WORK AND WORSHIP

5-31-2017. . . .WORK AND WORSHIP!

"Six days a week are for your daily duties and your regular work, but the seventh day is a day of Sabbath rest before the Lord your God. On that day you are to do no work of any kind, nor shall your son, daughter, or slaves-whether men or women-or your cattle or your house guests. For in six days the Lord made the heaven, earth, and sea, and everything in them, and rested the seventh day; so he blessed the Sabbath day and set it aside for rest."  (Ex 20:8-11 TLB)   

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!  Well, I don't know about Jack's dullness, but I do know that without periods of rest and recuperation we will suffer burn out!   That was never God's intention for us.  There must be balance!  Try Work and Worship; it's a great counterbalance.

Prayer: Lord, help us to follow your example and command to work and rest.  Amen!

Deut 5:12-15. . . . "'Keep the Sabbath day holy. This is my command.  Work the other six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God; no work shall be done that day by you or by any of your household-your sons, daughters, servants, oxen, donkeys, or cattle; even foreigners living among you must obey this law. Everybody must rest as you do. TLB

NOT OF THE WORLD!

5-30-2017. . . .NOT OF THE WORLD!

"And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army.   Follow the Lord's rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize."  (2 Tim 2:3-5 TLB) 

As a good soldier, our lives are not our own.  We are under orders and they must be the priority of our life.  We don't take orders from the world and are not obliged to follow it's demands.    Remember, we are in the world but not of the world!

Prayer: Lord, you are our commander and we must follow your orders at all times.  Help us and strengthen us so that we don't deviate.  Amen!

Rom 12:2. . . . And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  KJV

BETTER FOR IT IN THE END!

5-23-2017. . . .BETTER FOR IT IN THE END!

“Don't refuse to accept criticism; get all the help you can.” (Prov 23:12 TLB) 

While swallowing an unpleasant tasting medicine is undesirable, we do it because we know it will benefit us in the end. The same is true of criticism. It may be unpleasant and undesirable to receive, but if we accept it graciously, seriously consider its observations, and apply its useful recommendations, we will be better for it in the end!

Prayer: Lord, give us a mind, a heart, eyes, and ears to quickly receive criticism. Although it is often hard and undesirable to receive, help us focus more on the benefit it will be to us in the end. Amen.

Prov 23:12. . . .Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. KJV

LIVE THE LIFE!

5-19-2017. . . .LIVE THE LIFE!

"For Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.   O Lord of the armies of heaven, blessed are those who trust in you." (Ps 84:11-12 TLB)  

No apologies necessary and no explanation required for your blessings!  If people really want to understand the favor on your life, invite them to live the life!  What He's done for others, He'll do the same for all who put their trust in Him!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your favor.  We honor you Jehovah Sabaoth!  Amen.

Ps 37:4-6. . . .Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart's desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will.  TLB

TAKE ACTION!

5-16-2017. . . .TAKE ACTION!

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.  Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith.  By faith-by believing God-we know that the world and the stars-in fact, all things-were made at God's command; and that they were all made from things that can't be seen. (Heb 11:1-3. . . . TLB)

Faith is not presumption or assumption; Faith is an action!  Believing and trusting God beyond what we see and know.  Confidently walking and living in the reality that God's proceeding and prevailing word will not fail. Today, whatever you are believing God for, take action and walk in it!

PRAYER: Lord, today and always we believe you and we believe in the power of your never failing word.  Therefore, we take action and walk by faith and not by sight.  Amen.

Isa 55:11. . . .So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them. 

LET THE SHOW GO ON!

5-10-2017. . . .LET THE SHOW GO ON!

"But this precious treasure-this light and power that now shine within us --is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own." (2 Cor 4:7 TLB)  

How ironically wonderful that our flawed humanity should be the stage on which God manifest and demonstrates His mighty power and glory!  It is not about us, but all about Him!  Let the show go on!

PRAYER: Lord, play out your glory and your mighty power on the stage of our lives!  It is not about us but all about you!  Amen.

Ps 106:8. . . .

   Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 

  KJV

LET GOD DEAL WITH IT!

5-9-2017. . . .LET GOT DEAL WITH IT!

"If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. [And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.] If we claim we have not sinned, we are lying and calling God a liar, for he says we have sinned."  (1 John 1:8-10 TLB) 

 Sin is an issue!  God did His part to deal with the issue, the question is, when will we do ours!  Don't let sin continue to be an issue! Confess it and let God deal with it!

PRAYER: We confess our sins to you.  Please forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Amen!

Rom 3:21-24. . . .Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious ideal;  yet now God declares us "not guilty" of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. TLB

HE'S LISTENING!

5-5-17. . . .HE'S LISTENING!

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest." (Jer 29:11-13 TLB)

Although, we may not be able to see in the future, we can anticipate it with great expectation (hope) because we know that it shall be good!  God is more than willing to reveal this information to us if we earnestly seek Him and ask!  He's listening!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the plans of good you have laid out for us in our future!  We earnestly seek your guidance so that we never stray from the path of our hope!  Amen!

 1 Cor 2:9-10. . . .But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. KJV

KNOW BETTER DO BETTER!

5-4-2017. . . .DOING BETTER!

"The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him. May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!" (Prov 23:24-25)  

Is the life we are currently living bringing joy to our parents?  If our life is not pleasing to our earthly parents, it stands to reason we are not at all pleasing to our heavenly Father.  In our formative years we perhaps didn't know any better; but now that we know better, we should be doing better!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for our parents!  Help us live in such a way that it brings them joy continuously.  Amen.

Ex 20:12. . . ."Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."  NIV 

PEEK-A-B00 GOD SEES YOU!

5-3-2017. . . .PEEK-A-B00 - -GOD SEES YOU!

“For the Lord is watching his children, listening to their prayers; but the Lord's face is hard against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:12 TLB)  

As a faithful and loving parent is to their child, so the Lord is watching His children and listening to their every prayer!  In the words of Martin and Gabriel, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."     He not only watches His children, but His eye is also on the evil doers!!!!     Peek-a-Boo. . . .God sees you!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always watching over your children and hearing our prayers. Thank you also for keeping your eyes on the evil doers. We know you will reward both accordingly. Amen!’

Ps 34:15-17. . . .For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. TLB

CATCH IT AND HOLD IT!

5-2-2017. . . .CATCH IT AND HOLD IT!

“Turn away from evil and do good. Try to live in peace even if you must run after it to catch and hold it!” (1 Peter 3:11-12TLB)  

An evil that is blatantly evil is not difficult to turn away from. However, evil appearing to be good on the front end, not so much!  What was that the Apostle Paul said, “the good I would, I do not and the evil I would not, that I do!)  What seems good on the front end is nothing more than a robber of your peace in disguise!   Don’t let your peace get away! Catch it and hold it!!!! Never let go of it, no matter how good the evil may appear to be.

Prayer: Lord, even as Jabez prayed, keep us from evil and help us to pursue peace at all times. Amen!

Heb 12:14. . . . Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: KJV