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)