Friday, February 27, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 27, 2009

And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.   Jude 22-23

When we launch our ministry into this world of sin, sickness, and sorrow, everyone we meet will need to be helped in a different way.  Some may need a big stick, others may be led by a softer method.  Many are not hardened by the devil, they just are doubters. Others already have their toes into the fires of hell and need a firm pull back.  We need to hate the deeds of those are lost in sin, but love them.  May we learn to listen with a heart of compassion and grace, and then let the Lord give us guidance on how we may reach their hearts.  He knows how to get there. 

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 26, 2009

For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments--I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.   Exodus 12:12-13

The news of this last plague on Egypt was met with mixed responses.  Some believed and got the blood on the doorpost right away.  Some didn’t believe it at all and did nothing. Those who doubted and did nothing suffered. The others were free.  How similar is the coming of Jesus.  The blood of Jesus will deliver us from death.  Everyone else will suffer eternal damnation. Get to the blood of Jesus now.  Please don’t wait and don’t doubt.

 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 25, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.   II Corinthians 5:9

When we are at a crossroad in life, what decision will we make.  Will our choice please the Lord? When we are debating the will of the Lord in our lives, will we choose to do what our church says to do, our preacher told us to believe, or what pleases the Lord.  The only way we will be able to please the Lord, get the right answer, and make the right decisions, is study of His Word.  Too many make it their ambition to please men, not God.  Let’s make a commitment to be like the Berean church of the New Testament.  Let’s search the scriptures daily to see if what is taught to us is right.  Let us all determine to please the Lord, because we will soon be called to give an account for those decisions. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 24,2009

Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions   Mark 11:25

A visitor walked into our Bible class one day and asked, “Is this the kind of church that teaches you have to forgive people?”  When he found out that we were, he responded, “That’s what wrong with churches today.  Too much pressure to forgive.  That’s what runs people off.”  I hear there is a great controversy on this subject in the churches.  Who do we have to forgive?  When, where, and why?  It seems simple to me. As simple as the words of Jesus.  Never withhold forgiveness.  Forgive as Christ forgives us.  Urgent?  Yes, because it is a condition of own forgiveness.  Let it go.  Jesus is waiting on our decision.

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Monday, February 23, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 23, 2009

So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."   John 13:26-27

Satan entered the heart of Judas because Judas was determined to do the devil’s work betraying the Lord.  When we purpose to do the devil’s work, we invite him into our lives, and he is ready and willing to take over.  Likewise, when we are commit to do the Lord’s work, we invite Jesus to come into our lives.  He is ready and willing too.  Which one is welcome in our house?  The devil or the Lord Jesus?  The path we choose to walk will determine which one is welcome to walk with us.  There isn’t room for both.  We must choose.  Choose Jesus

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Friday, February 20, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 20, 2009

Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. I Sam 30:6

Have we suffered loss of family and possessions. Do all our enemies seem to be on top? Have we wept until we have no strength left? Is everyone blaming us for it all? That was the experience of King David, and God had all his answers. David strengthened himself in the Lord and inquired of the Lord for his next move. God directed him, and gave him a great victory. God knows how we feel too when the bottom drops out. Don’t give up. Let’s strengthen ourselves in the Lord.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 19, 2009

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. II Cor 10:12

It is a dangerous thing for anyone to evaluate their own lives by the standard we have selected. When we measure ourselves by ourselves, we have made ourselves our own god. We become the center of our righteousness for the way we live and the things we do. In this lifestye, there is never any reproof or correction. We need to make Jesus the benchmark of our comparison. May we look at His holiness, and His ministry, and find the path He wants us to follow. When someone asks for a reference, should we list our name or the name of Jesus?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 18, 2009

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. II Cor 12:9

God wants us to recognize that His power can perfect any weakness we may have, and make us useful. Many Christians have become eloquent boasting about their weaknesses. They say proudly, "I know my limitations." Any way to avoid being busy is just fine with them That kind of boasting is not fine. Paul lets us know that the boast should be what God can do with our weaknesses to make us strong and effective. Is God’s grace not sufficient for us? Are we that weak and pitiful? It is time for us to repent and allow God to take charge of our weaknesses and make them powerful.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 17, 2009

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt 8:3

All of us have lives that have been defiled in some way. Every day we see people whose lives have been defiled by sin, altered by illnesses, worry, and strife. How can we find relief and victory over the sicknesses of body and spirit? The answer is the touch of Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth, the touch of His hand healed, forgave, and put people into service for God. We can still receive the touch of the Master’s hand. That touch can make us whole and make us special. Like a skilled master musician makes an instrument come alive, our Master can touch us and make us alive again. Let’s invite His touch today.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Monday, February 16, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 16, 2009

From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?' Malachi 3:7

Some kids love to see dad come home after a trip, because he always brings them a nice present. Sometimes dad may think they love the presents more than they love him. They might even be glad to see him go, with the anticipation of more presents. God’s children are often like that too. The love the blessings He provides, but after we have the presents, He can go away. Our Father in Heaven calls for His children to return to Him, and then He will be back. When we return to the Father, He will always have a great blessing for us. It is OK to love the blessings, but we should always love the one who blesses us more.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Friday, February 13, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 13, 2009

As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces! Matt 11:7-8

John the Baptist came to make a path for the coming of Jesus. Would you expect him to come from the palaces, or out of the desert? Would you expect to see a man dressed in camel’s hair eating locusts, or living in luxury? The ones that missed the symbolism of John the Baptist also missed Jesus. Jesus came from the desert to complete His ministry, not from the seats of earthly power. Until we come through our desert and find fulfillment in the footsteps of Jesus, we won’t complete our ministry in the Jesus style.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 12, 2009

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

Proverbs directs us to watch over our hearts because from it flows the springs of life. Our wisdom cannot control that heart ourselves. We are unable to understand how deceitful and sick we can be. We all have the capacity to fall deeply into the depths of sin when we try to control our own heart. That is why we must turn to God and His wisdom. He understands the thoughts and intents our our heart. His word is alive and powerful and can help us discern the right decisions to give us a heart wholly given to Him. Heart failure is the number one killer of our bodies and our souls. Let’s live "heart healthy" in our spiritual walk with Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 11, 2009

Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day. I Samuel 10:9

Saul did not have the qualities to be the King of Israel. God promised him that if he would give himself wholly to God, that the Spirit would come upon him and make him a new man. Accepting the commission, as he turned God changed his heart. Later Saul gave that heart away, and his kingdom was ripped away from him. None of us have the qualities to be a great Christian. God promises us that if we will obey His Son Jesus wholly, His Spirit will come upon us, change our hearts, and make us new men and women. When we trust and obey, we become recipients of all those promises. Let’s take that step and never step back.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 10, 2009

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. Psalm 23:1-2

The Lord wants us to be busy in His kingdom, but He also wants us to live a life of rest. A life free of turmoil over the things we can’t get. A life that allows us to sleep well without fear and guilt. A life that can enjoy with quiet waters. What is the difference between the life of turmoil and rest? The difference between a life filled with guilt and one of peace? A life where we can sleep well with a justified heart. The difference is the Lord. When He is our shepherd, we will find rest for our souls as we labor in His yoke. Come on in. Let’s rest together in His body.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Monday, February 9, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 9, 2009

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

These are the eternal choices that are waiting for us. Death and separation to hell at the judgment day, or eternal life with Christ Jesus our Lord in heaven. When we were kids we played a game called "Hide and Seek." At the beginning everyone hid and someone yelled, "ready or not here I come." At the end of the game, we yelled, "Ollie, Ollie, Oxen Free", which means everyone can come in free. I recently saw two spiritual application from these sayings. Jesus went to the cross for our sins, and we are all welcome to receive His free gift and come home. On the other hand there will be a day of judgment. When Jesus comes back at the end of time, it will be "ready or not, here I come." Let’s get ready. Admission is free.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Friday, February 6, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 6, 2009

Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word. I Kings 18:21

Jesus told us we cannot serve two masters. Throughout history many have failed in their efforts to be faithful thinking they could. People will trust in God as far as that goes, but they also trust in other things as well. Often those other things become our idols. It this case it was the false idol of Baal vs. the God of Heaven. Their inability to decide had brought them much grief. Elijah brought them to Mt. Carmel and told them it was time to quit hesitating and choose. Is it time for some damage control in our lives? Let’s choose today whom we will serve, and make it God.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 5, 2009

For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. I Tim 4:8

We go see our doctors and allow them to yell at us, so we will be healthy. We go to our physical fitness clubs and weight watcher groups and bear the ridicule because we want to be fit and beautiful. Then we go to church, where the consequences of faithfulness is eternity with God or Satan, and we want everyone to leave us alone. If someone blinks at us in a wrong way, we quit and will never return. Why is it that we welcome the chastening of the health people, and become angry at the chastening of the spiritual overseers? The answer is priorities. When our eternal health equals our desire for physical health, we will welcome the guidance.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 4, 2009

O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man " Now I was the cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:11

How can we know that Nehemiah delighted and revered the name of God in his life? When Nehemiah was faced with a tremendous adversity far beyond his ability, he immediately turned to God. As cupbearer for a ruthless king, Nehemiah could not see the way clear to help the people far away in Jerusalem. After he spent four months in prayer, God made the way, showed him the way, and put him in that way. When we delight in God with that kind of commitment, He will give us success too. Don’t quit too soon.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 3, 2009

My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." Job 42:8

When Job’s three friends showed up to advise him in his troubles, they more or less acted as though they were speaking for God. They judged him, condemned him, and generally made his life miserable. After a while when God finally spoke to Job, and restored all of his blessings, He had a message for Job’s so called friends. God said, "You three have no spoken of Me what is right! It time to repent, sacrifice, and have Job pray for you." When we put on our Christian badges and speak for the Lord, are we speaking what is right? Let’s make sure we are talking in tune with God when we reprove, rebuke, and exhort.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23

Monday, February 2, 2009

Grace for your spirit February 2, 2009

When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?" I Kings 18:17

Ahab was king of Israel and Elijah was the God’s prophet. Because of the sinfulness led by Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah had called for a draught. For three and one half years, Israel had no rain and everyone was in trouble. Who was it that caused this draught and starvation in the land. Was it Ahab and his idols, or was it Elijah and his God. As usual, the godless thought the Godly were the problem. When Christians try to leave their influence in this godless world, the evil of the world will cry out against them. Who is the real troubler of our land today? Is it those who serve the devil, or servants of the living God? Keep on keeping on. Elijah did and brought blessing back to his people. Let’s go and do the same.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23