The Avenger

Let me go ahead and confess that I loved the Avengers movie and I am a fan. Of all the Avengers I like Captain America the best. He represents integrity, truth and justice and he acknowledged that there is only one true God. Which brings us to the point of this message today, there is only one true God and He Is The Ultimate Avenger!

David tells us in Psalm 9:12 "For he (God) who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted." God avenges the blood of the innocent and helpless, he hears the cries of the afflicted. The dictionary defines an avenger as one who takes vengeance for or on behalf of another. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:30 "vengeance is mine, I will repay, says The Lord"

Our world is filled with injustice and our systems of law and justice, though the best in the world, still has flaws. Many times in our lives we see and experience the injustice of sin, corruption and deception. As people lie, deceive, destroy and even kill the innocent.

In these times of injustice many people want to blame God; why didn't he intervene, why didn't he do something to stop the injustice. But he has, he has given us as humans authority and liberty to govern ourselves and make our own decisions and choices. The free will of man is a gift from God that brings blessings and curses based upon the choices of man.

But God has placed a check and balance system into his creation. One day all humanity will stand before almighty God and he will avenge the injustice of man with the righteous justice of God. The Avenger as David said, does not ignore the cries of the afflicted, he will bring justice for all!

A Leaf of Hope

Five years ago for Christmas my B.B.(beautiful bride) as I affectionately call her, gave me a framed picture of us, (me still sporting the mustache that I wore for so long) with this devotional that she had written. As I was doing my quiet time this morning I was reminded of her gift and I wanted to share it with you.

"A Leaf of Hope"
Genesis 8:11 "When the dove returned to him (Noah) in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth"

Noah would have been happy to have the dove, but to have the leaf! This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The dove brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn't that what hope is? Hope is an olive leaf - evidence of dry land after a flood.

Don't we love the olive leafs of life? And the people who bring them? When a husband comforts his wife and cares for her during difficult times. When a wife encourages her husband, when it seems like the world is against him. When a friend calls just to let you know they care. When a stranger does something kind, or when you read a scripture that you have read many times but the Holy Spirit brings it to life at just the right moment.

Take some time today to look around for the olive leafs of hope, but also to thank God for the people in your life who bring them. God is faithful and just because you can not see the dry land doesn't mean it is not there. There is a dove on your way and he has an olive leaf in his mouth, just for you!

American Idol Trap

Proverbs 29:5 "To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet."

I have to admit that my favorite part of American Idol is the Auditions at the beginning of the season. It amazes me how many people think they can sing, when is reality they are horrible singers. When I read this scripture this morning in my quiet time I immediately thought about American Idol Auditions. "To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet", how many of those people auditioning had their family and friends flatter them with lies about their singing ability. Their flattery became a trap, it set them up for failure.

Now I wonder how many times we have been guilty of flattering our friends by telling them what they wanted to hear, instead of telling them the truth. The truth about their attitudes, their actions, their decisions or their choices. We think we are being kind but in reality we are setting a trap for them. We are setting them up for failure because we are unwilling to speak the truth in love. Which is the way truth is intended to be spoken.

When we are honest with people because we love them and want the best for their lives, we help them succeed. When we are unwilling to be honest with people, when they ask our opinion or advice we lay a trap for them and actually keep them from future success. When we are confronted with truth, we are empowered to change and grow, lies only push us faster down the wrong road. This morning make a decision to "speak the truth in love" and help your friends succeed in life and fulfill God's calling upon their lives.

The Key To Growth

Psalms 111:10  "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! "

Davis said, all who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. It is obedience that produces growth. If you want to grow in the wisdom of God and your understanding of his will for your life, then obey what you already know and you will grow.

To many Christians are not obeying what they already know and they are not growing. Their Christian life has become stale and stagnant and many blame God. But the problem is not God, it's your lack of obedience. The more obedient you are, the more you will grow and the more exciting your walk of faith will be. Remember we don't grow because of what we know, we grow because we are willing to go and do what we know. Obedience produces Growth!

The Most Powerful Person On The Planet

Jeremiah 1:18-19 "For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land- the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. 19  They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

When we do what God has called us to do and walk the path that he has laid out for our lives, something amazing happens. We, like Jeremiah become like a city that can not be captured. The most powerful person on the planet is the person that is doing what God called them to do. That person, if their heart stays right with God becomes an unstoppable force, that is able to stand against anyone and win the battle. The issue is not will there be resistance, there will be resistance and usually a lot of it. But the issue is, can you win the battle and the answer is yes, if you stay true to what God has called you to do. There is no obstacle that you can not overcome and no enemy that you can not defeat if you are doing what God called you to do.

Getting Un-Stuck

Proverbs 23:6-7 "Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart so is he. "Eat and Drink" he says to you, but his heart is not with you"

In this scripture Solomon gives us a great revelation about the connection between our heart and our mouth. He uses the example of a miser, who says "eat and drink" but in his heart he really doesn't want you to eat or drink anything, because he is a stingy miser. Solomon then declares "for as he thinks in his heart so is he". He is teaching us that our words have no value unless our hearts mean or believe what our mouth says.

I believe in the power of confession, death and life are in the power of our tongue. I believe that we can have what we say and that we have not because we ask not. But I also believe that as Romans 10 teaches us, we must believe in our hearts and confess with our mouth in order to experience what God has for us.

So here lies the struggle for many people, they never change their confession because in their hearts they lack faith. When they speak in faith about their lives they feel like a hypocrite because they know in their hearts they don't really believe anything good is going to happen to them. So they are stuck between what they want to happen and what they really believe will happen.

Romans 10:17 says "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God". The way to change the heart is to change the mouth, we renew our minds with the word of God and as we speak Gods word over our lives it releases faith into our hearts. You got born again because you heard the truth of the gospel and it released faith into your heart to believe. Then out of your belief you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you were saved.

You can not sit around and wait for your pastor to preach the right sermon for your need. You have to go to the word of God and find out what God says about your situation; then begin to speak the word over your life. As you speak his word and declare his truth over your life, faith comes. You start out with a declaration of faith but as it releases faith in your heart, your declaration becomes a confession of faith. Now you believe what you are saying and your words have power and what you say begins to come to pass. Why? Because as a man thinks in his heart so is he.

The Real Danger

Psalms 55:10 "Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city."

Eleven years ago our nation was invaded by terrorist, who took the lives of precious Americans. Today we remember those lost and those who rose up to rebuild and restore what our enemies tried to take from us. Today we pray for the families who lost their loved ones and we honor the everyday heroes who came to the rescue.

In Psalms 55:10 David speaks about his city, he says "it's walls are patrolled day and night against invaders", but he recognizes an even greater danger than the invaders from without. He says "but the real danger is wickedness within the city." Today we remember 9-11 and we understand the threat of terrorist attack, but the greatest threat against America is not foreign invasion, it is wickedness within our nation. When God is so far removed from our lives and our hearts that he has to be amended into the Democratic Party Convention, then our nation is in trouble. When same sex marriage is not only supported but celebrated in the White House and even in some so called churches, then our nation is in trouble. When unborn babies are killed and now our Government wants us to pay for it, then our nation is in trouble. When the pornography industry is a billion dollar business, then our nation is in trouble.

The greatest threat against American is not a foreign invasion, it is spiritual and moral decay. Today as we remember and honor those who died and served during 9-11, let us also pray for this nation. May we rise up as our nation did on 9-11 and say we need God in America Again! And may we, the proud citizens of this great country return to God in spirit and truth! God Bless America!