THE GODLY

Psalm 12:1 (NKJV) 1 Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
     I came home one afternoon years ago to find the house empty, God had been speaking to me about my daily quiet time. I was reluctant to loose sleep to to get up earlier to spend time with Him. A pot was boiling on the stove and the quietness stunned me, I feel to my knees and cried, "Oh God have I been left behind," suddenly the phone rang, startled I jumped for the receiver but managed to make it fly across the room. When I did get control the caller was gone, it rang again and my wife's sweet voice said, "Hey honey I think I left a pot on the stove."
    The realization that God could at any moment make a change in my life cemented the need to spend more time with Him. I have never regretted rising early to spend time with my Savior and Creator. Have you made time for him today, I pray you do before, "The Godly ceases!"
Heavenly father help those who are struggling today, to spend the quality time they need, to know You. Help Father the searching to discover You will meet every need, may we together seek You with all our hearts. Amen

YOU ARE

Matthew 14:33 (NKJV) 33  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
     A man called recently and questioned, "Do you believe Jesus is God," "Yes," I replied. He then became agitated and berated me for the next 5 minutes. He finally cancelled the call and left me wondering as to the reason for the call.
     Jesus is indeed the Son of God, He came that we might by His sacrifice of His own life, once and for all people receive redemption from a life of sinful living. He came that all people might find forgiveness, cleansing and Eternal Life. Is Jesus God, Thomas confessed when Jesus appeared before him, after rising from the dead, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28 (NKJV), the disciples above worshipped Him as God, He who calmed the storm that threatened their boat. All who are healed and transformed by this One called Jesus, will confess on that day Jesus is Lord and Savior. Is he Lord and Savior of your life, He is God?
Heavenly Father we exist by You, we live by You, help us to worship You, for our lives are a gift to give back to You. Amen

THE NATIONS

Psalm 9:15 (NKJV) 15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
    Two boys playing in the woods, dug a pit, their plan was to trap wild game. They watched for days to see if any animal would fall in, but none did. Their conclusion, "A hole in the ground does not catch anything."
    Pits have been used since the creation of man, the subtle pit covered and concealed will do much damage and catch many unaware. Satan has so used the pit to catch men unaware, looking around without observing the evidence, clearly reveals the desire of men to go where they wish and ignore the disaster. Nations have failed over and over again, by refusing to sincerely observe past mistakes or historical records. Solomon writes, "There is nothing new under the sun."Ecc 1:9
     Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34 (NKJV) Today we should be on our knees in prayer for the nations, that God would be merciful to those who are falling into the pit. Have you made Jesus your safe guard, to keep you from falling into the pit?
Heavenly Father we are in need, today, there is much trouble, help oh God, those who are struggling with health, help Father those who have fallen and find it difficult to look up. May the leaders of the nations recognize You are God, before it is too late. Amen

A DAY

Acts 17:31 (NKJV) 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."
    In an old Daniel Boone episode, a man took the life of three innocent victims, caught for his sins against humanity, one of the actors said, "that man needed killin." The Word of God clearly reveals man must deal with those who take the lives of others, 'Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 24:17 (NKJV) and, He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Revelation 13:10 (NKJV) 
     The Word is delivered by God to believers, it is practiced by believers, it is fulfilled by believers, it is the Life of the believer, the world cannot understand that which is not for the lost. When men take their eyes off God and begin to embrace the fallen world system they become enamored with the sins of futility. Jesus points to the problem, For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 15:19 (NKJV), the heart is the seat of mans sinful actions, not inanimate objects, not mental instability, not even the other person, it is the individuals responsibility. (Note: no sin is greater than another.)
     Are you confused about how to live, just look at Jesus, He is the only example God gives? All will stand and give an account before God, no one who deliberately sins will escape God's judgment.
Heavenly Father many presume You are not going to judge sin harshly, help us to live as those alive from the dead, those who have put away foolish thinking. Help us Lord to obey with lives that prove You Are. Amen

HE ESTABLISHED

Proverbs 3:19 (NKJV) 19  The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;
  The writer to the Romans penned, "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 1:22,23," sadly the human race has not changed in over 5000 years, there still is the pretense of wisdom to the exclusion of God. The base things are worshipped and the All Wise Creator is ignored. God Himself said, "Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other." Deuteronomy 4:39 (NKJV)
    We indeed need heavens help there is no other way, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6 (NKJV), just knowing is not enough, we must have Him living in our being. Jesus does not enter in to our lives without confession of sin and the  request of His presence. Have you asked Him to enter in?
Heavenly Father we know we need You, help us to seek with all our hearts the One who grants Eternal Life, because He is! Amen

MORE VALUE

Matthew 10:31 (NKJV) 31  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
   A man in prison sat with his head in his hands listening to the Gospel, after the message was over he still had not moved. I asked, "Are you ok," he responded "I am lost in this place, nothing but a number, my mother does no even know where I am, God probably doesn't know." Asking him to look up, I explained, "God does know and He cares for you more than those little birds you hear outside, he looked hard into my eyes and questioned, "What do I need to do?"
   Romans 10:9,10 says, "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The man replied, "I can do that," and he prayed for God's Salvation, asking Jesus to forgive him and come into his heart. Through heavy tears he blurted out, "This is what Jesus meant, when He said He came to set the prisoner free!"
     Salvation can be received by anyone anywhere, but there must be the desire for forgiveness and cleansing more than any other thing. Have you been set free from your fears?
Heavenly Father we are free to be all You desire for us, help us to live as those set free form the prison of self serving. Amen

THE NEWS

Matthew 9:30-31 (NKJV) 31  But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.
     A little girl was told she was going to Disney World as a gift from Santa, she was warned by her parents to, "Tell no one, it is a secret." Friends soon called and exclaimed they had heard the good news and congratulated all. The parents curious about how so many heard of the coming trip asked their daughter if she had shared with anyone, she replied, "I told all my dolls, one of them must have left the phone on."
     Two blind men cried for mercy to be healed, Jesus asked, "Do you believe, I can do this," they answered yes, so Jesus replied, Let it be according to your Faith." We too may cry out for our needs to be met, however our requests must be surrounded with the Faith that sees God, as the One who meets all needs. Then like the two blind men, it will be too difficult for us to keep silent about the Great Mercy of our God. Have you trusted the Great healer with all your fears, He is able?
Heavenly Father in You all we see and everything we can't see exists. Thank you for giving to us life that may we give all honor and glory to You. Amen

DO NOT HINDER

Genesis 24:56 (NKJV) 56  And he said to them, "Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master."
     A child on Christmas Day was trying to open a gift, it was wrapped entirely with packing tape, a little cruel, maybe, but it was the gift he hoped for.
    God often sends us on mission, when we begin to minister the desire to go unhindered is evident, there is anxiety to some extent and the confidence we have done His Will, pushes us forward. Abraham  sent one of his own, to accomplish a goal, when the plan was complete, it was time to leave. Tarrying over the finished work often ruins the intended results.
     If you belong to Jesus, redemption is complete, but the work of Grace is unfinished, what has He called you to do today?
Heavenly Father help us to follow through in the mission You have assigned, help us Lord to be consistent, faithful, and willing. May every step move us closer to the goal You have established. Amen

KEEP YOU

Proverbs 2:10-11 (NKJV) 10  When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 11  Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 
   Thinking back on youth many things come to mind, especially the spontaneous fun we enjoyed, I sometimes laugh out loud at the antics of our family and the growing we did together. However when I began to mature life seemed to take on a more serious mood and the things once very funny seemed to me foolish, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NKJV) I now realize we are far too serious in day to day living, in order to enjoy the things in creation, we must first learn to enjoy God.
    If you have not looked at the way others see you, there may be a deficiency in the way you appear or express yourself, it may conflict with real christianity. Matthew 7:3 Wisdom must enter us before we are really wise, just as the Lord Jesus Christ must enter us before we are truly saved. The two go hand in hand, to experience redemption we must be washed clean by the Blood of Christ, to be wise God must enter in and show us His Way.
Have you trusted in your ability to know Him, or completely relied on Him to show you His Salvation.
Heavenly Father we are hopelessly lost without You, we need your touch in the power of Jesus to know You. Help us today to look at how we may bless those around us and not curse, help us to love and not defile, help us Lord to do your will your way. Amen

TAKE HEED

Matthew 6:1 (NKJV) 1  "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 
    A fierce battle, between ancient kingdoms, resulted in the capture of Abraham's nephew, with all their possessions. When Abraham heard he went out to rescue Lot, his efforts were successful and all was recovered. The story then reveals Abrahams heart, the king was thankful for the missions success and Abraham was offered all he wanted of the plunder, yet he said, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23  that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich'-- Genesis 14:22-23 (NKJV)
     This man of God revealed his heart belonged to God, he would not dishonor or deny God, in private or public he was the Lord's. The light often reveals wrong ideas and wrong motives, but, "What we do in the dark is really who we are!"
Heavenly Father help us to live every breath as if You would appear and take your servants to be with You. May we like Jesus, give Glory and Honor its rightful place, at your feet. Amen

SET APART

Psalm 4:3 (NKJV) 3  But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.
    The psalmist seems to brag of his relationship to God, the Truth has entered his mind, emotion and will, the fact is, obedience leads to a relationship with the Creator. Deuteronomy 6:5 He carefully reminds the hearer, there is a walk that man must walk, to find Eternal Life. Have you like the psalmist, trusted in The Savior, Jesus Christ, to eliminate any doubt that He sustains the believer? You can know you belong to God, however you must first trust His Word to redeem you.
Heavenly Father let us hear and obey, help us to walk in the Light, You have given, that others may see You. May all our efforts today exalt You. Amen

RECONCILED

Matthew 5:24 (NKJV) 24 ... First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 
    One complained, "My family won't listen to me, my brothers and sisters reject everything I have to say about God," then the complainer verbally chastised the waitress for forgetting a napkin.
     A man spoke to a group, "No one is exempt from self examination, every detail of our lives is scrutinized by those around us, if we smell of smoke we have been close to the fire!"
     "Offenses must come," Matthew 18:7 be careful that you are not the reason, another will not see Christ.
Heavenly Father we look up and see the extravagance of your Love it is bountiful, help us Lord to be like You in all we do. Amen

SINNERS

Proverbs 1:10 (NKJV) 10  My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
   A man in jail said, "The other guys egged me on, they told him me, I couldn't rob the store, you know what preacher they were right." Pier pressure does not have to be a problem for us, we must refuse to participate. However the desire to be accepted is a powerful human emotion, that needs to be controlled.
   In Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is tempted beyond the boundaries of human flesh and spirit, yet He sets the example for staying the course and saying "NO." The enemy of man wants above all else to be worshipped as a god, he is neither loving or merciful, yet many fall to temptations of self serving and excessive sinful living by the character quality of pride.
   What has captured you, what vice of the flesh holds your soul, I pray there is none and you have given to Christ every area of your life.
Heavenly Father may our living be captured by the Life of Jesus. May we in every step walk as He walked. May our lives match the life of the One who gave every thing that I might live. Amen

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

Genesis 4:10 (NKJV) 10  And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. 
     That moment when we realize, our actions were not good, when we discover there was no real thought just knee jerk response, guilt. A man sought out one he had harmed 40 years before, an action had taken the others health and the offender could no longer bear the burden, guilt had done its job, conviction brought the desire to seek forgiveness.
     Not so with Cain, he brazenly walked as if God did not see or know the deed, even confronted by the Creator, he callously replied, "Am I my brothers keeper," yes in deed we are and we will be held accountable for refusing to share our Faith in God with others. Ezekiel 3:17-21
    Has God spoken to you, have you responded appropriately, have you acknowledged God has the only Word we will ever need, have you given Him your entire being, have you trusted Jesus Christ as the Savior of your soul? Friend you must or you face Eternity without hope.
Heavenly Father in You alone is the Way of Life, may we look in this year to You only, let every other thing become nothing in our estimation. May your Love be our Love for all man kind. Amen

PLANTED

Psalm 1:3 (NKJV) 3  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 
   A dad promised his son, "We will go fishing when the rain stops, I won't let anything get in the way," the phone rang and he was called to solve a crises at work. Later the dad found his son in his room sullen and disappointed. "Son, there are times when I must help others but I still love you and I will not let that replace you," the boy replied, "Dad if you love me take me fishing." So father and son went fishing in the middle of the night.
    God's promises to us are more than father and son they are so much more than the will to please others, they are the substance of the life we live in this flesh and the Eternal Life to come. The God of all creation, says if we will place Him first in our lives He will pour blessings into our living. We will drink from the waters of Life, there will be multiplication, we will endure and we will increase in our territory. That is a promise we can count own, He will be with us in all we do. Have you trusted him with the big and little things in your life, He cares.
Heavenly Father I know You love me, I know you love those around me. Help me to be Jesus to all I come in contact with, let them see You and nothing else. Amen