Need a perspective check?

Romans 5: 5

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Do you ever go through times of disappointment? I know I do.

During those times, maybe we should consider the hope that we have in the person of Jesus Christ.

In His loving way, He has poured into our hearts His love, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What kind of person would do that? The person of God Himself.

God has given us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit convicts us, and corrects us, and empowers us and counsels us.

We received the Holy Spirit, when we surrendered our broken lives to Jesus—when we earnestly accepted the free gift of Salvation.

If you don’t sense the Holy Spirit speaking to you, maybe you’ve not surrendered your heart.

The things of this world will always disappoint us, but the things of God’s Kingdom, will never disappoint us.

Maybe you like me, need a perspective check today……….

You are Rich!

Philippians 4: 19

And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

What a statement!

God SHALL supply ALL your needs according to His riches……..

Have you taken time to stop and think, about the riches that God has at His very finger tips?

If we had, we’d never ever question where our supply is coming from.

Understand, that everything there is on this earth, belongs to Him.

This declaration from Paul is all encompassing, and so why should that surprise us.

The Word of God, uses the word “all”, in many cases and in many examples.

In either case, God is never a, some of the time God, He’s an all the time God, and He is our all in all.

Do you see God that way? Do you believe He can supply all your need—whatever that need is?

This is the same God who called a handful of dirt to life in the form of Adam, and breathed life into his very nostrils.

Maybe you need a greater measure of faith, to believe in the things of God today.

Ask Him for that greater measure, but don’t be totally surprised, when He supplies all you will ever need…………..

Modeling Fruit

John 15: 4

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Jesus says, that for Him to remain in us, we have to remain in Him.

He also suggests that a part of remaining in Him, will generate fruit.

How would you say you’re doing, at remaining in Jesus?

I so often meet people who say one thing, and then do another, related to their faith.

Sometimes their actions, don’t match up with God’s Word.

Remaining in Jesus will have a specific look, and actually a specific fruit will be produced.

Jesus says that we can’t bear any fruit, unless we remain in Him.

We also can’t bear any fruit on our own doing—we have to remain in Jesus.

While we’re talking about fruit, what kind would you say you’re yielding these days?

A person who produces fruit, will exhibit unique spiritual tendencies and traits.

That person will stand out in the crowd. They will actually be a model of fruit, because they consistently remain faithful to Christ’s cause.

At the end of one’s life, all that will matter is the fruit that was produced.

This seems simple enough, but it all comes down to what we remain faithful to…………

No Regrets

2 Corinthians 7: 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.


Paul expresses here, that there is a difference between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.

 Godly sorrow is brought about by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Worldly sorrow on the other hand, is brought about when someone actually gets caught with their hand in the cookie jar. These kinds of people are just sorry they got caught.

 Godly sorrow on the other hand, brings about repentance, and repentance leads to true salvation. In the long run, this kind of sorrow actually feels good after a while, and in time. The other sorrow only brings about more guilt and more shame and more regret and actually more anger.

 Paul is telling us here, that in the end, world sorrow only brings about death. Godly sorrow brings about much needed change, and bountiful life.

 What a promise! No regret?

 I meet people every day with regrets. Maybe Godly sorrow along with a measure of true repentance, will bring about something good in the end?

 Paul sure seems to think so……..

What is your heart's direction?

Hebrews 3: 10 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.'


The writer of Hebrews, was reflecting on the rebellion that took place by the Israelites in the desert during the Exodus.

 God even declared an oath to His anger against His own people.

 As you start a new week, which direction is your heart? If we really knew the ways of God, our hearts would never go astray.

 Yet I talk to people real often—church people—who confess that their hearts are always embattled with sin.

 What would keep God, from declaring an oath of anger even now? The country that we live in, was once founded on the principals of the Gospel, but it sure looks like we have gone astray.

 Maybe He is angry? If we really knew God’s ways, our hearts would never go astray. Maybe we should study God’s Word, so we know what He expects…….

Reconciliation

1 Corinthians 11: 29 – 30 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

 Paul was teaching the church at Corinth about how important it was, that when taking Communion, our hearts are clean before God. The reason that there was much illness in the church at that time, and that some had even died, was because these people didn’t approach Communion with a sacred heart.

 In these last weeks of Lent, have we actually taken Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for granted? Remember who Paul was talking to. He was talking to those inside the church, not those outside of the church.

 I am in constant amazement, of how sometimes there is such little reconciliation offered in the church. I know of people even during this writing, who refuse to let go of a grudge. I am also aware of a number of people who refuse to offer forgiveness.

 These are just the kinds of people, Paul was addressing. Do you have a hard heart toward someone? Maybe we need to let God soften it, before someone falls asleep or gets sick.

 The sure answer isn’t to stay away from Communion, the sure fire way for freedom from judgment, is to get things right! In these last days as we walk toward the remembrance of Calvary, maybe this would be a very good place to start……..

Happiness

Psalm 146: 5 (NLT) But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

 There’s an important line in the Declaration of Independence. It says…. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

 People everywhere I go, are pursuing happiness. Some folks are just getting back their tax returns, and most of them will spend the money on something that will make them happy. I wonder how happy they’ll be, 6 weeks after their purchase?

 God’s Word on the other hand, says that those who are happy have God as their helper. How often do you seek God for help? While I’m asking, in what or in whom do you find true happiness these days?

 Jefferson had it right. Our right to pursue happiness, comes from our Creator. Oh how we’ve twisted the words of this great historical document, to mean something it was never intended to mean. The more I talk to people now a days, many of them think they’re happy, but they’re really not. Maybe it’s because they don’t have God as they’re helper?

 Most people even think they deserve happiness, but how they go about getting it is mixed up. My happiness truly comes from my God—the God that loves me, and loves me enough, that He’s even willing to correct me when necessary. I’m so happy He knows what’s best for me—and come to think of it—He knows what’s best for you too……………

Search my heart

Psalm 139: 22 – 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

. Interesting that when spiritual calamity came upon the nation of Israel, King David fell on knees and begged God to search him. Israel was in real trouble. Morality was at an all time low—the economy was in ruin—the military was weak and these people were in spiritual decline.

 Isn’t this a repeating story in history? I wonder if the USA isn’t headed down this same type of path? We often blame our pitfalls on the world, when in fact we should blame the people of the world. It’s not the world that’s godless, it’s the people of the world who are godless

. Maybe we need to acknowledge, that the blame for our problems, needs to rest securely on our shoulders. Are you brave enough to ask God to search you today? Here’s one of those tests again!

 What if the Holy Spirit reveals an offensive way in you—will you allow God to really deal with it? Like God needs my permission to know my heart.

 What’s in your heart, that keeps you from God? Frankly, giving God complete control, is the only way, we can be led in the everlasting way, and David figured that out—will you?

Wise choices

Proverbs 8: 33 – 34 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.


 This seems easy enough, doesn’t it? Listen to God’s instruction and be wise……

 This verse was written by a wise man. Solomon was given the chance by God to ask Him for any one thing, and Solomon chose wisdom. What a wise choice!

 How much of what God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, do we ignore throughout the day? How often do we just stop and remain still before the Lord, and then listen and wait for His still small voice?

 I often ask people….. “How much of God’s instruction are you listening to?” The answers range from, not at all, to… “Well, it sure does cross my mind now and then.”

 As much as we’d like to say, thinking about it, doesn’t really measure up to real willful listening and learning. 

Ezekiel 33:1 says that Ezekiel was a watchman. It also says that the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel. I’ll bet it was because Ezekiel listened to God, and watched daily at his doors. Another very wise choice!

 In the Last Days, Jesus said we should keep watch, because we do not know the day or hour of His return. How much are you keeping watch? How much are you listening to God? How much of what God wants to tell you, are you just flat out ignoring?

Be a Slave

1 Corinthians 9: 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.


 What a statement made by Paul, but then again knowing Paul’s nature, I’m not surprised he would make such a claim. Paul made himself a slave to everyone.

 So he could do what? So he could take advantage of anyone that would let him? No, so he could win as many as possible to the faith that he embraced. Will that be your goal this week? To be someone’s slave?

 Didn’t Jesus say something during the last supper, about being a servant? Maybe Paul was onto something.

Maybe we should take that foot washing thing that Jesus did to the disciples, literally. Wouldn’t that be a “win”—“win” proposition for everyone involved? I wonder if that’s what motivates us in our walk of faith, that we could win as many as possible?

 Maybe it’s time we take a deep look within ourselves, to see what really motivates us in the first place……

Trust

Psalm 31: 14

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."

Do you trust in God?

So many of us like to say we do, but when things get a little crazy in our lives, often times our actions/responses don’t look much like trust.

In preparing for Sunday’s sermon, I remembered that before the space shuttles, when the Apollo space flights were completed, the command module would descend and land in the middle of the ocean.

Out in the vastness of blue water, the astronauts would trust the people piloting the helicopter, to come and get them, and then escort them back to a waiting ship.

It was literally like finding a needle in a hay stack.

That’s the kind of trust we need in God. That in the vastness of this life, God is waiting to recover us and restore us if necessary.

He knows the plans He has for us, so why don’t we trust him, more than we do?

If He’s really our God, we will trust Him. If our God is something else, then we’ll trust in that.

It has become crystal clear to me overnight, that I surely need to trust in Him for everything………..

I am chosen!

1 Thessalonians 1: 4 – 5 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

 Did you ever stop to realize, that you’re chosen?

 If the Words of the Gospel weren’t enough, the power of the Holy Spirit was what was convincing. And with the power of Holy Spirit comes conviction—deep conviction.   Why is it that we shun conviction? Do you know that people actually leave churches, because of conviction? When conviction comes, we should actually stop right on the spot, and seek out God.

  If we’re truly brother and sisters loved by God, then we know that when conviction comes, it’s because He loves us. He wants the best for us, even if it means He’ll tell us something about ourselves, that He isn’t pleased with. That’s conviction.   So today, do nothing to keep the power from flowing.

Allow the Holy Spirit to move in power, and then make the change or changes He wants you to make. He fashioning you into the likeness of His Son, and He uses the element of conviction, to do so……..

No Pain-- No gain

Galatians 4: 19 But oh, my dear children! I feel as if I am going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.



 I’m so glad I’ve never found out what true labor pains are like, because I, like most men have a pretty low tolerance of pain.

Paul indicates that he feels like he’s going through labor pains again, so it must mean that he went through them once before. 

Could it be that the people of the church of Galatia, were slow to get what Paul was teaching? Now those kind of labor pains I can relate to!

 I am amazed at the number of people I minister to, who seem to understand the Gospel for a while, but then revert back to their old ways.

 Now I have an idea of why my hair is taking on this silvery shade. Our role—the role of a Christian is to spread the good news. We’re called to disciple and baptize people of all nations. This is a hard role, because the success rate isn’t very high. Paul essentially says that he’s going to stay the course until Christ is fully developed in the lives of these people.

 Being Christ’s ambassador is not for the weak and the faint of heart. It’s for those who will “continue”, and labor and never give up.

 Are you laboring today, for the cause of Christ? If you are, the will be many painful moments and circumstances, and I can certainly relate with that. What’s the old saying again? “No pain—no gain”……….

What are you ready for?

Luke 12: 40 “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 


 What are you ready for today? I often hear people say…. “I’m ready for anything!” Are you really ready for anything?

Some people these days, ready themselves for the sky to fall down upon them.
 They’re the kind of people who think only bad is going to happen to them, and they even anticipate it.

 Some folks are readying themselves for their tax return to come back, and can hardly wait to spend it on something that will bring them instant gratification. Others aren’t so fortunate at tax time. They’re readying themselves to send a check in the mail on April 17th.

 I don’t very often see people readying themselves for the return of Jesus. Jesus says by His own words, that He’ll come back at an hour we do not expect Him. We have all kinds of expectations, but none quite like the return of Christ.

 Are you living in expectation, for Jesus to return at any moment? It will show in how you’re preparing…….

Is God included in your plans?

Proverbs 19: 21

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

As we all begin a new week, I wonder how many of us have plans in mind?

We’re planners for sure. We plan meetings and meals and appointments and school activities.

Doesn’t it seem foolish, that a majority of our plans don’t often include God?

The Word says, that in the end, His purpose prevails, even if we’ve made too many plans for us to manage.

As you take some of your first steps today, maybe you need to carve out some time for the God who put this day in motion in the first place.

I wonder what might happen to your plans, if you consulted the One who’s purpose is going to prevail anyway?

What a great way to start a new week!

“He’s got the whole WORLD In His hands….”

Search my heart

Psalm 139: 23 – 24

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The world of medical technology, offers a plethora of tests these days, to check the heart.

The Psalmist though, is asking God to check his spiritual heart.

When’s the last time you asked God, to see if there was any offensive way in you?

When’s the last time, you earnestly asked God to search you? Not too keen on what He might find?

The cry of our hearts to God, should always be this plea for forgiveness, so that we can enter into this right relationship with the Father.

Our ultimate objective in our daily faith walk, is to be led by God in the everlasting way.

Before you get too far in this new day, ask God to test you, and whatever He reveals, be done with it.

If you have any anxious thoughts, be done with them too.

Paul actually said… “Do not be anxious about anything….”

Do you have life assurance?

Matthew 6: 31

“So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?”

At one time in the early American Christian church, many considered it a sin to purchase life insurance.

If we take today’s passage seriously, what other than trusting in God should we do, to protect our future?

Like anything else we do to control our lives, planning for the future can be sinful in some ways.

True enough, God does give us resources to use wisely, to make future plans.

There’s another kind of planning that we can do as an investment for the future….it’s what you’re doing right now!

Planning for the future should begin with bible reading—meditation—prayer—worship.

It’s a whole lot cheaper than life insurance, and by the way, your future has already been paid in full.

Our future is well protected my friends, because Jesus protects our investment, until we need it for the future.

Thanks to Jesus, that’s not life insurance, it’s actually called…… “Life Assurance”………..

Eternal Benefits

Proverbs 16:3

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

It seems so simple, doesn’t it?

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Maybe that’s why the plan of America seems to be unraveling.

We don’t often consult God much anymore, and we seem to be less and less committed to His cause.

Could it be that we’ve missed the key to success?

In ministry, I see people commit to some very strange things, and when their plans and lives get out of control, I try and redirect them.

I’m amazed at how detailed American people are, in planning for the future, without first committing those plans to God.

Sometimes we’re way too busy, to accept what God has to offer.

Is what you’re committed to today, going to bring you success for tomorrow?

Does this committed thing or things, have eternal benefits?

Once you realize you have done all you can do, and your plans still don’t have success, then commit what cannot do to the Lord.

Maybe today you need to take your hands off your plans, and commit them with your whole heart, to the Lord……

Forgiveness

1 Peter 3: 8 – 9

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Live in harmony with one another?

Are you at all like me? Just once I’d like to react in the flesh, and tell my brother a thing or two!

Do you know who Peter was talking to? People in the church.

I don’t often see the church work that way.

We’re not called to operate in the flesh—we’re actually called to be sympathetic and compassionate and humble.

We’re not called to tell our brother a thing or two—we’re called to be a blessing.

We’re supposed to be about being a blessing, so that we can inherit a blessing.

Someone once told me that they were considering forgiving me—for something I’m still not sure I did wrong.

That doesn’t sound like compassion or humility to me.

Can you imagine being on a forgiveness waiting list? Sure glad God doesn’t operate that way—I might be waiting for a very long time!!!

“Now serving….. number 44,709!!”

No, I’m not called to repay evil for evil—or insult with insult.

I have been called by God, to extend grace—and there’s obviously a blessing waiting for me if I operate that way.

There’s a blessing waiting for us friends, when we extend the blessing of forgiveness.

Who will you bless today

What is your testimony?

Acts 26: 22 – 23

Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ

would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

The words of scripture above, are words that Paul used to tell others about Jesus. All Paul did was tell his story of victory—and how had receive help from God.

I wonder why so many people have an issue with giving testimony of the things that God has done for them?

Paul witnessed to anyone—the influential—and the not so influential.

Paul didn’t add anything to the story—but only what scripture had revealed, and what had really happened.

So what’s keeping you from telling people your story?

Aren’t you one of the many who will receive this devotion today, who has received help from God?

Then tell people about it!

While we survive day to day in this dark and dying world—someone needs to proclaim the light…….

Child rearing

Isaiah 54: 13  (NKJV)

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

The family is the basic unit of society, and ever since the beginning of time, the family has been in trouble.

The best results for having a stable marriage, and for rearing children, has always been to follow the Word of God.

I wonder if this young boy in Ohio, who shot and killed his classmates last week, was brought up by the Lord?

The reason that the family is in critical condition today, is that we’ve not followed God’s rule for life.

The formula for a successful home life, is applying God’s Word.

As I read the morning news these days, I don’t see many testimonies of children who have peace.

I also don’t see many marriages, that are established and strengthened by the Word of God.

Maybe the God that performed the very first wedding in the Garden of Eden, knew a thing or two about marriage?

Maybe the God that our nation continues to neglect, knew a thing or two about raising children?

Consider what might happen, if we returned to the bible, to manage our families.

Consider what might happen to our families, if we returned to the God of the bible……….

Warning!

Revelation 22: 18 – 19

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book

Have you ever heard anyone ever say about the bible….. “Well, that’s open to interpretation.” or “It depends on how you interpret that verse.”

What floors me, is that I’ve never met a person yet, who was qualified to re-interpret what God meant.

God says that if you take words away from the bible—or add words to it, you’ll be sorry!

Often times, those expressive lines, are people’s way of saying….. “I don’t like what that means.” or “I’m not sure I’m willing to live that way”.

I used a line from Pastor Francis Chan in my message a couple of weeks ago, and it said and I quote again….. “If the literal sense makes sense—seek no other sense.”

Jesus said in John 6: 54….. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life….”

Then in verse 66 it says….. From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

That’s actually what’s happening in the church today. People don’t like the conditions of following Jesus. They don’t like what the bible reveals. They’d rather live, the way they want to live.

We change the words of Scripture, to fit our self pleasing, sinful, destructive lifestyle. “That’s open to interpretation!”

Well then, since we’re so good at the interpretation of scripture, interpret this verse……

“Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?

Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”  (Matthew 7: 23 – 23)