Thursday, August 31, 2006

Another Helper

Who among us could not use another helper?

JOHN 14:16-18 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another
Helper, that He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him,
for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

JOHN 14:26 NKJ
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all things that I said to you.

JOHN 16:7 NKJ
7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage
that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will
guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own
authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will
tell you things to come.

ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for sending your Holy Spirit to be my
Helper.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Open Eyes

2 KINGS 6:17 NKJ
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes
that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young
man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

What we see with our physical eyes is not all that's happening.

Spiritual forces are active around us. Unless God "opens our
eyes" we're in the dark to what's really happening.

Of course, it shouldn't be necessary for us to "see" into the
spirit realm to believe what God has said, such as that His
angels would keep charge of us always to protect us.

ACTS 26:18 NKJ
18 'to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.'

When God told Paul what his calling was, the first step
mentioned was "to open their eyes . . . that they may receive."

For us to receive all that God has provided for us, we must
also have "our eyes opened."

Our prayer needs to be that of the Psalmist.

PSALM 119:18 NKJ
18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

SAY THIS: Lord, open my eyes. Give me understanding and
insight.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Be Who You Are

1 CORINTHIANS 15:10 NIV
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am....

ROMANS 12:2 Wuest, An Expanded Translation
2 And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come
from within you and is not representative of what you are in
your inner being but is patterned after this age; but change
your outward expression to one that comes from within and is
representative of your inner being, by the renewing of your
mind, resulting in your putting to the test what is the will of
God, the good and well-pleasing and complete will, and having
found that it meets specifications, place your approval upon it.

God is a brilliant Creator. He only makes originals -- not
copies. According to Ephesians 2:10, you are God's work of
art.

God made you unique. So be all that God created you to be.

Don't try to be someone else. Don't try to be an ear in the
Body of Christ, if God made you a foot. Just be yourself.

This does not mean that you cannot improve, or grow. Growth is
part of God's plan. And we can certainly learn from others, and
imitate excellent actions and attitudes.

But too many people are insecure and hope to gain acceptance
from others by conforming to what they think will make them
popular or successful -- even though they hate it and know they
are not being real.

ROMANS 12:2 Phillips
2 Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own
mould....

Don't let the world pressure you into conforming.

Express the originality that God put within you. God made you
the way you are for a purpose -- His purpose.

This is not to encourage rebellion, of course. But it is not
God's plan for us all to be identical and do everything in the
same way.

I am not saying you have to try to be different. Just be who
God made you -- without fear.

Not everyone may like you, or what you do. But that is normal.
You can't always please everyone. Make it your aim to please
God by expressing what He made you.

ROMANS 12:2 NLT
2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let
God transform you into a new person by changing the way you
think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you
will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

The Bible reveals many truths about who we are once we receive
Jesus Christ. We actually receive new life, a new standing with
God, and new ability. As you feed the Word of God into your
thinking, that new life will be able to manifest more and
more.

SAY THIS: I am what I am by the grace of God. I will be what
God made me and fulfil His plan for me.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Faith Is The Victory

1 JOHN 5:4 NKJ
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is
the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

We all love to win.

Victory is sweet. One reason it's so sweet is that it's usually
not easy. Victory takes effort -- often great effort.

Effort is also required in the spiritual battle of good against
evil we are all engaged in. But the effort required of us is to
maintain our attitude of faith in God and His Word.

We cannot overcome the strategies of the devil by our
willpower, or by our own strength. We must use the spiritual
weapons God has provided for us.

As a child of God -- you are a winner! The victory is already
yours through what Jesus Christ did on your behalf. Don't let
the enemy steal the victory away from you.

Your enemy comes to steal your faith. Don't let it happen.

SAY THIS: I overcome and walk in victory by my faith in God.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Is Looking A Sin?

MATTHEW 5:28 NKJ
28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for
her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This Scripture seems to indicate that even seeing a woman, and
having the slightest thought of her attractiveness, could be a
serious sin.

We must remember that the New Testament was written in the
Greek language, and all English versions are translations done
by people who are fallible. Whenever a difficult verse
confronts us, it can often be helpful to consult those who are
expert in the Greek language. One way is to examine how other
English translators have rendered the verse. Another way is to
consult Bible commentaries.

R. C. H. Lenski, in his commentary on Matthew 5:28 says, "The
present participle characterizes the man by his act of
continued looking. The construction with the infinitive denotes
purpose (not result), it is somewhat like our phrase, 'with a
view to,' . . .

"Jesus does not say that by the accomplished lusting or by and
during the act of looking at the woman the man in question
commits adultery. The aorist, emphasizing the feature of the
time, precedes these acts. The man who casts lustful looks is
an adulterer to begin with. The sin is already "in his heart"
and only comes out in his lustful look. If the heart were pure,
without adultery, no lustful look would be possible."

Jesus confirms this interpretation in Matthew 15:19, showing us
that adultery, like other sins, begins on the inside.

MATTHEW 15:19 NKJ
19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

To clarify: the verse does not say that looking is committing
adultery. Instead, it says if you look lustfully, it is because
you have already made the decision to commit adultery.

The Jewish New Testament Commentary states, "The believer has
'the mind of the Messiah' (1C 2:15) and is not to nurture and
cherish improper sexual feelings, desires, urges and lusts. If
he does, then, for reasons explained at James 1:12-15, he will
succumb to the temptations they raise, give sexual fantasizing
undue control in his life and finally engage in wrong sexual
behavior such as adultery, fornication and homosexuality."

Just having a bad thought cross your mind is not sin, and is
not proof that you have it in your heart. It is only when you
embrace it and nurture it that it becomes yours and can get
into your heart.

William Barclay's translation reads, "But I tell you, if anyone
looks at a woman in such a way as deliberately to awaken within
himself the forbidden desire for her, he has already committed
adultery with her in intention."

In his commentary, William Hendriksen states, "Upon closer
examination we notice that there is nothing innocent about the
man described in verse 28. He is not one who, without any evil
intentions, happens to see a person of the opposite sex. No, he
is looking, gazing, staring at a woman in order to lust after
her, to possess and dominate her completely, to use her for his
own pleasure."

It seems safe to conclude that just looking at someone, even if
you notice their attractiveness, is not a sin by itself.

We do, however, need to be wise, and as the Bible instructs,
avoid temptation as much as possible. We should also cast down
thoughts that are not in line with God's Word and will for us.

The sinful thought precedes the sinful act. If we refuse to
entertain wrong thoughts, we will not commit sinful acts.

Whatever the exact meaning intended by Jesus, I am quite sure
He did NOT mean: (1) It is just as bad to think about adultery
as to do it, or (2) It is a sin to look admiringly at a
beautiful woman -- or a handsome man.

But if, while you continue looking, you are also planning how
to seduce her (or him), clearly you have now made the decision,
and all you lack is the opportunity to fulfil the act. So, you
are guilty of the intent to commit adultery -- you have already
committed adultery in your heart, as Jesus said.

SAY THIS: Lord, thank you for making my heart pure, and helping
me keep my mind pure. Thank you for all the beauty you have
created and helping me to enjoy it as you intended.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Lack Of Knowledge

HOSEA 4:6a NKJ
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

People wonder why Christians experience so much trouble in
life. The reason, according to the Bible, is a lack of
knowledge.

The Bible tells us the devil is out to destroy us, but it also
makes clear that we can overcome his attacks. The real problem
lies with our ignorance.

Real knowledge produces faith. When we really know something,
we have faith in it. Then we will act on that knowledge.

The reason God's people are hit with calamity is not because
God doesn't love us, or because God is not able to help us. It
is simply that we don't know the truth. If we really knew the
truth, we would act on that knowledge. Acting on true knowledge
makes you free -- not destroys you or puts you into bondage.

JOHN 8: 31-32 NKJ
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you
abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free."

God's Word is our instruction book. When we act on it, things
will work for us. God allows us to make choices. When we make
the right choices, we will be blessed.

Don't let the devil condemn you with this message. Instead, let
it give you hope. You can learn God's Word and act on it more
accurately in the future -- and be blessed!

SAY THIS: God gave me the knowledge in the Bible so I could
know the truth, act on it, and be blessed.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Honor Your Parents

EPHESIANS 6:2-3 NKJ
2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first
commandment with promise:
3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the
earth."

Think about this: God himself promises that if you will honor
your parents you will have a long and blessed life.

(Note that no exceptions are listed. Even if your parents were
terrible, this is still God's Word to you.)

What a promise!

So we need to learn from Scripture what God means by "honoring"
our parents, so we can do it and be blessed.

MATTHEW 15:4-6 NLT
4 For instance, God says, `Honor your father and mother,' and
`Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to
death.'"
5 But you say, `You don't need to honor your parents by caring
for their needs if you give the money to God instead.'
6 And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct
commandment of God.

Here we have Jesus telling one way that people are to honor
their parents: by caring for their needs.

So honoring your parents is not just speaking politely to them,
or telling others that they are great parents. If your parents
have needs, you should help them. In this way, according to
Jesus, you are showing them honor.

Here is Mark's account of the same speech:

MARK 7:10-12 NLT
10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: `Honor your
father and mother,' and `Anyone who speaks evil of father or
mother must be put to death.'
11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their
parents, `Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to
God what I could have given to you.'
12 You let them disregard their needy parents.

Obviously, letting your parents go with unmet needs, when you
could meet them, is the opposite of showing them honor.

Of course, the words we speak and the attitude we have toward
our parents, also indicates how we honor them.

The word translated honor means to value or prize. God is
telling us we should value our parents highly. When you
consider something valuable you take care of it, and speak well
of it. This is how you should treat your parents -- if you
desire God's blessing.

SAY THIS: I will honor my parents and God will bless me.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Jesus Prayed

LUKE 5:16 NKJ
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

But why?

Jesus prayed and He is our example. If prayer was necessary for
Jesus -- how much more so for us.

JOHN 13:15 NKJ
15 "For I have given you an example. . . .

LUKE 6:12 NKJ
12 . . . He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all
night in prayer to God.

MARK 1:35 NKJ
35 . . . a long while before daylight, He went out and departed
to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Jesus obviously impressed His disciples with His prayer life,
and the importance of prayer. They asked Him to teach them to
pray -- the only thing recorded that they ever asked Jesus to
teach them.

LUKE 11:1 NKJ
1 And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place,
when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord,
teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

SAY THIS: Jesus knows more than I do, so I will follow His
example and spend time in prayer with my Father God.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Believing Prayer Changes Things

We have authority in our domain and can choose to invite God's
involvement -- or not.

EZEKIEL 22:30 NKJ
30 "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and
stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should
not destroy it; but I found no one.

JOHN 16:23-24 NKJ
23 ". . . Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the
Father in My name He will give you.
24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you
will receive, that your joy may be full.

JOHN 14:13-14 NKJ
13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Christ has delegated a certain amount of His authority in the
earth to His Body, the church. Our decisions as believers --
which we can express in prayer -- make a difference in our
lives and others' lives.

MARK 11:24 NKJ
24 ". . . whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that
you receive them, and you will have them.

JEREMIAH 33:3 NKJ
3 `Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and
mighty things, which you do not know.'

PSALM 50:15 NKJ
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and
you shall glorify Me."

SAY THIS: God invites me to pray and believe, so His will can
be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Cursed By Blessings?

PROVERBS 10:22 KJV
22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no
sorrow with it.

What we might consider "blessings" don't always help people.
Sometimes they hurt.

We don't always know what is best for us. Often, what we think
we want turns out to be a big mistake.

Consider the case of two girls: one extremely beautiful -- the
other quite plain looking. Because of her natural beauty, the
one becomes totally self-absorbed. Thinking herself superior,
she grows haughty and proud, and, although rich and famous, has
no true friends.

She selfishly only seeks her own welfare and gives no thought
to other's desires or happiness.

As she grows older and less attractive, she cannot live with
not being the center of attention. Lonely and depressed, she
finally takes her life.

The other girl, not being endowed with any great natural
beauty, is not tempted to be proud and haughty. She is forced
to develop in other ways.

She, being humble, is willing and ready to help others and
gains many friends. Because she could not rely on her natural
abilities in life, she was forced to turn to God and seek His
help. With God's life and love manifesting through her, she was
able to marry a godly man, and they raised a fine family
together and enjoyed a long and happy life.

Which girl was really blessed?

Just remember: what you think you want is not always what you
would really want. Be thankful for what you have and who you
are.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for my life.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Pride and Humility

PROVERBS 22:4 NKJ
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and
life.

Humility is the opposite of pride.

Humility does not think it is better than anyone else. "I am
what I am by the grace of God."

1 PETER 5:5 NKJ
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your
elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be
clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives
grace to the humble."

A humble person is one who follows God's instructions, instead
of leaning to their own understanding.

Being a humble person does not mean being a loser. A humble
person is one who has the proper relationship to God and grasps
reality, which is: without God, we can do nothing.

Humility will cause a person to remember their need to pray.

A humble person is one who prefers to suffer wrong rather than
do wrong.

Pride will bring you low. Humility will cause God to exalt you.

LUKE 14:11 NKJ
11 "For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted."

God cannot exalt proud people without it harming them.

JAMES 4:10 NKJ
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift
you up.

1 PETER 5:6 NKJ
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time,

SAY THIS: Lord, please help me to beware of pride.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Motives

PROVERBS 16:2 NLT
2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines
their motives.

Motives are important to God.

God is interested in WHY we do things, not just in WHAT we do.

Why do you do what you do?

Is it to help others? To please God? Or do you live focused
totally on yourself?

PROVERBS 21:2 LB
2 We can justify our every deed, but God looks at our motives.

1 CORINTHIANS 4:5 NIV
5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till
the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in
darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that
time each will receive his praise from God.

One main reason we are not qualified to judge others is because
we don't know their thoughts, intentions, and motives. Only God
does.

SAY THIS: Lord, please help me to be aware of my motives.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Surrounded By Favor

PSALM 5:12 NIV
12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround
them with your favor as with a shield.

God's favor can change your life.

Someone who is favored is called a favor-ite.

(The New Testament teaches that being righteous (in right
standing with God), is a gift we receive when we receive Jesus
-- not something we attain by our works.)

So, the promise of Scripture is that God surrounds you with
favor. What does that mean?

Favor is the blessing of God making people like you and treat
you well.

Is it automatic? We have access to God's grace only through
faith (Romans 5:2). So, you will never experience the fullness
of God's favor without believing for it.

Faith is released through words. So every day thank the Lord
for giving you favor with people, for surrounding you with
favor!

Don't say, "People don't like me." or "Everybody seems to be
against me." or "I never get a break."

Instead say, "Thank you Lord for giving me favor with people."

Then watch God begin to move on your behalf!

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for surrounding me with favor.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Why I Tithe

MALACHI 3:10 ICB
10 Bring to the storehouse a tenth of what you gain. Then there
will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord of
heaven's armies. "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I
will pour out more blessings than you have room for.

Tithing is giving ten percent of your income to God.

While tithing is not a command given in the New Testament, what
we do with our money is a test of our love and commitment to
the Lord.

In truth, all we have as believers really belongs to the Lord.
Ten percent is a low figure, yet it is a starting point. Sadly,
one which many Christians have never reached.

I practice tithing to God because:

* Tithing is a way of expressing my worship in a tangible way.

God is worthy of my all -- my best -- and so much more. Nothing
I could ever give would be sufficient, but that is no reason to
do nothing. The money I give is tangible evidence that I do
value God.

* The Lord promised blessing to those who tithe.

There are books full of testimonies from people -- even non-
Christians -- who put God to the test, as He challenges us in
Malachi 3:10, and found God faithful to prosper them, as He
promised.

* Tithing is an act of faith, which pleases God.

It takes faith to give when you don't have enough. Many people
do not tithe for this very reason; they are afraid God will not
come through and take care of them.

I have experienced miraculous provision many times. I can
testify that God is faithful, and will always, somehow, take
care of His children who trust Him.

SAY THIS: Giving money to God is an act of worship.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Do You Believe In Love?

MATTHEW 5:44 NKJ
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you,

Most people believe in force: guns and armies.

Most people believe in money: "financial power."

Many people believe in education, that "If we just educate
people enough we can change the world."

Hardly anyone seems to believe in the power of love to change
things. No one seems to think it would do any good to "turn the
other cheek."

Jesus didn't tell us to "turn the other cheek" just so we could
get beat up more. Jesus believes in the power of love. Jesus
believes that evil can be overcome with good.

ROMANS 12:20-21 NKJ
20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is
thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God still believes in the power of love. He believes that if
you love enough, and for long enough, people will finally come
to their senses and respond to that love.

JOHN 13:34-35 NIV
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another."

Jesus said the mark of His believers would be their love. Where
did we go wrong?

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to believe in love, and to act in love.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Jesus Became Poor . . .

2 CORINTHIANS 8:9 NKJ
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you
through His poverty might become rich.

Most people know that Jesus became poor. They just don't know
why.

Some people may tell you this verse refers only to being made
"spiritually rich." Don't fall for that. Look at the context
and you will see it is discussing money.

"Then why aren't Christians rich?"

The main reason is because of a lack of teaching on this
subject. Everything we receive from God must be received by
faith. If we don't believe it, we won't receive it.

(Jesus died so that everyone could be saved. However, until
people hear the message and believe it, they continue lost in
their sins. Yet the price has already been paid by Jesus for
their freedom.)

Instead of teaching that prosperity is a blessing available to
believers, most churches have taught the opposite -- that it
was the will of God for us to be poor.

What we need is to hear preaching and teaching about it being
God's will for us to prosper. We need to continue in the Word
on that subject, to be set free in that area of life.

I am NOT saying being prosperous makes you a better person, or
that it is a sign of great faith. I AM saying that poverty and
lack is part of the curse -- which Jesus redeemed us from.

God's prosperity is a growing thing that will not destroy you,
unlike winning the lottery, or other get-rich-quick schemes.
Time and continued obedience to God are required.

But the fact remains, according to Scripture, Jesus became poor
to set you free from poverty -- to make you rich.

SAY THIS: Jesus became poor to make me rich.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

We Receive From God By Faith

MATTHEW 9:29 NKJ
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith
let it be to you."

Have you ever wondered why God blessed someone -- when it was
obvious they did not deserve it?

Do you wonder why you are not more blessed -- even though you
are doing your best to be a good Christian?

The answer is faith.

We do not receive from God based on what we deserve, but on
what we believe.

GALATIANS 3:9 ICB
9 Abraham believed this, and because he believed, he was
blessed. It is the same today. All who believe today are
blessed just as Abraham was blessed.

Our receiving from God is not based on our works, but on God's
grace. We have access to God's grace by our faith -- not
through our merit.

ROMANS 5:2 NKJ
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in
which we stand . . . .

Many try to earn something from God when He has already given
us all things through Christ. Now by faith we must appropriate
what God has provided.

Don't despair if your faith is not too strong. The cure for
weak faith is to feed on the Word of God, the Bible.

ROMANS 10:17 NKJ
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.

If you feed your heart and mind the Word of God, your faith
will grow strong. You feed it in by reading it, hearing it,
speaking it, and meditating on it.

SAY THIS: I will feed on God's Word and my faith will grow.
Then I will receive all God has for me.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Why I Speak In Tongues

1 CORINTHIANS 14:18 NIV
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Speaking in tongues is speaking in a language you have never
learned. It is a supernatural act possible only by the help of
the indwelling Holy Spirit.

MARK 16:17 NKJ
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

It is estimated that today over 500 million Christians, in
every country on earth, do speak in tongues. It started on the
day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2:4.

ACTS 2:4 NKJ
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Every believer can speak in tongues, if they desire. It is a
free gift available to all believers.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:5 NKJ
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues . . . .

I think this doctrine has been so controversial because the
devil is against it, knowing how helpful it is to believers.

I have no desire to argue with anyone. I do desire to see
everyone enjoy all the benefits God has freely provided for us.

I speak in tongues because:

* It allows me to communicate with God better. There are things
my mind just cannot put into words which I can express through
the spirit by praying in tongues.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:2 NKJ
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to
God . . . .

* It builds me up spiritually and refreshes me.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:4 NKJ
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself . . . .

There are other benefits. I hope you are enjoying them, too.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord that I can speak in tongues.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Why Are There Delays?

JAMES 1:2-4 NIV
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials
of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature
and complete, not lacking anything.

Why are prayers not all answered instantly? Why don't we always
experience the blessings promised in the Bible immediately?

If all results were instant, we could never walk in faith.
Without faith, we could never please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

If you always reaped the harvest of your deeds immediately, the
incentive to do right and refrain from wrongdoing would only be
selfish. No faith, or love for God, would be required.

During delays we have opportunity to demonstrate whether we
really love God, and trust Him, or not.

A delay is a test. Without testing, there could be no reward.
God does not test us so that we can fail, but so that we can
overcome. He believes we will make it with His help.

We desire an instant manifestation of victory. What God
desires is for us to press into Him and His Word and walk in
faith until we see victory.

To overcome there must be opposition and struggle. God cannot
always shield us from problems without taking away from us the
privilege of overcoming.

Victory is sweet. What makes it sweet is that it is not easy.

If we really trust God, time is not a problem. Leave that with
God. His timing is perfect and He is dependable! We know He
promised, and can never fail -- and that is enough.

SAY THIS: I will persevere in faith, and the Bible says I will
end up not lacking anything.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Be Slow To Speak

JAMES 1:19 NIV
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

How many times have you said something and later regretted it?

Too often we practice: Speak now and think later.

What would happen if you silently consulted with God before
speaking? If you thought about, and prayed about, everything
you said -- before you said it -- your life would be different.

1 PETER 3:10 LB
10 If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue,
and guard your lips from telling lies.

Words are powerful and should be used to accomplish a purpose.
Don't just talk for no reason.

PROVERBS 17:28 NIV
28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and
discerning if he holds his tongue.

Remember, you can always learn more by listening than you can
by talking.

Be slow to speak!

SAY THIS: God, please help me to control my tongue.

Friday, August 11, 2006

The Holy Spirit Will Teach You

JOHN 14:26 NASB
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all that I said to you.

What a wonderful, patient teacher the Holy Spirit is!

This teacher has no limits. He never has to call on anyone else
for an answer. He knows everything.

Whatever you are doing, He can help you -- and teach you how to
do it better. Just ask.

Jesus said it, "He will teach you all things."

I love the story of George Washington Carver, who asked God to
teach him about the peanut -- then changed our world with the
knowledge he gained of the peanut.

Do not hesitate to ask God to teach you about even the smallest
things. He understands every detail and is never too busy for
you.

From child raising to atomic science -- He is the most
knowledgable and capable teacher.

And the Holy Spirit is always available! No need to wait for
office hours to call on this professor. Call on Him anytime.

SAY THIS: The Holy Spirit is teaching me.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Sing A New Song

PSALM 96:1 NIV
1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

No doubt God, who makes every snowflake different, enjoys new
things.

Five times Scripture tells us to sing to the Lord a new song.

You, with God's help, can sing a song to the Lord that's never
been sung before.

Don't say you can't do it! God made your mouth and He can give
you words to sing.

God is a Creator, and you are His child. Step out in faith. Ask
the Lord to help you.

PSALM 105:2 NASB
2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.

Get by yourself and practice. Sing a new song. Make it up as
you go. If you mess up, God won't laugh at you. It may not be
very good. But every parent cherishes their child's first
attempts.

Make a joyful noise. Rejoice in the Lord. Both you and the Lord
will enjoy it.

EPHESIANS 5:19 NIV
19 . . . Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

After you practice in private, you may even want to try it in
public.

SAY THIS: I will sing a new song to the Lord.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Sin Hurts

ROMANS 6:23 ICB
23 When someone sins, he earns what sin pays--death. But God
gives us a free gift--life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin is a teacher whose lessons are hard and painful.

You can't keep your hand in fire without being burned. And you
can't sin without hurting people.

Sin harms humans. That's why God classifies it as sin. All sin
hurts someone. The reason God is against sin is because He is
for people.

Because sin has consequences, it eventually will convince you
of the error of sinning -- if you live long enough. But why
ruin your life finding out what you can know now just by
reading the Bible?

God is not a killjoy. His purpose is not to keep the human race
from enjoying life.

All that God has written in the Bible is for our benefit. God
already knows everything. He gave us the Bible so we could know
the truth.

The truth is: sin is bad. Sin hurts.

SAY THIS: Sin is deadly and I want nothing to do with it.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Rejoice In The Lord

PHILIPPIANS 4:4 NIV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

No matter how bad things are around you, you can always rejoice
in the Lord.

God is good -- even when circumstances are bad.

You can look beyond the temporary problems of life and focus on
the Eternal God and His goodness. You can rejoice that God
loves you and that you have a home in Heaven.

If you only rejoice when you feel like it -- and circumstances
warrant it -- you may never rejoice much. But you will miss a
lot of joy. For when you rejoice in the Lord and focus on Him,
joy begins to flow out of your inner being and strengthens you.

This is God's answer for depression. Focus on God. Rejoice in
Him, and receive the spiritual strength you need to carry on in
victory.

HABAKKUK 3:18 NIV
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my
Savior.

"Yet I WILL." Whenever you decide to, you can rejoice. In spite
of feelings and circumstances, you can choose to rejoice.

Rejoicing is subject to your will -- not your circumstances.

When can you rejoice? When should you rejoice?

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 NASB
16 Rejoice always;

SAY THIS: I will rejoice -- in the Lord!

Monday, August 07, 2006

Beware Of Pride

PROVERBS 16:18 NIV
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a
fall.

Pride is deadly. But instead of warning us the world encourages
pride in every way.

What is pride?

Pride is faith in yourself, instead of faith in God.

The root of pride is selfishness: putting yourself first.
Thinking you are the most important. Thinking you know the
most. Thinking you deserve better than someone else.

Pride will cause you to go your own way instead of God's way.
Pride makes you think you do not need God's advice or help.

Pride is the root of all sin. It causes you to turn away from
God instead of turning to Him. All disobedience has pride as
its root. All rebellion has pride behind it. All mistreatment
of other people is caused by pride: putting yourself and your
feelings above the other person and their feelings.

The world system promotes people who are proud, and often gives
them great riches. Jesus said pride is evil and defiles a
person. (Mark 7:21-23)

While the world may promote the proud for a short time, their
fame and success will not last.

JAMES 4:6 NKJ
6 . . . "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Pride is the most serious, and the most subtle, sin. It often
goes unrecognized.

Beware!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to beware of pride.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Pray To Be Enlightened

EPHESIANS 1:18 NIV
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

There is much we don't know.

In fact, the most spiritual among us has only glimpsed a part
of God's plan. The Apostle Paul said that he only "knew in
part."

So, with the Apostle Paul we should pray that "the eyes of our
heart may be enlightened." For ourselves, and for others, too.

If study alone was the answer, those who have studied the Bible
the most would have the most faith, and would be doing the most
exploits in God's name. Often, the opposite is true.

Thank God for scholarship, but that is not the total answer.

The Bible is a living message given by a living Author.
Fellowship with God and illumination from Him are necessary for
full understanding from the Bible.

Our prayer needs to be that of the Psalmist.

PSALM 119:18 NKJ
18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

You may have wondered why you see some things clearly in the
Bible that your friends or loved ones seem blinded to.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 NIV
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so
that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.

The answer is that, somehow, our hearts and minds need opened
or illuminated by God. This is a reason, and a way, to pray for
your unsaved loved ones.

ACTS 16:14 NIV
14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia . . . The
Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.

SAY THIS: Lord, open my eyes and give me understanding of all
that you have for me to know.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Your Every Hair Is Numbered

Luke 12:7 ICB
7 Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head.
Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.

Jesus gave us some insight on how much God is interested in us
as humans. God provides for sparrows, and you are MUCH more
valuable to God than any sparrow. Valuable enough to monitor
every detail about you -- even your current hair-count.

However God obtains your current hair-count -- He does know it.
"Why would God waste His time with such useless information?"
you may wonder. The point, which so many miss, is simply that
God is interested in every detail of your life. Everything.

Nothing concerning you is too big or too small to bother God.
You are the "apple of His eye" just as any young child is the
delight of a good parent.

So don't try to hide from God. Don't shut Him out of your life.
Involve Him in every detail of your day. Talk things over with
Him. Ask His advice. Tell Him what you think, and ask for His
opinion.

And do not fear. The God Who loves you enough to monitor your
current hair count will never forsake you or fail you. When
you are face-to-face with Him you will see that fully and
clearly. So walk in faith today. Trust God. He loves you.

Also, be thankful for whatever hair you do or do not have! God
made you unique. If He wanted you different -- He would have
made you different!

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for loving me and being concerned with
every detail of my life. Because You love me, I will trust you
and look to You for help in both the small and the large
questions of life.

Friday, August 04, 2006

You Have A Purpose

2 TIMOTHY 1:9 NKJ
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

You have a purpose in life, a job to do, a mission to fulfill.

You are here for a reason.

What is it?

Ask God. He knows.

EPHESIANS 1:11 NIV
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of him who works out everything in
conformity with the purpose of his will,

Of course, I can only answer that question in general terms.

If you are a parent, raising your child is important. Helping a
friend is important. You never know how your actions may affect
the world -- even through helping just one person.

Don't just wait around for some "big purpose" -- for with God
all the details are important -- even the "small" ones.

If you don't know your purpose, just do whatever you can to
help the people around you. Through that, and walking with God,
you will accomplish your purpose.

SAY THIS: I was born for a purpose. God has a plan for me.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

PHILIPPIANS 3:14 KJV
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.

What will really matter at the end of your life on earth?

Will what you are giving attention to now still be important
then?

Or, will you be filled with regret for what you did -- or
didn't do?

Distractions abound. TV, phone calls, web sites, books, movies.

It might be a good idea to stop and evaluate how you are
investing your time.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24 NIV
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Run to win. Win what?

The true prize is to know God intimately and be His friend.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 NIV
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.

One day, possibly soon, you will stand before God. Why not
order your life now based on that "final reckoning?"

A wise person would not invest everything in something
temporary. A wise person invests in something that will last.

Invest your life wisely!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to keep my eyes on what is important
and lasting.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

You Are God's Work Of Art

EPHESIANS 2:10 NLT
10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in
Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for
us long ago.

Outwardly, you may not appear to be much of a masterpiece. You
may look like a piece of junk. But inwardly, and in reality,
you are God's work of art -- and God does not make any junk.

All that is outward and seen is only temporary -- like the
cocoon the butterfly inhabits for only a short time. So, while
you should take care of your present body, don't be overly
concerned about it. Most importantly, don't think of yourself
as just the body you are now living in.

You are a child of Almighty God, creator and ruler of the
universe. Someone God is "raising" to be His companion for
eternity. You are NOT insignificant.

Admittedly, you are a work in progress. God still has more work
to do with you -- but He is the artist, and He will finish His
work. (Hint: as you submit to God, the easier it is for Him to
change you into the wonderful image He has in mind.)

Someday, everyone will clearly see what God has done in you:
making you a wonderful, unique individual worthy of Himself.

SAY THIS: Regardless of how I look or feel, I AM God's work of
art -- His masterpiece.

Love Your Enemies

MATTHEW 5:44 NKJ
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you,

"Love your enemies? What kind of advice is that? How can you
have enemies, if you act in love toward them?"

Good point.

Why would anyone want to have enemies? Do you?

God's instructions, if acted upon, will make friends out of
enemies. Think how much better the world would be then.

God can, and does, love His enemies. He proved it. No matter
what they did to Jesus, He never quit walking in love.

But it may be impossible for a normal human to love their
enemies -- without God's help. Fortunately, God's help is
available!

No matter how hard it seems, you can love those who have hurt
you. If it was not possible, God would not command us to do it.
Of course, to be successful at it, we need to call on the Lord
and receive His help.

"But why should I love my enemies?" You should know it is the
best thing for you to do, just because God said it. It benefits
you as well as the one who wronged you.

You have two basic choices when someone does you wrong. Do
wrong back to them. Or, return good for evil.

If you fight back, then they will have a valid excuse to
continue mistreating you. Is that what you want? If not, then
the intelligent choice is to stop the vicious cycle by
returning good for evil. Love your enemies until they become
your friends.

SAY THIS: I can, and will, love everyone with God's help.

The God Of Peace

2 Thessalonians 3:16 NKJ
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in
every way. The Lord be with you all.

Several times the Bible refers to God as the God of peace. But
as English readers we miss the full meaning.

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament
of the Bible was written in Greek. All English Bibles are
translations.

The Greek word translated peace is eirene (i-ray'-nay), which
corresponds with the Hebrew word translated peace, shalom
(shaw-lome').

If you study extensively, both in the Hebrew and the Greek, you
will find that these words translated peace have a rich meaning
-- far more than just an absence of conflict.

The primary thought is one of wholeness -- lacking nothing.
When nothing is missing you have peace. There is no anxiety
because all is well.

This is the idea meant to be communicated by the term "God of
peace" or the "peace of God." It includes health and prosperity
as well as the normal English meaning of absence of conflict.

Romans 15:33 NKJ
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

SAY THIS: The God of wholeness, health, and prosperity is with
me -- to help me.