Sold to the Highest Bid

"The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him." Psalm 37:40

She sits crouched down in a corner, knees pulled tight to her chest, shivering. Shivering with fear, brokenness, hunger, and cold.

She has been beat, sexually abused drugged, and abandoned by her own family.

She has been stripped, thrown down, yelled at, tied up and raped time and time again.

She has been placed before a group of men who have not an ounce of care, sense, or sound mind.

They each take turns placing their bids. Her "owner" stands with greed and pride that oozes out of his every pore.

Standing there surrounded by smoke, alcohol and men dressed in their finest she is examined from head to toe.

She is sold to the highest bid. Time and time again, she stands before these men. They pass her off as though she is a used piece of material.

When will someone come to her aid? Who will rescue her from this life of destruction, pain and fear?

How long will she, and thousands of other girls have to live in slavery to sex trafficking?

Brethren, it's real. These young women are real and in need of Jesus.

God might not have called us to go to these places, but He has called some and we need to pray God's strength to fill them up, His protection to surround them, and His light to be so bright through them it begins to penetrate through the darkness of sex trafficking.

Pray for deliverance and freedom for these women all over the world, along with all those living in slavery.

Decide Today Who You Will Be.

S-Galatians 2:11-13

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-Freedom IN Christ

L-Hypocrisy

       -"But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him publicly  speaking strongly against what he was doing, for it was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who don't bother with circumcision. But afterward, when some Jewish friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore because he was afraid of what these legalists would say. Then the other Jewish Christians followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was influenced to join them in their hypocrisy." Galatians 2:11-13

 There are 3 very important things we need to take away from this passage.

1. Don't compromise your faith to fit in.

2. Don't fear what others will think or say about you.

3. Don't be a bad influence/hypocrite.

Brethren, these passages are so profound, and if we simply read over them without applying them, then we will be missing some very important advice and warning from the Lord.

We can't take this lightly. We have began to compromise WAY to much.

So let me ask you today, do you compromise God's truth to fit in with different groups of people?

Does your demeanor, speech, and behavior change?

Do you fear what others will say about you, if you stand out for Christ?

Whether we are willing to admit or answer these questions honestly, people notice, and so does the Lord.

Decide today who you will be. A follower of Christ that stands firm, is the same at home, in public and around all people, or one that tries to fit different molds in order to be liked and fit in. Therefore compromising your faith, worrying more about man's opinion rather than Christ's, and one who carries the name hypocrite.

Jesus let these words from Galatians 2:11-13 fall firmly on our hearts today. Don't let us walk away with out making a change. Convict us and teach us. Let us no longer compromise our faith or fear the thoughts of man. Amen.

S-Share this passage with someone today and ask them to keep you accountable.

Altar Sunday

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." 1 Peter 5:7

Laying and leaving the worries in our hearts at the Altar of the Most High. 

Take It In then Pour It Out

Could I encourage you to soak up God's truth today. Let Him lavish you, teach you, and shine His light upon you.

Then go out tell of His greatness.

Don't Be Intimidated-Part 2

S-Don't Be Intimidated

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-True Freedom

L-You Are Unique

  Yesterday we learned that God has NO favorites. We are all equally important to Him, and we all have a specific purpose. Therefore, we should not be intimidated by others or what they are doing. Instead, we should walk in humble confidence just as Paul did.

In these next four verses, we will see how the Body of Christ should function, what makes us unique, and how we know we are doing what Christ has called us to do.

-"Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles. In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do." Galatians 2:7-10

1. How the Body of Christ should function?

   

                ~With peace, understanding, encouragement, and with everyone doing their part and staying in their own lane. Look at verse 7

                    -"Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews." Galatians 2:7

    -Paul understood his role in the Body, just as Peter, James, and John did. Paul didn’t try to take on his responsibilities all while trying to do Peter’s too.

 Today, it seems as though many in the Body try to take on a role that God didn’t call them to.

      Brethren, there is a reason God made the Body with many parts.  We all have strength’s and weaknesses. Don’t let Satan convince you that your role is not as important as someone else. He is lying! Your role and responsibility within the Body is VERY IMPORTANT and you are needed! Don’t be intimidated or doubt your calling. And don’t envy others.

Be thankful for your role and the role of others within the Body. When you are humble and confident, you actually strengthen the Body.

2. What Makes Us Unique

        “For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles” Galatians 2:8

 -God has specific reasons as to why He calls each of us to minister in different ways and to different people. This is what makes each of us unique.

           ** Look at Paul, he had a way of speaking and ministering to people that was different than the way Peter did. Paul’s past was completely different and so was his transformation. Yet, the same God that worked through Peter, also worked through Paul.

        -And He works through each of us.

        -Our life, our story, our past, our future, our voice, it’s all unique. Even the people we relate to, minister to, and are called to, is different than anyone else.

         Brethren, we need to take joy in our uniqueness and our gifts.  Take joy in the fact that God made you completely different and wants to use you in a way that is completely different than everyone else. You are special and what you have to offer is special. When you accept your unique qualities, you will compare yourself less to others in the Body, and you will be more apt to staying in your own lane. 

If you are struggling with who you are IN Christ remember this, you are unique. You have a unique gift. You are needed in a unique way. You are called to fulfill a unique purpose from a unique God with a unique love. And He will show you what that unique quality and gift is in our final passages.

3. How We Know

       When God is at work in our lives and using us for His glory, it will be evident, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at three ways we will know we are fulfilling our gift.

            1. People will SEE it and acknowledge it.

                     -“Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.”

        

            2. People will RECOGNIZE it. (Our God-given gift)

                     -"In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers."     

                   

3.     We will be ENCOURAGED to keep doing it.

                      -“They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.”

Did you ever realize how much depth and insight was packed into these verses? Brethren, God will speak, if we will just listen. He will give us understanding and confirmation, not only through His Word, but through others.

S-Tell someone how unique and special they are in the Body of Christ and to God.

                              

                    

        

                       

               

    

Don't Be Intimidated-Part 1

Study-Don't Be Intimidated

Store-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

Apply-Your True Freedom

Learn-God Has No Favorites

   "And the leaders of the church who were there had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)" Galatians 2:6

Brethren, God has NO favorites! We are all equally important to Him. Let that be a breath of fresh air and confidence booster.

-This passage reveals a lot about Paul's character and confidence. Paul understood his role and purpose. He knew his mission, and he knew who he was IN Christ.

All to often we get caught up in intimidation and comparison, that we forget who we are IN Christ.

Therefore, we allow our insecurities to come flooding in and convince us we are useless or that we don't even match up.

But according to who? Because IN Christ there is not one greater than the other.

When you begin to doubt, compare, or feel intimidated, remember God has NO favorites. He loves you just the same and He has a specific purpose and plan just for you. Know who you are IN Christ and remember, it's your heart God examines.

Brethren, I pray as you meditate on this passage that you find yourself walking with humble confidence.

Share-with someone that God has NO favorites and then encourage them in their walk with Christ.

Do You Ever...

Do you ever have those moments when you are in deep prayer and feel as though you are literally on your knees, in the Most Holy Place, surrounded by the Lord's visible presence?

I have those moments every now and then, and I wish they were a lot more frequent. One day they will be, and they will be real and forever and amazing. 

However, today as I set absorbed in the presence of God, crying out to Him for some direction, clarity, understanding, growth, knowledge and wisdom, I found myself asking in a different manner than before. 

I asked with a heart of expectancy. I asked with a new boldness. I asked with a faith that said, "I believe in Your promptness, power, and love for me."

Though there has been waiting, and it might even continue, I found myself wide-eyed, with my heart at attention, looking, listening, expecting. 

Expecting to see Him, to hear Him, and to be radically moved by Him.

And I was. And I found. And I heard. And I felt Him. I felt Him breath on me as He spoke the words I have longed to hear. 

So what now, now I know. Now I shape my life around His truth, His answers, His provision, direction, and desire. 

Now, now I have tasted and seen.

Now, I want more! More of Him. More wide-eyed moments. More radically moved moments that shake me to the core. I want more of these God ordained moments where He shows up and says, "

Here. Here I am. Come to Me over and over with that faith. That faith that shows me its complete. I want more of that longing, that desperation, that comes from a heart that knows where the only living water exists."

It's not about pride in "who" I am. It's not about, "Hey look at my gift." Its about experiencing Christ in such a way, your only state of being is humble, grateful, and overflowing with amazement of His presence.

It's about a pouring out of self, so that the pouring in, is of Him. 

Isn't that our true desire? To pour Christ into others?

Sometimes we need a perspective change. One that says, Look to Him, rather than look at "Me."

I think once that revelation and transformation takes place, we will then find ourselves being used by the Lord in ways only He can. For then, and only then, will we see a pouring in of Him that changes lives.

For Your honor and glory, Lord. 

Don't Just Settle for an Appetizer.

S-Galatians 2-Paul's Summary of the Council at Jerusalem

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-Your Freedom from slavery to sin

L-Quick Summary

  - Jesus as we begin looking at Galatians 2, I pray You open our hearts and fill them with a desire to go deeper with You. Bring this chapter alive for all who read it, just as You have for me. Amen

-As we dive into Galatians 2, we need to remember why Paul wrote this letter. In doing so, this chapter will make a lot more sense.

So what was the purpose?

     -To call out the Judaizers who forced strict obedience to the law, and to tell Christians everywhere it's not the law that will save you. It's actually your faith in Christ that saves you and sets you free, and its available to Jews and Gentiles alike.

So as Paul begins chapter 2-He begins by telling the churches in Galatia after 14 years (which ranges from the time of his conversion up to his meeting in Jerusalem) I went back to Jerusalem because God told me to.

"Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. I went there because God revelaed to me that I should go." 

 

Why is this so important?

Because many of the Christians were easily influenced by the false teachers, who preached that you had to be circumcised in order to be saved. In laymen terms-they believed the Gentiles had to be converted to Jew if they wanted to be saved.

And this is where Paul stepped in and said, "That's wrong." No one has to be converted, or circumcised, in order to be saved. And who would know better than Paul?

No, it's putting your faith in Christ that saves you and sets you free.

And this is where you have to dig in God's Word a little deeper to put it altogether.

So flip on over to Acts 15 and it will give you a clearer picture and understanding of what Paul is talking about.

**I know your thinking, who has time for this. Better yet, you might be thinking how does this apply to me?

Well it applies to you, because it will take you deeper into God's Word, which brings you to a deeper understanding of Christ.

All to often we just skim the surface of His Word. We seek out what applies to us rather than dig deep and actually go further in our search to know more about Christ. But we should!

So I challenge you today to go a little deeper. Search a little longer. And come out knowing more about Christ than you did before. Don't just feed your heart an appetizer, feed it the main course.

I promise God will show and teach you something, if you will just allow Him to.

S-Share more depth of God's Word with someone.

We Know Not

We know not the hour nor the day when the Lord will come, but one thing we are sure of, is He will come.

     Are you preparing for His arrival?

We know not the hour nor the day when our last breath will be taken, but one thing we are sure of, is it too will come.

     Will it be Jesus whom you see?

Altar Sunday

Would you join me at the altar, as we lift up the families of those in the Boston Bombing, the young man and his family whose lives are forever altered because of his decisions, along with all those in West, TX who were involved in the Fertilizer Explosion.

Ladies, It's Your Choice

"There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

"A gossip tells secrets, so don't hang around with someone who talks to much." Proverbs 20:19

She seeks friendship and is as sweet as can be when you first get to know her. But as the friendship progresses, you notice some things in her speech changes. Her words turn into more and more gossip and unhappiness.

The conversations seem to be geared more towards negative statements about herself and others and less about Jesus and what was once her main topic, the lost and His Word. 

This begins to bring so much confusion about her real desires and motives. 

Finally after months of hanging out you begin to realize every time you leave you feel less and less encouraged, and more frustrated. You begin to hear more and more negative comments. Disagreements begin, forceful opinions come rushing in, and all of the sudden you find yourself brought into situations that begin to portray a poor reflection of you. Not only that but you notice you have begun to speak the same way. 

 

The next thing you know, the gossip that has been done, comes back, and you realize she has went from person to person, and what you once believed has turned out to be the completely false. She has been twisting the words of others. 

This brings even more confusion. 

How do you handle this? 

Ladies, I am not sure if you have ever experienced a friendship such as this or if this description describes you. But may I share with you something every women needs to hear? 

Gossip is the quickest thing to destroy a friendship and your character. 

Negativity leaves a distaste in the mouth of others. It's not attractive, and it is a downer. If we are all honest, we will admit we are all guilty of both of these. 

No matter what, when we gossip, it eventually gets back to the person or persons we are gossiping about, and do you know what that does to their hearts?

It hurts it, and even plants a small seed of anger within it. That can and will eventually sprout resentment, bitterness, and hatred. Thus, causing dissension among one another. 

Why in the world would we want to be the cause of that? 

Do you know who else it hurts? God!

Ladies can we let that sink in for a minute. When we speak poorly of others or speak negative about ourselves, we are hurting the Lord. We are sinning, and we are acting opposite of what His Word says.

When our speech reflects gossip and negativity, it reflects a heart that flows more on the selfish side rather than on the Christ like side. 

But take hope! God can help us with this! Believe me, I am a testament to His faithfulness, and I can say that because, I have set on both sides of this. I have done it, and I have been around those who do it. 

I can tell you, if you will seek God's counsel, help, and protection, and give Him control of your thoughts, speech and friendships, He WILL help you, keep you accountable, and guide your tongue as you speak.

Not only that, but ladies, we need to be praying for God to surround us with Godly women who desire to do nothing but live out God's Word, love others, who are prayer warriors and will be an encouragement to us.

That way, when we reach out to other women around us, we will have a strong support group to fall back on that, strengthens us, holds us accountable, prays for and with us, builds us up, and in doing so together, we all become stronger for the Kingdom of God. 

I can tell you, that the Godly Women the Lord has placed around me, is one of the greatest blessings. I have prayed for these women and love these women as though they are my own flesh and blood. And though none of them live by me, it doesn't matter. God still allows us the opportunity to pray with each other and for each other. Whether through a text, email, or phone call we are always building one another up, through Scripture, love, and an encouraging word. It is a NECESSITY. 

 Ladies, if we desire to be women that reflect the very image of Christ, we have to have Godly women in our lives that will push us closer to Christ, rather than the world. These women will reflect the description given in Titus 2:3-5.

         "Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord. They must not go around speaking evil of others and must not be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God."

So I want to challenge you today. I want to challenge you to evaluate your speech and thoughts according to the Word of God. 

Are they fruitful or fruitless?

Are they kind and loving or mean and hurtful?

Do they build others up or tear them down?

Do they reflect Christ and His Word or do they reflect selfishness and the world?

Do they express God's faithfulness and your trust in Him or do they express doubt?

Then, I want to challenge you to spend about 30 minutes in prayer about your friendships. Ask the Lord if these friendships;

Push you closer to Him

Build you up in the Lord

Encourage you through prayer and Scripture

Are pleasing to Him

Do the conversations bring Him glory

Trust me, He will reveal to you whether or not they are good and pleasing or if they are displeasing. This won't be easy!!! Oh, mercy believe me. But I promise you, if you are obedient, you will be blessed.  

Listen to Him, sweet one!

 Finally I want to challenge you to ask yourself and if you are courageous (most of us would rather not say anything to upset someone, but little do we keep in mind, we are hurting someone and sinning when we allow gossip to be spread) enough to ask the person you are with that is gossiping the following questions.

Is what you or I saying, going to bring honor to the Lord?

Is what you or I saying, going to build this person up or tear them down?

Is what you or I saying, based off of jealousy and self?

Ladies we all have a motive behind what we say and the friends we have. Let's make sure that motive lines up with the Word of God. And let's also remember, God can and will set us free and deliver us from this, IF, we really want to be set free from it. 

I will also say, unfortunately this will be something we battle the rest of our lives, but God will give us the strength, the courage, and the discernment to know which friendships will be good or bad. He will even intervene on our behalf and remove those friendships that are not pleasing to Him, when we draw near to Him and stay in constant prayer.      

Let's be women that live out this amazing description of love. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps not record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Jesus help us to become women who are loving, kind and merciful. I pray you move us to complete discomfort anytime we begin to speak negatively about ourselves or someone else. Set us free from this sin that entangles us. Help us, as godly women, to rise up and be peacemakers. Jesus this has become such a normal thing now that we have forgotten how much it displeases You. Jesus break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Forgive us for acting opposite of what Your Word says. Reveal to us any friendships that are displeasing to You and help us to remove ourselves from them. And as we do, I pray You bring godly women into our lives that love and desire to live according to Your truth in all ways. Amen

"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

To help you do just that, here are some additional passages from God's Word that would be great to store in Your heart.

Proverbs 10:32

Proverbs 11:9

Proverbs 11:12

Proverbs 11:13

Proverbs 11:17

Proverbs 12:18

Proverbs 12:26

Proverbs 13:17

Proverbs 15:1

Proverbs 15:4

Proverbs 15:28

Proverbs 16:24

Proverbs 16:28

Proverbs 17:9

Proverbs 18:2

Proverbs 18:4

Proverbs 18:7

Proverbs 18:8

Proverbs 18:19

Proverbs 18:20-21

Proverbs 20:3

Proverbs 25:8-10

Proverbs 25:18

Proverbs 26:20-28

Proverbs 27:9

Proverbs 27:17

And many many more..keep searching His Word sweet one!

Jesus Enter the Heart of Someone Today

Find comfort in God's Word today sweetness.

"I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3

"The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger-so why should I tremble?" Psalm 27:1

"But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We depend on the Lord alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in his holy name." Psalm 33:18-21

"I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. I cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears. For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear him, and he rescues them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! Let the Lords' people show him reverence, for those who honor him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will never lack any good thing." Psalm 34:4-10

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." Psalm 46:1

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this violent storm is past." Psalm 57:1

Father Your Word never returns void. As Your Word goes out, I pray it ministers to the hearts of all people all around the world. Jesus, it is my deepest pray today that at least one person comes to know You as they read Your Word. Use us today to share of Your greatness with someone who doesn't have You in their hearts. Amen

What Will It Take?

"We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life." 1 John 5:18-20

What will it take?

What will it take for you to see how fleeting this life is?

What will it take for you to understand the urgency?

What will it take for you to see that today is the day of Salvation.

What will it take for you to turn from your sins and turn to God?

What will it take for you to understand that death is around the corner?

What will it take for you to see that when death comes, it's either heaven or hell?

What will it take for you to stop trusting in the things of this world?

When will you put your trust in Christ?

When will you realize your need...Your need for Jesus?

When will you cling to the Word of God and be cleansed?

When will you understand His love and mercy is like no other?

When will you lift your eyes to heaven and know that is where your help comes from?

When?

When faithful one will you begin to proclaim the goodness of God as though you only had minutes to do so?

When faithful one will you rise up as One Body and let your light shine?

It is that light that dispels all darkness. It is that light that draws the lost and broken in.

It is His Word we must fill our thoughts with.

Why Religious leaders do you stand before America honoring the lost and victims of the Boston bombing, yet not speak or mention the name of Jesus Christ. For it is He who brings healing.

Yes, it is true, the words you have spoken of coming together and uniting as one. But let's unite as a Body of Christ, and allow His bonding adhesive to bring down the worst of enemies, Satan. For even he can't stand against the power and authority of God almighty!

It is Jesus Christ who provides protection.

It is Jesus Christ who brings comfort.

It is He, Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

It is He, who sees all things, knows all things, and is among all people.

It is Jesus Christ that America is in need of.

It is Jesus Christ whom we must cling to, draw near to, and seek in the midst of our suffering, sorrow, fears and pain.

Why is the Word of God not spoken?

For it is the Word of God that will bring understanding to the confused.

It is the Word of God that will reveal the truth of why these things happen.

It is the Word of God that will penetrate even the hardest heart.

It is in the Word of God, America that you will find a loving and merciful God.

When will you stop trusting in man, and start trusting in the Creator of Heaven and Earth. It is He who knit you together in your mother's womb, just as He did the man you put so much faith in. Your lives are both fleeting.

It is Jesus we should point all people to. 

We should be on our knees in prayer, seeking the face of Christ.

Turn to Jesus all you who are weary and worn. Turn to Jesus all you who are broken and afraid. Turn to Jesus all you who are confused and searching.

In Jesus there is hope. In Jesus there is comfort. In Jesus there is healing. In Jesus there is protection. 

In Jesus there is courage. In Jesus there is peace!

When will you see that faith in self and man is futile.

We must stop questioning the power, love and existence of God. 

We must stop asking, "Why does this loving God allow bad things to happen to good people." and start trusting in His promises and faithfulness. Open His Word and let Him tell you why these things happen. Let Him cover you with something so new, so real, so life-giving, that you will never go back to your old ways of living and thinking. (Read Job 38)

Find hope here, here in the Word of God. 

"I look up to the mountains-does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never tires and never sleeps. The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not hurt you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." Psalm 121:1-8

Where are You Faithful One?

Where are you faithful ones? Are you drinking from the living water? Have you wandered off, by the lures of the world?

Where are you faithful ones who seek the face of God. Show yourselves! 

Where are you?

Why have you hidden? Why are you afraid?

What can mere mortals do to you? 

I am your protector. I am your strength. I will lead you through the battles. 

Where are you faithful ones who gather together, come out and show yourselves faithful and true.

Why do you hold back? Why do you shy away?

Stand up. Stand strong. Stand out. 

For I the Lord your God, need workers. Workers to go out into the fields. Workers who will plant and those who will harvest.

Where are you, faithful ones? I see and hear the decisions, yet I see so little disciples.

Why is your light so dim, faithful ones?

Why do you hide it with things, and fears, and insecurities?

My Word is your armor, my Son's life is your security.

Won't you rise up and proclaim my name?

Come to me and let me fill you up. Let me, the Great I Am, fill you FULL of Faith, for then you will go out into the world as one who indeed is faithFUL.

"Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts. May the Lord bring their flattery to an end and silence their proud tongues. They say, 'We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own-who can stop us?' The Lord replies, 'I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.' The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land." Psalm 12:1-8

Yet We Do It Anyway-

S-Romans 1-31-32

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-thankfulness for what Christ has done for us

L-Yet We Do Them Anyway

-"They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too."  Romans 1:31-32

~I know this sounds crazy, but if we are honest with God, ourselves, and others, we will admit, in someways this hits our hearts, convicts us, and even describes us.

 Often times we refuse to understand that God's ways and timing is best.

We break our promises,rather made to God or others, we break them.

We can be heartless and unforgiving (Do you know anyone right now you need to forgive and haven't? Have you been heartless towards or about someone who has hurt you?)

We even encourage others to do them too.

      Let's look at some ways we do this and are either aware of it or not.

       ~Lying-this is done so much, it has almost become natural.
       ~Gossip-oh mercy, has this not become the norm. We all allow it and even do it.
       ~Complaining-Once one person starts, it comes a flood. Complaining is the biggest killer of joy and thankfulness.
       ~Greed-Our society reeks of greed. It says the only way to be happy is to have more money in your pocket. How do we encourage others to become greedy, by being materialistic.
       ~Drinking-For some reason and at some point, someone offered you a drink, and you took it. Then you did the same thing. Whether it was a parent, a brother or sister, friend, cousin, whomever, influence  and encouragement (in a negative sense) was there.
       ~Disrespect- This has become so contagious. It starts in our homes. If our children see us disrespecting our spouse, they will begin to do the same thing. If they see us disrespect someone else, they will too. It will take root within them so quick, that going back to make it right will be even harder than if we just displayed respect in the first place. Brethren, we have to get a hold of this. If we can so easily disrespect each other, how much more can and do we disrespect Christ? If we struggle with disrespect we need to look and evaluate whether we respect or disrespect Christ.

Again, this is not to be taken negatively. It is to be taken with understanding of God's boundaries set for us. It is to be taken as it is, be aware, check yourself according to the Scriptures, and take accountability for your own actions.

God gave us the very best, we need to give Him the very best. Not because we have to, but because we want to. Because we get to. Because we are so grateful and indebted and addicted to His amazing love.

Jesus, search us and know our hearts. Test us and know our thoughts. Point out anything in us that offends you and lead us along the path of everlasting life. Jesus help us to begin to take responsibility for our own actions. Help us to constantly stay inside the boundaries You have set for us. Thank You for giving them to us, to protect us and keep us safe, and to stay in fellowship with You. Jesus help us to put forth the effort to be consciously aware of every decision we make, every word we speak, every action, and even how we are encouraging others. Forgive us Jesus for hurting You with our refusal to understand, to obey, and to confess our unfaithfulness and sin. Amen

Not A List to Condemn You, Rather to Protect You

S-Romans 1:28-30

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-Faith

L-It's Time to Own Up

     -Can I just say, there is so much meat, depth, and conviction in Chapter 1. Sheeish! God had a purpose didn't He? He did not want Paul to waste anytime in addressing the sinfulness of man.

   -Jesus as we dive into these next two verses, open our hearts and minds to hear from You. Reveal to us if any of these sins listed are within us. Jesus let us not walk away without handling and owning up to our own sinfulness. We want to hear from You, without any hindrances. Bring Your Word to life today. Amen

"When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents." Romans 1:28-30

Why did the Lord abandon them to their evil minds and let them do things they never should do?

           -The same reason He placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the center of the garden and told Adam he was not to eat of it. Free will-and the choice to obey and choose God. (Genesis 3:1-5)

          -The Lord revealed Himself to the Israelites numerous times, and yet they chose to follow their fleshly desires and wants.

          -God wants our love and obedience because we love and know what He has done for us, not because we have to.

        -God set the boundaries for them, and they chose to step outside of them. So do we! Here is where we start owning up and confessing our sin.

As a result of their choices, they became full of every kind of evil.

Wickedness               Sin                              Greed
Hate                          Envy                           Murder
Fighting                    Deception                    Malicious behavior
Gossip                      Backstabbers               Haters of God
Insolent                     Proud                          Boastful
Disobedient              And inventing new ways of sinning

Are any of these found in you? Would you take a minute and ask the Lord to show you the sins that are lurking within you. Then as He does, confess them out loud to Him, repent from them and do them no more. Remember this is about you, not about anyone else. So, the person you might be thinking of, stop. This is about each of us taking responsibility for our own actions and choices.

Yes, you will have to do this EVERY SINGLE DAY, until Jesus takes you home, but your relationship with Christ is worth it. He is worth it.

Paul warned Timothy in the last days there would be difficult times such as these, and how true that is.

"You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly." 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Brethren, this list is not to bring condemnation upon you. Rather it is Christ setting boundaries to protect you.

Thank Him for these boundaries. Thank Him for His protection and love. Spend time with Him in His Word and allow Him to surround you with His boundaries of love.

As you spend time with Him, tell Him of any boundaries you have crossed and seek forgiveness today.

S-God's boundaries with someone today. Tell them why God has set boundaries for us. Tell them they are to protect us. Express to them, that it is a sign of His love. Pray with them, and if they have crossed those boundaries share of God's forgiveness through Christ.

Altar Sunday

"You are the light of the world-like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14-16

Today, as we gather together, I pray God will remove anything that is causing our "Light" to be dim so that as One Body we can come together and shine brightly for Him.

Don't be afraid to shine, sweet one.

Working Together

"Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong." Romans 14:1

Many times we have issues in the Church that we disagree with, but we must be careful not to force our opinions onto others within the Body or cause division.

We are to build up the Body of Christ. The Lord teaches us that approved workers are to "avoid godless, foolish discussions that lead to more and more ungodliness. This kind of talk spreads like cancer." 2 Timothy 2:16-17

We need to be careful and not spend so much time focusing on things that are unhelpful to the Body, nor should we claim to know more than we really do.

"You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for." 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

We should ask ourselves several questions.

1. Is this helping the Kingdom?
2. Is this hindering Spiritual growth
3. Are our motives pure or selfish?
4. Is this based off of our own opinion or God's truth?
5. Will this benefit those weak in faith or hinder their growth?
6. Is this bringing unity among the Body or division?
7. Have we spent adequate time in prayer?

If you are not sure how to respond, it's better to remain quiet and spend time in prayer than activate the flow.

"Don't talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!" Proverbs 10:19

Let's work together and build up the Kingdom. Let's live our lives in such a way that those who are lost will see the love and unity of believers and want to be a part of it.

Jesus show us how to bring unity to Your Body. May we always stay humble and never place more wisdom upon ourselves than we actually have. Jesus guide us by Your truth, teach us Your ways, give us knowledge and understanding to teach those You have called us to. May we use discernment and Your truth at all times. May we always stop and examine our thoughts and motives with Your Word. Amen

It's Wrong, Period!

S-Romans 1:26-27

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-the peace of being made right in God's sight by faith

L-Abandoned

      -"That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved." Romans 1:26-27

        I hope you have had time to digest these next several verses. Because I believe God makes His point very clearly we will not go into great detail. His Word really does speak for itself.

       So with that, let's get straight to the point.

          -Homosexuality is wrong!

Leviticus 18:22-says, "Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin."

It is detestable to the Lord and if you continue to practice this sin, you too, will suffer within yourselves the penalty you so richly deserve.

Harsh, extremely. Necessary, extremely. Important, extremely. Is there hope, absolutely.

Come to the Lord and confess your sins. Ask Him to deliver you from them and bring you into the light, and believe that He will.

Stop believing the lies that you were born this way, that is a lie from Satan himself. It goes against the very Word of God.

Stop believing the lies that it is okay and that God made you that way. That too, is a lie and goes against the very Word of God.

Stop being accepting of it, don't take it lightly, the Lord doesn't and either should we.

How are we to handle this. Love the person, but hate the sin they are entangled in. Speak God's truth to them. Don't be accepting of it. Yes we can love them, but don't lead them to believe we are okay with their lifestyle. We don't have to do this in a negative manner, we can do it in love and truth.

Pray for them. Pray daily they begin to grow a distaste for it.

Brethren this breaks the Heart of God. It should breaks ours too.

I want to close with 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
 
    -"Don't you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers-none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you."

S-God's hope and mercy with someone today. Speak God's Word into their life. 

Not Just Because It's Wrong, but Because It Breaks His Heart

Before we break these next few passages down, I just want you to chew on them a little bit, in hopes that as you swallow, God will make Himself known, and the sadness and sickness that fills His heart will also fill yours. 

Not just because it's wrong and disgusting, but because it devastates the Lord.

Jesus break our hearts for what breaks Yours!

"That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.  And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.  Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.  They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.  They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too." Romans 1:26-32

Jesus as we chew on the depth, the reality, the sadness of these verses, let them open our eyes and break our hearts. Speak to us through these passages. Speak directly to our hearts and show us any of these sins that You see in us. Amen

What If We Stopped Celebrating Birthdays?

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan-this rebirth comes from God." John 1:12-13

Do you remember the day the Lord changed your life-the day you were saved? I often wonder why we don't celebrate this day more? It should be celebrated more than some of the other occasions we celebrate.

Why? Because it was the day when our new life, our new birth took place. We celebrate the day we entered the world, but why not celebrate the day eternal life began?

Brethren, think about this with me. The day Christ entered your heart, was the day you died to your old self. It was the day the Lord revealed His love to you. It was the day you realized you were a sinner in need of a Savior. It was the day that you decided you wanted to spend forever with the King of Kings that created you. It was the day Jesus came flooding in, set you free, and covered you with His blood. It was the day He bridged the gap between you and God. It was the day you stepped out in complete faith and said to the world I am His and He is mine. It was the day you overcame your fear of what others thought and went tot the cross, knowing what He thought. 

It truly was a life-changing day. It was the biggest day of your life! So why not celebrate it and tell others about it? 

What if we stopped celebrating our Birthday's and instead celebrated our Lifeday's? 

Birthday's are only a celebration of age, but Lifeday's are a celebration and reminder of what God has done in us, through us, and for us. 

I wonder with each passing year, as that day rolled around, if it wouldn't constantly draw us back to our first love and how that moment felt when Christ entered our hearts.

I can't imagine us NOT celebrating that day with joy and love and excitement. Can you?

"As the Scripture tells us, 'Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed." Romans 10:11

What do you think?

Don't Believe the Lies-Choose the Truth

S-Romans 1:25

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-God's peace through faith

L-Believing the Lies


 Side Note: Before we dive into verse 25, you might want to take a quick peek over here to refresh on what we studied in verse 24. It will help keep everything in context. 

     "Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen Romans 1:25

         -There are two words in this passage that jump out at me. Deliberate and Chose.

                 Instead of believing the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe the lies. Wow!

What an earth would drive them to make such a crazy decision, especially after they had seen God's presence and hand right in the center of everything?

        -Selfish desires and wants would be the correct answer to this, and it has really become an epidemic today. We allow our Miss "Me's" (Or if you are a man your Mr. "Me") to step in and take charge, and in doing so, we would rather believe the lies because it benefits us better. The lies allow us to be able to keep doing the sins that our flesh desires.

       -The truth-it exposes us! The truth of serving God requires us to die to our selfish desires and that angers our Mr and Miss "Me's" because it means he/she no longer has control.

     -The truth reveals our sinfulness and our need for Christ.

    -"So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen"

            -This was an easier route for them. Moses was gone and they needed someone to lead them, so who better than a man-made idol that suited their wants and desires. "When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing. In terrible anger, he threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. he took the calf they had made and melted it in the fire. And when the metal had cooled, he ground it into powder and mixed it with water. Then he made the people drink it. After that, he turned to Aaron. 'What did the people do to you? he demanded. How did they ever make you bring such terrible sin upon them?' Don't get upset, sir, Aaron replied. 'You yourself knew these people and what a wicked bunch they are. They said to me, 'Make us some gods to lead us, for something has happened to this man Moses, who led us out of Egypt.' So I told them, 'Bring me your gold earrings.' When they brought them to me, I threw them into the fire-and out came this calf!" Exodus 32:19-24

    -Though we are not forming idols out of gold, we still form idols out of other things. We have discussed them several times before; money, self, TV, our spouse, our Pastor, our job, our looks, our friends, our children, etc..

         So I ask again, what idols have you placed before the Lord? Have you deliberately chose to ignore the truth of God, to believe the lies, the lies that please your flesh?

As the Israelites soon found out, you can't place any idol before the Lord and get away with it. 3000 Israelites died that day due to their sinfulness. (Exodus 32:27-28)

Brethren, are you deliberately choosing to believe the lies? Why? Let's be honest before the Lord today.

Let's seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal to us any idols that we have placed before Him, and any lies we are believing that go against His truth.

None of us are immune to this. We all have believed the lies at some time or another. And we have the help of TV, Internet, magazines, the music we listen to, to fill us with so many lies that we begin to believe them and even form our opinions based off of them.

Ladies, we believe we have to be or look a certain way in order to be liked and accepted. That is a lie. We are a child of God. He created us and loves us the way we are. For some, we have made beauty and appearance become our idol. Let's remove it.

We believe we have to put on a front, because if anyone knew our struggles, our past, they would think bad about us. Those are lies. God wants us to be real and honest with one another. He wants us to be merciful and forgiving, just as He is.

We don't have to be someone or something we are not. God wants us to be who He created us to be, and to love Him more than we love anyone or anything else. His opinion matters the most.

Don't believe you are not good enough or worthy enough. Those are lies!

Don't believe it is cool to have sex before marriage or that it is okay to live with someone before you are married. Satan is filling you with those lies. I don't care if the world says it's okay. IT'S NOT!

Ladies don't listen to his lies, as he tells you it's okay to cheat. IT'S NOT!

Just remember we too, like the Israelites, will not get away with giving in to the lies and acting on them.

Let Jesus cover you in His truth and promises. Place Him first in your life. Be honest with Him and with others.

S-Share your heart with Christ today. Lay it all out, every lie you have believed and/or are believing, every idol you know you have placed before Him, and ask Him to help you overcome them. Find a friend that is grounded in the Word and ask them to help keep you accountable.



   
       



 

Let's Offer Christ's Love to Someone Today

Somehow in the midst of our brokenness, we find an ounce of strength to cry out. We cry out for help, hope, a hand.

Yet in that desperate cry, we often find the place we look to the most, is coming up short. We find that our desperation has become greater than we ever imagined. The feeling of failure, fear, hopelessness, is exactly what Satan uses to rob us of the joy and love God wants to shower us with.

It grips us with so much force we can't move an inch. And it is at that point, when we feel as though we are suffocating, we decide to take matters into our own hands. We tell ourselves, it's the only way out.

Suicide.

 It effects more people than any of us realize. Maybe your family has experienced it. Maybe you know of friends that have done it. Regardless of who it is, we all are aware of it.

Brethren, this is my fear in the Church. It is my fear that one of these, has found that ounce of strength and made their way into our Churches, to come up short. To have not found that hand, that hope, that love, they are longing for.

Oh merciful Lord open our eyes and give us discernment to see them, to reach out to them.

Maybe it's the complete opposite. Maybe it's a similar story to the one Rick Warren and his family are going through.

Maybe it was all there, all given, at all times. But the mental illness of it was greater, deeper, than anyone knew.

Comfort this family Father. Use this for Your glory. Give them the privacy they deserve and need to grieve.  Satan is attacking, Father. He is using those twisted and lost to utter ugliness about this family. And for that we rebuke Satan and command him in the Name of Jesus to get behind You. There, he has no power.

As a Body of Christ we need to reach out to those struggling with depression, brokenness, hurt, suffering and pain. We need to be the arms and feet of Jesus. Let's reach out our hands to them and pull them in. Let's cover them with the Word of God. Let's pray for them and with them. Let's remain consistent in our prayers and encouragement.

Let's allow our transparency to show. Let's lay any judgmental attitudes at the foot of the Cross, and pick up love and mercy.

Let's stop making others feel as though their problems are to much to handle. Let's not forget that we are to help carry the burden's of others.

We have a purpose, a purpose to love as Christ loves. Let's offer that to someone today.

Rick Warren is the Author of "The Purpose Driven Life." and his family desperately needs our prayers, as they mourn the loss of their son.

Would you pray for them today?

Altar Sunday

Today I pray for the leaders and Pastors in every Church. I pray their hearts will be aligned with Gods. I pray their focus will be on His Word.

 I pray they will remain humble and faithful.

I pray their desire is for Spiritual Growth rather than Number.

I pray for their prayer life.

I pray for courage, boldness,strength, and rest for them

I pray for their families.

I pray that the Holy Spirit is alive and that the undeniable presence of God is felt.

But most of all, I pray for unity and revival within the Church.

Encourage your Pastor. Pray with him and over him. Take care of him and respect him.

Are You Stubborn?

"Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you." 2 Chronicles 30:8

Yesterday we discussed  how God allowed the Israelites to do whatever shameful things they wanted to in Romans 1:24. 

And I really wanted to expand on this a little more, by asking, if you have an area of sin in your life that you have been battling for sometime now. 

Maybe your not battling it and are extremely aware of it, yet you don't want to stop or get out of it. 

Whatever the case is for you, I pray God will make it real to you today. 

 I pray He will get your attention and reveal to you all the reasons you have to stop. You need to stop. And then I pray He will show you how to be set free from it. How to destroy it and remove it from your life. 

I pray you know, that whatever it is, God can handle it. Give it to Him. Relinquish control. 
Don't wait until it's too late. 

Don't ignore the Lord any longer. 

God Let Them and He Let's Us

S-Romans 1:24-25

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-Pure Faith

L-God Let Them Choose

     I wish we could all pull up a chair, grab our coffee and go through this face to face. I know the fellowship would be wonderful, and the coffee would be great too. I REALLY enjoy sharing God's Word with you. Thanks for joining me everyday. :)

   ***"So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen" Romans 1:24-25

These two passages bring about a sadness, shame, and even a little bit of anger and frustration, and not just because of their ignorance but because of ours too.

Let's look at a couple of things to help us grasp these passages a little better. It will be lengthy so we will do this over the next two days.

 1. Verse 24-"God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies." 

            -Who is Paul referring to? The Israelites.
            - Let's back up and take a deeper look into this. This is where it gets long, but good, so stick with me.

                        **Exodus 32-I recommend you read all of 32, because we are only going to look at a section.

                               -"Then the Lord told Moses, "Quick! Go down the mountain! The people you brought from Egypt have defiled themselves. They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They have made an idol shaped like a calf, and they have worshiped and sacrificed to it. They are saying, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt." Exodus 32:7-8

                              -Now, lets flip over to Psalm 81:8-12

                                       "Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen! You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around, So I let them follow their blind and stubborn way, living according to their own desires."


                                  Let's break this down and apply it.

      A). From the time the Lord rescued the Israelites from Egypt all the way to the Promise Land, He made Himself known. Through the plagues, the escape in itself, the Pillar of Fire and the Pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21) parting the Red Sea, every battle, bringing down the walls of Jericho, raining down manna, etc. God reveled Himself to them.

                         And yet, they still turned away from Him. We do the same thing. God reveals Himself to us in so many ways, yet in our ignorance we too turn away, ignoring all He has done. We turn to our selfish wants and desires just as they did.

                     How are we similar to the Israelites?
                             1. We both put idols before the Lord
                             2. We both doubt His protection
                             3. We doubt His power and strength to deliver us
                             4. We make God be someone we want Him to be
                             5. We are stubborn and live according to our own desires
                             6. We do vile and degrading things with our bodies and other's bodies
                             7. We believe and even listen to the lies.

This all seems so harsh to say doesn't it, but it is true. At some point, we have done 1 or 2 or all of these things.

          And just as God allowed them, He allows us. But take note, in due time we will all have to answer to Him, and we will reap the consequences of our choices.

         What do we need to take from this? What can we learn from this particular passage, Romans 1:24?

We can learn many things, one, we need to understand God allows us to make the choices we make. He gives each of us free will. He didn't force the Israelites to love Him. He didn't force them to do anything. He gave them the choice in hopes they would choose Him, worship Him and love Him.

 The Lord promised to deliver them and lead them to a place flowing with milk and honey, and all they had to do was give themselves completely to Him. He wanted their trust, their love, and their obedience.

He wants the same for us today. God wants to lavish us with the greatest and best. Which is His greatest and best, not what we think it should be. His is far more wonderful than ours ever will be. He wants all of us!

Do you have areas in your life that you need to surrender to the Lord? Do you know His promises, yet doubt? If so, climb up to the mountain. Spend some time with Him and let His love shine upon you.

Get in the Word and cover yourselves with it.

S-Go tell someone three things God has done for you.
         
           

Utter Fools

S-Romans 1:21-23

S-"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1

A-Complete Faith

L-Utter Fools

   "Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes." Romans 1:21-23


   * First off, let's make note that Paul is referring to the Israelites. I would love to say I knew this but I didn't and I don't want to take it out of context by referring to someone else. I had help! (Thanks Allen)

Once Allen told me who Paul was referring to it made perfect sense. It even made this passage come alive in a whole new way.

It will for you too. Especially if you are familiar with the story of the Israelites.

Jesus bring this to a level of understanding for us today. 

 The Israelites knew God, but they chose not to worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. Which blows my mind being on this side of the Cross, seeing how God protected them, guided and went before them and how much He had provided for them.

-And just as I was in awe of their foolishness, God reminded me, we too can be foolish just like them. We know God, yet so often we choose to ignore Him, to not worship Him, nor give Him thanks for all He has done and provided for us.

            We take so many things for granted that God has blessed us with. The Israelites wandered through the wilderness for 40 years and their clothes nor their shoes ever wore out. To me that is something to be grateful for. They never went hungry and instead of thanking God for what He provided, they griped.

  Does any of this sound familiar to you, maybe because we do it to. We have a pantry full of food, yet we gripe that we have nothing to eat. We have clothes and shoes to wear, yet we gripe that they are old and not good enough. We have a roof over our head, yet we gripe that it is not big enough, nice enough, etc.

-As though that wasn't bad enough, they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. Oh mercy brethren, we do that too.

        Let's look at some ways we do that.

                   1. We make God up to be someone who has a bunch of rules and lists.

                   2. We make God up to be this kind, loving, everyone goes to heaven no matter what person.

                   3. We make Him up to be a harsh, condemning God that shows no mercy

                   4. We make Him up to be a God that should be who we want Him to be and how we want Him to be.

                   5. Or we straight up deny His existence.

                   6. We make Him out to be someone smaller than ourselves. We think we can do it better or be better.

                 We lack knowledge of who God is, because we lack the discipline to study His Word, and find out who He really is, and that makes us foolish.

As a result of this their minds became dark and confused, and so will ours. If we know God, yet don't spend time studying His Word, our minds will become dark and confused too.

If we try to make God up to be someone we want Him to be, our minds will become dark and confused.

And Satan loves it. He loves our lack of knowledge because he uses that against us. He loves when we make God up to be something He's not. Satan loves it when we choose not to worship or give God thanks. He loves and wants us to focus on ourselves, our problems and what we don't have rather than what we do.

Let us not forget what the Lord God has done for us. Let us not worship man made idols that look like people, birds, animals, or snakes.

We all at some time in our lives have placed an idol before God, and how we can tell is where a majority of our time is spent.

  What idols do you have in your life that are taking the place of God? Can you list them out?

Maybe it's your kids
Maybe it's your family
Maybe it's your job
Maybe it's television
Maybe it's technology
Maybe it's your hobby
Maybe it's money
Maybe it's yourself
Maybe it's a boyfriend, girlfriend or your spouse
Maybe it's________ you fill in the blank

God is a jealous God. "Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the Lord your God am a jealous God who will not share your affections with any other god!" Deuteronomy 5:8-9

He will NOT share our affection with any other god, person or thing!!

"A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash." Proverbs 15:14