BELIEVE THAT

Mark 11:24 (NKJV) 24  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
    A child ran to his mother, "Watch this he pleaded," trying to do a cartwheel he feel over short of his goal. She smiled and said, "Keep trying you will get it." There is much we do not understand about the encouragement of Jesus, He often made things so simple they were missed by the hearer. "What you ask," seems clear but we often forget, God is explaining in the spiritual vocabulary of the believer.
    Prayers are often blasted up to God, as they are answered, we have most times forgotten the original prayer. However, spend time petitioning Him for the desperate need, we then remember the course of action that prompted the prayer and the sweet answer of Truth in it. The solution then, is spending enough time with God that we are comfortable to ask the things that will please Him, the thing that will be best for us. Accomplished only in the knowledge of a relationship with Jesus.
    Have you asked for something and not received it, your prayer was more of, I"ll try and see if it works. He answers prayers of faith, those who believe God will respond, know, His nature is to meet the needs of his children. The person of prayer believes God will answer, there is no rabbit's foot mentality, He is in the room and He will meet the need. Are you really a believing prayer warrior in God, ask believing and you will receive!
Heavenly Father help us to pray as those alive from dead religion, help us to look to You in all our ways. May we remember that our prayers are the faith that is in us, may we seek You that we might know what You want for us. Amen

NO ONE

Mark 11:14 (NKJV) 14  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. 
    There is the appearance of good in many people, a simile of right doing when the heart is really dark in nature. A man recently looked at a child and declared, "There is real goodness, if we could just be like new borns our entire lives would be alright." Wrong, the nature of the child is to be served, to get its way. The child must be taught right from wrong, in order to mature properly.
     Jesus went to a fig tree to gather food to eat, seeing none, He declared, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." The picture our Lord presents is, appearing right but the results are oh so wrong. We expect good from people believing they are inherently good, that could not be further form the truth. When Jesus was approached by someone seeking heaven, He said, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. Mark 10:18 (NKJV) our perspective must be adjusted by the presence of The Divine Nature. Unless Jesus enters the heart and cleanses every area of self centeredness, there is no good in that person.
    My nature is not good, but there is One who came to make me something I could never be without Him, He will transform me, If, I will trust Him with every area of my life, I did, have you?
Heavenly Father who are we that You would care so much much for our souls. You gave exactly Who was needed to redeem mankind, thank you for your Gift of Eternal Life in Jesus. May we walk as those alive from the death of sin and obediently serve the Risen Lord. Amen

IF YOU CAN

Mark 9:23 (NKJV) 23  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
    A father desperate for the health of his child cries out, "If you can," the one he cares so much for, has a health issue that is destroying the child. His plea is for the healing of one so sick there is no other resource, no other medical help available, desperation drives him to those he does not know, but help is not there either. Seeing Jesus (that is the key) he pleads "If you can".
   Friend, Jesus can and he will, but first the faith that removes every strain of allegiance to any other person, thing or activity. The Son of God must have the entire will of the being, before He enters to remove all sin and any thing that comes between the believer and salvation.
   Jesus responds to the man of desperate actions, "IF YOU CAN BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE", does he, will he, trust that God can do anything, yes he does and what a miraculous thing He brings to a hurting family.
Heavenly Father we are in You by faith in Jesus Christ, there is no other way. Lord help us to walk like those who not only believe, but those who are set free from the confines of this world. Amen

THIS MAN

Luke 15:2 (NKJV) 2  And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."
    A child wandered into a corner and sat quietly, another noticed and took a toy for him to play with, the two sat quietly enjoying each others company, they played without incident. The child has the ability to comfort when he sees another in need, Jesus says, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." Mark 9:37 (NKJV) As we observe the world around us, many are in need of a moment of understanding, a touch, a hug, the quiet reassurance all will be well. The God of creation took time to receive those whom society rejected, religious leaders ignored the obvious, everyone needs a Savior.
    If a child can get it, why can't we, have we forgotten how to look around, have we become too single minded to see? God help us if we think our own little world is sufficient to enter heaven, for we may have caught the incriminating disease of care-less and find ourselves criticizing the Man, who receives sinners.
Heavenly Father, we need to see clearly what You see, help us Lord to recognize the hurt in others. May we be sensitive to the work You are already doing in an-others life, may we take time to observe that You might get Glory in us. Amen

FLAMES OF FIRE

Psalm 29:7 (NKJV) 7  The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
   Someone said recently, "The storms have brought more water than we have seen in years," another added, "God gives what we need and we have to deal with it." In these scriptures David reveals the wonder of the storm, seven times he mentions the "Voice of the Lord" and he gives glory to God for the wonder of it all.
   We are at the mercy of God and He does send what we need, however He has equipped us to embrace the great gifts from Heaven which transform lives and make us inheritors of eternal Life. Jesus is the revealer of God's Great Mercy and the gift of salvation comes through the wonderfully amazing work of our Lord.
    How does God divide the lightning and create the spectacle we observe in the storm, the psalmist declares through the "splendor of His Holiness." Let us give Glory to God, He alone is the reason we exist, in Him is Life forever, eternity is in Him and no other. Trust in Jesus today and the storm you face tomorrow will comfort you and Glorify God.
Heavenly Father we look to the wonder of your Glory, You love us with Eternal Love. We are yours by creation, and second time by Salvation, may we worship as those observing the storm. Amen
 

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