Wednesday, July 31, 2013

You Are Part Of Christ's Body On Earth

1 CORINTHIANS 12 NLT
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up
only one body. So it is with the body of Christ.
17 Suppose the whole body were an eye--then how would you hear?
Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you
smell anything?
18 But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each
part just where he wants it.
21 The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The
head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."
22 In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least
important are really the most necessary.
27 Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of
you is a separate and necessary part of it.

Scripture says we are a Body -- not just that we are "like a
body." You ARE connected to everyone who acknowledges Jesus
Christ as Lord -- whether you like them, or think they are
necessary, or not. Whatever happens to ANY member of the Body
does have an affect on EVERY member.

Remember this the next time you are tempted to speak ill of
another believer, or mistreat them. Even if they don't believe
exactly like you, or go to the same church -- they are still
connected to you in Christ. So be nice to your Body!

SAY THIS: I am a member of Christ's Body on earth. Today I will
let Jesus Christ manifest His love and wisdom through me.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

We Shall Be Like Jesus

1 JOHN 3:2 NKJ
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

God's plan is to change you. He will not quit until you are
like Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 8:29 NKJ
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to
the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many
brethren.

God has already made the decision. You WILL be like Jesus! (It
may take awhile -- but God has plenty of time.)

Surely this doesn't mean an identical physical appearance, but
perfection. Perfection morally, spiritually -- and yes, even
physically and mentally.

So don't be discouraged with where you are now. God is still at
work and He is no quitter.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6 NKJ
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a
good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus
Christ;

How is God doing this? Primarily through His Word. So, stay in
the Word. The more you expose yourself to the accurate Word of
God, the more you will be changed into the likeness of Jesus
Christ.

SAY THIS: God is at work to make me like Jesus!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Prayer Guidelines

Prayer is communication with God. Talking with Almighty God is
the greatest privilege you have.

God desires a growing relationship with you. Communication is
essential for a relationship to develop. Involve God in every
part of your life: every decision and every action. In that
sense you should pray without ceasing -- always being in
communication with God.

However, we need special prayer times focused completely on the
Lord. He is worthy of our time and attention -- and we require
this time with Him to develop spiritually.

Remember the instruction given in Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His
gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise." If
you seem to run out of words to praise God, use some of the
Psalms, or praise and give thanks in tongues (1 Corinthians
14:16-18).

Many use the model prayer our Lord gave in Matthew 6:9-13 as a
guideline for their special daily prayer time. Some of the
principles taught are:

*You are praying to your Father.
*First worship and honor God.
*Pray that God's will be done before praying about your own or
others' needs.
*Ask for God's forgiveness and help.
*Finish by praising God.

During times of prayer many find it helpful as a memory aid to
have a prayer list of people and things to pray for. Also,
keeping a journal of your prayer requests and answers is
beneficial and will bless you tremendously as the years go by.

Always base your prayer on Scripture. Scripture is God's
answer. Receiving from God in prayer involves taking His answer
(His Word) to Him and receiving your request by faith.

Also, every believer can and should develop the habit of
praying much in tongues. This not only edifies you spiritually
(1 Corinthians 14:4, Jude 1:20), but allows you to pray with a
wisdom beyond your ability and knowledge (Romans 8:26-27).

SAY THIS: Prayer is a privilege.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Possess The Land

NUMBERS 33:53 NKJ
53 'you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell
in it, for I have given you the land to possess.

JOSHUA 1:3 NKJ
3 "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I
have given you, as I said to Moses.

In Old Testament times the people of God received promises to
possess the physical land. They faced literal giants keeping
them from possessing what God said was theirs.

Today we face a similar challenge: overcome the obstacles and
possess the promised blessings given in the New Testament.

How can we possess and enjoy these promised blessings?

Faith!

HEBREWS 6:12 NKJ
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.

What belongs to us? What has God said is ours to "possess"?

"All things!"

2 PETER 1:3 NKJ
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called
us by glory and virtue,

ROMANS 8:32 NKJ
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all
things?

1 CORINTHIANS 3:21 NKJ
21 Therefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours:

As New Testament believers our "giants" are demons and
unbelief. Every promise of blessing is ours to claim and
possess by faith.

SAY THIS: I will possess my "land" in Jesus' Name!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Why Pray?

JOHN 15:5 NKJ
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me,
and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do
nothing.

There are three reasons to pray: for God's benefit, for your
benefit, and for the benefit of others.

To Benefit God

Just as earthly parents enjoy talking with their child, our
Heavenly Father enjoys hearing from you.

Also, God desires certain things done on Earth, but He has
delegated authority to mankind. Through our requests, God can
justly intervene in earthly situations and bring His will to
pass. So, praying in line with God's Word benefits God.

To Benefit You

Prayer is communication with God. It includes listening,
discussion, and giving thanks -- not just asking for things.

Relationship requires communication. Your relationship with the
Lord will never grow without communication.

Time spent in prayer helps you stay tuned-in spiritually --
remaining sensitive to God. Prayer keeps you "connected" with
God. It helps keep your focus on God and how great He is.

Prayer is a way of humbling yourself and is the opposite of
doing things by yourself. Receiving direction from God is the
greatest help you can get. If you fail to seek God's help, you
are headed for trouble, because the devil sets traps to destroy
you.

Also, talking with God forces you to honestly face your
situation -- for you know you cannot fool God.

To Benefit Others

All around us, people are in great need. Through prayer we can
appropriate heavenly help on their behalf.

God can do more in one minute than you can do in a lifetime.

SAY THIS: I will pray because prayer is beneficial.

Friday, July 26, 2013

You Must Control The Devil

JAMES 4:7 NKJ
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee
from you.

Most believers expect God to control the devil, but God gave
you that responsibility.

EPHESIANS 4:27 NKJ
27 nor give place to the devil.

Would God tell you not to let the devil have any place, if you
had no say about it? If the devil does have a place in your
affairs, it's because you allow it.

The devil will take over -- if you let him.

Jesus won the victory. It legally belongs to you. But the devil
is a criminal, who doesn't obey the law unless forced to. You
must enforce Jesus' victory and Lordship in the situations of
life, or the devil will take control by default.

No human being, in themselves, is any match for the devil. So
you can't resist him in your own ability or name. You are not
more powerful than the devil, but you do have more authority as
a believer in Jesus Christ.

Just as a policeman in uniform has the backing of the entire
government and all its forces, so believers have the backing of
God and all His forces, when we stand against the devil in
Jesus' Name.

God gave you authority to resist the devil, and expects you to
use it. If you disobey God by not using it, things will not go
very well in your life.

Praying to God to stop the devil's operations is no different
than my son asking me to take out the trash, after I told him
to do it.

God told us to resist the devil and he would flee. We must
believe and act on God's Word.

SAY THIS: I will resist the devil and he will flee from me.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

God's Word Is A Seed

Most people expect God's Word to work like a stick of dynamite
-- but Jesus told us God's Word is like a seed.

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

The Holy Spirit, through Peter, also said God's Word is a seed.

1 PETER 1:23 NKJ
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but
incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides
forever,

God's Word is alive. Just like a seed -- the Bible is full of
unseen life.

JOHN 6:63 ICB
63 It is not the flesh that gives a person life. It is the
spirit that gives life. The words I told you are spirit, and so
they give life.

Jesus said His words are alive. They contain life, so they give
life. The words in your Bible may look lifeless and powerless.
Seeds do, also. But they are not without life or power.

In Mark 4:30-31, Jesus explained that the kingdom of God works
like a seed. So, if we are to understand God's kingdom and how
He operates, we need to understand seeds.

SAY THIS: God's Word is good seed. I will plant it in my life
and it will bring forth a good harvest.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Your Hairs Are Numbered

LUKE 12:7 NIV
7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't
be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Have you ever wondered how God has time to keep count of how
many hairs you have today?

God probably built a program into your brain that tracks your
total hair count, which He can quickly scan without having to
spend much time on your hair. (Your life might also be better
if you spent less time on your hair. ;-)

(Or, maybe He assigns each of us a hair angel to do the job.)

The point is not that God spends all His time counting hairs,
but that there is nothing about you God is not fully aware of
at all times.

If your hair count is important enough for God to monitor --
however He does it -- surely He monitors everything else that
concerns you, also.

Think of that! God is aware of the smallest detail of
everything in life that affects you. It matters to Him.

You are His child. Every detail of your life concerns God.

Knowing that, Jesus said, "Don't be afraid."

SAY THIS: God keeps current on every detail of my life.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

How To Change

ROMANS 12:2a 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.

Many people would like to see change in their life. But how?

To change the way you act, you must first change the way you
think. Because you act like the person you think you are.

But to change your thinking, you will need to focus on
different information.

Our beliefs are the cause of our actions. So to permanently
change behavior, beliefs must be changed.

A belief is a thought you have decided to accept as
truth. You choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs determine
your actions. You always act on what you believe.

As long as you think something is advantageous for you, you
will keep doing it. When you realize something is not
advantageous for you, you will stop it.

You may argue with this, thinking that you sometimes do things
you know are not good for you. But you only do them if you
think you are gaining some benefit from doing them. Usually it
is choosing to receive a near-term benefit in exchange for
longer-term harm.

Why do people do what they do? Because of what they believe.
All people always do what they believe is their best choice at
the time in order to get what they think they want. Always!

People normally do not act contrary to their beliefs, except
under great pressure. But even when forced to do something
against your will, you will only do it if it seems to be the
best thing you can do under those circumstances.

When your beliefs change, your talking and your actions will
also change. Trying to change your actions without first
changing your beliefs will fail because your beliefs govern
your actions.

For example, believing that God loves you instead of being mad
at you will change the way you act. If you believe God loves
you, you will turn to God when you need help. But if you
believe God is mad at you, you will be hesitant to seek God's
help.

Our beliefs may be based on incomplete and inaccurate
information -- in fact they usually are. But our beliefs always
determine our actions.

Humans are like a guided missile, programmed to change course
when new information is presented and accepted.

So the first step for positive change in your life is to get
information that will change the way you think. Read the
letters to the Church in the New Testament and find out what
Jesus Christ has done for you. Find out who you are in Christ.
Find out how God sees you.

SAY THIS: To change my behavior, I must first change my
beliefs.

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Deceitfulness of Riches

MATTHEW 13:22 NIV
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is
the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and
the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

How are riches deceitful? (The word really means a delusion.)

Riches promise more than they can deliver. They promise
security, happiness, and satisfaction in life, but fail to
deliver.

Does this mean God is against wealth? No! He just doesn't want
you to be deceived by it. Or, to trust in it. For it will
surely disappoint you.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be
haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living
God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

According to Jesus, life does not consist of the abundance of
one's possessions. You should believe Him. He knows.

LUKE 12:15 NASB
15 And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against
every form of greed; for not {even} when one has an abundance
does his life consist of his possessions."

Watch out! Don't let money deceive you.

Having wealth -- a bunch of stuff -- will not give you a
satisfying, fulfilling life. It promises to. But it can't
deliver.

Things will not make you happy -- not for long. It's your
inward attitude, and doing God's will, that determines whether
you will enjoy happiness in life.

If having more money was the answer, why do rich people commit
suicide?

Money promises security, but can never quite attain it. In
contrast, God delivers security -- for eternity.

HEBREWS 13:5 NIV
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you."

Money can leave you and forsake you, even when you need it
most. But God will never abandon you.

Riches will let you down. God never will.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for opening my eyes to the
deceitfulness of riches.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Rahab

HEBREWS 11:31 NKJ
31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish . . .

Rahab was not a descendant of Israel. She was a harlot from the
city of Jericho, which God commanded Israel to utterly destroy.
But because of her faith, all that was hers was spared. She
also became an ancestor of Jesus of Nazareth, being the great-
great-grandmother of King David (Matthew 1:5-6).

No matter who you are, or what you have done, there is hope for
you. Through faith in God, and His provision, your life can be
changed.

Rahab asked that all her family and all their possessions be
protected. This action evidently pleased God because Hebrews 11
commends her faith, and tells us that without faith it is
impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6,31).

JOSHUA 2:12-13 NKJ
12 "Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I
have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my
father's house, and give me a true token,
13 "and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters,
and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death."

Note that Rahab asked for a token, a sign. They told her to
place a blood-colored cord in her window -- representing her
faith in God's provision of blood under the Old Covenant.

JOSHUA 2:18,21 NKJ
18 ". . . bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through
which you let us down . . . .
21 Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she
sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet
cord in the window.

JOSHUA 6:23,25 NKJ
23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out
Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she
had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them
outside the camp of Israel.
25 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household,
and all that she had . . . .

We should stand in faith just as Rahab did and ask for the
lives of all our family members, and for all our possessions.

Then we must "display the scarlet cord" in our windows -- the
Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. When the devil comes to
steal, kill, or destroy us, or anything that belongs to us, we
must make sure he sees the Blood of Jesus.

If a harlot, who had no covenant with God, by her faith
received God's protection for all her family and possessions,
surely as believers in the New Covenant established by Jesus'
Blood, our faith can do at least as much.

SAY THIS: By faith, I place the blood of Jesus over all my
family and all our property.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

How Many Times Should I Ask God For Something?

The answer to this question is that you should ask until you
get the answer.

When you believe you have the answer, it would be silly to ask
again.

But how should you determine when you get the answer? What
evidence will you require to believe you have the answer?

What will God have to do before you will believe He has granted
your request? Will God need to send an angel to tell you your
request is granted? Will you have to wait until all the
circumstances change and everyone sees the answer show up in
your life?

Or, will you simply accept God's Word as sufficient evidence to
believe God has granted your request?

Jesus said in Mark 11:24 that we are to believe we receive the
answer when we pray. The key to receiving from God is not long
praying, but faith. What we believe is what makes the
difference.

God gave us the Bible to change what we believe, so we could
know His will, pray in agreement with His will, and therefore
have confidence that our requests are granted.

MATTHEW 6:7 NKJ
7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the
heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their
many words.

In Matthew 6:7 Jesus warned against using "vain repetition" in
prayer, but this probably means more than just making the same
request more than once. It cannot always be wrong to repeat a
prayer, because Jesus prayed the same words three times in
Matthew 26:44. It depends on what kind of prayer it is.

It is appropriate to repeat some prayers, like those found in
Ephesians asking for believers to be filled with the knowledge
of God's will with all understanding. That is not a prayer you
can just pray once and believe you receive the full answer
immediately.

But when we ask God for some material thing, we should not need
to ask more than once. We should believe God granted our
request when we prayed. So it is not appropriate to ask God
again, but only to thank Him.

What is vain repetition? Something that is useless and makes no
difference.

MATTHEW 6:7 ERV
7 "And when you pray, don't be like the people who don't know
God. They say the same things again and again. They think that
if they say it enough, their god will hear them.

Successfully praying to receive things is not a matter of
wearing God down with repeated requests until He finally gives
in and grants your request.

Jesus taught that what we receive through prayer is a matter of
what we believe. Mark 11:24 tells us that when we pray we are
to believe we receive our answer when we pray.

If we believe we receive the answer to our prayer, there is no
need to continue asking for that request. There is no need to
keep asking for something we already have.

We don't have to believe we are in possession of what we
requested, but simply that God has granted our request and the
answer is on its way to us.

How many times would you ask a friend to do something for you?
Unless you are forgetful or crazy, you would only ask them
until they said yes. Once they said they will do something for
you, if you trust them, you know they will do it. Continuing to
ask them to do something after they already agreed to do it
would be rude and disrespectful.

MATTHEW 21:22 NKJ
22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will
receive."

The key factor is what you believe. If you don't believe God
heard and answered your prayer, then you need to pray again.
But you need to recognize that the fault is not with God, but
with you.

Jesus taught that to receive from God we must ask in faith. If
we are not prepared to believe we receive the answer when we
pray, then we are not ready to pray for that request.

We have no business praying for something we do not believe is
God's will. But if we pray in agreement with God's will, then
we should know we have the answer.

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.

"What then am I to pray about? What do I say tomorrow during my
prayer time?"

If you believe you received the answer "yes" from God today in
regard to your request, then tomorrow when you talk to God
about it, you should say "Thank You!" "Thank You that You are
working and the answer is coming. Thank You for answering my
prayer. Thank You that things are working out good."

"But," you say, "nothing has changed yet!"

If you think that, it shows you are basing your beliefs
entirely on the information coming from your circumstances. You
are not accepting God's Word as worthy evidence. You have not
believed that God granted your request and the answer is on its
way. With this approach, you cannot expect very good results in
prayer.

SAY THIS: There is no need to ask for something after it has
been granted to you.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Redeemed By His Blood

1 PETER 1:18-19 NKJ
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,
like silver or gold . . .
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.

Some Christians shy away from talking about blood -- but not
the Bible. In fact, the Bible presents blood as an integral and
honored part of Christian teaching.

Blood represents life, and Jesus freely gave His life to redeem
you.

COLOSSIANS 1:13-14 NKJ
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and
translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins.

The blood of Jesus -- representing the giving of His life --
was the payment for your freedom. You should give bold
testimony to the power of the precious Blood of Jesus. It is
what has set you free!

Sin opens the door for the devil. But Jesus' Blood cleanses us
from all sin and closes the door of opportunity to the devil.

1 JOHN 1:9 NKJ
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus' Blood enables us to stand before God as if sin had never
existed. We have no other plea for entrance into God's presence
but the precious Blood of the Lamb.

HEBREWS 10:19 NKJ
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by
the blood of Jesus,

The blood of Jesus represents all that God accomplished for you
in His great redemption.

We should display the token of Jesus' Blood over the boundaries
of our lives -- anywhere the devil might have an opening -- by
releasing our faith in the sufficiency of that precious Blood
through words.

SAY THIS: I am set free by the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Christ Is Our Passover

God gave instructions to the Israelites so they could escape
the judgment coming on the Egyptians.

EXODUS 12:7,13 NKJ
7 `And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two
doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.
13 `Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where
you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and
the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the
land of Egypt.

The Egyptians had no protection from the destroyer, but the
people of Israel who put the blood of a lamb on their dwellings
were safe.

The blood represented the Blood of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world -- Jesus Christ (Rev. 13:8). Judgment
was legally avoided because of it.

The blood applied stopped the destroyer. Action was required --
not just passive belief in the blood.

PSALM 105:37 NKJ
37 He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was
none feeble among His tribes.

Not only were the children of Israel spared from destruction,
but they all left Egypt in good health carrying away the wealth
of Egypt.

Christ is our Passover. Can we not expect Him to provide us as
much protection and deliverance as the lamb provided the
children of Israel in Egypt?

1 CORINTHIANS 5:7 NKJ
7 . . . For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

HEBREWS 8:6 NKJ
6 . . . He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was
established on better promises.

LUKE 22:20 NKJ
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This
cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

New Covenant believers have the right to draw a faith Blood
line the devil cannot cross. By speaking words of faith we
apply the Blood over the "doorposts" of our lives -- the outer
edges of all that belongs to us.

With blood on the door of the Israelites in Egypt, no evil
dared enter their dwelling. Likewise, we are kept safe through
the protection of the divine Blood of Jesus.

Wherever we have authority we should apply the Blood -- and
never leave the protection the Blood of Jesus provides.

SAY THIS: Jesus Christ is my Passover who protects and delivers
me and my family.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Hang On!

HEBREWS 10:23 NKJ
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without
wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Sometimes it seems like there's no hope and no help. Like you
have no more strength or ability to go on. You're at the end of
yourself and just can't do any more.

Don't worry. Just hang on to your faith in God.

God is faithful. He will not forsake you. He has not forgotten
you. (It just seems that way when you face a trial of faith --
but it's a lie.)

It may seem dark and hopeless, but God is holding on to you.
God is working behind the scenes. Things will work out.

When you don't know what to do, just continue to trust in God,
and know that He is helping you. Persevere even when you feel
like you can't. Just don't give up.

JAMES 1:2-4 BARCLAY
2 My brothers, you must regard it as nothing but joy when you
are involved in all kinds of trials,
3 for you must realize that when faith has passed through the
ordeal of testing the result is the ability to pass the
breaking-point and not to break.
4 This ability must go right on to the end, and then you will
be perfect and complete, without a weak spot.

Trials are no fun. But we should not be surprised when we find
our faith being tested.

The devil is doing his best to steal your faith in God, but his
best is not good enough. God is greater than the devil. Hang on
to your faith!

Remember that God is for you. God is on your side. God will
help you and see you through.

Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep praising
and thanking God -- especially when you don't feel like it.
Don't give up. Hang on!

SAY THIS: I won't give up on God. I trust in Him.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Balance In Life

MARK 6:31 NIV
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they
did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with
me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Balance is a difficult thing to achieve.

Success usually requires discipline, a large commitment of
time, and a lot of hard work.

But sometimes what's needed is to take a vacation!

Taking a trip is not always necessary, but taking a break from
your normal routine is.

You need time to think, and time to listen to what God is
saying to you -- as well as physical rest. Without taking time
to "recharge your batteries" you will never be your best.

People who face relentless responsibilities, such as pastors,
mothers of young children, care givers, and owners of small
businesses, especially need an occasional break.

(Be creative. It doesn't have to be expensive.)

We want to lead productive lives and be fruitful in our walk
with the Lord, but we cannot take the place of God. We cannot
do everything. We are not God.

Burning out is not a good witness for the Lord, as it makes Him
look like a hard taskmaster.

Humans require rest. To continue to be healthy and productive
for many years, we must live a balanced life which includes
rest and taking time off.

Always keep the big picture in mind. That includes eternity.

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to achieve balance in my life.

Monday, July 15, 2013

God Will Provide

GENESIS 22:14a NLT
14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the LORD
will provide").

One of God's names is Yahweh-Yireh (also spelled Jehovah Jireh)
which means, "the Lord will see to it," that is, "the Lord will
provide." The Lord sees ahead and provides. That is one of His
names! God cares for you, and plans for your provision, even
before you know you need it.

There will not be one day in your entire life that God has not
seen ahead and made provision for you. It may require some
searching for you to find it. It may even be difficult to
obtain. But God's provision is always there!

MATTHEW 6:26 CEB
26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don't sow seed or harvest
grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father
feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?

Jesus said God provides food for the birds, implying that God
provides for every creature. Yet, if a bird sits still, instead
of gathering the food God has provided for them, they can
starve. God does not carry food to their nest and put it in
their mouths.

Birds don't sit in the spot where they found food yesterday and
wait for food to show up there today. They keep looking,
obviously confident that food is available somewhere.

If you accept lack, you may have it. But if you have as much
faith as a bird you will keep looking for your provision until
you find it, because you know that God has made provision for
you.

You may have to look in a different place than you found your
provision yesterday, and you may have to look longer than you
did yesterday, but if you keep looking you will find it.

SAY THIS: I can trust God to always provide what I need.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

All Things Are Possible

MARK 9:23 NKJ
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes."

From our early years we are educated in what is impossible.

But progress continues to be made by people who attempt the
impossible and achieve it.

Some have said that mankind's only real obstacle is between our
two ears.

We ARE limited by what we believe, according to Jesus.

So, how can we change what we believe? Only by getting new
evidence, which is available from the Word of God.

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and
it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

A conventional approach will not achieve the "impossible." It
will require being different from the crowd, who probably won't
understand you or support you. Speaking to things and telling
them to move, as Jesus taught, is certainly not conventional.

Acting differently than everyone else can be scary. It's like
getting out of the boat to walk on water. But do you want
conventional results?

As you read the Bible and see the instructions God gave us, you
will usually find them unconventional. But the person who acts
on God's Word will be blessed.

SAY THIS: All things are possible!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Be Thankful For What You Have

COLOSSIANS 3:15 CEV
15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were
chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes
from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.

If you are reading this, there are literally millions of people
who would trade places with you. They envy you and would be
very grateful to enjoy all that you do.

Usually the more someone has, the less thankful they become.

So how can you overcome ingratitude? Only by changing your
beliefs. As long as you believe you're getting a raw deal, or
less than you deserve, you will never become a thankful person.

An attitude of gratitude is the result of what we focus on.

Remember, you deserved punishment. Instead, God gave you what
He deserved, and EVERYTHING you have -- every breath -- is a
gift. Keep this in focus and you will become a thankful person.

(An extra bonus is that a thankful person is a happy person.)

HEBREWS 13:5 NIV
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you."

What could be greater? Almighty God promises to always take
care of you! Never will you be forsaken! Never will you be left
facing life all alone! (You may feel forsaken, but it's a lie.)

A rewarding, satisfying, and fulfilling life does not depend on
being rich. Jesus is the one who told us, and He knows.

LUKE 12:15 LB
15 Beware! Don't always be wishing for what you don't have. For
real life and real living are not related to how rich we are."

SAY THIS: I will be thankful.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Do You Want To Be Happy?

What are you waiting for?

Most people are waiting for something -- something "special"
that will make their life great, so they can be happy.

Ask yourself: have others had this, and are they all happy? No,
they're not, and it won't give you lasting happiness, either.

Happiness is not determined by external circumstances, but by
internal circumstances.

Everyone chooses how happy they are by what they choose to
think about.

Your attitude is determined by your perspective, which is
determined by what you think about -- your focus. You choose
your focus, so ultimately, you are the one who chooses whether
to be happy, or not.

Perspective is what the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) are about.
Seeing a bigger picture than just this one small moment of
time. (The Beatitudes are where Jesus explained how some are
blessed, or happy -- even in difficult situations.)

(The word we translate as "happy" in the New Testament is
usually translated as "blessed.")

You won't get happiness by chasing what the world has to offer.
It has already been tried and found wanting.

And, you will never be happy as long as you are self-centered.
A focus on self is guaranteed to prevent happiness.

Right after Jesus performed the menial task of washing his
disciple's feet -- akin to cleaning toilets today -- He told
them:

JOHN 13:15,17 ICB
15 I did this as an example for you. So you should do as I have
done for you.
17 If you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

You will be happy if you help others. If you take your focus
off yourself. That's what Jesus taught.

SAY THIS: I choose to focus on God and be thankful and happy.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Pride and Selfishness

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 NKJ
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but
also for the interests of others.

Pride and selfishness always go together. A truly humble person
cannot be selfish.

Pride is self-importance and self-focus -- which leads to
selfishness which is selfish thinking and selfish acting -- the
opposite of Jesus' command of agape love in John 13:34.

Pride produces selfishness. All selfishness is a manifestation
of pride -- thinking you are better, or more important, than
others.

Pride is the root of selfishness -- and thus the root of all
evil. Pride is hidden but manifests as selfish acts.

JAMES 3:16 TEV
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil.

Selfishness causes all evil. All evil proceeds from selfish
actions. Selfishness is the only manifest problem, but pride
feeds it. Dealing with the root cause of the problem is the
only lasting solution.

Submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and realizing we
are not the center of the Universe, is the answer.

Without Jesus, you can do nothing. Apart from His grace, you
would not be able to take that next breath of air!

SAY THIS: Jesus is Lord and I submit to Him.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Selfishness

The only thing necessary to change heaven into hell -- if God
were to allow it -- is selfishness.

Selfishness is mankind's fundamental defect. Selfish means:
self-centered, self-serving, self-important.

At the root of every problem is selfishness.

JAMES 3:16 TEV
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil.

Every selfish person is potentially your enemy.

All sin is selfish. No one ever sins for someone else -- we do
it for selfish reasons.

Divine love is the opposite of selfishness. Giving is the
opposite of acting selfishly.

We are products of a corrupt culture that teaches selfishness,
so it's not unusual for us to think it's not so bad.

But you must die to selfishness -- or self-destruct. However,
you're unable to change by yourself. You can't change the fruit
without changing the root. That's why you must be born again!
Only by receiving Jesus Christ and letting Him change you
inwardly can you become a truly unselfish person.

No other "religion" teaches putting others first even to the
point of loving your enemies. Only Christianity teaches you can
be totally changed and become a person with a new nature. There
is no cure apart from Jesus!

SAY THIS: Jesus, please cure me of being selfish.

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

The Message Of The New Testament

Mankind has a fatal defect, which manifests as selfishness.

There is a cure -- but only one which is effective permanently.

The cure requires injection of new life into your inner being.
This life is called eternal life, because it is the life that
God, the Eternal One, has.

The cure is free, but the only way to obtain it is to receive
and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.

Freedom from this defect requires two things. First, the gift
of eternal life, which can be obtained now by receiving the
Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, knowing that God loves you greatly -- even more than
you love yourself.

Therefore, you no longer have to live a self-centered life,
worrying about and seeking your own welfare -- because you know
that God Himself watches out for you.

God will protect you and provide for you -- not just enough to
barely make it -- but an abundant, joy-filled life.

All people who reject this freely offered cure, must soon be
placed in quarantine, to be kept from spoiling life for those
who do partake of God's cure.

To receive Jesus and His new life, you basically do it the same
way you get married. You say: I want to, and I do.

Jesus is listening now, waiting for your decision. He loves you
enough to die for you.

SAY THIS: I receive and acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Lord.
Change me, Lord, into what I should be.

Monday, July 08, 2013

Make Prayer A Habit

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in
prayer.

Prayer is a habit that, like every other good habit, must be
developed.

You know you need to pray. You need God's help, His wisdom and
His guidance. But you must persevere in prayer. The activities
of life try to keep you from praying. So persevere!

LUKE 21:36 BBE
36 But keep watch at all times with prayer, that you may be
strong enough to come through all these things and take your
place before the Son of man.

In communing with God, you gain strength that comes in no other
way. You find the wisdom and courage to face life and overcome.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17-18 ICB
17 Never stop praying.
18 Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you
in Christ Jesus.

Learn to always include God in your thoughts. Ask Him about
everything. Cultivate your relationship by continual
communication. And one of the most important things for you to
communicate to God is your gratitude. Thank God for everything.

Don't relegate prayer to just when you're on your knees. As you
go about your activities, include God by constant communion
with Him.

Talk to God about everything!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to develop the habit of continual
communication with you.

Sunday, July 07, 2013

Temporary!

This is what you should say to your circumstances when they
don't line up with God's Word:

Temporary!

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.

You may not realize it -- but problems often "speak" to you.
They say things like, "You can't get rid of me. I'll be with
you as long as you live."

"Your parents died from this and you will, too."

"Your family was poor and you'll always be poor. You'll never
have abundance. You'll never get out of debt."

Actually, it's the demonic forces behind the problems that
speak to our minds -- trying to keep us in doubt and unbelief.
We must resist those thoughts -- and the first step is to talk
back!

We should speak to thoughts of doubt and unbelief that are
contrary to what God has said in His Word -- for His Word is
truth.

Don't be passive. Resist!

The Bible tells us to resist the devil. That means to resist
his thoughts and ideas, too.

Long ago, God gave mankind dominion on earth. That dominion
included naming things. You still have that form of dominion
today. If you name your troubles as "yours" and "permanent" --
they will stay. But if you call them "temporary" -- they will
eventually leave.

Jesus told us to speak to our mountains and tell them to be
gone. But what should you say after you have spoken to the
mountain and it's still there?:

TEMPORARY!

SAY THIS: My circumstances are subject to change!

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Jesus Is Lord

ACTS 2:36 NKJ
36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God
has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Many preachers tell people they "need to make Jesus Lord."

While I understand what they're trying to say -- it's too late!

Jesus ALREADY is Lord! God made Jesus the Lord almost 2000
years ago.

ACTS 10:36 NKJ
36 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--

What we must do is recognize and agree that Jesus is Lord. The
Bible calls this "confessing," which certainly involves more
than just glibly speaking a few words.

ROMANS 10:9 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.

We need to realize we're not the center of the Universe, but
Jesus Christ is, and therefore, we should submit to His
Lordship, instead of trying to run our own lives.

But we don't really "make Him Lord" -- we just yield to His
Lordship.

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

It's true that Jesus has not yet exercised His prerogative and
taken charge of everything that's His by virtue of being Lord
of all -- but that's only a temporary situation.

PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11 NKJ
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.

Eventually, everyone will know the truth. You have the great
privilege of knowing it, and acting on it, today.

Jesus is Lord!

SAY THIS: God made Jesus to be Lord, and I accept His Lordship
over my life, and over all creation.

Friday, July 05, 2013

When To Rejoice

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 KJV
16 Rejoice evermore.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 NASB
16 Rejoice always;

If you only rejoice when things are perfect, you may not
rejoice much in this life.

Why miss out on something so pleasant?

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in
prayer.

You can rejoice in hope! That means to rejoice ahead of time.

Why? Because you expect deliverance. You know God's blessing is
coming your way -- because God is faithful. So rejoice now!

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

God never changes. He's always good. Focus on Him and you will
have something to rejoice about.

SAY THIS: I will rejoice in the Lord always.

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Jesus' Invitation

REVELATION 3:20 NKJ
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with
him, and he with Me.

Most people think this verse is directed to non-believers. Not
so. Jesus was talking to those already in the church.

How sad!

This is the Lord, the Head of the church, speaking to His own
people. "If you will open up to Me, we will enjoy times of
fellowship."

God desires your fellowship. He wants you to spend time with
Him. But He invites -- He never forces.

We enjoy the presence of those who love us, especially when we
also love them. God loves you more than anyone else does. So,
you shouldn't need to be forced, or talked into, spending time
in fellowship with God.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:9 NIV
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, is faithful.

God has called you. You must choose whether to answer.

Who would you rather know than God?

Spending time with someone is the way you get to know them. You
begin to know what they like and dislike, and how they think.
When you spend time with the Lord in His Word and prayer, you
get to know Him.

Spending time with someone is the only way to build a
relationship.

SAY THIS: Jesus, I open up the door to You!

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Speak To Your Mountain

MARK 11:23 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 come to
pass, he will have whatever he says.

"Talk to mountains? Do you think I'm crazy?"

Jesus talked to things, and taught that "whoever" could also
speak to mountains.

A mountain is primarily any obstacle that stands in your way.

Faced with obstacles, most Christians pray to God. But Jesus
told us to speak directly to the obstacle and tell it to be
removed.

There is nothing wrong with discussing things with God. You
should. But when something is blocking your progress -- Jesus
said YOU should tell it to get out of the way.

Most Christians just speak to God about the mountain, instead
of following Jesus' directions and speaking directly to the
mountain.

Are you just talking to God about the problems in your life,
instead of talking directly to the problems and telling them to
be removed?

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and
it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

According to Jesus, unbelief keeps us from speaking to our
mountains.

What is the mountain in your life? What stands in the way of
your progress? What holds you back from going forward and
fulfilling God's plan?

Speak God's Word to that mountain!

Speak to the devil and his forces and tell them to get out of
your affairs.

Speak to sickness and tell it that it can't stay in your body.

Speak to debt and financial lack and tell them to be removed
from your life.

Speak to doubt, fear, and worry and tell them to be gone.

If you say, "I just can't believe it would do any good for me
to talk to problems," that's why you still have them.

Read what Jesus said again, and again.

SAY THIS: I will speak to the mountains that try to hold me
back.

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Faith Pleases God

HEBREWS 11:6 NKJ
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him.

Our experience does not always agree with what the Bible says.

For example, the Bible says that God will supply all your needs
in Phillipians 4:19, but it may seem like your needs are not
being met.

The Bible says that God always leads us in triumph, but it may
seem like you are losing.

When our experience does not agree with the Bible, it is an
opportunity to keep our faith in what God said, or to give up
on that faith.

Circumstances are subject to change. But God will never change
what He has said. When we hold on to our faith in God's Word,
circumstances will change.

Believing what the Bible says when the circumstances disagree
can be very difficult. It's a great temptation to give in and
forget what God said.

But what greater purpose could your life have than to please
God?

Many people strain and sacrifice to please other humans. How
much greater of a goal it is to please God!

Resist unbelief! Keep your faith in God! You will be rewarded!

SAY THIS: I will believe God's Word regardless what the
circumstances say, because faith pleases God.

Monday, July 01, 2013

The Benefit Of Prayer

ISAIAH 40:31 NKJ
31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and
not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Most people look at prayer only as asking God for things. If
that defines your prayer life, you are really missing out.

Prayer is communication with God -- the greatest privilege on
earth.

Prayer is visiting with God. It can include asking for things,
but is primarily spending time in God's presence, soaking up
His life, His wisdom, and His strength.

Isaiah reveals an important truth to us: those who spend time
with God get new strength. Literally, they exchange strength
with Him. When we spend time with God He somehow takes away our
weakness and replaces it with His strength. What a deal!

As we spend time focused on God, in His presence, we are also
changed into His likeness.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 NKJ
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image...

So, if you need more strength to face life, if you want to be
more like God, or if you want to develop a closer relationship
with the most amazing Being in the universe -- prayer is your
answer.

Don't worry about knowing the right words or being formal. Just
talk to God as you would to a well-respected friend.

SAY THIS: Excuse me, I think I'll visit with God.