Monday, October 31, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-31-16

Grace for your spirit
Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and His anointed.  Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand  have I taken a bribe to blind the eyes with it?  I will restore it to you.  I Samuel 12:3

Samuel was a righteous judge of Israel, but the people wanted a king. He was willing to stand before Israel and ask if anyone had a bad word to say about him.  No one could and no one did.  Their rebellion was against God, not Samuel. As I witness the current "mudslinging" in our elections, wouldn't it be great if any one of them could really stand before us with "clean hands?"  This is where our rebellion against God has led us.  Lord help us to a revival.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-28-16

Grace for your spirit
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest"--Your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man.  Proverbs 6:10-11

Our physical, mental, economic, and spiritual health, are greatly affected by our activity level.  Inactivity opens the door for the devil to work in us.  Even Jesus didn't come to be served, but to serve.  Let's adopt a service attitude and we will always have something to do that is good for us.  That's much better than waking up in trouble.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-27-16

Grace for your spirit
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Psalm 51:10

After David was confronted by Nathan the prophet, he finally came to grips with his pitiful condition.  His sin with Bathsheba and all the sins that followed had left him an empty shell.  He realized that he no longer had the ability to lead, judge, and instruct.  He came to God for forgiveness, to be cleaned up and renewed.  Is it time for us to confront our reality and ask God to create in us a new heart?  Renewing a steadfast spirit within us is the first step in our regeneration.  Let's take it.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-26-16

Grace for your spirit
Stir up yourself, and awake to my right, and to my cause, my God and my Lord.   Psalm 35:23

We all certainly need to be stirred up and put into action.  It is equally important that we be stirred by the right motives and direction.  Let's use our energy to be on God's right side and promoters of His cause.  We all have been blessed with some resources, time, and talent.  When we are blessed and stirred by Him, let's make His cause, our cause.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-25-16

Grace for your spirit
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  II Corinthians 2:14

For some reason Stetson Cologne is recognized quite a bit.  Often people say to me, "Is that Stetson?"  I like it and others like it too. Wouldn't it be great for the aroma of Christ to be noticed on us in a favorable way?  When we love our triumph in Christ, let's wear it proudly everywhere we go.  When it draws others to us to hear more about Christ, it will be our best day.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-24-16

Grace for your spirit
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,  children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. Phil 2:14-15 

We sing a kid's song about our gospel light, singing, don't hide it under a bushel or let Satan blow it out.  It seems the most common way of letting Satan hide our light is grumbling, and disputing.  It's easy to start and hard to stop.  If we want to be a light, Stop it.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-21-16

Grace for your spirit
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether they things were so.  Acts 17:11

As a standard bearer for the Lord, we need to be noble minded, thinking on higher things.  If we will receive the word with great eagerness, and examine Scripture daily to find the truth, we are on our way.  Let’s get our Bibles out and make study our priority.  That would include Bible class participation on Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday.  Come on. Be noble minded.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-20-16

Grace for your spirit
In no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.  Philippians 1:28

Often in our Christian walk, we find ourselves persecuted, criticized, and oppressed.  How we respond to these attacks is very important. When we stand firm in confidence, it not only reaffirms our faith, but it is a sign for our enemies that we have victory in Jesus.  Don't' be alarmed, be victorious.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-19-16

Grace for your spirit
But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose how we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.  Hebrews 3:6

Jesus Christ was faithful as a Son in His mission to serve His Father.  His sacrifice opened the door of that house for all of us.  If we walk with confidence in Him and hold fast until the end, we can live in the house of the the Father and Jesus forever.  Being faithful was  His mission and goal, and it needs to be ours as well.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-18-16

Grace for your spirit
This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger.  Esther 1:18

When Queen Vashti refused to come when the king demanded her presence, the shock waves were felt throughout the kingdom.  She was a center of great influence and her rebellion changed everything.  When we become the bride of Christ, what we do affects more than just ourselves.  People look to us for guidance, and when we rebel, people may think it gives them permission to rebel as well.  Let's be more careful about our influence.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-17-16

Grace for your spirit
When He arose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Luke 22:45-46

While Jesus was praying in the garden the night before He was crucified, His disciples were sleeping instead of praying.  If they had been aware of the challenges they would face in the coming days, their prayers would have kept them awake.  Those prayers would also help them to be faithful.   What is with us when we faint instead of praying? Could it be we are unaware of the challenges that are coming?  Let's be aware, and aware that praying will help us meet our challenges.  Let us pray.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-14-16

Grace for your spirit
The night is almost gone, and the day is near.  Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Romans 13:12

In Christ we are called to a new life, new thoughts, new mouths, and a new walk.  That walk should lead us out of the darkness and into the light.  In the Bible, darkness is associated with evil, and light connected with good.  God is light, Jesus is light, and we should desire to be light as well.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-13-16

Grace for your spirit
She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from  his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free."  But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.  Judges 16:20

Only Samson and God knew the secret of Samson's strength.  Samson played with Delilah until he finally told her that secret.  She cut his hair while he slept and he awoke without his strength. Our spiritual strength comes from our relationship with God.  If we let sin hang around in our lives long enough, it will bring us down too.  We may not know our strength is gone until it is put to the test in troubled times.  Let's stay strong in the Lord.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-12-16

Grace for your spirit
Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?  Psalm 85:6

In 1964 Terre Haute received the "Religion in American Life" Award, as the most outstanding community in the nation advocating attendance and religious activities.  In February of 1961, the city once again made the nation media when the Saturday Evening Post labeled it "Sin City." Do you suppose there is a connection between these two events?  Perhaps the "sin reputation" motivated civic and church leaders to action.  Often a slap by the devil, leads a revival among the Lord's people.  What will it take to reignite our revival ? Could we do it because of love and not wait for a calamity?

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-11-16

Grace for your spirit
I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"  Luke 18:8

Jesus wants us to pray at all times and not lose heart.  Here He make a comparison between Himself and a worthless judge.  The worthless judge had to be badgered to give help, but Jesus is ready, willing, and able to bring about justice for us quickly.  The only unknown variables are; Will we ask?  Will we be faithful?  Will Jesus fine faith on the earth when he returns?  Our Judge will always be with us, but will we be with Him?  Let's pray and never lose heart.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-10-16

Grace for your spirit
Behold, I am coming like a thief.  Blessed is the one who stays awake and keep his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.  Revelation 16:15

When I was a small child, our family was at a church picnic in a city park that was hit by a horrible tornado.  It was devastating and my dad never got over it.  Whenever there were tornado warnings, the basement was open, the lights were on, and we slept in out clothes.   We should heed the warnings of God.  Jesus is coming and we don't know when.  Let's resolve to stay alert, clothed and in our right minds, ready to meet Him when He comes.  How horrible is would be to go to church all our lives, and then be naked and ashamed at His return.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-7-16

Grace for your spirit
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.  Revelation 22:14

When Adam & Eve sinned, they were naked and afraid. They lost their access to the tree of life, and were sent out of their home in the Garden of Eden.  All Bad News.  Jesus came to clothe us with His righteousness, and give us a home in heaven where the tree of life reappeared.  With the blood of Jesus our robes are washed clean and we can be ready to meet Him in the city.  All Good News.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-6-16

Grace for your spirit
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  I Timothy 1:5

Most of the time we think of our teaching goals on the short term changes. We're trying to get people to come to church, be baptized, and involve others in the work of the church.  Paul's goals went deeper than that.  He was interested in the heart, conscience, and faith.  Those goals would bring about change, and it would be a long lasting change.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-5-16

Grace for your spirit
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a days portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.  Exodus 16:4

On the journey to the promised land, God provided manna each day to feed them.  God knew if they had too much, they would forget Him.  So, God gave them just one day's supply to keep their faith sharp.  People tend to look to God more often when they still have needs.  Sometimes, when they have too much, they wander off.  Let's ask God for the right amount to meet our needs and keep us faithful in our journey.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-4-16

Grace for your spirit
Write, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from now on! "Yes", says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."  Revelation 14:13

It is of great comfort when we witness the death of anyone, to know that they died in the Lord.  One day the gospel was revealed to them and they obeyed God's plan of salvation, arising from the waters of baptism  never to be separated from God.  It is the hope that takes away the sting of death and gives us victory in Jesus. Without Jesus, there are no words to comfort.    We still have time to make this happen.  Make it happen and rejoice

Monday, October 3, 2016

Grace for your spirit 10-3-16

Grace for your spirit
Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap  Lk 21:34

We all need to be on guard all the time.  We need to constantly be preparing ourselves to stand before God some day.  Until then, the lusts and the worries of life can be a drag that will take us away from faithfulness.  We sure don't want to meet the Lord on our worst day.  If we continue to build our spiritual strength, we can lift those weights off and walk on.  Let's work out what He has worked in us.  Never miss a day.