What kind of ethics do you have?

Ethics: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation. A set of moral principles or values. - Merriam Webster Dictionary

How do label ethics today?

Do you have just a good rule of thumb?

Are you honest?

Are you honest to yourself and others?

Does your word count for anything?

Are you there when you say you will be?

Do you do as you promise?

Do you have too many excuses?

Do you have integrity?

Do you have any hidden agendas?

are you walking in righteousness?

Righteousness is just doing the right thing.

Are you able to receive correction?

Do you get upset if your corrected.

I once heard someone say that a wise man receives correction and will learn from it and keep going on in the things of God, and a not so wise man who receives correction will drop away from God.

Do you pray first after someone has offended you?

Maybe the Lord is trying to tell you something.

Maybe you have not gotten the whole picture.

"Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath, for the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God. This is the time to ask for insight and wisdom." James 1:19-20

When we have a problem with a person we need to go directly to that person.

We do not need to air our problem with the whole church, all our friends or who ever will listen to your problem.

When we speak to others about the problem it creates more problems.

Go straight way to the person whom you have the problem with and try to resolve the issue at hand.

Are you a servant?

Do you do what you can to help out?

Do you let others do what you know you should do?

Do you help out where needed?

Do you do as asked of you?

Do you question authority?

Are you submissive?

Even if you don't always agree you need to be submissive to those whom are in charge over you.

Do you learn from your mistakes?

Are you faithful?

Faithfulness is dependability, loyalty, stability as it describes God, who keeps His covenant.

"Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations." Deuteronomy 7:9

Our faithfulness goes way beyond feelings.

Are you faithful in your tithes?

Are you faithful in the area in which you serve?

Do you have the fruits of the Spirit?

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Go so loved us that He gave His only Son to die for us.

Do you give to God?

Do you honor God?

Do you give of your first fruits?

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, and the first fruits of thy increase." Proverbs 3:9-10

Have you robbed God?

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:8

Have you tested God?

Did you know that the finances is the only place in which God says to test Him?

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devour for your sakes he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, said the Lord of hosts." Malachi 3:10-11

Refreshing will come to those who refresh others.

"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Proverbs 11:25

Are you thirsty for God?

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you went out of your way to get it?

Have you ever been so thirsty that whatever you had to drink never quenched your thirst?

Have you ever had a void in your soul that nothing you ever done has filled it?

Jesus has offered us a life of being totally satisfied in Him.

"Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35

We as humans eat bread to satisfy our physical hunger and to sustain our life.

There is no other place that we can go to sustain our spiritual hunger than to Jesus.

No one else can satisfy us!

Jesus is that someone who gives more than just for our physical need.

He feeds us spiritually.

We do not have to work for the food.

We must believe.

Believing comes from that relationship with our Lord and Savior.

We must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scriptures hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John 7:37b-38

When Jesus says come unto Me and drink, He is not talking about the physical, but of the spiritual.

Jesus is talking about that life giving gift of the Holy Spirit.

Eternal life and the Holy Spirit go together.

If we choose not to accept the Holy Spirit then there will be no eternal life.

The Holy Spirit brings eternal life to those whom believe.

The living water is that eternal life.

We would not deprive ourselves of food or drink.

So why do we deprive our Spirit man?

The living Word which is the written Word can satisfy your hungry and thirsty soul.

Living Water in the Old Testament, speaks of thirsting after God as one thirsts after water. i.e. Psalm 42:11; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 13:1

God is called the Fountain of Life in Jeremiah 17:13.

God is called the Fountain of Living Water in Psalm 36:9.

These are just a few scripture references for you.

The Living Water of God will empower you to deal with whatever comes your way.

The Living Water of God will help us to deal with those things from God's perspective.

It is that fresh and pure water that will quench your spiritual thirst forever.

"The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook." Proverbs 18:4

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Isaiah 12:3

We must praise Him from the depths of our being.

"For I will pour water upon Him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry grounds: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring." Isaiah 44:3

Do you love others?

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." Proverbs 10:12

Do you have unfailing love for others?

Do you let the offenses of others upset?

Do you carry all your problems on your sleeve just waiting for someone to knock it off?

Do you draw a conclusion about others by their conduct?

Are you concerned about power than about the power of love?

Do you get an attitude if someone offends you?

Do you hold onto grudges from that offense?

Did you know that no matter what you have done your Heavenly Father loves you!

Yes, You!

God can not love you any more, and has not loved you any less!

There are times when we do not feel Him, but He is always there with us.

We all have something that God has to forgive us for.

We may not always conduct ourselves the way we should.

Maybe we have said something that we thought would not have offended someone, but in reality it has.

We should not expect perfection from others if we are not perfect ourselves.

We are to love others as we love ourselves.

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matthew 22:37-39

When we have that love in us we are walking in love as Jesus did.

Godly love will cover a multitude of sins.

Godly love will help you to forgive others.

Godly love will not dig up evil.

Godly love does not find fault.

Godly love bears all things.

Godly love believes all things.

Godly loves hopes all things.

Godly love endures all things.

Godly love does not hold a grudge towards anyone.

Godly loves does not let little irritations pile up so you explode.

When we use Godly love we are not to club others over the head with scriptures.

We are not to mishandle the Word of God.

We are not to deceitfully misuse God's Word for our own benefit.

We all must remember that we are all made of clay.

We are all on the Potter's wheel. He is shaping and molding each one of us.

God is still working on us.

I know I'm not perfect.

Thank God He cares enough to let us have those faults to learn from.

We will grow.

There will come healing and restoration.

There will come stability.

That stability will turn into trustworthiness.

All of us have that love of God in our hearts.

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:5

We need to show that Godly love to others.

Ya know that many people are watchers.

They watch how you treat others.

They watch how you act.

They will watch you every move.

If you are truly a Christian then your life will stand apart from those around you.

Your life can set someone who is in bondage free if you have that relationship with God.

That love that you have for yourself and God will shine through.

There does not always necessarily have to be any words spoken.

That God love that is on the inside of you can meet that person right where he or she is.

That God love with bring that other person back in the loving arms of the Father.

Lat God's love shine through your life.

Let God work on their heart, you just give them that Godly love.

Don't interfere with what God's love can do.

Sit back and let God have His way with that piece of clay.

Everyday, my prayer is Lord, have your way with this piece of clay today.

When we show others the love of God, it really speaks volumes.

Actions do speak louder than words!

I Corithians 13 is the love chapter.

Take time to get into His Word and find out what He has for you today.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

Have you been through a difficult time?

"For the Lord will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake his inheritance." Psalm 94:14

Are you grieving a death of a loved one?

Maybe just going through the process with someone else.

Have you been through many difficult times, but this is the roughest?

Feel like you are alone?

Think that no one understands what you are going through?

Have you tried to cry out to God for help in our grief?

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

God is always there, He will never leave you or forsake you.

"Let your conversation be without covetness; and be content with such things as ye have: foe He hath said, I will never leave thee or forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5

This may be a difficult time for you now, but joy is on the way.

How can you say that?

You are probably thinking that there will never be any more joy in your life.

When you let go and let God begin to take over once again, you set your flesh aside, God will you untold joy.

Joy comes from above.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

In every difficult time we need to remember to give God the praise even if we don't feel like it.

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10

Ya know that through each difficult time we are to learn something to help us grow in our walk.

It is through suffering and hardship that we learn discipline.

We have to go through that place where we think that we are going to give up.

We don't give up but we manage to make it through.

We make it through with God's grace!

It doesn't mean anything until you have gone through it for yourself and come out ok.

It is through these experiences that we find out that life is not just nice and neat all the time.

When we go through hardships or difficult times it can actually bring about joy in our life.

We will learn that we are passing from one stage to another in our spiritual maturity.

Most of us don't like hardship or difficult times.

God uses these hardships or difficult times to get your attention.

God will use difficult times and hardships to take us to the next level.

God will use hardships and difficult times to help us in our discipline, and our commitment to Him.

Look to Him for all you do.

Keep your eyes on Him at all times.

He will see you through.

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

Do you live in fear?

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

Do you live in fear?

Are you afraid of the dark?

Are you afraid of dying?

Are you afraid of fire?

Are you afraid of falling down and not being able to get back up?

Are you so worried that you can't think straight?

Do you always fear the worst will happen?

Do you fear spiders, and snakes?

Have you lost your faith in God?

There are untold thousands of us who fear something or other.

Did you know that the fear in you eats away at your body.

It can give you ulcers, make you heartbeat irregular, cause your blood pressure to go up, maybe even bottom out.

Fear has a snowball effect.

It starts out like a small ball, but as you keep feeding it, it soon will escalate and finally will become as big as an avalanche.

If we do not break up the snowball it will totally engulf you.

Don't give your fears a chance to grow.

Stop feeding the fire.

Fight back!

Start filling your thoughts with good thoughts.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt said it best when he said: "The only thing that we have to fear is fear itself!"

We must confront our fears head on.

When we do they generally are not as bad as we had feared.

If we are not positive in our situation and we let fear set in we are already sunk.

I don't know about you, but I want to be on that winning team - team Jesus!

We need to listen to that guidance within - the Holy Spirit.

He will give us the power, He will make us safe and secure no matter what may come our way.

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

We as Christians must be positive!

We as Christians we must be courageous and believe.

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

We as Christians must have that faith that will sustain us.

"In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me." Psalm 56:11

We must take care of our fear today.

How are you dealing with your fear today?

We need to take care of our today before it becomes tomorrow or even yesterday.

There are only two ways to eliminate worry from two days a week.

"There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is yesterday....And the other is tomorrow." --John Bunyan--

I think that statement says it all.

Don't give yourself the opportunity to go backward.

Don't let fear, or depression get into your mind.

Don't let the enemy get his stronghold on you.

You are God's child and you have the power within you that will help you.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Romans 8:35

Do you press on?

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

Do you press on into God?

Do you keep going no matter what anyone has said?

Do you have hunger pains of, God I want more of you?

Do you need questions answered?

Are you looking for more than just a once in a while mountain top experience?

Do you have that intimate relationship with God?

Do you ask God to show His power in your life?

Most of these questions come from a deeper yearning to know God.

We want a deeper relationship that can not compare to those that we have already had.

We must let God fill that empty space that has not yet been filled.

We want that closer walk with Him.

How many are ready to make a sacrifice for that closer walk with Him?

The only way to have that closer walk with Him is if we choose too.

We must take what time we have and give it to God.

We must make some choices.

It may even mean giving up our favorite things for a season.

When we do this it is a matter of how God wants us to spend our time.

We are putting Him in control of our life.

This is the best way to grow in our commitment toward Jesus.

God wants us to grow.

Jesus has already paid for all of our failures.

There is a hunger that no satisfaction can fill except for the Lord Jesus.

Going to church everytime the doors are open, doing outreaches, getting every sermon tape or CD available, or other involvements, these things are great, but will not satisfy that hunger that is deep down within.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

It is when we are so hungry, that He becomes real, and He will radically change your life.

It is when we let His Spirit involve Himself in our everyday activities.

It is through the Holy Spirit that we will grow in our Christian walk.

Why would we ever want to ignore the Holy Spirit.

Why would we want to operate our life with out Him.

We are to let the Holy Spirit be in control.

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come." John 16:13

We are to deny ourself and follow Jesus.

"And He said unto them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23

Do you gather together?

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;" Hebrews 10:25a

Do you gather to worship God?

Do you have a certain day of rest?

Do you know why you gather yourselves together to worship God?

Many of us have things backwards.

Many of us just want to stay home and listen to Christian radio, and Christian in replace of going to church.

There really is no reason to stay home.

Maybe you have been hurt in the past by someone at the church, maybe you think that you are physical able.

We need to get into God's presence so that He can heal our heart, our physical body and our soul.

God is no respecter of persons.

When we go to church we are going to hide ourself from our own flesh.

We are going to church to glorify God.

It is when we are in His presence that we are set free from our bondage.

When we go to church we nee to leave all our baggage at the door and enter into His presence.

Many people never get into His presence because they bring in all their baggage with them.

The Sabbath day is set aside for us to not do our pleasure but His!

The pleasure of God is contained in the Sabbath.

We were created for His good pleasure.

We were created to give Him praise, and honor.

This can happen outside the church, just not inside the doors.

On the Sabbath day, there is a rest in God.

The rest in God does not happen just on a certain day.

The rest in God comes from being in His presence and worshipping Him.

There is a rest for the people of God to enter into.

We are to enter into that rest.

No matter how hard we try to keep a certain day, it will not make anyone any more saved.

If someone wants to keep a certain day it is ok.

Romans chapters 14-15 talk about keeping a certain day.

If someone has a certain day that they keep, don't hassle them about it.

Let them keep it.

Maybe it is easier for them to keep a schedule.

We are not to hassle them as Christians because of the day they have set aside.

We are all invited to the Lord's table.

Who are we to tell someone that they can't come to the Lord's table?

We need to let people be who may have a different day set aside for worshipping God.

We have gotten things backwards.

It is not necessarily about the day, but what we do when we come together and worship Him.

The Sabbath day is so that we may worship Him corporately, come into His presence, and into His rest.

The purpose of the Sabbath is to get into His presence.

The Sabbath day God has chosen so that we might rest.

This is why we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

We come together to get into His presence.

We come together to give Him glory and honor that is due Him!

We have go to lay aside our own pleasures, shopping, ballgames, movies, whatever takes your time.

We need to get focused on God!

We need to start doing His good pleasure!

His pleasure is found in His presence.

He has pleasure when we come together to worship Him!

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42

Do you believe in Angels?

"For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalm 91:11

Do you believe in Angels?

Do you believe in guardian Angels?

Have you ever run a red light?

Has someone else ran a red light?

Have you ever been in a dangerous situation and made it out ok?

God created us for His pleasure.

He is God.

He is worthy of all praise.

He has kept you for His good pleasure.

He has let what has happened to you for a reason.

What has happened to you is part of a much greater plan.

Angels are proof of God's unconditional love.

Angels are all around us.

Angels are involved in our everyday life.

We mainly notice Angels when something out of the ordinary happens.

When this does it stirs our faith in God, makes us stronger, and enrich our heart, soul and mind.

Angels bring help, comfort and inspiration in time of need.

It is sometimes just a sense of His presence that helps to comfort the pain, protect us from danger, to help us when we fall.

You could be entertaining an Angel right at this very moment.

You could very well meet an Angel and not even know it.

The miracles that Angels bring can happen to anyone at anytime, anywhere.

It is when we are at that difficult point where we don't know what more we can do.

God, then steps in and takes us by the hand.

This is where we become totally dependent upon Him.

It is at that precise moment that He has our full attention.

He then will give us a glimpse of the wonders that heaven has for us through His Angels.

We know that right at that moment He loves us.

We have know that but we feel it even stronger than before.

Once you have had an experience with an Angel, you will have no doubt about God.

You will have no doubt that His Angels are real, and that they are here to help us in time of need.

All that I can say is do unto others as you would have them do unto you, as you never know when you are entertaining an Angel.

Meeting Angels Unaware

On life's busy thoroughfare,

We meet with angels unaware,

Too busy to sense that God is near,

Too busy to stop and recognize

The grief that lies in another's eyes,

Too busy to offer to help or share,

Too busy to sympathize or care,

Too busy to do the good things we should,

Telling ourselves we would if we could.

But life is too swift and the pace is too great

And we dare not pause for we might be late

For our next appointment which means so much,

We are willing to brush off the Saviour's touch,

And we tell ourselves there will come a day,

We will have more time to pause on our way,

But before we know it life's sun has set,

And we've passed the Saviour, but never met,

For hurrying along life's thoroughfare,

We passed Him by and remained unaware

That within the very sight of our eye,

Unnoticed, the Son of God passed by.

-Helen Steiner Rice-

Does God rule your life?

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye." Psalm 32:8

Do you listen to God's voice?

Do you listen to what the world has to say?

Do you run to Jesus when you stumble and fall?

We all fall short.

"And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken." Isaiah 8:15

We do not have to stay down.

We must come to Jesus and Ask for His forgiveness and He will raise us back up.

It is when we deny our self for our Lord that He is most pleased.

Self confidence, self trust, self will, self exaltation, anything with self in it is not pleasing to God.

When we have self attached we fail.

When we have self attached we are letting our flesh rule.

We need to keep our flesh under subjection.

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:8

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye live through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Romans 8:13

When we are pleasing our self, we are essentially denying God.

Man can not serve two masters.

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

There is no way to serve God and let your flesh do as it wills.

There is no way this can happen.

When we let self in control we are basically saying that we trust self and not God.

We need to put our trust in God, not self.

Self must be denied.

We must try to understand that we are not here to please our self, but to be about the Father's business.

We need to lay aside our self daily and take up His cross.

We need be renewed everyday to keep our flesh under subjection.

We have got to get into God's Word.

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

We are to bring our flesh under subjection, and Let Him pour into our vessel.

He can pour into our vessel as we get His Word into our Hearts and minds.

When we get His Word into our hearts our life will no longer let self rule.

When we get His Word into our heart our life will no longer let flesh rule.

We will be bringing that life that He has already purchased, and laying it down at His feet daily.

As we let God start to work in us He will fill us with His beauty.

As we let Him work in our life He will fill us with His Spirit.

As we let Him work in our life He will fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is no better way to live than to let God be in control.

All blessings come from above.

Come today, let His love saturate your heart, mind, and soul.

Let Him take captive of all those negative problems.

They have already been washed under the blood, and gone into the sea of forgetfulness.

If you have not ask for His forgiveness, ask Him right now.

Let Him come into your heart and change your life.

Let your life be grounded in Him from this day forward.

He will give you the peace, joy, and the strength to make it through.

Jesus has suffered far worse than any can imagine.

Jesus has suffered more than we ever will.

He died so that we could have His love and forgiveness.

He died so that we could have eternal life.

Come and let Him make your heart whole.

"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which as sent Me. " John 5:30

How is your life spent?

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;" Colosians 1:10

As we live our everyday life there is only three ways that every second of our life is spent.

Living in God's will for our life.

We let the flesh become satisfied by its urges.

We have given into sin's urges, satan's temptations.

God has already paid the ultimate price for your sin and mine.

Do you get side tracked on other things and leave God behind?

D you focus on your circumstances?

We all fall at some point, cause we are not perfect.

We need to pick ourselves up and keep on going with God.

It doesn't matter what has happened to you, it is in the past.

If you ask forgiveness, it has been washed under the blood.

We must go on.

We must go on in the power of His name.

We must stay focused on the Lord.

We sometimes think that we can handle life all by our self.

Boy, have I got news for you - we can't.

We need God.

He needs our total dependency upon Him.

Our dependence must solely be upon Him.

God is always there.

When we are in trouble, God is there.

When we fall short, fall into temptation, God is there.

He asks that we cry out to Him, so that we acknowledge that we need help.

Paul the Apostle said it best when He said, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 7:24-25a

Paul was telling us that there is always room for improvement.

Only Jesus is the One who can save us from that conflict.

Our life is entagled from a sinful nature.

Do we follow God's Word - His truths.

Do we follow our old sinful nature?

This should be a no brainer.

Do you want the victory over sin and the flesh?

Who wouldn't?

"For I know that in me [that is, in my flesh,] dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." Romans 7:18-20

The victory over sin and the flesh is not in us, but the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are helpless as ever.

We need that dunamis power of God.

That same power that was used to raise Jesus Christ from the dead.

What He has for you is the absolute best for your life.

We need to stop fighting with God.

We need to be seeking only His will for our life.

We need to let go of those thoughts of fear, and bitterness.

We need to let go of that self centeredness.

When we don't let go of all these hindrances it leaves an open door for the enemy to come in.

He will plant those deceptive thoughts in your brain.

It is when we keep our focus on Him and not our circumstances that the enemy will become defeated.

"Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Isaiah 51:11

Have you been wandering?

"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Be hold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

Have you been in the desert?

Are you truly thirsty for God?

Do you go after something with everything you've got just to find out it was wrong?

Do you even try to enter into His presence?

Do you avoid His presence?

Do you keep ending up in the desert, a barren land?

Do you run to other things for your satisfaction instead of what God gives you freely?

When you are in a desert place, the journey is usually hot.

You become miserable.

You do not feel like picking yourself up and going on.

When you are in the desert you usually have an unquenchable thirst.

You wish for just a little water to help that parched, dry throat.

Jesus tells us that we can come to Him and we shall never thirst again.

"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;" Revelation 7:16a

Come imagine with me - take a trip to the desert.

Imagine that as far as you could see was nothing but sand.

Feel the hot sun bearing down on you.

Your throat is rough and dry because you have run out of water in your canteen.

There is no one around.

You are alone.

How did you get here?

How much farther till you find help?

Fighting exhaustion and desperate for water, you fall to your knees.

Suddenly you see a glimpse of something shiny.

What is it?

You get back up.

You start to move towards the shimmering light.

Wow!

Just a short distance a way you see a glimmer of shining water.

You start to run towards it with all the energy that is left in your body.

As you draw near, a funny thing happens...

It disappears.

The oasis is gone.

There is no water.

It is only more sand.

You sit down, disappointed.

How much longer can you take the heat?

Will the sand ever end?

Will you ever find water?

Have you become delusional?

After a short break you get back up, knowing that you just have to go on.

You are basically dragging your body inch by inch through the sand.

Sweat is dripping, clothes are hanging, and you are hot, tired and very, very thirsty, yet you get back up and keep on going.

The thought crosses your mind, will I ever find water?

Will I ever make it out of this desert alive?

All of the sudden, desperation grips your heart.

You try to move faster, but you can't.

You body feels like dead weight.

It has now become hard to put one leg in front of the other.

As painful as it is, you keep on going, hoping for something to drink, a nice shady place to rest, and the end of this desert.

But wait... Then....What do you see off in the distance?

Could it be or is you mind playing tricks again?

You see a huge lake with a tree for shade.

You start picking up speed.

All the adrenalin in your body is flowing fast.

Your tired, almost lifeless body becomes weightless.

You can run.

You run towards the pond.

You are ready to jump in and submerge your whole body to cool it down and get it refreshed.

You take the plunge.

Oh, but wait.

You fall hard on you face, only to realize it was only sand once again.

You sit up disappointed.

Taking another look around all you see for miles is sand.

How are you ever going to make it out alive?

What would it matter if you never went on?

Why bother?

You take a deep sighing breath.

Only this time, that deep breath makes your lungs feel as if they are on fire.

Do you give up?

Do you quit or go on?

You are tired and thirsty, but you get up and go on.

What if you are about to give up, and your true oaisis is only a few feet away?

The true oasis it is calling your name.

He is asking if you are thirsty.

Are you thirsty?

Do you want to be totally satisfied?

Someone is calling... It is the Lord.

He is calling you.

"If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink." John 7:37b

Come to Him and let Him fill you with that everlasting drink.

You will never thirst again.

You come to Him.

Falling at His feet, there is nothing left in you.

You are completely exhausted.

You start to feel cool drops hit your neck and head.

All the sudden it completely saturates you.

You look up, hoping to get a good drink.

The fresh, cool water makes every part of your being come alive.

You look up to say thank you.

He says that there is more.

That the river never runs dry.

This is living water that never ceases to flow.

This is where you know that you belong.

You don't belong in the desert, but in this flow of living water.

Now that you have experienced this flow there is no other place to be.

You know that nothing else will do.

Now you know that all He wants to do is fill us with His living water.

Jesus wants to fill you with His eternal fountain.

His fountain brings absolute contentment.

We can come stumbling, in sin, failing, or in need, but He is always there to catch us when we fall.

We can never bring anything that He is unable help us with.

Ask Him for that refreshing presence.

Ask Him to show you all things that might hinder you from getting into that presence with Him.

"How excellent is thy lovingkindnes, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." Psalm 36:7-9

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14

Have you gone astray?

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

Do you let God's Word illuminate in your heart?

Do you have God's Word written upon your heart?

"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." II Corinthians 3:3

We all as sheep have gone astray.

We have a tendency to be stubborn and insist going at our own way at times.

When we go our own way we generally get ourselves into a rut.

That rut will inevitably get worse.

The rut will get deeper, and deeper, and our commitment will be established solidly to the point where we can not take another step.

We are so determined to find our own way, that we are willing to risk personal destruction.

Think for a moment as if you were wandering on a desolate path.

This path is stoney, rough and rocky.

You are so tired that you can not put one foot in front of the other.

You wish that someone was there.

There is no one.

The air becomes heavy, but you still keep plugging away.

You stop for a moment, taking a deep breath.

While stopped, you wish that just for a moment you could break away from all the circumstances that surround you.

Even the thought of breaking away becomes overwhelming.

You are willing to think that it is much easier to continue where you are, and with the way you have always done things.

You continue on the path.

Your stomach begins to knot, your whole body aches, and you have anxiety about your situation.

You think that there is no hope.

You think that there is no way out.

You think that there is no way out of this endless rut.

[Boy are you wrong!]

You keep on the path, struggling with wounded feet, heart, spirit.

Stumbling and struggling all the time frustrated.

Having a hard time as you try to stay on the path.

Suddenly......Suddenly.....

You hear a voice.

You keep on walking, struggling as before.

Then again, you hear that small voice.

This time you stop and wait, to see what the voice is saying.

You hear it again.

The small voice is warm and loving.

The voice it is calling your name.

He calls your name again.

You can hear the name.

He wants you to respond.

You turn around to see who the small voice is coming from, you see it is the Good Shepherd, Jesus.

What do you do now?

Do you turn and keep walking on your path for fear of rejection?

Do you keep walking out your path because you are afraid of disapproval?

What do you do?

He calls your name again.

He is waiting patiently.

As you look back this time you see forgiveness in His eyes.

His eyes are filled with Love and compassion.

There is great joy in His eyes.

In a split moment, He is walking towards you.

You are struck with awe as He moves towards you.

He comes and stands right in front of you.

He looks into your eyes and your heart just melts.

He gently takes your chin with one hand, with the other He is ever so gently wiping the tears, and sweat from your face.

Suddenly He kneels down.

He begins to wipe the wounds on your feet.

You hope that He never leaves.

":For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5b

It is a hope beyond all hopes.

"[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever steps out upon it - a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil." Hebrews 6:19 Amplified Bible

The Father picks you up and carries you close to His heart.

He then tells you how valuable you are to Him.

He tells you of your value to Him even though you have gone astray.

He tells you that He has come to restore your soul.

He carries you back to the fold.

He has come after you.

He has left everything to bring you home.

He has left the others just to come after you and bring you back home safely.

His love for you is great.

Let Him continue carrying you.

Let His will and purpose be the will of your life.

How great that He did not leave you on that path to destruction, but He came and brought you back home.

How we need to rejoice for what God has done in our lives.

Thank Him for touching your life.

Thank Him for not leaving in the wilderness.

Thank Him for delivering you out of the ruts that you made on your own.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations." Psalm 100

How far will you go?

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

I have read a very good book and suggest that all take time out to read....Foxe's Book of Martyrs.

It really makes you think about a lot.

How far would you go for your Lord?

Would you be willing to die for Him?

Would you reject Him just to keep your own life?

So many men and women died horrible deaths and they did it all out of love for their Lord and Savior.

How can a man justify being God, and putting others to death?

There was blood shed because they were Christians.

They strongly believed in what they were dying for.

Some died by fire, some were beheaded, most all were tortured some way or another.

They had hot coals put to there feet till they only had nubbs left, some was tied to wild horses and dragged behind them till they died,some were starved to death, some were branded on the cheek and made to do penance and some even roasted alive.

Is your faith that strong today to pass any of these types of tests?

All of these martyrs endured their sufferings with great fortitude and cheerfully yielded up their lives for their faith.

They would speak out against idolatry.

They were being condemned for even just reading the scriptures.

Martin Luther was the one who began showing the difference between the law and gospel.

He also showed where it is wrong for the church to sell indulgences or pilgrimages.

Money is not what will save your soul, by no means.

What will save your soul is remission of sins.

Taking up your cross and following Jesus.

"For by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

All those who died did so for the cause of Jesus.

The Catholic Church did not want the real truth to come out, so they persecuted the Christians.

The entire time they did all that it did was to help make the Christian faith that much stronger.

Even though the Bible was forbidden to all, craftsmen, apprentices, journeymen, servants, yeomen, farmers, and laborers, it has still stayed in their hearts.

We need not fear the man that can kill the body, cause they can not kill our soul.

Would you stand firm in your testimony?

Would you dye for the truth's sake?

Are you corn or are you chaff?

Will you be blown away by the wind?

Would you seal His truth with your life?

The martyrs of the early church did so that the gospel would live on in our hearts.

They taught us that we do not get to heaven by paying our way with monies for our soul.

We are to live a life full of faith.

These martyrs died so we could be free in Him.

Not only were there martyrs back then, but still today people lose their very life for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How do you compare?

If you lived back then would you be considered a martyr?

How far will you go to tell someone about Jesus - our Redeemer.

Man can be so cruel, but God's love is all you need.

Let us take up our cross and not deny Him, but follow Him.

"Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

Have you been accountable to God's Word?

"So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God." Romans 14:12

Do you watch what you say?

Do you watch how you act?

How do you treat the person at the grocery store?

How do you live your life at home?

In all that we do, where we go and how we act do we portray Jesus?

No matter what we are doing we are to live Christ like.

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

Who do you surround yourself with?

Are they people who are led by the Spirit?

Are you around those who try to manipulate, control, intimidate, or even humiliate you?

Do you keep searching to find that niche in God?

Where do you belong in the body of Christ?

Do you lean on God?

Do you pray for God's understanding when things go wrong?

Do you pray on a daily basis?

Charles Finney said it best.....

"I get down and pray like it all depends on God, and then get up and go like it all depends on me."

It all goes back to being totally dependent upon God.

We as Christians are not meant to be just holding on, or be miserable and unhappy.

"God created us with a drive for pleasure that only He, Himself can satisfy it." - Jonathan Edwards

When we indulge in the activities of this world they may satisfy, but only for a season.

The earthly desire in which we sometimes seek after it will never be able to permeate the depths of our soul.

Nothing can do this except for God.

Ya know even if you have messed up in the past ask for forgiveness from those that need be asked forgiveness from, ask God first and foremost. He will put whatever you have messed up into the sea of forgetfulness upon asking with a sincere heart.

God does not want us to get bitter, angry and hard hearted.

God wants us to learn from our mistakes and go on.

God wants us to expand our capacity for joy, the joy that only comes from Him.

We are to get to a deeper experience in God's presence.

We can only do this by diligently working the soil of our soul.

Why would we not want to be the one's with a song in our heart and a bounce in our step.

The master Musician will tune the broken strings of our heart, if only we will let Him.

We may feel the stabs at every turn, but when He is done, He will play a song that can not be undone.

Every note will be of sweet aroma, to soothe the anguish of our souls.

We should not forget who we are in Christ.

We should never forget what are here for.

We need to make God the central pursuit of our life.

We need to welcome each step in the journey of life.

We need not keep our focus on worldly things.

We are subject to our Creator, for all we do.

"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also His offspring." Acts 17:28

"And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." Colossians 1:17

Do you find hidden treasure?

"If thou seekest her as silver, and searcheth for her as hidden treasure." Proverbs 2:4

Do you dig into God's Word?

Do you just read to be reading?

Do you like adventure?

Do you ever wonder why?

Do you want to know how to attain wisdom?

Do you know what is right, just and fair?

Do you need extra instruction for your daily life?

Do you need practical insight and guidelines for life?

Do you like to know what the answer is too certain things?

Do you know that the Bible has all your answers for your problems!

The Bible deals with things such as sex and marriage, youth and discipline, family life, self control, resisting temptation, immorality, business matters, health and prosperity, how we use our words, and how the tongue can be hurtful or helpful. It covers moral truth, poverty and best of all having an intimate relationship with our loving God.

God's Word is timely.

God never fails!

God's Word is for our every need.

There are reminders and admonitions that provide sound advice for our life!

When we go looking for that hidden treasure we are looking for what God has to say.

It is like when you find a treasure map, and then you start the hunt.

Generally you will get what you need - in this case it is God's Word.

Then you start to look for clues, once you find a clue then you go to the next until you have recovered all clues.

When you have recovered all clues it will take you to the hidden treasure.

God's Word is like that.

He will only give you a piece of the puzzle and want you to start digging on your own.

As you start digging into God's Word, He will start revealing things that you did not know.

He will also show you how to handle what you are going through.

There is nothing that has happened to us that has not first gone through God's hands!

When we start to take heed to God's Word, then we shall start to see a change in our life.

God will give us wisdom and victory as we become responsible with what He has given us.

It goes back to finding that hidden treasure, it is going to take some work.

It is through that persistent work that He will guide us and reward us.

We must follow God in all our ways and He will direct our paths.

"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6

This means in all areas of our life not just a few.

Do you acknowledge God in every area of you life?

Do you listen to His advice?

Did you know that when we listen to God and do as He has instructed that we are helping to fulfill His purpose in our life.

We should always be willing to listen and then be corrected if necessary.

We are also to use God's Word - the Bible as our guide.

We are to follow God's leading, cause when we do He will guide and protect us.

God knows what is best for us!

We are not to lean on our own understanding, but God's understanding and wisdom.

We are to trust God in every choice we make, everything that we do.

God is a sovereign.

God can and will do what He deems is necessary.

So why should we get offended at God, when it is in our best interest?

"It is not light or trifling matter, it is a truth, that above all others, should stir the depths of our nature." Charles Spurgeon

Have you been disciplined lately?

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him." Hebrews 12:5

Are you being disciplined and you don't understand?

Do you feel as if your being persecuted for doing what you thought was right?

Was your heart right at the time you were accused of doing wrong?

Do you know when God is disiplineing you?

Do you take God's disciplining lightly?

Do you really trust God?

We all at some point in our life have been disciplined.

It might have been mom, dad, school teacher, boss or friend, could even be by your pastor.

When God disciplines it is for a reason.

God's discipline is not random and pointless.

What is God's discipline you ask?

God will use a painful circumstance that He has allowed to come your way to change your conduct and you character.

Our conduct is the what we do.

Our character is why we do what we do.

God wants us to totally change inside and out.

God does not just want a make over.

God does not allow us just to go through a painful situation just to learn something some day.

God wants to change our heart.

God wants to change our character.

God is after that total life transformation!

"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Hebrews 12:6-8

When we are facing hardships, discouragement, that come from being disciplined, it is very easy to lose sight of God.

When we suffer we are in training.

When we suffer we also grow in maturity.

God chastens those whom He loves.

When God disciplines us, He is showing us conformation of the relationship that we have with Him.

Regardless of what you are going through, God does know what He is doing!

God will address a particular area in your life to help you grow.

It is only painful for a moment.

God, He never makes a mistake!

God wants us to turn to Him as we are being disciplined, so that He can teach us something.

We have got to learn from our pain and keep going, that will keep us growing as Christians.

We must learn to understand God's discipline so that we can move on spiritually.

God will open a door when it is right and He will close that door when something is wrong.

All discipline is painful at the time.

Remember that discipline as a child when you thought everyone was out to get you cause you done wrong.

Everyone who disciplined you as a child done it out of love, and you learned something out of it and moved on.

It is like the saying: "Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

We might wander for a while, but we eventually know what is the right thing to do.

The fruit will come from having been trained.

It is through His discipline that we will see that change of heart.

It is through that discipline that we will see that change in our character.

God will use that discipline to help make that total life transformation.

God does not want to make us pay.

We can't.

Jesus already paid for all when He was on the cross.

God wants to train us, not punish us.

We need not look at the circumstances around us, but keep our eyes on Jesus.

We can respond in one of several ways....

We can admit - turn around.

We can take the pitty way out.

We can get angry and resentful.

We can accept it gratefully.

We need to accept it gratefully, turning towards Him and learn what He wants to teach us.

This should be the first thing that we do after being punished.

Most of us do not turn to Him first, we get angry and bitter and hurt.

Most people want to know why?

To find out the why you must look toward Him, and He will tell or show you.

He will show you His grace as you turn to Him.

He will never give us more than we can handle.

He never will overwhelm us by His discipline.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but with that temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." I Corinthians 10:13

All sorts of problems and temptations happen to each of us everyday.

Don't get that singled out feeling.

God helps you, and sometimes He will let a situation happen so that you can learn form it.

He will help us to recognize situations and people that will be trouble.

He wants us to turn away from these, and turn our eyes on Him.

He wants us to choose to do right.

God will not let you go through a painful situation or circumstance and not learn from it.

He disciplines us so that we shall learn from it and go on.

Once we have learned to turn to Him, we also must learn to be submissive.

We are to be submissive to those in authority over us.

When we are submissive we are placing ourselves under that authority.

God wants us to learn Spiritual Authority!

We will never grow in our spiritual walk if we take the action to turn away from our wrong and be submissive to that authority.

We may not always agree with the answer, but God does not do things our way.

We must put all our trust in Him!

He disciplines us for our good.

He is training us up to be his disciples.

He is training us to walk a godly, holy life before Him and man.

He chasten each of us because He loves us!

We will never out grow the discipline from our Heavenly Father.

Just remember that the pain is only momentary, that it will not last forever.

He doesn't just want an outside change, but an inside change.

God never makes mistakes like we do.

He knows what He is doing!

He is in personal control!

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Are you humble?

"If you should ask me what are the ways of God, I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility, and the third is still humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not proceed all that we do, our efforts are fruitless." --- Saint Augustine

Do you walk out your Christian life in pride?

Do you let your pride stand in the way?

Is your life filled with jealousy, envy, petty criticism, or even still self centeredness?

We all sin in one way or another.

Sin is rooted in pride.

So if we say that we sin not we are liars already.

We must deal with our pride if we are to live a victorious life in Christ.

God's Word tells us repeatedly that we are blind, deaf, and hardhearted when it comes to seeing our own pride.

We are prideful when we do not trust in Him.

We need to get rid of self.

We need to be completely dependent upon Him.

His Spirit will reveal and illuminate truth to us about our pride or where we fall short.

Why would you want to hold onto pride?

To live with pride is to put life into predictable patterns that will enable us to keep up a good front.

Why live in that box?

Why do we live in fear of failure or cling to false security?

Why live in that misery?

You don't have too!

God gives us grace!

Grace is so different.

Grace will uncover all those things that we have covered up from the truth.

Grace will cover our lives in waves of blessings, filling our hearts with wonder of what we have received.

"But He giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6

Ya, know that the cross is a powerful weapon against crime?

How can we cling to our rights when He gave up all of His?

How do we dare hang onto the misery of our old self, for that when He died, He did so that we might have newness of life.

We should not remnant arrogant or prideful in the face of the One who humbled Himself for us.

We must come to the point where He increases and we decrease in our life.

"He must increase and I must decrease." John 3:30

We have nothing to offer God except to come as an empty vessel that He may use.

He has everything we need.

"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9

We are the incompetent one's.

He is adept!

We are the confused one's.

He is always composed and in control!

We are the one's who struggle and fail.

He has already won!

We are the inadequate one's.

He is the One who is able!

We are the tired and feeble one's.

He is the strong One!

He is the mighty One!

We are living in His grace.

We are living in the wonder of His wonderful, extravagant , mercy free grace.

This grace in which He pours out inexchange for all of our inadequacies.

We need to live His life through our earthen vessels.

We need to live every moment in awareness of all that is Him.

We need to be aware that it is all, always about Him!

It is just as that song goes "It is all about you Lord!"

"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." Hebrews 13:15

God's grace.

"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9

God is always in our path shining His grace through those dark and desperate areas of our life.

Do we cling to His joy?

Do we try to avoid that inevitable confrontation with our own emptiness?

Do we keep pressing on?

It is not a pretty picture as we are on the Potters wheel and all messed up.

It is on that wheel as He spins it we are shaped and molded just as He wants.

It is on that wheel where He takes His times and invests everything that we need.

It is here that we grow into a beautiful vessel that has been formed by the skilful Potter.

The vessel will grow under His fashioning, into the vessel He intends it to be.

It is no longer that lump of clay in which He started from, but a beautiful vessel into which He can pour of Himself.

The clay becomes a vessel of honor to His honor and fit for His use!

It is the same way with our soul.

Our soul is abandoned to the working of the Heavenly Potter.

Our soul is made into a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and ready for the Master's use.

It is when we put ourselves wholly and absolutely into His hands, that now He can begin to work.

What you have entrusted Him to do, may be different from your way of doing things.

Don't let your vessel become marred for lack of understanding.

The maturity of a Christian is not an overnight experience.

The mature Christian is from the work of God's Holy Spirit.

It is by the Holy Spirit's energizing and transforming power that will cause us to grow up in Christ.

We can not reach this maturity any other way than by yielding up all ourselves to His mighty working.

Our part is trusting in Him.

It is His to accomplish the end result.

When we fail not to do our part, He shall never fail to do His!

God's works are perfect in every stage of growth!

If we do not put our lump of clay into His hands, God can not make a beautiful vessel unto His honor.

Put yourself into His hands today.

Truly, there is no One, like God.

We need not accomplish our vision, but that vision of God.

When we are on our own we are separated from Christ.

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands;" Ephesians 2:12

Every breath we take affirms that we are in complete dependence of an infinite and Soverign God.

He takes thought of us!

He blesses us!

"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." I Corinthians 15:10

There is nowhere than in His magnificent greatness, and in all of our inadequacies do we collide than in the cross of Christ.

We come to Calvary with the only thing in our hands but sin that would bind our soul to an eternity in hell.

It is through Christ's precious gift of atonement, seeing that once and for all that everything we are, all that we have, all that we ever hope to be comes from Him.

O Lord, who am I that you have brought me this far?

"Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" "Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears."II Samuel 7:18, 22

Always getting hurt?

"When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are a way of life:" Proverbs 6:22-23

How well do you know God's Word?

Do you have God's Word hid in your heart?

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11

Do you just pay attention to some and not all?

How submissive are you to your pastor?

Do you keep on going even when everything seems to be at it's worst?

God ever lives to fill us with Himself.

We need to find that contentment in Him, that comes from continually feasting on Him.

We have nothing but our love and worship to give in light of all that He has given.

When we stumble He is there!

When we fail He is there!

When we sin He is there!

No matter what we are doing He is always there!

God doesn't call us just to the ministry, or have a career, or engineers, musicians, or even writers; He calls us to Himself, to be His own!

"For in Him we live, and move and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring." Acts 17:28

God and God alone is our only reason for being!

He alone is the only person who can fulfill all of our needs, wants, desires and our emptiness.

It is when we live in this truth everything else will fall into place.

Do you have that pure heart for the things of God?

Are you letting other things consume your life and not the joy of God?

We need to be consumed with God and living just to hear His voice as He speaks to us.

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:" Colossians 1:10-12

Feeling low?

"The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." Psalm 34:17

Do you feel rejected?

Do you think your world is crumbling?

Are you hanging on by the edge of your teeth?

Do you feel as if you are being picked on?

Do you feel as if you are the black sheep?

Maybe...Just.... maybe, God is trying to get your attention.

Maybe God is bringing you to your breaking point so that He can talk to you.

Maybe your not really doing something wrong, just not the way that God said it should be done.

God does things in what we think are strange ways.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

There is No one like our God!

Sometimes I think that we do things not really thinking them through before we do them.

Maybe when we thought we were helping we are actually hurting those whom we are trying to help.

Nothing happens to us that has not filtered through God's hands first!

He already knew how we were going to act as the drama unfolded.

He has a plan for you my friend!

No matter how bad it looks, always remember that he has not forsaken you!

Hold fast to God's promises.

He will shine the light on the truth as you hold fast in Him.

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

How do you see Him?

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple." Psalm 27:4

Do you want to enjoy Him?

Do you want to see His beauty?

When we gaze at someone or something we are looking intently with wonder or admiration.

God is most glorified when we are satisfied in Him.

We need to find our delight in Him!

We need to glorify Him!

Do you glorify God in your private worship?

Have you presented yourself to God?

Is the way that your living your life a way of worship?

Do you spend quality time alone with God in private worship?

Do you thank Him for all the blessings that you have and that are going to come your way?

Do you enter worship whole heartedly?

Do you just simply go through the motions?

Do you have any sin that might hinder your worship?

We must glorify Him.

We can not glorify Him unless we enjoy Him!

Does your spirit long for God?

Do you want to glorify God in all that you do?

When we glorify God we are basically saying that He is infinite and praiseworthy!

We are giving Him the honor and adoration that are due Him.

In everything I Do, O Lord, I will glorify You!

O worship the King, all glorious above!

O gratefully sing His power and His love!

Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days.

Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

-Robert Grant, 1833

Most of us all have a knowledge of God.

Most of the knowledge of God that we know, it never goes from our head to our hearts.

We know and talk of God, but we know not the glory of God.

We will never be content just by doing things, contentment comes when we can actually see things.

God is our only source of encouragement.

People will and do fail us, but God never will.

God is the most High God, and worthy of our worship.

Are you going to let man define who God is in your life.

Are you going to their personal experiences form your thoughts instead of the Word of God?

Why not taste and see who He really is for yourself?

Let Him and the reality of who He is capture your heart.

Let the grandeur of God fill all your life.

"My soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in His salvation. My whole being will exclaim, Who is like you, O Lord?" Psalm 35:9-20 New International Version

I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17 New International Version

Is He your portion?

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The Lord is good onto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him." Lamentations 3:24-25

I can say that without a doubt God will provide our every need.

There are countless lives that have gone on before us that have affirmed without a doubt, without a question one, that God is more than adequate for every need that we face.

We are to delight in Him.

No matter what we are going through we re to exalt Him.

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, as the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:17-18

During times of loss we are still to rejoice in God.

Our feelings are not controlled by our surroundings, but by faith in God and His ability to give us the strength that we need.

It is in those times when nothing makes sense God will give us the strength to make it through.

When times at our worst this is the time to keep our eyes focused on God and not on our circumstance.

We can see in God's Word that from the beginning of time, those that walked with God have showed His ultimate and absolute sufficiency.

He is drawing us to His heart.

He is the Most High God.

He deserves our worship.

He deserves our honor.

He deserves all our praises.

He is God!

Our minds can not grasp the magnitude of His greatness!

He has made us for Himself and ever lives to satisfy our heart and soul.

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" Pslam 37:4-5

Love - The greatest power.

"If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, jump and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing." I Corinthians 13:2 Message Bible

There is no greater power on earth or in heaven above than the power of love.

Love can melt the hardest of hearts.

Love can break through the hardest head strong person.

Nothing can match the power of love.

With love and the Holy Spirit we will be able to go beyond the want or desire of treating others solely for their good.

We need to let our heart be that sponge that God created it to be.

We need to drink in His presence and then turn right around and turn it into praise.

Have you ever told Him that you Love Him from the depths of your soul?

Have you ever told Him that you will bless Him cause He first loved you?

Have you ever blessed Him for the wonderful things that He has done in your life?

How God must hurt when we devalue His love that He has poured out on us!

God loves us even when we were sinners.

No on can imagine how much.

God's love makes no sense to our way of thinking.

He cares not what you have done, and still chooses to love you.

He cares not of your skin, hair, or eye color.

He is the Creator.

His name is Adonai!

The great I AM!

He is the One who always has been and the One whom will forever will be.

God's love is the good news.

We must fill our hearts with His good news.

If it doesn't fill our hearts with joy, we may never have seen love.

Do you know John 3:16

How do you say it?

Do you say it and then shrug if off?

What is the point, you have completely missed the point if you do.

God's love is fire consuming, passionate, all absorbing love.

He will never let go.

There is no way we can make sense of God's love.

God's love and intimacy is so deep that nothing will shake that satisfaction that fills your soul.

We can not contain all of it.

He loves us.

He went so far as to die for us.

He looks upon us with a heartache for those whom keep their distance.

He paid a price to make you His own!

We need to receive His love.

We need in turn take that gift of love and give it to someone else.

"The Only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6b New American Standard Bible

We must be rooted and grounded in God's love.

We need to let those tears flow freely in His presence.

Our hearts will flutter at just the thought of Him.

Our feet will start to dancing.

Yes, even our hollers will have joy as they escape out our mouths.

We have to come to know and believe the love that God has for us will never leave us the same.

"God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on judgment day - our standing in the world is identical with Christ's." I John 4:17 Message Bible

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him." I John 4:16

Are you hungry for God?

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them." Psalm 145:18-19

Do you feel as if you have to work at getting started with God?

Do you feel as if you are spiritually drained?

Do you feel as if the thrill and satisfaction of God?

Do you care for more things of this world that what God has to offer?

Have you given yourself to Him?

Life with God is not just to go to church and get all we can, then ride the rest of the week until we meet back in church.

It is not a once or twice a week thing that we just do.

I like what Mother Teresa wrote:

"Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person - not just the idea. How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say, I love you? Impossible. Our soul needs that as much as the body needs air to breathe. If not, prayer is dead- Meditation, only thinking. Jesus wants you to hear Him- speaking in the silence of your heart."

God wants a daily relationship between Him and you.

God is calling us to come to Him.

He wants us to have time alone with Him each and everyday.

God will give you a thrill and experience in Him that you will never be for the ordinary alone.

This world only has bitter water to offer.

God's water is sweet and life giving.

"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." Psalm 36:9

God wants to see our face in all we do.

He wants to inhabit your every moment.

He wants to be your everything.

Don't ever think that He gets tired of us, cause he does not.

Do you want more of Him?

Are you greedy for more of God?

God longs to pour out His blessings on those who are being satisfied with more of Him.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory." Ephesians 3:20-21

"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will hear their cry and will save them." Psalm 145:18-19

He wants us to come and drink.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." Matthew 7:37

His Love is deep.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19

Do you know how much God loves you?

Do you ever wonder why you were here anyway?

Do you know what the greatest commandment is?

Do you love Him?

Can you really tell Him that you love Him and mean it from the bottom of your heart?

Does your love for Him radiate out of every being that is within you?

Is He the passion of your heart?

You were born to love and be loved!

Even before the moment of conception God loved you!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:" Ephesians 1:3-4

God fashioned you by His handiwork!

"Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:16

God knows you intimately!

God know you better than you know yourself!

God knew you before the foundation of the world.

He knew what you would be doing right now.

He knew what color your hair, eyes were going to be.

He made you unique in Him!

God loved us so much that He was willing to send His Son to die for us.

Would you be willing to lay your life down for anyone?

God wants you to know and love Him.

He wants to be your shepherd who provides and protects you.

He made you so that you and Him can have a one on one relationship with Him.

He wants you to know that your purpose in life goes far beyond earning a living, and taking care of your family.

He wants to have a fulfilling and meaningful relationship with you!

God chose to create you, give you His divine affection, and His fellowship.

God just asks that you return His affection as He has given it to you.

God's love is Agape.

Agape love is perfect.

Agape love is consuming.

Agape love never ends.

Agape love in unchangeable.

Agape love is the unconditional love of God!

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

God's desire for you is that you would come to know Him and love Him as much as He loves you.

If you really want to get to the bottom line of things....God Loves you!

Is there anything that can separate you from God's love?

Yes.

Sin - this is the only thing.

Sin is anything in your life that is displeasing to God.

There is only one person who can remove sin.

Who?

The spotless sin substitute - JESUS!

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

Read John 3:16; 13:1; I John 4:9-10 Romans 8:1

We have been set free!

"Stand therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

Have you been in spiritual prison?

Have you felt like you have been in bondage?

Do you have problems trying to shake that nasty habit?

Do you have areas that you keep falling back into sin over and over again?

Maybe you have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, women, porn, profanity or whatever else may be hindering you.

Do you believe that God can set you free from every aspect of sin in your life?

Jesus came so that we may be set free from our bondage.

Jesus came to set us free from sin.

Jesus came to set us free from the law.

Jesus came to set us free, not so that in our freedom we would go right back into our selfish desires.

When we indulge in our own sin we are falling right back into slavery.

When Jesus died He set us free or emancipated us from the slavery of sin.

We all have been held in bondage by sin at some point in our life.

We have been eternally lost.

We have been under the influence, pressure of sin.

Our Lord and Savior died for us so that we could be free.

We are no longer controlled by the sins of the past!

They were wiped away at Calvary.

God now empowers us!

We are to go in His direction.

Jesus Christ smashed sins powers.

We are now free!

Praise God!

Jesus wants us to fully experience our freedom.

Jesus wants us to enjoy our rights and privileges and His children!

There is no better place than in His presence.

Why would you want to return top slavery?

Being beat down all the time is no fun.

With God, we can let go and let God!

Each time the we sin we are telling our heavenly Father that we would rather be in bondage.

We basically are saying thanks, but no thanks for the freedom that you gave us.

We are telling Him that we are having more fun being bound than free.

Why would you want to go back there and be enslaved?

The debt has been already paid for your freedom!

Don't go back!

Don't let anyone take you back!

Hold on to that freedom that is yours.

You have been set free by the precious blood of Jesus!

How do you honor Him with your freedom?

Lord, help me to trust in you, in everything I say and do!

Thank you Lord for setting me free!

"Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." Romans 6:18

Why?

"Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

What would the Son of the Living God choose the way He chose for the way it all happened?

I know we are not to ask why.

The only logically answer that I have in my heart is that of His Love for us!

There is a lot of religion, and debate, over the cross.

Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God had the power and the ability of all the universe to stop any of the horror that He was about to go through at any time He wanted.

He chose not to consider Himself, but others!

He would allow men to tear of His garments.

He would allow them to spit in His face.

He allowed them to drive the nails into His hands and feet!

He allowed them to hang Him in between two thieves.

I know that right about now my heart would be more than breaking.

With all that was happening His blood was flowing down.

He looks up to heaven and says....

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34

Jesus chose to live every moment of His life and death giving no regard to himself but to provide for ultimately, triumphantly, and magnificently save others.

All it cost Him was everything.

Why did He go through it all?

He loves you!

He has the same heart, the same hope, the same desire for everyone!

Remember He gave up every right to deity to assume the form as a human, just like you and me.

He loves you!

He love you just the way you are.

He loves you!

He loves you wherever you are.

God's Word is very direct!

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:" Romans 3:23

That means you and I and everyone else is exactly the same.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

When Jesus died He paid those sins for you and I.

He paid for those sins for you and me for all eternity!

He offers that to us through salvation.

We must accept that free gift eternal life.

We must accept His self sacrifice as payment in full.

It is free of charge.

It is free for the asking.

The free gift of eternal life.

My question to you is have you received this free gift?

It is between you and Him.

If you have not I can guarantee that He is knocking on your doors heart.

"Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20

Is He knocking at the door of your heart?

Won't you let Him come in?

If you answered yes, just ask Him to come and be Lord of your life, right now.

Jesus, I hear you knocking on my heart, I do not understand everything, but I know that deep down inside that You are calling me. I know that what You went through is all true, that you were nailed to a tree, died, and three days later rose again. Come into my heart and make a permanent residence there.

You will immediately feel better.

You and Jesus will start a new relationship together.

Even if you did not accept Him just yet, He is still there knocking on your heart.

He is saying I love You! I love You! I Love You!.....

When we answer that knock that opportunity, it is never to be taken for granted.

Never let it become a casual thing in your life.

Don't let the days daily burdens, or stuff get in the way with you and your God.

Never let your salvation, or your relationship with Him get lost, or just become a thing.

On the other side of all that we do, all that we labor over, or get tangled in, He is the only thing.

Jesus!

He is the only way!

Tomorrow will never come, invest yourself in something wisely.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!

He is the author and finisher of our faith.

He gave so much for us.

Shall we not give of ourselves to Him?

He is God.

He loves you!

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus loves you!

"Herein is love, not that we so loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to also love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." I John 4:10-12

Have you ever thought what could you have been thinking?

What do I mean to Him?

Have you ever had anyone cry over your soul?

Have you ever had heartbreak after heartbreak?

Are you tired of lies after lies?

Have you felt the touch of God?

do you know that He loves you?

Do you know that He cares about your well being?

It is His loves that reaches out to you right where you are.

You are the center of His attention.

It is His love that takes away every tear, every compromise, every rejection, all confusion.

It is because He loves you that He makes you the center of His attention!

It is the mystery of mysteries.

It is the reality of realities.

It is the one constant.

It is the solution to it all.

It is the most precious.

It is the most longed for.

It is the most pushed away.

It is the most mistrusted.

It is the most cherished mystery of all human history.

God choose to love you!

He loved you when He was hanging from a tree!

He loved you when He was bleeding from the beating of the Romans.

He loved you even when His heart was bleeding from wounds of compassion.

There is a blindness that far out weighs that than not being able to see.

There is worse things than bent and twisted legs.

There is a death that is past the tomb.

There is a poverty far more destructive than starvation.

This disease, what is it?

This disease is pride!

It is also called self righteousness, or self justification.

Don't let pride come between you and Your Lord.

Jesus Loves You!

He is the Son of the Living God, and He Loves You!

It is true, My child.

I love you pure and simple!

There is nothing that you can do to change that Love which I have for You!

I am God!

I gave My life for You!

My life is for you!

I Love you!

-Jesus

Have you been reduced?

"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for it seemed good in thy sight." Matthew 11:26-26

Have you been reduced to life's most basic?

There will be times when our pursuits, our visions and all our expectations will explode into reality.

Have you been so close to something, yet so far away?

Have you tried to take that one step?

Do you just want that one hour without pain?

Do you just want that one hand to hold onto?

Do you just want one more piece of bread?

How about one more breath of air to stay alive for one more second?

Sweet desperation.

This is what draws you closer to Jesus!

There are times in our desperation that we can not lift ourselves out, buy only Jesus can!

When we are in desperation there is no hope, no delight for anything brighter!

We must come to the place that only God can lift us up and out!

We must come to the point of the end of ourselves before God can do something for us!

It is in desperation that Jesus meets us!

it is in that place where the teacher becomes the student.

It is in that place where the tough become tender.

It is in that place where the grown up throws everything away for the heart of a child.

It is then that Jesus is standing there with open arms and says take heart, all is forgiven, be freed from your suffering!

All have come to Jesus in pain; crawling through the dirt, laying on mats, begging in the streets.

We all at some point in our life have been torn, rejected, used and afraid.

We need to let Jesus strong, yet gentle hand reach down into our wounds.

Come let Him embrace you and let those tears of compassion heal you!

Let Him come in and heal your broken life today.

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalm 34:18-19