Isaiah 58
Verse 10-11 "Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring."
Mother Teresa said "We are never more powerful than when we help the powerless" God said the secret to being refreshed is to refresh others who are hungry and in trouble. When we help the helpless, we model true Christianity and portray to the world the image of Christ. But relieving the natural struggle without ministering to the spiritual need is to abort the ministry of Christ and abandon the supreme call and ministry of Jesus Christ. He said he came to "seek and to save those who are lost". Feeding the hungry and helping those in need are open doors of evangelism, meeting the felt need is the access point to ministering to the genuine need of every heart, which is having a right relationship with Christ. If we feed the hungry, but do not share Christ with them, then they go to Hell with full stomachs.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What's Your Number?
Isaiah 57
Verse "I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way."
The greatest punishment that can happen in a persons life is to be separated from God's presence. His presence is the key to every good thing that happens in our lives. Hell will be Hell because people will be separated from the presence of God, life totally separated from the presence of God is a living death. Imagine a life without joy, without peace or without love. A world so full of darkness and pain that your own breath annoys you, imagine a world where suffering knows no end, no limits and no restraints. Imagine a flame continually burning your body but never burning you up, this is just a glimpse of what hell will be like. Know imagine every person you know that doesn't have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ spending eternity in that place. Imagine their faces as they are tormented in a place without relief and imagine their thoughts about you. As they spend eternity agonizing in the darkness, separated from everything that was good or gentle in their lives, imagine your face crossing over and over in their minds. Every conversation that you had with them, every time you were with them, laughing, playing or just hanging out. Imagine them reliving every moment you had with them looking for that one time, that one moment when you loved them enough to tell them about Jesus, when you loved them enough to warn them about an eternity separated from God. Will they find that moment will they be able to replay the time you shared Christ with them, will they be able to remember the burden you felt for their soul or will there be nothing. Nothing of any real value, not one memory of you sharing Jesus with them, not one memory of your concern for their eternal soul, not one.
The question today and everyday is do we really believe Hell is real, Eternity is forever and Every person that has never accepted Christ is going there. If we really do, then I ask you; how many memories do your family, friends and co-workers have of you sharing Christ with them. How many of them know that you have a genuine concern for their eternal soul. Take some time right now and count, yes I said count how many people in the last year that you have personally share Jesus Christ with. How many, this count may be the most important number in your life. Because this number measures you heart and beliefs about life and death, heaven and hell, and eternity. So I wonder, what's your number?
Verse "I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way."
The greatest punishment that can happen in a persons life is to be separated from God's presence. His presence is the key to every good thing that happens in our lives. Hell will be Hell because people will be separated from the presence of God, life totally separated from the presence of God is a living death. Imagine a life without joy, without peace or without love. A world so full of darkness and pain that your own breath annoys you, imagine a world where suffering knows no end, no limits and no restraints. Imagine a flame continually burning your body but never burning you up, this is just a glimpse of what hell will be like. Know imagine every person you know that doesn't have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ spending eternity in that place. Imagine their faces as they are tormented in a place without relief and imagine their thoughts about you. As they spend eternity agonizing in the darkness, separated from everything that was good or gentle in their lives, imagine your face crossing over and over in their minds. Every conversation that you had with them, every time you were with them, laughing, playing or just hanging out. Imagine them reliving every moment you had with them looking for that one time, that one moment when you loved them enough to tell them about Jesus, when you loved them enough to warn them about an eternity separated from God. Will they find that moment will they be able to replay the time you shared Christ with them, will they be able to remember the burden you felt for their soul or will there be nothing. Nothing of any real value, not one memory of you sharing Jesus with them, not one memory of your concern for their eternal soul, not one.
The question today and everyday is do we really believe Hell is real, Eternity is forever and Every person that has never accepted Christ is going there. If we really do, then I ask you; how many memories do your family, friends and co-workers have of you sharing Christ with them. How many of them know that you have a genuine concern for their eternal soul. Take some time right now and count, yes I said count how many people in the last year that you have personally share Jesus Christ with. How many, this count may be the most important number in your life. Because this number measures you heart and beliefs about life and death, heaven and hell, and eternity. So I wonder, what's your number?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Blessing
Isaiah 51:2 "Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. "But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.”
Think about it, one man became a mighty nation, because of the blessing of the Lord. God's blessing produces more than man's mind can even comprehend and yet most people seek the blessing of man more than the blessing of God.
Man's blessing is limited and temporal and can change in a moment without us even being aware anything has happened. God's blessing is unlimited and eternal and is not determined by emotions but by our own decisions. We by our faith and decisions either accept or reject God's blessing upon our lives. In Matthew 5:3-11, Jesus teaches what is called the beatitudes, in these verses Jesus tells us nine things that release the blessing of the Lord upon our lives. These blessing are open for whosoever will, so why don't you be a whosoever and grab hold of God's blessing and let his blessing empower you to be a mighty nation for his glory.
Think about it, one man became a mighty nation, because of the blessing of the Lord. God's blessing produces more than man's mind can even comprehend and yet most people seek the blessing of man more than the blessing of God.
Man's blessing is limited and temporal and can change in a moment without us even being aware anything has happened. God's blessing is unlimited and eternal and is not determined by emotions but by our own decisions. We by our faith and decisions either accept or reject God's blessing upon our lives. In Matthew 5:3-11, Jesus teaches what is called the beatitudes, in these verses Jesus tells us nine things that release the blessing of the Lord upon our lives. These blessing are open for whosoever will, so why don't you be a whosoever and grab hold of God's blessing and let his blessing empower you to be a mighty nation for his glory.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Lesson
Verse 25 "They were consumed by fire, but they did not learn their lesson."
The fires of adversity contain the lesson of God. God doesn't put us in the fire to teach us a lesson, the fires of adversity come because we have strayed from the path of life that God has laid out for us. When I find myself in the fire it is because of the choices and decisions that I have made apart from God, the lesson of adversity is always the same, return to the Lord. That is the lesson, when you life is spinning out of control and the fires of adversity are burning your life, return to the Lord.
There are really two types of adversity in our lives. One comes from living a righteous life; the world, the flesh and the devil rise up in opposition to you and attack your life because you are walking in righteousness. The other type of adversity comes from living an unrighteousness life and is probably the most common adversity that people experience. You go through a divorce because you were unfaithful to your spouse, you suffer financial ruin because you lied on your taxes, you battle poor health because you abuse your body. The list goes on and on, but the lesson is always the same, return to the Lord.
If you are in the fire ask yourself what is fueling the fire, are you suffering persecution because you are living a righteous life or are you suffering the repercussions of unrighteousness. If you are suffering for righteousness sake than rejoice and persevere, God will give you grace and strength to win the battle. If you are suffering because of unrighteousness, then learn the lesson, repent and return to the Lord, he will have mercy and grace. He will forgive you and help you to come out of the fire
The fires of adversity contain the lesson of God. God doesn't put us in the fire to teach us a lesson, the fires of adversity come because we have strayed from the path of life that God has laid out for us. When I find myself in the fire it is because of the choices and decisions that I have made apart from God, the lesson of adversity is always the same, return to the Lord. That is the lesson, when you life is spinning out of control and the fires of adversity are burning your life, return to the Lord.
There are really two types of adversity in our lives. One comes from living a righteous life; the world, the flesh and the devil rise up in opposition to you and attack your life because you are walking in righteousness. The other type of adversity comes from living an unrighteousness life and is probably the most common adversity that people experience. You go through a divorce because you were unfaithful to your spouse, you suffer financial ruin because you lied on your taxes, you battle poor health because you abuse your body. The list goes on and on, but the lesson is always the same, return to the Lord.
If you are in the fire ask yourself what is fueling the fire, are you suffering persecution because you are living a righteous life or are you suffering the repercussions of unrighteousness. If you are suffering for righteousness sake than rejoice and persevere, God will give you grace and strength to win the battle. If you are suffering because of unrighteousness, then learn the lesson, repent and return to the Lord, he will have mercy and grace. He will forgive you and help you to come out of the fire
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
You Qualify
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless."
Have you ever been refused a loan or turned down for a job because you didn't qualify. God's word has great good news, if you are weak or feel powerless to change the course of your life, then you qualify for God's strength and power. The world qualifies us by our strength and successes, but God's power and strength are given out, not to the strong or successful but to the weak and powerless. If you feel overwhelmed by life or even to weak to fight, then cry out to God; because you qualify for his help and he awaiting an invitation to engage in your life and give you his strength and power to overcome the obstacles that have come against you. He delights in your deliverance and he has already pre-approved you for his strength and power
Have you ever been refused a loan or turned down for a job because you didn't qualify. God's word has great good news, if you are weak or feel powerless to change the course of your life, then you qualify for God's strength and power. The world qualifies us by our strength and successes, but God's power and strength are given out, not to the strong or successful but to the weak and powerless. If you feel overwhelmed by life or even to weak to fight, then cry out to God; because you qualify for his help and he awaiting an invitation to engage in your life and give you his strength and power to overcome the obstacles that have come against you. He delights in your deliverance and he has already pre-approved you for his strength and power
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
God's Army
Isaiah 37:35 "That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers"
God's power and his army is more powerful than anything we could ever imagine, one angel killed 185,000 soldiers in one night. God is a warrior and he knows how to fight for his people and he knows how to destroy his enemies. He can make the strongest foe like grass that can easily be trampled upon, nothing can stand in his way. And when we stand with him we stand as an indestructible army able to conquer our greatest challenges and the strongest foes.
Hezekiah cried out to God when his enemies came against him. Stop warring in your flesh, trying to figure out how to win the battle and cry out to God in prayer, invite him into your battle and watch him work in your life to bring the victory. You may be surprised at how quickly God can turn the tide of the battle, he can do in one night what you could never do in a lifetime.
God's power and his army is more powerful than anything we could ever imagine, one angel killed 185,000 soldiers in one night. God is a warrior and he knows how to fight for his people and he knows how to destroy his enemies. He can make the strongest foe like grass that can easily be trampled upon, nothing can stand in his way. And when we stand with him we stand as an indestructible army able to conquer our greatest challenges and the strongest foes.
Hezekiah cried out to God when his enemies came against him. Stop warring in your flesh, trying to figure out how to win the battle and cry out to God in prayer, invite him into your battle and watch him work in your life to bring the victory. You may be surprised at how quickly God can turn the tide of the battle, he can do in one night what you could never do in a lifetime.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Freedom
Galatians 5:13 "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."
Over and over in scripture we are reminded that we are saved to serve, God rescued us from the bondage of sin and brought us into an incredible place of freedom, so we could serve others and minister to them what God has given to us. I am free to serve, free to live and free to give my life for something greater. The secret to lasting freedom and satisfaction in life is serving others. Jesus the ultimate example said, "I did not come to be served but to serve and give my life a ransom for others".
Over and over in scripture we are reminded that we are saved to serve, God rescued us from the bondage of sin and brought us into an incredible place of freedom, so we could serve others and minister to them what God has given to us. I am free to serve, free to live and free to give my life for something greater. The secret to lasting freedom and satisfaction in life is serving others. Jesus the ultimate example said, "I did not come to be served but to serve and give my life a ransom for others".
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