LOVE AS HE LOVES!

10-29-2010. . . .LOVE AS HE LOVES!

"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Live within my love.  When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your cup of joy will overflow!  I demand that you love each other as much as I love you. (John 15:9-13 TLB)  The Living Bible renders these words of Jesus strong and emphatically, "I DEMAND that you love each other as much as I love you!  Keep in mind now, that Jesus loved us enough to give His life for us!  Who do we love enough to give our life for?   Literally give our life. . . . not necessarily.  Real love however, considers others before considering ourselves!  If we would just begin there, what a great difference we'd see in the world.  Obey His command and Love as He loves! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us and showing us how to love.  Help us now, carry out what you've so wonderfully modeled for us.  Amen!

John 15:12-14. . . . I demand that you love each other as much as I love you. 13 And here is how to measure it-the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends; 14 and you are my friends if you obey me.  TLB

LET IT HAPPEN!

10-28-2010. . . .LET IT HAPPEN!

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  (John 15:2 KJV)   What may appear to you to be a time of bareness, is really a time of replenishment!  Apples don't grow on trees to simply hang there and look pretty!  The fruit is taken from the tree  and used for it's designated purpose.  The removal of the fruit from the tree makes room for more fruit to come.    What was needed to produce the last harvest, may not be needed to produce the next.  The pruning process is necessary!  Let it happen!

Prayer: Lord, prune us as you will in order that we may continuously increase our fruit production.   Amen!

Ps 1:1-3. . . . Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God.  But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.   They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper.  TLB

WHO WILL BE GLORIFIED?

10-27-2010. . . .WHO WILL BE GLORIFIED?

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.   Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  (John 15:7-8 KJV)   Every request made will be granted, that is, every request made that will aid us in producing our expected Kingdom harvest!  In this is the Father glorified.  Examine your request and ask, 'Who will be glorified?'  If it's the Father, expect your request to be fulfilled; if not, well............?  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making available to us every resource needed to produce much fruit.  Be always glorified in all we do.  Amen!

Phil 4:19. . . .But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. KJV

DON'T GET IT TWISTED!

10-26-2010. . . .DON'T GET IT TWISTED!

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5 KJV) All that we are and ever shall be is solely because of Christ! We may be ever so talented and gifted, but without Him, talent and gifts alone yield no meaningful fruit!  Don't get it twisted!

Prayer: Lord, you are my source and my strength. In you we live, move and have our being. Without you we are nothing and can do nothing. Help us keep it straight and never get it twisted! Amen!

Acts 17:27-29. . . . "His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him-though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and are! As one of your own poets says it, 'We are the sons of God.' TLB

HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR LIMBS LATELY!

10-25-2010. . . .HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR LIMBS LATELY!

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15:1-2 NIV)   It seems hardly possible to be connected to Jesus (The true vine) and not produce fruit!  The only way this is possible is if one decides (sets their mind) on doing that which is contrary to His will.  An improper connection with Jesus will result in a complete disconnection by the Father.  He cuts off non-fruit baring branches.   Have you checked your limbs lately?  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for connecting us to you!  As our source, help us to produce fruit continuously.  Amen!

Ps 1:1-3. . . . Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.   And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. KJV

IT WORKED THEN, IT WILL WORK NOW!

10-22-2010. . . .IT WORKED THEN, IT WILL WORK NOW!

Prov 6:20-23 . . . "Young man, obey your father and your mother.  Take to heart all of their advice; keep in mind everything they tell you. Every day and all night long their counsel will lead you and save you from harm; when you wake up in the morning, let their instructions guide you into the new day. For their advice is a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to warn you of danger and to give you a good life."  TLB   Good public behavior stems from good home training!   Parents are charged to train their children in the way that they should go so that when they are old, they will not depart from it.   Today, some might call that old fashion, but it worked then......It will work now!   Try it......and change the world!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for parents that are still willing to raise their children your way!  Help their lights to shine brightly that all others may see and follow their example.  Amen!

Prov 22:6. . . .

Train a child in the way he should go, 

and when he is old he will not turn from it.  NIV

UNWANTED WEEDS!

10-22-2010. . . .UNWANTED WEEDS!

Prov 6:17-19 continued. . . . .A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (KJV)  Blessed be the tie that binds, not the bonds that are broken!   It is good and pleasant to dwell together in unity.  Why would someone purposely disrupt that by sowing seeds of discord.  Again, God hates this!  Therefore, cast them and their seeds out of your presence before they have a chance to take root and spread like unwanted weeds!

Prayer: Lord, through love and unity we create for ourselves a garden of peace and harmony.  Help us recognize  weeds and keep them out.  Amen!

Ps 133:1. . . . How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live in harmony!  For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head and ran down onto his beard and onto the border of his robe.  Harmony is as refreshing as the dew on Mount Hermon, on the mountains of Israel. And God has pronounced this eternal blessing on Jerusalem, even life forevermore.  TLB

COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM!

10-20-2010. . . .COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM!

Prov 6:17-18 continued. . . . ." hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief," (KJV )  That which resides in the heart will manifest itself in the behavior of one's hands and the direction of one's feet.  Persons that always seem to wind up in ugly messy situations gravitate that way because of what lies within their hearts.  God hates it and the rest of us do too!  Come out from among them!

Prayer: Lord, be merciful towards those that practice those things you hate to the end that they repent of their ways and turn to you alone who abundantly pardons.  Amen.

2 Cor 6:14-18. . . .Don't be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can light live with darkness?  And what harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a Christian be a partner with one who doesn't believe?   And what union can there be between God's temple and idols?   For you are God's temple, the home of the living God, and God has said of you, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people."   That is why the Lord has said, "Leave them; separate yourselves from them; don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you and be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters."  TLB

CHECK YOURSELF!

10-19-2010. . . .CHECK YOURSELF!

"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue,.... (Prov 6:16-17 KJV)   Among the things God hates are a  'A proud look' otherwise referred to as 'Haughtiness' (thinking more highly of one's self then one should) and a lying tongue.   Where you find one, you will usually find the other.  One who thinks more highly of themselves is in affect, lying to themselves.  If a person will lie to their self, lying to others is done with relative ease.  Check yourself!

Prayer: Lord, let us not be guilty of thinking more highly of ourselves then we should.  Keep of lips from speaking lies and help us at all times to desire truth on the inside.  Amen!

Rom 12:3. . . . For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  KJV

IT'S A DUCK!

10-18-2010. . . .IT'S A DUCK!

"A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.  He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;  Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.  Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. (Prov 6:12-15 KJV)  People are who they show you they are!  Stop walking around with your head in the sand refusing to acknowledge what you see.  It's good to have a greater expectation of and for people, but regrettably, our expectations do not dictate their actions.  Therefore, if it looks like a duck - and walks like a duck - and quacks like a duck, then by George, IT'S A DUCK!

Prayer:  Lord, open our eyes that we might see and accept people for who they show us they are.  Help us then administrate our associations accordingly.  Amen!

Prov 6:12-15. . . .

 Let me describe for you a worthless and a wicked man; first, he is a constant liar; he signals his true intentions to his friends with eyes and feet and fingers. 14 He is always thinking up new schemes to swindle people. He stirs up trouble everywhere. 15 But he will be destroyed suddenly, broken beyond hope of healing. 

TLB

CAN HE FIND IT IN YOU!

10-15-2010. . . .CAN HE FIND IT IN YOU!

"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  (John 4:21-24 KJV)  True worship is not simply that which occurs on a given day, nor is a true worshiper one that shows up at church on that day to do so.  True worship is the complete and total surrendering of one's self (prostrate one's self) unto God!   True worship is continual and True Worshipers worship the Father continually!  Not just in church or on a special day, but at home - in the car- at work - at the gym, where ever. . . .true worship never ends!  This is what God wants, ye, it is what He is seeking!  Can He find it in You?

Prayer: Lord, you deserve our worship and our praise.  In Spirit and in Truth we worship you continually and surrender our lives completely to you.  Amen!

Ps 138:1-3. . . . Lord, with all my heart I thank you. I will sing your praises before the armies of angels.   I face your Temple as I worship, giving thanks to you for all your loving-kindness and your faithfulness, for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.  When I pray, you answer me and encourage me by giving me the strength I need.  TLB

COME CLEAN QUICKLY!

10-14-2010. . . .COME CLEAN QUICKLY!

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.  (John 4:16-18 KJV)  What do you do when Jesus calls you out?  The only thing to do is come clean!  After all, He is the truth and He already knows the truth about us!  His calling us out is never to embarrass or expose us, but to examine and evaluate our readiness for elevation into the next dimension!  In what areas of your life is Jesus calling you out?  Follow the example here and come clean quickly!

Prayer: Lord, there is nothing about our lives that is hidden from you!  As you call us out, may we come clean quickly and be elevated into new dimensions in you!  Amen!

Ps 139:1-5. . . . O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought.  You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.  You know what I am going to say before I even say it.  You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head. TLB

WHO WOULDN'T WANT THAT?

10-13-2010. . . .WHO WOULDN'T WANT THAT?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.   The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. (John 4:13-15 KJV)   The human thirst is never really satisfied by things human.  At best they are merely pacified temporarily.  Consequently, if we thirst for things human,expect a life of pacification leading in many cases, to dissatisfaction and frustration.  True satisfaction is found only in thirsting for things spiritual!  It results in a never ending wellspring of satisfaction leading ultimately to perfection.  Who wouldn't want that?

Prayer: Lord, give us the water of life and satisfy us forever!  Freely we now drink.  Amen.

John 3:3-6. . . . Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  KJV

DON'T MISS YOUR GIFT!

10-12-2010. . . .DON'T MISS YOUR GIFT!

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.   The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?  (John 4:10-12  KJV)   Gifts some time come in unexpected packages and from the least probable people.  It's a good thing our expectations don't limit any one's ability to be a blessing.  Don't miss your gift!

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes that we might see and accept people for who they are.  Amen!

1 Cor 4:5. . . . So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is a good servant or not. When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord's work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him.  TLB

DROP YOUR PREJUDICE!

10-11-2010. . . .DROP YOUR PREJUDICE!

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.  (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. ( John 4:7-10 KJV)  Racial prejudice is never a good reason to restrict interaction with someone of a different culture or ethnicity.   They may be the very person sent across your path to bring complete and total transformation to your life.  DROP YOUR PREJUDICE!

Prayer: Lord, the earth is yours in all it's fullness; the world and they that dwell therein.  Help us to be accepting of everyone no matter their differences.  Amen.

Heb 13:1-2. . . Continue to love each other with true brotherly love.  Don't forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  TLB

THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

1--8-2010. . . .THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (2 Peter 3:8 KJV)  While we may choose to be oblivious to it, God's clock of end times events is ticking!  The signs are occurring in every arena of life.  Families, Finances, Fellowships no area is nor shall be untouched.  Redeem the time for the days are evil!   Remember, the clock is ticking!   Don't wait until time is up before straightening up!

Prayer: Lord, you are in control and our times are in your hands.  Help us see the signs of the times and live in expectation of your divine will coming to pass!  Amen.


Acts 2:17-20. . . . And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:   The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: KJV

SO ARE WE!

10-7-2010. . . .SO ARE WE!

First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will come scoffers who will do every wrong they can think of and laugh at the truth.  This will be their line of argument: "So Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he?   He'll never come!   Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly as it was since the first day of creation."  (2 Peter 3:3-4 TLB)  Incresingly these days, we see and hear stories about people that refute the existance of God and the validity of His word!  They even laugh and scoff at believers; calling us gullible and weak minded.   While their position may be irritating at times, they are entitled to think and feel how they think and feel!   SO ARE WE!  Stand strong in your belief of the truth!

Prayer:  Lord, thank you that we know the real truth.  Strengthen us in these last days to stand firm in our beliefs!  Amen.

2 Peter 3:3-7. . . .First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."  But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (NIV)

CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL WISELY!

10-6-2010. . . .CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL WISELY!

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.   Have nothing to do with them." (2 Tim 3:1-5 NIV)  It is perfectly all right to separate ourselves from certain people.  In fact, it is imperative that we have nothing to do with them! This is not a sanction for believers to place ourselves above anyone, it does however, set a clear standard for association and inter-action.   We can't run with turkeys and also sore with eagles.  They operate on different levels.   In these last days, choose your level wisely!

Prayer: Lord, give us wisdom to choose our level wisely.  Help us to love everybody while being selective about those with whom we associate and interact with.  Amen!

2 Tim 3:1-5. . . .You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian.   For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.  They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good.  They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God.   They will go to church, yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear. Don't be taken in by people like that. TLB

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

10-5-2010. . . .EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams."  (Acts 2:17 NKJV) Although, we are living in the last days, we are also living in the greatest of days!  We are living in the days where the greatest manifestation of God's anointing will be experienced like never before.  Visions, dreams, prophesies and more!  Expect the unexpected!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for blessing us to live in these last days.  Pour out your Spirit upon us like never before.  We are empty vessels before a full fountain.  Amen.

Acts 2:17-20. . . . And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:  Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.   And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:  The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable (day).

ASV

DIRECT CONNECT!

10-4-2010. . . .DIRECT CONNECT!

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds...."( Heb 1:1-2 KJV)   The Last Days are those left until the return of Christ!  As we live out our alotted time during these last days, it is of great assurance to know that God, through Jesus His Son, is speaking to us directly!  No intermedeary required.  We have a Direct Connect!

Prayer: Lord, we need your guidance in these last days.  Thank you for our direct connection.  Speak to us Lord, we need to hear from you.  Amen.

Heb 1:2. . . .But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything and through whom he made the world and everything there is. TLB

SOMEONE IS LISTENING!

10-1-2010. . . .SOMEONE IS LISTENING!

Listen to me! For I have important information for you. Everything I say is right and true, for I hate lies and every kind of deception.  My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing of evil in it. (Prov 8:4-8 TLB)  When your mouth opens, is what comes out of it important enough for someone to listen to?   Do your words have a reputation and track record of truthfulness or of lies and deception.  Watch what you say....someone is listening!

Prayer: Lord, guard the words of my mouth that my lips may speak only wholesome and good things worthy to be listened to.  Amen!

Job 27:3-4. . . .All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;  My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.  KJV