LOST HEART

Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) 13  I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 
    A man cried in church, "What is happening to our country, we seem to have lost our way." The bible teaches, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6 In the letter to Timothy, he is admonished to avoid those who would teach false doctrines as truth, that violate the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to intentionally withdraw from the deceivers.
    Jesus warns the believer in Matthew 7:15 (NKJV) "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. The false prophet says, one thing while doing another, he is a deceiver and his actions prove who and what he is. Our Lord identifies what he is like in verse 16, "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?"
    You cannot claim to know Jesus and live like the devil, we must deny the enemy access to our hearts while allowing Jesus to have every area of our lives. If you know Him, the life you live will look like Jesus, if you do not know Him the life you live will condemn you. Do not loose heart, the Lord will deliver His own.
Heavenly Father we need You, help us to look to You and pray for the welfare of our nation, that you will deliver the servant of the Most High God safely into your hands. Help us to pray that we might see You working around for your Glory. Amen

THE BEAUTY

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) 4  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
   Someone said recently "I love the old country churches, they have the charm of worship I remember as a child." Memories often remind us of better days, when cares were just something others had to deal with, we have good memories and bad, that tell the story of who we are.
   David often relished the presence of God in the temple, he however took God with him where ever he went. David sought God in the wild, on the battle field and in the palace, he longed for God's Presence in the Temple, he prayed in public for answers to difficult situations and he longed to know the Will of God, over any other thing. The king who ruled Israel had good memories and bad, he however always remembered God was the source of all things and He alone would meet every need of the inquirer.
    Have you sought the beauty the Lord (Jesus), have you inquired of Him, He will answer every honest query and give you what you need, if you know Him!
Heavenly Father we need every day a touch from your hand, help us to seek early the Way that pleases You. May all our desires be to please you in every thing, may we thirst for the Day of your appearing. Amen

FOR MAN

Mark 2:27-28 (NKJV) 27  And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
    The need of men to rest is obvious, the Spiritual need of man to drink in the Word of God is the source of Life. What we do with the day God has ordained for men, is essential to knowing God and necessary for the maturity of the worshipper of the King of Kings. The disciples were famished and picked just what was needed to curb hunger, however they were accused of violating Law and therefore offending God. The accusers had not seen that they were in the Presence of God, they had no ability to do so, because they were blinded to Truth by pride.
   Friend God knows what we do on the day we should be spending with Him, if you claim to know Jesus then you must know He is calling you aside for time with Him. If you have no desire to spend that alone time with God then you must realize, He is not a part of your life. Will you today ask Him, if you really are His by rebirth or just a fan in the Jesus fan club?
Heavenly Father to know You we must spend time with You, the call to worship is seated in our souls the moment we receive redemption. Help us today to focus on the Life that has been given to us, that we may know You as You wish to be known. Amen
 

LIFT UP YOUR HEADS

Psalm 24:7-10 (NKJV) 7  Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. ... The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah
   A battle hardened group was held hostage to fear and awe, the leaders were indecisive and refused to engage the enemy, who taunted with enormous fire power and overwhelming odds. How was the war going to end, who would claim victory when there was no action? An unassuming figure moved into the scene, assessed the situation and declared, "Who is this, that defies the armies of The Living God?"
     For some the enemy is too big, too fast, too intelligent, too abrasive, to the one who knows The Living God, (Jesus) nothing is impossible. "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18:27 (NKJV) The challenge comes along the line of our salvation, if we belong to Jesus through redemption, we are a child of The King, with the King anything will be accomplished, if we ask believing. David knew all too well that God is victorious, in whatever He wants to do. Is He captain in your life, has the Lord of Glory taken command of your unit? He will if you ask for forgiveness of all self centered living and put your faith in Jesus, God will slay the giants of doubt, fear and intimidation if you look to Him.
Heavenly Father in You alone is the security we need to accomplish the goals you have assigned to us. Help us today to embrace victory over the enemy of all doubts and fears, may we look to You and no other. Amen

HOLINESS

Exodus 28:36 (NKJV) 36 "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 
   A child cried, “They won’t play with me,” the mother coaxed the others to try and play with her child, she then observed, when her child was near the others he would intentionally hit, causing the others to move away. The will do be a part must come with the desire to co-operate.
    In the verse above God desires that we represent Holiness in every area of our lives. The wearing of Holiness on the breast plate does not produce the desired results, it must come from within the individual. Many today get tattoos on their bodies, the mark is skin deep, it represents what the wearer believes or embraces, however it is a worldly symbol of an ancient craft, “Meaning I am owned by the one who made the mark.”
  Christianity cannot be marked indelibly by man, it must come from the One who makes everyone clean through the shedding of His own pure blood. Jesus is the only way into Eternity, the stamp of Holiness must come through His word, the breast plate of righteousness is given by the Lord of Glory.
Heavenly Father we are yours in every way, nothing in our lives produces Holiness but you. May we live this day as those set apart, purchased with the most valuable commodity of all, The Blood of The Lamb. Amen

THE LORD LOOKS

1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) ... For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
    A man cried to God, "Take this sickness away from me it has ruined my life," yet he continued in his sins, having lost his friends, his parents rejected him, he then cried, "God I know You are, help me to confess every sin as selfish and self serving, help me to receive your Son, I know He is the only Way." Cody then found God's transforming Power and was radically changed, reduced to living in a wooded lot because drugs had stolen his life, he now tries to rebuild all the things he tore apart, family, relationships and a life.
   We celebrate this time in February, every year to remind us of those we love and have loved, however, love that is real comes from the heart, God sees our hearts and knows what is hidden in our lives, He observes the bare truth of who we are. The psalmist writes in Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! 
   Would you like to really love another person, hide God's word where it will do the most good and your love for others will overflow. Jesus loved us from the very core of His being, He alone is the example of Love. Won't you trust Him today?
Heavenly Father, we are yours the price you paid, says it all. May we live as those alive from the dead as ones loved by the Creator. May our every breath be remembered as a gift of life from You and let all Your love fill the lives of those around us. Amen

HIS HAND

2 Samuel 6:6 (NKJV) 6  And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
   He sat in the corner looking sad and forgotten, the house smelled of clorox and there was the distinct presence of anger. The mother apologized for the odor and invited us in, I asked, "How is Billy," "Not doing so good," his mother replied, he just decided to use butter to slide down the stairs, he heated it up and poured a whole pound down from the top landing, Billy input, "My hands did it."
    Uzzah paid a terrible price for disobedience, he was trying to do the right thing the wrong way. The ark was to be carried by those who are clean, just as the Word today is to be lived by those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. The believer is redeemed the moment he denies his entire life and confesses Jesus is Lord. Many today walk as Uzzah did, secure in the fact that being around those who are redeemed is all that is needed. Friend we have to answer to a Holy God anything short of Holiness will not do!
Heavenly Father we know, to live is Christ to die is gain, help us to live like there will be no tomorrow. May we look to You in the things that distract and walk Right, before The Holy God. Amen

MY LAMP

Psalm 18:28 (NKJV) 28  For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
     A student questioned about study habits replied, "I don't understand the material, so I don't study." Later the student failed the course and complained, "I gave it my best shot," that is unacceptable in any situation, if we do not apply ourselves we do not get the proper results.
   Spiritual darkness is the result of refusing to seek God, He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:4-5 (NKJV) The soul that claims God as his Savior must walk just as Jesus walked, the desire of the heart is to please God and do His Will. (vs 6 mine) If we are to enter heaven, there must be applied relationship to Jesus through a daily walk with Him.
    Have you trusted Him to lead your life, or just applied the salve of knowledge hoping to get through?
Heavenly Father help us to live each day as those that are alive from the dead, help us Lord to walk as Jesus showed us that others may see You. May each step prove we love You with all our hearts. Amen
   

PRAISE

Matthew 21:16 (NKJV) ..." And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"
   We watched some recordings of our children, the tender voices and innocent replies touched the depths of our hearts. A voice asking, "Mommy or Daddy can I," rends the heart, and staggers the memory of blessed days gone by.
     Jesus is going to Jerusalem to make a way for all the world to be reborn and re-engage our relationship with the Creator through His perfect sacrifice. The excitement of the moment is highlighted with the cries of children, "Hosanna to the son of David," innocently moved they worship as God has prescribed from the beginning of time. Confronted by the religious elite, Jesus responds with the quote above, surely the chief priests and scribes were staggered at His response. Young and old, wise and learned, cry out, "Save us son of David, they must have recognized, the crowd believed He is God.
      Friend Jesus is the only way to heaven, He is the only answer for society, He is the only life we can live, may God help us find in Jesus all we need?
Heavenly Father the life we live is evidence of what we believe, help us to live that others see You. May all our doings bring Glory and Honor to You, let every thing praise You. Amen