Psalm 69:30

"I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving" Psalm 69:30

Pastor Edwin's irrefutable law number 121: If you blow air into a balloon, it will get bigger. That seems logical - and true. No one ever inflates a balloon just to make it smaller. Of course some balloon sadists inflate them just to see them burst, but that's beside the point.

Just like a balloon, something happens in the spiritual when we praise God with thanksgiving - He gets bigger! No, not physically - and how can the God of the universe get any bigger anyway? After all, He did create everything. But God does get magnified - in our hearts. You see, God doesn't need to get bigger for His benefit. But we need Him to be enlarged in us.

When we first become a believer, our God seems very large - we ask, He provides. It makes no difference whether it is a store front parking spot or a new house or lost souls. He seems to be able to pull them all out of the box. But sooner or later, we become more experienced in our faith and realize that God is too busy for all of our little requests. In essence, He becomes smaller to us. It may be because He finally said "no" to a request or two. Or it may be because we quit asking. Whatever the reason, we put God in a box - a very small box of our own making.

But we are never satisfied with a small God. We always remember the past with fondness. We frequently long for it to happen, but it never does. Why? Because we keep God in His box. He doesn't want to be there. We don't want Him there. But we never open the lid.

Eventually, we learn that praise and thanksgiving are good things to do. We begin to earnestly thank God for His goodness. Then, lo and behold, something happens. The door to the God box we made is opened a crack and God oozes out (not that God is gooey). That seems fine to us. We begin to see prayers answered. The more we see answers, the more we rejoice with thanksgiving. The more we rejoice with thanksgiving, the more God does for us and with us. He gets magnified in our eyes - in our lives - in the lives of those around us. Soon we find that God is bigger than any box we could build. We discover that He can do far more than the self-centered requests of our spiritual childhood.

We find that He is the almighty one. There is nothing too great for Him. He is the all powerful. Nothing can stand in His way. He is the King of kings. All powers have to - no absolutely must - bow before Him. See how God is magnified through our praise and thanksgiving? Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Isaiah 25:5

"You will reduce the noise of aliens, As heat in a dry place; As heat in the shadow of a cloud, The song of the terrible ones will be diminished." Isaiah 25:5

An interesting thing about God being in control - He not only takes care of the good guys, he takes care of the bad ones as well. I don't know anything that will take the fight out of a man faster than a hot, hot, hot dry day. It's just impossible to continue a fight past noon. Why do you think the people of Latin countries takes a siesta after the noon meal? It's just too hot to work.

It would be good of us to consider the fate of our enemies. It would also be wise of us to show compassion to them rather than smug contempt. If something really bad comes our way - like a big bite out of a rotten apple - we say "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!" Yet, we in all seriousness tend to wish God's wrath upon those who oppose us. Do you really want God to destroy a person simply because he chooses to contend with us? - Or God? Do you think God wants to destroy them?

2 Peter 2:3 tells us that God is not willing that any man, woman or child should perish. There are no exceptions to "any." He doesn't say "my friends" or "those who agree with our political position" or "those who have the same physical characteristics that I do." No, God is patient with them just as He is patient with us. We need to follow His example. After all, He does encourage us to "bless our enemies, bless and curse not." (Rom. 12:14) Amen and Amen.

Luke 9:13

"But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." Luke 9:13

"You give them something to eat!" What was Jesus thinking? He was the one with the power. He was the one who claimed to have been there at creation. How could 12 men possibly do anything with this crowd?

"You give them something to eat!" What did He mean? Give them something to eat? What? A quick search revealed five small loaves of bread - personal size - more like biscuits really. Oh, there were the fish. Two little dried fish. A feast for a little boy. An insult to a multitude like this.

"You give them something to eat!" S omething? Oh, we'll give them something. Let's send them all home. Sure, some of them may faint from hunger, but that's their fault. Coming into the wilderness with no food! How ridiculous! I don't suppose they have any water either. Let them drink from the lake. We have nothing to give. What we do have is a little boy's lunch. At least his mother was thinking! Go ahead, Jesus. Send them away. "You give them something to eat!" Do you think you can do any better, Jesus? Go ahead. Give it a try. What's that? Tell them to sit down in small groups. OK. You're the boss. You say you want the bread? Are you going to eat it in front of them? How tacky! Get some baskets? Yeah, sure. Oh there they are. Yes, we have 12 of them. So what?

"You give them something to eat!" Oh. Sure, we must pray before this meal! Let's all bow our heads and enjoy our crumb! . . . . . . . . . . .
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Wow! John, did you see that? He broke a chunk off that loaf and . . . . and . . . . and it's still whole! And the chunk is a whole loaf too! Amazing! What's that? Oh, pass the baskets around to all the crowd? Sure.

"You give them something to eat!" Hey! Can you do that with the fish, too? You can? WOW!!!!! Look at that would you! He can. I told you he could, James. Thomas, why did you ever doubt? I knew He could do it! Yeah, I really did. Don't you remember me telling you He could? You don't? Well I did. . . . . . sorta. . . . . . .well in my mind I did. . . . . . . . OK! It surprised me too!

"You give them something to eat!" What do you have in your hand? Give it to Jesus. He can take it - no matter how small or how insignificant or how humble - and make it feed your multitudes. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Pet 3:10

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" 2 Pet 3:10

What did you do today? Was it important? How important? No matter what your answer, I have one other question. Did it have eternal significance? All that we do will be tested by the fire Peter talks about. The houses we built, the lessons we learned, the cars we bought, the jobs we performed - all of it. I can guarantee you that any of them that are on the earth in the day of the cataclysm that Peter talks about will be lost.

What then can be saved? The things that are stored up in heaven - those and those alone will be saved. Those alone will be found worthy of keeping. Those alone will have sufficient value to last an eternity. What are they? The lives changed because we sent a missionary some needed funds - or more importantly - prayer at just the right time. The soul that will not be lost because you smiled and befriended a stranger - with the ultimate end that they came to the Lord. The child saved from the abortionist's table. The time spent in service of the King - even though it may have been cleaning toilets in a nursing home. These and many more are the treasures laid up in heaven.

As you proceed through tomorrow doing the things you do, ask yourself one question. What am I doing that has eternal value - what treasure am I laying up in heaven today? 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 children in any neighborhood would get into a name calling contest. 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 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.

1 Pet 1:14-15

"As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" 1 Pet 1:14-15

Old ways are like old sweaters - they are easy to get into. Think about it. What are your most favorite clothes? - No, not the fancy things you wear to special occasions. What do you wear when you want to be really comfortable? That's right, the old shirt and shorts that are worn, torn, and stretched in just the right places. We reach for them like a 2 year old reached for his/her security blanket!

Old ways are like that. Yes, they are wrong. Yes, we know it. Yes, we try to avoid them at all costs. But when we're tired, worn, and torn from the battles, we all too often fall back into them. Peter tells us not to. Don't do it. Stop. Then he provides some incentive. You were stupid then. Right? Of course we were. We were ignorant of the damage we were doing in the name of pleasure. And we aren't stupid any more!

Need more incentive? Jesus sets the example of perfection. He was tired - but He never sinned. He was worn - but He never failed. He was beaten and torn from the battles - but He refused to take His eyes off the mission at hand even when He hung on the cross.

Peter continues in the next verses to say that we can be holy - yes, even in the midst of our exhaustion, brokenness, and defeats - we can be holy. Why? Because Jesus is holy! He made the way for us by not sinning, not failing, not yielding. In addition, He paid the price for our sins by dying in the cross in our place. Yes, you can be holy. And when you fail, all you have to do is ask the Father to clear your sins and He will!

See, you can be holy - today - right now - no matter what you have done today to disappoint your Lord - no matter how big a sin. Do not fear, God is gracious and merciful to forgive your sins - all of them. All you have to do is ask! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalmss 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path" Psalms 119:105

The ancients knew about walking in the dark. That is why they developed foot lamps. These were small lamps that were tied onto the feet. They did not cast much light, but they did shed enough for the night walker to see where he was putting his next foot. I can almost imagine seeing little bits of light rising and falling with each foot fall on trails across the hills leading to a village - perhaps Bethlehem - in the middle of a dark night. It could be a bit humorous if you picture it just right.

This is the picture David had as he wrote today's verse - and one of my all time favorites. On a spiritual level, David says that the Word of the Lord is a lamp to his feet. It is that little bit of light that makes faith possible. Paul says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The truths of the Bible are that bit of flame that fires up the faith.

As a believer, can you imagine life without faith? Perhaps you can if you remember your life before Jesus. Remember the darkness and the hopelessness? Then someone opened the Word of God to you and it was as though someone switched on a light. All of a sudden, you could see, not just the sin, but the solution to that sin. You could see Jesus. Perhaps even now you are groping in the dark. You seem to have lost your faith. The light has grown dim and you don't know where you are or how you got there. May I make a suggestion?

Open the Word. Anywhere. Just open it. Begin to read wherever you find your finger. Let God speak to you. If you persist, He will turn on the light again. Not only that, He will show you where you are and where you should be and how to get there. God has not for one moment abandoned you. He is there with you - He always has been. There is no place that you can set your feet that God will not follow you. He loves you so much that He will follow you to the gates of Hell in one last attempt to bring you back home to Himself. You don't see Him? He's there. If you pick up His Word, He will speak to you. Ever been in a dark room and someone struck a match? Quite bright wasn't it? That's how a single verse can be for you today. It will shed enough light for you to see where the light switch is. When you make your way to the Father, He will illuminate your entire being with floods of wonderful, bright, purifying light. Hallelujah, 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 own 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 chief executive officer. 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.

Psalm 109:21

"But You, O GOD the Lord, Deal with me for Your name's sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me" Psalm 109:21

There are two ways for the Lord to deal with His children. They can ask. Or He can move sovereigntly.

If God has to move on His own to correct His children, it means that we are blatantly rebellious. We fail to see that we have done anything that needs correction. Or we know we have done wrong but choose not to do anything about it.

Saul was that type of person. He was bull headed. He was determined to go his own way. He knew what God wanted of him. He understood the instructions the prophet gave him. Still, he disobeyed - and he did it consistently. God attempted to correct Saul many times, usually by sending Samuel. Every time, Saul would refuse the Word of the Lord and continue in his own paths. In the end, God had no choice but to remove Saul.

That is hard. I suspect that some of us could give our own testimonies about how God has had to deal with us in a harsh manner.

On the other hand, when we freely say to the Father, "I have sinned. Please help me." Something totally different happens. David was that type of man. No, he wasn't perfect. He sinned a lot. He sinned big time. But when God called him to account for his actions, David responded with a soft heart. "I was wrong," was a frequent theme of David's life. But it went a little further. Not only did he say the words, but he followed up with "Lord help me." When he did that, God could apply a more gentle method of discipline. Why? Because David was prepared to change.

This is a much easier form of discipline to handle. And the key is our attitude. It is much easier to throw ourselves upon God's mercy than to insist that God inflict us with His judgment. Praise God, Amen and Amen.

Jeremiah 23:22

"But if they (The Prophets) had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings" Jeremiah 23:22

Every true prophet of God in the Old Testament was an evangelist. His ministry drew people back to God and His Word. The call to righteousness was the standard which separated the genuine prophet from the imitation, as the prophet Jeremiah wrote. If you come across someone who claims to be a prophet, but who is not involved in calling people to a righteous walk with God, you may be dealing with a counterfeit.

In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy has one primary purpose: to reveal unrighteousness and bring conviction. Paul wrote that, as a result of prophecy, "The secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you" (1 Corinthians 14:25).

The Lord revealed through Jeremiah another criterion for distinguishing a true prophet from a false prophet: "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, 'I had a dream, I had a dream!' . . . The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?" (23:25, 28). God is warning His people against prophets who value their dreams above His Word.

God is not saying that dreams are unimportant. Indeed, He often spoke to people in the Bible through dreams before the full revelation of Scripture was complete. But in comparison to the nutritious grain of His Word, dreams are mere straw. If you feed straw to cattle, they'll die. They will sleep on it, but they won't eat it because it has no nutrients. Similarly, dreams may be of some value, but they are never to be equated with God's Word as the basis for our faith or our walk. Amen and Amen.

John 7:17

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God" John 7:17

In times of great desperation I memorized Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all of your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." That passage gave me hope and strength to hang on.

It's funny how God works, he makes it so easy and we make it so hard. If I want intellectual enlightenment or gain scientific understanding, I search the books on a specific subject and allowing intellectual curiosity as my guide, I can do wonderful things. But if God worked the same method in our lives in order for us to gain an understanding of Him, we would all be seeking a degree in biblical studies, but God does not require that. Only those who could read and have access to books would be able to understand His ways.

Dear brothers and sisters the golden rule for spiritual understanding is not the intellect; it is obedience. You can gain wonderful knowledge from the scriptures, but until you are willing to obey what God is saying to you, you will miss out on the understanding. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Amos 5:5-6

"But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel" Amos 5:5-6

So you've set out on the high road of the King. Things are rosy. The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. The air is cool and clear. Life is good. That's the way it is the day after you receive Jesus as you Savior - or you rededicate yourself to serving Him with all your life - or revival has come to your heart. Life is good and you never want to go back to your old ways. Then, something happens. A storm cloud appears on the horizon. An old memory is stirred. A whiff of scent turns on the video of your past. A taste, a longing, a problem, whatever it is - it turns your mind back to the old ways.

Now you stand at a crossroads. Do you go back to the old ways, use the old methods to solve problems, do the old things that brought temporary relief. Or, do you draw closer to the God who redeemed you and set you free?

Israel is at the same crossroad in this Amos passage, so Amos tells them like it is. "Draw nearer to God," he says, "so that you may continue living." Then he adds, "If you don't, destruction like you have never seen will be your portion." That is about as plain as it can get. Sometimes we need to have a line drawn in the sand in order to help us make up our minds. God is asking "Are you with Me or are you against Me? There is no middle ground. No straddling the fence. No safety zone. No gray area. Only black and white. You either go my way or you go your way. Take your pick." Sounds tough. It is tough. I am struggling with it. I suspect you are struggling with it - and that is good. If we weren't struggling, we would have a 50/50 chance of being spiritually dead - or near perfection! I don't fit either classification. Do you? Amen and Amen.

Ezek 3:27

"But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house" Ezek 3:27

Ezekiel had been having a wonderful conversation with God when the Lord told him to go to the plains to finish the discussion. When Ezekiel arrived there, he saw the glory of God as he had done earlier. Then God spoke - and Ezekiel's life would never be the same. Ezekiel was to return home (did he ever ask "why didn't you just tell me this when I was home?"). There he would be bound in iron. His mouth would be sealed shut. He would not utter a word - until the Lord entered his humble home, unsealed his lips and gave him words to speak! Then the process was reversed and Ezekiel would be silent again.

What a life! Many men would wish the Lord would so move upon their wives! (Carmel is not included in that statement) To top it all off, when he did speak, Ezekiel was told that the people would most likely not listen to what he said! Talk about waste of time.

But Ezekiel did as he was told, and God moved to save a nation. "So, Pastor Edwin, what does this say to us?" you ask. Several things are notable.

1) Ezekiel did whatever God told him to do - no matter how insane it sounded. We must learn to do the same. God wants nothing from us but our obedience. And that obedience must be learned. We must first learn to recognized God's voice. Then we must be able to discern what He is saying. Next, we must learn to trust Him. Only then can we offer complete obedience to the Father.

2) Ezekiel knew the power of the words he spoke did not come from within himself. He recognized the presence of God - from the fantastic vision of the wheel within a wheel, to the quiet presence of God in his home. It's one thing for us to know God in a Church service when His Spirit is pulsating with the music. It is quite another to know Him as he visits us in our prayer closets.

3) Ezekiel knew the victory that only God can give. And we can do the same when we learn to obey without question, without doubt, without hesitation. Hallelujah Amen and Amen.

Gal 6:2-3

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself" Gal 6:2-3

After his eventful day of murder and mayhem, Cain asked God if he was his brothers keeper. Some centuries later a popular musical hit of the 60's stated "He's not heavy. He's my brother." There is a lot of history in between those two events. The most significant moment in time between them was the life and death of Jesus Christ. It is he who brought about the change from "no" to "yes" (from the human standpoint) to the brother's keeper question. For He taught that we should bear one another's burdens. He said we should love our neighbors. When asked who our neighbor was, He replied "whoever is in need."

By bearing each other's burdens, we fulfill the "law of Christ." What law is that? Try this one on for size. "Love your neighbor as yourself." Or, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Can you imagine what our world would be like if we would only "bear one another's burden?" Who would sell drugs on that dark corner? Who would rape the first girl he saw? Who would commit murder? Who would rob or steal? Would you dare lie to a brother who's burden you were carrying? Would you cheat on your wife or husband? Of course not! You are to bear their burden, not make them heavier. Just in case you think you might be above this command, Paul tells us the man who thinks he is something when in actuality he is just a little, frail human like the rest of us, is deceived - not by Satan, but by his own thoughts. This means that none of us are so high and mighty that we can forget about our brother or sister in their need.

Truthfully, the person who has the most should be willing to help the most. Don't get me wrong. I do not advocate socialism in any way. What I do suggest is that we willingly share out of our bounty with those who are in want. This type of generosity cannot be legislated through taxes. Nor can it be commanded by "generosity police." It only comes through the firm belief hat Jesus is our Lord and Savior and that He alone gives us the love we need to be generous. Granted, there are those who have an innate goodness without Jesus, but they are the exception, not the rule. And even then, they are most likely to have a Christian background. Let's take the opportunity this week to develop a bit of generosity. Instead of looking down on the poor, let us help to lift them up. Instead of shunning the "ugly," let's find the "beauty" in them. Instead of hoarding our meager stuff, let's give it away! I can guarantee that there is no way you will ever out give God. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Acts 3:2-3

"And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms." Acts 3:2-3

What do you want when you go to church? Why are you really there? What is it you are seeking? Are you present only so that you can tell others that you go to church? Are you there so that you can play a role that you think gives you some kind of status in your community? Are you there just to keep peace in your family and to avoid the nagging and pleading of your wife or your husband or your father or your mother or your children?

Jesus once asked a group of people concerning John the Baptist, "Who did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaking with the wind? A man, clothed in soft garments? A prophet?" It is an important question for us to ask ourselves: Who are we going to church to see and hear?

If we are going to church just to hear the choir sing or a preacher speak, we are making the same mistake that the lame man made when he was carried to the Beautiful Gate that day. He was looking for the wrong thing. He was seeking alms. He wasn't expecting healing. We also need to ask ourselves some serious questions about the way we regard the people we meet on a day-to-day basis: How are we looking at other people? What do we expect from our encounters with them? So often we approach people the same way this lame man did. We are looking for what they are going to do for us. We are looking for what we can get from them. We aren't looking for what it is that God wants to do in us or through us. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

James 4:7

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

The word "submit" (hupotagete) means to put yourself under God, under His care and power and strength; to yield to God, to His will, command, instructions, laws, behavior, and Word; to surrender yourself to God for Him to strengthen you so that you can do exactly what He says.

What this means is to focus your mind upon God and His Word immediately when temptation strikes. Turn away from the temptation, push it out of your mind and begin to think about God and go over and over His Word in your mind. Just begin to resist the devil by focusing your mind upon God and His Word. Persevere in following God's command and in resisting the devil.

When you do, the most wonderful thing will happen. The devil will flee and the temptation will be gone. We may have to struggle. The images of the temptation may attack and attack us, but if we will attack back by rolling God's Word over and over in our minds, the temptation will flee. Amen and Amen.

2 Kings 6:15

"And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 2 Kings 6:15

Sometimes things really get spicy when we do what God wants us to do. Take Elisha. He had been feeding the King of Israel information that would protect them from attacks by the king of Syria. Obviously the heathen king was not thrilled with the arrangement. At first he thought there was a traitor in the inner circle - that's how good the information was! When it was pointed out that Elisha, the prophet was the culprit, an army was dispatched to take care of ONE MAN! Do you think the Syrian king was a bit leery of crossing Elisha and his God?

Sometimes we get all excited about doing something for Jesus and it seems like everyone from non-believing family, to good Christian friends, to solid church leaders, try to talk us out of it. I know of a woman who was told that age 53 was too old to begin the life of a missionary. Now at 83 she has made a mighty big impact on Dominica's orphaned children problem! If God tells you to do something, nothing should stop you - NOTHING!

Elisha's servant looked out the window of their cottage the next morning and saw the mighty army. I can hear it now. "My Lord, Elisha, we are in big trouble now! Look what has been sent our way. We are surrounded. We cannot escape. Maybe we should give ourselves up and hope for the best. Perhaps they will spare our lives if you will just promise to keep your prophesies to yourself."

"Friend," Elisha says calmly, "don't worry." Looking to heaven he prays, "Lord, open his eyes to see what You and I see." "Holy God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Look at that! I see a whole army of angels. The cavalry has indeed arrived! We are SAVED, Elisha. WE ARE SAVED!" Friend," Elisha speaks with great patience, "you should never doubt God when He sends you on a mission. He will provide all your needs - even a security force if needed."

What was true for Elisha is still true today. God always provides for His willing servants. I recall stories of provided funds, airline tickets, and support for missionaries. I know about food, medicine, and canceled debts when things just look like they can't get any darker. I am acquainted with a missionary to Columbia who's compound was surrounded with angels during one of the many revolutions there. He never saw them - but the invading soldiers did! They related the story to this missionary after the conflict. Remember, we are never alone. God's army is bigger than Satan's army. God is always by our sides. He knows what we need even before we ever ask or think. And best of all, HE WILL SEE TO IT THAT WE ARE SUPPLIED FOR THE TASK, if we will only trust and obey. There really is "no other way!" Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

1 Sam 23:17

"And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that" 1 Sam 23:17

Jonathan knew the truth. He would never be king. It didn't make any difference what his father wanted, he was not king material and he knew it. He was satisfied with the role that God seemed to have made for him - second in command.

We need to be just like Jonathan in this respect. It makes no difference what we want to be, or what our parents want us to be, or what our spouse thinks we should be. What is important is that we be content with what God wants us to be. If He wants us to lead thousands, we will and be happy about it. If he wants us to lead a solitary life and write books, fine make it so, we will be content doing it.

Our problem is that we often look to the glamorous things to do. We want the good life. We want the high profile tasks. We want. . . . Then, when we get it, we are not satisfied. Something is missing. It just isn't enough. Why? Because we are not what we were created to be. We will never be satisfied until we fulfill that role.

Could this explain why so many people change jobs frequently? Could this explain the arguments and fights that take place in Church board meetings? Is it possible that this is why there is so much in-fighting and back-biting in the Fellowship of God? Indeed, it could be. We need to spend our time doing what God wants. He will lead us in paths that will satisfy us. As a matter of fact, if you are not fulfilled in your present position, perhaps you are in the wrong one. Are you there because you want to be there, or because God put you there?

Mostly, God will use you where your talents and enjoyments lie. He will never make a cook out of someone who hates to be in the kitchen. Likewise, he will never make a mechanic out of someone who likes to cook.

He has given you the talents and abilities you have for His purpose. Use them for Him and you will find contentment. Amen and Amen.

Acts 14:9-10

"He [the cripple] listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. Acts 14:9-10

I am struck at how close Paul walked with the Lord. Consider what a discerning spirit it must require to be able to look at someone and judge the level of their faith. I believe that sort of discernment is not a natural thing, but the result of walking close enough to God to know His mind on a matter almost instantly. How then do we achieve for ourselves this marvelous closeness to God? How can we be sensitive to the smallest prompting's of the Holy Spirit? God made a promise back in Proverbs as to how He WILL direct our paths. There are three things we must do, and then God promises that we will have His mind in what we do.

The passage in Proverbs 3 goes like this: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." So, in order to be sensitive to the mind of God and to walk in His straight paths we must do three things:

1) Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Trust is more than belief. To believe in something, you must simply acknowledge it's existence. We must rely on God with our whole heart.

2) Lean not on your own understanding. We need to acknowledge that we don't have a good perspective on the situation, so our understanding is not complete. Little children do this quite well. When they are lost in a crowd and they can't see above people's knees, they have no way of knowing the direction to go. But Daddy is tall, and he can see over the crowd of people to where they need to go, so all a child has to do is hold Daddy's hand and not worry about anything else. So it should be with us. God can see where we're going, and we can't. We need to realize that and give up trying to find our own way.

3) In all your ways acknowledge Him. This means more than simply giving God a friendly nod. It means that wherever you are, whatever you're doing, invite God to be a part of it. Live life in the knowledge that He is really there right beside you, as real as if He were standing there in the flesh. If you can't invite God to come along, you probably shouldn't be there.

Then, if we do those three things, Proverbs 3 promises us that God will direct our paths. That's how we can be sensitive to going God's way. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Isaiah 45:3

"I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." Isaiah 45:3

"I have never been in this place before. It is new ground for me and I find I am way out of my comfort zone. I am scared to death to trust Him at this level. I had to confess to the Lord I have not been able to accept or believe His love for me in this area." Those were the words I expressed to a friend when I was in a difficult place in my life. It was that day when I confessed those words that God led me to this passage of scripture.

What we perceive as dark periods in our lives are designed to be treasures from God. They are actually riches stored in secret places. We cannot see those times in this light because of the often accompanying pain or fear that prevents us from accepting these times as treasures. They have a particular purpose from God's viewpoint; "so that you may know that I am the Lord who summons you by name."

You see, unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at the mercy of God for breakthroughs in our lives we will never experience the faithfulness of God in those areas. We will never know how personal He is or that He can be trusted to meet the deepest needs in our lives. God wants each of us to know that we are "summoned by name." Every hair of our head is numbered. Every activity we are involved in He knows. His love for you and me knows no bounds, and He will take every opportunity to demonstrate this to you and me.

Has God brought you into a place of darkness? Trust Him today to allow Him to reveal that hidden treasure that can be found in this darkness. Let Him summon you by name. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Lam. 3:24

"The LORD is my portion, says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him" Lam. 3:24

It's not unusual. It happens all the time. Two little boys fight over the biggest piece of cake. Two little girls struggle over who has the most candy. Even adults have their own version of the same conflict. It is not unusual for an employer to tell a trusted employee, "Don't tell the others what kind of raise you received." Inevitably the information "leaks" and someone is offended. "How could he get that kind of raise? I have been here twice as long as he has." We all seem to want the largest piece of the pie whether it is figurative or literal.

Jeremiah has his own version of the eternal battle over portion size. "The Lord is my portion" Therefore I hope in Him." In this short poetic sentence the prophet puts to rest the struggle for himself, and sets the example for us. Let's look at what he means.

First, Jeremiah says that God is enough for him. He will not participate in the selfish frivolities of the average man. He is content with what God wants him to have. He may be given a luxury villa on a prestigious street in Jerusalem. Or, he could live in a humble shack on the edge of the Kidron Valley.

Paul said something similar, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phil. 4:11) Both Paul and Jeremiah have learned the key to success in God. Be content with whatever God give you.

Second, Jeremiah has placed his expectations for the future in the God who supplies his every need. "I hope in Him." He doesn't place his trust in the Jerusalem Stock Exchange. He doesn't insist on a large MPF to provide for his retirement. He isn't looking to climb over anyone's back to reach the next rung on the "prophetic" ladder. Jeremiah has placed his total dependence on God who brought him safe thus far.

There is great peace in Jeremiah's position. Think about it. That confidence in God prevents ulcers. Prilosec, eat your heart out. Jeremiah didn't worry about anything. He trusted God, God was his portion, his provision, his all-in-all. What did he have to worry about? He didn't need to wonder whether the rain would water his crops. He didn't have to worry when the boss invited him into the office for an "update." ("Is he downsizing me? How will I pay the bills? How will I feed my family? Why did he have to set the appointment five hours from now?") Jeremiah took life one day at a time knowing where his provision came from. He knew that if something happened to him, God would provide for his family.

We can learn a lot from Jeremiah's simple statement. If we can learn to trust in the Lord like he did, we won't have a worry in the world, but most of us continue to seek our provision in our own efforts. We work hard at worrying ourselves into reflux city. Then we complain to God that we can't sleep at night because the antacid hasn't kicked in. It would be wise if we would, with Jeremiah, say that God is our portion therefore we will have hope (trust, confidence) in Him. Amen and Amen.

Esther 4:16

"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" Esther 4:16

Preparation is the key to success. The more complicated the task, the more preparation is needed. It takes very little preparation for me to clean the floor of the house. All I have to do is to sweep the floor. It took more preparation for us to say go camping. We had to get the tent, the sleeping bags, the air mattress, the food, clothing. And this is just the big stuff! It took hours to prepare for this short trip - and then we forgot a few things!

Esther was getting ready to put on the performance of her life. Everything depended upon what she did - not just for herself, but for all the Jews in all of captivity. Even though she was queen, she knew she had to prepare. She dolled herself up. She ordered special food to be made ready - that means the cooks had to get all the ingredients and tools to do Esther's wishes. She cleaned her quarters. Her maids pressed her best dress. But this was just the outward things.

Esther knew she had a lot of spiritual preparation to do as well - and she could not do it alone. She asked all the local to fast and pray with her and her maidens. This was all out war for the welfare and lives of hundreds of thousands of Jews. After the three days of spiritual warfare through fasting and prayer, she was ready to walk in on the King - something that was very dangerous. If the King was not pleased - she would die immediately.

What preparation are you making for your life? No, I'm not talking about the Inland Revenue Department and the children's educational fund. I'm asking about the spiritual battles you are facing - or are soon to face. Do you spend any time fasting? Praying? Studying the Word? If you should come under spiritual attack today, would you have the strength needed for the battle? Are you interceding for your kids' spiritual lives? Do you spend time in prayer for your Church services each week? Or do you just show up on Sunday morning hoping that something good happens. When is the last time you prayed and fasted for your community? Your country? Your national government?

I'm afraid that most of us just stroll through life, taking it as it comes, with little or no preparation. We wouldn't do our employer that way, but we seem content to let our spiritual lives develop as they may. And our spiritual lives are much more important than our jobs - jobs are temporary, life is eternal. How many jobs have you had in the past 10 or 20 years? How many lives will you spend in eternity? See what I mean? We take it for granted that we will get to heaven, but we make little preparation to get us there. Amen and Amen.

Gen. 1:11

"Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so" Gen. 1:11

"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" That philosophical question has its roots buried deeply in evolution. The biblical answer is simple, God spoke and it happened. Just as Adam was created out of the dust of the earth, vegetation and animals came into being at the spoken Word of God, that was the seed.

The Word of God has always been the seed. Jesus tried to tell us that when He spoke the parable of the soils. When the disciples admitted that they did not understand what the Master was talking about, He told them. "The seed is the Word of God." (Luke 8:11) Of course Jesus had an allegorical message hidden in His earthly story - because the soil was the hearts of men.

Again, we could return to John 1 where we discover that "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." In verse 14 John makes it clear that the Word of creation is the Son of God, Jesus. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among men." The Word planted the vegetation in the soil at creation and the seed of God was again planted in earth before Caesar Augustus announced a worldwide census. And that seed became Jesus, the son of Mary, the Savior of the world!

Isn't it amazing what God can do with the spoken Word? He spoke and there was light. He spoke and the light separated from the darkness and the heavens were formed. He spoke and plants sprouted on the face of the earth and produced fruit after their own kind WITH SEED IN THEM. At the spoken Word, the order of the earth came into being that caused the seed to drop into the ground and sprout and bring forth carbon copies of the parent plants.

Amazing, simply amazing, and "modern" scientists are seeking to discover how to make life. The story is told about a conversation between God and a mighty scientist. The two were talking about life and its origin when the scientist told God that he could produce life just like God did. "I can take a lump of clay and plant certain chemicals in it and it will bring forth life, just like you did." With this the scientist knelt on the ground and began his work. "Wait a minute," God said, "make your own clay."

While science is discovering that they can "create" life via cloning, they have yet to discover how to make the cell they empty and the DNA they inject into it. They need donors for both parts of the process! And where did the donors come from, don't let them fool you; they really don't know. But you and I know. They came from God who SPOKE them into existence!

Let us remember that Jesus is not only the LIGHT of creation, but He is the WORD that spoke the light into being. As such, He can shed His light on our darkness and speak into being His likeness in us, He can re-create us into His image again and restore us to God's fellowship, the fellowship broken when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. We can, and we will walk with the Father and talk with Him face to face because the Word has purified us and planted His seed in us, His Holy Spirit. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov.8:19

"My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver" Prov 8:19

I've been to the one of the local supermarkets and seen some fruit that is like Solomon's in today's verse! It sure seems like the cost of living keeps rising by the week.

But that is not the fruit that Solomon is talking about. He is talking about the same thing Paul was writing about in Galatians 5, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23 NKJV) These are the fruits that have a value far greater than gold for several reasons.

1) Each fruit can only be raised at great expense. Ever found a "love" tree from which you could pick a bit of love and put it in your basket? Of course not. Love is expensive. It costs the human spirit a great deal to acquire. It can only be purchased by giving it away. That's right, give love away and you are sure to gain more than you give. The same is true of joy, peace, all of the fruits. They are acquired at great cost to the collector.

2) Each fruit has value that cannot be counted in gold. What price would you put on a pound of love, or a quart of peace? The giver of love is relinquishing something that has cost him blood, sweat, and tears. The person who receives it receives a great honor as well. Love is not thrown to the wind to be sown on the roadside. It is planted with love, suffering, and pain. It is literally the very life of the giver. And peace comes right with love - especially the love that comes from the Father, for that love is the most costly of all.

3) Each fruit is in such demand that the cost is high. Not that there is a shortage of supply! No, there is sufficient for everyone to get all he or she wants and needs. The problem is that few people want to give up what they have. Many are there who are "fruit hoarders"! They get a little love, peace goodness, gentleness, and it's like they put it in a fruit jar with a tight lid. Then, then the jar is full, they clamp down the lid and bury the jar and all in some dark, dank hole. The only problem is that when the gifts are treated so, they rot away. When the hoarder returns to his cache, he finds nothing there but an empty jar.

Indeed, my fruits, your fruits, our fruits are much more valuable than gold. And the income from them is much more valuable than silver! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Cor 1:20

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us"2 Cor 1:20

Some things in life have to be predictable. Imagine a world where the forces of gravity change every morning. One day you get out of bed and can't move because you weigh 600 pounds. The next day you weigh 35 pounds and can jump 100 feet high! Or, suppose from one day to the next the traffic laws changes. Today you drive on the left side - tomorrow you drive on the right. Imagine the turmoil when we forgot which day was which.

We have come to expect some consistency in our lives. Without it chaos would reign supreme. Now think about our world as it exists today. Moral values are based upon what the "majority" (more likely a group of people who choose to be the morals police of the nation) of the people think they are. When I was a youth - back in the dark ages - TV standards didn't allow people to get into bed with each other. Even husband and wife slept in separate beds or always appeared with one foot on the floor. Now, because people have changed their moral foundation to meet their present expectations. Anything goes on TV. Husband and wife, boy friend and girlfriend, man and man, woman and woman, it makes no difference, they get into bed together - and not just to have a nice conversation!

Not so with God. Today's verse says that when He makes a promise, He keeps it. Whether it is a promise of blessing, or a promise of discipline, or a promise of destruction, God keeps his promises. You can count on it. You can also count upon His grace and mercy tempering the promises of evil. God is very patient with us - He gives us sufficient warning - but He always follows through. Ask the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Ask King David. Ask Ananias and Sapphira.

Isn't it good to know that something - no - Someone in this world is consistent? Amen and Amen.

Prov. 6:2-3

"You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend" Prov 6:2-3

Ben Mattlock is famous for it. Perry Mason and even Denny Crane used it as a tool quite frequently. Sure, these are characters in made for TV dramas, but the truth is still there. These men use the guilty person's words to trap them and force a confession.

We certainly have been trapped by our own words in times past. I know I have. That little white lie, the bending of the truth to satisfy my own desires, the twisting of a story to shed the best possible light on my position, all of these are traps that we lay for ourselves. Do you know what the biggest problem liars have? Keeping track of their lies! I'm reminded of the verse that says, "be sure your sins will find you out." That is never more true than with lying. Lies will eventually get you into deep trouble. One particular politician, no names mentioned has gotten himself in many jams with his stretching of the truth.

There is only one cure for lying - tell the truth. That is Solomon's advise. If you are caught in a trap of your own words, go to the person you lied to and confess your sin to him. Plead with him to forgive you. Swallow your pride and admit your guilt.

Ouch! That hurts! We don't like to swallow our pride, it sticks in our throats like dry cornbread. We hate being humbled. But, I ask you, "Which is worse? Being humble before the one you sinned against? Or being caught in a lie (or more likely a series of lies) and have your dishonesty made public in a court of law?" I think Solomon had a good thing going. Best not to stretch the truth - but if you do, confess it quickly. Honesty really is the best policy! Amen and Amen.

Phil 3:20-21

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." Phil 3:20-21

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cling far too hard to this life. We all claim to want to go to heaven - but not today! We become ill with a possibly terminal disease - and we fight it with all our resources. We want to stay alive. Why?

There is the need of family and responsibilities. We want our children to grow up with a mother and a father - and that is good. We want to make sure our children and grand-children are able to go through university if they want to - and that is good.

There is the need of excitement. I don't know what life has to offer tomorrow, but I want to try it. I've not done all the things I want to do yet. I haven't tried sky diving, or bungy jumping. I haven't seen Spain, or Greece, or Israel. I haven't even been to Singapore, although it is not too far from Hong Kong.

There is the need of fulfillment. I don't think my life is finished. There is still a lot of work to do. I have a house to build, a boat to buy, a job to finish. We could even be spiritual - I haven't had time to become a missionary yet. I haven't preached the perfect sermon yet. I haven't . . . and the list could go on and on and on.

The simple fact is this: if we didn't cling so hard to this life and all its needs, and clung instead to God, maybe we would be living life fuller. We have our life mapped out. But don't you think that God could map you a more exciting route? I suspect He could - and would if we let Him. We want so much to get from point A in our lives to point B, that we forget that God may have some special things for us along the way. If we will let Him be our guide, if we will claim our citizenship in Heaven instead of on earth, if we won't cling so hard to this life, then God will make our lives much richer than we could ever dream possible. And all that stuff that keeps us on earth? It is nothing compared to what God has in store. The BEST is yet to come. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov. 22:17-18

"Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips" Prov. 22:17-18

Our elders used to say, "Be careful what you say, you may have to eat your words." At least twice in the Bible prophets had to eat a scroll or book. Ezekiel had to eat a scroll in Chapter 3 of his book. John ate a book in Revelation 10. In both cases the word was the Word of God. Also in both cases the taste was like honey - sweet. However, John's book gave him a stomach ache! I have had to eat my words - and they didn't taste like honey either. Few of us like to admit that we said something that was wrong. Another proverb tells us that it is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open our mouths and prove it!

I admit. I used to be a know-it-all. (Carmel, hush. Don't you dare tell them that I still am!) OK, she is right. But at least I try to keep my knowledge to myself unless it is asked for. It is times when I open my mouth and volunteer my "wisdom" that I get into trouble.

Solomon has a bit of wisdom for us. If we will listen to his advice, and if we will seek knowledge, and if we keep his advice, it will be pleasant for us. I don't know about you, but that kind of struck home with me. Solomon was, and is, the wisest man to ever live. Why don't I read more of his words? Proverbs is not on my favorite reading list. There are some who read a chapter of Proverbs every day - there are thirty-one chapters and about half of the time there are thirty-one days. That makes for a nice combination. But it has been years until now that I have read the whole book. I sometimes pick and choose what I want to read from Solomon's little book of wisdom. We should all read Proverbs. That way we would be getting some of the wisdom that Solomon has to offer us. Amen and Amen.

1 Peter 1:8-9

"Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls" 1 Peter 1:8-9

"Stop it!" she cried indignantly. "I will not do that! Now go away and leave me alone." Silently, ashamedly, dejectedly, the interloper backs out of the door, but a smirk crosses his face as he turns to leave, "I may go now, but rest assured, I will return." He whirls and saunters down the hallway to the bank of elevators.

The struggle this woman faced is one we face every day...the trying of our faith. It may have been a perverted temptation that caused our heroine to cringe. It could have been the temptation to lie or steal or cheat or speak falsely, but she was victorious... this time. Will she be equally firm when temptation visits again? She did the right thing. She stood firm. She denied the tempter entrance into her domain. How long can she hold out for surely the visitor will return again ... and again ... and again? If she continually turns her back on the fatal attraction, she will find her faith and her resolve strengthened and the accuser will visit less frequently. But he will use the time to devise more subtle temptations. Will she be in tune with her God enough to see the new attempts and flee from them?

Ah, the troubles and trials of the believer in Jesus. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't save people, let them preach in their newfound zeal for a few months, then "take them home"? I have. Many of the people I have ministered to in the past have. It is not an uncommon thought - one that often comes to us after a failure. That's when I ask "why?" We don't like to fail. We don't enjoy falling. When we sin, we feel miserable wondering if we will ever "get it right." Those are times when our faith is tested. Those are times when we must dig deep into our spiritual reserves and find the strength to start over again. We all struggle with temptation. We all stumble from time to time. We all fail to meet God's expectations... that is what sin is.

The difference is this: God forgives and forgets; we degrade ourselves and ponder the nature of our sinful lives. It isn't God who condemns us. He forgives. It isn't the Holy Spirit that makes us feel like failures. His lifts us up and leads us into righteousness. We are the ones who cast condemnation upon ourselves because we listen to the accuser of our souls. The accuser would have us cast ourselves upon the spear of blame and impale ourselves condemned to die in the lost condition from which God redeemed us through Jesus Christ.

The object, the goal, of our faith is salvation. We need to take our sight off of our failures and focus on the beaming face of God as He sees us, as He wants us to be - perfect. And if He sees us whole and blameless, we must believe that, that is what we are through the blood of Jesus. In this way our faith is made whole and strong and perfect and we are victorious. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 81:7

"You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah." Psalm 81:7

It's scary! It's a disease that most men have. It seldom seems to strike women, and little children are totally immune to the infection. The disease is known by its scientific name,

"Honeyicantseemtofinditanywhere."

Women, you know what I mean. I can put something down and return to pick it up in ten minutes - and it is gone. After careful non-scientific analysis and observation, I have come to the conclusion that what I am looking for is not what I see. I may be looking for my wallet - black, flat, about 3-4 inches square. But, if I have placed my wallet on the nightstand and it slides off an item there and lands - in plain sight - on its side on the nightstand top, I can't find it. It is there, totally visible, but I am looking for a flat, black, square not a black item about 3-4 inches LONG and a half inch thick! Carmel walks in after my frantic, fifteen-minute search and finds it in ten seconds. How does she do that?

Sherlock Holmes, in one of his masterful mysteries, finds a stolen letter that has eluded the meticulous and repeated searching of Scotland Yard - and he does it in one short visit to the perpetrator's home. That's right. It was hidden in plain sight. The obvious is often overlooked.

Asaph, in today's verse, tells us that God sometimes hides us in a place we will never recognize: "in the secret place of thunder..." In a different Daily Word, I discussed the way God hides us FROM the storm. Today we see that we can be hidden IN the storm.

"That's crazy!" I can hear you already. "Why would God hide us in the middle of the storm? I need protection from it and God puts me IN it?"

Can you think of a better place to hide? Who in his right mind would hide from the storm IN the storm? Oh, but God has a purpose. He uses the storm to make us strong. When we are vulnerable, we learn to trust the Father. That total trust, that total confidence in the Father is something that will serve us well in coming adventures. But that trust is not learned in the comfort of our living rooms. We don't develop it in the pew on Sunday morning. We will never grasp this gift if we are always in our "comfort zone". No, we learn trust when we have no other choice - in the storm.

Asaph continues by telling us that God tests us "at the waters of Meribah." Meribah means "place of strife". In that place where trouble seems to be all around us, God proved us, He tried us, He strengthened us. You see; God never promised us a life of ease and luxury. What He did promise is that He would "be with us always." When we are in the midst of great trials and tribulations, instead of asking God to deliver us, we should ask the Father to teach us and make us strong! He gives us refuge in the storm for that very reason. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 57:1

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by" Psalm. 57:1

We've probably all watched a mother and father bird bring food to their young as they cry for nourishment in the nest. I had, as there is a pair of swallows on our veranda. The parent creatures always seem to care more for their young than they do for themselves.

On the other hand, turtles given no concern for their young. After mating, the female will dig a hole in the mud, lay her eggs, cover them with a mound of sticks, mud, and/or sand... and waddle away never to see her young hatch. Fortunately for us, God is not like the turtle. He even describes Himself in terms of winged fowl. God has wings!

That's what David says in today's verse. "... in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge ...." What a perfect picture of protection. David wrote this psalm after he fled from Saul. In particular, it was after David had hidden in a cave to elude his pursuer only to watch Saul enter the mouth of the cave and use it for his personal restroom. He was so close to David that our young hero took his knife and cut a piece off the hem of Saul's cloak!

David realized that he was not hiding in the cave. It was not the darkness that protected him. It was not his wit that kept him from harm. David realized it was the protection of God that hid him from the clutches of a deranged king. "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, For my soul takes refuge in You ..." David realized there was only one hiding place for the soul - in the presence of God.

Most of us are just "chicks" in this world. The term is not used in relationship to "age." It is used in relation- ship to our ability to take care of ourselves. Oh, we try. We gain great amounts of knowledge and think we have something. We achieve great heights in our field of expertise and believe we have climbed a great mountain and have acquired greatness. We work hard and retire with sufficient wealth to live the remainder of our years in comfort and leave some for the kids, and we feel that this is what life is all about. But we are just fooling ourselves. We cannot work out anything of lasting value. Where is our wealth when we die? Where is our success in business, or education? Are we remembered a generation or two after our death by anyone other than a random great grandchild? Few of us are.

No, our measure of success is determined by what lasts for eternity. What have we done for Jesus? What have we accomplished for God? How have we allowed the Holy Spirit to lead us? Those are the questions we must ask. And the answer always returns, we are nothing ... except for God. And when the times really became rough, we hide in the shadow of His wings. As Twila Paris wrote: "They don't know that I go running home when I fall down, they don't know who picks me up when no one is around; I drop my sword and cry for just awhile. 'Cause deep inside this armor the warrior is a child." Amen and Amen.

1 Peter 1:13

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13

Do you want to win? Do you really want to win? Then you must train. No boxer will enter the ring without proper training. It would be suicide. So with us, if we want to win the important battles, we must train.

Fortunately, Peter gives us a training schedule - the things that need to be worked on the most if we expect to win. First, gird yourself for action. This involves putting on the proper garments - We need to be wearing the full armor of God. We must prepare our minds with the weapon of our warfare - the Word of God. We must allow it to flood our thoughts so that we may fight effectively with our best weapon.

Second, keep sober in spirit. This doesn't mean that we can't have fun. It means that while we go through our lives, we need to keep alert. Like a soldier on the field of battle, we must keep our spiritual eyes always open - always looking this way and that for sneak attacks from the enemy.

Third, fix your hope completely on the grace of Jesus. There is nothing more important than realizing that the battle is ours. No matter how out numbered, how under powered, how grim the vision is, our hope and our faith is to be in Jesus Christ. If we will keep that in mind at all times, we shall remain strong in Him. And the battle will be ours - we will WIN!

You say you have no vision of grace? Sure you do. It was given to you the day you accepted Jesus as your Savior. Remember it? Remember how clean and fresh you felt that day? It is still there. Look to it. Attach your hope to it. It is a lifeline that you will never consume - it will always be there. Follow these three steps and victory is assured. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eccl. 2:11

"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun" Eccl 2:11

Solomon was an amazing man. As a young leader, he renounced gold and power in favor of wisdom when God offered him a choice. He chose wisdom so he could lead his nation in right paths. He thus became the wisest man ever to live. In the process, he was granted both wealth and power. And what did he do with it?

Read the book of Ecclesiastes and you will certainly have your eyes opened! He squandered it all in search of pleasure. He had more wives than any man could enjoy. He topped that with concubines to serve his every wish. He amassed great wealth and spent it upon himself. He built beautiful cities as monuments to himself. He spread his influence around the known world - to draw attention to himself. All of this and more did he do - to please himself.

Near the end of his life, he penned the words to this revealing book. Multiple times he repeats some variation of today's verse. "All was vanity." There was no profit in it. It served no lasting purpose. After all. Where are all of Solomon's buildings? In ruins. And his military accomplishments? In dust. His great wealth? Gone with the wind. Even the majestic Temple he built as a dwelling place for God was destroyed, smashed to bits, plundered, and hauled away by Israel's enemies. In the end, Solomon realizes that all earthly things are "vanity."

The only thing that lasts is what a person does for God. Serve God. Live for Him. Spend all the energy you have in His service and you will be building up great treasures - not on earth, but in Heaven where it really counts! Hallelujah, 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, Pastor 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.

Psalm 103:13-14

"As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust" Psalm 103:13-14

Wouldn't it be a scary thing if our God was not compassionate? Could you imagine the fear we would live in if our God were mean like the false gods? You borrow a penny from your wife's purse without her knowing. Is it stealing? Will God strike you with lightning - or worse yet - a lingering fatal illness? You say an angry, hateful thing to your mother. Do you duck for fear of some celestial punishment? Talking about living in fear, that would do it.

Fortunately our God had great compassion on those of us who have a healthy fear of Him. That fear is a healthy respect for, not a breath wrong and you die type of fear. Because of this great love, we live in peace knowing that forgiveness is always available should we sin.

Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that God can be a severe judge. We take for granted that He will love us no matter what. We have not seen an Ananias and Saphira type of incident in our churches lately. So what is there to fear. We can neither see God nor feel Him nor hear Him with an audible voice. This all gives rise to the question "Does he really exist? And even if He does, is He really interested in what I do? "Sure, we never really ask those questions. But we all too often live like we did. Think about it. What do you really think about God? Who is He really? What is your real relationship with Him? Do you really know Him? Do you really care about what He says? I urge you to honestly answer these questions. If you do, you may be surprised about how much you have to grow in your spiritual life. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalms 103:12

"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us" Psalms 103:12

Something strange happens when we are forgiven. Though God forgets, we don't forgive ourselves. How often we think about our past sins. How frequently we pray, "God, I've sinned the same thing again!" All we are saying is that we haven't forgiven ourselves. We still have our eyes set upon our past. Don't get me wrong. It is not bad to look at the past. We must learn from our mistakes. We must realize how we got into the mess that caused us to "fall" into sin. If we don't, we are condemned to continually repeat our sins. The truth is that we must remember our past, but in remembering, we must grow beyond it.

The thing that is wrong is dwelling upon the sins of the past - continually feeling condemned because of those sins. After all, when you are forgiven, YOU ARE FORGIVEN! Get that? The psalmist says that God removes our sins "as far as the east is from the west." Think about it. Can you ever go so far east that there is no longer an east before us? Absolutely not! We can never come "full circle" and become reattached to our sins. Can't be done. Our problem is that we cling to them. Perhaps they are a crutch we think will help us hobble into God's ways. Maybe we hold to them as a lifeline - thinking that if this "God thing" doesn't work out that we can follow that line back to the old ways. We might even think that we need to punish ourselves by pondering what we were, constantly whipping our spiritual selves so that we can be forgiven. We may even think that we can straddle the fence and live a bit in both worlds. WE CAN'T!

It is time to realize that when God forgives us, we need to forgive ourselves and quit dragging up those sins. It is time that we understand that when we ask to be forgiven, the guilt is gone. Any further guilt we fell is not conviction which leads us to reconciliation with God, but is condemnation which comes to us from Satan and leads to eternal damnation.

If you've sinned, ask God to forgive knowing that He will. Then move on into the future knowing that God is your right hand, your strength, your salvation. All things past are forgiven. All things are made new. This day is like God's grace. It is new, fresh, and clean just waiting for us to make it into a good day! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Isaiah 6:4-5

"And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts" Isa. 6:4-5

Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to all on that day?
Traditional Folk Song

I am positive that this is the way Isaiah felt when he saw the vision of the Lord. He wanted to hide. You and I would have wanted no less. Being in the presence of God would be a frightening event - and Isaiah knew more than anyone that he was a "sinner man"! He even recorded his thoughts for us to read nearly 2500 years later. "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." He was ready to die. He knew the consequences of seeing God. He knew it was death - it always had been. And it would have been this time except for one very important action. An angel flew to him and touched his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar of the Lord. The burning coal cleansed our budding prophet and made him fit for an audience with the King of Kings. (I'm certainly glad that I have been redeemed by the blood of the Messiah. I'm not sure I am ready to have my lips touched with a burning coal from anything!)

Isaiah made himself available when God called for someone to go for Him. "Here am I, send me." We know Isaiah as one of the "Major Prophets," the author of one of the most read of the Old Testament books. In his writings, he foretold the coming of the restoration of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, and the nature of the new Kingdom of God. In the process, he tells us part of the history of the world and the nature of the conflict of which the earth and its human inhabitants are the prize to be won. Isaiah is a great man! But it wasn't always that way.

He was just a simple man like you and me. He was a sinner looking forward to the saving Messiah, "sometime," and until the Messiah came he was prepared to offer his peace offerings to the God of Abraham in order to roll his sins back for another year. That all changed when God called him. And Isaiah's response to God's call was the moment that Isaiah ceased being a "simple sinner man" and became a "mighty man of God."

That event is the only thing that makes Isaiah different from you and me. He answered the call. Then again, you and I may have already answered the call of God. I know I have... several times, for the call of God is seldom a one-time event. And it is seldom static. When God finds a person willing to be used of Him, He continues to use that individual for many other events. The only two questions remaining for us are these: 1)have we heard the call, and 2)are we willing to say "Here am I, send me"? Amen and Amen.

2 Tim 1:5

"When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" 2 Tim 1:5

There are many accounts of "little people", the common man or woman, being used of God in mighty ways. We could talk of many of the prophets. We obviously recall a young woman, Mary, and her betrothed, Joseph. We might call them "salt of the earth" type of people. James and John, Peter and Andrew, fishermen with no other life in sight until Jesus walked down the beach near their boats and called them to follow Him and He would make them "fishers of men." Stephen, the disciple who became a deacon and suffered martyrdom for his preaching and Phillip the evangelist transported from the wilderness to the heart of another revival are two more of the small folk made huge by the call of God.

There is one more individual I believe we should look at. He was the offspring of a Jewish woman and a gentile man, raised in a gentile nation to follow God's laws. Timothy was called by Paul to be a companion and a student. He had little to offer except willingness to learn and the heritage of a godly mother and a godly grandmother. As a youth he began to serve Paul the Apostle. He followed him throughout the Middle Eastern and European countries of the day, absorbing the vast knowledge stored by God in the heart of Paul. Finally, Paul began to send Timothy on errands of great import until Paul made Timothy the pastor of a church that needed a gentle but firm hand.

Timothy was on his own, but not without the prayers and instruction of the great Apostle. We are fortunate to have two of the letters Paul wrote to Timothy because in them the Apostle taught Timothy, and the church as a whole, how to organize and grow a powerful local congregation. In due season, church history tells us that Timothy became a very influential bishop (elder/pastor) of the whole region, leading the churches and training men in the ways Paul was taught by Jesus in the wilderness.

Timothy had one major asset: a willingness to serve ... to be used... by God. He apparently had no great wealth. He had just a basic education. He was nothing outstanding to the world, but Paul saw something in him and assisted God in bringing it out in the open. God can do the same for and through you. He takes the simple things and makes them great. A few small fish and a handful of little loaves fed 5,000 men. A simple gold coin was used to teach about taxes and God's will for His children. A little child was the object of a lesson on the simple faith. A grain of mustard seed taught about the kingdom. A grain of salt taught us about how important we are in the world around us. And twelve simple men started a church on the Day of Pentecost.

You, my brothers and sisters in Christ, are the salt of the earth, and God wants to use you to enhance the Kingdom in your neighborhood, your state, your nation, and your world. He will take whatever small offering you have to give and multiply it over and over until multitudes are fed from what you give. But you must give it in order for Him to multiply it. You must be willing to be an offering, poured out, so that He can fill you with His glory. You must obediently raise your hand and place it in the nail-pierced palm of Jesus so He can lead you in the ways only you can tread. You ... must ... willingly... yield ... yourself ... to ... Jesus. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Heb. 11:3

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" Heb. 11:3

I've heard it and I'm sure you have too. "You must step out in blind faith." I've always wondered what "blind faith" is. Is it limited to those who are physically blind? Does one have to be totally blind to reality to have it? Exactly what do people mean when they use the term and is it a biblically based concept?

I had a dream once. I was walking in a pitch-black night. Nothing could be seen; even my hand was hidden from sight if I held it inches from my face. As with most people, after a while I became totally disoriented and was afraid to move anywhere. This was especially true when I heard the sound of rushing waters immediately in front of me - or was it all around me? The sound seemed to move from front to back to side and back again. Darkness does that to a person's senses. It seems like I prayed in the midst of that dream for I heard a voice saying, "Take one step at a time." I questioned the wisdom of that advice ... until I looked down and saw a faint glow on a rock immediately in front of me. I stepped out and the light became brighter illuminating the single step I was to take. As I moved each foot forward, a light illuminated the next step, and the next. Never was more than one step lit. Always the light glowed as I took the next step. I don't recall reaching a destination, but I do know I was filled with a peace knowing that the Light, which I know is Jesus Christ, directed each step of my path.

Was that "blind faith"? Some might say it was. But I know the truth. My faith was founded on two things. The first was the Voice. The second was the first glimmer of the faint light on the first rock. No, this was not blind faith. It was faith in Someone I had confidence in.

The Hebrews writer tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1) He would assure us that there is no such thing as blind faith. In today's verse, he tells us that our faith, our confidence, is in a power much greater than ourselves. We look at the world around us and know that it was made by the spoken word of God out of apparent nothingness. Liberal thought would have us believe that the world "just happened" when for some reason a single particle of something unexplainably moved out of its predetermined path and struck another particle of something - they call it the "big bang theory." Yeah, sure. And where did the particles come from? And why did one of them deviate from its ageless path? The answer is vague stammering because there is no answer in neither scientific nor philosophical thought.

True faith is never really blind. It is founded upon the power and authority of one we can trust - the God of creation. While it may seem to be "blind" at times, the truth is that faith is based upon a reality that is more real than the keyboard I am using to write this epistle. When we have learned to trust in God, the most outlandish sounding command from Him is nothing but a foregone conclusion. He has made it possible. He will make it come to pass. All we have to do is take the first step... and the next ... and the next... until we reach the destination He has set for us.

Blind faith? The world might think so. But you and I know that the faith we have is never blind, but built upon the creator of all reality. Go ahead. Take the first step. See the light glowing dimly? Trust in the God who created the light and the rock and the river and you. He works all in perfect harmony. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov. 23:23

"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding" Prov. 23:23

In a Beatles song, the wizards of rock sang these words, "Money can't buy you love." Despite the truth of these words, most of us continue to accumulate wealth hoping that we can buy, if not love, at least happiness. It amazes me how fast purchased happiness drains into the mundane then into the realms of drudgery.

Solomon, in his vast wisdom, tells his son that two things can, and should, be bought - truth and wisdom. The two are not the same, though many people try to make them that way. Nor is wisdom gained at the same time that knowledge is attained. Wisdom is based upon truth. Wisdom is the life application of knowledge in a good and just way. Money can buy knowledge; that is why we send our children to the best university we can afford. We want them to gain knowledge, vast amounts of knowledge, because we know that they will need it in the every day life of adulthood.

Wisdom is purchased with a currency that is not printed by the Government of Hong Kong. Nor does any government or set of government coin that currency. The currency with which one buys wisdom is time. Effective use of the time currency begins at birth as the mother and the father begin the decades long instructions that will mold an infant into a productive adult. The parents invest the initial currency because Junior has nothing to invest. He is more interested in eating, sleeping, and dirtying diapers. Eventually Junior learns to sit on Daddy's knee and listen to stories that Daddy and Mommy tell about their youth. He is now investing his own currency. If everything works out right, Junior will gain the seeds of wisdom in these precious moments. In due course, Junior will have gained enough wisdom in this manner to be able to water the seeds planted by his parents and reap sufficient harvest along the way to keep himself in God's paths. All the time he continues to gain more wisdom because wisdom begets wisdom.

Sad is the youth who ignores "the old man" and grows into adulthood as a fool. He saddens the heart of his parents. He makes a mockery of all that has been invested in him by family, teachers, pastors, and friends. His currency is wasted on debauchery and self-indulgence.

Let us buy truth and wisdom. It is never to late to begin our collection. Our collection can never be too big. And wisdom never goes out of date nor does it "spoil"! Amen and Amen.

Prov. 11:4-5

"Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright" Prov. 11:4-5

We've probably all heard the story of the two men who paused to pay their respect to an approaching funeral procession. As the men took off their hats, they watched as the hearse quietly rolled by followed by an armored car with the name "Brinks" painted on the side. One respectfully noted to the other, "I didn't think you could take it with you, but Mr. Brinks is sure going to try."

There is an old song that says, "Money can't buy you love." And that is a very true saying. Money can buy companionship. Money can buy a false sense of friendship. Money can buy health - to a certain extent. Money can buy lots of things that make life easier on this sparkling blue orb we call "Earth," but money can't do a thing for the man who is bound for hell. Money won't buy an air conditioner there. It won't purchase a drink of cool water. It won't even buy friendly companionship in that overheated dwelling of the ever-dying sinner. Solomon tells us that riches are worthless in the day of wrath ... the day of judgment.

On the other hand, righteousness won't buy pleasures on earth. It won't buy a fast car. It won't purchase the goods that men seem to lust after. But it will buy peace of mind, and happiness, and contentment. It will buy what money can't - it can buy love. What's more, righteousness will deliver the owner from the eternal death of hell and deliver him into the glories of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus.

In the days of the ancient kings, runners would precede the king's travel by weeks. They would tell the local residents that the king would arrive in their village on such-and-such a day. The village chiefs would arrange work crews to travel the length of the roadway to make the paths smooth for the king. Potholes would be filled. Rough road would be smoothed. Valleys would be filled and hills would be cropped off so the king would have a safe and comfortable ride through the village lands. This is what the king's influence bought him.

Our righteousness - and that is a gift from our King - is what makes our paths smooth and safe and comfortable. Certainly, I am not talking about a "pain free life." Quite the contrary, the life of the true believer might be fraught with great trials producing physical and emotional pain. Some of us might even lose our lives because of the choice we have made to follow in the footsteps of the King. But, all the while, we are comforted by the knowledge that this life is nothing but a passing vapor compared to the vast riches of eternity. All the suffering we endure on earth are just "hiccups" on the way to the rewards offered by the King of Kings to those who overcome.

If we can keep this in mind, we will be at peace ... because of our righteousness in Christ Jesus - and such a comforting thought it is! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eph. 1: 7-8

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" Eph 1:7-8

We all love to have things lavished on us. Women love to be loaded down with diamonds, furs and chocolates. Men adore a woman who buys them tools, remotes controls, gizmos and gadgets and they love to use these items with us. We all love Christmas and birthdays (yes, even those over 50 - but we just don't show it as much). Why? We love the attention we get on those special days.

God has lavished gifts on us as well. He gave us the gift of redemption - He paid our penalty for our sins - through His Son, Jesus. He has poured forgiveness on us. Why, because He loves us. It comes from His vast, immeasurable storehouse of grace.

Perhaps you have never accepted that great gift of salvation. Do it now. Perhaps you have lost that gift sometime in the past. He is still offering it to you. Take it . . . again. Maybe you think your sins are too great for God to forgive. Your sins cannot be bigger than God's grace. He loves you so much that if you were the only sinner, He would still have sent His Son to die for your sins. Accept His forgiveness now, today! It is free for the taking. (I know you are thinking "it can't be that easy." It is, He offers it freely. The hard part is humbling yourself to take it - it is easier to give than receive.)

There has never been a sinner who called on God who has been turned away. God's arms are open wide for all who seek Him. He doesn't play "hide and seek" with you. He says "seek Me and you shall find me. Call upon me and I will answer." Today is your day! Seek, call and receive! Amen and Amen.

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 and I will guide you toward Fellowship and Baptism. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.