...and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then... ~ Ephesians 6:13b-14a

We are at war. I'm not talking about a war fought with physical weapons on an open battlefield or in a deep jungle in some remote location in the world. The war rages in ourselves.  We are the battle ground.

God knows we don't have what it takes to win this war. We are weak, we are afraid, and we don't always want the victory. This is the beauty in this passage in Ephesians. God is supplying everything we need to win the battle. Jesus won the war on the cross and He will win the battle that rages in you. All we have to do is let Him win.

Paul told the Ephesians, "After you have done everything, to stand." After you have done everything in your power, and you can't stand anymore, "Stand firm then..." Now stand in God's power. In His armor. In His might.

In Psalm 46:10 we read these words, " “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

May God give you victory today. 

Time to let it go

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ~Matthew 9:5

So often the church is focused on meeting the physical needs of people that we forget the true message of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't heal people physically just to heal people. He performed miracles to show that He had the ability to forgive sin.

As Christ followers we are called to forgive others. Jesus didn't just give us the ability to forgive but He commanded us to do so. 

I don't know what burden you are carrying  today, but it is time to set it down. It is time to let it go. It is a time for Forgiveness.

You Can Do It

 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ~Philippians 4:13

Sometimes in life we come across people who push our every nerve. We want do whatever it takes to get away from these people. Sometimes we just want to be mean to them.
BUT God tells us to love these people.

One time, early in His earthly ministry, Jesus came upon a man named Levi. Levi was a tax collector. In those days it was the tax collector himself that decided the fees that they would charge. Most tax collectors at the time charged  people 100% increase or more on their taxes, sometimes as much as a 400% increase.

To say the least, this didn't endear them to the people. Yet, when Jesus sees Levi, He doesn't yell out rude comments, He doesn't ignore Levi, He simply calls out, "Follow Me."  Jesus saw the man Levi could be in Christ and not just the man sitting at the table.

Later that day we find Jesus at Levi's home having a meal. The religious leaders are complaining because a good and godly man wouldn't be around 'these kind' of people.

 "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~Mark 2:17

How can I have this kind of attitude toward those that society calls unlovable? What if we could learn to love the worst that mankind has to offer? I'm not saying we should accept sin or say sin is okay, but rather embrace the sinner as a fellow image bearer of God who desperately needs the grace and mercy of the cross. (Just like you and me.)

I can do this. And so can you. Through Jesus we can have the strength to love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, reach the unreachable. I can do ALL THINGS through HIM. Will you give Jesus control today? 

While you still have today

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ~James 4:14

One day while Jesus is teaching He tells this story about this farmer. This farmers crops are growing with great abundance. When the harvest comes he quickly realizes that his barn isn't big enough to store all his crops.

This farmer comes up with a plan to build a new and bigger barn so he can store up all his stuff and then he plans on taking it easy for a few years. God then shows up and tells this farmer that he is a fool, because God is demanding the man's life that very night.

In our lives we tend to live like we have an everlasting string of tomorrows, but the truth is all we have is now. This moment. God can call our lives to account at this very moment.

The problem is we want to put things off till another day. We say things like, "I'll get right with God when I am older." "One of these I'll start giving to help those in need."

When we procrastinate about spiritual things, we become fools. God told James that our lives are but a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. We have right now, this moment to get right with God through Jesus Christ. Today is the day of your salvation. You may not have another chance.

Thomas Jefferson once said, " Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."

This is never more true than accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. So act now while you still have today, because no one is promised tomorrow.

Help in our time of need

 ^"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." ~Hebrews 4:16

When battling with sin I often feel isolated and alone. I want so desperately to win this battle. Yet at the same time there is this part of me that wants to give in. There is this beast that rages within. It wants to drag me as far away from God as it can.

It is at these times that I find myself burdened with shame and despair. I find myself trying to hide from God. It is like Adam in the Garden, I don't want God to see the nakedness of my soul.

According to Hebrews, this is the moment when God tells us to come to His throne with confidence because we have this High Priest, Jesus, who stands before God, interceding on our behalf. Jesus can sympathize with our struggles because He experienced being tempted in every way. He knows the weight of our battle, so He says come. Come and receive Mercy and Grace and help in your time of need.

Don't allow any thought, fear, or emotion keep you from His throne today.      

Grace and peace to you

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
~1 Corinthians 1:3

As we open the pages of the New Testament we might notice that most of the epistles have a verse similar to 1 Corinthians 1:3. It is a concept that repeats itself. "Grace and peace to you...."

Can you imagine a life full of Grace and Peace. A life where our day to day struggles don't get us down; where our insecurities don't paralyze us. I need this kind of grace. I need this kind of peace. I am guessing you do too.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  ~Matthew 11:28

The Creator and Savior of the Universe says, "come to me." He is calling, beckoning us to come and experience what He has to offer. He has shown us power and grace at the cross and promises a peace that surpasses all understanding. Will you come?

The unfaithful

The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah." ~Jeremiah 3:11

I believe in God. I believe that the Bible is true. I believe that Jesus died for me. I believe that He conquered sin and death and rose again. I believe! So why don't I always live like I believe.

It is so easy to focus on the wickedness in the world and ignore the darkness in my own soul. We hear messages and read books about the unrighteous state of the unbeliever, but God told Jeremiah, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah." To put that in modern terms, "Faithless unbelievers are more righteous than unfaithful Christians."

This should be a wake up call for believers. We need to live what we believe. I am not talking about being perfect but about living a life like there is an empty tomb in Israel. Do we live expecting the return of Christ at any moment? Is our life guided by self our by the very Spirit of God living in us?

James 1:22 says, " Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

It is time to stand up and be true to what we believe. We need to repent and ask God to forgive our unfaithful attitudes, and be the men and women Jesus died for us to be.

Be Still

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~Psalm 46:10

If you are anything like me then you want to be the person with the answers to life's problems. I want to stop the pain of the people around me, kind of like a handy man for life. However, in all reality, I am as much part of the problem as anyone else. I am sinful, broken, and ugly to my inner most parts. 

This is why I need Jesus! 

It is through His death on the cross that God deals with all the ugliness in my life. It is through the cross of Jesus that God dealt with my sinful rebellious attitude. It is at the cross that God fixed the brokenness in me (even when I live as though I am still broken), and it is at that cross that God made me into something beautiful to Him.

I don't know all your circumstances. I don't know your hurts or your pain. What I do know is that God loves you so much that Jesus died for you, and if we would accept His free gift of salvation then we too will find our hearts crying out to us, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

In the Hands of the Almighty

God is greater than we could ever understand. He is loving, merciful, full of grace and compassion, pure, perfect, wise, good, forgiving, encouraging, faithful, and kind. He is also righteous, holy, just, jealous, passionate, mighty and  powerful.

Often times we want God to fit into a mold that is comfortable for our lifestyle. When we are sinning we want a God of love mercy and grace. When some one hurts us we want a God who is just, mighty and powerful to pour out His wrath on our enemy. Yet He is so much more than all of this!

Unfortunately, we can't just pick the attributes of God that are convenient for us. We get all of Him all the time, and ultimately we are in His hands. The Bible teaches us that in the end it is God's word that will determine our eternity but we have to choose Him now.

 In The Potter's Hands - July 1st
 The fact is that everyone of us a broken and marred piece of clay. God desires to reshape us into something noble and useful to Him and His Kingdom.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God - July 8th
One day each of us will have to stand before the almighty and give an account for our lives. It is our life verse the Law of God. What chance do we have without someone to save us?

Sinners in the Hands of a Merciful God - July 15th
What happens when we deserve God's wrath but He desires to show mercy. How does God remain true to His character in the face of our sin? How do we bow ourselves to the mercy of God?

Children in the Hands of a Loving Father - July 22nd
Through Jesus we don't just receive forgiveness for our sins but we become children of God. God loves us as children just as we are, but he loves us too much to leave us where we are. How will we react to the Father's love as He molds us into the people He created us to be?

Open My Eyes

Sometimes I recall those trips to the laundry mat as a kid. The sounds of the coin-feed washers and dryers, the unmistakable sent of bleach combined with all the various scents of laundry soap and fabric softener. I remember the rolling baskets that would squeak and wobble as you pushed your clothes from the washer to the dryer or the dryer to the folding table.

But, what I remember most about those trip is the little white wooden shack that sat outside, over by the old IGA. It wasn't much more than a box; a door on one end and a window in the front. At the window stood an old blind man (I wish I knew his name). As I got close to the shack  my brother and I would always be greeted, "Hi, young men, how are you this fine day?" After exchanging greetings and talking this man would reach out the window and hand us a pack of Peanut M&M's.

This man stood in this box day after day selling candy candy, but as I look back I remember that we would by candy from him when we went to the grocery store but he never charged us on those laundry trips.

Years later I saw this old blind man again in a little restraint. He sat at the counter and ate his two eggs and toast and drank his cup of coffee. He then pulled out his wallet and asked the waitress what  denomination of bill he pulled out. She told him it was a $5 He handed it to her. As she went and got his change he turned to me holding another bill and asked, "young man what bill is this?"

"A $20, sir." I replied.  He smiled. He turned around set it on the counter got up and left without his change.

This man knew what it was to give with a cheerful heart. It didn't mater if it was a pack of M&M's for a young boy or generous tip  waitress, he always gave with a smile. Yet, I never knew his name.

In 2 Corinthians 9:7 it says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

So often when it comes to giving our Tithes and Offerings we have this attitude of "This is what I have to do" or "Well here goes more of my money" or one of the 50 thousand other thoughts that pass through our minds other than "Thank You! Lord"

At Paul's time the temple had to containers to receive gifts from people. The first one was to receive each persons Tithe (the part of their income required by Jewish law) the second was a free-will offering. It is in regard to this free-will offering that the attitudes are being called into question. Not what you are expected to give but what you are giving over and beyond that. This is the giving Jesus is talking about when he points out the woman who gave everything she had. (Mark 12:41-44)

Lord my we be able to see like this. My our eyes be open to the spirit of giving with gladness in our hearts.