By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

In just one week, God (through Jesus, John 1:1-3 NASB), created the heavens and the earth.

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus said the following to his disciples: "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a 
place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3 NASB

It is beyond question that God's creation is amazing. Part of what Jesus has been doing since returning to Heaven has been the preparation of dwelling places for His people. And, He's been doing this for 2000 years! We can't comprehend how wonderful Heaven must be. But, since we're reminded daily of His awesome work, seen in His creation, we can trust that Heaven is absolutely perfect!

1/9/22 Yahweh 

The Legacy Standard Bible uses the name Yahweh in the Old Testament. Here's a great explanation...

1/9/22 Known and Unknown

Psalm 103:2-3 LSB Bless Yahweh, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases

There are sins that we've committed that we remember and probably many more that we don't. There are thoughts, words, and actions that we've have or done that we didn't even know they were sinful. Thank God that "the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 LSB

Similarly, we deal with sicknesses and diseases that we know about, because of symptoms or a diagnosis, but there may be something(s) that we are unaware of. But, it doesn't matter according to Psalm 103 LSB. 

God forgives all of our sins, known and unknown; God heals all of our diseases, known and unknown.

1/5/22 Eat How Often?

Many Christians read a daily devotional to get their fill of spiritual food. They're quick; they're easy and you're often done in several minutes. It's probably safe to assume that most believers spend more time eating each day than they do reading God's Word.

I Peter2:2 says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." According to KidsHeath.org, newborns feed every 2-3 hours.

We can learn from this. Develop a desire to read, and feed on God's Word multiple times throughout the day, maybe every 2-3 hours - and grow!

12/22/21 Diagnosis Life  

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139:23-24 NASB

12/22/21 Be Teachable

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God: Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 NASB

8/13/21 God's Will, Our Choice

Believers often seek God's will in various situations with the intent of doing what the Lord says. They may want direction regarding major purchases, career moves, where to live, etc. While the Bible doesn't always gives us specific direction with many things we're faced with, it does give us specific directions when we lack wisdom, James 1:5.

When the Bible clearly states what we should do, or not do, we need to have our minds made up in advance that we will be doers of the Word as James 1:22 tells us.

6/8/21 Copy That 

Heb 13:8 teaches us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This also means that Jesus is the same morning, noon, and night.

Eph 5:1 Instructs us to be followers (imitators) of God as dearly loved children; therefore, we should follow him, imitate him, morning, noon, and night. Consistency,  thinking, speaking, and acting according to the Word and will of God, will keep us from many avoidable failures.    

5/3/21 Prepare

2 Chron 12:14 And he (Rehoboam) did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

3/7/21 As Whole as the Other

Mark 3:1, 5 And he (Jesus) entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand...He (Jesus) said to the man, "stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other.

1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Although we may have "withered" areas in our lives, we can still be grateful to God, knowing that it is His will to restore to wholeness.  

2/20/21 The Word Sanctifies

Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for his disciples (and for us, John 17:20). He prayed, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth John 17:17. Sanctify means to purify, to separate from profane things.  

When we confess Jesus as Lord, believing that God raised him from the dead, Rom 10:9-10, we are born again, John 3. In the spirit, we are new creatures or creations, according to 2 Cor 5:17. But, we still have our same mind, same body, and they have to be dealt with. 

In John 8:31-32, Jesus says if we continue in his word, we would know the truth, and the truth or word, would make us free - purifying us, separating us from profane things.

1/10/21 Know and Believe

Ps 103:3 says, Who (the Lord) forgiveth all thine iniquities; who (the Lord) healeth all thy diseases. In 1 Peter 2:24 we read, Who (Jesus) his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by who stripes ye were healed.

Jesus paid the price to provide salvation and healing to every person who has ever, or will ever, live on the earth. Unfortunately, there are those who either do not know or do not believe this.

I remember reading about a man who many years ago saved up enough money for a transatlantic passage on a ship from Europe to the US. Since he had just enough money for the ticket, he brought his own meager supply of food. Unfortunately, he didn't know that meals were included in the ticket price.

The only way we can know what God has provided is by reading his word. The following are several great reminders of the importance of knowing and believing God's word.

Job 36:12 ESV But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
Prov 5:23 ESV He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.    
Prov 10:21 ESV The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
Hosea 4:6 ESV My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

3/31/20 God WILL!

Psalm 91 is a great chapter in the Bible. It's full of promises of protection. In the last three verses, God clearly spells out what He will do when we set our love upon Him:

• He will deliver us
• He will set us on high - because we know His name
• He will answer us - when we call on Him
• He will be with us in trouble
• He will deliver us (states this twice!)
• He will honor us
• He will satisfy us with long life
• He will show us His salvation

3/19/20 Declare - but first...

In the old testament, the word declare (Caphar),  means to count, recount, relate, to number, take account of, reckon, rehearse, declare, to talk, to count exactly or accurately. These are terms that could be used to describe the work of an accountant or a music director. Both of these professions do most of their work behind the scenes with the goal of being meticulous. There is also much repetition as they go about their business.  

In order for us to declare what God has done we must know His Word. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Study (be diligent) to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 

When God's word is hid in our hearts in abundance, ours mouths will declare.  

3/11/20 Thoughts and Prayers

The phrase "you're in our thoughts and prayers" is very common and sometimes overused. Wouldn't it be good to know that we're in God's thoughts and prayers? Well, we are! 

In Jeremiah 29:11 we read, For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. We are in God's thoughts! 

In Hebrews 7:25, it says, Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for [us]. We're in Jesus' Prayers

1/23/20 Full Access

There is an expression, "keep (someone or something) at arm's length." This describes one who by choice, avoids getting too close to someone or something, and also doesn't allow someone or something, to get too close to them.

There are times when keeping someone at arm's length is a wise thing to do if their influence on our lives would not be good.

When it comes to our relationship with God, we don't want to do this. We should give him full access to our lives. 

The Psalmist said, "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." Psalm 9:1

1/15/20 A Merry Heart: It does a Body Good 

In 1982, there was an ad campaign began that stressed the nutritional benefits of milk. Their slogan was, "Milk: It Does a Body Good." 

The following verses from Proverbs teach us about the benefits of having a merry heart. A merry heart helps us on the inside, like a medicine, 17:22, and it shows on the outside, our face, according to 15:13. 

A merry (joyful, glad) heart (inner man, mind, will, soul) maketh a cheerful (to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad) countenance (face): but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13

All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine (a cure, a healing): but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

1/14/20 Move More Mountains 

In Mark 11:14, Jesus spoke to a fig tree saying, "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever." The next morning, his disciples saw that the tree had dried up from the roots. Jesus then taught them, and us, about faith in verses 22-25. In short - believe and speak, or speak what you believe.

That's how we get, or got saved, Romans 10:9-10 - 1. Confess Jesus as Lord; 2. Believe God raised him from the dead.

This same principle is found in Psalm 119:115, "Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God." 

12/25/19 Receive the Gift

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (the gift), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 
 

But as many as received him (Jesus), to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12

12/20/19 He Is and He Is...He Can and He Will

Hebrews 11:6 says, "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." 

The leper who came to Jesus in Matthew 8:2-3 had faith in Jesus' ability to heal him, but didn't know if he would. Jesus touched him saying, I will, and the man was healed.   

12/12/19 In and Out

Psalm 91 is a great chapter loaded with promises. God lets us know in v.15 that 1. He will be with us in trouble and 2. He will deliver us. That's awesome news!  

In addition to this, there are many other scriptures that remind us that God is with us.

12/10/19 Life - Got It!

In John 10:10 Jesus says, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A thief cannot take something from you that you don't already possess! 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil [and his stealing, killing, and destruction], and he will flee from you. James 4:7

8/1/19 Climb Out of the Pit

Psalm 107:20 says, "He (God) sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."

Strong's defines the word destructions as pit. If you're in a pit, a ladder would help. To climb a ladder, you step with your feet while reaching with your hands.

So, with our feet we walk by faith while we are holding onto the promises of God!

3/14/19 An Example of Peace

An example of peace is when we plant a seed, allow it to germinate, grow, and trust God to produce the fruit. Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. One of the definitions of faint is to "set free." We can dig up the seed(s) we've planted and set it/them free from the ground; however, we will not bear the fruit from it that God designed.

In Hebrews 10:35-36 God says, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."

2/27/19 He's Got it Covered
 

Romans 4:25 says that Jesus "was delivered for [or because of] our offences, and was raised again for our justification [our acquittal].

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus knew what sins we would commit during our lives and he died for us anyway. In fact, that's why he did it.

Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

Jesus died for the sins we committed yesterday. He died for the sins we committed today. And, Jesus died for the sins we will commit in the future.

2/12/19 Toss It or Plant It 

In the familiar passage of Mark 11:22-24, Jesus teaches his disciples about the mountain-moving faith of God. 

"Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them."

In Luke 17:6, Jesus teaches a similar principle with a more specific ending. 

"If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you."

In both passages, Jesus teaches his disciples, and us, that we can speak to things we want removed. In the second scenario, Jesus says the tree could be planted in the sea. 

8/2/18 Crammed, Completely Full

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, there is the account of a woman who sought help from the prophet Elisha. Her husband, a prophet who loved the Lord, was dead and her two sons were about to be taken as slaves by the creditor.

Elisha asked her what she had in her house and the woman had just one jar of oil. Elisha told her to borrow jars from her neighbors, more than a few.

Elisha had her and her sons pour the oil from her jar into the empty ones and it filled all of them. He then told her to sell enough to pay her debt and live off the rest. God supplied her needs.

Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” This is great news!

The word supply is translated from the Greek work pleroo. One of the many clarifying words used in Strong’s definition includes the word “cram.”  Cram means completely full. This tells me that when we trust God, there is no empty space, or need, remaining. 

6/8/18 Free Indeed

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

If a man or woman confined to prison was finally released, it makes sense that they would enjoy their freedom. It doesn't make sense if they could somehow come and go from freedom back to being locked up.

Sadly, many Christians are like this. Although freedom is ours, we too often return to things that have kept us in bondage in the past, and that's just foolish. 

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Prov 26:11

4/29/18 God is ABLE - I am ABLE!

The definition of Disability is: lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability.

The Bible says that with God all things are possible. Mk 10:27, and:

All things are possible to him that believeth. Mk 9:23; therefore,

God is able - I am able!

4/28/18 Yo-Yo, Stop Commuting!

There are basically two types of college students, those who live on/near campus and those who commute. There are advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios.

The term Commuting Christian recently came to mind. There is nothing positive that results from being a Commuting Christian. 

Many are familiar of the account of the prodigal son. This son asks his father for his inheritance and then leaves home to live in a manner in which his father wouldn't approve of.

After wasting his money, the son repents and returns home to his father, willing to work as a hired servant.

The nature of God is evident in the father's actions as he lovingly welcomes his son home - and even throws a party to celebrate his return.

Too often, many Christians who love the Lord, take time out for bad behavior. Like a student going back and forth to school, these believers go back and forth, like a yo-yo, in their relationshi with God.

The Bible tells us to lay aside the weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Rom. 12:1

Since God doesn't change, our consistency is a way to imitate him. Eph 5:1 

1/25/18 GO and TELL

The "Great Commission" is still in effect. Jesus us gave us specific instructions which have not changed:

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen.

Mark 16:15-18 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

Luke 24:44-49 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

John 20:19-23 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. And when he had so said, he he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Received ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain,they are retained.

The world has changed dramatically in recent years. It's easy to think that people who are unashamedly opposed to the things of God are hopelessly lost and thus there's no reason to share the gospel with them.

This way of thinking is actually a form of fear, fear of being rejected or persecuted.

God is on our side, according to Psalm 118:6, and because of this, we shouldn't fear man. 

We shouldn't be concerned with how people respond to the gospel, that's between them and God. Our job is to just Go and Tell.   

11/11/17 Raise Your Expectations

Since God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Eph 3:20, we should strive to raise our expectations. No matter how strong our faith in God and in His word grows, he is still able to exceed our expectations. 

10/7/17 News You Can Trust

The phrase, Fake News, has been heard quite a bit lately. Whether you watch Fox news, CNN, listen to talk radio, or read any newspaper, it's not wise to put all your confidence in any of these.

When Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17 he said, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

God's word, which is truth according to Jesus, tells us to: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledgs him, and he will direct thy paths. Prov 3:5-6 

9/12/17 Good Success

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success. Josh 1:8

Although the Law refers to the first five books of the old testament, there are spiritual laws consistent with this theme throughout scripture.

Gal 6:7 We sow, we reap, we sow, we reap....

James 1:22 DO the word.

Prov 4:20-22 God's words are life and health.

Jn 10:10 Jesus came that we might have abundant life.

3 Jn v.2 Prosperous soul = Prosperity and health 

6/15/17 No-Brainer 

Many often seek God's direction when faced with important decisions in life. The Bible even tells us in James 1:5 to ask God for wisdom. There are some decisions that are easier to make if we simple obey the Word.

According to Webster's, a no brainer is something that requires a minimum of thought.

Deut. 30:19 says, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. When faced with choice A or B, or in this case L or D, go with God's answer, LIFE. It's a no-brainer.

5/29/17 Skip over the Bad Chapters

The book of Jonah is just four chapters in length. In the beginning of chapters one and three, God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh. The second time, he obeys.

If Jonah would have obeyed from the start, the book would have been much shorter and perhaps not even included in the Bible. But, according to I Corinthians 10:11, we can learn from Old Testament examples.

From Jonah, we should learn to obey God immediately. It's better for us and better for those who God desires to reach through us.

Obeying God does not mean that we will be free from problems, but it means that we can peace in the midst of problems knowing that He has a way out of the problems. Jesus said that we shall have tribulation in this world; however, because he overcame, we can overcome. Doing things God's way will result in us skipping some bad chapters in life. 

1/12/17 Walk in the Promises

In Genesis 13:14-15, God tells Abram to look to the north, south, east, and west and see the land that God was giving to him and his descendants. In v. 17, God said "Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it: for I will give it unto thee."

Early in our marriage, my wife and I were able to pick out the lot where our first house would be built. Even though it was an hour away from our apartment, we would drive up several times a week to walk the property and when construction began, to check on the progress. Doing this gave us a vision of what would soon be ours.

God's Word is full of promises. By faith, we can walk through their length and breadth and put ourselves in position to receive what He has given us.

12/24/16 Strength and Peace

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace, Ps 29:11.

Let the weak say, I am strong, Joel 3:10.

I am strong! I have peace!

12/11/16 Pass on Offense

In football, when a team is on offense they can run the ball or pass it (unless it's 4th down...).

In life, almost every day, we have opportunities to get offended. The bible tells us that God is love, 1 Jn 4:8, and according to Eph 5:1, we are to imitate God and walk in love.

God teaches us in 1 Cor 13:5 that love "...takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

A key to victory is to pass on offense!

6/24/16 ANY Virtue, ANY Praise

It is easy, and quite common, to look at the faults of others, ourselves, and even situations that we make be experiencing. When we do this we are magnifying problems.

In Philippians 4:8, God teaches us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. 

Knowing that some people, or some situations, are really hard to deal with, God tells us to find at least one positive thing and think on that: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

6/12/16 Seven Ways 

The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. Duet 28:7

Flee seven ways? Let's see, there are six directions... 1. front, 2. behind, 3. left, 4. right, 5. above, 6. beneath, but 7? Maybe it just disappears, vanishes, POOF!

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (seven ways). James 4:7

3/31/16 3 to 1, God Wins!

Power + Love + Sound Mind > fear

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

3/29/16 Trust the Process

Recently while teaching a music class, I tried to encourage a student to not only practice, but to practice in the prescribed manor and she would see positive results. She asked if I believed she could get better and I said yes, because I believed in the process. Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. A teacher of mine used to say, it's how you practice that counts.

For believers, our process takes us to the Word of God. God's Word will not return to Him void, according  to Isaiah 55:11. It will accomplish what it says it will and it will prosper in the thing for which He sent it. We start by hearing the Word, and then we act on what it says.

Here are some good places to get the process started in various areas:

Heaven - John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10
Prayer - Mark 11:24, John 15:7, Romans 8:26
Love - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Romans 5:5
Health - Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17
Peace - John 14:27, Isaiah 26:3
Freedom - Psalms 119:11, Romans 6:14
Finances - Philippians 4:19, 3 John 2
Wisdom - James 1:5, the book of Proverbs

3/27/16 He Paid the Price

I recently read about a decades-old practice that some Christians participate in on Good Friday in the Philippines. Many men allow themselves to be beaten and nailed to a cross to demonstrate their thanks and devotion to God.

There is no doubt that these men are grateful for what Jesus did; however, he did it for us. He paid the price that we couldn't pay ourselves. We can't earn our salvation. We can't be good enough. It's impossible. We just have to receive by faith what God has provided through Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast."

12/3/15 God's Pantry

Philippians 4:19 says that God shall supply all our need according to HIS riches in glory BY Christ Jesus. God knows what we need way before we do. When we have a need, God doesn't have to "do" anything, Jesus already paid the price, we just have to receive.

According to the record of creation in Genesis 1, God completed his work before he created man. Adam's needs were already provided for beforehand. In fact it says in Gen 2:2, that God rested as his creation was complete.

In 2 Peter 1:3, it says that God hath (past tense) given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Ephesians 1:3 says that God hath (again past tense) blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

God's pantry is stocked with what we need, we just have to receive by faith.
 
4/3/15 Up/Down or Fixed

Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings [report, news, rumor], his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

I thought of this verse today while driving my two-door car. The windows for the front-seat occupants move up and down, but the windows in the rear are fixed, they cannot move.

The Hebrew word "Kuwn" translated to fixed means to be firm, be stable, be established. This word is translated most often in the Bible to prepare, which implies that our results today correlate with our previous preparation.

We can be up or we can be down, swayed by life's circumstances, or we can be fixed: firm, stable, and established, by being prepared by God and His Word.

4/3/15 Good Friday

John 3:16 For God so Loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

8/20/14 Possess the Land

God promised land to the children of Israel. In Deuteronomy 1:21 their instructions were, Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee;  fear not, neither be discouraged.

In summary,

1. God provided them land, but ...

2. They had to take possession of it, and

3. They were to fear not

God, through the redemptive work of Jesus, has provided land for us today. This includes, salvation, peace, and healing. 

While we learn about God's promises from his Word, we must take possession of them by faith, and ... we must not allow fear in our minds.

7/4/14 Perfect Soundness

"And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Acts 3:16.

Soundness (Holokleria): an unimpaired condition of the body, in which all its members are fit for use. We can believe God for perfect soundness in other areas of our life:

In the name of Jesus, I have perfect soundness spiritually. 2 Cor 5:17.

In the name of Jesus, I have perfect soundness in my soul; my mind, will, and emotions. 3 John 2.

In the name of Jesus, I have perfect soundness in my body. Matt 8:17.

In the name of Jesus, I have perfect soundness in my finances.  Phil 4:19.

In the name of Jesus, I have perfect soundness in my relationships. Mark 12:30-31.

7/1/14 Condemn the Uprising

No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper according to Isaiah 54:17 and God tells us to condemn every tongue that rises against us in judgment. On what grounds do we base this on? Our righteousness is of the Lord.

The english word condemn is translated from the Hebrew word "Rasha'" which means wicked, or condemn as guilty. Whatever is against the will of God is to be condemed.

Although we can't stop the weapons from opposing us, we can stop them from succeeding.

6/26/14 Constant Contact

God will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is "stayed" on him, according to Isaiah 26:3.

The Hebrew word "camak" translated stayed, means to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, and lean upon.

These words all suggest constant contact. Let's not lean on God and his word only when we sense a need in our life, but rather abide in him, in constant contact.

6/16/12 God's Word, God's Heart

In Isaiah 55:11 God says, "So shall my my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."  

Jesus said, "For out of the abundance of the heart; the mouth speaks." Matt 12:34-35.

God's word is God speaking to us out of the abundance of His heart. Knowing this, we should study the word to learn what he wants to accomplish in us and through us.

4/9/14 Yea, Lord

In Matthew 9, two blind men sought Jesus to receive their sight. Jesus asked them if they believed that he was able to do this. They responded saying, "Yea, Lord." Jesus then touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it unto you," and they were healed.

When we read the Word of God, we are faced with the same question. Do we believe what God says? Our answer should be the same, "Yea, Lord."

4/1/14 Build up the Immune System

God has placed within our bodies an immune system. A wonderful but complex system when working properly, can help us resist sickness and disease.

We have a role to play to help keep our immune system strong. Proper diet, exercise, and adequate rest will help boost our immune system.

In a sense, we have a spiritual immune system and we also have a role to play to put ourselves in position to receive from God. If we delight ourselves in his word and continually meditate on it, as directed in Psalms 1, we can expect to prosper in all that we do.

3/11/14 Let it Out

Jesus said in the book of Matthew, "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Matt 12:34-35

The prophet Jeremiah was faithful to speak about God and his word which resulted in great persecution. At one point he thought he would stop talking about God and speaking in his name. Then he said, "but His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not." Jer 20:9

This should be a reminder to us to deposit God's word in our hearts to the point where we can't hold it back either; we'll have to let it out.

6/27/13 Be an All-Star

Every year in the month of July, baseball fans get to see the best of each league compete in the MLB All-Star Game. In baseball, the goal of the pitcher is to keep hitters off balance by their mix of pitches. The best hitters, the All-Stars, are the ones who most often correctly anticipate a pitch and turn it into a hit.

Christian are often defeated by the same sin. In Hebrews 12:1, God tells us to lay aside the sin that easily besets us. If we anticipate that the easily besetting sin will return as a temptation, we can experience victory if we do what it says in verse 2, "[look] unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." 

2 Corinthians 2:11 says that "we are not ignorant of his (Satan's) devices." If we prepare and anticipate his next pitch, we can start experiencing more and more victories.

12/30/12 It Shows

Actions speak louder than words is a cliché that many people have heard and probably most believe. 

People own pets for many reasons but the main reason is perhaps the unconditional love that they often demonstrate. Our cat has never once said, I love you, but he shows it daily. 

God is Love, 1 Jn 4:8, and he wants us to imitate him, Eph 5:1. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMP) tells us what love is and is not:

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

The Bible also says that as believers, we have the love of God in us, but the only way that others will know this is by our actions.

LOVE - Let it Show!   

12/7/12 Recharge

iPads. iPods, iPhones, and iMacs are such useful tools in our daily lives and they all have one thing in common, they MUST be recharged on a regular basis.

The Word of God tells us to be recharged or renewed in Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The next time we put that white plug into the wall let's remember that it's also time to read the Word - and be renewed.

7/14/12 God is Good!

We can know the character of God by observing the ministry and words of Jesus.

John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Many passages in the Old Testament sound as if God is causing sickness, poverty, and many curses:

Deuteronomy 28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 28 has many similar statements as do other books in the Bible.

Hebrew and Greek scholar Dr. Robert Young sheds light on this topic in his writing, Hints and Helps to Bible Interpretation:

"Active verbs frequently express only an attempt to do the action,e.g.- Deut. 28:68; Eze. 22:13, Matt. 10:39; 17:11; John 1:9, 29; 12.32; Rom. 2:4; 1 Cor. 10:33; Gal. 5:4; Phil 3:15; 1 John 1:10; 2:26; 5:4, 10; Rev. 12:9.
(b) Active verbs frequently express a permission of it, e.g.- Exod. 4:21 ; 5:22; 2 Sa. 24:1; Jer. 4:10.; 20:7; Eze. 14:9; Matt. 6:13; 11.25; 23:32; Mark 5:12; John 13:27; Acts 13:29; Rom. 9:18; 11:7; 2 Th. 2:11."

In the examples above, God is not causing the situations but permitting them. There's a big difference.

Deuteronomy 30:19 says, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

Here God tells us that we can live blessed or we can live a messed up life. He wants us to choose life. He is not the one that will curse us but he will allow it if that is our choice. There is no middle ground.

SInce Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law according to Galatians 3:13, we should live free of every curse listed in Deuteronomy 28. We should have life in abundance because that's why Jesus came, according to John 10:10.

Yes, God is good and if we approach the Old Testament in the light of how we see him in the New Testament, much confusion will clear up.

7/9/12 From a storm to a calm

Psalm 107:29 says, He [God] maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Whatever the storm may represent, God can and will turn it around if we trust Him and His Word. During a storm, waves can be very powerful and may seem relentless.

Notice the verse says, THE storm. Everyone has storms or weapons targeted against them but God promises that no weapon formed against us will prosper, Isaiah 54:17. If we resist the the devil, James 4:7, he and his storm(s) will flee, but we must submit ourselves to God and His Word.

4/11/12 Multiple Choice

Every day we are faced with situations where we can do things God's way (right choice), or another way (bad choice). In Deuteronomy 30:19, God tells us that we have a choice, but he then gives us the correct choice and the reason behind it.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

3/2/12 Fill in the BLA_______NK

Philipians 4:13 says, I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengthens me.

Now, fill in the blank:

I can do _______ through Christ which strengthens me.

2/12/12 No Layaways

In Mark 11:24, Jesus teaches us how to pray: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire , when ye pray , believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The key word receive, is from the greek word Lambano, which means to:

take;
to take with the hand, lay hold of any person or thing in order to use it;
to take up a thing to be carried;
to take upon one's self;
to take in order to carry away;
to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own;
to claim, procure, for one's self; of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend; to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud
to take to one's self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self
catch at, reach after, strive to obtain
to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute)
to take, to choose, select
to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience
to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back

Believe that ye receive does not mean to put it off for the future, or to lay it away. Take it NOW!

10/5/11 Put Off - Put On

It is very clear that God wants us to live a victorious life, free from the bondage of sin:

Hebrews 12:1 says to lay aside the sin(s) which so easily besets us. The word beset means "easily surrounding, encircling, easily distracted."

Similarly, Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to put off the former manor of life and then, by renewing our mind, we are to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness.

7/13/11 The Blender

If you mixed chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup, and milk in a blender, the result would be a tasty milkshake. If you happen to add creamed corn, asparagus, or any other of my less-than-favorite foods, I would not want to drink it - not very pleasant tasting.

The truth is, whatever is blended together will taste like its' ingredients.

A great-sounding professional orchestra would not sound the same if half of the violins were replaced with middle-school musicians.

A world-champion baseball team would not do as well if much of the roster were replaced with minor leaguers.

The Bible tells us that we reap what we sow. Our lives are the result of our thoughts, words, and actions.

As Christians, we should read the Bible, pray, and go to church; however, if we include other things into our lives that are not pleasing to God, the result is a compromised life that is not as effective as it could be.

I remember an incident from 6th grade camp that relates to this message. Because there were so many sharp rocks in the creek where we swam, we had to bring an extra pair of tennis shoes to wear in the water. When we returned to our cabins, we left the shoes to dry on the porch overnight.

One morning, we awoke to find a skunk sleeping on our shoes. A dozen pairs of "clean" shoes could have been affected with a nasty aroma if the skunk chose to do what skunks could do. We later found out that the little guy had his scent gland removed and was a pet at the camp, but….

Let's keep things out of our lives that would compromise our walk with God and relationships with others.

6/18/11 Filter the Senses

What we see can affect how we feel, but . . .
What we think can affect how we feel, but . . .
What we hear can affect how we feel, but . . .
It doesn't have to!

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, " While we look not at the things which are seen , but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The word "seen" refers to things perceived by the natural senses.

"Temporal" means temporary and thus subject to change.

The "things which are not seen are eternal" and according to Hebrews 11:1, our faith is the "evidence of things not seen."

2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us to "walk by faith, not by sight," and Galatians 5:16 says to "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (desire, craving, longing) of the flesh."

When we walk by faith, in the Spirit, our natural senses can be trained to filter everything through the Word of God.

4/25/11 Before, During, and After

It's easy to "forget not" the benefit of healing, Ps 103:2-3, when you're sick. It’s when all is well that many don't think about what God has done for them in the past. Since Jesus (and his benefits), are the same, yesterday, today, and forever, we should meditate on the benefits of Ps 103, before, during, and after we need them.

12/25/10 "I am Willing"

In Matthew chapter 8, the bible says that Jesus was approached by a leper who said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” This man had faith in Jesus' ability to heal him, but not his willingness. Jesus responded by saying, “I am willing; be cleansed,” and the man was healed.

The Greek word for the English word "will" is "Thelo." This word is defined as "to will, have in mind, intend to be resolved or determined, to purpose, to desire, to wish, to love to, like to do a thing, be fond of doing, to take delight in, have pleasure."

Psalm 35:27 says the Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. The Hebrew word for "prosperity" is "Shalowm" which means, "completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, completeness (in number), safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity."

In faith we can now pray: Father God, in Jesus' name, I thank you that you take pleasure in the prosperity of my physical body. It is your will that my body functions in perfect soundness. I receive healing in my body and I refuse to accept anything less than your perfect will for me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

12/5/10 The Squeaky Wheel

There is a well-known phase: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. This means "the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service."

We are spirit beings. We have a soul, consisting of our mind, will and emotions. And, we live in a body. Our lives operate best when we maintain this order. Unfortunately, the body, like a squeaky wheel, often demands our attention.

We need to do as I Corinthians 9:27 says, "keep under [our] body, and bring it into subjection." This is accomplished by continuing in the Word as Jesus tells us in John 8:31-32.

11/24/10 GET UP!

You messed up, you missed God again.... Get over it and get up. God gives us great advice in Michah 7:8, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

Don't stay down because you missed it yesterday, last week, last month, or five minutes ago. It is easy to act like a failure in between your failures.

This is when you need to get close to God - get in the Word, pray, and your failures will become fewer, and less frequent.

I remember hearing a wise preacher say, Be quick to repent, quick to forgive, and quick to believe God.

6/10/10 Who are you working for?

Romans 6:23 says, "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Webster's defines wages as "payment usually of money for labor or services." You are paid by the one(s) who you work for.

Sin is anything contrary to the will or Word of God. If we're not serving God, knowingly or not, we are working for/with Satan and his goals are to steal, kill, and destroy. Jn 10:10.

We have to make a choice and God wants us to choose life, Deut 30:19. Notice that the result of this is not called a "wage" in Rom 6:23, but rather a "gift." We can't earn the blessings of God through works. We obey him through faith out of our love for him. But, as a benefit of us diligently seeking him, we are rewarded, Heb 11:6.

5/26/10 Lifetime Promises - Remember!

Some seem to accept sickness and disease as a part of getting older. On the other hand, if you were to ask these same people if God would forgive the sins of older people - most would say "yes."

Psalm 103 says that God forgives ALL of our sins and he heals ALL of our diseases. Both of these promises are for a lifetime, no matter how old we may be.

These are two of the benefits of knowing God though Jesus, and he tells us to not foget them - so REMEMBER!

4/18/10 We Are (or will become) What We Think

According to Proverbs 23:7, we are, or will become, what we think. Because of this, we need to be selective of our thoughts.

God tells us what we should think on in Philipians 4:8.

Our thoughts should be about things honest, just, pure, lovely, and things of a good report. If there is any virtue or any praise, we are to think on these things.

3/22/10 Create an Atmosphere of Peace

In John 14:27 Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Yes, Jesus gave us HIS peace; however, we have a part to play to make it work in our lives. Because the Bible says we reap what we sow, we need to sow peace. Rom 12:18 tells us how to sow peace: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Since the opposite of peace is strife and/or fear, we need to not let our heart be troubled.

3/21/10 The Lord is on My Side...

Because Psalm 118:6 says, The Lord is on my side; I will not fear, we can say, the Lord is on my side; I will be live in peace. We can also say:

The Lord is on my side; I will walk in divine health (Ps 107:20).

The Lord is on my side; I will live free from sin (Rom 6:14).

The Lord is on my side; I will have all my needs met (Phil 4:19).

The Lord is on my side; I will share the Gospel will others (Mark 16:15-20).

2/17/10 DWJD (Focus)

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) says: Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us to imitate God. Heb 12:1-2 gives us instructions in one way to imitate Jesus. Because Jesus focused on what his redemption would provide, he endured the cross. In our daily walk, we are to focus on Jesus. We can do this by being focused on His Word.

10/20/09 A Different Perspective

The view immediately outside our dining room window is that of a young maple tree about 20 feet in height. I have to admit that it has bothered me because the tree is lacking fullness and symmetry - until today. While in the back yard I looked up at this tree from the side, a different perspective, and it looked totally fine. As the tree grows, it will of course fill in and look great from any angle.

This made me think about how often we can be bothered by life's many problems because we are looking at the problem from a natural standpoint. God wants us to instead see things through a different perspective. We should filter everything through the Word of God with the eyes of faith and remember that, "FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses] (Heb 11:1 Amp).

10/2/09 Forgiveness

We need to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Although Jesus paid the price for our sins - past, present, and future; it is up to us to approach God to receive this forgiveness. When we are offended by others, we are to forgive them whether or not they come to us asking for forgiveness. This allows us to have fellowship with God. And - if they do come to us asking for forgiveness, they will genuinely know that we are not holding anything against them.

8/10/09 Our Daily Appointment, Walk-ins Available

Amos 3:3 says (or asks), "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" The Hebrew word translated "agree" in the KJV also means to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, and betroth.

Since God is always available and ready to fellowship with us, we must make a decision to meet with him. Consistency is key to our success as believers. We need to make an appointment daily to pray and study the Word.

In addition, we need to remember that besides the scheduled appointment, "walk-ins" are also available. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:17, God gives us permission to meet with him at anytime.

6/24/09 Connect Four

Psalm 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.
2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.

God sent his word, and healed me, and delivered me from my destructions.
God sent his word, and healed me, and delivered me from every weapon that is formed against me.
God sent his word, and healed me, and delivered me from the curse of the law.
God sent his word, and healed me from every evil work.

No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper.
No curse of the law that is formed against me shall prosper.
No evil work that is formed against me shall prosper.
No destructions formed against me shall prosper.

Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law.
Christ has redeemed me from every evil work.
Christ has redeemed me from my destructions.
Christ has redeemed me from every weapon that is formed against me.

The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.
The Lord shall deliver me from my destructions.
The Lord shall deliver me from every weapon that is formed against me.
The Lord shall deliver me from the curse of the law.

6/17/09 Raise Your Batting Avererage

In baseball, a 300 batting average is pretty good; however, this means a batter is getting a hit in just 30% of his at bats. That's a 70% failure rate.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, God gives us the following instructions: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Notice he said "every" thought. He wants us to bat 1000 when it comes to our thought life. 100% of our thoughts should line up with God's word.

6/16/09 Who Will You Believe?

God cannot lie. Satan is the father of lies. Faith is trusting in God's word. Fear is believing God promises will not come to pass.

6/16/09 Isaiah 55:11

"Remember this: It's the Word that does the work, not the one holding onto it. It'll work for anybody who'll put it to work. It'll work for you just like it worked for Jesus when He walked the earth." Rev. Kenneth Copeland

6/5/09 What if? What IS!

Don't think about the "what ifs" in life, get into God's Word and discover "what IS"!

5/17/09 Our Thoughts

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and soon had a thought that reminded you of a problem in your life? Was the thought from God or the devil?

If it were God's voice, the thought would have been based on his Word, not the problem. His Word is the answer to our problems. His Word brings peace, not fear.

Jesus said in John 10:10, that "the thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Our thoughts should line up with life, abundant life.

God tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (Amplified Bible), that "Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character."

Our thoughts are our constant companion and since we are, or will become what we think, according to Proverbs 23:7, we need to cast down every wrong thought according to 2 Corinthians 10:5, and choose thoughts that are in agreement with God, his Word, and his will.

4/29/09 Be Still

The Lord tells us in Psalm 46:10 to, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Some Hebrew meanings of the word "still" include: be quiet, relax, let go.

Now, meditate on this: "Be still, [be quiet . . . relax . . . let go . . .] and know that I am God."

4/28/09 A Cat Story . . .

Recently after church, my wife spotted a young cat as were leaving the parking lot. We decided to get out of the car and "talk" to the cat. She seemed somewhat friendly, but she wouldn't let us get closer than five feet before turning away in fear. When we turned to walk away, the cat would "meow" and follow us - but no closer that five feet. We were beginning to like "kitty."

We then went to a store and purchased a can of food, which she ate quickly. The cat seemed to hang out near a shed in the parking lot and looking behind the shed, we noticed about 20 empty cat food cans. Someone had been feeding this cat and it probably was either a stray or ferel cat.

After checking on the cat several times throughout the day, we decided to try to catch her, take her to the Humane Society, and if no one claimed her, we would give it a home.

We purchased a pet crate and were successful in luring the cat into it with some food; however, the cat did not like being inside. We took her home, about a half-mile away, and after she calmed down, we decided to release her. Although we had food outside the crate, she darted out and we didn't see her until five days later. She found her way back to her homeless shelter (the shed), and was evidently content waiting for her occasional handouts.

This incident reminds me of how God has a plan for our lives, a plan that exceeds our highest thoughts. We often mess things up because we think we know what is best but we refuse to let God be God, Jesus be Lord, and we quench the power of the Holy Spirit.

We need to remember a couple of scriptures:

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

4/16/09 Pursue God's Presence

• Sin is a willful departure from God's presence (BAD choice).
• Hell is a permanent departure from God's presence (WORST choice).
• Pursue God's presence through his Word, in prayer, and in worship (RIGHT choice).

2/20/09 Seek and FIND!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 to ask and it will be given to us, seek and we will find, and knock and it will be opened to us. The bible says that God feeds the birds but we know that he doesn't just lay down a row of bird seed for them. The birds have to find what God has provided for them. In much the same way, we must find what we are seeking God for in his Word and by the leading of His Spirit.

2/7/09 Father Knows Best

Father Knows Best was a popular television show during the 1950s starring Robert Young. As Christians, God is our father. Although we understand that he knows what's best in our lives, we often make unwise choices because we fail to pray, and/or obey his word.

If we abide in him, who is the vine, we as branches, are sustained in every area of our lives because we are connected to the life of God. When we act outside of God's will, we are still connected to the tree - sort of. In this case we are "out on a limb" having put ourselves in a risky situation.

Because he knows best, we need to let God be our Father, let Jesus be Lord, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us - every day.

1/1/09 See Yourself Through God's Word

I am a child of God (Jn 1:12, Jn 3:16).
I am free from sin (Rom 6, Col 1:13).
I am healed (Is 53:4-5, 1 Pet 2:24, Matt 8:17).
I have great peace (Is 54:13, Phil 4:7, Jn 14:27).

11/10/08 Smith Wigglesworth said . . .

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe. I'd like add - I am not moved by what I don't see. God's Word is final authority!

11/7/08 Restoration Where There Has Been Deterioration

God wants to restore wholeness to us in every realm of our existence: spirit, soul, body, financially, and socially.

8/27/08 I am a recipient of the love of God!

And, you - are a recipient of the love of God!

8/20/08 Hold Fast

In Hebrews 10:23 we are instructed to "hold fast the profession [or confession] of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised. Sometimes the word of God (the seed), is planted and we must hold fast until the invisible thing(s) we're believing God for appears. On the other hand, we sometimes need to hold fast until the visible thing (but unwanted) disappears. Through faith and patience we inherit the promises.

7/28/08 Measuring Our Priorities

Here is a great scripture that should describe our relationship with God: Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

6/27/08 Resist ≠ Flee, unless…

If you're resisting without the promised results, you might be trying to do it in your own strength, and that's not what God wants us to do. The first part of James 4:7 holds the key, "submit yourselves therefore to God." Submission to God means spending time in his word, and in prayer, and being sensitive to his leading. We will then be in position to use His weapons, 2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:11-18.

5/11/08 Attention Please!

Many years ago I heard a minister say, "our desires follow our attention." I have found this principal to be true in my life. We may not feel like reading God's word at a particular moment, but if we give it our attention, our desires will follow.

4/21/08 Senseless Faith

The Amplified Bible states in Hebrews 11:1 that faith "is not revealed to the senses." God chose to deliver faith to our hearts, our spirit man, through the hearing of his word, according to Romans 10:17. Then, out of the abundance of our hearts, we speak faith-filled words which at this point, will affect our senses (Luke 6:45, Mark 11:23).

4/19/08 Agree With God

According to Matthew 18:19, being in agreement with God produces Godly results. Jesus said, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."

We are in agreement with God when our thoughts, words, and actions line up with his word, which is his will.

4/1/08 Serve an Eviction Notice!

Are there any areas in your life that you know are not God's will that you've been tolerating? It might be a habit or maybe some physical issue that because it is not life threatening, you don't attack it with God's word.

In John 10:10, Jesus says that the thief (Satan, the devil) comes only to steal, kill, and to destroy. In Ephesians 4:27, God tells us to give no place to the devil in our lives.

If it's not from God, it is time to serve the devil an eviction notice! If Jesus tells us to speak to mountains with our faith, we certainly can speak to hills, and even little speed bumps.