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War & Peace

01 Apr

As you can probably discern, this has been a rough week. I hope she will not kill me, but I must let you know that we are facing the battle many of you are facing. Dana lost her job this week and all the stability that comes with it after 16 years. This comes as a prequel to me entering seminary in a few weeks, and slowing down my business of 20yrs to focus my life on God. Now I am the sole provider for my family. But we are understanding that God is in the details and He has well laid out plans for all of this. We will survive as a family, strengthen our faith, and watch Him work. I am still committed to seminary, and we are committed as a family to Christ. Satan fired the darts, but our shield of faith can withstand the attack.

 

 

War & Peace

Philippians 1:28-29 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

This morning I was returning to Philippians and spending time reading about suffering. I won’t go into all the details, but the pressures and strains of life have greatly increased on me this week. Well laid out plans have been thrown into the fire, what matters most has become questioned, and the provisions have been removed. A great weight has been placed on my shoulders, almost impossible to mentally bear, and without Christ and my daily time with him, I believe the stress of it could physically break me. I am truly suffering for my dedication to Christ, but it is with “joy” as in James, and humble honor to not let my adversary see my terror, but to rest in the Lord. The terror will push us to withdraw to worldly comforts, and not the peace that comes from Christ indwelling in us.

I returned to the gospel of John for comfort. John 14:26-27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I have said many times I can describe my “religion” in one word – Peace. My peace has been attacked this week in a large assault, but I will not retreat, I will stand and war within. Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. When you know that you are headed down the path of your life following God’s Will for your life, Satan will do the best he can to blast you off God’s highway. You must pick up the armament of prayer, His Word, and faith to continue down the righteous pathway to eternal paradise. With the eternal security of Salvation, you can rest in that peace that Christ has given you that He resides in you, and the armies of Hell cannot darken where His Light lies.

 
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Posted by on April 1, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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When one opens, it also closes

29 Mar

When one opens, it also closes

Acts 6:14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

We are creature’s of habit that resist change. We rest in our ways feeling through ourselves we can accomplish the goals set before us. Stephen had been chosen as one of the first deacons by Christ’s apostles to aid in the duties of the growing church spreading the Gospel of Christ. His diligence and great faith stirred up those who were against the change of which he was speaking. They felt if they followed the law of Moses, they could attain heaven through the power of themselves and their ability to follow the law. But they did not understand the law was there to point them to Christ whom had already come, and now provided the way to heaven through the grace of God. This caused them to blasphemy and plot, and ultimately kill Stephen.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Those words reflect the biggest change presented to us, that will affect us for an eternity. In the eternal lostness that you reside in your pride without Christ, your resist to change will haunt you to no end. We all have heard of “When one door closes, another door opens.”  What if that door was the door to your soul and only you have the key to accept change by opening the door to follow Christ? When you open that door to your heart, you close the door of hell forever behind you. No change in life has the impact of Salvation, and no change in life that you make to feel you have earned your way there opens that door. You have the key, but Christ is the lock that opens and shuts it behind you. John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Humble yourself, repent your sins, and accept He has the ability to change you like you have never experienced before, before it is too late to have the option.

 
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Posted by on March 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Bracket buster or Victory?

27 Mar

If I could only let you in. This is a deeply personal devo to myself, but one that we all at some time can benefit from the trials that are game changers as we are enduring and many of you are too. I have been on a “high” recently emotionally, and with that comes the understanding of the attacks and trials that will come. Satan knows when to come after us, and God allows him to test our faith. I was with the Godliest man I know yesterday discussing these things, and even the book of James. I was counseling with a friend in the middle of their large trial later, while about to face my own. I was humbled beyond words with the prayers and concerns of my two best friends. Pslam 37 was given to me, and a great place to rest as a child of God. I choose God and allow Him to work in and through me however He pleases. I draw near to Him in prayer, Godly counsel, and His Word for the strength to endure. He has got this….and me and my family…..I KNOW.

 

Bracket buster or Victory?

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

The phone calls that change everything, stopping you in your tracks. You see life as you know and plan for it change in an instant. You hang up in disbelief, and wonder what is your next move. Mine for many a year would have been to a substance to numb myself, now it is to my knees in prayer for wisdom, comfort, and guidance. The large trials of life will come, and many times they come on the heels of happiness. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Satan will ask God for permission to test your faith when you are full as a fattened calf; as in the story of Job 1:6-7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

Satan is an already defeated adversary if you claim victory in Christ. There is strength and peace in the assurances of being a child of God, the Creator and overseer of all things. God can and will allow these trials to strengthen you, and to use you to encourage others. James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. God does not take the easy route in anything He desires. He will always take the right way however, many times beyond our comprehension, for He operates outside of our understanding and constraints of time. Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. He can turn what you feel is the worst thing to ever happen to you, into what He has designed as a blessing. Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you. Rest in Romans 8:28 that He is in control all along the pathway of your life. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 
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Posted by on March 27, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Is it Monday again already?

26 Mar

Is it Monday again already?

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Uggg….Monday morning and back to work. Some of us have the blahs for returning to our duties for the week ahead. We may not like where we are and  at some point the drudgery enters in on any career. We wonder what our reward will be for our diligence in performing the tasks that lay before us. But what about the possibility of our eternal underlying work being judged every day? Every move, thought, action, or even lack of action is being watched by our “boss” and we will stand before Him in the pinnacle of review. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Very scary thought, but reality none the less.

We all have and do sin every day, and that will never change. But do we strive to be the best we can in all situations, and bring glory to Christ? Do we always reflect the negative, or do we look for the light in all circumstances and try to point them out? Those tugs you feel to do the right thing at hard times are God at work in you. He is trying to use you to reflect Christ that lives in you to others, to reach them. All your “works” that you do in your every day do not go unnoticed. Matthew 25:23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ We must understand that we are not saved by these good deeds though for it comes only through Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Our ultimate goal in life should be to live righteously as we can in a world far from God. To strive to attain an eternal paradise with our Creator and to have Him utter these words to us at our review. Matthew 25:His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;” This is the only work that matters, for the only One whom matters, and your focus will last you eternally.

 
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Posted by on March 26, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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I know YOU got this

19 Mar

I know YOU got this

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Thank you Lord for where you have me today. I may not understand, I may even question, but I must rest in the assurance that it all passes through your hands. Your ability is infinite, and my ability to reason is futile, but the peace that comes with that is immeasurable.

We will never understand God’s ways. Isaiah 55:8″For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.” We would never take the paths that a good father will lead us down for many times they come with a cost, and we willingly would deny that price. We simply take the easy path, never seeing the work He may have intended to do through us. We make our plans, but do our plans allow room for God? Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Most likely not, but yet He has the ability to steer us where He has wanted us all along. He let’s us make mistakes, and He uses them to our benefit.

Pastor Jack yesterday preached on John 9 and the blind man from birth that Christ healed. This was not a bad decision or punishment the man had made. The disciples had asked why he was blind and in verse 3, “ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” God had been at work in his life all along. But there is a key to remaining in God’s will for your life when you feel him speaking to you. When you feel those tugs of God, are you obedient, or do you pursue it alone going against God in your own reason? You see the works of God outside your reason and in those acts of obedience. John 9:11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” Rest in the peace that surpasses all understanding knowing as a child of His, you can rest in Him in whatever you may face today.

 
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Posted by on March 19, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The deaf rebel

18 Mar

The deaf rebel

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This morning I was thinking about writing about the time spent early every day seeking God. Of how I believe God honors that time by speaking to us when we honor Him by doing so. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. When we set a time every day to place honor to Him, what do we place before Him that takes away from that appointment? There is not a right or wrong time, just a set time I believe. That lets God know you are serious about your relationship with Him. As a result of this study, it took a somewhat different turn in Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs is written by Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. A man who sought God and counsel to gain understanding of the things of God. I encourage you to read this chapter, for it speaks plainly of the draws of the world that tug us away from God, and the results of it. It is written as a father who speaks to their rebellious child, and the enticements of sin that draw that child away. Of how God is the voice of reason, rebuking that sin, desiring to protect us from our calamity that lies before us. I lived this life for many years, “the rebel without a cause”, and I know the destruction that came as a result of it. My plea to you is to heed the warnings, listen to His voice, and rest in His security. Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

 
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Posted by on March 18, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Energy for the race

16 Mar

As I awoke this morning, feeling the pains of a very rough work week, my body is physically hurting. I was thinking of how I still have two more long rough days ahead, and what I needed to do to accomplish the tasks at hand. I needed physical energy and probably some Aleve pain meds too. It hit me the similarities of our lives and duty as disciples of Christ, and the energy and meds that we receive from Him. What I receive our here early every morning is much more than I can convey in these devotions. I can never accurately pen what He provides me in this labor of love. It gives me the energy to run that eternal race and press on towards that goal that lies ahead, to share what He has done for me, and can do for you.

 

Energy for the race

John 6:27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Tired. Physically exhausted, mentally drained, the labor which drags us down as we seek to work and provide for our families and ourselves. And yes the older we get, the harder it gets. But we continue to press on, pushing ourselves for the tasks at hand, to obtain whatever goal lies before us, to reach the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. It may be at work or at play, but we press on towards that goal, of achievement and success.

The ultimate goal of eternal life is obtained simply through grace alone (Ephesians 2:8), but the burden that becomes placed on your heart is the desire to share what you possess with others. That is the “works” that Christ places in you, and does through you. As in preparation for that work that lies ahead, you must feed yourself on that spiritual food that prayer and time in His Word bring. These provide the energy to run the race that is set before you. This food is not obtained on Sundays only, but requires daily nourishment in time consecrated to Him. Take the time to feed your soul, along with your body every morning. You will find a strength you never knew you possessed, and an energy to face the day no matter how daunting the worldly tasks that may lie ahead.

 
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Posted by on March 16, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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I just don’t go……

14 Mar

I believe, I just don’t go to church

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

“I believe, I just don’t go to church.” In your homes every day as a Christian disguised as a repairman, it amazes me how much I hear this. It always goes back to some experience, an event where Satan has caused division in the church and in your heart for the assembling of believers and the power that comes with it. “Consider one another” above is speaking of how we are not to think only of ourselves, but those who are struggling also. We are all beat down by the world all week and need that encouragement that our brothers and sisters who are dealing with the same, can deliver through how God has worked in our lives. God can deliver a direct word of encouragement to you through a brother or sister when you surround yourself with them on a regular basis.

You cannot do Christianity alone. You will become full of pride and you will fall at some time. Ecclesiastes 4:10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. God is working in all of us, and He is using that work, to encourage each other believer. How many times have you shared, and the receiver has told you that was exactly what they needed to hear? That happens when believers gather to exhort each other, and praise His holy name. Psalm 42:4 “I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise.” The uplifting of your spirit in a time of gathered praise together, with your arms in the air and your joyful heart poured out to God, is the power to face another week He charges you with. You learn the Gospel Truth, the applications to what you are facing, and the ability to share how God can use you where you find yourself six other days a week.

 
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Posted by on March 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Perspective Change

13 Mar

Today is a marker in God changing my life. I won’t go into the long story, but becoming obedient and putting Him before all, the top of my list of priorities. My plans have changed as a result of Him changing my perspective of life, temporal and eternal, and which matters most.

 

 

Perspective Change

Jeremiah 29:11-13   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

James 4:13-15  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” We all have our plans, we all have our ideas of what we hope our futures will bring. We work hard, we strive to attain the goal, then change comes. It may come in the way of termination, or it may come in the way of perspective, but when it comes how do you respond? Do you embrace it with the understanding you are not in control, or do you begin the fight?

In Jeremiah above, God is ensuring all of us the hope that He places within us of eternal security. When we seek Him and understand that He is guiding our paths, we begin to gain a peace and hope of the future, not a dread of it. I do believe many in our midst with the world economy have seen their well laid plans changed drastically. As a result of those changes God is giving you the prompting to draw nearer to Him, or your pride can step in and run from Him. If you will humble yourself and seek Him as in Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.‘  Let go and let God lead. This is the voice of experience, for I too was that prideful one who planned on doing things my way, until my perspective was changed. Thank you Jesus.

 
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Posted by on March 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Use Me

11 Mar

Use me

John  12:38-41    that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
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Christ was teaching in His last days of the scriptures being fulfilled again from the prophet Isaiah where the hard hearted prideful would not see Him for who He is. Christ was in their midst performing signs and wonders of God, yet they could not see, and were fulfilling what Isaiah has spoken of  hundreds of years prior. Isaiah was called to a discouraging ministry by God, for he was told the more he proclaimed the word of God, the less response he would get. But he was also promised that there were a small percentage of people that did hear him, did understand, and God was going to use them to bring Christ into the world.

Have you heard of the brave prayer to pray is “God use me”, and to be prepared for what He may call you to do? Isaiah had this vision and in Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” What God reveals to you as a result of those prayers, may not be grand in your eyes, but it may be glorious in His, and if you obey it will bring glory to Him. We are called only to faithfulness to Him and His word, and to be obedient to the call itself. Isaiah could not see what God planned to do with the remnant of people that were hearing His word, but Isaiah could be faithful and let God work out the details of His plans through him. Have a humble heart, pray that prayer, and be obedient to the call that he places on you. You too can be another Isaiah if you remain faithful to what you feel God stirring in your heart, and begin proclaiming the truth in a world far from it.

 
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Posted by on March 11, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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