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