Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. - James:4:7.
The power of observation will often open more doors, and save more feet from going into more mouths than anything else.
One chemistry professor was telling his students that observation is an essential criteria in chemistry.
As he was speaking he asked his students to gather around a strange concoction which he was brewing over a bunson burner.
He dipped a finger in the foul-smelling solution and then in his mouth. He asked 5 of his students to imitate what he had just done.
All 5 dipped a finger in the green slime, and stuck it in their mouths. After the intense gagging ceased, the professor shouted,
"Observation! If you had been watching closely you would have seen that the finger I dipped in the solution was not the
same finger I put in my mouth!"
If we are willing to look passed the end of our noses, we may find a whole different world out there - one filled with God's grace, power,
comfort and compassion. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you
and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (I Peter 5:8-10).
May God give us eyes to see the challenges and joys He will place before us today.
Have A Self-Controlled Saturday and God Bless.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity:
for God loveth a cheerful giver. - 2Corinthians.:9:7.
Of all the Christian graces, the one that makes us more like God than any other is the ability to give. We can be
demonstrative in our worship, vocal about our faith, stalwart in our spiritual understanding, but if we are not practicing
the love of God through regular giving, we choke off the channel of God's blessings in our own lives.
Jesus said, "For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:21).
One pastor was trying to teach his 5 year old daughter the principle of tithing. He set up 10 piles of coins and explained,
"these nine are mine, and this one belongs to God." His daughter's face fell, and she looked up at her dad with a look of
surprise and said, "Oh, Daddy, are you really going to keep all these for yourself?"
There is a church in Thailand which is known for its giving. It has more than 400 members, and every one of them gives a
tenth of his income to the church. It is not a wealthy congregation. The tithe of some members will not exceed
(equivalent to Indian Rupees.40/- for the week. But, it has broken giving records of any other church in Thailand.
They pay their own pastor, support two missionary families in remote communities, love to give large gifts to the less
fortunate, and often quote Malachi 3:10, "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." Oh... did I mention that every member is a leper?
The easiest way to give is from a grateful heart. Enjoy this Sunday remembering how much Christ
has given to you.
God Bless you.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. - 1Thessalonians.5:18.
Out of all the recorded miracles of Jesus only one is recorded in all four gospels. My first guess would
have been the resurrection of Lazarus which to my way of thinking is the most spectacular. Interestingly
enough that miracle is only listed once. It is in the gospel of John. The one each gospel writer wanted us to know
of was the feeding of the five thousand. It was a miracle they felt indicated the messiahship of Jesus.
One of the aspects of this miracle that appeals to me is each gospel writer tells us that prior to the multiplication
of the loaves and fishes Jesus gave thanks. Our traditional custom of giving thanks before we eat can be
directly tied to our Lord. I like that a lot.
The word "thanks" appears 73 times in the King James Version of the Bible and the word "Thanksgiving" appears 28 times.
It is good for us to take time this week from our rushed lives to pause and say thanks for the reasons we are rushed.
At first that might appear to be something we are not thankful for, but we are rushed with our jobs, (I'm thankful for a job)
taking our kids to their appointments, (I'm thankful for children) rushing to social engagements, (I'm thankful for friends) shopping,
(I'm thankful for the things we can acquire) and caring for our homes (I'm thankful for a home.)
The very concept of being rushed indicates we have things to care for.
And so I pray this day, "Thank you, Lord, for all these things that make us busy. Thank you for the richness
of our lives and please care for us as we travel to our families this holiday. Amen."
Have Thankful Monday and God Bless.
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.
Fears, whether rational or imagined, can be devastating and disempowering. The man who says he has no fears is either
in denial or dead! The greatest men and women of history have had fears that plagued them day in and day out. Job once said,
"What I feared the most has come upon me. What I dreaded has happened to me" (Job 3:25).
From nervousness to hysteria, from sudden shock to long bouts of paranoia, fears have many different faces:
Acrophobia = fear of high places
Agoraphobia = fear of open spaces
Algophobia = fear of pain
Astraphobia = fear of storms, thunder/lightning
Claustrophobia = fear of closed spaces
Hemataphobia = fear of blood
Mysophobia = fear of contamination from germs
Monophobia = fear of being alone
Nyctophobia = fear of darkness
Ocholophobia = fear of crowds
Pathophobia = fear of disease
Pyrophobia = fear of fire
Zoophobia = fear of animals
These are just some of the fears we wrestle with. The way we respond to fear reminds me of the small boy who was flying
for the first time. It just happened to be bad weather, and they were hitting some heavy turbulence. The man in the next seat
saw the fear on the boy's face, leaned over and said, "You're not afraid are you?" And the boy nodded, then asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
"Are you kidding? This is great fun, just like a ride at the carnival!" And suddenly, the boy sat upright, grinned, and said,
"Yeah, this is just like that!" Within minutes he loosened his death grip on the seat and really seemed to be enjoying his flight.
The Apostle Paul said, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"
(IITim. 1:7). That's all we need to know. Fear is a spiritual reality, but it's not from God.
But faith is! Faith to believe that He "will never leave us or forsake us," "if God be for us, who can be against us," "we are
more than conquerors through Him who loved us," and Paul's great affirmation: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthen me" (Phil. 4:13)!
So, what will you choose today? Will you allow your fears to control your life, or will you surrender them to the One who loves
you and knows how "many hairs you have on your head?"
Have a powerful Tuesday walking in the faith of Jesus Christ, and tell your fears to "get thee behind me!"
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven. - Matthew.18:3.
Have you ever noticed that, if you spend enough time with children, they will help you see life differently?
One seven year old boy came home with his mother after grocery shopping. He immediately dumped all of his animal
crackers on the kitchen table and started sorting through them. "Son, what are you doing, besides making a mess!"
his mother asked. "I'm looking for the seal. The box says, 'Do not eat if seal is broken.'"
Jesus taught in parables, paradoxes, hyperbole, and illustrated sermons. Those who really understood His teachings were
the humble, the childlike, those who didn't think the world owed them a living or power or recognition. It's tough to be
like a child. It means admitting someone else might know more than you; that there are some things you can't possibly do
for yourself; that you might need help tying your spiritual shoes; that darkness scares you; that silliness is contagious;
that hugs and kisses aren't just for moms and dads; that you would give anything to be able to sit in Jesus' lap.
"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you,
whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:14,15).
Let's rediscover the little child in us this Wednesday and come before the Lord in simple faith. We might just see life
a little differently. God Bless.
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word of God. - Luke.4:4.
Have you ever noticed that we believe in a lot of things that we don't fully understand? Surely, we all enjoy what
electricity has brought our lifestyles, but few of us can intelligently explain how it works. We even extol the virtues of
falling in love, but that seems to be more difficult to explain than electricity!
Some critics have discounted the Bible as a book of myths, fables, and children's stories. They will often site Jonah
and the whale as one of those impossible accounts. But with our modern marine biologists, naturalists and oceanographers,
we are learning some interesting facts about Jonah's experience.
The American naturalist Peter Farb, writing in The Land, Wildlife, and People of the Bible, suggests that there may be a
kernel of historical fact behind the story of Jonah. According to Farb, the man-eating white shark can grow to a length of 60 feet,
and has the capacity to "store food in its belly for many days without digesting it." In addition, the great white shark has an opening
large enough to easily swallow a grown man whole. The Bible says, "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.
And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17).
The fact that Jesus Christ alludes to Jonah being in the belly of the great fish for three days, as He would be in the grave three days,
just makes the account that much more valid.
There may be many things we don't understand about the Christian faith. But when we start by responding to the love God has
"shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5), then we can "walk in the light as He is in the light."
Have a great thoughtful thursday by discovering the Light (and if you're in a rebellious mood, stay away from the water)!
12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the
same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13. For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
-Romans.10:12&13.
As our world becomes more and more computerized electronic passwords become very important to us.
If you use an automatic teller you have to use a very specific password to get your card to work. If you want
to get information from the bank about your account over the phone they usually ask you for your mother's maiden name.
This is something few people would know about you and so it acts as a password.
Some people would like us to think it requires passwords to gain access to God. They would have us believe
God only hears prayers that come in special forms and order. They would have us believe that since they claim
to know the vocabulary necessary to contact God this gives them a power we do not have. Thus we need them.
But it is not so. Our God is an open God. He anxiously awaits the faintest cry or petition of the weakest or strongest
person on earth. He responds to a thousand names. Some call Him Father. Some call Him Jehovah. Some call Him Yahweh.
Some call Him King of Kings. He is so willing and loving He will hear and respond to any name called out in respect.
He understands every language on earth and will hear a namein Tamil / Hindi / English / French /Spanish or Hungarian.
There are no special passwords needed for access to our heavenly Father. Jesus once said in Mat 6:6, "...when thou prayest,
enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret
shall reward thee openly."
Talk to Him as a friend with respect and believe and know He hears, He cares, He will do the best for us.
There is no password needed just an open believing mind.
Have a Faithful Friday and God Bless.
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. - Psalms.145:18.
In a large shopping Mall I witnessed an event that surely occurs a thousand times a day across the land. A small child about
5 years old stood in front of giant gumball machine begging her mother to please put in the quarter (coin). (Yes - a quarter (coin)
for a gum ball! Amazing!) What the little girl was saying reminded me of many prayers I have heard through the years.
She said, "Please, Mama, I'll be good. I will obey you and I promise I will do everything you tell me to do."
Now where have we heard that line before? Could it be an adult praying, "Oh, Lord, please let me win the lottery and
I promise I will share it with the church, the poor and my relatives. I will be so good. I will only keep a little for myself."
How often do we try to bargain with God? If only He will give us something we will give something back. I am tempted to
say this does not work because God will not bargain with us. But I remember the story of Abraham bargaining with God over the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. But that really is different.
God must laugh at us sometimes when we attempt such foolishness to try to gain some selfish advantage. He has told us to call Him
Father. He is a good father. He will only give us what is good for us to have. We need to be good for the sake of being good. Why?
Because it is good for us. God has never asked us to do anything that is not to our advantage to obey. He only ever and always has our
best interest at heart.
Oh, by the way, the little girl in the store got her gum ball. A purple one.
Have a satisfied Saturday and God Bless.
Monday's Dose - 13th March 2006
Fixing Mountains Not Molehills
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. - 1Peter.5:6.
There is a time in life when it is necessary for us to confront others. If something they are doing or saying is bringing
harm to themselves or to someone else it becomes important for us to as kindly as possible select the right words
and time to intervene. When we read the Gospels we discover Jesus doing just that.
In Mark 3 Jesus is in church on Sabbath morning surrounded by friends and enemies. There is a man with
a withered hand needing assistance and the enemies were waiting for Jesus to help the man so they could
accuse Jesus of Sabbath breaking. Verses 4 & 5 read, "And he saith unto them, `Is it lawful to do good on the
Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?' But they held their peace. And when he had looked round
about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, `Stretch forth thine
hand.' And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other."
The leaders had turned a beautiful day God had given to the people into a burdensome weight. Instead of rejoicing
in having a day each week to break from their normal routine of work so they could have more time for rest, for
family and for worship they now had to be fearful some forbidden behavior would rouse God's anger. They had
turned rest into labor. They had turned joy into fear. They had taken a good thing and turned it upside down.
It was time for Jesus to do and say something to right this wrong.
Sometimes in life we need to right what is wrong. Sometimes we can do so with our speech. Most often we can
better accomplish it with our behavior. We should carefully select what things are really important that need our
intervention. Way to often we become involved in things that our absolutely none of our business. Often we turn
molehills into mountains. Let us be careful and be sure it is truly a mountain before we get involved.
Have a marvellous Monday and God Bless.
Tuesday's Dose - 14th March 2006
" The Bat "
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. - Luke.21:8.
Someone once said the worst place to be in life is a Christian who is still living in the world. He can't enjoy the fullness
of God's joy because he spends more time with the other side; nor can he enjoy all the pleasures of the world because
the Holy Spirit keeps calling him to walk with the Lord. And so he sits on the proverbial fence, in confusion, and never
feeling like he truly belongs to either side.
Aesop's fable tells of a time when the beasts and birds were engaged in a vicious war. The BAT tried to belong to both parties.
When the birds were victorious, he would wing around telling everyone that he was a bird. When the beasts won a fight,
however, he would walk around them assuring them that he was a beast. But soon his hypocrisy was discovered and he
was rejected by both the beasts and the birds. He had to hide himself, and now only by night can he appear openly.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (I John 2:15-17).
Have a great Tuesday in the Lord, and let's be careful getting down off the fence. God Bless you all.
Wednesday's Dose - 15th March 2006
" Words "
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings,
and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:Luke.6:46 & 47.
We spend a great deal of our time talking about things. We talk about our relationships. We talk about scriptures.
We talk about God. We talk about all the things we are going to do today and tomorrow. We talk about all the things
we have done in the past.
So many of our relationships are over the Internet. Through email, instant message and chat rooms, so much of our
communication are merely words. There are other aspects to communication, which are far more important, such as
tone and body language. Only ten percent of communication is about words. The other ninety-percent is some sort
of action. Just looking into someone's eyes, touching their hand, or hearing their voice, makes a big difference in
understanding their meaning.
Action is much more than just what happens during the conversation. When someone says that they will do something,
if they fail to accomplish the task, their words mean little. No matter the reason they have for not doing as they've said,
their future words are not accepted as readily.
We often pay `lip service' to our Lord, Jesus. We say we love Him, but we continue to do according to the ways of the
world. We say we will obey Him, but we go on our path doing according to our flesh desires. Our actions in the world
today do not live up to our words of praise in our worship times. Have you said, "Lord, Lord," then gone out and
isobeyed His Word?
Now is a time for action. It is not acceptable to just say what we believe; we must live it today. It is a time for serious prayer,
serious scripture study and serious action against the enemy. A house built on action in Christ Jesus will stand, one built on
words will fall. Go and do. Today.
Luke.6:49. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth;
against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Have a Wise Wednesday and God Bless.
Thursday's Dose - 16th March 2006
' I Wrote It '
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.- Hebrews.12:2.
Joy is not an illusive butterfly. Some people get joy confused with happiness. Happiness is based on "happenings." But joy is
that promised fruit of the Spirit that gives us a sense of victory no matter what events are taking place. It is that deep current
that is continual no matter which direction the waves may be going. The greater the spiritual maturity of a believer, the greater
the joy - for it must be grown into. That's why Job could say, (in the middle of losing nearly everything, and sitting in the dirt,
covered with boils) "Though He (God) slay me, yet will I trust in Him." The Apostle Paul was sitting in a Philippian jail (Acts 16),
after having been beaten and whipped, and started singing and praising God! Later he wrote his epistle to the Philippians,
which is filled with more exhortations to rejoice than any other book of the Bible, except the Psalms.
Once a minister was making his rounds in a hospital and came into the room of a young woman who was dying of an incurable
and painful disease. He gave her a little book filled with uplifting messages, humor, and some life-changing truths, which depicted
the joy and faith of the author. "Thank you very much, sir," she said, "but I'm very familiar with this book." "Oh, have you read it
already?" asked the minister. And the girl replied, "I wrote it."
If you're looking at your circumstances today, you may be happy, or you may be depressed. If you're looking at the "Author and
Finisher of our faith," the One "Who changes not," the One Who will "never leave thee, nor forget thee," the One Who has "made
us more than conquerors through Him who loved us," the One Who is greater in us, "than he who is in the world," the One Who
knows our "downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off," the One Who loves us as much as He loves
His own Son...then the "Joy of the Lord is our strength!"
Have a joyful Thursday in His presence and God Bless.
Friday's Dose - 17th March 2006
"Organ" Transplant
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. - 1Peter.5:6.
May I suggest that most of us live far below our talents and abilities. Either we don't recognize what we can do,
or we are too afraid to step out in faith and believe God, who gave us those gifts, and will also make a way for them.
An elderly gentleman visited a cathedral containing one of the most priceless organs in Europe. He listened to the organist,
then asked permission to play. "I don't know you," was the reply, "and we don't allow any chance stranger to play upon this organ."
At last the gentleman persuaded the organist to let him play, saying that many people have said that he possessed some talent for
the instrument. As he played, the great cathedral was filled with such music as the organist had never heard. With tears in his eyes
he laid his hand upon the man's shoulder. "Who are you?" he asked. "My name in Mendelssohn." The old organist was dumbfounded.
"To think that an old fool like me nearly forbade Mendelssohn to play upon my organ!"
We bump around in this life, trying different things, not always sure of our capabilities, and sometimes just satisfied with the status quo.
But God says, "May I play you as your were intended to be played? May I empower you to live a life of victory and blessing?
May I fill you with my Spirit so you can fill the ends of the earth with the melodies for which I have created you? May I be your Lord
and Savior through my Son, Jesus Christ so you might know the power of my grace to forgive, and the joy of my mercy? May I give
you eternal life? May I share heaven with you?"
Well,.. may He?
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you,
the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe" (Eph. 1:18,19).
May this Friday be filled with the rich tones of the Master's hand on the strings of our hearts. God Bless.
Saturday's Dose - 18th March 2006
To Fear or Not To Fear
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.
The dictionary defines fear as follows, "A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger."
I was thinking about fear and wondering about its definition because over and over again the Bible exhorts us not to be afraid.
Psalm 27:3 is an example of this. It reads, "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war
should rise against me, in this will I be confident."
Yet it seems to me there are some things we should fear. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Here He is definitely warning us about something we should fear. We should feel anxiety by the presence of something powerful
enough to invade our very heart and steal us away from our commitment to our Lord.
There is unreasonable fear which we call paranoia. There is reasonable fear that we call wisdom. Wise is the person who is able
to recognize and deal with issues and people who are a true threat to our eternal future. In John 10 Jesus assures us that no one
or thing can forcefully take us from His secure hand. But neither will He hang on to us if we indicate we want Him to let go.
Our prayer should be that each moment of the day He will make us wise enough to discern danger zones. Reasonable fear is a
healthy reaction to that which is genuinely dangerous. Note that the above verses tell us not to fear such things as physical loss.
We have a heavenly Father who will compensate us for those things. It is the loss of our relationship with our heavenly Father
that will disable Him from compensating us and that is the danger zone we need to be wise enough to avoid every moment of every day.
We can rejoice in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit who will give us that wisdom. All we need is to invite Him in.
Wisdom comes with Him. Wisdom drives out fear.
Have a Spirit filled and fearless Saturday and God Bless.
Saturday's Dose - 18th March 2006
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.
The dictionary defines fear as follows, "A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or
imminence of danger."
I was thinking about fear and wondering about its definition because over and over again the Bible
exhorts us not to be afraid. Psalm 27:3 is an example of this. It reads, "Though an host should encamp
against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."
Yet it seems to me there are some things we should fear. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, "And fear not
them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell."
Here He is definitely warning us about something we should fear. We should feel anxiety by the presence
of something powerful enough to invade our very heart and steal us away from our commitment to our Lord.
There is unreasonable fear which we call paranoia. There is reasonable fear that we call wisdom. Wise is the
person who is able to recognize and deal with issues and people who are a true threat to our eternal future.
In John 10 Jesus assures us that no one or thing can forcefully take us from His secure hand. But neither will
He hang on to us if we indicate we want Him to let go.
Our prayer should be that each moment of the day He will make us wise enough to discern danger zones.
Reasonable fear is a healthy reaction to that which is genuinely dangerous. Note that the above verses tell
us not to fear such things as physical loss. We have a heavenly Father who will compensate us for those things.
It is the loss of our relationship with our heavenly Father that will disable Him from compensating us and that is
the danger zone we need to be wise enough to avoid every moment of every day.
We can rejoice in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit who will give us that wisdom. All we need is to invite
Him in. Wisdom comes with Him. Wisdom drives out fear.
Have a Spirit filled and fearless Saturday and God Bless.
Sunday's Dose - 19th March 2006
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength,
and my redeemer. - Psalms.19:14.
I just read that about once every 2.6 years there are two full moons in the same calendar month. When this happens
we call it a blue moon. It got me to thinking about how often we use expressions like, "Once in a blue moon" without
bothering to think about what they mean or what we are really saying.
What does "raining cats and dogs" mean? Or having your "nose out of joint?" I guess we all know what these expressions
mean but seldom do we give any real thought to their origin or what we are literally saying.
Often we use religion expressions that way. Often we alienate non-Christians by our thoughtless use of such words as
brother and the truth. We have a special vocabulary like little boys in a club house and it makes others feel like outsiders.
One of the great challenges of real witnessing is to be a real person with real vocabulary that includes instead of excluding.
The words we say have tremendous impact on people. Words can be strong and affirming. They can comfort and soothe.
I wonder if we hear the words "God loves you" so very often we fail to stop and think about how powerful that is.
Think about loving something very dearly. Think about God loving you that dearly. Think about the sacrifice you would
make for someone you love. Consider God sacrificing Himself for you and somehow it all starts to fall into place. Maybe we
could jar ourselves into really thinking about this even if it is only once in a blue moon.
Have a Sacrificing Sunday and God Bless.
Monday's Dose - 20th March 2006
Last evening one of the networks ran a National Geographic special on Tornadoes and Cyclones. There was spectacular
footage of some of the most destructive forces on earth. I could not watch without thinking of the large number of Bible
stories where wind was involved.
1.There was the storm that motivated Jonah's shipmates to toss him overboard.
2. There was the storm on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus walked on the water to rescue His disciples.
3. There were shipwrecks mentioned by Paul.
4. There was the great wind when Elijah listened for God's voice but finally heard in the silence.
5. The wind blew a huge flock of quail to the complaining children of Israel.
6. The plague of locust in Egypt came on the wings of a storm.
7. There was the storm on sea when Jesus woke and said, "Peace be still."
8. Jesus told a story of a wise man who built his house on a rock and survived the storm.
9. I would be negligent if I failed to mention Noah.
10. And the wind that parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel.
That is really quite a list. It is obvious that wind and storms are an important part of living on earth.
It is also very important to point out the promises of God's care in these stories. Jesus saves His disciples. God rescues the
children of Israel. Paul survives the wreck. The message of our Bible is we are not alone. We are not abandoned to the winds
of the world. We are held safely in the hands of the one who can say, "Peace be still."
Have a peaceful Monday and God Bless.
Tuesday's Dose - 21st March 2006
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Gal. 6:9).
Are there times when you wonder if you are having any effect in your business or personal life? You may work for months
on a project or relationship and see no apparent results. Frustrating, isn't it? There's a verse of Scripture in
Ecclesiastes 11:1 which says, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days." King Solomon wrote
this in a day when major rivers, such as the Nile, would flood during the Spring. Most of the agriculture was near these
rivers, so thousands of acres of farmland along the rivers would be under water during the prime planting season.
What would farmers do? Would they wait for ideal conditions? Would they give up and say, "Well, maybe next year
it'll be better," and not plant any seed? No, they would literally sow their seed on top of the flood waters, and trust that
somehow that seed would find its way into the soil as the waters subsided. And sure enough, in a short time, the green shoots
of tiny corn stalks and rice plants would be breaking through the soil!
We don't always "see" the fruits of our labors right away. In fact, I often wonder how many times we quit too soon because
we can't see any results. Yet, God wants us to keep sowing, even under adverse conditions, and trust that He will bring about a
plentiful harvest.
May each one of you have a wonderful Thankful Tuesday, remembering that gratitude is an attitude without latitude that's more
than a platitude.
Wednesday's Dose - 22nd March 2006
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.~ 1John.5:4.
Do you remember some of the things you had to do in gym class in high school? - things you never did before or since, like wrestling
or the pommel horse or the ropes or the broad jump or the rings or running the 440? The one "exercise" that always got to me were
the hurdles. Who invented this race? Even if we weren't in track, we were required to see how fast we could jump over those
contraptions without knocking any down.
For most of us, this was a surefire way to end up eating track dirt. So with many failed attempts, we found that we could navigate the
low hurdles without a penalty (forget about the time).
Have you noticed that successful people have learned to navigate the basic hurdles of life? The six hurdles (or obstacles) to any success
are: A poor self-image; self-pity; guilt; fear; bitterness; and adversity.
Everyone has to deal with these same hurdles. No one is exempt. It's high school gym class all over again, but it lasts for life. However,
the real joy in it all is that once we learn to leap over a particular hurdle, we have actually grown and become stronger. We develop the
skills to leap over the next hurdle.
You see, hurdles trigger our emotions. And it's only when we can defer to the Holy Spirit's leading (as our Coach), that we can handle the
anger and frustrations that will try to rule our lives, and leave us drained and exhausted. And with God's promised goal of love, joy,
peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control (Gal. 5:22,23), we find that we can run faster, longer,
and jump hurdles we would never attempt before.
Perhaps you are in the "air" right now, trying to clear a hurdle, unconsciously making a choice of whether to get angry or depressed or
bitter...or to trust in Jesus Christ to give you His peace and victory.
Your emotions will fluctuate, but the Lord remains the same. What or Who will you trust?
Have a victorious Wednesday in the Lord, and may His GRACE give you the RACE! God Bless.
Thursday's Dose - 23rd March 2005
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take
away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. ~ Isaiah.25:8.
It's natural and understandable to go through periods of wondering where God is in particularly trying situations. We weep in the
struggle or loss. We look up at our ceilings, begging for God's peace. And we cry out for some assurance.
In ancient Middle Eastern culture, before a soldier went off to battle, he would purchase a "tear vial" - a small bottle - which he
would give his wife or mother. She would then promise, "I will be so sad at your absence, that I will cry every night, and collect my
tears in this bottle. When you return, I will show you how precious you are to me by presenting you with this bottle filled with my tears."
"You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle. You have
recorded every one in your book" (Psalm 56:8).
One day, when we stand before the Lord, He will hold up our tear bottle, present it to us, and say, with the smile of the ages,
"I love you so much, I have collected every tear you've ever cried. I did not miss one, not a single one." Then He will show us His ledger,
where every one of our tears is recorded. And then, we will comprehend the meaning of Romans 8:38,39 (TLB), "For I am convinced
that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep
God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are - high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean -
nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us."
Take heart, my friend. God loves you more than you will ever know...and is collecting and recording your tears right now.
Today (Thursday), may this Scripture be the handkerchief that wipes away those tears.
Have a Great day and God Bless.
Friday's Dose - 24th March 2006
"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."
(Psalms.139:13,14).
Among all the characteristics that make us like our Creator, our imagination is the most interesting. It is the canvas upon which we
paint our dreams. Whether we write a song, organize a team, pen a poem, start a business, or just name our pet, we use the most
wonderful of all gifts - our imagination. It is that blank screen in our minds where we piece together scenes from the past and present,
and color them with the hopes of the future. We take what could have been, and make it what might still be. We become the writer,producer,
director, and actor in our own production.
One day, God imagined you. Imagine that! He imagined the color of your eyes, the shape of your body, the variety of your gifts, your
personality, where He would place you in human history, what family you'd be born into, what language you would speak, whether you'd be
right or left handed...and He said, "It is good" (because God don't make no junk).
Of all the joys in this life, creating something from nothing - out of inspiration - is the most fulfilling and rewarding. The Greek word for
"inspired" means, "God-breathed." "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life, and the man became a living being" (Gen. 2:7). "And with that He (Jesus) breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit"
(John
20:22). "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness..." (II Tim. 3:16).
Perhaps the Lord is "breathing" on you today - some new idea, some different strategy, some daring challenge, some greater love.
When you spend time in praise, prayer and meditation...don't be surprised if the Lord doesn't throw a picture up on the screen of
your imagination....... and "give you life!"
May we all have "fresh breath" from the Lord on this Friday and God Bless.
Saturday's Dose - 25th March 2006
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. ~ Colossians.3:17.
If I came to your place of business and said, "John Smith sent me," you would probably say, "Who? So what!" But if I stepped into your
office and announced that I am an associate of Bill Gates, who has sent me to enter into a contract with your firm, you'd immediately
stop everything, go to the closet, roll out the red carpet, and call in the big shots!
What's the difference? The name! Not my name, but a name that is recognized around the world, and associated with power and wealth.
So many of us run around using our own name in the spiritual realm. The devil just laughs at us, as we attempt to pull rank on him.
A Jewish high priest's seven sons had seen the Apostle Paul casting out demons in the Name of Jesus. They thought this was "cool." So they
found a demon-possessed man and said, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." The evil spirit answered
them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them
all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding" (Acts 19:13-16).
You would think 7 to 1 odds were pretty good, but "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
Smith Wigglesworth told about six men who went into the house of a sick English pastor as he lay in his bed utterly helpless. He had
heard about people praying for the sick, so he sent for these friends, whom he thought would "pray the prayer of faith." They anointed
him with oil and prayed according to James 5:14. But because he saw no immediate change, he wept, and the six men left. As they
stepped outside, one man said, "There is one thing we might have done. I wish you would all go back with me and try it." They all
went back in and stood around the bed. This brother said, "Let's whisper the name of Jesus." At first, nothing seemed to happen. But
as they continued to whisper, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" the power began to fall. As they saw their sick pastor begin to stir, their faith
and joy increased, and they whispered the name louder and louder. As they kept saying, "Jesus," the pastor got out of his bed and got
dressed.
The secret was just this: Those six men had finally gotten their eyes off the sick man, and they got caught up with the Lord Jesus
Himself...and their faith caught fire at the power in His name.
In this Saturday (Today), don't worry about dropping the Name of Jesus...because it won't break...except those powers that are trying
to bind God's children.
