WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE!

3-31-2016. . . .WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE!

"And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved." (Acts 2:44-47 TLB)  We would be hard pressed to find this biblical paradigm of the Church existing anywhere in the world, although, it should.  What changed?   Where once there was common-ism, there is now individualism; where once there was humanitarianism, there is now materialism.  Where once there was continual fellowship, there is now denominational partisanship; where once there was interdependence, there is now dysfunctional co-dependence.   Therefore it, should come as no surprise that church attendance, participation and interest has decreased.  Yet, God remains faithful to His Church!  So then, the real question for us is not "What changed" but, "What Needs to Change?"  Easy answer. . . . US!

PRAYER: Lord, how far we've strayed from your original plan and have engrafted our own agendas.  Help us Lord to be the church you designed us to be.  Amen!

 Eph 4:1-6. . . . .As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  (from New International Version)

A NO BRAINER!

4-30-2016. . . .A NO BRAINER!

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won't have room enough to take it in!" (Mal 3:10 TLB) What belongs to God belongs to God!  The tenth (tithe) is His!  Why rob God when He has promised to bless us with much more than we could ever give Him?  Seems like a no brainer, right!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your blessing plan!  We will never rob you of what is rightfully yours.  Amen!

Mal 3:10-12. . . ."Try it! Let me prove it to you!  Your crops will be large, for I will guard them from insects and plagues. Your grapes won't shrivel away before they ripen," says the Lord Almighty.  "And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land sparkling with happiness. These are the promises of the Lord Almighty.  TLB

NOTHING TO CHANCE!

4-29-2016. . . .NOTHING TO CHANCE!

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Prov 3:5-6 KJV)  No one in their right mind would willfully engage in a came of Russian Roulette.  The stakes are too high, the results unpredictable, and one mistake could be deadly!  Failing to trust God and following our own way should be viewed in much the same way!  The stakes are to high, results unpredictable, and one mistake could be deadly!  Leave nothing to chance.  TRUST GOD!

Prayer: Lord, our trust is in you.  The stakes are to high not to!  With you, we expect and have predictable outcomes.  Amen!

Prov 3:5-6. . . . Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. KJV

INDEED, IT IS FINISHED!

3-25-2016. . . .INDEED, IT IS FINISHED!

"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:29-30 NIV)   What was thought by some to be a certain end, was really the beginning of something that would never end.  It is finished did not refer to the end of His life, but to the end of His assignment.   From Servant to Savior and from Savior to Sovereign Lord! Indeed, IT IS FINISHED!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for finishing your earthly assignment and opening for all mankind endless heavenly opportunities!  Praise be to your name forever!   Amen.

Eph 4:8-10. . . .The psalmist tells about this, for he says that when Christ returned triumphantly to heaven after his resurrection and victory over Satan, he gave generous gifts to men.  Notice that it says he returned to heaven. This means that he had first come down from the heights of heaven, far down to the lowest parts of the earth.  The same one who came down is the one who went back up, that he might fill all things everywhere with himself, from the very lowest to the very highest. TLB

MAKE A DETERMINATION!

3-24-2016. . . .MAKE A DETERMINATION!

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  (2 Cor 5:17 KJV)  Walking in the newness of life can be challenging if we are not willing to let go of the old life. Christ's finished work at Calvary made it possible.  Now, what we have to do is determine in our hearts that it's "Out with the Old and in with the New!" Make a determination!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for new life in You.  Help us to release the old and walk in the new!  Amen.

Gal 2:20. . . . I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  KJV

THEIR DEEDS WILL NOT SUCCEED!

3-18-2016. . . .THEIR DEEDS WILL NOT SUCCEED! 

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."  (Matt 13:24-25 KJV)  Always expect the enemy to be the enemy and to do what enemies do.  It should come as no surprise that they often do their dirty work behind our backs.  Fret not however. . . .their deeds will not succeed!

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for giving us wisdom to know our enemies!  Thank you also for being in control and our strong tower against all of them.  Amen.

Isa 54:17. . . . No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.  KJV

THEY WON'T KNOW WHAT HIT EM!

3-17-2016. . . .THEY WON'T KNOW WHAT HIT EM!

"When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Prov 16:7 KJV)  One sure way to deal with our enemies is to let the Lord handle them!  If we through our actions simply focus on pleasing the Lord, the Lord Himself will cause our enemies to be still; they won't even know what hit em!

PRAYER: Lord, you have such a cool way of handling things!  If we were left to our own devices as it relates to dealing with our enemies, it would be nothing less then a big mess.  Continue teaching us yours ways and may our ways be always pleasing to you.  Amen.

Ps 3:5-7. . . .Then I lay down and slept in peace and woke up safely, for the Lord was watching over me.  And now, although ten thousand enemies surround me on every side, I am not afraid.  I will cry to him, "Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!" And he will slap them in the face, insulting them and breaking off their teeth.  TLB

PROPERLY POSITIONED!

3-16-2016. . . .PROPERLY POSITIONED!

"Wounds from a friend are better than kisses from an enemy!" (Prov 27:7 TLB)  Friends, because they are close to us, will sometimes wound us.  In turn, as a friend to our friends, we more than likely have wounded them as well. Therefore, forgive them quickly remembering why they are called our friends. Enemies on the other hand, through their deceptive actions, attempt to get close enough to us to wound us.  Therefore, know them by their actions and keep them properly positioned so they can do minimal or no harm.

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for true friends.  Although, they may wound us and we them, help us to forgive quickly and remember why we are friends.  Train our eyes to recognize our enemies and to keep them properly positioned so that they can do no harm! 

Prov 18:24. . . .There are "friends" who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. TLB

THE LESSON IS OURS TO LEARN!

3-15-2016. . . .THE LESSON IS OURS TO LEARN!

"There is a saying, 'Love your friends and hate your enemies.' But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too."  (Matt 5:43-45 TLB)  If we are honest, this is one of the hardest biblical imperatives to carry out.  The last thing we want to do is be good to someone who is being a low down dirty dog to us; let alone pray for them! However, as true sons and daughters, we are called to do exactly that!   The lesson is ours to learn and not so much for the benefit of our enemies.

PRAYER: Lord, your ways are best and will benefit us greatly if we follow them.  No matter how difficult it may be, help us to follow your ways concerning our enemies.  Amen!

Matt 5:46-48. . . . If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much.  If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?   Even the heathen do that.  But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.  TLB

THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE!

3-11-2016. . . .THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE!

"Simon Peter replied, "Master, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life, and we believe them and know you are the holy Son of God."  Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, and one is a devil."  He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would betray him. (John 6:68-71 TLB)   Everyone walking by our side is not on our side, even though we have chosen them to be so!  While the betrayer's actions inflict pain, they also open the door to destiny!  They are who they are; let them be!

PRAYER: Lord, there is no greater example then yours of how to bare the presence and burden of a betrayer.  Give of grace to bare our burden with the same knowledge and patience.  Amen!

Matt 26:20-24. . . .That evening as he sat eating with the Twelve, he said, "One of you will betray me." Sorrow chilled their hearts, and each one asked, "Am I the one?"  He replied, "It is the one I served first.  For I must die just as was prophesied, but woe to the man by whom I am betrayed. Far better for that one if he had never been born." TLB

THE STANDARD WILL BE LIFTED!

3-10-2016. . . .THE STANDARD WILL BE LIFTED!

"Oh, love the Lord, all of you who are his people; for the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but harshly punishes all who haughtily reject him.  So cheer up! Take courage if you are depending on the Lord." (Ps 31:23-24 TLB)  The dividends of faithfulness are a daily cause for optimism.  We can anticipate God's intervention whenever the enemy decides to sweep in like a flood.  The standard will be lifted against them.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for being faithful to the faithful.  Our trust remains securely in you.  Your blessings upon us makes us rich beyond measure.  Amen!

Ps 46:1-2. . . . God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble.  And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. TLB

TRACK HIM - TRACE HIM - TRUST HIM and BELIEVE HIM!

3-1-2016. . . . TRACK HIM - TRACE HIM - TRUST HIM and BELIEVE HIM!

"Jesus realized what they were discussing and said, "No, that isn't it at all! Can't you understand? Are your hearts too hard to take it in?  'Your eyes are to see with-why don't you look? Why don't you open your ears and listen?'  Don't you remember anything at all?  (Mark 8:17-18 TLB) What a travesty for one to have 20/20 vision and yet be proverbially  "blind as a bat!" How tragic that no matter how loudly the truth is blasted in one's ear, they still don't or more sadly, won't hear it.  If God can do anything, He can do every thing!  If He did it once, He is well able to do it again and again and again!  TRACK HIM - TRACE HIM - TRUST HIM and BELIEVE HIM!

PRAYER: Lord, you are yet the God who does wonders that are beyond understanding and  miracles are cannot be counted!  Do it again Lord!  We trust you and we believe you!  Do it again!  Amen.

Job 9:10. . . .He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. NIV