Spanking Is Part Of The Process….

In today’s politically correct world, spanking is only for “right-wing”, Bible-believing nuts. Well, it’s better to believe the Bible and spank, than complain about the lack of respect in society without any solutions. Respect starts with solid consequences. There’s nothing more solid than a paddle on a rebellious child’s behind. Spanking sets the right priorities in a child’s mind. The swift, effective pain is the best reminder not to repeat the offense. Done in the right manner, with consistency, helps develop a lasting respect for authority. And it might just save a life. No one ever died from spanking (when done in a loving, controlled manner). Matter of fact, every one I know that was disciplined as a child in this manner, sees it as a blessing now as an adult. It’s proof that they were truly loved. If you want to raise a respectful, secure, and mindful of their place children, discipline is necessary. Spanking is part of the process. It may only take one time, or many, but either way, the seat of discipline must be addressed if parents are to raise responsible, respectful, and secure citizens of society. Spanking has its place in rearing children, regardless of what others might say.

Don’t fail to discipline your children.They won’t die if you spank them.14 Physical disciplinemay well save them from death. Proverbs 23:13-14a

The One Thing Social Justice Leaves Out….

The one thing social justice leaves out in its pursuits to make things right, is God. Without God there will never be “real justice”. How can there be? God is the only Judge Who knows all the details from every side. His judgements are 100% accurate. He is just. Jesus, Himself, said “In this world we will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world”. In the world’s pursuit of revenge, retaliation, and seeking justice, if it leaves God out of the equation, then the best it can hope for will be disappointment and dashed dreams. God is just. It’s up to us to trust that He will do justice when injustice comes our way. And even if we are never justified here on earth, we will be once we enter Heaven in His presence. Job, even though he couldn’t figure out the “why” of his suffering, knew he could trust his Maker in the process. Do you have confidence in God? Do you trust Him when injustice comes your way? God is just. Stand on this truth when the feelings of retribution come your way; you’ll find yourself on solid ground when you do.

3 If only I knew where to find God, I would go to His court.4 I would lay out my case and present my arguments.5 Then I would listen to His reply and understand what He says to me.6 Would He use His great power to argue with me? No, He would give me a fair hearing. 7 Honest people can reason with Him, so I would be forever acquitted by my judge. Job 23:3-7

10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.He will judge all peoples fairly. Psalms 96:10

13 before the Lord, for He is coming!He is coming to judge the earth.He will judge the world with justice,and the nations with His truth. Psalms 96:13

This Kind Of Trust…..

In Job chapter 21, Job attempts to defend himself to Zophar by trying to answer the earthly, never-fully answered question “why do the wicked prosper?”. He never really answers the “why?” part of it, but he does establish the fact that some do prosper without being punished here on earth. Some of the wicked live unpunished lives. They are even given elaborate and highly attended funerals. He explains that they have a mindset of not wanting anything to do with God. They think all their wealth and success is 100% due to their own efforts. Job’s point here is that there are wicked people who do not get punished for their wickedness in this life; a legitimate rebuttal to all of his friend’s theories of why he is suffering. They think he has sinned and needs to repent, in order to be freed from his current adversity. What Job leaves out, probably because he doesn’t fully understand our eternal destination, is the fact that judgement awaits all of us. Those in Christ, the Mercy Seat, those without, the Great White Throne. And even though Job didn’t mention this in his response, we can clearly see his trust in God. Do you have this kind of trust? Ask God today to help realign your thinking. Ask Him to keep the most important things, the most important things. We may never fully understand God’s ways, but we can fully trust Him because we know His ways are for our best.

1 Then Job spoke again: 2 “Listen closely to what I am saying.That’s one consolation you can give me.3 Bear with me, and let me speak.After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me. 4 “My complaint is with God, not with people.I have good reason to be so impatient.5 Look at me and be stunned.Put your hand over your mouth in shock.6 When I think about what I am saying, I shudder.My body trembles. 7 “Why do the wicked prosper,growing old and powerful?8 They live to see their children grow up and settle down,and they enjoy their grandchildren.9 Their homes are safe from every fear,and God does not punish them.10 Their bulls never fail to breed.Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.11 They let their children frisk about like lambs.Their little ones skip and dance.12 They sing with tambourine and harp.They celebrate to the sound of the flute.13 They spend their days in prosperity,then go down to the grave in peace.14 And yet they say to God, ‘Go away.We want no part of you and your ways.15 Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey Him?What good will it do us to pray?’16 (They think their prosperity is of their own doing,but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.) 17 “Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished.Do they ever have trouble?Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?18 Are they driven before the wind like straw?Are they carried away by the storm like chaff?Not at all! 19 “ ‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’But I say He should punish the ones who sin,so that they understand His judgment.20 Let them see their destruction with their own eyes.Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty.21 For they will not care what happens to their familyafter they are dead. 22 “But who can teach a lesson to God,since He judges even the most powerful?23 One person dies in prosperity,completely comfortable and secure,24 the picture of good health,vigorous and fit.25 Another person dies in bitter poverty,never having tasted the good life.26 But both are buried in the same dust,both eaten by the same maggots. 27 “Look, I know what you’re thinking.I know the schemes you plot against me.28 You will tell me of rich and wicked peoplewhose houses have vanished because of their sins.29 But ask those who have been around,and they will tell you the truth.30 Evil people are spared in times of calamityand are allowed to escape disaster.31 No one criticizes them openlyor pays them back for what they have done.32 When they are carried to the grave,an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb.33 A great funeral procession goes to the cemetery.Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest,and the earth gives sweet repose. 34 “How can your empty clichés comfort me?All your explanations are lies!” Job 21:1-34

Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,‘every knee will bend to Me,and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’ ” 12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. Romans 14:10c-12

Wear Ourselves Out…..

If our goal in life is to get rich, our priorities are not in the right place. Wealth does not make us happy, it only distracts and complicates life. According to this proverb, you’ll wear yourself out pursuing riches, and miss out on what your true treasure really is.

4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. 5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4-5

Know The WHO That Made You…..

How do you measure your life? What standards do you weigh your goals or base your motivation? What do you use to help get you through the down times? The blah times? What makes you get out of bed each day? For me it’s God’s word. I have based my life upon His truth since I was born. Truth matters. It’s what I weigh my virtue with. It’s what I use to make decisions. It’s my worldview, my attitude, how I interpret the world. The thing that keeps me going is I know that this standard never changes; it will last throughout eternity. Thus, I know it’s something I can depend on and never be concerned about it changing. God’s standard (His truth) helps me keep a real, honest perspective of myself. In other words it builds me up when I’m down, and keeps me grounded when I start to think “I’m too big for my britches”. I wonder what standard people use who don’t know God? Do they even have a standard? What’s it like to live without standards? I truly believe without a standard, living life is like being tossed around on waves, never knowing what’s coming next. In the pursuit of knowing “self”, it’s easy to get caught up in the deception of the standards the world wants to label us by. There’s no consistency in life without standards. There’s no accurate way to measure our character. No wonder people do all kinds of bizarre things trying to “find themselves”, never really knowing if it’s true. God’s standard is the one and only true way to know who you are and what your worth in this life. It’s the only way to view yourself from an honest and proper perspective. The only true way to know who you are, is to know The Who that made you.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3

Right Back AtchYa……

I’ve always known God to turn evil over onto itself. Irony at its finest. Haman and Mordicai, King Agrippa, and Jezebel are some that come to mind. They planned evil and that evil came right back upon them. What evil deceived us into thinking is good and beneficial, turns out to be the very thing that destroys us. Accept the fact today, sin won’t deliver what you think it will. Sin will only deliver the consequences right back on you, “right back atchya”. Here’s the verse that proves this to be true.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them. Psalms 94:23

Passing It On, Misdirected Zeal…..

In the book of Job we read of a man’s tragedy; losing his wealth, health, and family. His friends remain quiet for a week, then attack Job, telling him he must’ve sinned as the cause of his suffering. Most of the statements his friends say are true about God, but they don’t apply to Job’s case. They keep telling Job to repent of sins that he didn’t commit. So Job not only suffers from the loss of the above mentioned things, he’s being ridiculed and accused of doing things he hasn’t done as well. Here, Job tells us about how he would react to his friends if the roles were reversed (he speaks from truly knowing God). It’s a lesson we all need to read, study, and put into practice. Good things happen to both good and bad people. Our suffering is not always associated with our own behavior. We must always try to look at things from God’s perspective. This prevents us from thinking for God, and thus getting it wrong. Having compassion only works when it comes from a heart that has been transformed by God, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I see the commercials on TV about doing good and “passing it on”, but there’s no mention of truth or God in the 15 second clips. Where is this compassion supposed to come from? How do you get it? How are you supposed to treat all people with kindness if you don’t “feel” like it? The answer is simple, you can’t give what you don’t possess. Without the transforming power of salvation, that only Jesus can bring, the compassion you might display to someone will be misdirected and ineffective. If it were genuine, what answer would you give the recipient when they ask you, “why are you doing this?” Unless you have a continual, daily, pursuit of the Almighty, your actions won’t have an eternal impact on those around you. Or at least it will be misdirected zeal and deflate the recipient more than help him.

1 Then Job spoke again: 2 “I have heard all this before.What miserable comforters you are!3 Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air?What makes you keep on talking?4 I could say the same things if you were in my place.I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you.5 But if it were me, I would encourage you.I would try to take away your grief. Job 16:1-5

The Pursuit of Happiness…

Have you ever thought about the pursuit of “Happiness”? In America, its human nature to want “EASY”. We’ve been programmed to strive for more money and more convenience, which prosperity is all about. The part most people miss is when we reach our goal, attaining that higher paying job, that bonus at work, or an inheritance that “sets us up”, we soon forget what “hard work” is; what persistence and determination are. We take for granted many things, including how we see things and how we treat people. If it continues to go unchecked, we may even start to view ourselves as “better than” others. When this happens, look out. Our behavior will mimic our attitude. When we start to take things for granted, we tend to stop pursuing God. This leads to our believing “we are in control”, and thus start to leave God out. We stop reading our Bible, stop praying, or at least stop praying fervently with a desperate dependence upon God. We skip church for the pleasure of an afternoon on the lake. After this continues and solidifies a pattern of “self-sufficiency”, “BOOM”, adversity strikes, and we have no clue what to do. All the prosperity has left us bankrupt without God. Then the worry, stress, and anxiety set in. We wonder why God is not close to us. We start to blame Him, or at least question “why?”. All of this happens due to our inability to handle “good times” (prosperity). Life is all about mountain-top experiences, along with valley periods. The good and bad help us stay balanced. You can’t always live expecting the mountain-top experiences to last, because they won’t. There will eventually come storms and we must prepare for them. God knows this, and we do too. God is sovereign, He knows how things work (for He designed them). His plan is for us to be close to Him, regardless of the circumstances. To read, to pray, to commune, whether it be in prosperous times or in adverse conditions. True “happiness” is found in Jesus, this is the JOY the Bible talks about. Knowing He is our treasure keeps us grounded and prevents the trap of pursuing riches and fame. Prosperity isn’t supposed to be an all-day, everyday thing. Once you accept this truth, you won’t see it as the #1 goal in life. It will be part of life that we all experience, and we will know it has a time-limit on it. Having “means” doesn’t give us the right to say “NO” to God. Never forget this.

5 People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling. Job 12:5

Job Needed An Advocate…..

Even though Job knew God, God hadn’t revealed His plan to him. Job worshipped God from a distance, and thus didn’t know Jesus, for He hadn’t come yet. The most amazing thing (and there are many in the first nine chapters of this book), Job’s relationship with God allowed him to know that God was so much more than we could ever imagine. He knew in order to plead his case (the results from the work of the Devil) to God, he would need an Advocate, a Helper. This Advocate would stand in his place and act as a Go-Between. This Advocate was and is Jesus. How did Job know this? He simply knew God is Holy and we are not. We are sinners; all of us are weak, fragile, and insecure. Everything that is good comes from God. Job knew this, so his attitude reflected it, especially during his time of suffering. We all should adopt the attitude of humility. It’s the only right response we should have when it comes to reverence for God.

14 “So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with Him?15 Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. Job 9:14-15

32 “God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with Him or take Him to trial.33 If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.34 The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of His punishment.35 Then I could speak to Him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength. Job 9:32-35

Effectiveness Of Physical Discipline…..

For those who think that spanking is bad, here is a proverb that couldn’t be more clear about the effectiveness of physical discipline. When done right, there’s no more effective way of teaching a child to be respectful and honest, and to know right from wrong. If parents only had the courage to implement what the Bible teaches, disrespect and lack of authority in our society probably wouldn’t be an issue.

15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away. Proverbs 22:15

Truth: When Applied Out Of Context…..

Truth is edifying and restoring, but when applied out of context, it can do more harm than good. Eliphaz was exactly right when he told Job that his reverence for God should give him confidence; when his integrity should give Job hope. The problem wasn’t with the truth, rather Eliphaz was leaving out one major factor, Job’s humanness. Eliphaz wasn’t walking in Job’s shoes, which would’ve changed the way he approached the situation. What he told Job was true, but his application of truth in this situation was not accurate in Job’s case. The human element in relationships is paramount. Truth trumps everything, but it needs to be applied with a dose of compassion. And that compassion only comes from God Himself. Without God’s counsel, Eliphaz would’ve been better off keeping his mouth shut (like he had done for the prior week). Some times the best thing we can do for hurting souls is to put our arm around them, and listen. Letting someone know you care, without saying words is one of the most effective things we can do when facing a friend in mourning. Truth always has a place in conversation, but when it misapplied, it can be received as bad advice. Ask God to help you when you have a grieving friend. Ask Him to give you the words to say, or non-verbal actions to put into practice that may help the healing process begin. If you can put yourself in another’s shoes, you’re on the right track when it comes to helping a hurting soul. It starts with God.

3 “In the past you have encouraged many people;you have strengthened those who were weak.4 Your words have supported those who were falling;you encouraged those with shaky knees.5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart.You are terrified when it touches you.6 Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence?Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? 7 “Stop and think! Do the innocent die?When have the upright been destroyed?8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. Job 4:3-8

Can We Earn Our Salvation?

Religion promotes adhering to a “To-Do list”. It promotes a “works-based” platform. In other words, it promotes the idea of “we have to earn our salvation”, or earn God’s favor. This contradicts what the Bible promotes. The Bible is all about faith. Paul explains this concept in-depth in the book of Romans. Specifically, here in Chapter 4, he talks about Abraham being made right with God by faith. God declared him righteous before he was circumcised. According to Paul, the law ALWAYS brings punishment to those who try to obey it. That must mean it’s impossible to keep. Why would God create a standard in which human beings can’t keep? To prove a point. And that is that our faith in Him is what we need to be made right with Him. Our faith in Jesus; His perfect life lived, death, and resurrection, atoned for our sins. God is the One Who was capable of fulfilling the Law. And thus, by trusting His actions in completing the task, we can be made right with Him. Going back to the statement above about the law, if we can’t keep the law, then how can we be made right with God? Simply by not having a law to keep. Jesus fulfilled the law by keeping it, and thus by putting our faith in His accomplishment, eliminates the necessity to try to keep it ourselves. He thus eliminated our need to try. So we have no law to break, because of our faith in Him. Our works don’t earn anything, they show our allegiance to God. They show our gratitude towards God for our salvation. They show our honor towards Him for eliminating the burden of trying to keep the law. Our new way of life has no law, for what limit can be placed on loving God? Gentleness, kindness, love, patience, and respect (to name a few) have no law, for they are the attributes of God. The more we display these character qualities, the more it pleases God. You can’t brag about these things, you can only be more of them, and they bring their own rewards. Have you ever heard anyone arguing that they are more loving,more patient, more kind, more gentle, or more respectful than others? Even if you did, I bet the conversation was more upbeat and the outcome was favorable to both sides. When God touches you with the transforming power of His Grace, trying to earn anything falls by the wayside. You know you can’t earn something that’s freely given (for Yet while we we’re still sinners, Christ died for us). Once you possess this Grace, it changes our perspective from earning or working for it, to responding with gratitude (knowing we did nothing to attain it) in reverence to the One Who freely gave it. We don’t live out of obligation to God, rather, we live with a thankful heart that He was willing to choose us for no other reason than His great love for us. This eliminates any need to compare, the notion we must earn, and most importantly, it eliminates the instinct to follow a prescribed set of rules in order to fulfill or attain our significance. Jesus freed us from all of this. Now we just have to share this amazing truth with the world. Seems like a heavy-weighted, lopsided deal to me, doesn’t it? God does the work, we reap the benefits. God is good, isn’t He?

1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did He discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, He would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: 7 “Oh, what joy for thosewhose disobedience is forgiven,whose sins are put out of sight.8 Yes, what joy for thosewhose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” 9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous–even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping–believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100  years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead–and so was Sarah’s womb.20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in Him, the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God. Romans 4:1-25

Does God Play Favorites?

Isn’t funny how people say God is prejudice? If the Bible says that God does not show favoritism to any one, where do the critics get their information? Maybe it’s their love of sin that guilts their conscience into trying to justify their behavior by making up lies about God that they believe to be true. If this is the case, then today’s passage should clear up any confusion on this issue.

11 For God does not show favoritism.12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in His sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know His law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim–that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. Romans 2:11-16

Modern Times Explained…..

Reading through Romans chapter one I can’t help but apply to today what Paul wrote about in the latter part of the chapter. What are some signs of a rebellious, anti-God attitude? It’s foolish to acknowledge God. Doing things that everyone knows is wrong, or shouldn’t be done. Lives are filled and planned around sinful behaviors. Here’s the big one: they refuse to understand. When you refuse to understand, you’re in essence saying, “I don’t care, I only care about myself; you are not important”. This type of thinking only leads to broken promises, being heartless, and having no mercy. This is the exact opposite of what God is and opposite of what He wants from us. A life without God cannot, and will not produce qualities that God will honor. So any time you hear or see someone promoting love, compassion, or any of the like, and there’s no mention of God, it’s all a facade put up to get your money or something else you might possess. When you hear people promoting something in the name of love and will benefit you, and God is not given the credit, it’s not true. It’s only something being used to promote an agenda in which they will prosper from. Good examples of these are politicians. They pretend to use words like tolerance, justice, love, and benefits, yet when more closely examined it’s not the case. It’s more of a way to line their pockets with money and power. And when someone opposes their ideas, they refuse to understand, and thus prove my point about sinful behavior. This happens so often; it’s disguised under the umbrella of pseudo-compassion, false-Hope, and the skin of truth stuffed with a lie. People believe it because they don’t know Jesus, the maker of all real compassion, Hope, and truth. Without God, you will not only suffer in the end times judgement, but you’ll live your entire life believing a lie, and in the end have you eyes opened to truth only to be filled with regret. Start now. Be honest with yourself. Try to understand what’s going on. I can’t promise you your life will be a bed of roses, but I can promise you this: if you seek God out, whole-heartedly, He will reveal Himself to you. And when that happens, you won’t have to pretend anymore. You’ll know how to live and where you’re going when you die. Knowing this changes everything. It starts with your honesty in trying to understand, not refusing to.

18 But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because He has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:18-32

Victory Belongs To God….

God is supreme. No matter what we think or how we behave, opposing God is stupid. No matter how much you prepare, if you live in opposition of God, you won’t win. As a matter of fact, the harder you try to thwart His plans, the more miserable the suffering you’ll experience. Why not accept this truth, repent of your sins, and enjoy what you were created to experience. The love, joy, peace, and significance we all long for can only be found in a relationship with the God of the Bible. What’s holding you back from experiencing what you’ve wanted from the beginning? Whatever it is, how’s it working for you?

30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:30-31

We Need Adversity In Our Lives….

If you examine the history of the Israelites you’ll find a common theme: when things were good people forgot God, and when things were bad they cried out to God. Each and every time, God hears their cry and responded. So what’s the point here? We need adversity in our lives. People are fickle. People easily forget God in prosperous times, but then expect His presence when adversity strikes. The key to all of this is to stay close to God at all times, that way you can celebrate with gratitude in good times, and rejoice with peace knowing God will get you through the rough times when adversity comes. Get and stay close to God in all times. This is the mysterious factor in the Christian faith that has been forgotten by the modern day church. It’s the key to consistent, real joy that the Bible always talks about.

28 “But as soon as they were at peace, Your people again committed evil in Your sight, and once more You let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever Your people turned and cried to You again for help, You listened once more from heaven. In Your wonderful mercy, You rescued them many times! 29 “You warned them to return to Your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed Your commands. They did not follow Your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on You and refused to listen. 30 In Your love, You were patient with them for many years. You sent Your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again You allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them. 31 But in Your great mercy, You did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God You are! Nehemiah 9:28-31

True To His Word…

No matter how much the world changes, or our perception of it, we can count on one thing, and that is God is always true to His Word. We may not always understand, but we can always count on this truth. God will always love, be just, and be faithful to His Word. Once we accept this truth, it changes everything, especially our attitude and outlook on life. When we try to misapply His Word to our situation, we will always suffer the consequences. Instead of trying to justify ourselves, why not just accept His truth and act on it in faith. If God said it, that should settle it. In a world of ever changing people and attitudes, we need something we can lean on and trust to sustain us. God’s word does just that. If you’re looking for stability, look no further than God’s word, it’s a solid rock you can stand on to weather any storm that might come your way. “On this solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

8 When he had proved himself faithful, You made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And You have done what You promised, for You are always true to Your word. Nehemiah 9:8

True Joy…..

We’ve all heard the phrase “Joy of the Lord”. What exactly does it mean? True joy is something only God can give, so without Him being actively pursued in your life, true joy is impossible to possess. Joy can mean many things to many people. Some say it’s happiness, some say it’s contentment, and some says it’s bliss. What true joy really is, is the ability to praise God in all circumstances. That means in good times and bad times too. If you really examine all of the factors in the above statement, you’ll come to realize that God is the first great cause. What I mean by that is He is the source of life. Everything goes through Him. If you experience happiness, it’s because of Him. If you suffer, it’s because He has allowed it to happen to shape your character. If you’re bored, it’s because you’ve taken your eyes off the prize of Heaven and serving Him. True, consistent joy is found in putting God in the center of your life, or better put, centering your life around Him. When you do this, joy can be part of your everyday life. You’ll find yourself communicating with Him daily, and when you experience Him daily, it’s so much easier to handle the ups and downs of life. When we see God as the first great cause in life, we also find ways to praise Him over and over. That’s what true joy looks like, and it’s only possible to praise Him, when you know Him. And that takes a daily pursuit. True joy is praising God in all circumstances. Are you experiencing this? If not, what’s holding you back?

10 And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” 11 And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” 12 So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them. Nehemiah 8:10-12

Things Of This World….

One main difference you see in the life of a true believer in Christ Jesus is he holds on very loosely to the “things of this world”. He does not set his affections on the “things of this world”. He sees with spiritual eyes, and knows where his ultimate home resides (in a Heaven). He knows where his true treasure lies. Knowing this, he freely gives of his time, his resources, and his knowledge of the Almighty to all who ask or are in need of a dose of truth. Does this sound like you? True satisfaction and true gain (as Paul put it in 1 Timothy ch 6) comes from not allowing our affections to focus on the transient or the unattainable, that which riches, power, and fame promote, but rather focusing on that which does not rot, rust, or decay. The only two things that are going to last forever, are people and God’s word. Don’t you think we need to focus on that?

26 Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! Proverbs 21:26

The Privilege Of Telling The World About God….

We have the privilege of telling the world about God. We have the opportunity everyday to draw closer to Him. The dead can’t do it. The rebellious won’t do it. The ignorant don’t know how to do it. And the forgetful can’t remember to do it. It’s up to the Christian, the God-following, Jesus-honoring, Bible-believing, Truth-seeking, Justice-Loving person to proclaim this truth. We can’t leave it up to the ROCKS. Honor Him today by drawing near in prayer.

11 Can those in the grave declare Your unfailing love?Can they proclaim Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?12 Can the darkness speak of Your wonderful deeds?Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about Your righteousness?13 O Lord, I cry out to You.I will keep on pleading day by day. Psalms 88:11-13

When We Pray From A Sincere Heart….

When we pray from a sincere heart, and we direct our desires toward God, willing to accept His Will, we do it in a humble, honest, and respectful manner. When this happens, God hears our prayers and answers them. God will never turn away from a heart fully devoted to Him. Nehemiah knew this, you can see it in his prayer. When we align our will with God’s will you will see the effect in our lives, and especially hear it in our prayers.

When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of unfailing love with those who love Him and obey His commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for Your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against You. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that You gave us through Your servant Moses.8 “Please remember what You told Your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to Me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to Me and obey My commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for My name to be honored.’10 “The people You rescued by Your great power and strong hand are Your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. Nehemiah 1:4-11

What We Include In The GOOD NEWS….

We hear it all the time in Churches, “make disciples, share Jesus with people, present the Gospel, give your testimony...”, but what exactly does that look like? It’s rather simple. When you read your Bible, and you know the Author of the Book because He has granted you salvation that has transformed you from the inside out, then simply presenting the Gospel from a personal point of view is all it takes. When we present the Gospel for what it is, then share how we have embraced it, God will lift the veil from the receiver’s eyes. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. Have you ever lied? Cheated someone? Stolen something? Used God’s name in vain? Lusted? If the answer is “yes” to any one of these, then you are a sinner (you broke God’s law). If you are a sinner, then you are guilty and deserve judgement. God will not let sin go unpunished. Your righteousness can’t save you. You need a Savior. Jesus is that Savior. It’s His righteousness that is imputed on you when you repent of your sin and accept His grace and forgiveness. Once you do that, God forgives you and sees you as He sees Jesus (worthy, righteous, and perfect). Your debt is cancelled and you’re given eternal life; you’re granted membership into Heaven. If sin is not addressed in your presentation of the Gospel, how can conviction take place? It’s only when we include righteousness, self-Control (or lack of), and judgement in our presentation of our witness, that makes the Gospel “Good News”. It made Felix tremble and become frightened. Why do you think that is?

24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” Acts 24:24-25

Speak or Remain Silent….

There’s a time to speak and a time to remain silent. When you know exactly what to say to help someone, say it. If you’re at loss for words, remain silent. Very few people on earth have ever gotten themselves into deeper trouble by remaining silent. Here’s a guideline you can live by: if the subject involves sin, speak out, if it doesn’t, and you’re not sure what to say, remain silent. Let the person know you care about them, but don’t try to be biblical if you’re not sure what you want to say is biblical or not. Putting an arm around someone most of the time speaks louder than any words you could possibly udder. What we say has greater impact than we might think. Choose your words wisely. If you’re not sure, chose no words at all. Fewer regrets come from words not spoken, than from ones that were.

23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23

When We Pursue God…..

Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find God, for He is the Source of them. When we pursue God, we find life. Life does not consist of the abundance of our possessions, it’s the pursuit and relationship we establish with God that makes us whole. Loving mercy, practicing justice, and walking with God is what makes up living real life. It’s a shame that Satan has a way of distorting this truth, and we fall for it way too often. To think that things satisfy, it’s a lie and a cruel joke we’ve all experienced. Happiness that comes from possessing things is fleeting, and it never satisfies the longing of our souls for God.

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing lovewill find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21

Don’t Leave Home Without It…..

In our current state of the union (here in modern day America), this proverb gives us a deeper insight into the problem in which we find ourselves as a nation. When you abandon God, eventually you abandon common sense. When that happens, Hell literally breaks loose. Any faith you may have dies. A dead faith is just that, dead. Death follows. I mean the attitude of death. Life is no longer valued, and issues that weren’t issues become topics to be argued. Your behavior follows. Think about the current issues in today’s society: more than two genders, transsexualism, abortion, physician assisted suicide, same-sex marriage, legalization of illegal drugs, immigration, hating the American flag, blaming the government for everything, wanting restitution for slavery that happened over 150 years ago, the promotion of socialism, and on and on. Common sense answers a lot of these issues, and yet common sense isn’t allowed into the conversation. This proverb can never be made to be more true than in today’s lack of it. Death reigns when it’s abandoned; death of the genders, marriage, the nuclear family, hospital practices, and in abortion’s case, life itself. Common sense is there for a reason. It’s God’s way of keeping order. Without it, chaos and death follow. Truth matters, and common sense is part of it. As the old American Express slogan stated, (Common Sense) “Don’t leave home without it”.

16 The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead. Proverbs 21:16

Justice Brings Joy, Or Terrifies…..

Justice is important. It’s one of God’s greatest attributes. Doing what is right brings rewards that can’t be measured in tangible terms. It’s part of our DNA. Some people just have a little more in them than others. Every one wants justice when they’ve been wronged, but want nothing to do with it at other times. The key to justice is consistency. You either love it all the time, or you’re fickle, loving it only when you’ve been wronged. God is consistently just, and we need to strive to be consistently just as well, not just when it suits our fancy. When your consistently embracing it, it brings you joy, knowing you have justice on your side. You don’t have to spend time contriving stories or ways to defend yourself. When you’re terribly inconsistent, justice terrifies you, because you know there’s no rational argument that will justify your sinful behavior. Justice requires acceptance regardless if you want to or not. The key is consistency.

15 Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers. Proverbs 21:15

Dedication To Jesus Outweighs Any Fear…..

Being in tune with God means you’re willing to except whatever He has in store for you. Being in His will is the best place you can be. Always knowing this helps us live a life free from the fear of the unknown. Paul knew this. He knew what was in his future. He knew suffering and imprisonment lay ahead of him. He knew if he listened to the people (who sincerely loved him), he would be living a life of pretending, like Jonah. His dedication to Jesus outweighed any fear or suffering he would ever experience. If Jesus died for him, he was willing to return the favor out of gratitude for the gift he received (eternal life). Knowing God is in it, and He has your back, eliminates unhealthy fear and anxiety. Something the world needs in high doses these days, including me.

13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Acts 21:13-14

There’s Nothing More Powerful…

I wonder how many people that hate or oppose God know that God is ready to forgive and give us His unfailing love. If they did, I don’t think they be so hateful towards Him. It’s our job to show them this wonderful truth we know and have experienced. I know we can’t save the world, but we can show God’s attributes, and love them like He does. There’s nothing more powerful on earth that can melt a calloused heart, than a loyal, faithful, follower of Christ, displaying forgiveness and love that only God can give. Transformation from the inside out, is what salvation is all about. The world needs to see what we know to be true. Love on someone today, and watch God’s mighty hand transform a life.

5 O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help. Psalms 86:5

Only Be Great At One Thing….

Paul’s message was always simple: the necessity of repentance from sin, turning to God, and having faith in Jesus. It’s really easy to go off on rabbit trails during conversations these days. With all the issues out there, we can get caught up in meaningless chatter. I once heard a preacher tell his radio listeners some advice that he got when he was young: “you can only be great at one thing, so choose wisely”. We can’t be a jack of all trades and expect to be successful. Paul decided that he was going to stick to the essentials of the Christian faith, and nothing more. It would be wise in whatever you choose to be great at to be good at being a influential witness for Jesus. Keep your witness simple. Don’t get elaborate with stories to suit the situation. Keep the Gospel simple. God will do the rest.

18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike–the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus–the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:18-24

The Lord Will Withhold No Good Thing….

God honors those that honor Him. He rewards those who do right. Integrity matters. When you walk in God’s ways, He rewards you. He doesn’t hold back in rewarding those who are faithful to Him. It’s a truth we need to focus more on, with the emphasis not on receiving the reward, but on pleasing God. That’s the secret of the Christian faith: pleasing God, knowing you’ll be rewarded when done with a humble heart. Easy to understand concept, but difficult to do. Selfless motives is where you start and finish. It’s not about you, yet it’s you that reaps the reward when done with the right heart.

11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. Psalms 84:11