Joel 2:23

"Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you, The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month" Joel 2:23

God had disciplined Israel -- severely. It's like making a kid stand in the corner for 3 weeks! 70 plus years in exile, separated from your homeland, cut away from your place of worship -- the visible evidence of your God. It had been a long, long time. How did God respond? He blessed His people. This is indicated by the rains. In an agricultural society, the rains are everything. Without them there are no grains to make into bread, no grapes for wine, no pasture for the animals -- no animals -- no food -- no drink. But, there's more. God provided the early rains -- those needed to provide moisture for the germination and growing of the seed into plants. Even these are worthless without the latter rain.

Ask any farmer. The best looking corn will produce nothing if there is no rain at the appropriate time during the growing season. No rain then equals empty ears of corn equals no harvest. God was faithful to provide all the needs of His people. He always is. For those who turn to Him, He makes all the provision necessary for success. It may not be rain that is so important to you. It could be an unexpected raise, or another unexpected raise in gasoline prices, or a seemingly worthless stock that suddenly becomes a hot commodity.

I don't know how many times God has provided for HIS family in ways that seem miraculous. Those are the former and latter rains to our modern society. Remember this: God has His hand in all things concerning His children - that's you and me. He is fully capable to do what is best for us. All we have to do is move over and get out of the way! Amen and Amen.

"Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" Matt. 16:17

Sometimes we just "know" things. I have been walking down the street and "just known" that someone had just come up beside me. How? I don't know - they had not yet entered my peripheral vision. They walked silently. I don't know how I knew they were there; I just knew. How? I just knew. There is no explanation.

Peter was in one of those moments. He had blurted out the knowledge that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. How did He know it? He most likely couldn't tell anyone - even Jesus. He just knew. But Jesus had the answer. "Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." Peter "just knew" because God told him - no, not in some audible voice. God did not reveal Himself in that way on a regular basis. Peter knew because in his heart, God had planted a seed. That seed had taken root. The seedling grew into a flowering plant. And that flowering plant had begun to produce fruit. This statement is the first of the many fruits that Peter would produce over the next years.

Jesus even tells Peter that his fruit would be quite amazing. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Matt. 16:18

Ah! What fruit! Out of Peter's confession would grow a great assembly - "My church" - and that assembly would be a powerful force in the world - "the gates of Hell will not prevail against it." I suspect you and I would be very pleased to hear these words spoken to us. Peter was most likely taken back a bit, but soon recovered his former bravado. It wasn't until the denial that Peter was humbled enough to know how great a responsibility was being placed upon his very human shoulders.

There was more. "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Matt. 16:19

Not only would a great congregation come from Peter's confession, but Peter himself would be handed the keys of the kingdom and the authority to use them! Unfortunately, we don't know what Peter's response to these promises was. Perhaps Matthew is saving Peter from further humiliation; I don't know. I do know that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and multitude was saved. I know that the keys of the Kingdom were used that day to unlock the bonds that bound lost men and set them free. I know that Peter eventually understood what Jesus was trying to tell the bull-headed fisherman who would not listen.

I also know that Jesus is training each of us for a specific project. All that we go through in life is designed to help us prepare for that mission. I also know that you and I do not understand what we are intended to do with ourselves - oh, we may think we have our lives all sorted out and planned from today on to the day we die. But we would be wrong. If we are dedicated to the will of God, our plans can be changed by the Master on the spur of any given moment - because He knows where we need to be and what we need to be doing. The real question is this: "Are we the pre-Pentecost Peter-type or are we the post- Pentecost Peter type? Are we living our lives our way - or God's way?" And that, my friends, is a question we must answer every day. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

1 Peter 3:8-9

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:8-9, NIV).

Dr. Leslie Flynn writes about the time when the English and French were at war in colonial Canada. " Admiral Phipps, in charge of the British Fleet, was ordered to anchor outside Quebec, a city on the St. Lawrence River. He was to await the coming of the British infantry and then join the land forces in attack.

"Arriving early, Admiral Phipps, an ardent nonconformist, was annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the roof and towers of the Catholic cathedral. So he spent his time shooting at them with the ship's guns. How many he hit we don't know, but history recorded that when the infantry arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral found himself out of ammunition. He had used it for shooting out the saints."

I sometimes wonder, in the church, how much of our efforts are poured into fighting among ourselves over insignificant trivialities, and "shooting our wounded," instead of uniting our efforts to attack the real enemy.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me not to waste my time, energy, and resources on trivialities or majoring on minors, but always to major on the majors. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice." Psalm 20:1-3

I humbly pass this blessing on to you. You deserve it. Go ahead, it's yours! I sincerely pray that your prayers will be answered -- always. From experience I know that it is not easy having questions unanswered. It is better to receive a sharp "no" than to hear nothing. I pray that all your prayers be answered in such a way that you will know the answer without doubt. You are set aside for God. He has lifted you out of the quicksand and placed you squarely in the very center of His family. You are His child. He loves you. Because you have called upon His name, you ARE exalted on high -- and in the end, we will all reign with Him.

When you are in trouble, may He always send help. It may be an angel. It may be a friend. It may be supernatural. Or it may be a natural occurrence, but God will always send you help. God is good -- All the time. He answers prayer -- especially a prayer offered in unity by His children.

May the Lord find all your sacrifices acceptable. Those sacrifices may be financial, (temporal time), emotional (praise, thanksgiving, and worship), prayer, or any other type of offering. I pray that God will meet you at every turn and find you acceptable. I ask that He will give you an unquenchable thirst for Him. In this way, all that you do will be pleasing to Him. Hallelujah, Amen.

Hebrews 12:11, NIV

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11, NIV).

Robert Munger writes about an American traveling in Syria who became acquainted with a shepherd. Each morning he noticed the shepherd taking food to a sheep that had a broken leg. As he looked at the animal, he asked the shepherd, "How did the sheep break its leg? Did it meet with an accident, fall into a hole, or did some animal break its leg?"

"No," said the shepherd, "I broke this sheep's leg myself."

"You broke it yourself?" queried the surprised traveler.

"Yes, you see, this is a wayward sheep; it would not stay with the flock, but would lead the sheep astray. Then it would not let me near it so I had to break the sheep's leg so that it would allow me, day by day to feed it. In doingthis it will get to know me as its shepherd, trust me as

its guide, and keep with the flock."*

Sometimes, just sometimes, when we insist of going our ownstubborn way and leading others astray, the Shepherd of the fold, may have to "break our leg" too for our own good and that of others.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the good sense to not only know what is the right thing to do but the courage to do it, so that I won't need to experience painful discipline. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Robert Boyd Munger in Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations by Paul Lee Tan.

Acts 8:23

"For I see that you are poisoned by bitternessand bound by iniquity." Acts 8:23

At a church I once attended, they had a young lady who signs forthe hearing impaired members. She was very expressive and was a joy to watch even for the hearing congregation members. While watching I noticed the sign she used for sin. She crooked her finger like a hook and placed it near her mouth.

I checked to be sure and she said that the origin of the sign was,indeed, a hook. How appropriate! Sin is like a hook. And Satan sets his line to reel us in if we are not careful.

Like a fisherman, Satan places bait on the hook. That bait is what the Bible refers to as the pleasures of sin for a season. He "helps" us elevate our mood with drugs or alcohol, gives us a few moments of delight in sexual sin, provides a secret exhilaration when we deceive another, gives us a feeling of superiority when we gossip about another. These are all pleasurable feelings. They are the bait. But concealed within bait is a hook. Once we begin to sin, it becomes easier to sin. Eventually, the sin begins to control our lives. We become a slave to the alcohol ,the drug, the sex, the lies, the gossip. We are hooked.

Fortunately, we can be "taken off the hook" before the barbs dig in. The tool is repentance. We admit our sin to God and ask for help. He will help us come unhooked. But once freed from that sin, we need to become wiser. We must examine the "pleasures" of the world carefully. Be cautious of the treats offered to us, because often hidden beneath that nice juicy worm is a very sharp hook. Amen and Amen.

Matt 6:24

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" Matt 6:24

Picture this. I knew a man who had two jobs. Both employers want this fellow to work weekends. Not only do they want him to work weekends, they want him to work the same hours on the weekend. Obviously this guy has a problem. He is trying to satisfy two bosses and it is impossible.


His situation is a bit like the little boy who was sitting on the fence between two turfs with a mean massive dog on each side. Which way was he to go? If he jumped off to the right, the black dog would get him. If he jumped to the left, the brown dog was waiting. The only thing he could do was try to shimmy down the fence to a place where there was no dog and not fall off
before he got there.

We do that sometimes. We straddle the fence trying to take advantage of two different worlds. We may have an alcohol problem, but we think we can drink wine with a meal and not get into trouble. Ask any recovering alcoholic if that is possible and the answer is likely to be a resounding, "NO!" Is it possible for someone trying to kick the cigarette habit to wean himself off the weed one at a time? Possible, but not likely. Is it possible to lose weight and keep it
off by not eating? Not without a serious lifestyle change involving increased exercise (I know because I have lost weight over the past year, but they seem to find me every time and bring a lot of friends back with them!

Jesus was right; we cannot serve two masters. Oh, we mayget by with it for a time, but eventually one or the otherwill take control and we will invariably loose because the fleshly master will have the greater draw. We will love theone and hate the other.

One last word: if we desire to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, we must continually break our ties with satan. Just like losing weight, stopping smoking, quitting drinking, we will have a struggle on our hands and it may be a prolonged struggle. But this is a battle we can win, if we are willing
to choose the right Master. If you are struggling today, choose Jesus. He is the only Master who can help you win the war and His victory parade is out of this world!
Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Nahum 1:7.

"The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him" Nahum 1:7.


It's nice to be known. When you walk into a room full of strangers, you immediately look for a familiar face. Why? We don't like to be alone. If we see two faces that we know and they are on opposite ends of the room, we have a choice to make. Invariably we move to the end housing the person with whom we are most comfortable. We just like to have company in a strange or uncomfortable situation.


How important it is then that we know the Lord. Even more important that He knows US! There have been times that I walked up to that familiar face only to discover that the person didn't know (or remember) me! Now that's embarrassing. What do you say when you greet a person with a hearty "Hello, Bob. How are you." Only to be greeted with a puzzled look and a "Do I know you?" It makes you want to melt through the cracks in the floor!


It certainly is comforting that we are known by the Lord when we take refuge in Him. Not only are we known by Him, but He welcomes us with open arms. He asks how we are doing. He inquires about our spouse, our kids, the job . . . . He is interested in all our doings. He makes us feel welcome -- at home -- at ease. When we are in His refuge, His shelter, His fortress, we have nothing to fear. If you are outside the stronghold looking in, open your door and enter. Yes, you read me right. The only door that keeps you out of God's presence is the door that you keep closed to Him -- your door -- your heart -- your privacy. In all reality, God has no doors on His kingdom for He is willing to accept all comers. It is only our refusal to accept Him as our Savior, our Lord, our King, that separates us from the joy and peace we all seek.


So, open your door and walk into the presence of Jesus. Though you may have done it before, you can do it again -- every day. Don't allow yourself to be kept apart from Him. He certainly wants you in His presence. He will never turn you away if you are seeking His face. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Acts 20:23-24

"Except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" Acts 20:23-24.


The Apostle Paul is speaking in these verses. He is telling of his final trip to Jerusalem before his arrest and detention and ultimate trip to Rome. Paul says that at each stop along the way, the prophets and prophetesses would indicate that he would be bound in Jerusalem. Of course they wanted him to go elsewhere -- anywhere -- to remain a free man. But Paul would not be swayed from the direction the Lord was leading him. The Lord said "Jerusalem" so Jerusalem it would be. If he was to be put in bonds, so be it. If it meant certain death, he did not hold life so dear that he was not willing to sacrifice it for his Lord and Savior. Paul was focused -- (like a kind of tunnel vision) focused on Jesus. Nothing else mattered to him but doing the will of his King.


In this Paul was adamant -- and we should be as well. Nothing -- no person, no possession, no government, no power or authority, nothing -- should keep us from doing the will of our Father. But, alas, we live in a land far to influenced by "Stuff." Who among you can walk through a department store and exit the store without making a purchase? When the kids and grandkids come over to play, do we hide our most valued possessions so they will not get broken? What is more valuable, grandma's whatnot or a grandchild? If our TV or DVD player breaks, do we rush out to replace it with something even better? I'll admit, I long for a flat screen TV, but I
still don't have it.


Stuff or things do separate us from our appointed purpose and plan. How often have we not gone to church so we could watch the "soccer game" live? (I've tried recording the FA Cup Finals -- it's just not the same! But I go to church anyway.) When Carmel and I get away to Xavier House (A Christian Retreat in the Cheung Chau with no phones in the rooms and no TV, radio, etc.) we find ourselves much closer to God. And I found I could do without TV or radio or a refrigerator or even a lot of food. But how quickly I fell into the old patterns when I returned to "civilization". How sad that I have to resort to solitude in the retreat housein order to "hear Gods voice louder." The affairs of this world are indeed a distraction to me. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes my focus is blurred. Will you be the second? Amen and Amen.

Luke 11:42

"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone" Luke 11:42.


"Pastor Edwin, I don't have any mint or rue or other herbs, so what's your beef today? Besides I tithe on all of my income. So lay off will you?" I hear you loud and clear. Today, I won't preach about tithing. I won't even tell you that you need to tithe on the small things in addition to your regular income. (Oh, by the way, have you ever thought about tithing on your birthday
presents?) And that wasn't Jesus' point either.


Jesus was talking about the letter and the spirit of the law. The law was to tithe 10% of the "increase." The Pharisees didn't have a problem with that. They were so strict that they counted even the smallest details. I mean, get real, you tithe off the increase of your herb garden?


No, the point was not tithing. It was the spirit of the law. They tithed, but they did things against God's law that no self-respecting church going man would ever do. For example, the Law stated that a man could not walk over a certain distance from his home on the Sabbath. That was rather restrictive since Sabbath dinner at Mom's house was beyond the limit. So some rabbi somewhere down the line said a man's house was where his hat was. Alas! Friday afternoon would find a man walking so far and leaving a hat in a tree. He would travel that distance and leave another hat. He would do that until he could reach Mom's house -- only a Sabbath's day walk away from his hat -- err, I mean "home" (or should I say "homes"!) Pretty slick.


Another ploy used by good Pharisees was this. The Law says that a man should take care of his family. Mom and Dad were in need, but Jr. didn't want to help. So what did he do? He dedicated all he had to the Lord -- and appointed himself as God's representative. He certainly couldn't take care of Mom and Dad with the Lord's money. It wasn't his to distribute. Mom and Dad went hungry. Jr. extracted his "maintenance fee" from the "Lord's property" and lived quite well, "thank you very much."


"OK, Pastor Edwin. What's the point?" Glad you asked. We often justify ourselves with "spiritual excuses." Carmel might ask me to do something for her. I often forget. I might come up with an answer like this: "I'm sorry, Honey. I was praying and time just got away from me." See the "spiritual" excuse? It sounds good, but it's a lie just the same. Or I might have indeed been praying -- no lie -- but the truth of the matter is I was just too lazy to do it! I'm sure if you think about it you can come up with something that you really did along this line.


Jesus was saying that we should live our lives in service -- not just paying our tithe -- or doing our good deeds -- or praying -- or reading the Word (though these are vitally important and not to be ignored). There is a difference. Hell will be quite well populated with men and women who "paid their tithes" but live like hellions during the week. Hell will be the eternal home for many who "went to Church every Sunday" but hit the bars every Friday. And that's not to mention the men who "love their wives" but have affairs with the women they work with. Good deeds, paying the tithe, praying, even preaching, do not guarantee your salvation. Only the application of the Blood of Jesus can do that. And that only if we don't wash it off the first time we get a chance! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 137:1

"By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion" Psalm 137:1.


It was a sad time for Israel. The unbelievable had happened. The once great kingdom of David and Solomon laid in ruins -- her people, those who were left alive, had been transported to nations far away. The best and brightest and healthiest and strongest were now in Babylon. They were inconsolably saddened by the turn of events that lead to their demise. Sure, they had been warned by the prophets, but they were thought of as nothing but a bunch of religious fanatics and kooks. But they had been true spokesmen for God. Now they were paying for their frivolities.


Their captives -- ever desiring something "new" -- demanded they play the songs from the Israeli homeland, the happy songs, the joyous songs, not the dirges the Jews wanted to play. But their hearts were not in it. How could they do the "happy" songs when their hearts were heavy with defeat and disbelief. Besides, they were homesick for a land they would most likely never see again! The next verse says the hung their harps in the willow trees. They refused to play.


To be honest, I long for the old days myself. I long for the days when Moms were home when the kids got home from school. I remember a time when drugs were bought from the druggist not the corner "pusher." I weep for a time, long lost, when the moral standard was high and the teen pregnancy rate was just barely above zero. Yes, I long for the days of the '50s, '60s and early '70s. Those were days when you didn't have to lock the doors to your house and car. Those were the times when you could walk the streets at midnight and not worry about being mugged. Those were indeed the "good old days". And, yes, they were better times.


What happened? Where did we go wrong? More importantly, how can we return? Yes, we were warned by the modern prophets. They shouted that we should not allow abortions to enter the main streets of our communities. Certainly, they informed, cajoled, pleaded, bargained, and warned us that if we continued to turn our backs on God that He would eventually turn His back on us. If it could happen to Israel, God's chosen nation filled with His chosen people, it could happen to each and every nation and race.

Indeed, there is an answer. And that answer is unpopular! We, as the people of God, must return to the roots our forefathers planted. We must return to the Judeo-Christian foundation. We must return to a saving faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! That is our only hope to prevent the same thing that happened to Israel from happening to us!

Do you weep with me? Do you long for something that we had and lost and long to have again? Then pray that God will save all the nations -- no, pray that God will save all human beings again! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Jeremiah 17:9-10.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings" Jeremiah 17:9-10.


"It's hopeless. I can't be changed. I'm evil from my mother's womb and there is nothing I can do about it." Ever thought that or something like it? I have. When I get caught in the snare of one of my pet sins -- again -- and again, that's when I think it. I also wonder "what's the use of trying? I never change." And all this is true.


"Wait a minute, Pastor Edwin. You are supposed to lift my spirits. Now you are telling me that I am bad and there is nothing I can do about it. What's gotten into you. Are you like, sick or something?"


I hear you, but it is true. There is nothing you and I can do about the evil lurking in our hearts. Jeremiah was correct. Think about it. Where does our sin come from? The desires of the heart. We want something so we set about getting it. Whether it be a new toy, or a new car, or a new wife, or a house or whatever it is our hearts desire, we usually find a way to get it. We may use legal means -- like working overtime to get the required the funds, or being on our best behavior when we are around our "dream" date. Or we may turn to illegal means -- like stealing or lying or cheating or even killing. The difference is only in degrees.


Allow me to explain. A legal means must cause sacrifice somewhere. It may be stealing time from our families. It may be padding our time to get the overtime thus stealing from our employers. These are no better than robbing a bank or killing. They are all sin -- and there is no degrees in sin. Romans says "all have sinned and fallen short. . ." It doesn't say "only those who have committed great and grievous sins have sinned and fallen short . . ." A sin is a sin and a sin will keep you from God -- yes, even one sin.


"So where is the hope, Pastor Edwin?" It's here: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10 ) While it's true that we can do nothing about our deceitful hearts, God can. He can take our hard, cold, lifeless hearts and replace them with soft hearts full of love and mercy and grace. He can do what you and I find hopeless. The only problem is that He will not do it unless and until we are ready. God will never force himself upon us. He only gently prods us in the right direction. Even then we have the right of refusal. Yes, God cares, but He created us with the freedom to choose and He will never take that away -- not even to meet His own needs.


Caught in the depths of despair? Turn to Jesus. He has the ladder. Locked in a prison of defeat? Turn to Jesus. He holds the keys to your lock. Lost in a maze of confusion? Turn to Jesus. He has the map to freedom. Yes, it's true. Jesus is the answer for the world today. Without Him there is no other. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the LIGHT. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Kings 16:8

"And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria" 2 Kings 16:8.


Ahaz was not a good man. Never was. Never will be. It just wasn't in his nature. He was selfish, proud, arrogant, selfish -- oh, I already said that. There was nothing Ahaz wouldn't do to please himself. So, when the kingdom was on the line, Ahaz did the only thing he could do to save his position -- he emptied his personal coffers -- wrong! No, he emptied the coffers of his national bank account -- wrong again! He went to the Temple and robbed the wealth that was held in the storage rooms there! Can you imagine the nerve of this man. Robbing God! I suspect that he thought God wouldn't mind. After all, God never did have much to say to Ahaz. Only those prophets came around and gave nothing but harsh warnings. I suspect Ahaz though, "I'll show Him who's boss. I'll just use His wealth to keep my enemies happy!"


Speaking of robbing God, none of us would think of breaking into our local Church and stealing the sound equipment and selling it so we could buy a new car. None of us would ever take money OUT of the offering plate as it was passed! Of course not. We are an honest people and we honor our God by being honest.


Or are we so pure in our relationship with God? We may pay our tithes, but do we do any work for the Lord on Monday? Do we ever call on a new visitor? Do we ever visit the sick in the hospital? Do we ever volunteer to teach a Sunday School class? Do we offer to cook a meal for some bereaved family -- even though we don't know them personally? Do we help the janitor clean the building after the morning service so he can get home at a reasonable time? Do we even pick up our own trash after the service? No? Then you are robbing God.


Do you watch movies you shouldn't watch? Do you drive over the speed limit? Do you look hungrily at that luscious looking co-worker with the gorgeous body? Do we shout at our kids and show them no love? Do we buy them things to make up for our lack of personal time with them? Yes? Then you are robbing God.


You see, theft comes in many forms. God has required more of us than our tithe -- though if you are giving less than 10% of your income to the work of the Kingdom, you are robbing God, too. He requires our time. He requires our love. He requires that our love be expressed to our family and our neighbors -- and our enemies! He requires our lives -- and not just part of them, but all of them. If we are only giving 10% of ourselves, we are robbing God. If we are giving 95% of ourselves, we are robbing God -- and we are just as guilty as Ahaz!


You may have missed it yesterday, or in the last hour, but you can start over right now. Go ahead, give Him your all. You will find that He gives much more in return! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

John 5:4-5

"For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years." John 5:4-5.


Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made whole, and he answered, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up." He was so caught up with thinking he needed someone to help him, he could not see that his miracle was standing right in front of him! When you have no man to help you--nowhere to turn but God--you are a prime target for a miracle! No man can do for you what Jesus can do for you.


When you quit depending on your job, the preacher, your family, or the next healing line, you are positioned for your breakthrough. Family may let you down, the preacher may disappoint you and your friends may forsake you, but Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother.


Rely on Him and Him alone, and He will meet you at the very point of your deepest need. What are the deep needs He is meeting in your life today? Praise Him, Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 108:3

"I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations" Psalm 108:3.


I know, it's not Thanksgiving Day, but it is still good to give thanks to the Lord. As a matter of fact, there is no Biblical Thanksgiving Day because every day should be a day of thanksgiving!


Three questions come to my mind:


First, of what should we be thankful? Now there is a loaded question, but I want you to make a list of things you are thankful for. Be specific. Be generous in you thoughts. I think you will find your list a lot longer than you think -- if you will just get quiet and ponder the possibilities for a few moments.


~~~~

Question 2: To whom should we be thankful?


Obviously God is tops on most of our lists, but how long has it been, guys, since you thanked your wife for a well prepared meal -- or the way she runs your household -- or the way she is raising your children (and she does, you know. She has much more influence on your children than you do.) Have you ever thanked your server at your favorite restaurant? No, I mean with more than a tip. Have you stopped and thanked her/him personally and told them how good a job they did? Have you thanked your employer for hiring you and providing a job for you? Come to think of it, how often do you express thanks to those around you?


Question 3: When it comes to thanking the Lord, where do you do it?


In the privacy of your prayer closet? That's good. In the presence of your family? Wonderful! In the assembly of the saints? Perhaps. In the market place? " Get real, Pastor Edwin. I'm too private a person for that!" Oh, really? The Psalmist suggests that we should not be so shy! He recommends that we thank the Lord among the people -- that's the world, people. They should know from whom our blessings come. We shouldn't make them guess -- they are most likely to believe we quietly won the lottery, or a rich uncle died, or some other such thing. No, they should have no doubts that our blessings come from the Lord. How do we do that? I have a friend who, when asked how he is, always responds "Blessed!" It opens opportunity for him to share how the Lord has blessed him. It really gets some strange reactions in the checkout lane of his favorite grocery store!


Try it, you may like it! Of course for the really bold among us, the Psalmist suggests that we sing God's praise among the nations! Now we have really stretched out into the heathen world -- and we don't really have to burn a CD to do it. We can just hum a happy song of the Lord as we shop, work, play, visit, etc. Trust me, even if you are a lousy singer, people will wonder why you are so happy! And THAT will open doors for you! My life is a daily Ministry and yours can be one too. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Gen 2:18

"And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him" Gen 2:18.


Did you notice the wording here? "It is not good for man to be alone"? Why not? Have you ever seen the apartment of a single man? How about his car? Need I say more?


I knew a youth Pastor years ago who was a single man. His car looked like it was part of the set for the junk yard! I don't believe he ever threw anything that entered the door of his vehicle away. Worse yet, I don't thing there was a thing in there worth saving! And, sorry to say, this is not an isolated case! It seems to run in the "youth Pastor" blood line!


Most men think they can "go it alone," but let the little woman go shopping and leave a couple of kids with daddy and see what happens. Oh, it may look good on the outside, but look closely and you will begin to see some strange things -- like food splatters where there should be no food, like spaghetti sauce in the cracks in the ceiling tiles! And diapers put on in reverse with duct tape, because the tape wouldn't work! Or, feeding steak and rice to an infant. Yes, I did ALL these things myself. My wife almost had a heart attack!


When God created man, he created a creature with an ego. When He saw that man was nothing but trouble constantly, He chose to create woman to help Him out, because Man did not know where he had come IN! Eve had just the talents that Adam was missing. (And I'm not talking about looks here guys!) I really believe it was woman who discovered fire. Man would still be eating his meat raw! I believe most women have the skill to organize a man's life. Without a woman, most men couldn't get out the door on time -- except Sunday when the shoe is on the other foot! (To be honest, if most men would help their wives with the kids, they would not be late at all.)


I've noticed over the past many years that what a man lacks, his God given wife has. If he is no organizer, she is. If he lacks financial wizardry, she has it in abundance. It is good for a husband and wife to sit down together and discuss their strengths and weaknesses -- and we guys really have them -- and the biggest weakness we have is our inability to admit to anyone that we REALLY DO have them!


Then, after our strengths and weaknesses are honestly discussed, we should divide the responsibilities, giving each care over our strong areas, sharing what is left over. If that means Me, being the Man give up the check book, so be it. The marriage will be stronger for it. If that means Me, again, The Man wash dishes, I will do it with all that is within me -- don't get the wrong idea, Carmel. This is just an example!


Having problems in your marriage? Look to see if each is doing what he or she is good at. You might be surprised at what you find. Praise God, Amen and Amen.

Isa 26:4

"Trust in the LORD forever, For in JEHOVAH, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock" Isa 26:4.


Here's a question for you:
Why should we trust in the Lord?
Because He is a Rock?

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Give up?

Off the top of my head I can think of several reasons. First, during the Exodus we find that the Rock provides water. When it was struck, out of it flowed rivers of life giving water. What's more, in Hebrews we find that the Rock followed the people while they were in the desert places. So we see that the Lord is a Rock of life -- we cannot survive without water. We cannot survive without the Lord.


Second, the Rock is a hiding place. Isaiah talks about being hidden in the shadow of the rock. Many a man has found protection from his enemies, the weather, wild animals, and more by hiding in the rocks. When the storms of life come upon us, when our enemies surround us, all we have to do is take shelter in the Rock, Jesus Christ.


Third, the Rock is a foundation. Jesus talked about the foolish builder and the wise builder. Which built his house upon the rock? Of course it was the wise man. Jesus said to Peter that He would build His Church upon the Rock. What was that Rock? The fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God -- Jesus is the rock. Jesus referred to Himself as the chief foundation stone. The wise man builds his life upon the foundation of which Jesus is the chief cornerstone.


We all need to trust in the Lord for He is our sustainer, our protection, and our strong foundation. Those who rely upon Him in these ways will find salvation. I pray that you are one of them. Renew your reliance daily. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 72:6

"He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth" Psalm 72:6.


Not very long ago, with the very hot weather we are having in Hong Kong, when out of nowhere a cloud would form blocking the blistering sun. A cool burst of air would rush over the land. Then, with a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, the rains would fall. There is nothing as wonderful as the scent of rain on the grass! What a refreshing feeling it provided -- not just for the land -- but for me as well. It seemed that the whole world was renewed in a few moments time!


So it is with the Lord's presence. When He arrives, there is nothing like it in all the world. Weariness drops away like a garment. Heavy hearts are lifted. Burdens fall away. All our cares shrink at the majesty of God! Something I experienced sometime ago while working with the homeless. The air was aglow with a fresh scent and the Holy Spirit was surrounding each and every one of us. We could have stayed out there all night long. There was no doubt that God was there. Sins were washed away like dust in a rain shower. We found that we were clean. Our spirits were refreshed. Our souls washed in the Blood of Jesus.


I pray that you will experience the presence of God this week as you worship Him with His people. May He dwell with you. May He find you ready and willing to be cleaned, refreshed, and made whole by His visitation. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Rom 1;17

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" Rom 1:17.


Every once in a while the kids in our neighborhood would get into a name calling contest (of course I never did this, but all the other kids did!) Eventually, someone would issue a really bad epithet. Not having a stronger reply, the recipient would reply, "It takes one to know one!" Usually the argument would continue for a while longer to be ended when someone stomped off vowing never to play with the other "ever again!"


It seems that we would often double a comment to add emphasis. Paul does the same thing in today's verse. "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." Similar to "it takes one to know one" only better. God can take a little bit of faith and increase it. Not only CAN He do it, He LONGS to do it. That is His greatest desire! "But where does that first bit of faith come from?"


Paul tells us in Ephesians that God gives us the first bit of faith -- its His gift to us. (For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. [Eph 2:8 KJV]) You see, God does not want any of us to miss out on His glorious grace. He also is not willing for any of us to say we "earned" our way into Heaven. That's impossible. It just can't be done. When it comes to our salvation -- our redemption -- our adoption into God's family, we are totally dependent upon the Father to do it. Oh, we may try. But have any of us ever succeeded? No. We have all failed.


So, when all is said and done, we really do live by faith -- not by our senses. And that faith is so unobtainable that we can only receive it by God planting it in our hearts. The next time you are tempted to say "I feel that . . .," STOP and think about what Pastor Edwin has been saying and remember. We are a faith people. We know God well enough that we can recognize His voice as He speaks to our spirits. And, hearing God's voice, we act believing that God will direct our paths. Amen and Amen.

Luke 9:1-2

"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick" Luke 9:1-2.

Notice how Jesus equipped His disciples for ministry. He knew that when they began preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick, demonic powers would bring opposition. So He specifically gave them power and authority over demons.

Later Jesus sent out 70 of His followers on a similar mission, and they "returned with joy, saying 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name'" (Luke 10:17.) These missionaries were spiritually in tune enough to know that demons existed and that they were a force to be reckoned with in their ministry. Jesus' followers had been eyewitnesses as the evil spirits opposed the Master, and they probably anticipated the same treatment. Perhaps they even started out on their mission with pangs of fear and doubt about encountering demonic resistance. But they came back astonished at the victory they experienced over evil spirits.

But Jesus quickly brought the issue of spiritual conflicts into perspective: "Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven" (Luke 10:20). Jesus sent out the 70 to preach the gospel and to heal, but all they could talk about when they came back was how they sent the demons running. "Don't be demon-centered," Jesus replied. "Be kingdom-centered, be ministry-centered, be God-centered."

That's a good warning. As you learn to exercise authority over the kingdom of darkness in your life and in the lives of others, you may be tempted to see yourself as some kind of spiritual freedom fighter, looking for demons behind every door. But it's truth which sets you free, not the knowledge of error. You are not called to dispel the darkness; you are called to turn on the light. You would have no authority at all if it weren't for your identity as a child of God and your position in Christ. Amen and Amen.

Amos 5:4

"For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live" Amos 5:4.

A question has been inside my head lately. I've thought a lot about it. I've asked others about it. I'll ask you about it. "OK, Edwin, what's the question?" Thought you would never ask. Here it is: "Who are you living for?"

To be honest, I have to say that I live a large part of my life for myself. I'm not proud of that fact. I'm rather ashamed, to be honest. If I were to add up the minutes of my day on a ledger with two columns the first being labeled "The Lord's Minutes" and the second "My Minutes" -- well, come midnight, I don't really think I want to check the totals. I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on myself or you or anyone else, but I do have to ask myself these questions:

1.. "How many minutes a day do I read my Bible?"

2.. "How many minutes a day do I pray?"

3.. "How many minutes a day do I share my faith with others?"

4.. "How many minutes a day do I thank the Lord for His kindness towards me?"
5.. "How many minutes a day do I sing His praises?"

6.. Then there are these questions: "How many minutes a day do I over eat?"
7.. "How many minutes a day do I think about what I want?"

8.. "How many minutes a day do I do what I want to do?"

9.. "How many minutes a day do I promote myself?"

Well, that's enough questions because they reveal too well that I tend to live for myself much more than I live for Jesus. What about you? Amen and Amen.

Jer 29:14

"I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive"
Jer 29:14.


Something wonderful happens when we seek the Lord with all our hearts. He begins a restoration. It hasn't happened yet? How much is "all"? 50%? 80%? 99%? 100%? I know for some this seems hard, but it is the way of the Lord. He requires all. When you buy a car, do you buy the wheels only? Ok, how about the wheels and the frame? No? You mean you want all of it? With a full tank of gas, too? You even want air in the tires? Of course you do. You want to drive down the street with the knowledge that you own a car -- lock, stock, and barrel. The same goes for the computer you just bought. You didn't just buy an Intel processor. You bought all the components. You bought the fancy case, the monitor, the speakers -- every thing that makes it run. See what I mean?


When Jesus paid the price for your ransom, He bought all of you, not just an arm and a leg. He bought your body, your soul (composed of you mind and emotions), and your spirit. He paid for it all and that's what He wants. Let's go back to that shiny new car for a moment. Let's suppose that you drive it home and see a dent on the hood. Now it's no big dent, but it's noticeable to you. What do you do? You drive it back to the dealer and want it repaired. Why? You bought a new car and you want it to look new. A little later, you hear a tick in the engine. You repeat the process for the same reason. It's a new car and you want to keep it that way.


Jesus expects nothing less. Unfortunately, we tend to want to keep parts of ourselves for our own use. Won't work. Can't happen. If we want all the promises, we must keep all the conditions. And look at those promises: restoration of fortunes, restoration of lands, restoration of freedom. Joel (chapter 2) adds a few others: restoration of all that the cankerworm and locust have destroyed, new crops, new wine and much more. All that in exchange for the right of ownership. "Sure," you say, "but it's easier said than done." Indeed it is. It's a process. It begins with a determination of the heart to seek God, to be totally yielded to Him. It grows as we give more and more of ourselves. It finds it's fulfillment in our total obedience. Fortunately, Jesus is willing to let us yield a piece at a time. He is patient. He will grant us partial fulfillment for partial dedication. With that in mind, we need to begin today to yield ourselves. We need to continue tomorrow and the day after that and the week after that and the month after that and the year after that -- until we have attained a measure of maturity. If we do this, we will see the restoration begin and amplify day by day. Oh, it may not be in the form in which we want to see it, but it will be there. We may not see it today, but we will see it as time goes by. Trust me on this. God has promised it. Let it happen to you! Hallelujah, Amen.

2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7.


Satisfaction in life comes from living righteously and seeking to raise the level of quality in the relationships, services and products you are involved with. Matthew 5:6 says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Do you really believe that? if you did, what would you be doing? You would spend more time feeding your spirit than trying to satisfy your fleshly desires. Have you ever tried to satisfy the flesh? It can't be done. The more you feed it, the more it wants.


What causes you to become dissatisfied? It's usually because the quality of the relationship, service or product has diminished. I often ask people when they became dissatisfied. Inevitably they identify the time when the quality of a relationship, the service rendered, or the product produced diminished.


Satisfaction is a quality issue, not a quantity issue. You will achieve greater satisfaction from doing a few things well than from doing many things in a haphazard or hasty manner. The key to personal satisfaction is not in broadening your involvement's, but in deepening them through a commitment to quality.


The same is true in relationships. If you are dissatisfied in your relationships, perhaps you have spread yourself too thin. Solomon wrote: "A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). It may be nice to know a lot of people on the surface, but you need a few good friends who are committed to a quality relationship with each other. We all need the satisfaction which quality relationships bring.


Paul accomplished what he was called to do. He left a lot undone, but he fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. Jesus also left a lot undone, but He did His Father's will and was able to say, "It is finished." You may not be able to do all you want to do for Christ in your lifetime, but you can live obediently and faithfully day by day. Amen.

Psalm 91:3-4

"Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler." Psalm 91:3-4.

Let's take a look at the results of God's protective power.

"He. . . delivers you from the snare of the trapper. . ." Imagine walking down a path when you get the sudden urge to look down. There you see a small wire stretched across the path. You get down on your knees and examine the wire. You follow it to one end and find that it leads to a trigger mechanism that stretches up a tree. Looking in the tree you see a net. It doesn't take long to realize that you have just found a snare. If you hadn't looked down when you did, you would have tripped the wire causing the net to fall on you and trap you in its web. That is the way the Lord works. If we are in His care, trusting in Him, He will protect us from all those traps we frequently find ourselves falling into.

". . . and from the deadly pestilence." I recall reading about the Black Plague. It is a disease that invaded the home then spread to the neighboring homes and finally engulfing entire neighbor hoods and towns. In it's shadow was pain, suffering, and, mercifully, death. The Lord can protect us from those diseases. He has promised to shelter His children from all the diseases that plague the world -- if we will dwell, abide, take refuge, and hide in His fortress.

"He will cover you with His feathers. . ." Imagine being protected by the feathers of God. If you've ever snuggled down in a goose feather mattress, you know how it surrounds you and enfolds you protecting you from the cold. God seeks to do the same with us. He wants us to take shelter within the confines of His feathers.

"And under His wings you shall take refuge; . . ." There is no safer place to be for a little bird than under it's mother's wings. That's where God calls us to when we are in danger.

"His truth shall be your shield and buckler." Now here is a promise. God's faithfulness will provide protection. Think about it. Assume you are a policeman. You are about to enter a dangerous situation so you put on your bullet proof vest and a helmet with face plate. How do you know you can trust them if you are shot at? It's usually because the supplier has demonstrated the impenetrability of the equipment. They have taken you to the pistol range where they have placed one of their vests on a dummy. You have shot your weapon at the dummy and examined the results. Indeed, the vest has stopped the projectile. You don your vest with confidence because of the faith you have in it. God is even more faithful -- and that faithfulness is a full body shield for us. But more than that, it is a wall (bulwark) behind which we can take shelter and turn the attack of the enemy. Isn't our God a great God? He sure has a way of protecting us if we so choose. Amen and Amen.

James 4:15

"Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" James 4:15.

The Apostle Paul was traveling from his last mission trip to Jerusalem. Two times he received prophecy that he would be bound in chains in Jerusalem. Two times people encouraged him to not go to Jerusalem. He went anyway. When He reached that holy city, he went to the holiest place of all -- the Temple -- where he fulfilled a vow he had previously made. Then he was arrested, bound in chains and cast into prison. Why? Why did Paul not listen to the prophets? Why did he not stop somewhere else until the prophets said it was OK to proceed. Why didn't he return to Galatia, or Corinth, or . . . anywhere but Jerusalem?

Paul had learned a lesson. The Lord told Him to go to Jerusalem -- and so he would. The Lord told him he would go to Rome -- and so he did . . . from Jerusalem . . . in chains . . . with Rome picking up the travel expenses! But the prophets? Wasn't their word valid? Yes, they were right. Paul was bound in chains. But why didn't Paul stay away? Because God told him to go. You see, Paul's lesson was that he was in the hands of God. Whatever God wanted, Paul wanted. Whatever God said, Paul did. If God said, "Go to Jerusalem." To Jerusalem he went. If God said, "You will be bound in chains." That didn't bother Paul. It had happened before. It would probably happen again.

James says that we should not say "I will do this and that." (my paraphrase.) Instead he says, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." Note the difference . . . it's found in four little, single syllable words, "if the Lord wills . . ." If the Lord wills, I will become a millionaire. If the Lord wills, I will be a teacher. If the Lord wills, I will be healed. If the Lord wills, I will marry. If the Lord wills, I will . . . be bound in chains and cast into prison.

That was Paul's attitude. It should be ours. I fear that we think entirely too much of ourselves and our ability. How often to we presume to tell God how to run our lives -- or the lives of others? What if His will is different? Is it any wonder that some of our prayers go unanswered? How can God answer our prayer if it is in direct opposition to His will? Why do we ever think that we know more than the God of the Universe -- the God of Creation? When God speaks, we need to respond with the words of Jean Luke Piccard Captain of the USS Enterprise, "Make it so," Lord. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Gen 5:24

"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" Gen 5:24.

What is it about walking? I fellowship with Jim. Is that the same? I worked with Dennis. Doesn't that count? I live with Carmel -- she wants me to walk with her to get exercise. What's wrong with living? Isn't that enough?

Enoch walked with God. Noah walked with God. It doesn't actually say it, but Adam walked with God in the garden of Eden. Why walk and not work or fellowship or live? I've come to a conclusion. The man or woman who walks with someone knows them better than anyone else. When a person walks with you, you talk. You share intimacies. You share the joys and sorrows of the day. You share your dreams; your hopes; your innermost desires.

Walking with someone involves personal contact -- not necessarily a touch -- but a one on one contact that is missing in other relationships. Cavan and I talk when we fellowship on the ride up and back from the City -- but he's playing the saxophone and I'm busy doing what I'm doing. Do I know Cavan? Yes, pretty well. Can I read him like a book? I don't think so. When we fellowship together, I know his basic needs -- and he knows the same of me. But I don't know him like I would if we were both walking together.

When you are side by side with someone, neither is superior. Both are equal -- though one may well be the mentor, leader, teacher and the other the student and follower. Even in a crowd, two people walking together are alone in their own world.

Three people walking together isn't the same. One is always on the outside of the conversations. One is always missing something. Only two walking together share an intimacy that is precious indeed.

So Enoch walked with God. He knew God. He shared with God. God was the mentor. Enoch was the student. God was the leader. Enoch was the follower. But they knew each other --well -- so well that one day while on their walk, God must have said something like, "Enoch, we're closer to my house than yours. Why don't you come home with me?" And Enoch agreed. And Enoch was no more.

I want to walk with God. I want to know God. I want to be intimate with Him. I want to share my hopes and dreams and joys and sorrows. I have only one problem with that. I want to bring my friend, the world, with me. And I miss the intimacy of a twosome. God, help each of us to walk with you -- daily -- every day of our lives. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

1 John 2:9

"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now" 1 John 2:9.

My Mother used to tell me to "do as I say, not as I do." By this she meant that she was not perfect. She made mistakes. But she knew what was right and that I should to that instead of always following in her footsteps.

I remember once seeing the picture of a man laying in the bottom of a pit. Up above, a child is following in daddy's steps in the snow. Daddy shouts, "Son, do as I say. Don't follow me into this pit. I want you to turn around and follow our footprints back out of these woods and back home. Tell your Momma to call the police and bring help."

John says in today's verse that it's not what we say that makes us righteous. It's how we treat our brother. I can say I am a believer until the cows come home. I can shout it from the roof tops. I can paint it on billboards. I can write it in big bold letters on my car. I can even carry a cross across the country -- but if I have hatred in my heart, I am not a child of God.

The apostle is telling us that it's what's on the inside that counts. Jesus said it a couple of other ways. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." (Matt. 12:23) He also said "religious people" were like "whitewashed tombs. On the outside they looked beautiful. On the inside they were defiled with dead men's bones." (Matt. 23:27)

As a Pastor I always try to be a true believer. But I have to admit that sometimes I get a little dark. Things come out of my mouth that shock me. It makes me realize that while I have been redeemed, not all that is in me has been equally saved. There are still chambers of my heart that harbor dark secrets, a sinful nature that must be revealed to the Light of the world -- that's Jesus.

However, it is with great confidence that I say to you "Do as I say -- but follow in my foot steps as well. Either way you will see Jesus." Amen and Amen.

John 2:8.

"And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it" John 2:8.

What would have happened if the water had never been drawn out of the well? You know the story about turning water into wine. Jesus did it, but He had help. Jesus never touched the water. He didn't pray over it. As far as we can tell, He never came close to it. All He said was "Draw some out now . . . ." If it had never been drawn, it would never have turned into wine. A miracle would never have been performed. A wedding would have been less wonderful. But the water was drawn!

Jesus wants to do miracles in our lives. He speaks to us telling us to do various things. If we do them, wonderful things will happen. If we don't -- well let's put it this way, there will be no wine at our wedding! Every miracle of Jesus required something. The man with the withered hand had to stretch it out. The woman with the issue of blood had to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. The Syro-Phoenician woman had to keep asking Jesus to heal her son. She even had to remind Jesus that the dogs eat the crumbs dropped under the master's table. Someone had to remove the stone and Lazarus had to "come forth." The man let down through the roof had to pick up his bed and walk.

Jesus requires that you do something too. Whatever you need, no matter how simple or how complex, Jesus requires that you do something. If you need financial help, He may require that you tithe (give 10% of your income to the Church.) -- as a matter of fact, He DOES REQUIRE YOU TO TITHE! If you need healing, He may require that you dip 7 times in the nearest river. If He does, you had better not stop at 6! If your marriage is in shambles, He may require that you talk to your Pastor who may suggest that you change your attitude towards your spouse! I suggest you do that even without counseling. You see, there is no FREE ride -- except for your salvation -- and even that requires that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior! Sure, God may play along with your selfishness for a while, but sooner or later He will require something of you. He is a jealous God and will not allow anything or anyone to take His place. So when Jesus asks you to do something, DO IT! You won't be disappointed! Amen.

Amos 5:6a

"Seek the LORD and live" Amos 5:6a.

There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world's standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred, and their life made a weariness. In order to gratify ambition and worldly desires, they wound the conscience, and bring upon themselves an additional burden of remorse. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces.

Our Lord desires them to lay aside this yoke of bondage. He invites them to accept His yoke; He says, "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." He bids them seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and His promise is, that all things needful to them for this life shall be added. Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief.

Our Heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet. A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything.

But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. Amen.

Luke 18:22

"So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" Luke 18:22.

What a shock. This young man had spent his life accumulating wealth. I suspect he had a good start from his father's estate, but he had worked to build his holdings. It's obvious that he was a good man for Jesus tells him to obey the commandments and lists four of them. "All of this I have done from my youth."

So I ask You, what had this young man failed in that Jesus would not allow him to enter the kingdom? Note: Jesus listed four commandments. These are the ones the young man had obeyed. There may have been others, but the list has been shortened. Then, Jesus gets down to the nitty gritty of the man's nature. "Sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor."

Now the young man had a problem. He rather enjoyed the fast chariot he drove. He liked the rich foods his personal chef prepared. The perks of the wealthy had overtaken him. What did he lack? He missed the first commandment. "You shall have no other gods before me." His wealth was his god. It came before his devotion to Jesus or the Father. This is why the rich gentleman left Jesus sad and despondent. He knew he lacked the ability to love God completely. He knew he was lacking in that and He was well aware of the fact that this deficiency would have to be corrected if he wanted any peace at all. I rather suspect he wished he hadn't asked the question!

I doubt that most of us have a real problem with excessive wealth. But do we have a problem with the first commandment? If Jesus were to tell you today that you must sell all you have, distribute it to the poor and then follow Him in complete trust that He would supply all your needs, would you be able to do it? Or would you say, "But Lord, my kids need new clothes." Or, "The baby needs a new pair of shoes" Or, "My wife is high maintenance. She must have her fancy clothes." Or, "I just bought that new car. The new car smell is still in it. I can't let it go!" Or . . ..

Just what god is first in your life? Hmmmmmmm. Amen.

Gen 1:1-2

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" Gen 1:1-2.

"Daddy, where did fish come from?" "God created them." "Where did water come from, Daddy?" "God created it." "Daddy, where did God come from?"

That's a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Oh, by the way, how did God mark time before the creation of the sun and moon? Where did time come from? What existed before time began?

I'm sure many of us have asked those questions and more. And, to be honest, I'm not going to give you an answer -- because I don't know. It's easy to say "God has always been." But the skeptic will always come back with, "How do you know?"

Some things are better accepted by faith. The existence of God is one of those things. But this I will respond to, "How can I know my faith is in the right place?" And the answer is, "Because we can test it. We can try our faith in God. Early on in my faith, I would ask God for a parking space in front of the store where I was headed. I believed God would provide it -- and He did -- at least enough to prove my faith. Eventually I realized how selfish that prayer was and quit asking. Well, in extreme circumstances I will still ask. And He still provides.

A little later in my faith, I would ask God to help me with something much more serious than a parking space. It may have been a healing, or salvation of a loved one, or wisdom, or what ever. I always found that God would answer my prayers. Oh, some times he wouldn't answer the way I wanted, that is part of the maturing process. But I always knew that God answered. He usually made it clear to me in one way or another. And sometimes it took a long time for me to understand the answer.

Now my faith in God is strong -- because I have tested it. And I still test it. Worse than having a weak faith is having a faith that has never been tested under fire. Imagine the army sending our soldiers into battle with weapons that had never been tested except on a rifle range. No one would know if they would work in the battlefield. So it is with our faith. It must be tested. It must be tried in the furnace of affliction. Only in that way will we know that our faith is strong when we face the inevitable trials of life.

Is your faith being tried? Are you right now in the fires of affliction? Do you wonder if you have the strength to hang on? Trust in God. When your strength fails, His will become strong in you. Now a question for YOU???

Are YOU right with God?

True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.

Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You." Thank You Jesus, Amen.

If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God, please e-mail me and let me know. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Corinth 4:7

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" 2 Corinth 4:7.

There is a quote by someone named Seneca, a person I know little about but these words really got to me. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power."

Sounds good. Certainly many men and women live by a creed much like that. The US Army used to have a similar phrase, "Be all you can be." Frank Sanatra sang a song with a harmonic theme, "I Did It My Way."

But let's take a look at that phrase and compare it to our Scripture Thought. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power." That means that the person with the most self-control, the most ambition, the most drive, is the most powerful. Someone else said it like this: "He who has the most toys wins." True or False? How many driven people do you know? How many of them are happy? Content? At peace? Oh, you can count them on one hand? No? Ah, one finger? No? OK. On a closed fist? Gotchya.

The most powerful are not those who are dependent upon themselves, according to Paul. It is the people who are vessels of God who have the most power. Why? Because the power of God is in them and works through them!

Let me ask another question. How many yielded vessels do you know? A few? One or two? How many of them are content? Happy? At peace? All of them? Most likely. Why? Because when they are yielded to God, when YOU are yielded to God, you are out of the picture and He is in control. And when God is in control of your life, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing to destroy your peace. Nothing to disturb their contentment. The simple fact is this. When God is in control, you are a spectator -- of the most wonderful drama in the world. You get all the thrills, all the chills, all without the responsibility of failure, because God cannot fail.

Unfortunately, we all know far too few yielded vessels -- and I include myself in that. We all are spending too much time being "captain of our own ships." We all find it hard to yield the controls of our lives to anyone. But this is exactly what we should be doing -- as long as that "somebody" is God the Father. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Joel 2:23

"Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you, The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month" Joel 2:23.

God had disciplined Israel -- severely. It's like making a kid stand in the corner for 3 weeks! 70 plus years in exile, separated from your homeland, cut away from your place of worship -- the visible evidence of your God. It had been a long, long time. How did God respond? He blessed His people. This is indicated by the rains. In an agricultural society, the rains are everything. Without them there are no grains to make into bread, no grapes for wine, no pasture for the animals -- no animals -- no food -- no drink. But, there's more. God provided the early rains -- those needed to provide moisture for the germination and growing of the seed into plants. Even these are worthless without the latter rain.

Ask any farmer. The best looking corn will produce nothing if there is no rain at the appropriate time during the growing season. No rain then equals empty ears of corn equals no harvest. God was faithful to provide all the needs of His people. He always is. For those who turn to Him, He makes all the provision necessary for success. It may not be rain that is so important to you. It could be an unexpected raise, or another unexpected raise in gasoline prices, or a seemingly worthless stock that suddenly becomes a hot commodity.

I don't know how many times God has provided for the Lilley family in ways that seem miraculous. Those are the former and latter rains to our modern society. Remember this: God has His hand in all things concerning His children - that's you and me. He is fully capable to do what is best for us. All we have to do is move over and get out of the way! Amen and Amen.

2 Corinth 5:7

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinth 5:7.


I've tried it several times. Walking from one building to the other across an open parking lot. I've closed my eyes and started walking. I had to have faith in several things. 1) I had to have faith in my ability to walk a straight line while temporarily "blind." 2) I had to have faith in my hearing to tell me if a car entered the parking lot -- or if I was approaching a parked car. 3) I had to trust my ability to tell how far I had walked before I came to the steps into the office. Being the prudent fellow that I am, I seldom walked the entire distance without peeking!


Walking by faith is a lot like that -- only the object of our faith is much more reliable than my senses! Our Lord is faithful and true. He cannot fail us for to do so would cause Him to be ungodlike, and that would cause Him to not be God -- and that's impossible!


So what's the problem? Like me in the parking lot, we all like to "see" here we are going. We like to have our lives laid out before us. We want to know where we are, where we will be in the next year, 5 years, 10 years. We don't like surprises except at Christmas and birthdays! So what's wrong with that? Nothing, except that it hinders our usefulness to God. We make Him dependent upon our schedule. ("Wait a few days, God. I've got a really good thing going here.") The only problem is that God won't wait, at least not very long and not very often. He expects obedience -- and being the God of the universe, He has the right to expect it.


So why is God so demanding of our obedience? Allow me to explain it this way. A friend of mine had a foster child who was educatibly mentally retarded (that's the term they used back in the dark ages of the early '80s. That meant that she was curious, but not able to understand a lot of things, but could be taught if you have the right amount of patience. One day she was at our house and was curious about the blue flame on the gas range. It was pretty. It danced before her eyes. So she reached out to touch it. We shouted for her to stop. You can only imagine what would have happened if we hadn't demanded total obedience of her.


Likewise, we have a tendency to want to do our own thing. But God in His wisdom knows much more than we. He knows when we are about to get into serious danger. He also knows when some other circumstance is perfectly ready for harvesting for the Kingdom. If we don't act instantly, we may get seriously hurt -- or some soul may spend an eternity in Hell.


I know all of this is over simplified, but it makes the point. We must learn obedience. We must learn to walk by faith, knowing that God sees everything, knows everything, understands everything and has it and our lives perfectly in control. Amen and Amen.

Titus 2:7-8

"In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." Titus 2:7-8.

Paul tells us that if we live our lives by setting a good example, always performing good deeds; if our doctrine is pure and true in relationship with God's Word; if we always conduct ourselves with dignity (as opposed to childishness -- not necessarily straight faced and somber); if our talk matches our walk and we are found to be what we claim we are as Christians, then we have set a good offense. If we have done no wrong and are model citizens, then the bad guys will have no argument with us.

A good lifestyle prevents bad things from happening. A lot of(not all) crime takes place in the early morning hours, near and around the local pubs and bars, by someone who is known to the victim. It can safely be concluded that if we live a good and peaceable life, being home by 10:00 PM, stay away from the bars, and develop friendships with good people, we are relatively safe from being involved in a fight or other evil things being done to us.

Sounds like Paul's advice to Titus. (Of course there is the occasional daytime crime committed against a totally innocent individual -- but those are not as often.) Likewise, if we do not go near satan's hangout but spend a large portion of our time in Church; if we walk away from temptation instead of flirting with it; if our best friends are those who share our love for Jesus, it stands to reason that we will be fairly well protected from satan's attacks. That's not to say we won't suffer attacks, but we will be sufficiently protected so that we will be victorious in those battles in which we find ourselves. Determine to live right! Amen.

Hebrews 13:2

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" Hebrews 13:2.

Today as I was reading my Bible this verse jumped out at me. To me it is saying let the love of God shine through me. In Hebrew times it was a common practice for people to take strangers in overnight. They showed the Love of Christ, not knowing if who they were helping was a spy or a brother or sister in the Lord.


Today we would say times are very different, but we can show the Love of Christ in many ways in our daily lives. Many people cross our paths in a day's time. We don't know the struggles they are going through. Most of the time we see the bad side of people. But this might be from being let down or from being hurt so many times by others.


If we would start by offering to open a door for them or say a kind word, offering a word of encouragement to a person whom is hurting. Trying to have a smile on your face, a pleasantness that will allow others to see Christ in us. Helping others without expecting anything in return can bring many blessings. Getting to know people has been a blessing to me. After we befriend a person, we get to see through the hard and ruff shell that all of us have. The Lord has brought many people into my life, just at the time I needed encouragement or someone to talk with. TO ME THEY WERE ANGELS SENT BY GOD. By taking a step in faith, by letting Gods Light shine through you. You might be an angel that someone needs today. LET THE LIGHT OF THE LORD SHINE THROUGH YOU TODAY.


Father God, we thank you for how you bring people into our lives. For the many ways you bless us in and through others. Help us to entertain strangers and show them your love through us. Shine through us (I want to be in the Light as You are in the Light) each and every day Lord. Even in times when people treat us rudely and unfairly. Show us ways to help and encourage others. Amen and Amen.

1 Corinthians 5:5

"Deliver such a one to satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." 1 Corinthians 5:5.

Paul encountered a believer who was involved in an incestuous relationship in the Corinthian church. This man was deluded by satan and was controlled by immorality. The man was unwilling to change his behavior, so Paul recommended to the church that tough actions should be taken. He spiritually handed this man over to satan for the destruction of his flesh for the benefit of his soul. The idea is that the person will wallow in the pit of sin so long that it will be detestable to him and he will cry out for the grace of God.

We know this man was a Christian because only a Christian can be subjected to church discipline. Have you ever known someone who was walking in disobedience and no matter how much you prayed, he seemed oblivious to his sin. God has given one weapon against satan's schemes against those who fall prey to satan. That is, let satan have access to him fully so that His life will become so miserable that He will cry out to God for mercy. Probably few of us have ever had to pray this prayer. However, you should not be fearful of this prayer for any believer who is willingly walking in disobedience. This is love... tough love. There is a time and place for tough love. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 119:160

"The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." Psalm 119:160.

Every word, every letter, every comma and period -- if it's from God's Word, it is truth. The Bible is the only book that was written by multiple authors over centuries of time, in several languages -- and never contradicts itself. How can it be that the Bible can be so perfect? Because God inspired it. It is His word. Whether the subject is history, literature, prophecy, or letters of instruction, every word of this Book is true and valid for you and me.

Some people have a habit of saying "that verse was meant for the Corinthians, it doesn't apply to us." In essence those people are tearing a page out of God's Word. If everyone held that philosophy, there would be precious few pages left for all of us can find something that we do not agree with -- and because we do not agree with it, it must be invalid! Who are we to challenge God? If He said it and it is recorded in the Bible, then it is for us today and our children tomorrow and our grand children after that. Sure, there are verses that don't seem to apply -- because we are not being tested, corrected, challenged, or tried in that area. But wait until tomorrow. Trust me one of those verses will come to your aid. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Matt 11:21

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" Matt 11:21.

There's something about success that brings arrogance. I guess it comes naturally. If you are the best, then you are the best and no one can deny that. The problem with arrogance is that it breeds contempt. Contempt is an attitude that says "I'm the best and you are nothing." Obviously, that is a dangerous position to take. No one likes to associate with a contemptuous person -- they just seem to make you feel small. But it doesn't stop there. Contempt gives way to complacency. Complacency is that position which says "I'm the best. No one can touch me. Therefore I will lean back and take it easy."

If I recall my childhood stories correctly, it was complacency that brought an end to the rabbit's reign as the fastest of the animals of the field. You may remember the story of the race between the tortoise and the hare. Mr. Rabbit was so far ahead that he though he could take a nap -- so he did. Mr. Turtle knew he was not fast, but he kept plodding along at his slow but steady pace. Eventually he slipped by Mr. Rabbit who was cutting a few "z's". At the last moment the rabbit awoke, realized what had happened and cut in the afterburners -- all to no avail. The tortoise won by a "hair" (sorry for the pun!)

What's the point? Israel was "so far ahead" of all other nations that they thought God would never turn on them -- after all they were the "chosen of God!" Jesus pulls their heads out of the sand by saying that Tyre and Sidon -- to very ungodly city-states destroyed generations before by God, would have repented of their sins with great mourning if they had seen what Israel had seen in the form and actions of Jesus. God would bring destruction upon Israel again if they didn't repent and accept Jesus as their Savior! (And so He did in 70 AD when the Roman army breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple -- which has not been rebuilt to this day.)

The Church is in much the same position. We have seen so many "moves of God," we have participated in so much world evangelism, we have been so close to God, that we feel invincible. "Because of all we have done, it is inconceivable that God would ever turn His back on us," is the common thought. The problem is that this is an inaccurate statement. When God sends Jesus to collect His bride, He will come for a purified bride -- one that is spotless and pure -- not one that had compromised and played the part of the unrepentant harlot. That "bride" will be shunned. Jesus is trying to "clean us up," but the Church often refuses. Instead she continues to be "inclusive" towards those who are in direct opposition to what we read in God's Word. She defers to popular opinion rather than God's Truth. She waters down the Gospel we preach so no one will be offended. Jesus is calling the Church to repent! Let it begin with me -- and you! Amen and Amen.

1 John 2:15-16

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world." 1 John 2:15-16.

Love for stuff, lots of stuff, I mean we all just love (l-o-v-e) stuff, the more stuff the better, just so we can call all our friends and tell them to come on over so they can see our stuff. Then, when we get tired of our stuff or don't need our stuff anymore, we get rid of our stuff. Why? To make room for new stuff. All that stuff can sure get us into trouble. Even worse, we start to begin to think that all this stuff will make us happy or fill the empty places in our hearts.

Sorry, but what we need to do is place our worldly hopes and dreams in our Abba Father, He gives us the real stuff, the right stuff and the only stuff we need for eternity, and the stuff we need most, the Holy Spirit is always with us! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Luke 14:2-3

"And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Luke 14:2-3.

Jesus never backed away from a task just because it flew in the face of contemporary convention. In this case the rabbinical interpretation of the Sabbath commandment was that absolutely no work could be done on the Sabbath. So, when presented with an afflicted man, Jesus asked whether it was right to heal him. This put the Pharisees in a box. If they said "yes", they would be contradicting their own teachings. If they answer "no", they would incur the wrath of the populace. Being good politicians (rather than good spiritual leaders), they did not answer at all.

Jesus healed the man. "So what?" you ask. "I can't heal someone. I don't even know if my prayers to God for healing work. I've prayed for this certain person and they got worse and died. Again I ask, so what?" It wasn't so much the healing that was important here. It was Jesus' example of obedience to God rather than man's interpretation of God. He bucked the flow. He swam upstream -- and He did it gracefully and perfectly.

You and I are often asked by God or one of His representatives to go against the flow. Most often we refuse. God may be pointing out something in your life that needs to be removed. Remove it. Don't argue. Don't buck. Do it! He may be asking you to go to the mission field -- or tell your neighbor about Jesus -- or change jobs from the lucrative one you have to one that is more fulfilling but lower paying. What ever it is -- no matter what others say -- if you are sure God is in it JUST DO IT! As Jesus found favor with the Father, so will you -- and you will be blessed on earth as well. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.