Monday, June 30, 2014

Keep Your Body Under Control

1 CORINTHIANS 9:27 ESV
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest
after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Our body is our earth vehicle. Without it, we can't operate on
earth. If our body is not kept under control, and kept in good
shape, it can become unfit for use, rendering us disqualified
from continuing on in the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

The Williams translation of the above verse says "may not
myself become unfit to run."

What could disqualify you from finishing your race here on
earth in complete victory? Your body becoming unfit to function
fully could certainly keep you from finishing your course.

We have a responsibility to take care of what God has given us
-- including our body. So there is no reason to mistreat our
body, or treat it as evil. We just need to make sure that we
control our body, instead of allowing our body to control us.

We cannot expect God to keep our body under control; that is
our job. We can ask the Lord to help us, but we must do it
(Romans 12:1).

It is important to notice in the Scripture above that "I" is
not the same as "my body." These bodies are what we live in on
earth. You could call them earth-suits. You need to understand
that you are not the same as your body. Your body will die, but
you will continue to live after leaving your body.

The verse above also makes it clear that if we fail to control
our bodies we will experience undesirable consequences. So if
we desire to walk in victory, we must control our bodies.

Fasting (going without food) is one way we can keep our bodies
trained to realize they are not our master.

Forcing yourself to exercise is another way of maintaining
control over your body, so that it will be in shape to continue
to serve you for a long life.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:12 GWN
12 Someone may say, "I'm allowed to do anything," but not
everything is helpful. I'm allowed to do anything, but I won't
allow anything to gain control over my life.

Of course, as with any message from God, this is not meant to
condemn you, but to inform you of what is best, and what is
possible with God's help. If you need help in this area, ask
the Lord to help you, then determine, with His help, to walk in
victory!

SAY THIS: With God's help I can, and I will, keep my body under
control.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Jesus Died For You

ROMANS 8:34 NRS
34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who
was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed
intercedes for us.

The devil would love for us all to doubt that God loves us. But
when you look at the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary, it is
undeniable.

God loves you!

And He proved it!

ROMANS 5:8 NRS
8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were
sinners Christ died for us.

ROMANS 8:32 NRS
32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all
of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?

Sometimes it's easy to be tempted to think God does not care.

But if God was just interested in judging and condemning you,
why would He go through the suffering of Calvary?

Being crucified is one of the worst forms of torture and death
ever devised. Jesus willingly suffered all that for you, so you
could go free, and avoid the suffering you deserved.

Someone who was willing to do that for you, would never hurt you.

SAY THIS: Because of His great love for me, Jesus suffered and
died for me. So I can trust Him.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Do You Believe The Love?

1 JOHN 4:16 ESV
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has
for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God,
and God abides in him.

It is one thing to mentally assent that God loves you. It is
another thing entirely to know and believe it.

Do you truly believe that God loves you?

If not, you should meditate on God's Word until it becomes
clear to you. You should think about the great price God paid
to redeem you.

This is foundational. You need to believe the love that God has
for you.

God delights in you! God rejoices over you! He truly loves you!
And you need to believe it! Because people act on what they
believe.

What you truly believe is what you are acting on. For example,
if I tell you the building is on fire, you may say a thousand
times that you believe me, but I know you don't believe me
unless and until I see you leave the building.

Regardless of what people say, or what games we may play with
ourselves, the truth is that we act on our beliefs.

The reason people sin is because they believe that by doing so
they will be benefited. Once a person sees the truth that sin
is harmful instead of helpful, they can repent (which means a
change of thinking which results in a change of behavior).

Why do people not believe that God loves them? Two reasons.
First, because they know they are not perfect. Second, because
their life experience has not been better.

Can God love imperfect people? YES! Does He? YES! According to
Scripture, all people are imperfect. Yet God loves us enough to
die for us!

Can we accept our experience as valid evidence that God does
not love us? NO! We can believe that our mother still loves us
even when we have had a bad day. Why can't we believe God loves
us even when we have had a bad day?

EPHESIANS 3:18-19 NLT
18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's
people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his
love is.
19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too
great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with
all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

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

Friday, June 27, 2014

Do You Know God?

JEREMIAH 9:24 ESV
24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands
and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love,
justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I
delight, declares the LORD."

There is one problem in the world: people don't know God. Many
think they know God, but have been deceived.

This primary problem is the cause of every other problem. All
sin is the result of people not knowing God. For if people knew
God, they would love Him, respect Him, want to be like Him, and
desire to please Him.

1 JOHN 4:8 NLT
8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is
love.

People who don't know God's character and nature think He is
unreasonable or a hard master. The truth is God is the most
loving, giving, unselfish being in existence. Everything He
does is for our benefit.

EXODUS 34:5-6 NLT
5 Then the LORD came down in a cloud and stood there with him;
and he called out his own name, Yahweh.
6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh! The
LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and
filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

The religious leaders of Jesus' day thought they knew God, but
when He talked to them they called Him a devil.

JOHN 8:19 NLT
19 "Where is your father?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Since
you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If
you knew me, you would also know my Father."

If you want to know what God is truly like, just look at Jesus.
Examine the way Jesus acted in the four Gospels and you will
understand how God acts.

JOHN 12:45 NLT
45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.

If you think God is different than Jesus of Nazareth, you are
deceived. Jesus perfectly revealed the Father God to us. All
the revelation we had of God before was incomplete.

JOHN 1:18 NLT
18 No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is
himself God and is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed
God to us.

Through many years I have experienced the wonderful privilege
of knowing God. I am here to tell you that God is good! He is
faithful! The better you get to know Him the better you will
like Him.

PSALM 34:8 NLT
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those
who take refuge in him!

Taste and see for yourself! Walk with God and you will not
regret it!

SAY THIS: Lord, I want to know You better!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Jesus Is Our Righteousness

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30 GWN
30 You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has
become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our
holiness, and our ransom from sin.

People now have two choices:

1. Quit trying to be right with God by their own efforts, and
accept the gift of righteousness by receiving Jesus Christ.

2. Or, try to be good enough for God to accept them based on
their own performance.

One choice is impossible. No one can succeed with the second
choice. Here are three verses that say "no one" can do it.

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.

GALATIANS 2:16 NLT
16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in
Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in
Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because
of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For
no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law."

GALATIANS 3:11 NLT
11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by
trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is through
faith that a righteous person has life."

No one can be bad enough for God to reject them. And no one can
be good enough for God to accept them. So the only way to have
good standing with God is by accepting His gift -- Jesus
Christ.

JOHN 14:6 NLT
6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one can come to the Father except through me.

ROMANS 10:3 NLT
3 For they don't understand God's way of making people right
with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to their
own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

Yes, God desires for His people to do good, not bad. Jesus was
sent to save us FROM sin, not to leave us trapped in sin.

But we cannot save ourselves. We cannot make ourselves
acceptable to God by our own efforts. We can only come to Him
and accept His free gift, Jesus Christ. When we receive Jesus
we also receive right standing with God (righteousness).

ROMANS 5:17 NLT
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over
many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of
righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over
sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Remember: righteousness is a gift!

SAY THIS:I accept Jesus as my righteousness.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

What Is Faith?

ROMANS 1:17 ESV
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith
for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by
faith."

Since the Bible reveals that we, who have been made righteous
by receiving Jesus Christ, are to live by faith, we need to
know what faith is.

Faith is what you believe. In the New Testament, faith is the
noun form and believe is the verb form of the same word.

Faith is not difficult to understand. If you believe something,
that is your faith. Faith and belief are the same thing.

A belief is something you have accepted as truth and consider
to be true, whether it is actually true or not.

Faith is not a feeling, attitude, outlook, or state. Faith is
primarily a choice, a decision of your will. Nothing can force
you to believe. What you believe is a decision you make.

Here is a definition: Faith is always a decision, based on some
evidence, resulting in some action.

So faith is when you are persuaded by the evidence you have
been presented, and you make the decision to accept it as truth
worthy of action.

If you were told the building you were in was on fire, you
could say all day "I believe the building is on fire." But when
you actually believe it, you will leave the building.

Faith in God is a choice to believe what God says is true. It
is accepting God's Word as evidence worthy of acting upon.

Faith in God and His Word operates on the same principles as
faith in anything else. There are no special rules. It is all a
matter of what you believe.

SAY THIS: Faith is what I believe.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Repent Means Change Your Beliefs

MATTHEW 4:17 NKJ
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

The word "repent" as used in the New Testament, means to have a
change of thinking, which results in a change of action.

Repent does not mean to ask forgiveness. You could ask for
forgiveness all day and never repent.

Repent does not mean to have regret, remorse, or sorrow. You
could be remorseful, full of sorrow, and regret greatly what
you have done, yet never repent.

Repent does not mean to "shape up" and "live right." Of course,
the right kind of repentance should cause your actions to
change so that you will be living right. But repent does not
mean "to live right."

It is even possible to quit a sin without repenting. People can
quit a sin (at least temporarily) for many reasons. For
example, the danger of being caught. That does not mean they
have changed their thinking regarding the sin.

Repentance has to do with your beliefs, not primarily your
actions. Do beliefs determine actions? Certainly. But we must
look at them separately if we are to understand truth.

You might say that repentance is "coming to your senses" or
"waking up to reality."

Repentance has more to do with unbelief than with sin. But we
have become so sin-conscious that most people think about
repentance only as it relates to stopping sin.

If a person is walking one direction, why do they turn around
and change direction? Because their belief changed.

They previously believed going that direction was the best
thing for them to do under the circumstances. Then somehow they
got new information and their belief changed to thinking going
another direction was best for them under the new circumstances.

What you believe is what you will be-living or be doing.

A belief according to the Bible teaching is not just a mental
idea, but what you have accepted as truth worthy of action.

Everything you now believe was once a choice you made. You
chose either to accept or reject the evidence presented to you
as being worthy of believing.

No human being is forced to believe anything. Every belief is a
choice we make.

You may think that "seeing is believing," but it is not true.
Many times people have seen things but still refused to believe
what they saw.

Repent does not mean "shape up and do right." It does involve
change. But the reason for the change is not guilt, but a
change in belief.

Humans always do what they do because they believe it is in
their best interest. What you have been doing in life is what
you believed was your best option -- under the circumstances
you faced.

When you get new information and see a better option for
yourself to take, it requires no struggle to choose the new
better option.

So what was Jesus really saying when we read, "Repent, for the
Kingdom of God is at hand."? Change your beliefs! God's rule is
here!

SAY THIS: God's Message in the New Testament gives me the
information I need to change my beliefs, so they agree with
reality.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Focus On Eternity

MATTHEW 6:19-20 NLT
19 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat
them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and
steal.
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot
destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

When I was young my family had a wall plaque which said:

"Only one life, will soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last."

1 CORINTHIANS 3:13 NLT
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work
each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work
has any value.

If I buy a vehicle for myself it will last only a few years.
Then it will rust, wear out, and break down.

But if I buy a vehicle for someone that will enable them to
preach the Gospel to more people, the blessing and memory of
that purchase will last for eternity.

This is not to say it is wrong to have nice things for
ourselves. (For it does not bring glory to God for us to be in
lack.) But we should not focus only on ourselves and our needs
alone. If you are selfish and self-centered you will actually
rob yourself of blessing, both now and for eternity.

GALATIANS 6:10 NLT
10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do
good to everyone -- especially to those in the family of faith.

Each day we have a choice: live for eternity, or live for
today.

The wise person will invest time and treasure in what will
last.

SAY THIS: I will focus on things that count for eternity.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

You Carry Jesus

JOHN 12:14-15 NKJ
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as
it is written:
15 "Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey's colt."

If you have received Jesus, then Jesus lives in you. So
wherever you go, Jesus goes. Just like the donkey in the verse
above, you carry Jesus.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 NKJ
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you
are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will
dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And
they shall be My people."

God is not living in a building on earth, but in people who
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. When people need or want to
find God, they should be able to come to you.

GALATIANS 2:20 NKJ
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself for me.

Paul, who wrote this, understood that he was a carrier. You
need to understand that you are also a carrier of Jesus. Jesus
did not die on the cross just to redeem Paul the apostle. You
are saved just like Paul was, with the same salvation and the
same benefits.

COLOSSIANS 1:27 NKJ
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory.

SAY THIS: I will carry Jesus into my world.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Speak To The Problem

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, . . . 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.

While I won't question that what Jesus said is literally true,
I think the primary lesson He meant for us to understand is
that a mountain is anything standing in our way -- which we
would call a problem.

Lots of people speak to God about their problems. But not many
people speak to their problems and tell them to be gone.

It's not wrong to discuss things with God. But that is not all
we should do. Jesus spoke to problems and He instructed us to
speak to things we want removed from our lives.

LUKE 17:6 ESV
6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard
seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and
planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

You may think it's strange to speak to things. But God created
this world and He knows how everything is designed to work. So
when Jesus tells us to speak to our problems, we should realize
that He knows how things operate.

The reason it seems strange to us is that we have not known the
ways of God.

God loves us even when we don't follow His instructions. But we
cannot expect good results in our life when we refuse to follow
God's instructions.

Whatever problem you face, speak to it and tell it what you
want it to do. "Be gone." "I refuse to allow you." "Get out of
my life."

MATTHEW 18:18 CEV
18 I promise you that God in heaven will allow whatever you
allow on earth, but he will not allow anything you don't allow.

As a child of God in union with Jesus Christ you have authority
over every work of the enemy and everything that would harm you
(Luke 10:19). Because you have been given authority, you have
to use it.

You are supposed to choose what you allow in your life. (In
fact you do choose, whether you realize it or not.) But most of
us, out of ignorance, thought our only choice was to just
accept whatever happened. We didn't know any better. But now we
are learning. So we can make new choices, and see better
results.

SAY THIS: I will speak directly to problems and tell them what
to do because God gave me authority in my life through Jesus
Christ.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Love One Another

JOHN 13:34-35 ESV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if
you have love for one another."

JOHN 15:12 ESV
12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have
loved you.

JOHN 15:17 ESV
17 These things I command you, so that you will love one
another.

ROMANS 12:10 ESV
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another
in showing honor.

ROMANS 13:8 ESV
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one
who loves another has fulfilled the law.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:7 ESV
7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat
for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be
defrauded?

GALATIANS 5:13 ESV
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use
your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love
serve one another.

EPHESIANS 4:2 ESV
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with
one another in love,

EPHESIANS 4:32 ESV
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, as God in Christ forgave you.

1 THESSALONIANS 3:12 ESV
12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for
one another and for all, as we do for you,

1 THESSALONIANS 4:9 ESV
9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to
write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to
love one another,

1 PETER 1:22 ESV
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth
for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a
pure heart,

1 PETER 3:8 ESV
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly
love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

1 PETER 4:8 ESV
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love
covers a multitude of sins.

1 JOHN 3:11 ESV
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the
beginning, that we should love one another.

1 JOHN 3:23 ESV
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of
his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has
commanded us.

1 JOHN 4:7 ESV
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and
whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 JOHN 4:11-12 ESV
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another.
12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides
in us and his love is perfected in us.

2 JOHN 1:5 ESV
5 And now I ask you, dear lady -- not as though I were writing
you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the
beginning -- that we love one another.

SAY THIS: I get it. The Bible tells me to love people.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

God Will Crush Satan Under Your Feet

ROMANS 16:20 NLT
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May
the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Many don't know it yet, but the New Testament reveals that God
has given authority over the devil to all Christians. Therefore
we have a responsibility to exercise that authority and stop
the devil.

Here are some of the verses that make that clear.

LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you.

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

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

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

But one verse in the New Testament, Romans 16:20 (see above),
seems to give a different message. It seems to say we must wait
on God to do something about the devil, instead of doing it
ourselves. For a long time, this verse confused me because it
seemed to conflict with the rest of the New Testament teaching.

So who is responsible now for controlling the devil? Have
believers truly been given that responsibility? Or, should we
look to God expecting Him to do it?

Are we to wait on God to stop the devil's activities in our
lives, or are we supposed to do something by using the
authority Jesus gave us?

One day I finally saw it. Romans 16:20 is not saying that God
will do anything about the devil apart from you. God will work
through you and satan will be crushed UNDER YOUR FEET. It will
be your feet that do the crushing. The power working in you
will be from God, but the feet will be yours. In other words,
you must take action. You have to step out -- and step on --
the devil.

Romans 16:20 seems to say God will stop the devil -- which
would contradict all these other verses. But there is no
contradiction when you realize it is God working through the
believer to control the devil. In other words, the believer
must control the devil, but the power to do it is of God.

Believers must exercise their authority and resist the devil.
We cannot wait on God to do what He told us to do.

SAY THIS: God's plan is that the devil be under my feet.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

People Crave Love

1 THESSALONIANS 4:9 NLT
9 But we don't need to write to you about the importance of
loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one
another.

If you want to understand why people do what they do, realize
that we are created to need love.

It is not just a desire, but a need. If humans are not getting
love, they will do whatever they can to try and get it.

Many foolish and harmful things are done simply because people
are craving love.

We want someone to value us, to even delight in us. We are
driven by our need for love and acceptance. All of us want to
be special to someone.

Insecurity is fear -- fear that you are not good enough, that
you will not be loved if it is known what you are really like.

But God knows everything about you, and He still considers you
so valuable that He was willing to die for you! When you KNOW
God loves you, lesser opinions are not as important.

1 JOHN 4:18 NLT
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.
If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows
that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

If people only knew the truth about God -- that He truly loves
them -- they would turn to God wholeheartedly.

We are God's representatives on earth. Unless we love people,
they will not believe God loves them.

1 JOHN 4:7 NLT
7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love
comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows
God.

SAY THIS: Lord help me to love people with Your love.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Don't Ignore The Poor

GALATIANS 2:10 NLT
10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor,
which I have always been eager to do.

Not everyone who is poor is that way because of what they have
done. Disasters happen.

The enormity of the need worldwide can tempt us to just ignore
the plight of the poor. We can't help everyone, but that should
not keep us from helping someone.

PROVERBS 28:27 NLT
27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who
close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

If you are reading this, then by definition you are not one of
the truly poor. You may be poorer than your neighbor, but there
are many people poorer than you are. The truly poor cannot
read, and struggle for food, which they don't have every day.

LUKE 16:19-21 NLT
19 Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly
clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in
luxury.
20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered
with sores.
21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's
table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

In this account, the rich man did not oppress the beggar laying
at his gate, where he probably passed by every day. The rich
man just ignored him. The dogs seem to have had more mercy.
They at least licked the sores of the poor beggar, while the
rich man did nothing to help relieve his suffering.

PROVERBS 21:13 NLT
13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be
ignored in their own time of need.

God loves all the people of the world -- rich and poor. His
will is not that anyone should suffer or be forgotten. God
loves those who are poor. So we who have been blessed with more
should not forget them.

HEBREWS 13:16 NLT
16 And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need.
These are the sacrifices that please God.

PROVERBS 19:17 NLT
17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD -- and he
will repay you!

GALATIANS 6:10 NLT
10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do
good to everyone -- especially to those in the family of faith.

SAY THIS: I won't ignore the poor.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Sin's Deception

HEBREWS 3:13 NLT
13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still
"today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and
hardened against God.

Sin advertises that it will bring happiness, but fails to
deliver.

Deception's story is that going God's way is too restrictive --
too hard -- and won't lead to happiness. So sin tells you to
throw off restraint and live for the moment -- do whatever
feels right to you with no thought for the future.

The only problem is that it does not work! Sin's promises are
empty.

All sin hurts people. So all sin will (eventually) make someone
miserable.

Can you make yourself happy by making others miserable? No! It
may seem to work for awhile, but in the end it fails.

Don't be deceived! You cannot make yourself happy by hurting
people.

Instead of happiness, sin actually pays out in death.

ROMANS 6:23 NLT
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Whatever pleasure sin may bring is something very temporary
which lasts for only a short while. Then it brings death!

HEBREWS 11:25 NLT
25 He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of
enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Fortunately, there is good news! Jesus came to save us from sin.

MATTHEW 1:21 NKJ
21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name
JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

The good news is that no matter how deeply sin has trapped you,
Jesus will forgive you and free you!

Jesus is not your enemy -- sin is your enemy. Sin only promises
you happiness, then brings destruction, misery, and pain. Jesus
is your friend who came to set you free from sin.

Jesus frees us not only from the punishment of sin, but also
from the power and control of sin.

When you receive Him, Jesus puts His life and love in your
heart, so you don't have to sin.

People sin because they are afraid of missing out on something
good. All sin is based on fear, which results from not truly
knowing God loves us.

But God does love you! Enough to die for you! So you can be
certain that He does not want to withhold any good thing from
you.

MATTHEW 7:14 NLT
14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is
difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Many people read this verse in Matthew and think of few people
making it to Heaven, but that is not what Jesus said. Life, in
full victory, as God intended, is enjoyed by very few people
during our time on earth. The reason is because they allow
themselves to be deceived by sin.

The road of joyful, wonderful life is difficult. It can be a
struggle to keep from being deceived. But Jesus will help you!
He is the Way! So call on Jesus and trust Him to help you!

SAY THIS: I refuse to let sin deceive me!

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tell The Truth

EPHESIANS 4:25 NLT
25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth,
for we are all parts of the same body.

People lie because of fear of loss or pain. They are afraid if
they always tell the truth, things might go badly for them.

So people lie to try to obtain a better result for themselves.
But lies can take you only so far. Truth always prevails in the
end. So a lie that was done in an attempt to help you, will
always end up eventually hurting you instead.

Some might argue that sometimes lies are used to avoid hurting
other's feelings. Like when someone asks, "Do I look old or
fat?" and you tell them "No!" because you want them to feel
good about themselves. But actually you don't want them to
think badly of you for telling them the truth.

I would never suggest that you say anything to put anyone down
and make them feel bad. But you don't have to respond directly
to that type of question, either.

Instead you could answer with something like, "You are a
wonderful person and I love you."

One thing we need to learn is that we are not obligated to
answer every time we are asked a question. Jesus did not!
(Matthew 27:14 for example.) There are times when it is best to
simply say nothing.

As Christians, we may lament how politicians and government
leaders seem to have problems with telling the truth. But we
cannot condemn them without condemning ourselves, if we are
also guilty of sometimes not telling the truth.

We need a revival of truth in our culture. As Christians we
should be people who mean what we say and can be depended on to
tell the truth. We are supposed to be a light to the world
around us, setting a good example.

PSALM 15:4 CEB
4 someone who despises those who act wickedly, but who honors
those who honor the LORD; someone who keeps their promise even
when it hurts;

We should always keep our word, if it is at all possible. Even
if it costs us everything we have. If we do find ourselves in a
situation where it is impossible to keep our promise, then we
should apologize to those we have let down.

JOHN 16:13 CEB
13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you
in all truth. He won't speak on his own, but will say whatever
he hears and will proclaim to you what is to come.

The Spirit of Truth lives in us, so we should be known for our
truthfulness. People should be saying, "You can depend on them.
If they say something, you can count on it being true!"

There should be a clear difference between the children of
light and the children of darkness, the children of God and the
children of the devil.

JOHN 8:44 NLT
44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you
love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the
beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his
character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Never forget that the devil is the father of lies.

While a lie may tempt with the promise of improving things,
remember that the devil's work results in stealing, killing,
and destruction (John 10:10).

(Some Bible examples seem to indicate that an unselfish lie to
stop evil people from killing an innocent victim is not treated
as a sin. Rahab protecting the Israelite spies (Joshua 2:5),
and the midwives not killing the Israelite baby boys in Egypt
(Exodus 1:15-21) are examples of this. These are extreme and
very rare occurrences, and should not be used as an excuse for
lesser situations.)

SAY THIS: I will tell the truth, or keep quiet.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Fear Is A Form Of Worship

MATTHEW 4:10 NLT
10 "Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the
Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve
only him.'"

The devil craves worship. He wants us to think he is great and
very capable of causing havoc in our lives.

We should not be intimidated by our enemy. Fear is an
acknowledgment of his ability.

God has told us in His Word, over and over, not to fear.

In the New Testament, the main word used for worship can be
summarized as submission, or an attitude of submission because
of profound reverence.

So being controlled by fear is submitting to the devil out of
respect for his power and ability, and it is worship.

We should not do it!

SAY THIS: I will not fear because God loves me and has redeemed
me out of the kingdom of darkness, over which He has given me
authority through the Name of Jesus.

Friday, June 13, 2014

You Are All Brothers And Sisters

MATTHEW 23:8-11 NLT
8 "Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one
teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
9 And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only
God in heaven is your spiritual Father.
10 And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only
one teacher, the Messiah.
11 The greatest among you must be a servant.

These verses can seem perplexing. Yet they contain some
important truths.

The first is that in the Kingdom of God we are all siblings --
all on the same level.

(Jesus did not specifically address gender in this passage, but
it fits in perfectly. Any attempt to classify women as inferior
or second-class in any way goes against the spirit of what
Jesus said in this passage. And Galatians 3:28 certainly backs
up this idea.)

Jesus is not telling us it is wrong to acknowledge we have an
earthly parent called a father. For the Bible tells us to honor
our father and mother. He must be referring to the custom of
calling someone "Father" as a term of great respect.

For example, there are people who are called "the father of
modern medicine" or "the father of jazz music." The word
"father" used in this way means someone who was the originator,
the one who started it all -- the leader of a movement.

Although it is not wrong to honor someone because of their
achievements, we should not consider humans the originators of
everything. And we are not to set some people up on a pedestal
and follow them instead of God.

It is not wrong to honor people, but it is wrong to honor
people above God.

No one should be allowed to take the place of honor and respect
that belongs to God alone. He is the One who originated all
things. He is the One who deserves our utmost honor, respect,
and obedience. God is our Leader!

And instead of operating like the world and setting up a
hierarchy we are to operate as co-equals. (This is not to say
there should not be positions of authority and leadership. But
all should remember that being in those positions is a matter
of responsibility, not a matter of being better than others.)

All human beings are on the same level. God loves us all. One
person is not more important or valuable than any other person.

The human tendency is to try and distinguish ourselves from
others. We try to elevate ourselves so others will look up to
us and make us feel good about ourselves. Jesus is telling us
we must not operate this way.

We should not need a title to make us feel valuable when God
has already established our value by the price He paid to
redeem us. Being a child of God is the highest position
imaginable. No human title can begin to compare with that.

All special titles and human recognition are ultimately
worthless anyway. They may have some value here on earth. But
only God, the ultimate Judge, truly matters. What others think
of us matters little.

Human organizations always exalt some people while minimizing
others. "These are the important people. These other people are
not very important." But God's people are not supposed to
operate this way.

Finally, Jesus tells a great truth -- which many have not yet
understood. The greatest person is the one who serves others
the most. This is not just a short-term idea, valid only in
this life on earth. This is the way it will be in God's Kingdom
for eternity. Those who serve others the most are the greatest.

In the Kingdom of God status is not measured by a title or an
office or a following (how may fans or friends you may have).
Instead greatness is determined solely by how much you help
others.

God helps everyone all the time. That makes Him the greatest.
The more we help others, the greater it makes us. So don't
worry about a title or an office -- just help people.

SAY THIS: God's family is not a hierarchy.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

You Are Valuable

LUKE 12:6-7 NLT
6 "What is the price of five sparrows -- two copper coins? Yet
God does not forget a single one of them.
7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be
afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of
sparrows.

Thoughts of inferiority attack us all. No one, no matter how
beautiful or successful, is immune.

How should you determine how valuable you are?

The best way to determine the value of something is to find out
what someone is willing to pay for it. What was the price God
was willing to pay for you?

ROMANS 8:32 NLT
32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for
us all, won't he also give us everything else?

The price God was willing to pay for you was the death of His
Son. No greater price could have been paid!

Who should you allow to determine your value? Who is really
smart enough to know you and your potential?

A parent?
A spouse?
A boyfriend or girlfriend?
A neighbor?
A boss or teacher?

Hardly! All these people are limited in their knowledge and
understanding. Compared to God, they are not really that smart!

God thinks you are extremely valuable! Don't let the devil rob
this precious truth from you.

While you are not yet displaying your full potential, God sees
what you will eventually become. God thinks you are valuable
enough to die for!

Although there are billions of other humans, you are not lost
in the crowd. God knows you! He knows the number of hairs on
your head! He knows every desire and dream you have. And even
though He knows everything about you, He still loves you with
an everlasting love!

God is committed to you. He has promised to never leave you or
forsake you.

HEBREWS 13:5 NLT
5 Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God
has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."

In light of the amazing price God paid for you, there is no
chance He will change His mind about you.

SAY THIS: Almighty God says I am valuable!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Don't Criticize Others

TITUS 3:2 NKJ
2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all
humility to all men.

It's easy to criticize others. But God says don't do it!

MATTHEW 7:1-2 NKJ
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and
with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

One of the biggest traps is to criticize our leaders. Since all
leaders are human, none are perfect. But it is wrong, and
counter-productive, to criticize them. It may be the "spirit of
the age" we live in, but it's not the way the Spirit of God
operates (Acts 23:5). (We can discuss policies without
personally attacking and condemning individual people.)

Those who criticize others are proud. They assume they know
what is best, and that they are qualified to judge and even
condemn others. They think they are better than those they
criticize.

ROMANS 2:1 NLT
1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just
as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked
and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you
who judge others do these very same things.

Without God's grace and forgiveness, we would all be in
trouble!

MATTHEW 7:3 NLT
3 "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you
have a log in your own?

MATTHEW 5:7 NKJ
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

One of the devil's most successful strategies against the
Church has been to get us to accuse one another.

Instead of accusing our brothers and sisters in Christ, we
should be praying for them. After all, we are in the same Body!

Revelation 12:10 tells us that the devil is called "the accuser
of our brethren." Always be on your guard not to join forces
with the devil and help him do his work.

We must make judgments about people in order to function in
life. We can evaluate the fruit produced by others and
therefore make proper decisions (Matthew 7:16). But we do not
have to criticize and condemn people. We can be quiet.

What if a person's behavior is harming others? We have a
responsibility when we are in a position of authority to
protect those we are responsible for. If you are in such a
position you should report such a case to those in authority
over you, in order to protect those you serve.

Otherwise, your primary duty is to pray for those you think are
not yet perfect.

When we criticize someone who belongs to Christ, we are
actually criticizing Him and His work. Better not do that!

SAY THIS: I will not criticize others.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Put On Humility

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

Don't run around spiritually naked! Clothe yourself with
humility!

Humility will protect you, just as clothing protects your body.
Without humility you are exposed and vulnerable.

Without being clothed with humility, you risk embarrassment.
Humility will keep you from the mistakes of pride.

What is humility? Humility is an attitude, a way of thinking.
It is remembering that you only know in part.

True humility is not putting yourself down, but simply seeing
yourself as the Bible says you are. "I am what I am by the
grace of God." Everything you have is a gift from God. So
without Him, you can do NOTHING!

Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride is the wrong
estimation of yourself, and of others. It is forgetting that
others are very important to God and greatly loved by Him.

1 CORINTHIANS 4:7 NKJ
7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have
that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why
do you boast as if you had not received it?

Pride focuses on what I deserve and creates dissatisfaction.
But humility appreciates everything.

The proud person always blames God (or someone else) because
they don't accept that they could be at fault.

Without humility you will be deceived. You will buy the lie
that you have been mistreated by God. So instead of realizing
that you, and other people disobeying God, are the cause of all
your problems, you will blame God.

COLOSSIANS 3:12 NIV
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.

SAY THIS: I will not forget to put on my humility clothes.

Monday, June 09, 2014

Love Is At War

1 JOHN 4:8 CEB
8 The person who doesn't love does not know God, because God is
love.

The Bible reveals that God is Love, and that Love is at war.

1 JOHN 3:8b CEB
8 God's Son appeared for this purpose: to destroy the works of
the devil.

Why is Love at war, and against whom?

Love lost something very precious when Adam and Eve rebelled
and followed satan. Their hearts and minds were captured by
lies.

Love is not warring against people, but against selfishness,
hatred, fear, and ignorance.

If Love went to war, how would Love fight?

Love wages war not by destroying its enemies, but by winning
them over, converting them to Truth.

Love never harms those it takes captive.

When Love wins a battle, there are no casualties, only winners.

2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-5 CEB
4 Our weapons that we fight with aren't human, but instead they
are powered by God for the destruction of fortresses. They
destroy arguments,
5 and every defense that is raised up to oppose the knowledge
of God. They capture every thought to make it obedient to
Christ.

Love's war is for truth to prevail. Lies from the enemy have
kept God's creation in bondage, but truth (acted upon) sets
people free (John 8:31-32).

Genesis 3:1-5 reveals the devil's tactics, which remain the
same today. His first statement to Adam and Eve was to say that
what God told them was not true. Then he implied that God was
acting selfishly by withholding what would benefit them,
insinuating that God did not really care for them.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, satan has continued feeding
mankind false propaganda against God, making us think God was
unfair, unloving, uncaring, and unreliable.

But satan is a liar!

Love could not win the argument with just words. Action was
required. God needed to prove all the devil's propaganda
against Him was wrong. This is the reason why God became a man,
and why He died on the cross at Calvary.

It is impossible to prove you are not an uncaring dictator by
issuing decrees. You can only demonstrate that you have an
unselfish, loving nature by actions.

ROMANS 5:8 NJB
8 So it is proof of God's own love for us, that Christ died for
us while we were still sinners.

Jesus won the decisive battle at Calvary, but not everyone
clearly understands yet what happened there. When everyone
knows the full truth, the war will be over.

God does not force His deliverance, blessing, and love on
people, but allows us all to make choices.

Many don't yet believe God is good and loves them. But Love is
determined to win the hearts of humanity. And Love will not
fail!

SAY THIS: Love is at war with lies, so that all may know the
truth and be set free.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

God Does Not Need Your Money

PSALM 50:10,12 NLT
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the
cattle on a thousand hills.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is
mine and everything in it.

While giving is a valid part of God's training program for
mankind, God's plan is not going to fail if you don't give Him
your money.

God does not need money. People need money -- not God. God is
after your heart, not your money.

It is ridiculous to think of God being in need, when He can
speak and create planets. Just by speaking words, God could
create anything He needed or wanted.

Yet I believe in giving to God and practice it. Why?

Because I need God's help and blessing. God does not need what
I have to offer Him, but I certainly need what He has to offer
me. So I give to God as an expression of worship and gratitude.

How can we give to God? Obviously, we can't put money directly
in His hand.

But Jesus said that if you did something to even the least of
His brethren, it was as if you did it to Him. (Matthew 25:40)

In the Old Testament people gave to God by giving to those He
appointed as priests. Fortunately, under the New Covenant, we
can go directly to God through Jesus Christ, without needing a
priest as an intermediary. However, the New Testament still
indicates that those who spread the Gospel are to be supported
by our giving to God.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:13-14 NLT
13 Don't you realize that those who work in the temple get
their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those
who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial
offerings.
14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the
Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.

So it is Scriptural to give to those who are spreading the
Gospel. But it is wrong to think God is totally dependent on
human giving of money to accomplish His plan.

I do give to other ministers including some who spend great
amounts of money spreading Biblical teaching through various
media. So I am not against spending money to spread the Gospel.
I am just against the idea that this is the only way God could
do it, and that God is somehow dependent on my giving.

As an example, when the communists took over in China, they
forced all the missionaries to leave the country, leaving
around one million believers with no obvious help or support.
They had no Christian TV or radio, no Bible schools, no
Christian publishing houses, no help from anyone but God. Yet
it has been acknowledged that the number of believers grew to
about one hundred million during the years they were cut off
from all outside help. God will not be stopped!

Even if all preachers in the world were killed today, and all
Christian media was banned, God would still be at work, and
would still bring to pass His will.

We should use every available means to bless others and spread
the message of Jesus Christ. But we must never make the error
of thinking God's plan will fail because of a lack of money.

SAY THIS: God does not need my money, but I need what God has
to offer me.

Saturday, June 07, 2014

Die Right

NUMBERS 23:10b KJV
10 Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end
be like his!

How we face death is an important part of life. It is important
to die right.

It bothers me to see those who claim to believe in Jesus Christ
acting like they are afraid to die and go to Heaven.

I am not afraid to die. I look forward to it. It will be
wonderful to be with Jesus in Heaven, after my job here is
finished.

It bothers me to see people who have already lived a full life
spend a fortune trying to prolong their life on earth, like
they have no hope of Heaven.

How can we expect the world to believe, if we don't act like we
believe?

Your death is part of your testimony. If you approach death
like those who have no hope, it is a bad testimony.

PROVERBS 14:32 KJV
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the
righteous hath hope in his death.

Too many "Christians" act like there is no Heaven when it comes
time to die. For a true believer in Jesus Christ, nothing could
be better than to go be with our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ.

PHILIPPIANS 1:21 KJV
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Should we leave this life kicking, screaming and dragging our
feet -- if we believe we are going to Heaven to be with Jesus?

Although we pass through death to leave this sin-infested
planet, it will not hurt us. Jesus defeated death for us and
removed death's sting so it cannot hurt us. We need have no
fear of death. Death cannot harm a believer!

We don't have a choice whether we will die, but we have a
choice about the manner in which we die.

I desire that Christ may be glorified, not only in my life, but
also in my death.

The best ways to die are to either die as a witness for Jesus
Christ, a martyr, or to die a natural death in old age, after
living a full life of victory.

I am not advocating giving in easily to death before it is
time. But we all must eventually face death, so when the time
comes, let us face it without fear.

ECCLESIASTES 3:2 KJV
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a
time to pluck up that which is planted;

There is a time to die, a time when it is best. A time when you
have finished your course on earth, and you are ready to go be
with Jesus. Until then, you should resist death. But you should
NEVER fear death.

Plan and purpose that your death (as well as your life) will
bring glory to God. Pray that your home-going will be glorious
and point people toward faith in Jesus Christ.

SAY THIS: I am not afraid to die. I will die right and leave a
good testimony.

Friday, June 06, 2014

No One Is Born Mature

EPHESIANS 4:13-15 ESV
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children . . . .
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in
every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Ultimately, God plans for you to grow up in every way into
being like Jesus Christ.

But no one is born mature and fully developed -- either
physically or spiritually.

When we receive Jesus Christ, His life enters our inner being,
causing us to be born again as a child of God (John 3:3). We
enter God's family by pure grace, not because of any effort or
virtue of our own.

The moment we are born again, we have all the rights and
privileges purchased for us by the death of our wonderful Lord,
Jesus Christ.

But we have to learn who we are, what is ours, and how to walk
in it. We must learn to use the authority God has given us. (The
only reliable source of this information is the New Testament.)

When we are born again spiritually, we are born equipped with
everything we will ever need, just as a human child is born
with a brain and all the muscles it will ever have. Yet, no
baby can write textbooks or win athletic events. But we
understand that they have that potential, needing only time and
nutrition to grow and mature.

1 JOHN 5:4 ERV
4 because everyone who is a child of God has the power to win
against the world.

We are born again spiritually with everything in place. We
don't need to beg God to give us something else to put us over.
We just need to grow and develop what God has already put
within us.

2 PETER 1:3 ESV
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us
to his own glory and excellence,

God has already given His children all things that pertain to
life and godliness. So we need to learn to walk in what God has
already provided for us.

2 PETER 3:18 ESV
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of
eternity. Amen.

Christianity is not just about being born again and going to
Heaven. Being born again is just the first step. God intends
for us to grow and mature.

1 PETER 2:2 NKJ
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you
may grow thereby,

SAY THIS: God's plan for me is to grow up spiritually. When I
am mature I will be like Jesus Christ.

Thursday, June 05, 2014

Don't Love Money

1 TIMOTHY 6:10 ESV
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is
through this craving that some have wandered away from the
faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Many think the Bible says money is evil but it does not. What
it actually says is the love of money causes evil. The meaning
is that when people love money they will do evil things to
obtain it.

While not all evil is caused by the love of money (rape is an
example), there are many different kinds of evil that have the
love of money as their true motivation.

Money has deceived many. They think it will bring them
happiness, but it disappoints.

Money cannot buy happiness or real love. Money will never love
you back.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17 ESV
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be
haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches,
but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Our Father God is our true Source who will never fail us. He
alone deserves our love and our faith. But money has a history
of disappointment and failure.

HEBREWS 13:5 ESV
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with
what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor
forsake you."

As children of God we do not have to place our hope in money to
take care of us, for we have the promise of God that He will
always be with us and provide for us. We should not allow
doubt to rob us of this blessing.

MATTHEW 13:22 ESV
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears
the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of
riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Please notice it is not riches that choke the Word, but the
deceitfulness of riches. Believing lies about riches is what
chokes the Word and keeps it from producing good fruit in
people's lives.

ACTS 20:35 AMPLIFIED
35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that,
by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the
weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to
be envied) to give than to receive.

Here is a truth too few have learned: happiness is not achieved
by getting, but rather by giving. No matter how much you
accumulate, it will never satisfy you. You will always want
more. But when you recognize that God is your Source and you
can give without worrying about your own needs, you can enter
into great freedom and joy.

Can you be a lover of money and also be a continual giver? No!
Those who love money are not willing to part with it. Although
they may part with some for the purpose of gaining more money,
they will never focus on giving, for they are interested in
getting, not giving to others.

SAY THIS: I will not be deceived by money, loving it and
trusting it, instead of God.

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Your Mouth Locates You

LUKE 6:45 WE
45 A good man has stored up good things in his heart, so he
says good things. A bad man has stored up wrong things in his
heart, so he will say wrong things. The mouth will say what is
in the heart.'

What you say locates you.

When you speak freely, you expose (to yourself and others) what
you actually believe.

You may have told others -- or even yourself -- that you are
walking in faith, but what your mouth says locates you and
exposes what is really in your heart.

If you speak words of doubt, you are not strong in faith.

If you speak words of hate and criticism, you are not strong in
love.

You cannot see what is in another person's heart. But if you
listen to their conversation you will know what is in their
heart. Obviously, this only works when they let their guard
down and speak freely.

If someone is putting on an act, they could say anything and
not really mean it. But in times of pressure and crisis, people
usually don't take time to think before speaking, so what they
truly believe comes out.

This message is not meant to condemn you but to wake you up to
reality. If you are speaking anything contrary to what God says
in the Bible, you need to realize you are not in faith in that
area. So you should take steps to remedy the situation by
feeding on God's Word to build up your faith.

SAY THIS: If I ever speak contrary to God's Word, I know it is
time to feed on the Bible and fill my heart with the truth.

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

God Is Perfect

PSALM 18:30 NIV
30 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is
flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

Have you ever wondered what God is really like? I can tell you.
He is perfect!

If you want to get a clear picture of what God is really like,
just stop and imagine someone who is perfect.

1 JOHN 1:5 NIV
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to
you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.

Perfect love describes God. He is someone who never has, and
never will, do one selfish, self-centered, self-serving act
that would harm anyone else.

1 JOHN 4:8 NIV
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is a perfect expression of love. So 1 Corinthians 13
describes what God is like.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7 NIV
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres.

Just imagine a perfect God -- and that is what God is. This is
why the Kingdom of God is good news. Because He is the perfect
King, the perfect ruler. Imagine having someone in charge who
is perfect in every way. Someone who does what is best for
everyone, never acting selfishly.

Everything God does is a perfect expression of unselfish love
for others -- for all those He has created.

DEUTERONOMY 32:3-4 NIV
3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the
greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are
just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Every good thing we have or enjoy is because of God and His
love.

Our lives and this world are not now perfect, because mankind
has turned away from God and rejected Him and His loving ways.
We fell for a lie, and turned against God. Only as we all turn
back to God will things turn back to perfection.

God is perfect and we are not yet perfect. (But because of His
grace, we will be eventually.) That is why we need to trust Him
and follow His instructions, instead of trusting in our own
ability and knowledge.

God is not trying to get people to obey Him because He is
insecure and needs to be worshipped. God is trying to get you
to do what is best. God's way is perfect. Why go any other way?

SAY THIS: There is nothing wrong with God. He is perfect!

Monday, June 02, 2014

Heaven Is Not God's Entire Plan

ROMANS 8:29 NIV
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers and sisters.

Just having people go to Heaven is not God's only interest. God
is working to make us like Jesus.

In fact, God has determined that we will be like Jesus, when we
grow up.

EPHESIANS 4:15 NLT
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every
way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the
church.

God is raising a family, causing us to mature and grow up into
being like Jesus Christ.

Too many people think they just need to get "saved" or born
again, and then they can just go on living without giving much
thought to God, while they wait to die and go to Heaven.

No! God desires to be involved with every minute of your life.

The Gospel is not just about going to Heaven. It includes the
privilege of knowing and walking with our Creator every day.

God wants to teach you and train you in many things.

God is your Father and He will not shirk His responsibility to
raise you, train you, and provide for you.

SAY THIS: God has a big plan, which includes a big family. It
is my privilege to be in His family.

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Nothing Shall Hurt You

LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you.

If you will accept it and believe it, here is a promise of
Jesus that will protect you from everything harmful.

The choice is yours. You can choose to believe it, and allow
God to bring it to pass in your life. Or, you can refuse to
believe it, live in doubt, and shut the door on what God
desires in your life.

Someone might say, "But I just had an accident and my finger
was cut off and it really hurt me."

No, the real you, is still intact. The real you is not really
harmed. For the real you is not your body. The real you is the
person who lives in your body.

So even if you were killed because of your testimony for Jesus
Christ, the promise would still be true: it would not hurt YOU.
You would simply be promoted to Heaven to be with Jesus.

(It would be wrong to limit the promise of Luke 10:19 to only
our spirit, for our body certainly is important for our earthly
activity. Yet it is also wrong to be too body-centered in our
thinking. We are much more than just a body.)

We must believe this promise of Jesus for it to work fully in
our lives. God does not force His blessing and help on us. We
must cooperate by believing His Word.

But when we accept this promise, embrace it, and fully believe
it, then God's power is released to protect us from everything
that would hurt us.

God has made the provision. Jesus paid for your protection. Now
you must (actively) receive it. You must believe it! Then God
will bring it to pass.

If you will actively believe, confess, and stand on this
promise from Jesus, your life will be protected from many evils
that would otherwise harm you.

Whatever happened to you in the past, whether you understand it
or not, just let it go. Forgive the past, then forget it. It is
time to move forward. Choose now to believe this promise of God
and change your future for the better.

SAY THIS: I accept and believe the promise of Jesus: Nothing
shall hurt me!