Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Pray For Our Leaders

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2 NASB
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers,
petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may
lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Praying for our leaders is not a useless ritual. God would not
tell us to do something in His Word, unless it would make a
difference.

Sometimes, when bad things happen, people ask why God allowed
them to happen. But we should be asking ourselves why we
allowed them to happen: by not obeying God and praying.

If believers are praying as we ought, we can expect many bad
things and difficult times to be avoided.

Since God told us to pray for our leaders, it is our
responsibility.

Of course, we shouldn't limit ourselves to praying only for our
leaders. We should pray for all people. But we must not forget
to pray for our leaders. And not just when we face difficult
times, either.

SAY THIS: Father, I pray that you would give our leaders
wisdom, understanding, and insight into all the situations that
we face, and the courage to do what is right.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

God Is A Good God

Luke 6:35-36 NKJ
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and
evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is
merciful.

Unfortunately, not many people understand that God is truly
good -- but He is. The world has been deceived into accepting
an image of God that's mean and vindictive, harsh and strict.

But the Bible, especially the fuller revelation given in the
New Testament, paints a different picture of God. He is a
Father -- a good Father.

It would be good news if we had a God who was kind to the
average person. But God doesn't stop there. According to Jesus,
who knows, God is kind to unthankful and evil people, too!

That may not be what you often hear preached, but that's what
Jesus said. The Most High God is kind to evil people.

Jesus also said that not only is God kind to evil people, but
He is merciful. In fact, one passage even says that God
delights in mercy! (Micah 7:18)

Too often people think God is mad at them, so there is little
chance He would help them. The opposite is true. Jesus told us
that God so loved the world . . . .

And He hasn't changed His mind.

SAY THIS: My Father God is a good God. He loves the people of
this world, including me.

Monday, April 28, 2008

A Member Of The Body

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12 NKJ
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is
Christ.

Each individual believer IS also part of the Body of Christ,
which is composed of all believers.

(This is the work of God. Not something we "join.")

Think how insane it would be for you to allow your hand to
attack some other member of your body. It's just as crazy for
us, as members of the Body of Christ, to attack other members.

ROMANS 12:4-5 NKJ
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members
do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually
members of one another.

Other members have different callings -- different functions.
But your job is not to oppose them -- even though you may not
understand them, or why they do what they do. Just leave that
to the Head of the Body -- and do what He tells YOU to do.

You are not the Head of the Body of Christ -- Jesus is. He is
responsible for, and capable of, coordinating all we do so our
actions will accomplish His plan. Members of a body have
different functions, but all are necessary for the body to
function properly.

When you don't obey Jesus, the Head of the Body, you are a drag
on the rest of the members.

Think what a difficult time you would have accomplishing
anything if each member of your body did whatever it felt like
-- instead of obeying orders from your brain.

SAY THIS: I am a member of the Body of Christ.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Jesus Is A Savior

MATTHEW 1:21 NIV
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the
name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

The name "Jesus" actually means "the Lord saves" or "the Lord
is a Savior."

So, when we say "Jesus" we are actually saying "Savior." The
two words are synonyms.

The angel told Joseph what to name the son born to his wife
Mary -- and the reason for that particular name. Jesus: because
He will save. We could say, "Savior -- because He will save."

Being a savior is integral to Jesus' nature. That's what He is.
Not just something that He does. He IS, by His very nature, a
Savior.

But we are so used to hearing the word "Savior" in relation to
Jesus that it has lost its meaning for us. It no longer affects
our thinking the way it should. So we need to hear another word
-- Deliverer.

The word savior means deliverer. To save something means to
deliver it. To deliver something means to set it free from what
held it down and kept it from being whole.

You don't have to convince Jesus to deliver you -- He IS a
deliverer! That's what He does. It's as natural for Him to set
you free and make you whole as it is for you to breathe.

All you have to do is allow Jesus jurisdiction in your life.
Invite Him in. He will bring deliverance.

Too many people have been deceived into thinking that allowing
Jesus into their life would put them in bondage and hold them
back. No! Jesus brings freedom. He delivers you from bondage.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my Deliverer! He delivers me from everything
that would hold me down and keep me from wholeness.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Have A Happy Life

1 PETER 3:10-11 NLT
10 For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good
days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips
from telling lies.
11 Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in
peace with others.

Why just tolerate life when you can have a happy life?

Obviously, you have some choice in the matter, according to
these verses. So, make the obvious choice, and ask God to help
you.

Notice that the first instructions given in these verses
concern the words you speak.

What you say is enormously important, according to the Bible.
Yet, most believers are unaware of the importance Scripture
places on the words they speak.

Why not ask God right now to help you understand and apply this
instruction, so you can reap the benefits?

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for giving me a happy life and good
days. Thank you for helping me not to speak evil or tell lies.
Thank you for helping me to avoid evil, do good, and live in
peace.

Friday, April 25, 2008

What Is Sin?

1 JOHN 3:4 KJV
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law.

Sin is breaking the Law, missing the mark set by God.

The word "sin" is a translation of the Greek word "hamartia"
which means to miss the mark.

ROMANS 3:23 NLT
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious
standard.

Religious tradition labels many things as sin which the Bible
does not. People make up all kinds of rules based on what they
think is right. But God is the judge and only God can decree
what sin is.

MARK 7:9 KJV
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of
God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

God has not left us to wonder what sin is. The Bible reveals it
to us. We don't have to guess, or make it up as we go.

Just because you do something someone else thinks is wrong does
not mean it is a sin. So don't let people condemn you over
things the Bible does not clearly say are wrong. God is the
judge.

COLOSSIANS 2:8 NKJ
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty
deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the
basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Another error is to think being tempted is a sin. Temptation
itself is not sin. You cannot help being tempted. Even Jesus
was tempted -- but He never yielded.

HEBREWS 4:15 NKJ
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin.

A common mistake is believing that having bad thoughts is a
sin. It is not a sin to be tempted with bad thoughts. It only
becomes a sin when we embrace those thoughts as our own and
decide to commit them.

JAMES 1:15 NLT
15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is
allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

God is against sin because it is deadly. Sin brings forth
death, not life and blessing. God loves people, so He is
against everything that harms people.

All sin harms people. (Just because you don't see how a sin
would harm anyone, does not mean you know more than God.)

But no human can be right with God by never sinning. We have
all fallen short and need a Savior. It is only by God's grace
and His forgiveness that we can be right with God.

ROMANS 3:20 NLT
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the
law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

We can be glad because Jesus came to save sinners, and He paid
the price for the forgiveness of all sins by shedding His
blood.

EPHESIANS 1:7 NKJ
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace

SAY THIS: Only God has the authority to decide what sin is.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

God Is A Healer

EXODUS 15:26 NRSV
26 ...for I am the LORD who heals you."

When God first revealed Himself to the people of Israel after
their deliverance from Egypt, He called Himself "the Lord Who
Heals."

He didn't just describe Himself as a healer -- He actually gave
Himself that name. One of God's names is "The One Who Heals" or
we could just say "Healer."

Certainly God heals physically. Yet we should not limit our
thinking on this. God heals, or makes whole and sound,
everything that He touches. (So, if we need healing, our plan
should be to get closer to God.)

The idea of making whole and sound is what we should focus on.

God, by His nature, makes things whole. He IS a healer. A
healer of bodies, of minds, of relationships, of nations --
whatever needs making whole and sound.

The important point is to realize that we need not convince God
to heal, because that is His very nature.

No wonder that when Jesus of Nazareth, who was God in the
flesh, came along that:

MATTHEW 4:23 NRSV
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every
disease and every sickness among the people.

SAY THIS: I serve the God who heals. My God is a healer.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Are You A Pharisee?

MATTHEW 16:6,12 NKJ
6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven
of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of
the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and
Sadducees.

Why did Jesus warn His disciples to beware of the Pharisees?
What did they do wrong?

(An entire chapter of the Bible (Matthew 23) is Jesus' teaching
against the Pharisees.)

The Pharisees were conservative, faithful "church" members.
They accepted the Bible as the written Word of God. They paid
tithes. They believed in miracles (at least in days past). They
wouldn't dream of stealing, committing adultery, or such
things. You would like living next to a Pharisee as they were
model citizens.

But instead of having a living relationship with God, the
Pharisees took the Word of God and made just another dead
religion out of it.

The Pharisee way of thinking is: keep up appearances. "It
doesn't matter so much what you are on the inside, as long as
you keep the rules (at least publicly)."

Notice that Jesus likened their teaching to leaven, or yeast.
Why? Yeast spreads easily and rapidly. Humans are very
susceptible to approaching God in this manner, "Keep the rules.
Just do these 10 things and you are OK."

Different groups may have different rules, but we all
accumulate them. It may be how many times each week you must
attend church meetings, or what kind of clothes you must wear,
or how you must wear your hair. Or, it may be a list of things
you cannot do. But, as long as you meet these requirements, you
are in good standing with your group (or denomination).

But, good standing with God is based on only one thing
according to the New Testament: faith in what Jesus did for us.
That alone is what makes us right with God. Not our works, but
Jesus' work.

LUKE 12:1 NKJ
1 ... He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

The Pharisees were hypocrites. That is, they put on an act.
What they pretended to be in public was not really what they
were like in private. They claimed to be perfect in keeping
God's law, but as humans they were all sinners, just like the
rest of the people were. Yet, in public, they insisted that
others keep the Law perfectly, or be condemned.

They were quick to pass judgment on others, and slow to extend
mercy or help. The Pharisees had a legalistic view of God's
Word and did not realize that God was merciful and wanted to
help people.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:6 NKJ
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life.

Using God's Word to "kill" instead of using it to minister life
is wrong. God's Word is meant to help people and lift them up,
not place such hard demands on them that they cannot ever
measure up. When we load people down with heavy loads of rules
to keep in order to be right with God, we are ministers of
death.

MATTHEW 23:1-5 NLT
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the
official interpreters of the law of Moses.
3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow
their example. For they don't practice what they teach.
4 They crush people with impossible religious demands and never
lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 "Everything they do is for show. . . .

If your "Christianity" is nothing more than a list of "do's and
don't's" then you are missing real Christianity, which is a
living relationship with Jesus Christ.

SAY THIS: Jesus does not want me to act like a Pharisee.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Don't Wait For Tomorrow

PROVERBS 27:1 NIV
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day
may bring forth.

Do what you need to do today.

Don't wait to receive Jesus. Don't put off doing the will of
God. Don't wait to tell someone you love them.

JAMES 4:13-15 NIV
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to
this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and
make money."
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is
your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and
then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we
will live and do this or that."

You don't know what tomorrow holds -- or even if you will be
here tomorrow.

Keep your focus on God. Trust in Him, and do His will today.

SAY THIS: I will do what God leads me to do today.

Monday, April 21, 2008

God Is Your Father

2 CORINTHIANS 6:18 NKJ
18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and
daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."

I am truly sorry if your earthly father was not a good father.
But there are good fathers -- and certainly God is one.

Have you really thought about what it means to have God as your
Father?

Think of His power, His wisdom, His wealth. Then remember that
God loves you more than anyone else has ever loved you -- even
more than you love yourself.

No earthly father ever loved his children more than God loves
you.

Are you living your life in the light of this knowledge? Or,
are you acting like an orphan and worrying like you have no one
to take care of you?

JOHN 14:18 NIV
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

SAY THIS: God is MY Father. He loves me and takes good care of
me. I am not facing life all alone.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Take It!

MARK 11:24 NASB
24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and
ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be
granted you.

The Greek word translated "received" is lambano, which means to
actively receive. In English we use the word "take" to describe
actively receiving.

For example, the following scriptures contain the Greek word,
"lambano." This may help you get a better understanding of what
receive means when it translates this word, lambano.

MARK 12:8 NKJ
8 "And they TOOK him and killed him and cast him out of the
vineyard.

JOHN 19:6 NKJ
6 ...Pilate said to them, "You TAKE Him and crucify Him, for I
find no fault in Him."

As the above passages show, sometimes lambano is translated as
take or took -- and is not at all passive, but very active.

MARK 11:24 Swann
24 Therefore, I exhort you, All things whatever you pray for
and ask, have faith that you have taken hold, and it shall be
for you.

So, this verse is saying to us that when we pray, we are to
believe we take what we are asking for, and then we will have
those things.

How can we do that?

We must take them by faith. How do we "take them by faith?" We
release words of faith based on what God has said in His Word,
the Bible.

We are not talking about forcing God to do something, but to
receive (or take) what is already offered.

How can you "believe you have received" something before you
see it? Easy! You just need credible evidence.

If someone you trusted told you they had deposited money in
your bank account, you would not need to physically go to the
bank and see the cash before rejoicing.

Well, God -- who cannot lie -- has told us many things in His
Word. When we pray in line with what God's Word already says is
ours, that is our evidence on which we can base our belief.

When God says it -- we can believe it. So that is our evidence
by which we can "believe we receive" something when we pray.
So, by our faith, we "take it."

(We are not taking it from God. He has already given it to us.)

SAY THIS: When I pray I am supposed to "take" the answer by
faith.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Jesus Will Not Reject You

JOHN 6:37 LB
37 But some will come to me--those the Father has given me--
and I will never, never reject them.

People may reject you. But Jesus won't.

Jesus died for sinners. He loves them and will help them -- if
only they will come to Him.

Jesus didn't come to condemn us, but to help us. Think of the
Bible account of the woman caught in adultery.

JOHN 8:11 NIV
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you,"
Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Religious people will reject you for any number of reasons. The
length of your hair, the food you eat, or the clothes you wear
are only examples of reasons they may reject you.

But Jesus is different. He will accept you just as you are.

Many people think they need to clean up their life and get
their act together before coming to Jesus. But they have it
backwards. They should come to Jesus now, and let Him "clean
them up."

If we could make ourselves perfect -- we wouldn't need a
Savior.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my Savior.

Friday, April 18, 2008

You Are Righteous In Christ

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

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. It
does not mean human "perfection."

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, and that
makes you righteous.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30 NKJ
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom
from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

You ARE righteous if Jesus is your Lord. In fact, Jesus IS your
righteousness. As a believer in Jesus, you will never be more
righteous -- no matter what you do.

Romans 3:10 is a well known verse on this subject that is often
misunderstood. It is a quote from the Old Testament, and is
part of a passage that continues on to say that NOW we can be
righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 3:10 NKJ
10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;

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 10 gives instructions on how to become righteous.

ROMANS 10:9-10 NKJ
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made to salvation.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my righteousness. I am in right standing
with God through what my Lord Jesus did for me.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Message Of Reconciliation

2 CORINTHIANS 5:19 NIV
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not
counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us
the message of reconciliation.

The Good News is about reconciliation between God and man.
Jesus Christ accomplished it.

Mankind was estranged from God. We had gone our own way, were
lost, and couldn't find our way back to fellowship with God.
Fortunately, God loved us and did something to help us.

Two extremely important ideas are presented in the above verse.

First, God is not holding people's sins against them! As far as
God is concerned, Christ's sacrifice paid the penalty for all
sin -- and God considers the world reconciled back to Him.

Second, this wonderful good news of what God has done has been
committed to us. Human beings must tell it. If we don't -- it
won't be told.

People can live and die and never know the glorious truth that
God is not holding any sins against them -- if no one tells
them. They need to know they are forgiven, loved by God, and
welcome to come back into fellowship with Him through Christ.

Think about this: God is interested in reconciliation. Not in
shutting you, or others, out. He is inviting humanity in,
saying all is forgiven.

SAY THIS: Thank You Father God for reconciling me and not
holding my sins against me. Please help me to share this
message with the right people in the right way.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

People Are Precious

JOHN 3:16 BBE
16 For God had such love for the world that he gave his only
Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to
destruction but have eternal life.

We may be too familiar with John 3:16 for its message to impact
us as it should. When it says that God loves the world, it
means the people of the world.

God loves people -- even the sinners. ALL the people of the
world are loved by God. (That does not mean He approves of
their behavior. But God loves them.)

People are created in the image of God. We are like God, His
children.

Children are precious to their parents. No matter how many
children a parent has, every child is precious to them. They
are all loved.

So it is with God, who obviously has a huge capacity for love.

A parent may have a child who is a criminal, but that parent,
if they are a good parent, will still care for their son or
daughter and desire good for them. God is no less loving and
caring. He desires good for us -- every one.

When we deal with people who are acting terrible, it can be
difficult to remember they are precious to God.

LUKE 6:35-36 NLT
35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without
expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be
very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the
Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and
wicked.
36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is
compassionate.

People will last for eternity. People will live with God and
give Him pleasure in the ages to come.

Let's stay focused on what is really precious and worthwhile.
Material possessions are nice and have their place, but are
nothing compared to the worth of a human being -- even if that
human being is not perfected yet.

Even with rough edges, people are valuable. You are precious to
God! So is everyone else.

SAY THIS: Every person is precious to God.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Laugh!

PSALM 2:4 KJV
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall
have them in derision.

PSALM 37:13 KJV
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is
coming.

PSALM 59:8 KJV
8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all
the heathen in derision.

ECCLESIASTES 3:4 KJV
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;

LUKE 6:21 KJV
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

PROVERBS 17:22 KJV
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken
spirit drieth the bones.

God laughs. So should you!

SAY THIS: I will laugh with God today.

Monday, April 14, 2008

In Everything Give Thanks

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 NKJ
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.

Are you giving thanks to God today? You should. If you want to
be happy, you must. For, without being thankful, you will never
be happy.

Just because things are not going the way you would like is no
excuse. The Bible clearly says that God's will for you is to be
thankful -- always.

The Bible does NOT teach that we're to thank God for evil,
because God is not responsible for evil. No, God is not guilty
of any wrongdoing.

What the Bible does teach, is that we should always be thankful
-- even when evil happens. Being thankful is part of an
attitude of faith, and faith will overcome evil.

Although the Bible does say we should give thanks to God FOR
all things, that only means the things for which God is
responsible. For example, if a guest at your home said, "Thank
you for everything," you wouldn't think they were thanking you
for what someone else did.

God doesn't do bad things to people. He's not the one who comes
to steal, kill, and destroy. That's the devil, and people
motivated by selfishness and demonic influence. So you have the
devil "to thank" for the bad things in life.

Yet, during the bad things in life, we are to continue thanking
God, no matter how we feel. This helps us keep our eyes on God
and keep things in perspective.

No matter how dark and hopeless the situation may look -- give
thanks. This is God's will for you.

Thank God for the opportunity to see His deliverance. Thank Him
for His mercy and grace. Thank Him for His faithfulness. Thank
Him for defeating the devil and setting you free in Christ.
Thank Him that Jesus is Lord. Thank Him that your name is
written in Heaven. Thank Him for loving you and taking good
care of you. Thank Him!

SAY THIS: In everything I will give thanks to God for what He
is doing. All God does is for my good.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Don't Worry

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

Probably the biggest temptation most believers face is the
temptation to worry.

What is worry? Worry is thinking that leaves God out. Worry is
the opposite of faith. Instead of expecting God's help -- you
expect the worst.

1 PETER 5:7 CEV
7 God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.

The Bible has much to say about not worrying. Worry is not
appropriate for a child of God.

MATTHEW 6:32 CEV
32 Only people who don't know God are always worrying about
such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of
these.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 ICB
6 Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for
everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks.

SAY THIS: I will not worry. I will trust in God. He will take
care of me and everything that concerns me.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Instructions For Success

JOSHUA 1:8 NIV
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth;
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and
successful.

If you desire to succeed, here are the instructions.

You may follow other plans that promise success, but you have
no guarantee they will work long-term. People may give you
advice that works for awhile -- but can you be sure it will not
fail you someday?

With God you have an eternal guarantee: His Word will never
fail. Heaven and earth will disappear before even the smallest
detail of God's Word will fail.

Look at God's success instructions again. Study them in detail.
Surely if anything is worth your time, this promise of God is.

First, speak in line with God's Word. Isn't it interesting that
the first instruction from God for success has to do with what
you say? Some people proclaim that what you say doesn't matter,
but God puts it at the top of the list.

Second, meditate on what God said. This is the opposite of
worry. This is more than just reading the Bible. (Although if
you never read it, how could you meditate on it?) This is
thinking about what God says and how it affects everything.

When are we to think about God and His Word? When it is day, or
when it is night. Any other time, you can safely shut God out
of your thoughts.

Look at what God promises will be yours if you follow these
instructions: prosperity and success. What everyone wants, but
few are willing to do what it takes to achieve.

Of course you can ignore these instructions. But why would you?

SAY THIS: I will speak God's Word, meditate on it, and act on
it. Then God promises I will be prosperous and successful.

Friday, April 11, 2008

The Gospel

ROMANS 5:18 NLT
18 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but
Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship
with God and new life for everyone.

Gospel means good news. It was not originally a religious word,
but meant good news which makes people happy and excited.

If what you have heard about Jesus Christ does not make you
happy and excited, then you have not yet truly heard and
understood the Gospel as it is meant to be understood.

The basic outline is that Jesus of Nazareth, who was God in a
human body, took your place in judgment, paying the penalty
for all your sins, and gave you the blessing He deserved
because of His perfect sinless life.

God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the universe, loves you
enough to die for you. That's good news!

Jesus took what you deserved, and gave you what He deserved!
That's good news!

And this is not limited to just you. Jesus died for all
mankind. Deliverance from sin, its effects and penalty is
available to anyone and everyone who will believe and receive
Jesus Christ as Lord.

ROMANS 1:16 NLT
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is
the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the
Jew first and also the Gentile.

God is on your side -- not against you. That's good news!

If you do not get so excited you can hardly contain your
excitement, you have not fully understood the Gospel.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 NLT
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of
those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious
light of the Good News. They don't understand this message
about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

If you can keep yourself from telling others about Jesus, you
have not yet understood the Gospel.

SAY THIS: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is GREAT news!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Witness Of The Spirit

ROMANS 8:16 NKJ
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God,

God has a plan for guiding His children in all the questions of
life.

God's primary method of leading us in matters the Bible does
not specifically address, (such as which job to take or which
person to marry), is the inner witness, which is a knowing
communicated by the Holy Spirit to our spirit. It is not a
voice, but an inner knowing.

ROMANS 2:15 NKJ
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their
thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Another term for the witness of the spirit is "peace."

COLOSSIANS 3:15 Amplified
15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ
rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and
settling with finality all questions that arise ....

An umpire is responsible for making decisions. Our "umpire" is
the inner peace, or witness in our spirit.

1 JOHN 5:10 NKJ
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in
himself....

One way Scripture describes the "inner witness" is "it seemed
good."

This was the Scripture phrase God showed me as I sought Him
concerning how to be led by the Spirit. I realized that had
been the way I had determined which message God would have me
preach. I would pray and seek God until, on the inside of me,
it just seemed good to preach a particular message. I couldn't
really explain it, but I knew it was how God was leading me in
what subjects to preach.

I saw in Scripture this was also the same "leading" Luke had to
write down the Gospel of Luke. And also how some important
decisions were made in the early days of the Church. They
described it as "it seemed good."

LUKE 1:3 NKJ
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding
of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly
account, most excellent Theophilus,

ACTS 15:25,28 NKJ
25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to
send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

Obviously, an immature believer could easily use this as an
excuse for their behavior, saying it just "seemed good to
them." But we are not talking about something seeming good to
your flesh or your mind, but to your innermost being, your
spirit where God dwells (if you are a believer in Jesus
Christ.)

And we must always remember that the Holy Spirit will never
lead us to do anything that is not in line with God's written
Word, the Bible. So, being familiar with God's Word is vital.

SAY THIS: God is helping me understand being guided by the
inner witness.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Get Answers To Prayer

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

Jesus says we must believe we receive our answer WHEN we pray,
not wait until we see it.

But no one can believe they receive without evidence. God's
written Word is our evidence.

MARK 11:24 Amplified
24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in
prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to
you, and you will [get it].

Whenever we ask the Father for anything we really desire, we
must believe that we receive our request granted to us when we
pray. Then we act like we already have it, and the thing we
prayed for will eventually show up.

But we must pray in line with God's Word. We cannot just
"believe" anything out of thin air -- if it does not agree with
God's Word -- and expect to receive it.

1 JOHN 5:14-15 NKJ
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we
ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Bible-based prayer that works is not getting God to do
something, but receiving by faith from God based on what He has
already said and done.

In other words, we do not need to change God's mind or get Him
to do something. We just need to enter in by faith to receive
what God has already decided and provided.

So, find Scripture that promises what you need or want, then
take that to God in prayer and believe you receive it when you
pray.

SAY THIS: I will base my prayers on God's promises, and believe
I receive my answer when I pray.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The Inner Witness

COLOSSIANS 3:15 Amplified
15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ
rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and
settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds,
in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one
body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful
(appreciative), [giving praise to God always].

God has revealed His will to us in many areas through His
written Word, the Bible. But there are many things the Bible
does not specifically tell us, such as what person to marry,
what job to do, or where to live. (While the Bible gives us
some principles, it does not tell us individually and
specifically what to do in these types of things.) But God has
made provision to guide us in these areas of life also.

The peace of God is the umpire to determine our direction.

Understanding the "peace of God" (which I also identify as the
"inner witness") can sometimes seem difficult. Inexperienced
believers can mistake feeling good or comfortable in their
flesh for the inner witness. But, just like everything in life,
we learn, even when we make a mistake.

While this may be open to misunderstanding and abuse, it's what
Scripture teaches. God desires a growing relationship with us,
and obviously is not too concerned about us never making a
mistake while we grow spiritually and learn by experience how
to better discern the "inner witness."

We are not talking about having "peace" in your flesh, but an
"inner" peace deep within your spirit. It is not fleeting, but
grows stronger the more we draw near to God by spending time
focused on Him and His Word.

Normally, with the inner witness, thoughts will just come to
you. But thoughts can come from sources other than God. We need
a way to judge which thoughts are from God and which ones are
not.

There are two criteria by which we can determine whether a
thought is from God. The first is a knowledge of the written
Word of God, the Bible. God will never lead us contrary to His
written Word.

The second criteria is the inner witness.

ROMANS 2:15 NKJ
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their
thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

How can you determine the inner witness?

First, it is important to realize that it is not usually a
voice, but a witness. Some words to define it are intuition,
impression, idea, hunch, knowing, or peace.

The inner witness is something we learn to recognize better as
we grow in our relationship with the Lord. It is best to learn
on things that are not life-and-death issues. God is interested
in every detail of our lives and will help us in everything. He
will even lead us in things we would consider small things,
such as locating misplaced objects.

The inner witness (along with Scripture) is also how God
confirms the most important thing in this life: knowing we are
a child of God.

ROMANS 8:16 NJV
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God,

To be sensitive to the Lord's leading, we must look to the Lord
and spend time focused on Him. Prayer, praise, giving thanks,
and acknowledging God in all our ways are part of it. The
better we know the Lord, both through His Word, and through
walking with Him, the easier it will be for us to discern the
inner witness of the Spirit, and know God's will for us.

We must walk in the light we have, and make our decisions
prayerfully and humbly, always being ready to change and admit
we were wrong.

God promises that if any of us lack wisdom, we can ask Him and
He will give it to us (James 1:5).

SAY THIS: I will follow the leading of the Lord, through the
inner witness of His peace, in line with the Word of God.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Words Control Your Life

PROVERBS 18:20-21 NKJ
20 A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his
mouth, and from the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who
love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:20 says what your lips produce will fill your life.
Your lips produce -- words.

Words determine the course and the outcome of your life. You
now have, and will continue to have, the fruit your tongue
produces.

To change your life you need to change your words.

JAMES 3:2,8 NIV
2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in
what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body
in check.
8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full
of deadly poison.

To change the words you speak you need God's help.

As Jesus said, out of the abundance of your heart your mouth
will speak. So, you need a new heart and you need it filled
with God's Word. Only in that way can your tongue be brought
under complete control.

SAY THIS: Lord, because your Word teaches that words control my
life, please help me to control my words.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

God's Word Will Make You Free

Many people are afraid that God's Word will put them in
bondage. But Jesus said God's Word would make you free.

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."

Abide means to live, to continue, or to spend time somewhere.

If you continue to spend time in Jesus' Word -- you will know
the truth.

When you know the truth, you will act on that knowledge, and
acting on the truth will make you free!

The Bible, especially the message of Jesus Christ in the New
Testament, will set you free if you continue in it.

We are not guaranteed instant results, although they sometimes
do happen. Freedom is certain, however, if you stick with God's
Word. Jesus gave His guarantee!

If you are not enjoying freedom in any area of your life, you
have not continued in God's Word enough in that area.

God's Word has the information that, when acted upon, will make
you free!

SAY THIS: I will continue in God's Word and it will make me
free.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Cast Your Cares

1 PETER 5:7 Amplified
7 Casting the whole of your care -- all your anxieties, all
your worries, all your concerns, once and for all -- on Him;
for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you
watchfully.

God is not just mildly interested in you. He cares for you just
as a good mother cares for her infant child -- affectionately
and watchfully.

Would it be reasonable for a well-loved infant to worry?
Neither is it reasonable for you to worry when God loves you
and has promised to take care of you.

To worry you must believe one of two lies: God can't take care
of you, or God won't take care of you.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NRSV
6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Worry is not appropriate for a child of God.

SAY THIS: I throw all my cares on God because He cares for me.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Learn To Use Your Faith

MARK 11:23-24 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he says.
24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you
pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

There is spiritual growth as well as physical growth. We don't
start out strong and mature. The Bible, and all creation,
teaches gradual growth.

MARK 4:28 NLT
28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade
pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally
the grain ripens.

The Bible is full of great promises. We must receive them by
faith. Faith is not trying to believe, but knowing that you
believe. So, you must start using faith at the level you are
at. If you don't have faith for a new car then believe for a
bicycle. Then believe God for a motorcycle. Keep using your
faith and feeding it on God's Word and it will continue to
grow.

Eventually, you will get to where you can believe God for large
things as easily as you did for small things.

It requires feeding your faith on God's Word as well as
exercising your faith to cause it to grow strong.

The mistake many make is trying to believe God for a jumbo jet
when they really don't have enough faith for a bicycle. Yes,
the Word says that all things are possible, but only for those
who truly believe. Most people are just trying to believe and
hoping something will happen.

What if you have a need now, but don't have enough faith to
cover it? Get someone else to agree with you, using their faith
on your behalf.

MATTHEW 18:19 NKJ
19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth
concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by
My Father in heaven.

But don't expect to go through life depending entirely on
someone else's faith. God will require you to eventually grow
up and use your own faith. So you might as well get started
now.

God knows our needs. The Bible is clear that God does not want
us to be in lack. Then why doesn't God just meet our needs,
without us having to ask?

One answer is God wants us to grow in faith. Our faith can only
grow strong as we use it. So, every need is a faith
opportunity, and thus an opportunity for growth.

God wants us to be specific in our asking, so that when the
answer comes, we will know it was from God and came in response
to our faith in Him.

Don't wait until you have a large crisis in life to start
learning to use your faith. Start now!

Don't try to start praying for something big. Start small. Your
faith will grow as you use it.

SAY THIS: God will help me to learn to walk in faith.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Jesus Understands

HEBREWS 4:15 NKJ
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin.

Whatever you face, Jesus Christ has already faced it.

Jesus knows what it is like:

to be hungry
to be tired
to be lonely
to be hurt
to be hated
to be beaten
to be persecuted
to be misunderstood
to be mistreated
to be mocked and laughed at
to be betrayed by a friend
to be tempted to sin
to be responsible for employees
to feel forsaken
to feel hopeless
to have no spouse
to have no earthly father there to help
to have lost a loved one
to have to pay taxes
to have money stolen from you
to have the responsibility to provide for a family
to live under an oppressive government
to experience extreme pain

HEBREWS 4:16 NKJ
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Don't be afraid to talk to Jesus about anything. Not only does
He understand, but He knows how to help you so you can overcome
and have victory.

Remember, Jesus loves you -- enough to die for you. And He also
ever lives to intercede for you.

So Jesus not only understands what you face, but He is able and
willing to help you.

SAY THIS: Jesus understands what I am going through and is
leading me to victory.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

God Is Not A Liar

NUMBERS 23:19 ICB
19 God is not a man. He will not lie. God is not a human being.
He does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does.
What he promises, he keeps.

Too many of us judge God by ourselves, or those we normally
deal with. Unfortunately, honesty is scarce today. We are
accustomed to people lying to us.

But God is different. He does not lie. Not ever.

TITUS 1:2 NKJ
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised
before time began,

SAY THIS: My God is not a liar. He will do what He said He
would do.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

God Loves You More Than You Love Yourself

ROMANS 5:8 NKJ
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God has proven His love for you. So don't doubt it.

What proves that God loves you more than you love yourself? He
died in your place -- suffering the punishment for sin that you
deserved, so you could go free. God was more willing to suffer
Himself than to see you suffer.

Of course, the devil constantly tries to get you to doubt that
God loves you. That's why you must rely on what the Bible says
-- not what your feelings or circumstances may tell you.

You may think you don't love yourself -- maybe you think you
hate yourself. Even if you don't think too highly of what you
have done, you still love yourself in the sense that you desire
the best for yourself. You don't desire pain or loss.

So it is with God -- He desires good for you -- even more than
you do. And He demonstrated at Calvary that He would put your
interest before His own.

1 JOHN 4:16 NKJ
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God
in him.

There are at least two reasons why God loves you so much.
First, it is His nature to love. The Bible says that God is
love. Love is the word that best describes God's nature.

Second, you are His creation. God loves you just as good
earthly parents love their offspring. People may not seem very
special to others, but to their mother and father they are
always special. This should help you understand how God could
really like you -- even though you may not like yourself very
much.

Also, God sees you as you can be and will become -- not just as
you are now. God has faith in you and in His ability to make
you someone special.

SAY THIS: I choose to believe what the Bible says: God loves
me.