God Is The Ultimate…..

God is the ultimate provider and protector. He will never forsake us.

7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalms 4:7-8

Nothing More Than Was Left Over….

Abram (not yet Abraham) had many flaws in his character, but he also had several qualities that God saw in him that made him the right man for the task God had for him. Abram was smart, tough, and humble. He has brilliant glimpses of selflessness. Here in Genesis chapter 14 we get a small view of His character. He could’ve hoarded all the spoils of his victory in battle, but he chose to take nothing more than what was left over after rewarding his men and giving the king of Sodom what belonged to him. Then on top of that he gave Melchizedek 10% of all he recovered from the raid. Abram had a lot, for He was very rich, but he did not covet what he had, and he did not pursue acquiring more. When you get to a certain point in your life where you do not desire things, God will start using you in different ways to recover what was lost. It’s very a rewarding process, intrinsically speaking.

17 After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,Creator of heaven and earth.20 And blessed be God Most High,who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.”22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies–Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.” Genesis 14:17-24

When Our Standards Exceed….

When our standards exceed the standards of the world, people take notice. Love is a matter of will, not emotion. True love can only come from God. When we extend love and grace to people who despise us, who ridicule us, or even who persecute is, we show the world that our standards are different; they exceed their standards. The haters may see for the first time, a glimpse of God’s love. It may allow them the opportunity to have hope, to see value in themselves. When we extend love to our enemies, it gives the world a clearer picture of what God is like. And even more important, it shows them we are like our Father. And our family has hope, peace, and purpose.

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

Take Sin Seriously….

We need to take sin seriously. The devil wants us to be complacent with sin. The seriousness is highlighted here in the sermon in the mount. Jesus tells us we should take sin so seriously that it’s better to live on earth without an eye or hand. He doesn’t mean physically remove an eye or hand, but He does mean we would be better off maimed if that’s what it cost in realizing the sincerity of the importance of not committing these sins. Take sin seriously, establish a resolve to look at sin as God does, regardless of what society redefines as right and wrong. You must stand for something, or you will fall for anything. Stand firm against sin.

27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.29 So if your eye–even your good eye–causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30 And if your hand–even your stronger hand–causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:27-30

Because They Can….

Here is a clear fact of scripture: when people disregard God’s correction, discipline, or wisdom, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. God grants the unbeliever’s desire to live without Him. It’s the choice of every living human being on earth has. It’s what love does. It’s why so many people curse God, because they can, for He allows it. They only forget the reason they choke on their own schemes is due to self-infliction. God is good, He loves us by choice, and gives us that choice to love Him back. Only then does He know that love is real. Choose wisely....

28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.29 For they hated knowledgeand chose not to fear the Lord.30 They rejected my adviceand paid no attention when I corrected them.31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,choking on their own schemes.32 For simpletons turn away from me–to death.Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,untroubled by fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:28-33

When You Refuse to Listen….

When you refuse to listen to wisdom (God’s truth), suffering usually follows. Irony has a way of perpetrating the life of the foolish.

 23 Come and listen to my counsel.I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. 24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.25 You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered.26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!I will mock you when disaster overtakes you–27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,and anguish and distress overwhelm you. Proverbs 1:23-27

Victory Comes From God…..

No matter how successful you become, or how many games you win, or how often you “come out on top”, there’s one determining factor: victory comes from God. It’s either for your benefit, or eventually for someone else’s. In the end God allows success for His own purposes and His own glory. A reason why we should never gloat when we experience it.

8 Victory comes from You, O Lord. May You bless Your people. Psalms 3:8

Next Time You see a Rainbow….

Have you ever stared at a rainbow and taken in its beauty? To think it’s the colors of visible light separated by refraction. If you stare long enough, God’s Spirit reveals an even deeper experience. It reminds us of one of His oldest promises in the Bible. A rainbow was a sign reminding Noah that God would never flood the entire earth again. It’s an eternal covenant. That means it will never happen to this earth again. So the next time you see a rainbow, remember God’s promise. It’s one that displays His enormous love for us, so much so, that He gave us a sign as a reminder, for every generation to come.

12 Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of My covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed My rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of My covenant with you and with all the earth. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15 and I will remember My covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17 Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” Genesis 9:12-17

Require The Blood…

Before the Law was given to Moses, God made it very clear what He expects from human behavior when it comes to murder. It’s so important that He made it clear to the only human beings alive on earth, Noah and his family. When I read this account in Genesis chapter 9, I can’t help but think it was Noah’s responsibility to teach it to his family, and their responsibility to teach it to their’s, and so on. It’s been taught for millenniums, and yet we still have people today arguing if abortion is right. If the requirement of the act murder is the murder’s life, should abortion be an issue? Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, and those that accept Him as their Lord and Savior have been purchased from eternal death. You may have committed murder in this life, or maybe hated your brother (the equivalent of murder in your thought life), but Jesus took your punishment and you are now free to live a redeemed life. Jesus is the only answer to sin. If you haven’t surrendered your life to Him, what exactly are your plans when you stand before God on judgement day? We are all guilty of murder....

5 “And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. 6 If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in His own image. 7 Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth.” Genesis 9:5-7

Love Always Incorporates….

When people talk about Jesus being all about love they often ignore or leave out the “repent”, “judge correctly”, and “go and sin no more” statements He makes throughout scripture. These all incorporate a much deeper aspect of the superficial “love” the world is trying to promote. God spells it out all through the scriptures. He wants us to realize our need for Him, love mercy, pursue justice, and do what is right. The love that the Bible speaks is one that includes all of the above, not the one-dimensional, superficial, selfishly promoting, feelings the world wants you to accept. Love doesn’t demand its own way. It always gives us a choice. True love only comes from God. If you don’t get your love from Him, it’s not true love; it’s a counterfeit. Love always incorporates justice, mercy, and a choice. It says the hard things people don’t want to hear, truth. It always accomplishes what it sets out to do, but does it in the most unsuspecting manner. Love isn’t something you possess, it’s only temporary, and it’s optimized when you give it away. Love isn’t love, as the world portrays it, it’s God working through you, accomplishing His will. The true test of real love is its ability to point you to Jesus. And it’s not until you come to the realization of your dilemma with sin and being an enemy of God, that love will find it’s true meaning in your life. You won’t exclude Jesus’ sacrifice, when you come to know that it was for you, rescuing your soul from an eternal death and punishment. Jesus’ love isn’t even close to what the world wants you to believe, it’s far greater. Plain and simple.

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Matthew 4:17

1 One day as He saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around Him, 2 and He began to teach them. The Beatitudes 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him,for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.4 God blesses those who mourn,for they will be comforted.5 God blesses those who are humble,for they will inherit the whole earth.6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,for they will be satisfied.7 God blesses those who are merciful,for they will be shown mercy.8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,for they will see God.9 God blesses those who work for peace,for they will be called the children of God.10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Matthew 5:1-12

Bent Toward Evil….

The minute a human being thinks he is good, he needs to beware. The only good that comes out of us is given to us and directed by God, Himself. Every tendency we have is bent toward evil and selfishness. It’s God Who grants grace, and second chances. Every good thing comes from God. Never forget this.

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. 21 And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. 22 As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” Genesis 8:20-22

Both State the Same Truth….

You’ve heard the saying, “faith without works is dead faith”. And you’ve also heard that we cannot earn our salvation. So how do we tie these two biblical truths together? Simply by realizing they both state the same truth: works proves your faith is real. Works doesn’t earn your salvation, it proves that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. The fruit you produce (works), proves what kind of tree you are, a saved one or an unsaved one.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:7-10

Human Emotions and God’s Character….

It’s hard to fathom that we can learn about Jesus in the Old Testament, before He came. But when you think about it, when you read about the character of God, you’re getting to know Jesus as well. Here is Psalm 2 we read about our choice of choosing Jesus and the consequences of failing to pursue God. The one thing the book of Psalms does better than any other book in the Bible is it connects human emotions in real life with God’s character. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s relational.

11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,and rejoice with trembling.12 Submit to God’s royal son, or He will become angry,and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities–for His anger flares up in an instant.But what joy for all who take refuge in him! Psalms 2:11-12

Guilt Is Legitimate And Has A Remedy…..

In modern society guilt is seen as a unnecessary trial, or misaligned label to stigmatize or marginalize people. In reality, guilt serves a purpose. It’s a warning signal from our God-designed conscience that tells us we did something wrong (immoral). It’s intended to turn us around (repent), and to make right what we’ve wronged. One reason why society sees guilt as a bad thing is that they lack the spiritual insight that sees guilt’s purpose, and thus, try to find ways to rid themselves of this ‘unnecessary discomfort’. The problem lies with the inability to recognize wrong doing (sin). People don’t think their behavior is wrong, or at least deny that it’s wrong, and thus try to find ways to remove the pain guilt causes when it’s ignored or not dealt with. Drugs, acquiring possessions, pursuing fame, trying to get others to accept their sinful behavior, and other coping mechanisms, only prolong and increase the effects of unresolved guilt. The ultimate outcome is hopelessness. This creates a life of shame (having no hope of redemption), endless anger, and a sense of the need to justify the behavior. An example of this is abortion. Those that have participated in, or associated with an abortion, are almost always pro-choice. Their attempt to feel better about themselves without repentance, leads to the justification of their action. Murdering an innocent child carries an enormous burden of guilt and shame. Not dealing with it morally (making it right with God) only leads to anger and hatred from within. It’s played out in taking those feelings and channeling them towards those that are pro-life. Taking their inner turmoil out on others is their way of trying to make them feel better about themselves. It never works. How do I know this? Because two wrongs never make a right. Justifying sinful behavior is humanity’s way of dealing with the pain that guilt and shame cause. Without repentance, truly being sorry for what we’ve done by having contrition in our heart, there is no possible way of removing the guilt. People might think the guilt is gone over time, but the consequences of unforgiveness (unresolved guilt) continue to play out in our lives. That’s why the message of the Gospel is so important. When we preach truth and share our witness of Jesus with others, we are in essence, showing them there is hope, there is a way to remove this guilt and be forgiven. The only sin that God will not forgive is unbelief. God won’t force someone to like Himself, or drag them against their will into Heaven. He loves us too much to deny our freewill. Guilt and shame serve a purpose, but unfortunately, many people would rather live with the consequences, and try to deal with it themselves, than repent, own up to their actions, and ask God to forgive them for what they’ve done. I can’t imagine living a life with no hope of redemption. That’s the problem with today’s cancel culture. They promote justice without the possibility of redemption. Jesus provides both. Guilt serves a purpose, and until it’s dealt with in the right manner, it will continue to wreck havoc in our lives. Why allow this, when we have a Savior waiting to remove it and forgive us? Why continue to live a life attempting to justify our actions, when we have someone who did it for us? Jesus can wash us clean, removing the guilt that sin brings, and replacing it with His righteousness. The effects of sin may leave scars, but scars are reminders that the trauma that happened, has been healed (forgiven).

9 Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. Proverbs 14:9

No Hope of Relief….

When I read the story of Cain and Abel, I can’t help but think what Hell must be like. Imagine a place devoid of God. Where will the light come from? Where will security be? Endless torment. And worst of all, there will be no hope of relief. Imagine being a reptile, not being able to regulate your own body heat, totally dependent on the environment to do it for you, then being transported to Antarctica. You won’t die, just continually freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw, as your body suffers through it eternally. Can you imagine suffering forever without any hope of relief? As Cain says in Genesis chapter 4, “my punishment is too great to bear. You have banished me from the land and from Your presence”. Too great to bear, and without hope. Is people’s pride worth the exchange of Heaven for Hell? Every soul must evaluate this exchange and ask himself, is it worth it?

1 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift–the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but He did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from Your presence; You have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Genesis 4:1-16

Human Nature Is Predictable…..

Human nature, it’s a predictable, consistent pattern. First we are tempted, either with a half truth, or a full-blown lie. We evaluate the outcome, then decide if the benefits outweigh the consequences. Our pride tends to choose the benefits, usually ignoring the consequences. The moment we give into the temptation, we feel shame and regret. Then the most important step occurs, how we deal with the guilt. We can either continue on with the transgression, further increasing those ill feelings the conscience dictates by blaming others or making excuses, or we can admit the poor lapse in judgement and run in the right direction. The former usually leads to some form of coping mechanism, alcohol or drugs, to numb the pain. The latter leads to repentance, admitting your wrong and making it right with God. The funny thing about the pain in this experience is it’s effects are proportionately related to the way you handle the situation. Repentance is painful at first, but it brings ultimate relief. Coping with the shame and guilt, refusing to repent, only leads to the compounding of it, and in the process affects all those around you. Satan lied to Eve. Eve caved. Adam caved along with his bride. And ultimately, they both payed the price for disobeying God. But God redeemed them, so to speak. But the consequences didn’t go away. Their are three responses to sin. Repent as soon as your conscience feels the shame and guilt. Ignore the conscience and live with the consequences. Or be in tune with God, and don’t fall prey to the temptation when it comes. In life you will experience all three, but hopefully, you will only keep two of these responses in your behavior toolbox.

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’ ”4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”10 He replied, “I heard You walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”12 The man replied, “It was the woman You gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursedmore than all animals, domestic and wild.You will crawl on your belly,groveling in the dust as long as you live.15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,and between your offspring and her Offspring.He will strike your head,and you will strike His heel.” 16 Then He said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,and in pain you will give birth.And you will desire to control your husband,but he will rule over you.” 17 And to the man He said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the treewhose fruit I commanded you not to eat,the ground is cursed because of you.All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you,though you will eat of its grains.19 By the sweat of your browwill you have food to eatuntil you return to the groundfrom which you were made.For you were made from dust,and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:1-19

The Importance of a Mom and Dad…

If anyone thinks it’s not important to raise a child with a man and woman in the home, read this passage. Joseph was about to leave Mary. He assumed she was unfaithful to him. It wasn’t until he was visited by an angel and told the truth about it, that he decided to stay. Even Jesus needed a mother and father at home, raising Him in fear and admonition of the Lord. The best situation, the necessary situation, for a child to be raised is by a father and mother in marriage at home. Are there alternative methods? Certainly, but the best is mentioned above. Doesn’t your child deserve the best? God thinks so.

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!She will give birth to a son,and they will call Him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’ ” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named Him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

Straight From God….

Never forget these words, God has given us a complete book, the Bible. It has everything we need to know for life. It doesn’t change. It’s always relevant. And it speaks directly to the soul of every human being. When people try to alter it, change it’s meaning, add to it, or take away from it, we need to be alarmed. It doesn’t change. It’s not supposed to. The only change that should occur is the change God brings inside of us from ingesting it’s truth in a daily basis. Anything else is a false, sugar-coated, selfish, Satan inspired lie. Use it to decipher a good teacher from a false one. Take every word of this book as truth given to you straight from God.

18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. Revelation 22:18-19

God Is In Control….

I know God has it all worked out. His plan is set in place with no one who can alter it. His attitude is set, and it won’t change. Everything He says will come true. He allows the evil to live along side the good (parable of the wheat and tares). He is coming back. When He arrives, He will reward everyone according to their deeds. The rewards won’t all be desired. I wish I could permanently set my mind on this promise. That way when I see evil or injustice being done, it wouldn’t bother me so bad, because I would know justice will prevail. It’s just hard for me to witness all the bad done in this world and not be bothered by it. I guess that’s one reason Heaven is so desirable. It won’t have any of this happening. All evil and wrong doing will be put to rest. I must never forget that. God allows the wheat and the tares to grow side by side for a reason. If He allowed the tares to be pulled up, it would damage the wheat. This hard concept must be kept in the forefront of our minds. It’s the only way to stay sane. God is in control.

10 Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.” 12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with Me to repay all people according to their deeds.13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:10-13

God Does Not Change….

God does not change. That’s why He is the only One worthy of our faith. In order to be worthy of faith, there are two requirements. First, it has to be outside yourself. Second, it cannot move, it must be fixed. God is the only legitimate Object that fits those two criteria. God wants our devotion, our attention, our focus; to be our Life. Our hearts and our minds have to be in sync with God. God always honors those that honor Him.

“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi 3:6-7a

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and always thought about the honor of His name. Malachi 3:16

God Hates Divorce….

God hates divorce. There are so many reasons, but here is one that never gets any attention. When a man divorces his wife, God says, (the husband) “overwhelms her with cruelty”. When you forget the vows you made when you were young, you dishonor God. I can’t even begin to describe the fallout that comes from divorce. Let’s just say it’s “ugly”, and it never loses its negative influence on all those involved. How do you combat this? God answers it in the same passage. Guard your heart, and remain loyal to your wife. Simple, isn’t it? Guard your heart, with what? The armor of God. You can read about that in Ephesians chapter 6. The family is the core unit in which God operates, so divorce destroys the unity God uses to reach the world. Above all else, guard your heart.

14 You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.15 Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are His. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” Malachi 2:14-16

Our Purpose As Christians…

Our purpose as Christians is to lead others to God, away from sin. God’s purpose is to bring life and peace. It requires reverence for God, then we pass on truth, we walk with God, and turn from sin. If we focus on self, we get the opposite: death, distress, pass on lies, walk away from God, and run towards sin embracing it. What result do you desire?

5 “The purpose of My covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered Me and stood in awe of My name. 6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from Me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with Me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.7 “The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8 But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed Me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out My instructions.” Malachi 2:5-9

Why People Drink…..

I used to always tell my Health classes the reason why people drink alcohol (drunkenness) is to escape from their reality. It’s a way to cope with their discomfort. A way to temporarily forget their troubles. A short-term mental vacation from their discontentment with life. It works, but it also compounds the situation. It affects not only the drinker, but everyone involved with him as well. There are better ways of dealing with this kind of stress. It starts with God. He will help you come down to reality. He will grant you a clear mind to see the facts. He will empower you to overcome. And in the end, your problems won’t compare to the glory He will receive because of your dependance on and faithfulness to Him.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. 5 For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. 6 Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. 7 Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. Proverbs 31:4-7

Worship Only God….

For those that worship anything or anyone other than Jesus, it’s not acceptable to God. That goes for people and things. Anyone who worships anything God creates is an idolater. God demands our devotion. He will only tolerate idolatry for so long. The essence of the Gospel is to give clear witness for Jesus. You cannot accomplish this by worshipping anything or anyone other than Jesus alone. Is there anything or anyone in your life receiving this kind of devotion from you?

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” Revelation 19:9-10

Expect Us To Behave….

Does God expect us to behave? Of course He does. How? Extend common decency to those less fortunate than us. Be honest. Judge fairly (using His standard). Show mercy to others. No scheming. Tell the truth. Always promote justice. Stop lying. If only the 10 Commandments were taught by parents, and reinforced by schools, we wouldn’t have such a divide in this country. Not to earn anything, but to abide in God’s ways. Morality is ingrained in our DNA. The world does everything it can to drive it out of us. Don’t allow it the pleasure. Practice these behaviors by asking God to tattoo them on your conscience. And listen to it when it speaks.

8 Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: 9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other. Zechariah 7:8-10

15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” Zechariah 8:15-17

God’s Timing Is Everything….

God’s timing is everything. If you’re in it, good, you’ll succeed. If you’re not, you will fail, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.

10 Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.11 “But now I will not treat the remnant of My people as I treated them before, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. 13 Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! Zechariah 8:10-13

Nothing Is Impossible With God…..

Nothing is impossible with God. It’s been said in both the NT and the OT. Proof that God’s word is eternal. Nothing can change it once it comes into existence. Count on it. Base your life on it. If God says it, it will happen, it’s only a matter of when.

6 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for Me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 8:6

Refuse to Listen….

The surest way to anger the Lord is to refuse to listen to Him when He calls you. So many people these days blow Him off, call the Gospel a fairy tale, and call all of His followers Jesus Freaks, but as soon as tragedy strikes, He is the first words out of their mouths. He is the first person they question or blame. He is the cause of their distress. The best advice I have is to listen and take heed when He calls. God’s anger isn’t something anyone wants to be the recipient of.

They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.13 “Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to Me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 7:12-13