SWEEP AROUND OUR OWN FRONT DOOR!

11-9-2010. . . .SWEEP AROUND OUR OWN FRONT DOOR!

"You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God.  For it is written, "As I live," says the Lord, "every knee shall bow to me and every tongue confess to God."   Yes, each of us will give an account of himself to God.  So don't criticize each other anymore. Try instead to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong. (Rom 14:10-13TLB)  The time it takes to criticize and scrutinize others would be better spent ensuring that our own behavior, actions, and choices are not impacting others negatively.  Seeing that we all must give an accounting to God for our own deeds, it's best we sweep around our own front door!!!!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for eyes to see.  Help us use our sight to see the flaws in ourselves and work to correct them.  Amen!

Ps 50:16-22. . . . But God says to evil men: Recite my laws no longer and stop claiming my promises,  for you have refused my discipline, disregarding my laws.  You see a thief and help him, and spend your time with evil and immoral men.  You curse and lie, and vile language streams from your mouths.  You slander your own brother.  I remained silent-you thought I didn't care-but now your time of punishment has come, and I list all the above charges against you.  This is the last chance for all of you who have forgotten God, before I tear you apart-and no one can help you then. TLB

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY!

11-8-2011. . . .WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY!

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Cor 5:9-10 NIV)  While our salvation will not be at stake when we stand before the judgement seat of Christ, we will have to give an account of all our deeds as they are laid bare before our eyes and more importantly, His!   Just take a moment and think about all the things you wouldn't want to share with your best friend, family members, husband or wife.  While they may never know, Christ knows and will require an explanation!  What are we going to say?  What can we say?   With the time we have left to live, I think it best we do our best to eliminate everything from our lives that we don't want to have to explain later.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for being a loving and forgiving God.  Your mercy endures forever!  Amen.

Lam 3:22-23. . . .It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.  Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day. TLB



GOD SAYS YES!

11-5-2010. . . .GOD SAYS YES!

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." (1 Chron 4:10 KJV)  God says yes when our request are in line with His will and desires for us.   God wants us to have more than what we have right now; therefore, we should want only what God wants for us!  Then, when we make request of Him, GOD SAYS YES!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for hearing and answering our prayers!  Thank you for granting our petitions that are in line with your will and denying those that are not.  Help us not to pout in times of denial, but to yield to your will.  Amen!

 1 John 5:14-15. . . . And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  KJV

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE!

11-4-2010. . . .MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE!

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."  (1 Chron 4:10 KJV)  God has no problem with keeping evil from us.   In fact, evil is rendered powerless against the power of God!  The challenge is, keeping US from evil!!!!  Jabez didn't pray for God to keep evil from him, but to keep him from evil.  The apostle Paul states, "When I would do good, evil is present with me."  To do evil is a choice!  Though it is present with us, we don't have to choose to partner with it!  The choice is ours!  Make the right choice!

Prayer: Lord, our desire is to always please you.  Admittedly however, there are times when our choices are not pleasing to you.  When it comes to doing evil, help us to always make the right choice.  Amen!

 James 1:13-16. . . .And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it.  Temptation is the pull of man's own evil thoughts and wishes.  These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. 16 So don't be misled, dear brothers.  TLB

HIS HAND IS UPON US!

11-3-2010. . . .HIS HAND IS UPON US!

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."  (1 Chron 4:10 KJV)  From the very beginning, God's hand has been upon us.  Every other thing created, came into existence by and through God's spoken word.  When it came time to create man, God placed His hands on us and formed us from the dust of the ground; breathed into us the breath of life and we became living souls!  It all started with His hand upon us!  If it is to continue successfully, it will be because His hand is upon us!  Ultimately, when life comes to an end (and it most certainly will) we will be able to go to sleep (die) in peace as long as God's hand stays upon us!

Prayer: Lord, your hand has been upon us from the start.  Keep your hand on us now and forever more!  Amen!

 Ps 139:7-10. . . . Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.  KJV

ARE YOU READY FOR MORE!

11-2-2010. . . .ARE YOU READY FOR MORE!

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.  (1 Chron 4:10 KJV)  Are you ready for more?   Not more things or more stuff, but increased capacity to receive more of Him.  As He enlarges and expands our internal coast, correspondingly, our external coast will enlarge and expand as well!  Again, 'Are you ready for more?'

Prayer: Lord, give us more of thee!  Stretch and enlarge our internal coast while empowering us to handle our expanding external coast!  Amen.

 Matt 5:6. . . .Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  NIV

NOT SELFISH, SELF-FOCUSED!

11-1-20-2010. . . . NOT SELFISH, SELF-FOCUSED!

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.  (1 Chron 4:10 KJV)   We are instructed in the Word to pray always and that our prayers should not be selfish prayers.  Not withstanding that, the reality of the matter is, there are times when the focus of our prayers turns from others to ourselves.  Not in a selfish way, but a self-focused way!  Such is the prayer of Jabez!  Lord, bless (barak) me indeed!  Adore....show favor to....lifT up in praise!   When the world and  vicissitudes of life beat us down, we can turn to God in a self-focused way, and He will lift us up!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for blessing us indeed!  Amen!

Ps 61:1-2. . . .Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.   From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  KJV