Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Be Thankful

PSALM 107:1 NKJ
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy
endures forever.

It seems the more people have the less thankful they become.
Today complaints are abundant, but thank you's are few.

COLOSSIANS 3:15 NKJ
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also
you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Being thankful is not a choice for a Christian. If it was
impossible, God would not have told us to do it.

So, why are people not thankful?

Gratitude is a mark of maturity. Ingratitude is a mark of
immaturity. Babies are never thankful.

Neither are proud people thankful. Why? Because their mindset
is that they deserve not just everything they have, but even
better. "Why be thankful for something less than what you
deserve?" describes their thinking.

A funny thing you will notice if you consider it: unthankful
people are never happy. In fact, the more thankful a person is,
the happier they are.

(This is an example of how acting on God's Word is for our
benefit. God didn't invent commands just to be bossy.)

You will not be bothered with depression if you act on the
Word of God and "be thankful." The cure for unhappiness is
being thankful. Try it.

But how can you overcome the bad habit of ingratitude? Only by
changing your core beliefs. As long as you believe you are
getting a raw deal, or less than you deserve, you will never
become a thankful person.

But if you realize that you deserved punishment and eternal
separation from God -- yet in His mercy God instead gave you
what He deserved, and EVERYTHING you have -- including every
breath you breathe -- is a gift -- then you will become a
thankful person.

SAY THIS: I give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and His
mercy endures forever. I will be thankful for all God does for
me.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Give Attention To My Words

PROVERBS 4:20-22 NKJ
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my
sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the
midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all
their flesh.

Giving attention to God's Word is not as easy as it once was.
Today we have a multitude of distractions. Busyness seems to be
a disease shared by everyone. We all have more than we can do.

Yet . . .

God doesn't change. His Word doesn't change. It still says the
same thing it did a thousand years ago -- and it will still say
the same thing a thousand years from now.

"Give attention to my words...."

We are confronted with a choice. What is most important? To
what shall we give our limited time? God, or....?

God makes promises no one else does -- or can. He created, so
He knows how things work.

Life. Life in its fullness. Life as God intended it to be. And
health. Isn't that what everyone would like? That is the
written guarantee offered by God to the human race -- for
paying attention to what He has said.

SAY THIS: I choose to pay attention to God's Word. I choose
life and health. I choose God.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Overcome That Problem You Face

I JOHN 5:4 NIV
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Yes, we do face difficulties in life, but they only give us an
opportunity to trust the Lord and overcome. Without problems we
would have nothing to overcome, and thus not be able to receive
all the blessings promised to those who do overcome.

There are seven promises given to overcomers in the second and
third chapters of Revelation. Here is the last one:

REVELATION 3:21 NIV
21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me
on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on
his throne.

As you face the problems of life, keep your eyes on your
destination, just as Jesus did. Walk close to God and depend on
Him. He will not fail you.

I JOHN 4:4 NIV
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,
because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in
the world.

SAY THIS: I am an overcomer in Christ Jesus. The Lord is my
Helper. The One Who is in me is greater than any problem.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Jesus Is Lord!

PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 NKJ
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the
name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

No matter what it may seem like at times, Jesus Christ is Lord.
He is ruler, boss, king: the One ultimately in charge.

He just hasn't exercised His prerogative and taken charge of
everything yet.

Jesus is not currently micro-managing everything on earth. He
is not responsible for every mistake, accident, and bad thing
happening in the world.

God has allowed mankind to "try things our way" so we may see
the folly of going our own way in rebellion to God.

But this won't last forever. God has a plan with a limited
amount of time allotted for this part of history.

Although God has set certain boundaries, basically human beings
are now in control on earth. We are free to choose. Because we
are free to choose, we bear the responsibility for the
consequences of our chosen actions.

All that is bad in the world today is the result of choices
people made. God is not to blame. His only blame is that He
allowed us the freedom to choose.

One day Jesus will exercise His authority and put a stop to all
evil. Not only that, but He will eliminate the curse and all
its effects. He will make all things new, whole, and sound
again.

One day everyone will see and acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus
Christ. You have that privilege today.

SAY THIS: Jesus Christ is Lord and I am glad!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Control Your Words

1 PETER 4:11 NIV
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very
words of God. . . .

When you speak what the Bible says, you are speaking the very
words of God. Anything contrary to what the Bible says, should
never be spoken by a Christian.

EPHESIANS 4:29 NIV
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but
only what is helpful for building others up according to their
needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

JAMES 4:11 NKJ
11 Do not speak evil of one another . . . .

TITUS 3:2 NKJ
2 to speak evil of no one . . . .

You are responsible for what you say. If you cannot say
something good, the Bible is clear: keep quiet.

SAY THIS: Lord please help me to keep quiet unless I have
something to say that would be acceptable to you.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

How High Are The Heavens Above The Earth?

PSALM 103:11 NIV
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is
his love for those who fear him;

If you understood how much God loves you -- your life would be
different.

Fear and worry would have no power over you any longer. Fear
has no torment for someone basking in the sunlight of Almighty
God's love.

This passage in Psalm 103 attempts to picture the size or
extent of God's love. It is not portrayed as simply big as the
highest mountain. No, no -- far more. As high as the sky is
above the earth. That is the picture God wants you to see when
you think of how great His love is for YOU.

How do I know this? Just from what the Bible says. And from
what God did in and through Jesus Christ to redeem you. He paid
a mighty price for you -- because His love for you is so great.

But, you may ask, "Why is my life going so poorly if God really
does love me so much?" That is a valid question, but not the
same one as whether God loves you. The quick answer is that God
has made provision for us -- but most of us are not taking
advantage of the help He offers.

Put another way, we are not acting on God's instructions --
whether out of ignorance or for some other reason. When you
don't follow a proven recipe you cannot expect a good outcome.

God has no desire to condemn us for our failure, but instead
desires to invite us into His fellowship and His way of doing
things. It is through His Word that this will happen in our
lives. So, read the Bible to see how much God loves you, but
also remember that it is because of His great love for you that
He gave you the instructions found in the Bible. They are for
your benefit -- not God's benefit.

SAY THIS: God's love for me is greater than I can see or
understand. His love caused Him to give me the Bible, so I
could know the truth and be set free.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Forgive Others As God Has Forgiven You

COLOSSIANS 3:13 NKJ
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do.

Forgiving others for deep hurts seems to be one of the hardest
things a human being can do. In fact -- very few are successful
in forgiving.

Yet, in the Bible God commands us to forgive. Is God overly
demanding, or...?

God is smart. That is why He commands us to forgive. (Also
because He loves us and desires the best for us.) God knows how
terribly destructive it is for us to harbor unforgiveness. Not
forgiving someone can literally kill you.

Unforgiveness is a poison that eats away at your spiritual,
mental, and physical health and life.

Knowing that, God strictly tells us to forgive. But how can we?
We are just human, and we don't feel like forgiving when
someone has wronged us severely.

(You may think it is impossible to forgive someone who hurt
you. With God it is possible. He never asks us to do something
we cannot do.)

The answer is in receiving God's help, enabling you to forgive.
First, you must be "born again" spiritually by receiving Jesus
Christ as Lord. That means you receive new life in your inner
being, giving you a new nature -- a nature of love instead of
selfishness.

Next, when you are wronged, you need to ask the Lord to help
you forgive the person who hurt you. Having done that, you must
make a firm decision to quit holding anything against that
person.

Forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision to quit holding
something against someone. When you forgive you must release
them and forget it.

You must forgive by faith, after asking God to help you.
Feelings always follow faith -- not the other way around.

How can we humans forgive others just as God has forgiven us?
Having God's help is necessary. Only His love in our hearts can
enable us.

You must forgive others -- no matter what they have done. To
not forgive hurts you. You must forgive.

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will forgive others as God has
forgiven me.

Friday, February 16, 2007

You Are God's Garden

1 CORINTHIANS 3:9 LB
9 We are only God's coworkers. You are God's garden, not ours;
you are God's building, not ours.

We discovered that God's Word is a seed (Luke 8:11). Now we see
that the Bible says that we, as believers, are God's garden --
the place where seed is planted.

The question for you to consider is: who determines the
harvest? God, or you?

(The harvest I speak of is the fruit, or result, of the Word of
God. The harvest of blessing that God's Word produces in your
life.)

I suggest that the harvest is mainly controlled by the one who
determines what seed is planted. Would you agree?

If wheat seed is planted, it is unreasonable to expect a
harvest of corn. If only a few seeds are planted, it is
unreasonable to expect a large harvest. Wouldn't you agree?

Yes, you are God's field, but He allows you a lot of freedom to
choose what will be produced in your life. And the main way you
choose is by choosing what seed will be planted in your heart
and mind.

You can choose something other than God's Word. You can also
choose different areas of God's Word. Planting different
scriptures will produce different results in your life.

If all you ever plant are scriptures on the new birth, you
cannot expect to have a huge harvest of healing or financial
blessing in your life. The choice is yours.

SAY THIS: I am God's garden. Lord, help me plant the seed of
your Word in me in abundance.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

God's Word Is Like A Seed

LUKE 8:11 NKJ
11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

A seed is powerful.

As a seed begins to grow, it will push up dirt, rocks, etc.
Whatever the obstacles are, God's Word planted in your heart
will push them out of the way.

A seed begins its growth in secret (underground).

The only way to tell if a seed is growing is to dig it up, or
wait for a plant to appear. If you dig up a seed, you may kill
it.

A seed takes time to produce.

No one expects a seed to produce a harvest the same day that
seed is planted.

Sometimes the Word of God seems to spring up and bear fruit
immediately. Yet, if we knew the details, we would understand
that the fruit of the Word grew in that person's life over
time.

A seed is persistent.

A seed never gives up, but works day and night. Even when you
are sleeping, the seed you have planted is working to grow and
express itself in a fruitful harvest.

A seed is not affected by other seeds.

Whatever happens to other seeds does not make any difference to
a specific seed. Each seed sticks to its own task. One wheat
seed planted in a corn field will still produce wheat. Seed
does not become discouraged, or quit, even if other seeds die.

A seed will stop growing without nourishment.

Planting a seed is not enough to assure a harvest. Seed must be
protected and taken care of until harvest time. A seed which is
dug up, or not watered, will not produce.

More seeds planted produce a larger harvest.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6 NKJ
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.

Think on these truths about seeds. Allow the Holy Spirit to
help you apply them to the role of God's Word in your life.

SAY THIS: God's Word is the most important seed. I will
diligently plant it in my life, so God can be glorified in my
life.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

God's Word Acts Like A Seed

LUKE 8:11 NKJ
11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

A seed is much smaller than what it produces.

The problem you face may seem huge. In comparison, a scripture
may seem very small. But when planted, that Word will grow in
you and overcome the problem.

A seed always produces after its kind.

Whatever you need, or desire, find scriptures relating to that.
Then plant those scriptures inside you in abundance. Those
seeds will grow up and produce a harvest of what you need or
desire.

A seed is alive: it contains life.

Your physical senses are incapable of judging whether a seed is
alive or not. You cannot see, feel, hear, smell, or taste the
life in a seed. There is only one way to prove a seed is alive
-- plant it.

A seed does nothing until planted.

Seeds do not grow sitting in a sack on your shelf. They must be
planted in the proper place.

If you desire the Word of God to produce in your life, you must
decide to plant the Word in your heart and mind.

The best way to plant the seed of God's Word in your life is by
speaking the Word. Hearing others speak the Word is good -- but
will not produce as bountiful a harvest as speaking the Word
yourself.

Speaking God's Word with your mouth is essential. As we speak
God's Word we are planting the seed in our heart for the
harvest of results we desire.

ROMANS 10:10 NKJ
10 For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made to salvation.

Whatever you need to be saved or delivered from, confession
(what you say) is essential.

SAY THIS: God's Word is a seed that will produce blessing in my
life, so I will plant it in my heart and mind by hearing it,
reading it, and speaking it.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

To See God, Look At Jesus

Do you want to know God? Get acquainted with Jesus through the
pages of the Bible.

JOHN 12:44-45 NKJ
44 . . .Jesus. . .said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in
Me but in Him who sent Me.
45 "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

JOHN 14:7-10 NKJ
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;
and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is
sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you
have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the
Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father
in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own
authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Why am I stressing this point? It's simple. Most people think
highly of Jesus of Nazareth. After all, there is not anything
to fault with Him. But when it comes to God, most people blame
Him for a lot of bad stuff.

The truth is: looking at Jesus gives you a perfectly clear
picture of what the invisible God is like. Any other picture is
a lie and a distortion.

SAY THIS: God is like Jesus, and I find no fault in Him.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Jesus Perfectly Pleased The Father

God not only approved of everything Jesus did -- He was very
pleased with everything Jesus did.

JOHN 8:29 NKJ
29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me
alone, for I always do those things that please Him."

Why is it important for us to look at this?

Many people are unclear what God's will is in many areas. There
is much confusion over what many call "acts of God" which bring
destruction. But if we understand that Jesus always did God's
will perfectly, and that God was thrilled with everything Jesus
did, then we can examine what Jesus did and see what God's will
is.

Did Jesus ever make anyone sick -- even to teach them
something? Did Jesus ever tell anyone it was not the will of
God for them to be healed? Did Jesus ever tell anyone that God
would not love them and help them? Did Jesus ever destroy
anyone's property or steal it from them? Did Jesus ever kill
anyone's family member?

No. Never. Jesus did what was pleasing to God. Those things are
still not pleasing to God, and He should not be blamed for
them.

Is God pleased when people are helped? Is God pleased when
people are healed and delivered from bondage? Is God pleased
when people's needs are met? Is God pleased when people have
their sins forgiven? Is God pleased when people know that God
loves them?

Yes. Those are the things Jesus did, and He perfectly pleased
God.

SAY THIS: God is pleased when people are helped like Jesus
helped them.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

God Is Like Jesus

If you want to know what the unseen Almighty God is like --
look at Jesus Christ in the pages of the New Testament.

Everything Jesus said and everything Jesus did was the exact
will of God -- and perfectly revealed God to us.

JOHN 1:18 TEV
18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as
God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

COLOSSIANS 2:9 Phillips
9 Yet it is in him that God gives a full and complete
expression of himself in bodily form.

Don't be satisfied listening to what someone else believes God
is like -- read the New Testament and see for yourself. Watch
Jesus of Nazareth in action and know that everything He did
perfectly pleased the Father God and perfectly revealed the
Father God.

JOHN 14:7-9,11 NKJ
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;
and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is
sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you
have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the
Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or
else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

JOHN 12:44-45 NKJ
44 . . .Jesus. . .said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in
Me but in Him who sent Me.
45 "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

SAY THIS: Jesus fully and completely reveals God to me.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Jesus Revealed God To Us

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 ICB
4 The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those
who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News
-- the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like
God.

What is God like?

Before Jesus of Nazareth came on the scene, the human concept
of God was a bit fuzzy. (It still is for those who have not
understood this truth.)

But Jesus perfectly revealed to us what God is like. He was
(and is) Heaven's perfect representative.

COLOSSIANS 1:15 ICB
15 No one has seen God, but Jesus is exactly like him. Christ
ranks higher than all the things that have been made.

COLOSSIANS 1:15 WEY
15 Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God,
the Firstborn and Lord of all creation.

HEBREWS 1:3 WEY
3 He brightly reflects God's glory and is the exact
representation of His being, and upholds the universe by His
all-powerful word. After securing man's purification from sin
He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

The scriptures above should have made it clear that God is like
Jesus. Now let's look at a verse summarizing the life of Jesus
on earth.

ACTS 10:38 NKJ
38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Notice that Jesus went about DOING GOOD -- not doing bad. Not
hurting people, but helping people. That is what God is like.

SAY THIS: God is good and likes to help people.

Friday, February 09, 2007

You Are A Citizen of Heaven

PHILIPPIANS 3:20 NRSV
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that
we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have a new citizenship. Your
name is written in Heaven. Heaven is your homeland.

Because you are its citizen, Heaven is responsible for you. If
necessary, Heaven will send its soldiers (angels) to assist
you, and when necessary, to evacuate you.

Although we live on earth, we operate under the laws of our
homeland, Heaven, as well as the laws of earth.

As a citizen you have certain rights and obligations. To
understand them you need to read the Bible with the help of
illumination by the Holy Spirit. You need to ask the Lord to
teach you and give you understanding of these things.

COLOSSIANS 1:13 NRSV
13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

As believers, we are no longer under the authority or control
of the devil. We have been transferred into a new kingdom.

One of our rights as citizens of Heaven is to resist the devil
and all his works. Anything that is of the devil, we do not
have to submit to.

SAY THIS: I am a citizen of Heaven. Jesus is my Lord and King!

Thursday, February 08, 2007

How God's Word Will Make You Free

John 8:31-32 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you
continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free."

Notice carefully what Jesus actually said. It is not those who
"start in the word" or "try the word for awhile" who will be
made free. You must continue in Jesus' message -- His Word. It
must be His accurate message -- not just someone's idea of it,
or tradition.

Some translations use the word "abide" instead of "continue."
Abide means to stay somewhere continually. Either way, the
meaning involves staying with it.

Note that Jesus said in verse 32, "and you will KNOW the truth
. . ." Just hearing the truth does not necessarily make you
free. You must KNOW that it is the truth. When you KNOW
something, you will act on it. If you are not acting on
something, you do not yet truly KNOW it. You act on what you
know.

Hearing the truth is not enough. Loving the truth is not
enough. Even speaking the truth is not enough. You must
continue until you know that you know that you know that you
know. Only then are you at the point where truth will make you
free. The reason is that only then will you be able to act with
faith and boldness on God's Word.

The devil is against you and is intent on keeping you in
bondage. Only when you KNOW where you stand will you act in
faith and overcome the strategies of the devil.

You may ask, "How can I KNOW the truth? I just have weak
faith."

Jesus gave the answer: continue in His Word. As you continue in
the Word of God you will become convinced -- you will know --
you will have faith. When you reach the point of knowing
something -- you will act on that knowledge. In this way the
truth will make you free.

This works in every area of life: your relationships, your
health, your finances -- everything. Continue in the Word of
God in any subject -- and you will eventually see the fruit of
freedom in that area of your life.

God gave you His Word for your benefit -- not for His benefit.
He already knows the truth, and always acts on it. You are the
one who needs help. Because God loves you, He gave you His
Word.

SAY THIS: I will continue in the message of Jesus Christ. As I
do I will know the truth. As I act on that truth it will make
me free.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

God's Word Will Make You Free

John 8:31-32 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you
continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free."

Many people think God's Word will put them into bondage. (I
used to think that.) Like most of the world's ideas, this is
opposite to the truth.

A major reason people go their own way instead of turning to
Jesus Christ is because they think following Him and His Word
will restrict them and keep them from enjoying life. What a
deception!

The only way to know true freedom in this life is found through
the Word of God: the Bible.

Also notice that the "truth" Jesus refers to is found in His
Word. Just knowing any "truth" does not guarantee freedom.

If you desire freedom, you now know the guaranteed formula to
achieve it. Will you follow the directions?

SAY THIS: I will continue in the message of Jesus Christ. As I
do I will know the truth. As I act on that truth it will make
me free.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

How Much Does God Love You?

Only God can answer this question. Fortunately, we have a
book available where we can find out what God thinks: the
Bible.

(What a wonderful thought that is! We can read and know what
GOD thinks! Don't let yourself be robbed of this great
privilege by being too busy.)

PSALM 103:13 NIV
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has
compassion on those who fear him;

One way we can begin to get an inkling of God's love for us is
to know what it is like to have our own children. Psalm 103:13
tells us that the same deep feelings a parent has for their
child, are also present in God toward us. The word in this
verse means much more than "compassion." It is a very deep
feeling -- hard to express in words. This is what God feels for
you!

(You may wonder why. I may wonder why God would feel that way
about you or me. All I can say is: parents can be pretty silly
over their children! I have seen some I didn't think were too
special, but the parents sure thought they were special!)

Another way we can judge how much God loves us is by what He
was willing to go through to redeem us and have us in His
family. A lot!

We are familiar with John 3:16, but often being familiar with
something keeps us from grasping it as fully and clearly as we
should. Think about it: God so loved the dirty, rotten,
rebellious world of people -- even those who hated Him -- that
He decided to suffer the punishment that justice demanded so
they could go free.

God loves you -- no matter who you are -- no matter what you
have done. He loves you more than you can imagine or
understand.

God loves you more than He loves Himself. That is proven by the
fact that He put your interest and your feelings ahead of His
own, choosing to suffer so you could go free.

How can anyone not love and worship such a Being as our
wonderful God?

SAY THIS: God loves me. God loves me. God loves me.

Monday, February 05, 2007

God Is Not Guilty

JOB 40:8 LB
8 Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so that
you can say you are right?

Many are quick to blame God for all the bad things in their
life and in the world. "After all, God is ultimately
responsible, isn't He?"

Is a parent responsible for the choices their grown children
make? Certainly, they had influence in raising their children.
But ultimately, each human makes their own choices and we are
each responsible for our own actions. We cannot blame our
parents -- our spouse -- or anyone else. If we choose to do
wrong, it is our choice.

People are guilty. The devil is guilty. Not God.

"But what about storms, earthquakes, and such?"

Jesus rebuked the storm in Luke 8:24. Are we to believe that
Jesus was rebuking something that God was responsible for?

Although it is not clear now to most people, one day it will be
clear to all: God is not guilty of anything. The devil and
people shoulder the blame for all the heartache, misery, and
pain on earth.

JEREMIAH 9:24 NIV
24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands
and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

SAY THIS: I repent of ever blaming God for any wrongdoing. God
is not guilty.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Words Bring Success

JOSHUA 1:8 NKJ
8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but
you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to
do according to all that is written in it. For then you will
make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

God's Word never changes. What God promised would work for
Joshua will work for you, also. The problem with most of us is
that we are just too busy to put God's Word first like we
should. But we are not too busy to work trying to get ahead.
Explain that.

God never lies. Follow His instructions given above and you
WILL have prosperity and good success. Maybe not in 10 minutes.
Maybe not even for 10 years. But you will. God promises it.

Notice that Joshua 1:8 does not just say to think about God's
Word. No -- the Word must continually be in your mouth! Words!

1 PETER 3:10 NKJ
10 For "He who would love life and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;

Speaking and thinking in line with God's Word will cause you to
prosper and succeed. If you would like to see good days, the
Bible admonishes you to watch your words!

Never confess defeat. Confessing Jesus as Lord of every
situation brings glory to God.

SAY THIS: I will keep God's Word in my thoughts and in my
mouth. Then I will have good success in life.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

The Difference Between Jesus and The Devil

John 10:10 NIV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

There is a stark contrast between the Lord Jesus Christ and the
devil.

Jesus is for you. He loves you and desires the best for you. He
loves you even more than He loves Himself. He proved it by
dying in your place. His desire is for you to have life in its
fullness -- life as God planned it to be -- both now and for
all eternity.

The devil is the opposite of Jesus. The devil is against you
and is always trying to steal from you, kill you, and destroy
everything that is good. The devil is selfish and does not care
about you or anyone else but himself.

Can you trust the devil? Yes . . . to be the devil. You can
depend on him lying and trying to always deceive you. The
purpose of this deception is always to draw you away from God
and His Word because that is your only source of help and
deliverance from the devil's strategies -- which are stealing,
killing, and destroying.

Can you trust Jesus? The answer should be obvious. Anyone who
cares for you enough to die in your place, suffering for you,
so you won't have to suffer, is trustworthy. Jesus promised to
never forsake you. He will never quit loving you and trying to
help you.

The trouble is, too many people hinder Jesus from helping them.
They believe and follow what the devil says, and turn away from
Jesus and the Word of God.

You need to invite and welcome Jesus Christ into your life --
in every area. He wants to help you, but will not force His
help on you. If you don't -- the devil may get into those areas
of your life and wreak havoc.

SAY THIS: God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil.

Friday, February 02, 2007

You Are Righteous In Christ

ROMANS 5:1,9 YLT
1 Having been declared righteous, then, by faith, we have peace
toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
9 much more, then, having been declared righteous now in his
blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath;

Not much preaching has been done telling believers they are
righteous. But the Bible clearly teaches it. It becomes even
clearer when you realize that often the same word that is
translated "righteous or made righteous" is instead translated
"just or justified."

(The Bible is full of rich truths, but they are not always on
the surface. It can take a little digging and study to realize
the riches available to you.)

"But I thought the Bible said there is no one righteous,"
someone may say.

Yes, it does say that in Romans 3:10, but it is quoting an Old
Testament passage to prove that both Jews and Gentiles were
guilty before God and needed salvation. It immediately goes on
to say in the next few verses (see below) that now we can be
righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 3:21-22 NKJ
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God which is through faith in
Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no
difference;

ROMANS 3:24 YLT
24 being declared righteous freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

SAY THIS: Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I am
righteous before God.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

The Gift of Righteousness

ROMANS 5:17 NIV
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned
through that one man, how much more will those who receive
God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of
righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

The New Testament reveals the good news that God offers
righteousness as a free gift to everyone who receives the Lord
Jesus Christ.

Righteousness means right-wise-ness, or being right. So
righteousness is right standing, or good standing with God.

Righteousness is a GIFT from God -- not something you can earn
or achieve. God simply declares that you are innocent, as far
as He is concerned, because you believe in Jesus.

You are righteous if Jesus is your Lord. In fact, Jesus is your
righteousness. So, you are really as righteous as God is --
because He IS your righteousness. As a believer in Jesus, you
will never be more righteous -- no matter what you do.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30 NIV
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness,
holiness and redemption.

SAY THIS: I receive the gift of right standing with God through
my Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You Father God for this wonderful
gift.