The Bible teaches:

(1) that all responsible persons have sinned (Rom 3:9, 23; 5:18-19; 11:32) and so have become separated from the holy and sinless YHWH (God the Father; Is. 59:2);

(2) those who die living in sin will be destroyed (Mt. 10:28); and

(3) that sins can only be forgiven through Yeshua/Jesus, His Son. Jesus said that He (referring to Himself) is “the Way” and that no one could come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). This means that obeying Yeshua/Jesus and following His example is the only pathway to the Father and to salvation.

      What did Jesus pattern (teach by example) and also tell His disciples to be doing? Yeshua/Jesus showed His followers how to live for God the Father—He lived a perfect and sinless life (Heb. 4:15). Of course this is not possible for the rest of mankind because everyone other than Jesus is both imperfect and has desires to sin (James 1:13-15; 3:2; 1 John 1:8-10). And this is exactly why everyone needs Jesus and why it is only through Jesus that anyone can be saved. The message of Jesus (Luke 24:47) and the New Testament Church (Acts 2:38) to those who want to be saved is to fully repent (turn) away from living a life of willful sin and to turn fully to YHWH (Jehovah/God) through Yeshua (Jesus) to live as fully and as sinless for Them as possible. Turning fully to Jesus and living for Him is worded in the original language and idiom of the New Testament both as “faithing into” Him and “faithing in” Him (with “in” and “into” at least most of the time being actually the same Greek word; John 3:16 and many others; “faithing in” = “faithing while being in”).

Which interests you more—who Jesus is or what He can do for you? I’m afraid that too many of us are more concerned about what He can give us than we are about getting to know who He is.

But this is nothing new—Jesus had this problem when He walked on earth. The crowds often sought Him out for what He could do for them. Even though their needs were quite often legitimate, Christ knew their motives.

There is a fine line between selfishly trying to use the Lord to get what we want and humbly coming to Him with our needs and struggles. Some of the issues we bring to Him are so pressing and urgent in our minds that our desire for Him to take action in the way we want becomes greater than our willingness to submit to His will. At times, what we call “faith” is really a demanding spirit.

We must remember that our needs will come to an end, but Jesus Christ will remain forever. If our prayers have dealt only with presenting our requests to the Lord, we’ve missed a great opportunity to get to know the One with whom we’ll spend eternity. Let’s invest time in pursuing intimacy with Christ. Then we can enjoy the benefits of that relationship forever.

How much of your communion with God is devoted to your needs—even legitimate ones? Are you spending any time getting to know the Lord? Although God delights in our prayers and tells us to pray about everything, He also wants us to come to Him just because we enjoy being with Him.

Salvation is a free gift of God that comes to us through faith in His Son. Jesus did everything necessary to accomplish our forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father. We can add nothing to this transaction; our job is simply to believe.

But from that point on, each one of us must make a choice: Will we follow Jesus or just coast along doing what we want? If you limit your Christianity to merely sitting in a pew on Sunday mornings, you’ll miss the greatest adventure of your life. Being a disciple of Christ requires that we be actively engaged in our relationship with Him and in service to others.

Jesus never painted a rosy picture when He called people to follow Him. He stated quite plainly that becoming His follower would require self-denial, sacrifice, and suffering. With this kind of job description, it’s no wonder so many believers have tried to make Christianity a spectator sport. Following Jesus means that He directs our lives—that’s what dying to self is all about. We give up our rights to do what we want, and instead submit to His will, even if it’s difficult or doesn’t agree with our preference. If you don’t realize how good, loving, and wise our God is, walking in His will may seem scary or even foolish.

Those who deny themselves to follow Christ discover they lose nothing and gain everything. Even amidst pain and suffering, He gives His disciples inner peace and joy that transcend circumstances. Are you following Jesus or yourself? Your lifestyle, words, and attitudes reveal who truly rules your life.

We usually have no control over what happens to us.  But we are responsible for how we respond to what happens to us.

Fritz Kunkle said that our last freedom in life is to determine our attitude in any given situation.

 The Bible has a lot to say about choosing our attitudes:

 Everything is possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23).

 I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Matthew 9:29)

 Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think such things (Philippians 4:8).

A positive attitude produces a good result; a negative attitude produces a bad result.  Compare the lives of the apostles Paul and Thomas.  Paul said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).  He was three times given the notorious thirty-nine lashes.  He was shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, the object of death threats and public hatred.  Yet he was able to write, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).  He wrote that, as he wrote most of the New Testament, from a dark, damp, disease-infested jail cell.  That is a positive result in an impossible situation.

Thomas had the benefit of three and a half years of following Christ and personally witnessing miracles that stagger the mind.  Yet when Jesus rose from the dead and the other disciples ran to him with the news, Thomas just rolled out his lower lip and pouted, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25).

No doubt one of your least favorite things is to wait in line. We arrive at a doctor’s appointment on time or a little early only to sit and sit in that waiting room. We go to the grocery store for just a few things and get stuck in an endless checkout line. And we’ve all been delayed in the drive-through lane at the bank. Nobody in our culture likes to wait, it seems.

When we take something to the Lord in prayer, we bring our human impatience with us. We often make a request and expect an answer right then and there. If God doesn’t spring into action immediately, many people begin to think, Well, I tried praying, but the Lord just didn’t do anything. Prayer doesn’t really work.

How tragic! Compare that attitude to King David’s. When David was only 16 years of age, God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint him as the king. Sixteen more years would pass before that promise was fulfilled. What did David do during that time? Did he moan and groan, shaking his finger at the Lord and demanding his kingship now? Not at all. David understood that God was trustworthy. He also realized that his heavenly Father was the God not only of who and what, but also of when and how. David wanted the kingship only when the Lord was ready for him to have it. So he waited.

Is there something in your life for which it’s hard to remain patient? Will you wait on the Lord as one waiting on a bank teller or doctor—or will you, like King David, trust in God’s timing and provision? The Father knows every facet of your situation, and His “delay” is actually in your best interest.

II. How will the Lord respond if you decide to walk away from Him?

If you turn from God, He will do one or more of the following:

A. Put pressure on you.
B. Allow bad things to happen to you.
C. Send adversity into your life.
D. Stop you from walking away.
E. Let you wreck your life.

III. Why do people walk away from God?

A. Deception: Satan deceived Eve into thinking that God was lying to her (Gen. 3:4-5). The Devil may convince us that we have to look a certain way, drive a particular car, make more money, and/or wear the right clothing to be happy in life.
B. Fear of missing out: People sometimes resist God’s will because they doubt He has their best interests in mind. Example: Marrying the wrong person for fear of never marrying; believing that a godly life won’t be any fun.
C. A desire for total freedom: Many seek to be completely free. But if they do what they want, when they want it, to whomever they want, they will eventually find death (James 1:15).
D. An unforgiving spirit: Some people stop trusting the Lord because they were hurt in the past. Unless they deal with that pain, it will affect every area of their lives.
E. Denial of potential consequences: People think that they will escape the effects of sin. But none of us can smoke, abuse drugs, or commit acts of immorality without reaping the consequences of those choices.

IV. How does rebellion begin?

A. You start to desire something sinful.
B. Deception starts—Satan feeds you a lie, and you believe it.
C. You make a decision to rebel against the Lord.
D. You depart from His perfect will for your life.

V. What are the consequences?

A. Wandering and wondering: As we continue searching for fulfillment apart from the Father, we begin to wonder if the biblical teaching we’ve received is true or not. Soon, we begin to doubt our beliefs.

B. Waste: The Prodigal Son “squandered his estate with loose living” (Luke 15:13) and “devoured [his] wealth with prostitutes” (Luke 15:30). Rebellion against God always results in wasted time, talents, gifts, and/or health.

C. Want:When his money was gone, the young man was forced to work feeding pigs—the lowest job a Hebrew man could imagine. Moreover, no one cared enough to feed him (Luke 15:15-16). Walking away from God results in lack. You may not experience financial hardship. But without Christ, you will not have genuine, lasting peace.

D. Weariness: The body was not created to live with constant guilt, unforgiveness, and fear. I believe this is a reason some people develop chronic diseases early in life. Sin takes a toll on health.

VI. How can you return to God?

A. Follow the example of the Prodigal Son.

1. He “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17). He realized he could change and didn’t have to live in poverty.
2. He made a decision and took positive action based on it. He knew his father’s servants were better off, so he decided to return home and beg to be a hired man (Luke 15:17-19).
3. The young man repented for how he had been living and started acting differently.

B. How does God react when we return to Him?

1. With forgiveness and unconditional love. (Luke 15:20 ) says that “while [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
2. The broken, impoverished young man was greeted with a robe, a ring, new shoes, and a celebration.
3. This parable illustrates that our heavenly Father willingly receives everyone who comes to Him in humility and brokenness.

VII. Conclusion: Many people believe the lie that they have sinned too much to be forgiven. But no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. Regardless of what you have done, the Lord will show mercy if you confess and repent. His forgiveness will not erase all the scars of sin—the emotional, financial, and physical consequences—but it will give you a clean heart before Him.

Morally, our society has drifted far from biblical standards. We continue to squander the blessings God has bestowed upon this great nation, and as a result, we are in danger of losing them. The Lord will not continue to prosper a nation that violates His laws and refuses to honor Him. Now, before you get discouraged, let me reassure you that this judgment is not inevitable. After King Solomon dedicated the temple the Lord explained how to restore the land if Israel strayed from its devotion to Him. Second Chronicles 7:14 says, [If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. While this promise was for a specific people, place and time, we can apply the same principles when we intercede for the United States.

There are three ways we can take action to help our country avoid possible judgment: We must humble ourselves. At its heart, humility is the recognition that we need God. Although we are a great nation, we can’t take credit for our status without acknowledging the Lord’s help. We recognize that we do not deserve His goodness but plead for His tender mercies nonetheless. If we have been spiritually apathetic, negligent in prayer, or deliberately disobedient, we must confess and receive the Father’s forgiveness. Only when we are contrite do we begin to appreciate our merciful God in glorious new ways. We must intercede for our land. Talking with the Lord is a natural outgrowth of humility, because prayer is a simple declaration of dependence. Crying out to God reveals our deep and abiding need for Him. Our intercession should go far beyond a quick, half-hearted, request for the Lord to intervene on our behalf. Instead, we must pray with urgency and desperation. We should be motivated by a burden to see God reach any who are hurting, broken, or lost without a Christ-centered moral compass. Scripture also commands us to intercede for those in government. Paul wrote, “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). I encourage you to pray for the President, those who counsel him, and our elected officials. Intercede for each Supreme Court justice by name. Find a list of your local authorities and pray specifically for them. Ask the Lord to guide their decisions and lead their lives. Prayer is the most effective way to influence our nation’s destiny.

We must seek God’s face. Ask, “Lord, how can I make a difference in the lives of those who don’t know You? How can I be part of the solution rather than part of the problem?” There are two primary ways to influence culture. First, ask God to use you to reach others with the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. With His guidance, befriend those who don’t know the Lord, and demonstrate His love to them in tangible ways. When the Holy Spirit gives you opportunities, tell others what Christ has done in your life. Second, take a stand for truth. When you ask God to make you an influence for righteousness in our culture, He may lead you to something specific. As Christians, we must be willing to defend our freedoms and get involved in our communities. Sometimes that means boldly taking an unpopular moral stand, fighting legislation that contradicts scriptural principles, or electing officials who will uphold our values. Other times it means reaching out to a neighbor or coworker in need. You may be surprised at what God leads you to do. But as you follow the Holy Spirit, He will use you to impact others in a powerful way. You are part of the kingdom of heaven, but you are also part of this awesome country, the United States of America. God wants us to humble ourselves, seek His face in prayer, and repent of our selfishness and sin. He desires to heal our land, just as He did for ancient Israel. May the Lord touch your heart with this challenge, anoint your lips with truth, and empower your arms for service. May God bless America.

By traditions, I am talking about the unique things made your family into your family.  The way Dad talked to Mom. The way Mom looked at Dad. The way they talked to you. Meals. Holidays. Birthdays. Saturday mornings. Graduations. Death. Sicknesses. Bedtimes. Report cards. Shouting. Whispering. Slamming doors. Retreating into silence. Drinking. Pouting.  The million things that made up your daily life. Your emotional computer picked it all up, and try as you might, hitting the delete button hasn’t worked.  Let’s look at some ways to break negative traditions in your home. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort.

First, identify the negative family traditions. Sometimes this is more apparent than others. A hint would be when your spouse says, “You sound just like your father [or mother]!” Among Christians especially, trying to see the faults that were passed down may seem dishonoring to them. If we understand our parents reacted the way they did because of what they learned from their parents, it is easier to understand where the negative traditions came from. If we don’t identify them in our parents, we’ll rarely see them in ourselves. Pray that God will help you to remember the negative as well as the positive patterns. Be specific when you identify problems. If the past remains unresolved it becomes the present, demanding your emotional focus. What happens to you when you are emotionally focused on anything––consciously or unconsciously?  You take on the characteristics of whatever you dwell on.

Second, refocus. Make a list of how you would like your family members to remember you.  What specific behaviors do you want to model? One pastor said he wanted to be remembered by his children as one who laughed. Of course, he listed more than that, but he is working daily on keeping a light heart with his spouse and children. Pray through the qualities that are on your list.  Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of them as you walk through each day.

Third, take responsibility for your choices without blaming. When you let others in your past dictate your choices, you give them a great deal of control over you. They are pretty much mastering your life. That isn’t what any of us want. There is only one Lord and Master whom we obey and serve.  Stop making excuses for the choices you have made.

Fourth, seek a positive role model. Find a person who can show you what a healthy, Christian family looks like. If you are a man, find a Christian man whom you have observed honoring his wife and children, and spend time with him.  If you’re a woman, find a godly woman who respects her husband and loves her children, and spend time with her.  You know what you’re doing? You’re being remodeled. Remember that the original modeling took years and years, so remodeling can’t happen over a quick lunch with someone. To use a computer analogy, it’s more like slow reprogramming. If we were left to the mercy of how we were programmed in our homes, most of us would be in bad shape.  But God, in His grace, has given us a way to reverse negative patterns. Jesus Christ is greater than any tradition. The God who adopted you into His forever family knows how to make earthly families work.

The principle for having a healthy family is the same for having a healthy Christian life. You don’t have to do it alone. The life of Jesus flows through us to enable us to do God’s will (John 15:4-5).

Make everyday “Valentine’s Day” by showing your family, friends and yes, even strangers, what it truly means to Love One Another through Jesus Christ.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Love never fails…

The Bible describes the complexity and majesty of God with these three words, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). When Jesus completed His ministry on this earth, He gave His disciples a command, known as the eleventh commandment, which was, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Christ gave His love when it was not deserved, to people who did not deserve it. That’s a principle you’re going to have to practice in your marriage if it’s to be an exciting and enduring marriage.

There will come a time when you will need to give love to your spouse, love that is not deserved, and give it joyfully. We are all angels with one wing, and we need each other to fly. Marriage is God’s idea, and it is the microcosm of heaven on earth. But the glue that holds it together is the unconditional love of God one for the other. Love is the one ingredient of which our world never tires and of which there is never an overabundance. The world will never outgrow its need for love. God created us in His own image, which means we were created to function on the fuel of love.

Happy Valentines Day to all my Friends in Christ. Do something today, and everyday, to share God’s love with everyone you meet.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”         John 13:34-35 NIV

Although the  temptation to compromise threatens every believer, we don’t have to give in. If  we’re aware of the danger and understand the downward progression and ultimate  consequences, we can determine to be vigilant in obedience to the Lord.

The first step in learning how to avoid compromise is  understanding why it is so tempting. When others pressure us to take part  in in what we know God has forbidden, it’s easy to  give in because we don’t want to feel rejected. But anyone who’s committed to  living a godly life must be willing to stand alone and face ridicule or even  persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). At other times, we consent to activities that  violate our conscience just to avoid conflict, but peace at  any price means we have to sacrifice obedience to God.

However, the  temptation to compromise doesn’t always originate with others. In fact, James  1:14 says we are tempted when we’re carried away by our own lusts. How many  Christians have fallen into sexual immorality or pornography by desiring a  second look? Greed is another motivation that drives us to compromise. If you  fudge on your income tax or take a few things home from the office, you’ve  stepped over the line of obedience to God. Our choices should be based on  scriptural truth, not on our feelings and desires.

In order to stand  firm against compromise, we must make God’s Word the standard for our conduct.  If you begin each day with the Lord in His Word, He will guide your way. Then  when the Spirit gives a warning, obey immediately, because giving consideration  to the temptation opens a door for Satan.

The scribes and Pharisees were intent on trapping Jesus, so they brought Him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and said, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” (John 8:4-5).

Instead of being ensnared by their words, Jesus turned the situation into an opportunity to teach the crowd about His liberating love in action. He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her . . . Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you? . . . I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:7, 10-11). The woman walked away forgiven, free, and saved from certain doom.

A little later, Jesus proclaimed: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32). Consider these verses the believer’s emancipation proclamation. In verses 34–36, Jesus explains: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” How are we liberated to live in Christ?
1.Through Jesus’ death on the Cross and resurrection, we are freed from the penalty of sin. Like the woman caught in adultery, we are no longer condemned for what we’ve done. Christ pays our sin-debt in full so that we can be reconciled to the Father (Rom. 5:10; 6:23; Col. 1:19-22)

2.We are released from the power of sin. Our sin nature no longer dominates us—leading us from one unsatisfying and destructive transgression to another. Rather, we are free to seek and know God through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:2-17). Jesus told the woman, “Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11), not as a terrible requirement for earning His forgiveness, but as a declaration of what is possible when we follow Him (1 Cor. 6:11-20).

3.We are liberated from the purpose of sin. James 1:15 tells us, “When sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” The goal of our iniquity is usually to exalt ourselves or meet our own needs, but the outcome is always ruination. Perhaps this woman was seeking love, acceptance, or security, yet she was obviously going about getting it in the wrong way—destroying herself and her dignity. However, Christ sets us free to become everything God created us to be to His honor and glory (John 10:10; Eph. 2:10).

4.We are unshackled from the personality of sin. To the scribes and the Pharisees, this woman would always be known by the name “sinner,” and perhaps that is how she thought of herself as well. However, when Jesus comes into our lives, we are no longer known for our iniquities. Rather, we are recognized as belonging to the One who has covered our iniquities with His blood. Our transgressions are no longer our identity because Christ makes us into a new creation (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:17).

What can you do to begin living in the freedom Jesus purchased for you on the Cross? There is no formula for discovering the richness of His truth. But by obeying and trusting in Him, you’ll be on the road to the liberated life He designed for you.

Our lives are governed by time. That’s why we’re surrounded by clocks and calendars that dictate our activities. As the minutes tick by, we wonder where the day went. When responsibilities and pressures mount, we complain, “I just don’t have time to get it all done!” But the reality is that God has given us enough time to do exactly what He’s planned for our lives. Perhaps the bigger issue is whether we are using our time to do our will or the Lord’s.

Time is a gift from God, and He has allotted each of us a measure in which to live and accomplish His purposes. We have only two options—to spend it temporally on our own interests or invest it eternally. Since time can never be retrieved or reversed, it’s critical that we make the most of every opportunity the Lord provides.

The key to investing in eternity is following God’s plan for your life, not just filling your days with activities. Jesus was allocated just thirty-three years of life on earth, but only the last three were spent in fulfilling His Messianic ministry. To us that seems like a waste of time. Yet Christ accomplished everything His Father gave Him to do. That’s why on the cross He could say, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Scripture compares earthly life to “a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), but eternal life never ends. It’s foolish to spend your life on a vapor when you can reap everlasting benefits by following God’s will for your time here. Each day is an opportunity to choose.

Prayer is the believer’s  great privilege and powerful weapon against Satan and his plans. The apostle Peter wrote, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9). James echoed this teaching:

“Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8).

Both of these godly men admonished believers to oppose evil. And we do that by persevering in prayer. On the surface, this form of resistance may appear to be passive. But in practice, it is always active, intentional, and powerful.

Resistance begins with a decision to join the struggle against evil through prayer, rather than retreat. Such godly opposition takes strength and courage. It also requires patience and perseverance.

Peter and James point to two key words at the heart of our ability to resist the devil through our prayers: faith in God and submission to His will.

Submission

Submission to God means acknowledging that we can’t but He can. In our prayers, we might tell the Lord, “I can’t defeat the Enemy on my own. But with You, I can.” By taking this position, we join the apostle Paul in saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

James taught that submission occurs when we seek a closer relationship with God. As we spend time in His Word and His presence, we get to know the Lord better. We also discover how He wants us to overcome evil and experience blessing in our lives. By setting aside time solely to listen and wait upon the Lord for direction and guidance, we grow closer to Him. Periodically hiding ourselves away from all other influences and distractions is vital if we want to grow in knowledge of our God. The better we know Him, the more we see His power, experience His love, and grow in faith and wisdom.

Faith

Faith can be summed up in the statement “God, I believe You will.” In our efforts to overcome the Evil One, we might pray this way: “I believe You will defeat the Enemy and cause him to flee from me as I resist him and put my trust in You.” Again and again, David made this declaration of faith to the Lord: “O my God, I trust in You” (See Ps. 25:2, 31:6, 55:23, 56:3, 143:8).

We grow in faith by exercising it—trusting God in every circumstance and relationship. Over time, we develop a personal history with God as He demonstrates His faithfulness and loving care for us. The result is an ever-deepening relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, it’s impossible to resist the Devil for long if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ can and will thwart Satan’s attempts to harm you. Remaining strong in faith requires total submission to God in all areas of your life—no exceptions. When you decide that you don’t need God’s help in one area, that’s precisely where the Enemy will strike.

The good news is that God has given each of us a measure of faith to nurture within our hearts. And by His grace, we are capable of submitting to His will. In whatever you do, remember the words of James: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Part One—

Being broken in spirit, we become mournful over the sinful conduct of our life, which leads to meekness, which then produces a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Mercy is the first external evidence the world can observe to verify that God is at work on the inside.

A Merciful Church

If Satan can remove mercy from the conduct of Christians, the church will die. If we become so busy with buildings, budgets and baptisms that we lose compassion for the suffering stream of humanity that flows through our doors, we may as well close our doors. If there is no mercy in the house of God, then the glory of the Lord is departed…there is no peace, no joy, no love. Without mercy the church is a tree with no fruit. It’s a well without water. It’s a cloud without rain. Without mercy, the church becomes nothing more than a religious country club. The building should be burned to the ground before the congregation gets sued for false advertising! The Greek word for merciful is eleemon, which means “to be beneficial.” It’s God’s will that every church be beneficial to those who walk through its doors. Those attending should go home in a better condition than the one in which they came, from having been in the presence of God’s mercy. The church is a healing force in a hurting world. It’s a hospital for the battered and broken. It’s a fortress of faith in a world of doubt and skepticism. It’s a house of comfort where hope is reborn. It’s a place of worship where God is revered, where His Word is proclaimed and where His Son, Jesus, is Lord.

Source:  Being Happy in an Unhappy World

Have you ever had an important message to tell someone but couldn’t get that person’s undivided attention?

God’s messages to us are always important and timely, and they deserve our complete attention. Why? As Christians, it’s our responsibility to be wise travelers, alert to our Master’s voice as we journey through life.

A Restless Spirit

One of the simplest ways God gets our attention is by making us restless. When King Ahasueruas was unable to sleep, he ordered the royal record books be read. As a result, he discovered his life had been saved by Esther’s uncle. In wanting to honor Mordecai, the king unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that caused Haman’s planned annihilation of the Jews to be exposed (Esther 6 & 7). The Jewish nation was spared because the king was alerted when God gave him a restless spirit.

If you experience a restlessness deep within, the wise thing to do is stop and pray. Ask, “Lord, are You trying to say something to me?” God does not work the same way in everyone’s life, but I believe His primary method for getting my attention is by giving me a restlessness to show I need a change of direction. Each time God was about to move me from one pastorate to another, I became very restless for a few months. This is a very gentle method God uses to correct our course.

A Spoken Word

A second way God gets our attention is by a word spoken through someone else. Wanting to give Eli a message, the Lord woke the priest’s young helper by calling his name (1 Samuel 3:4-9). At first, the boy did not realize it was the voice of God. So, God used the priest to pass along a word of encouragement to him. In a similar way, God also had Eli’s attention for the forthcoming message He would deliver through Samuel (vv. 11-18).

An Unusual Blessing

A third way God speaks is, no doubt, the method most people prefer: by blessing us in an unusual way. The blessing might be related to home, work, spiritual growth, finances, or health.

But the Lord does not always choose this method. Those who are independent from God would likely become even more self-sufficient and self-centered if they experienced lavish blessing. Remember that no matter which method He uses to get our attention, it always an expression of His love.

Unanswered Prayer

The fourth method is not pleasant: sometimes God will answer a prayer with “No.” In 2 Samuel 12:16-18, David begged God to save his infant son’s life, but the child died. God loves everybody equally, but He has different purposes for each life. In this case, the child’s death was used to get David’s attention in an extreme situation involving the nation’s leader who deliberately acted against the will of God.

Sin is one reason the Lord will use unanswered prayer to get our attention. Even if what we pray may itself be the will of God, the Lord may refuse to answer that prayer as a way of forcing us to examine ourselves. However, we must never pass judgment on fellow believers.

Disappointment

God will sometimes use disappointment to get us to listen. In Numbers 14, the nation of Israel was poised at the border of the Promised Land, ready to take possession of it. However, their spy “committee” voted ten to two against possessing what God promised to give them in battle. Almost immediately, the people regretted their choice and acknowledged they had sinned. But, it was too late. While there must have been a tremendous sense of disappointment and mourning, God certainly had their attention. In a similar way, God allows setbacks to keep us from charting our own course rather than doing His will.

Extraordinary Circumstances

Sometimes God will use bizarre or unusual circumstances to get us to stop and listen. In Exodus 3:1, Moses saw a bush that was on fire but not consumed. As he approached to investigate, the Lord spoke to Him from the flame. You and I must learn to look for the presence of God in every circumstance of life. He leaves His footprints and handiwork all around us, and we will recognize them more often when we are watchful.

Defeat

Another method God uses is defeat. Following the Lord’s stunning victory over Jericho, the Israelites approached the small town of Ai with overconfidence, and they neglected to fight in God’s strength or with His military plan (Joshua 7). God got Joshua’s attention by letting him fail miserably. But notice, there is a big difference between failing and being a failure. A terrible defeat may prove to be the greatest steppingstone to success when we are wise enough to ask, “Lord, what are You saying?”

Financial Troubles

In the book of Judges, “every man did what was right in his own eyes” and the nation fell into idolatry and disobedience (Judges 17:6). God brought judgment through the Midianites, who devastated the land, leaving neither livestock nor possessions. At what point did the Israelites finally cry out to the Lord? When He took away every material belonging and drove the people into caves and mountains to hide for their lives (Judges 6:6). God knew exactly what it would take to get their attention. And when they did turn to Him, He delivered them from their oppressor and blessed them.

Tragedy, Sickness, and Affliction

While we must never look at someone else’s situation and presume why God allows suffering, we should regard our tragedies and afflictions as reasons to ask the Lord, “What are You trying to say?” When King Hezekiah became prideful, God used illness to alert him to the problem (2 Chronicles 32:24). Similarly, when Saul of Tarsus was persecuting Christians, he was stricken with blindness—then the Lord certainly had his attention!

At any given moment, God knows exactly where you are in your journey and precisely what it will take to get your attention. So, be alert. Notice if any of God’s methods are occurring in your life. Ask Him what He wants to tell you. Then, listen—not simply to hear, but to obey. God wants to communicate because of His love for you and His desire to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

By whatever name you call God, I Am that I Am, Jehovah God, Allah, Lord or Almighty, He is ours to share and worship in His holy name. Through Him are we not of One? Are we not brought together through Him and His name? Through divine inspiration of His Word and Authority? Are we not believers in the one true God? Are we not called by His Name to serve Him and to love one another?  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”   Romans 8:28 NKJV.

Forgive me sons and daughters of Isaac, born to the house of Abram (Abraham) and forgive me the sons and daughters of Ishmael also of the house of Abram (Abraham) for not quoting from your Torah or Qur’an; for I know them not fully. I speak to you from the Bible, the text I do know. WAIT, Oh House of Abraham, do not shun me or cast me from you; will you not hear me? know that it is not I, myself, who speaks to you, but the Lord thy God through Christ Jesus. For whether I speak to you in the name of the Prophets or of the Saints, am I not speaking to you in the Name of the Living God? For who were the prophets of the house of Abraham? Were they not the messengers of the True and Living God?

Oh, House of Abram, “When will you have peace?” Did not Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury their father, Abram, (Abraham)? Genesis 25:9. Was it not for the love of their father that they came together? Oh, House of Abraham, I ask again, “when will you have peace?” When will the descendant of Isaac and Ishmael return to the House of Abraham in peace and love?  Oh House of Abraham, has God not told you “Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11.

Yet, I say to you, Jesus, whom you call a Prophet; I call the Son of God. Oh House of Abraham, If we confess our sins, He (Christ Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 .  “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. Acts 13:26. Oh, House of Abraham, I ask again, “when will you have peace?” For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:10.  The House of Abraham will never know peace “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  Ephesians 4:13   Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15  1 John 4:14-16 (in Context).

“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. Acts 13:26. Oh House of Abraham, Oh to the people of the world, you will never know true peace until you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. God loves us so much that He sent His only Begotten Son to die in our place. Jesus died on the cross so that you may be forgiven of your sins. Christ died so that you may have eternal life. He came and died so you might have life and have it more abundantly. .  He come with a Promise, a covenant, “That whosoever comes to Me shall not perish, but shall have ever lasting life.” Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15. Won’t you ask Jesus to come into your heart?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I confess You are the Son of God. I confess i am a sinner. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive me of my sins, restore my soul. Oh, Lord, please, turn not thy eyes from me; do not turn thy back towards me, Oh Lord, but cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Jesus, I ask You to come into my life, to be the Lord of my life and my Savior. I repent of my sins and I ask You remember my sins no more. In Your Holy and precious Name. Amen.

“Filled” is a fantastic word.  It means: “absolutely satisfied.”

It means overflowing with God’s good, old-fashioned, heart-warming happiness.

A twelve-year-old girl from the slums of Chicago was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed as having double pneumonia. Hospital administrators put her story together and discovered she was scrubbing floors twelve hours a day to support her mother and her four brothers and sisters. In the bitter cold of winter she had developed pneumonia and was terribly underweight from malnutrition.

One day a nurse brought her a glass of milk. The girl looked up and asked, “How much can I have?” “What do you mean, honey?” asked the nurse. “The milk. How much can I have?” “Why, all of it, of course,” replied the nurse. “Why do you ask?” “Because at my house we draw a line on the glass. You can only drink to the line, and then you have to pass the glass to someone else.”

“Your Soul Will Delight”

The Bible says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” (Is. 55:1-2). God doesn’t draw a line on the glass.

Are you looking for real happiness? When you hunger and thirst after righteousness as desperately as a drowning man craves air, you’ll find it. It’s not just feeling; it’s living faith. It’s not sensation; it’s salvation. It’s not religion; it’s righteousness through responsibility. Happy are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Source:  Being Happy in an Unhappy World

Paul wrote today’s passage in a letter to the divided body of Corinthian believers. The church was allowing a disagreement to hinder their fellowship. Paul knew the steep danger of dissension among believers.

Scripture is clear about the church’s mission. Some of its highest goals include sharing the gospel with all nations, caring for those in need, and worshiping together, along with loving, encouraging, and admonishing one another in God’s truth. None of these is fully possible if a church is divided, whether physically or mentally.

God wants His people to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). So if all Christians base their beliefs on the Bible, they should be able to settle every argument according to its truth, right? Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Our human nature, preferences, and different interpretations of Scripture can cause disagreements. Consider, for example, how many churches have experienced strife over music styles.

Tragically, when differences are divisive, our mission becomes blurred and we are ineffective. Just as fishermen cannot catch fish with a broken net, we are unable to effectively share Jesus with the world when our fellowship is not intact. Tomorrow, we will explore how to keep unity in the church.

Are your actions and words strengthening your fellow Christians? Or do you gossip, express negativity, and push your own preferences and opinions? Be careful. God has mandated that our conduct positively impact the church’s unity. This is essential if we are to accomplish His purpose.

The secret of happiness lies not in doing what we want to do but in doing what we ought to do!

Happiness never comes to the person who dodges responsibility.  Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Happiness is the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”  There is nothing in the world that helps a man overcome his difficulties, survive his disasters, and stay healthy and happy like the joy of a life’s task worthy of his full dedication.

Righteous responsibility is a mark of spiritual maturity.  We don’t serve the Lord by feeling or emotion, but by duty and devotion.  There is no happiness without righteous responsibility.

Producing or Consuming?

Responsibility comes by degrees with advancing maturity.  In the natural realm, maturity can be measured by whether we are producing more than we consume.  When children are small, all they know how to do is consume.  As they mature they begin to become responsible and productive through simple tasks like carrying out the trash and cleaning up their rooms.

Then comes the day when you say something radical like, “It’s time for you to get a job!”  They look at you, pained and puzzled, and say something profound like, “Me?  Go to work?  Get serious!”

After they recover from the shock, they get a job that covers some of their consumption.  Eventually they will be able to pay their own way.  And by the grace of God, someday they’ll be able to support not only themselves but also a wife and children.

Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual maturity works much the same way.  We must grow to a point where we produce more than we consume.  The church is flooded with spiritually immature creatures who come to church, take in the delicious Word of God, absorb the beautiful music, enjoy the delightful fellowship—and then go swiftly out the door to do absolutely nothing.  They don’t witness to the lost.  They don’t pray.  They don’t give.  They could sing in the choir, but they won’t.  They could serve, but they won’t.

When we’re in this condition, we don’t rise to our righteous responsibility.  The time has come, after years of consuming, to start being productive for the kingdom.  It’s time to put our hands to the plow, to become fruitful servants in the Lord’s vineyard.  Life is God’s gift to us.  What we do with it is our gift to Him.  What are we doing with our lives?  Are we growing toward maturity by being productive?  Or are we stalled in a consumer mode?

Source:  Being Happy in an Unhappy World

The secret of happiness lies not in doing what we want to do but in doing what we ought to do!

Happiness never comes to the person who dodges responsibility.  Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Happiness is the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”  There is nothing in the world that helps a man overcome his difficulties, survive his disasters, and stay healthy and happy like the joy of a life’s task worthy of his full dedication.

Righteous responsibility is a mark of spiritual maturity.  We don’t serve the Lord by feeling or emotion, but by duty and devotion.  There is no happiness without righteous responsibility.

Producing or Consuming?

Responsibility comes by degrees with advancing maturity.  In the natural realm, maturity can be measured by whether we are producing more than we consume.  When children are small, all they know how to do is consume.  As they mature they begin to become responsible and productive through simple tasks like carrying out the trash and cleaning up their rooms.

Then comes the day when you say something radical like, “It’s time for you to get a job!”  They look at you, pained and puzzled, and say something profound like, “Me?  Go to work?  Get serious!”

After they recover from the shock, they get a job that covers some of their consumption.  Eventually they will be able to pay their own way.  And by the grace of God, someday they’ll be able to support not only themselves but also a wife and children.

Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual maturity works much the same way.  We must grow to a point where we produce more than we consume.  The church is flooded with spiritually immature creatures who come to church, take in the delicious Word of God, absorb the beautiful music, enjoy the delightful fellowship—and then go swiftly out the door to do absolutely nothing.  They don’t witness to the lost.  They don’t pray.  They don’t give.  They could sing in the choir, but they won’t.  They could serve, but they won’t.

When we’re in this condition, we don’t rise to our righteous responsibility.  The time has come, after years of consuming, to start being productive for the kingdom.  It’s time to put our hands to the plow, to become fruitful servants in the Lord’s vineyard.  Life is God’s gift to us.  What we do with it is our gift to Him.  What are we doing with our lives?  Are we growing toward maturity by being productive?  Or are we stalled in a consumer mode?

Source:  Being Happy in an Unhappy World

Can you relate to my dilemma? Most likely, you can. The church’s perspective—at least in the West—isn’t all that different from that of the culture around us. Whom are we more likely to honor: the wealthy donor who funded the prayer chapel, or the faithful band of intercessors who meet there every Wednesday night? If we had to choose, whom would we rather be like? Which are we working towards more faithfully—worldly goals or godly character?

Jesus’ parable of Lazarus and the rich man realigns my perspective. It reminds me that even if others count me a success, it doesn’t mean I’ve earned heavenly rewards. In the story, our Lord describes a wealthy man who “dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day” (Luke 16:19). A beggar named Lazarus lay at the rich man’s gate. The poor man looked like a failure––sick, neglected, and unable to provide for his most basic needs.

Jesus’ audience believed that sickness was a direct result of sin (John 9:2). Imagine their reaction at the end of the story, when Lazarus was comforted in heaven while the prosperous man lived in torment. Surprisingly, the destitute man was the one portrayed as rich in God’s eyes.

As believers, we need to remember that although we strive for earthly victories––whether popularity, influence, achievement, or wealth—these external indicators, or lack of them, have little or nothing to do with success in the Lord’s eyes. Unlike worldly triumphs, where the top spots are limited, God’s kingdom has room for everyone to be their best.

A top-selling author is no more important than a godly mother. A CEO is no more valuable than a customer service associate. The pastor of the largest church is no more successful than a devoted intercessor. If all of them faithfully follow God’s plan for their lives, He is equally pleased with each one.

It’s a little shocking, isn’t it? Success in God’s eyes is about submission, not achievement (Matt. 23:12). This is tremendously encouraging and freeing to me. I don’t have to decide how I can best serve God, make an impact on my world, or rise to the top of my field. Nor do I have to evaluate how I’m measuring up to an impossible standard. My job is to ask Him for direction day by day, and then walk in obedience. If I’m following God––not perfectly, but faithfully––I’m pleasing to Him.

You may be an award-winning business executive, a sought-after speaker, or a professional athlete. Or, like me, you may simply be filling a role that is needed but not glamorous. What a relief to know that God doesn’t compare us to our neighbor! The Father judges our service, not by the external results of obedience to Him, but by faithfulness in heeding His call, moment by moment.

Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” No matter what your job is, expect God—not people—to reward your persistence and integrity. You may never make the history books, but you will go down in God’s record as successful.

We Are What We Eat!

Do you know the expressions, “You are what you eat”?  I don’t know if it’s true in the physical realm, but it’s certainly true in the spiritual realm.  If we eat the wrong spiritual foods, we’re not going to feel well or be happy.  If we take in negative, hateful and loveless thoughts, we’re guaranteed to be miserable.  If we watch television and take in several savage murders salted with hatred, revenge and rebellion, and peppered with greed and lust, we’re surely not gong to feel too happy.

Then when we go to church on Sunday morning, we turn up our noses.  The hymns don’t appeal to us.  When we hear the pure Word of God, we’re not interested.  It’s milk for newborn Christians and meat for mature saints, but we push it away.

Why?  Simple!  We can’t eat slop all week and feel like a saint on Sunday morning.  It’s impossible.  God’s standard of righteousness won’t permit it.

Heaven or Hell on Earth?

I read of a man who went to a professional football game one Sunday afternoon.  To his dismay, he found himself on the bus sitting between two men who were on their way home from church.  They were talking about how God answers prayer and discussing the joy and happiness of knowing Christ and enjoying His presence in their homes and marriages.

When the man got off at the stadium, he told his friends, “I got stuck on the bus between two guys talking about God answering prayer and going to heaven and all that stuff.  I was sure in one hell of a fix!

There you have it!  What was heaven for two saints was hell on earth for him.  He had no appetite for it.  He was spiritually sick.

When we lack appetite for spiritual things, which is the basis of happiness, it’s not because we’re too sophisticated or too intellectual to accept God’s standard of righteousness.  It’s because we’re too spiritually anemic to know we’re dying.

Source:  Being Happy in an Unhappy World