The Poor Widow

Good Morning,

Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

Uh, oh! Not another message about giving!??! And yet, another message about generosity?? Well, no, not exactly. Today just something as an observation and something that was made evident to me as I read this very familiar section of Scripture.

Jesus points out a fact that seems to be just as valid now, over 2,000 years after this happened, as it was then. What God sort of pointed out to me and reminded me of many observations in my life is the fact that it's the less fortunate among us, those with the least, who seem to be the most generous with what little they have. I thought about this for a while and thought, "Yes, it certainly is true. At least it's been my experience over many years by what I've seen."

Now, isn't that pretty amazing? Wouldn't one think that it would be those with the MOST who would be more generous and giving? And, along the same lines I suppose, wouldn't it be those with the LEAST who would want to hoard what they do have and not let any of it slip away? Wouldn't those actions...that which we would think of the wealthy and that which we would think of the poor...be more likely and normal to an intelligent human being?

Ain't the way it happens, folks! Not even close. As a matter of fact, the opposite seems to be the norm. Certainly I would never say that there are not generous wealthy people. And, conversely, I would never say that there are not poor people who are stingy with what they have. After all, people are people and there are differences among us all. However, what has been made evident to me this morning and the pictures that have been brought back into my mind bears out exactly what Jesus said those thousands of years ago.

I suppose the message to us would be that we search ourselves to see where, exactly, we fit into this sort of strange equation between what we have, or don't have, and what we give, or don't give. None of my business, by the way, to know what anyone does in this area of their lives. It is my business, however, to point out things that God makes evident to me...and then to send it along as He would have me to do.

Nothing complicated today. Very plain, very simple, and very clear.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

The Gifts of The Spirit

Good Morning,

Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11 (NIV)
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NIV)
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
1 Peter 4:10 (AMP)
As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
(ALL Emphasis mine...DRB)

Last night I was privileged to have heard a most marvelous message delivered by Pastor Bryan Lamoureux at Journey Church where I attend and am blessed to be a member. His message concerned the gifts of the Holy Spirit and, to say the least, it made a huge impression on me and prompted me to send this message along to you.
(You can visit http://livestream.com/journeychurch and look up his message there. It would be well worth the time and effort!)

I'm not going to go into all of the many points made by Pastor Bryan and I'm not going to attempt to explain Scripture this morning. I'm not going to list all of which Scripture tells us are the Spiritual Gifts. No, none of that at all. What I AM going to do is to remind every one of us that we DO have a gift or gifts which have been given by God through the Holy Spirit. The next thing I want to remind us of is that we are to USE our gifts and giftedness for the "common good"...that is, I'm to use my gift to uplift the Church and all of my brothers and sisters in it...as are you.

YOU have a gift that has been given to you by God. If you don't know what that gift is, then, please, do all you can to find out what it is. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you. Google "Spiritual Gift Inventory Test" and go to one of the many sites which will help you to more fully realize where your giftedness lies. Again, PLEASE, strive to fully understand how God has blessed you with a Spiritual Gift or Gifts.

Next, I implore you to USE your gift! Use it, as we read in Scripture, for the "common good," so as to lift up the entire Church of Jesus Christ, for the good of your local congregation, and to help all of your brothers and sisters in Christ. Use it to it's fullest and utmost. USE IT!

Finally, I would remind us all that, even though we might know what our particular gifts are at the present time, we can "eagerly desire the greater gifts" in addition to that which we already have. Or, in the case where we might not know what our giftedness might be, we ought to pray that the Holy Spirit bless us with the "greater gifts" available to us from God.

This is much too important a subject matter to gloss over or to simply put aside. The gifts given by the Holy Spirit have NOT been done away with. The gifts of the Spirit are NOT a thing of the past. God's Spiritual gifts aren't something that were of "Biblical times" only. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to every believer in Jesus Christ. They were given in those ancient times, of course; they are given to each of us today; they will be given to all Christian believers for always.

It's our job to find our giftedness. Then, equally...or maybe even MORE...importantly, to use what we've been given.

Thank you Pastor Bryan for a wonderful and meaningful message!

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Keeping Watch

Good Morning,

Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

There are many times that I am perplexed about what I see going on around me and by the actions of the people in our country and throughout the world. What I mean by that is the fact that so many who might easily be described as evil in their actions and mind set are doing so well in the world. People are becoming millionaires and eve billionaires by taking from the least financially secure among us. The "me first" attitude and the "more, more, more" mind set seems to be everywhere and no one seems to want to do anything about it. There are even elected officials who have declared that many of these evil people are "good for business" and other even more ridiculous statements. You and I both know that the list of "evil" people in the world and what they do could go on almost indefinitely...and then a bit more!

Now, when I get to thinking about all of this and my mind just can't grasp why nothing seems to be being done about it, God sends me something that helps me to cope. Well, today is just such a day. You see, we all know that God watches over those of us who are His children. That's a fact. But, here's the thing that can and should give us not only hope but also some peace when we are faced with much of the evil that goes on around us; when we see people taking advantage of other people for their own gain; when those with much keep demanding, and getting, more; when we want to just scream and the unfairness of it all...the thing is: God is keeping watch over them, as well.

Just as we know that God sees us when we do good or bad, He also sees those who are evil and do what they do in this world. It's so much easier for me to not so much accept, but at least live with much of what I see and hear and experience that really ought not to be happening, when I know that God is, indeed, watching. I think He's not only watching, but I believe He's sort of keeping score in some way, as well.

Think about this for a minute, if you will. We all have to stand in front of the Judgement Seat of God at some point. All of us. Every one of us. Those of us who have been at least nominally "good" and, also, those of us...human beings...who have been truly evil. (Good in parentheses because Jesus told us that there are, truly, none good.) Now, imagine a just and righteous God on His throne looking down at some of these people who have done the things they've done and taken advantage of people for their ungodly gain. And He asks, "Why did you do as you did to My children?" I'm glad it isn't me who will have to face the wrath of God for the things that were done to His children!

Yes, of course, we are all sinners. I'm not saying that even decent Christians won't have to face some tough questions, and give answers we don't want to have to give. We will all face our God, certainly. But I really don't think it will be the same for many of us as it will be for others. I'm glad I'm not one of those others!

So, again, when I my mind just can't grasp the "why" of people doing the evil that they do and the fact that they gain huge riches because of it, I remember that God is seeing everything that I do...and more. I also remember that He is the Judge. It is He who will pass the ultimate judgement on everyone.

That gives me peace.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Worthy Of The Gospel

Good Morning,

Philippians 1:27 (NIV)
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel. (Emphasis mine, DRB)

There's a lot that goes on in each of our lives. Some of it wonderful and, well, some of it maybe not so wonderful. (I'm trying to be the master of understatement this morning, I guess.) Yes, some of what happens is pretty bad. The question before us today is, "How do we conduct ourselves no matter what happens in our lives?"

Are we much like people in and of the world? I mean, do we act exuberant and overjoyed when things go well. And then, when things don't go so well, are we depressed and down...as happens to those who don't know the Lord? So, are we being pushed by the winds of what goes on around us and not conducting ourselves as would be expected of children of God? Do people see us responding to what goes on around us in ways that, as Paul puts it, "...in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ?"

"Whatever happens,"...that sort of leaves the door wide open, doesn't it? Good, bad, and everything in between, God tells us we ought to be acting..."conducting yourselves"...differently that those who don't know Him.

"In a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ," tells us that we need to be more LIKE Jesus in every circumstance, and no matter WHAT the circumstance, in our lives. Now, this goes both ways, I think. We need to be more even keeled, so to speak, as we walk each day; not getting too up or too down at what goes on around us and to us; not reacting to situations instead of responding to situations; being recognizable as children of the living God no matter whether things are great or terrible in our lives. This, conducting ourselves "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" is what will separate us from those who have never put their faith and trust in Jesus, those who simply do not have a relationship with God.

I wonder how many of us went shopping today, early this morning, to take advantage of "black Friday" offerings in the various mega markets and acted much like everyone else around them? I wonder how many of us who may have been out there with the masses of humanity trying to get that last "great deal" pushed and shoved and didn't act "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Just a thought as sometimes being involved with some things sort of brings out the worst in people...ALL people, those OF the world, as well as otherwise good and peaceful Christians."

This verse is something for us to remember today, and every day, as we go about our normal activities, jobs, schools, shopping, or even just walking in our neighborhoods. We, you and I, are NOT the same as everyone else. We, you and I, are chosen by God and His children. We ought to conduct ourselves accordingly.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Thanksgiving

Good Morning,

Sorry I'm a bit tardy this morning. Been in the kitchen cutting and chopping and the like getting ready for tomorrow and simply lost track of the time.

1 Chronicles 16:8, 34 (NIV)
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalm 100:4 (NIV)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Let me start by wishing everyone a most joyous and happy Thanksgiving day. My prayer for us all is that God will be with us in every way, in our words as we give Him thanks, in our actions as we show those around us Christ in us, and in our spirits as His Holy Spirit indwelling us will shine forth.

There are probably thousands of verses of thanksgiving in the Bible. These three sort of "popped" for me as I was going through all of the verses that came when I looked up "give thanks" to send along this morning.

We, all of us, have much to give thanks for and I'll not list everything that might come to mind. Suffice it to say that we DO have a lot to be thankful for. Yes, some of us are going through difficult times and it might be difficult to give a heartfelt "thanks" because of what we're going through. That's why the verse in 1 Thessalonians is so important to us all. We all go through tough times. We all face days where "thanks" is the last thing on our minds or even in our hearts. The days can be hard, I know. If we aren't facing them today, then we've probably been through those hard days in the past. If we haven't faced them in the past and aren't facing them today, then, I can pretty much assure you, there will be hard days to face in the future. It's a part of life.

So, God tells us through Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians that we ought to, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." God is reminding us that even though we face difficulties and hardships, we should be joyful in our spirits. Remember, if we have nothing else, we have the Lord! He also reminds us that we should "give thanks in all circumstances" for that which we do have. He doesn't tell us that we should be thankful FOR all circumstances...as some are so extremely difficult...but IN all circumstances. We must remember that no matter where we find ourselves or what conditions are like around us and in our lives, we must remember to be thankful for the fact of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

So, as we gather tomorrow, let's remember to "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever." Let's also remember that in good times and bad we need to be obedient to Scripture and "Bey joyful...pray...give thanks..., for this is God's will for (us) in Christ Jesus."

Again, Happy Thanksgiving. God bless you and yours.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

P. S. I'm going to take a day off tomorrow and cook!

Feed The Hungry

Good Morning,

Isaiah 58:10 (NKJV)
If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10 (NLT)
Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 (NKJV)
“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.
Matthew 25:35-40 (NIV)
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Thursday is Thanksgiving. It is a holiday that is traditionally celebrated by giving thanks for all that we have in this country and culminates in a feast for a gathering of family and friends. Now, for most of us, this is exactly what will happen. We will come together and we will do all that is supposed to be done and we will eat a huge meal. That is a very good thing, of course. I must say that for me, personally, I love Thanksgiving. I love it because I love to cook and it thrills me to no end when people go away from my table satisfied and pleased with the food I've prepared. But, you see, I'm one of the fortunate among us in that I have the food to prepare and I get to share it with family and friends.

Now, I'm sure we're aware that there will be many on Thursday who will NOT have an abundance of food to prepare for themselves, their family, and their friends. There will be people who will have the exact OPPOSITE of abundance and will be hungry on that day of "thanksgiving" and will have little to give thanks for. There will be some whose children will be hungry that day.

We know that, I'm sure. I'm not saying anything new to any of you. Here's something to consider, though, as we prepare for our Thanksgiving feast and gathering. SOME of those people I mentioned are people you know. SOME of those people sat next to you at your church service on Sunday. SOME of those people have children in your Sunday schools and youth groups. Yes, SOME of those people have little or nothing in their pantries, refrigerators, or freezers.

The verses we read today tell us some things we ought to be doing for those in need. I know that there are many, many more verses that can be quoted which tell us that we're supposed to take care of the poor and needy among us. There are verses which tell us that we're especially supposed to be generous with our brothers and sisters in Christ. So, why these particular verses? I'll tell you the absolute truth about that. I have no idea. You see, I don't question the verses that come across my desk in a morning and what the Lord asks me to send along. I just "hold the pen" so to speak, and try to be as obedient as possible to write the words God gives me.

What can we do about those in need this Thanksgiving? Truthfully, probably not much at this late date. What we CAN do, however, is to be more diligent in seeing need for the future. We can make sure that there are none among us who will be hungry, not only on the next "holiday" we celebrate, but on any day of the year. We can ask questions and be more observant when we gather so we can more easily recognize a need that might not be spoken. We can listen more to what God tells us and asks us to do when He speaks into our minds about John or Mary or Pete or Sue.

What else can we do? That's easy. When we know or feel there is a need...especially to those close to us in our various congregations...we can open up our hearts and our pocket books and wallets and pantries and storehouses, and we can do what Jesus says is the right thing to do. "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these my brothers of mine, you did for me." THAT's what we can do.

We can do it today. We can do it tomorrow. We can be sure we do it every day that we see a need.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

See God?

Good Morning,

1 John 4:10-14, 16 (NIV)
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

John is right, of course, when he writes, "No one has ever seen God." However, the thought came to me that we sort of see God, even through our human eyes, when we look at each other and see the love of God, love for God, and love for one another. We read, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

Therefore, I would say, if we wish to see God, then all we have to do is to look at our brothers and sisters in the Lord. In this way we see God because, again as we read, "Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

When we love, we show God in us. When we show God in us He is visible to others. It's that simple.

How will I show love today? In what way will the love of God, the love for God, and the love God wants me to show toward you, how, exactly, will that love be evident for you to see? Will God be visible in me today?

My prayer is that He will be and that what I do this day will truly make it evident that God does, truly, live in me.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Purify Ourselves

Good Morning,

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

When I read this verse today, I noticed that Paul first says, "Since we have these promises..." so I thought that it is important to see what, exactly, he was referencing when saying "promises." So, here are the last few verses of chapter 6 which contain those promises:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
(Emphasis mine, DRB)

Okay. Back to the original thoughts about 1 Cor. 7:1...

I wonder, in my small human mind, if it really is possible to "purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit" in this modern day and age. I sat here and tried to think about all that would be necessary for me, just a normal...well, kind of normal, I suppose...person living in 2009 AD. How would I have to live my life? Where could I go. What could I do. Who could I be with? With whom could I even correspond? Just how in the world could I possibly purify myself from everything that could contaminate me in body and spirit?

Now, this isn't even going into the verses from chapter 6 about being "yoked together with unbelievers" and what is said there! That's a whole different message, I think. So, what can I do to be obedient to what Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, and that pertains to our Christian congregations today, as well?

The problem, as I see it, is the fact that just about everywhere we look or go; almost everything we see or hear; almost the whole world around us; almost everything we have to experience and be exposed to in the world, there's something that seems to want to contaminate my body and spirit. I can't think of a whole lot of places...outside our church houses and congregational gatherings...where there isn't something I ought not to see or hear or be affected by as I live a "normal" life. The only way that comes to my mind in order to totally eliminate "everything that contaminates body and spirit" is to chuck everything, find a cave on some mountaintop with nothing around for miles, move in, and become a total hermit. Um, to be honest, I don't think I could do that. To be totally honest, I must say that I don't even WANT to do that. I kind of like electric lights and air conditioning!

So, what's the answer? For me, and maybe for you, it is controlling those things that I CAN control and attempting to limit those other things as much as I can. I can refuse to watch mindless and offensive television programs. So many come to mind that I'll not even attempt to list them. (However, I have to say that I watched a part of one episode of "Dancing With The Stars" and it sort of began to contaminate body AND spirit. If you've seen it, I think you'll understand what I mean!) I can simply NOT listen to certain things on the radio as I drive or to CD's that I might have access to. Some stuff is just disgusting, you know? I can choose to read things that don't affect me in a negative, contaminating way...magazines, books, online articles, and things of that nature. I can totally avoid going to places where the atmosphere and the "goings on" aren't what I ought to be exposed to. I can not communicate with people who will bring up subjects or say things that aren't in my best interest in this area of my life. Now, I'm sure there are more things I could list that I can totally control, but I know you get the idea.

In addition to controlling much of what is in my life that really IS in my control, I can limit other things. When I'm out and about I can simply get up and leave when I overhear a conversation that offends me. I don't have to sit there and listen. I can turn my head, turn around, and walk away when I see something in front of me that I don't want to see and that I know affects me adversely. There are things we can limit, of course, so that we can be more obedient to the Scripture we read today.

Can we "purify ourselves from EVERYTHING that contaminates" in this world 100%? Probably not. But we can sure try. We can do some things that will surely please God.

I have these promises from God. To have Him receive me, be a Father to me, to be His son, so it is my responsibility to simply do more to remove those things in my life that do anything BUT purify me. I must simply give it more priority in my life. I think that it is my duty to God.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Salvation

Good Day,

I know this is late, but today is the Saturday that we volunteer at Angel Food Ministries, therefore the tardiness of today's message.

Acts 16:29-32 (NIV)
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
Romans 10:8-13 (NIV)
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

The jailer that asked the all important question both physically and figuratively saw the light and wanted to know what he ought to do in order to be saved. Now, I know that these words go out to people who, for the most part, have accepted Jesus Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior. However, do I take the chance that there might be some few who have not and, therefore, never mention that which is needed for forgiveness, salvation, and an eternity with the Lord in heaven? I don't think so. That's why this is coming along today. If there is even one person who might read these words and does not have the Lord in his or her life, then this message is more than just some nice words, it's necessary.

Salvation isn't some long, drawn out life long process that God wants us to do. It isn't praying the same prayers over and over. It isn't doing enough good to outweigh the bad we've done. Salvation isn't something that we can earn by living any certain way. Salvation is a gift from God. It costs nothing accept what we read in the verses in Romans. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

So, today, this very moment in time, I want to ask you this simple question. "Have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life as Lord and Savior?" If you cannot answer that question with a firm "Yes" and if you're not sure whether or not that the answer is "Yes" then, please, search your soul to see if, indeed, you have ever asked Jesus Christ to come into your life to be your Lord and your Savior. Now, if you can't say yes, then I would ask, please, that you do that right now. That is, to ask God to forgive you of your sins and to have Jesus come into your life. Do as Paul wrote, "Everyone (that's you, me, and any human being) who calls on the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) will be saved."

Is this message today a perfect message on Salvation? Probably not. I'm not the world's greatest evangelist, I know. But, I've been led strongly today to send it along and I am certainly not going to disobey, especially on something as important as this.

Should you wish to talk about it, call me. I'll be happy...well, actually overjoyed!...to speak to you, and to pray with you. Or, if not me, then seek out a pastor or someone near you to speak to and to pray with you. My phone number will be at the end of this message.

God loves you. So do I. That may sound a bit corny, but it's true.
Love, peace, and blessings,

David

904-317-0458

Your Treasure

Good Morning,

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We spoke a bit about the "Holiday Season" in yesterday's message. Appropriately we read another verse of Scripture today that sort of lends itself to a great deal of thought in this season.

Some have called this holiday season we go through each year a "buying season" or "purchase season" or some other "season" that is based almost entirely of the fact that people go sort of crazy in the retail environment. Folks lose their senses and their common sense when they see the green and red decorations, the jolly, fat Santa, and all of the other accoutrements that go along with the enticements to buy!, buy!, buy!!! Yeah, it's my humble opinion that most of our society has simply lost sight of what a "Holiday Season" is supposed to be...and, it goes without saying, just Whom it is that we are even having this season for! But, well, that's another message, isn't it?

What is of major concern for us, Christian believers, is that WE get just about as enticed and caught up in all of the hype as do those who have no belief system and simply do not accept the fact of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We, you and I and the rest of Christ's followers, should be above all of this foolishness that we see all around us. But, well, we're not above it at all.

So, today, it seems a very fitting time for us to be reminded of where, exactly, our "treasure" ought to be. And, to take it a step further, WHAT our treasures ought to be. I think that this verse of Scripture ought to be permanently etched into the forefront of our brains all the time...but especially during this time of year when we can so easily fall to the wiles of the various sellers of anything but the treasures of God. I'd say we should all tattoo this on ourselves someplace, but I really don't like pain and, although I've not experienced it, I think that tattoos hurt!

I don't think a long, drawn out reasoning is needed today to explain these verses. I think we all know what Jesus was telling us here. Now, it's up to each of us as individuals to remember what and where our true treasures are. It's up to each of us to get beyond what non believing society tells us we should be doing at this time of year. It's up to each of us to resist what the enemy would have us do. It's up to each of us to refuse to go along with the buy, buy, buy mentality that we will be inundated with.

You see, it's up to each of us to remember what Jesus told us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Sacrifice

Good Morning,

Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Well, we find ourselves, thankfully, living through another "holiday season" where the lights will be lit, the tables set abundantly, and the celebrations will go on...for some. We also find ourselves in the season where we see those in need who will not celebrate very much, won't have a lot on the table, and will not be lighting any festive lights. This is also the season where we see many asking for help and where the providing of that help must come from those of us who are willing to see beyond ourselves and see into the lives of who don't have much, if anything.

So, we read this short verse of Scripture which seems so very appropriate during this holiday time. We are reminded that we are not to be forgetful in doing good to and for those around us, most especially those who need whatever good we can do. We are also reminded that we aren't to forget sharing materially, as well as spiritually, with others. Again, of course, our sharing should start with the less fortunate and those in real need.

Now, something that I've looked over, at least I've not noticed as I probably should have, is that the writer of Hebrews uses a phrase, a word, that we don't see associated with the doing good and sharing that we know we should do. He writes, "...for with such SACRIFICES God is pleased." (Obviously the emphasis here is mine.) "Such sacrifices..." I guess what I read in this, what I hear in my head is that it is sacrificial helping and sharing that is what God truly smiles down upon. Oh, it's easy for us to take a dollar out of our pocket and give it to the guy with the sign at the intersection. It's pretty easy for many to write a check for a hundred dollars or so and give it to the Rescue Mission or some other charity that helps the homeless. For some it's even very easy to give a thousand dollars or more to this or that needy group who will help the hungry. And, of course, this "easy" stuff can be listed on and on, in many ways.

But, how much of what good we do or that which we share is sacrificial in nature? Think about that for a minute, if you will. Now, let's think about this. How pleased is God with us for our sacrifice in this area of going good and sharing? I guess if the sacrifices are pleasing to God, then that which isn't much of a sacrifice probably isn't all that pleasing to Him. You think? Okay, now that I've opened this can of worms, I have to look inwardly and see where I've fallen short of the "sacrifice" part of this verse of Scripture. I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to find much "sacrifice" in my doing or sharing. Even on a fixed income and with very limited finances, I'm pretty sure that my sharing could be quite a bit more of a sacrifice than what I've done. How about you? I'm also more than just "pretty sure" that the doing of good that I've done and plan on doing could go far beyond what's in my mind and what I've done to this point. Um, how about you?

God is telling me, at least me as an individual for sure, that if I want to be truly obedient to His leading and to His words that I read in my Bible, well then, I have to do a bit more. If I wish to really please God in this area of my life then I've got to sacrifice something in order to do more good and share more fully. I have to sacrifice some of my time in order to do some good, somewhere, for someone, who has a need for what I can do. I have to give up something that I might want to have, or eat, or something that I probably don't much need in order that I will be able to share that which I do have with someone who has less.

So, this is what God's saying to me today. What's He saying to you?

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

P. S. I thought I'd also share what The Message translation has to say:

Make sure you don't take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of "sacrifice"—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. (Heb. 13:16 TM)

Knowledge of our Lord

Good Morning,

2 Peter 3:1-2, 18 (NIV)
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Just as Peter wrote his letters "as reminders" directly to those to whom it was sent, his letters are also the words given to him by God and, therefore, are reminders to us these many millennia later, as well.

We have in these verses (I strongly suggest reading all of 2 Peter 3) another direct reason that we ought to be reading and meditating on all of the Scripture we have available to us in the Bible. Peter says that we ought to "recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." It's evident that these words he received from God made a large enough impression on him that he was sure to send them along to the believers of his time, which have also come to us.

Now, I don't really think that we NEED a reminder to read our Bibles more often and in greater detail, but it sure doesn't hurt. Sometimes we get sort of wound up in all of the "stuff" going on in our lives and we kind of put Bible reading a bit on the "back burner" so to speak. The problem with that is the fact that we very often never get to that "back burner" and the Bible doesn't get read that day. Then, the problem magnifies because that "back burner" gets further and further away which makes it easier and easier to ignore. So, maybe I'm wrong in saying we don't really need a reminder. Maybe we not only NEED a reminder, we probably need it often...perhaps much more often than we now get.

Finally, in verse 18 we read that we ought to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The growing in grace part we do by the way we live our lives and how we obey what God leads us to do and to say as His children. The growing in knowledge part is up to us, as well, in that we grow in that knowledge by our reading and studying and meditating on what God has had written for us in the Bible.

Plainly, it's easy to see that most of us, if not all of us, need to spend a bit more time reading Scripture. And, to those who DO actually spend a good amount of time each day with God by way of your reading, I would ask that you pray for the rest of us and exhort us into being better children and better students of what God has given us.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

God's Hand

Good Morning,

Nehemiah 2:18 (NKJV)
And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.
Nehemiah 2:18 (NLT)
Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me...

Because Nehemiah recognized God's hand upon him, he was able to get amazing things accomplished. So, um, what's that got to do with me? Or, perhaps, with you? With any of God's children?

What that has to do with any of us...with ALL of us...is that we have to be open to recognizing and realizing that God is at work in our lives and that when He wishes to accomplish some work or other that He uses one, or many, of us to do it. The challenge with this concept is that way too often we simply don't understand it. We aren't confident in recognizing God's hand touching us in some way or other that would guarantee total and complete success in that which we might feel led to take on. We're sort of just unsure of ourselves and, therefore, perhaps feel that God wouldn't every choose me or you or any of the people we know to do some great work.

Well, we're wrong about that. God can and will use ANY of us, even ALL of us, to do what He wants done. We see it all the time if we'll take the time to look and comprehend. How about the Sunday School teacher, maybe, who has taught his or her class for decades...with no training or real educational background at all. God uses that person to get His work done in that area, whether or not that person is qualified. God's hand reaches down and touches him or her and His work gets done. Think about the pastor of a congregation who comes along with really no real qualification of being a pastor, but starts to preach and minister in such a way that the congregation grows and prospers beyond anything they've ever seen. This young preacher felt the hand of God on him and believed that he could do as he was called to do. So, this young man recognized God's hand and just went to work.

Well, there are thousands (probably millions) of examples of God's hand reaching down and touching folks so they would go out and accomplish His will and do His work. It all boils down to us being open to God's suggestion; understanding when His had reaches out to touch us in some way; and realizing that it is me (you) who God has chosen for some work or task.

Let's be more like Nehemiah and just go to work. Let us allow ourselves to tell others when we feel God's hand and do what's necessary to get His work done.

More specifically...What is it that God has chosen for you to do? In what way has His hand reached out to touch you in order that His will be done? I'd suggest you do it.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Prepared In Advance

Good Morning,

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

"Why am I here?" "What is my purpose for being alive?" "Who am I, in the grand scheme of things?"

We've all heard these questions...and many of us have asked them. These are the questions that almost every human being who has ever lived has asked about his or her existence, or at least wondered about from time to time. These are the "big" questions that so many philosophers have pondered over and asked, not just about themselves, but about all of humanity, as well.

Today in this short verse of Scripture we read at least a part of the "why" that we are here. Beyond this one part of the reason for our existence, we also read what it is that we ought to be doing with our lives.

Why were we created? God tells us in this verse that, first, "we are God's workmanship" that gives us the answer as to where we've come from. But, I guess that's a different message all together. What Paul goes on to write is that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works," and then, just so we know what it is we'll do is in God's plan, "which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Why am I here? At least in part I am here to do what it is God has prepared for me to do; those good works that in His ultimate wisdom He has placed in front of me. Now, that's pretty simple, isn't it?

Yes, of course, there are other reasons for our existence, other reasons that we have been created. But this one, I think, is of huge importance. I say this because once we begin to actually live out this verse and start to do that which God has ordained for us to take on, then we begin to feel more complete in our lives, we start to feel that fullness which comes from knowing we are being productive and fruitful in the work God has given us.

I will tell you, from personal experience, that the most complete that I've ever felt in all of my years on this planet, have been those times when I absolutely knew I was doing what God has given me to do. Whether it's sitting here at this computer each morning and opening myself up for God to use me; facilitating a Bible Study or Small Group; speaking encouragement to someone who is in obvious need of some helpful words; giving to someone or some group that has financial need; or any of the other tasks and works that I know come from God. There's nothing in my life that I've ever accomplished that has filled me up even close to the way that I've been filled when I have done those "good works, which God prepared in advance for (me) to do."

At least in part, that's why I'm here, that's why I exist, that's my purpose.

So, today, in these few words, I guess I'm to remind you of that, as well. For those who may not know what it is they're to do, I would say look back at those times when you felt totally fulfilled at doing something, or even many things. Those things that gave you that feeling are probably what God prepared for you to do. I would suggest that you do those things again, if at all possible. For those who do know what "good works" have been prepared for them and have yet to begin those tasks, I would strongly...VERY strongly...suggest that you start doing them.

None of us can every fully understand being a complete and totally fulfilled human being until we obey whatever call God has placed on us "to do good works" that the Creator of the universe has "prepared in advance for us to do."

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Gossip

Good Morning,

Proverbs 26:20 (NKJV)
Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
Proverbs 26:20 (NLT)
Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

"Did you hear about John?!" "Oh, what do you think about how Mary.....?" "Isn't it terrible that Pete....?" "Well, Mike is just being so...!"

You do it. I do it. We all do it. We gossip. We listen to gossip. We are involved in gossip. And, unfortunately, most of us pretty much like gossip. There's just something about that little nugget of knowledge about someone or something that draws us in and grabs us. Whether that little nugget is true or not, well, that's a whole different story and message. It's just that gossiping thing that we like so much and that we are involved in perpetuating way too often.

Gossip is, I firmly believe, directly from the devil. It just sounds and feels like something that Satan would come up with in order to confuse and divide Christians so we won't be as effective and loving as we ought to be. Gossip, in my humble opinion, is sinful. Therefore, if my logic is right and I'm not totally off base in this and I'm hearing clearly then, to gossip is to sin. I don't think I'm wrong here.

I don't think we need all of the little details about how and what gossip can do in people's lives. Most of us have been the subject of some kind of gossip at one time or another and we know what it does. For those who have been fortunate enough to have NOT been such a subject, I'm sure those have seen what happens when folks gossip. Here's the one thing that I will speak to. Gossip, more often than not, isn't true. Well, it certainly isn't 100% true, anyway. So, when we gossip we are probably lying. Just one more reason to NOT gossip!

Today we're given a reminder that we probably need to have on a regular basis about this subject. We will go from reading these words to making a promise to God and to ourselves to simply refuse to be involved in any gossip what so ever. We'll make a vow or sorts in our minds to try to stop gossip that we hear people speaking. But, over a short time, we tend to forget those vows and promises and get caught up in something "gossipy" in spite of all of our good intentions. The enemy will continue to use this tool to try to trap us and get us into conversations that we ought to be avoiding. So, it stands to reason that we ought to be reminded regularly what the Bible says about gossip.

Today is one of those regular reminders. For you. For me. For all of us.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Passing Judgement

Good Morning,

Romans 14:1-8 (NIV)
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

I must admit that I am much like many others in my judgement and even condemnation sometimes of those who believe somewhat differently than me. I guess we humans are just like that and it takes some work on our part to get away from what might be considered "normal" by many.

"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Paul is being very clear on this subject in what we read today. Simply put, we are NOT to be judgmental about how people worship and serve God.

What does it matter, in the grand scheme of things, if some people observe the Sabbath on Saturday and then others on Sunday? I mean, really! Or, as we hear in a popular TV commercial, "Come on!" So there are those who still want to observe old, Jewish food traditions that Peter was told no longer needed to be observed. Why in the world should that make any difference to me? As Paul writes here, "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God." The important thing to consider, especially among ourselves and in concert with some denominational differences, is that what we do is done "to the Lord" and for the glory of God.

Yes, I'm guilty of saying, "How in the world can those folks over there worship that way?" I sometimes find it difficult to understand other congregations and all of the minute details they have to deal with. But, thank the Lord, God has spoken to me about these things in the past and I'm now able to put aside these feelings and thoughts now. When those times come to me I just stop and remember that there is only ONE Church, although there may be many "churches," and that the important thing is the fact that those other folks love the Lord just as I do and that unity in the Body of Christ is of tantamount importance.

As long time readers of these words I send along know, I am very passionate about the unity of God's Church and the fact that there is, truly, only one Church. So, today, when I read these verses from Romans, I was reminded that we haven't really spoken about it for a while. I guess today is the time that we mention it again.

We need to put aside our differences and do more to try to work out our differences with other congregations. We need to see ways that we can work together with Methodists, Catholics, Baptists, and all other believers in Jesus Christ to the greater good of God's One Church: The Church that Jesus established on this earth. We need to do as God tells us in these verses and "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters." We need to stop making our differences in "disputable matters" the issue among various congregations. We need to focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, dead, buried, and risen again for the salvation of ALL MANKIND!

My friends, we all love God. We all understand that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. We all believe in God's plan of salvation. Those are the things that are important. Those are the things that we ought to be using in our efforts...concerted efforts I might suggest...to get the work of God done in a more efficient manner.

I don't care where you attend your services. I love you. God loves you. We all ought to love one another and learn to work together for God's Kingdom.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Love Overflow

Good Morning,

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV)
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

A reminder today that we are to love one another. I've been sitting here just sort of thinking about these words and letting them speak into my mind. Then I thought better of that and kind of opened myself up and let these words speak into a more important place...my heart.

Paul prays that God will help the Thessalonians love each other...and everyone else...more than they might at that point in time. I would make the same prayer for all of us. I would ask YOU to make the same prayer, as well.

Let's put aside our differences today. Then, let's put those differences aside again tomorrow. Finally, let us put aside those differences for always. This is one of the things that we can do, with God's help of course, in order that we might love one another more than we presently do.

Reflect a while on this, please. Let's open ourselves up to God's influence in our hearts and minds so that He would "make your (our) love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else" from even this very moment and for all days to come.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

In Time Of Need

Good Morning,

Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 (NLT)
A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.

As we go through this life we make many friends. Of those friends not a few are outside of our Christian faith and family. Today we read a simple verse of Scripture that speaks of both friends and brothers (read sisters, family).

We love our friends, of course, and we are loyal to them...to a point. Our family, however...whether it be our earthly, physically born family, or our brotherhood of our Christian family...should be more than loyal to us. We ought to be able to depend on our Christian family to be there in whatever time of need we might be going through and even be there when our "friends" have departed.

One thing that a lot of us have experienced, though, is that we have a lot of Christian "friends" and that many of those friends don't seem to be much in the way of family to us. That is truly unfortunate.

We are all adopted into God's family as His children and even His heirs. We should all fully understand that. I am your brother. You are my brother or sister. We are to be there for each other. Even more so when troubles come our way. But, are we? Do we really look deeply enough to see if one of our brothers or sisters is in need of our help? Or, are we more like friends than family?

You know how it goes, "Hey, John, how you doing?" And John says, "Fine, Tom, how about you?" Now, the first thing that we probably know is that John and Tom don't know each other well, even thought they've belonged to the same congregation for a long time. Next, we know that Tom doesn't really and truly care how John is doing and is only being friendly because he's supposed to be. The same goes for Tom about how he feels toward John. How do I know these things? It's really easy. I know these things because I know that John has never really reached out to Tom, other than the "hail fellow, well met" kind of stuff at their services each week, or maybe in some outreach program. Tom hasn't ever called John on the telephone to do more than just pass the time of day. Neither has reached out to the other in any real and meaningful way to truly be a "help in time of need" to one another. They don't even know if the other has had a "time of need" that would require help.

Think about it. How many people have you called or spoken to and truly, really tried to get them to open up about some need they might have? Now, this would be other than being involved in working together for this program or that outreach or another Bible Study. What I mean is, who is it that God has laid on your heart to get hold of in some way because you feel that there might be something you can do to be a help in his or her life?

I think that's what today's Scripture is about. I believe that we're being told that, although we might have friends, it is our family that needs us most. I think we're being nudged in the direction of really reaching out to our brothers and sisters and not just letting them say, "Fine thanks, and you?" when we inquire about them.

It's what I'm hearing, anyway. You?

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Live At Peace

Good Morning,

Romans 12:18 (NIV)
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 (NLT)
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

I must thank my friend Alan for forwarding this along today, by the way, because it really sort of hit home with me...and I'm sure it will for many others, as well.

Do we hear what is being said in this very short verse of Scripture? It isn't only saying that we ought to do all possible to "live at peace with everyone," and that also means, lest we miss it, those in and out of fellowship with God. But, well, that's a different message, I think. These few words are saying much more than that, if we care to look more closely and allow God to speak to us through them.

We also have a warning here. Well, sort of. We are exhorted to live in peace with all of mankind as far as it depends on each of us, of course. We are to do everything in our power to be peaceful with all people. This is evident and obvious, certainly, in these words. However, something that I hear in reading and thinking about these words is that there are dire consequences if we DON'T hear and understand what Paul wrote.

You see, much too often we...Christian brothers and sisters...don't "live at peace" with even one another! We argue about this and get on each other about that and allow our feelings to get in the way of anything that could even be construed as being at peace. I think that the enemy hates this verse of Scripture. Now, of course, he hates pretty much all Scripture, but this one, if we would heed what we read, would put a serious crimp in the devil's work here among us. The last thing that Satan wants is for people to be at peace with one another. Argument, fighting, disagreement, and divisiveness are the attitudes and lifestyles that he would love to see at work in the world. Especially among Christians, who ought to know better.

So, you disagree with me about ____________ (fill in the blank). And, in that disagreement we allow arguing between us. Now, I don't mean just a discussion about something which is helpful and educational, but real animosity between us because we don't see eye to eye about it. The argument we have escalates and, eventually, divides us so much that we cannot really fellowship together any longer. Well, we "fake it" at services, of course, for the benefit of the pastors and the rest of the congregation. But when we leave the doors of the building, you go your way and I go mine, and we do NOT have peace with each other. This divisiveness is exactly the kind of thing that the enemy loves to see. He doesn't even have to do much to cause it, really, just sort of give a little nudge to one of us so that we let the discussion become argument which causes us anything but peace.

Now, this verse says...very clearly..."If it is possible, as far as it depends on you," or, "Do all that you can." I ask you, "Is it possible for us to live in peace with one another even though we might disagree on some point, or even many points?" and further, "Is there anything I can do that will help us live in peace with each other even though we might be diametrically opposed on some issue?" I know, pretty easy questions to answer "correctly" aren't they? Of course it's possible for us, and for any thinking, logical adults to live in peace, even in spite of differences of opinion. Certainly there are things that we can do, each of us, to truly live in peace with each other, no matter that we might have some opposing views on things.

You see what God is saying this morning? Can we hear Him speaking to us through this verse? Are we willing to listen and to be obedient to what He's said here? Or, conversely, are we just too darn pig headed to see what He wants us to see? Do we refuse to listen to Him because we simply refuse to get along with someone who things differently than we do? Will we simply not be obedient to this verse because, well, we will not agree on some things and if we're obedient someone might thing that we're giving in to our principles?

Do I agree with you on everything under the sun? Do you agree with me on every issue on this planet? Of course not. But, if we wish to live at peace with one another...not to mention the further issue of living at peace with EVERYONE...then we simply have to make the decision to do the possible and not let anything get in our way of truly loving one another and allowing peace to reign in our lives.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Rest

Good Morning,

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

You know something? When I read these verses, as I have many, many times...and I'm sure you have, as well...I feel strongly that Jesus is talking directly to me. I read them and I hear Him say, "Come to me, David, I know that you are weary and burdened in your heart and mind and soul, come to me and I will give you rest. Take My yoke, My son, learn from Me. I am gently and humble in heart and David, you will find rest for your soul. You can handle the yoke I have chosen for you and the burden that you take on from Me is light." I believe that THIS is how we ought to read much of Scripture. We ought to read it and understand it to mean that God is speaking precisely to us...to each of us directly as His child.

There are so many of us who, this very day, are weary and burdened in some way. And, for some of us, we might be weary and/or burdened in many ways. So, to whom do we turn for help? Where to we go for some solace? What do we do in order to lessen the weight on our shoulders? Unfortunately, way too often, we don't turn to the One who can truly give us rest and peace in our lives.

We turn to alcohol, often. We put drugs into our bodies so as to alter the reality that seems too difficult to handle on our own. We delve into our computers and into cyber space, and way too often we end up in places we ought never to have gone. Point being here, we seek comfort and relief for our problems in the wrong things, people, and places.

Yes, I know that this is simple and obvious. But, as is true with much that is obvious, we need to be reminded that there is the right way to turn when we are troubled.

Jesus is the answer when we are weary and have a burden we can't seem to bear up under. Plain and simple.

I would ask all of us to stop a moment and look to see what it is or where it is or who it is that we may have mistakenly turned because we have troubles. The really good thing about this is the fact that no matter what we've done or whom we've turned to or where we've gone, it isn't too late to take a step back and make the correct turn back to Jesus. You see, it's NEVER too late for that. He is always there waiting to take our burdens and ease our weariness. He's there with open arms. He's calling out to all of us through these words He spoke in these verses of Scripture.

One other thing that we need to think about is the fact that Jesus may very well use some of us, your brothers and sisters in Him, as His conduits to help you gain His peace. Each of us, His arms and legs, His hands and feet, may very well be what He will use to help, well, each of us. And, to take it a step further, that would mean that ALL of us ought to be ready to help ALL of us, when we need to be unburdened and given respite to our weariness.

It's all part of the deal, my friends. I help you. You help me. We help everyone.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

The Peace of God

Good Morning,

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

After reading these verses I heard, "If you want real peace in your life, just do as these words say you ought to do." So, I will ask you the same question that came into my mind, "Do you want the peace that you read of today?" I will also say the same thing to you that was put into my mind, "If you do, then follow the instructions that are clearly written here for you."

Rejoice in the Lord! Doing this is so important to us that Paul says it twice in a row. An accident of writing? I don't think so. I think that God placed those words into Paul's head deliberately so we would take notice and, hopefully, pay attention to what He, God, wants from us. He wants us to rejoice in Him. The Amplified Bible also says, "delight, gladden yourselves in Him," as a way to be rejoiceful in God. First and foremost in our lives we ought to be rejoicing in God, in the fact that Jesus Christ gave Himself as an atonement for our sin and that we have salvation in and through Him, and because we have God's Holy Spirit in us and with us every moment we're here. Think about it for a moment. How could we NOT rejoice in all that God is and has given to us?

Be gentle to all and let that gentleness be evident in all we do, in all we say, in all we have in our hearts. Again, let's take a look at what the Amplified version of the Bible says, "Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit)." This is yet another way to both rejoice in God and a step in the process of gaining that peace in our lives that we all seek. We're also told here that God is near. Right here. Right now. Right beside us every step of the way. Yet another reason to rejoice in Him!

We are to give up our worrying ways and give over our anxieties to our loving God. We are to give our troubles and life challenges to Him in prayer. With thanksgiving in our hearts for all we have, we are to go to God with our requests, as well. Yes, we can always go to God with our wants as well as our needs. But, I think that the important part of this small section of Scripture is that we are to be thankful first for what God has provided.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

My friends, I take this as a promise from God. If we will do our part, follow these instructions, the we really CAN have a peace that we simply cannot understand and goes beyond any kind of peace that is gained by the things of the world.

Is this peace what we all desire? I truly believe that it is. Can we have it? Simply put, yes we can. Do we have to do something to gain this peace in our lives? Of course, as nothing this valuable can come without effort on our part.

My dear Lord, my God, my Father, please hear my prayer. Lord, please, help us all who read these words and those in our sphere of influence, help us to do as You have instructed in these short verses of Your Word. Oh, God, please guide and direct us to be rejoicing in You; to truly be gentle, considerate, and unselfish in all we do; to give over to you every worry and anxiety that we might have; to be truly thankful for all of your provision in our lives; and to come to you with our hearts desires in our prayers. Father God, please, hear my prayer for myself and my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. Hear us Lord and help us. Holy Spirit fill us to the full and show us the way to be obedient to what we read in these verses of Your Scripture. Let us hear Your counsel and Your leadership as we live out our lives. We ask, dear God, that we can, truly, have this peace...Your peace...in our lives. I ask all of this in the name of my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Faith

Good Morning,

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

I've been asked, as I'm sure you have as well, why I believe in God...and more specifically, why I believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord. When we're asked that we often go into a long discourse about what the Bible tells us, about all of the prophesies written that led up to Jesus coming and all of the religious and doctrinal things we've learned along our journey. I think what we do when we go into those long, drawn out dissertations is that we kind of lose those with whom we're talking.

I think that today's verse of Scripture is much more to the point and, at least in my case, much more true as to the why I believe in what I do. I believe because I have faith in God; a God I've never seen and have only felt and heard in my mind and heart. I have faith in the hope that comes from the promises I read in the Bible. I'm sure of them and that means that I have faith in them and, conversely, I have faith in them because I am sure of them.

Sometimes we sort of try to convince people by way of what we've read and studied. Of course it's good that we HAVE read and studied about what it is we believe and have faith in. But, all the knowledge in the world about every aspect of Christianity cannot, in any way, replace faith and the surety of our hope and the certainty of all that we simply do not see...and often really cannot grasp or understand.

So, I think that the first thing that we ought to do when asked about our Christianity and why we believe in it, is to simply state the truth that we believe because we have been touched by God and have faith in Him.

You see, as it's been said many times before and probably in many ways, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." And, my friends, the caring comes from our belief in God and what it is He has guided us to do and our belief comes from our faith in Him.

Let's start by simply saying we have faith. Then, we can go from there.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

How To Give

Good Morning,

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

There are two parts to this short verse of Scripture. At least I see them as separate...but also complimentary to one another.

The first part, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion," is too often used as a "reason" (read here excuse, I think) to give very, very little to the support of his local congregation. I'll not go into the right or wrong of the tithe as is mentioned and explained in the Bible, as it often begins an argument or even a divisive discussion as to whether or not we should tithe. That's a discussion for another day. For not a few people it appears that it is very difficult to part with their "hard earned" money. I believe that those who feel that way sort of forget exactly Who is it that is the ultimate Provider for all we have...whether greatly blessed with abundant finances or even less blessed and just getting by. I say these things because, like many of us who read these words, I've been asked to serve as an usher at services from time to time and I've noticed the looks on people's faces as they place their money, check, or envelope into the passing basket. It is surely certain that there are many who are giving reluctantly and even feel that they have to give and are under some compulsion.

That brings us to the second part of this verse, "For God loves a cheerful giver." Does that mean that God doesn't love those who aren't cheerful or glad that they have the opportunity to give? No, of course not! God loves us all in spite of whatever faults we may have...and, I'm sure, all of us have many. In those times of being able to help out with the offering at services I've also noticed that there are many people who give with a huge smile and an obvious joy in their hearts. I mean, it really is obvious as to which people are giving cheerfully and which are giving reluctantly. I guess we humans can't truly disguise our emotions when it comes to parting with our finances.

So, is this a message to tell everyone to give more? Or one that will say we should all tithe? No, that's not the point. What IS the point is that we need to examine our hearts to see HOW we're giving whatever it is we decide to give. For those of us who feel that our "giving" is really sort of paying for services rendered, well, we have to get completely out of that mind set. I've heard remarks that people have made which more or less said that when they dropped their money into the basket they felt that they were paying for the service, much like going to a concert or play. We have to pray for those who feel that way. We also need to pray for those who are very reluctant to give even just a small amount, and for those who feel that they have to give something because of some compulsion to do so.

What we really need to do is to look inside to see why we feel the way we do when we give. If there's anything less than happiness and joy, well, we need to make some changes. If there's a frown on my face when I give, I need to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help me change that frown to a smile. If there's a smile on my face when I give, then I need to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help me KEEP that smile and that feeling of joy when I give.

Finally, we all need to pray for one another that we will understand that it does take finances to operate our various congregations. Now, some spend wisely and others, well, not so much. That, my friends, should be God's business to handle, and I think that in the final analysis, He does just fine. Yes, it takes money to run our buildings and to pay our congregational staffs. It's just a fact of life.

How we give, however, is between each of us and God. Let's do it more in line with the verse we read today. Let's give with true joy. It's what God wants of us.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Today...Let Us Rejoice

Good Morning,

Psalm 118:24 (NIV)
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

So, how, exactly, can we to show our gladness and rejoicing in this day? I submit what Paul wrote to the Romans which, which can, if we'll live out what we read, will truly show how much we are glad in this day.

Romans 12:9-16 (NIV)
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

What I hear today is that if we will truly attempt to be sincerely loving, cling to what is good, devote our selves one to another, honor each other, be zealous in our faith, and serve the Lord; be hopeful, patient, faithful in our prayer lives, and be generous as we go about our days...if we will do these things, it will not only show our gladness, but our rejoicing in the day, as well.

Yes, we've read these verses in the not too distant past, I know. But, I think that the two sections of Scripture (Psalms and Romans) that came to me today are, indeed, related. The one shows us how to live out the other, I think.

And, by doing so, we will truly please God.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Speak Peace?

Good Morning,

Psalm 28:3 (NKJV)
Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.

These verses brought to mind many of the times when I've been greeted "warmly" and then, when the chips were down so to speak, that same person ended up treating me badly. Now, I know that these times that I've experienced aren't isolated to only me. What I mean is, I'm sure that if I've experienced this sort of behavior from people, even "good Christian" people, then others have had the same or similar experiences.

The prayer that I hear in this verse of Scripture today is that, God forbid!, I should be looked upon in the same way as those "workers of iniquity" who are what we would call "two faced" or "back stabbing" kinds of folks. The bad news here is that there are many of us who, if not to an extreme, have acted in a manner that is described in this verse. If we'll be honest I'm sure that there are those of us who have spoken peace to a brother or sister in Christ while in our hearts there was at least a bit of evil. As I said, of course, maybe not to the degree that some will go in this area and probably not on any regular basis, but we've probably all...or at least many...of us have sinned in this way.

We've all been taken advantage of in some way with a smile, a handshake, a back slap, and even a hug by someone who has in his or her heart and mind anything but peace and love toward us. You know, that "hail fellow, well met" kind of person who is just looking for a way to profit from us. It's happened to you and it's happened to me. The unfortunate result that occurs when we encounter these kinds of people and situations where we've been taken advantage of is the fact that we end up not trusting as the Lord would have us trust and not getting close or friendly with people we should befriend and get close to. You know, we end up suffering from the "once burned" kind of effect. Or, as the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Something else that's truly unfortunate is the fact that this kind of behavior...people speaking out of both sides of their mouths...is more and more commonplace the world today. So, we become more and more wary of almost everyone. Our hearts are hardened and our minds become closed and we don't fellowship with our brothers and sisters as we ought to be doing.

So, what's the solution to this problem we face? I surely wish I knew because if I did then I'd probably be closer to a lot more people. If I knew the answer to this then I would share it with every brother and sister that I could. However, I don't know the answer and I don't know how to change the feelings that many of us have because of those we've known who have spoken peace and had evil in their hearts.

The best that I can come up with is that I must be careful and prayerful. Careful about those who seem to be just a bit too perfect and prayerful that I make the right decisions on those I trust and get close to. We must also truly love those around us and be open to receiving the love that many want to show. We must allow God to speak into our lives about the people we are around and truly listen to what He says. Then, trust in Him.

Mostly what we have to do is to be open and truthful about how we treat others, what we say and what we do. It has to begin with me. Oh, it can begin with you, as well.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Wise and Understanding?

Good Morning,

James 3:13-18 (NKJV)
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The first words of these verses, "Who is wise and understanding among you?" sort of stayed in my head as I read the remainder of this short section of Scripture. Then, as I read these verses again it struck me that, indeed, James...the writer of these words...was very wise and completely understanding of the subject he wrote about. But then, I guess when the Holy Spirit is guiding one's mind and hands as he writes, it's obvious that what will be written will truly be wise and totally understanding.

"But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts...This wisdom...is earthly, sensual, demonic." Doesn't that sound like exactly what is wrong with this planet right now? Envy and self seeking? Sensual and demonic? I think that the problems that we've faced in the recent past in the world can pretty much be summed up by what James wrote millennia ago. Thinking that the wisdom used by earthly ruled men was right; thinking that it's good to be self seeking (read greedy); being envious of what others may have in their lives; all of this, if we will think about it, leads to where we are now on this planet.

Fewer and fewer people are able to show their wisdom and understanding by their good conduct shown by what they are doing and have done. The reason? More and more people are caught up in the self seeking and envy that they think are a part of wisdom.

Wisdom from God? Clearly put in what we read today. "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." It's not necessary for us to go through each of these attributes, I don't think. We are at least fairly bright people and can understand what is meant here without a treatise on what we read.

The verses really spoke into my mind and my heart this morning. Made me think of times when I was pretty much on the wrong side of what James wrote. Caused me to want to take a look at where I am now and to try to do better at being more on God's side of what we read today. Have I made it to being all the way? No, probably not. But I surely see the point here and it will surely make me think more about the using the mind God gave me to be more wise and understanding among God's people and the world. I will most certainly do more to show my works, whatever they may be, are done with more humility and gentleness.

I think that's what God wants of us all. To simply read what He has put here for us. To give serious thought to all of it. To try to live out that which He has told us.

That, I think, is being wise my friends.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

A Place For Us

Good Morning,

John 14:1-3 (NKJV)
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Pastor Eric spoke on these verses this past Sunday in his introduction to a series of messages concerning the Holy Spirit. I enjoyed his message but didn't really give it a huge amount of thought...as I should have!...until this morning when I found these same verses coming to me. You see, sometimes when God nudges me, or even slaps me upside the head only once, well, it happens that I don't notice it very much. But, when He decides to make His point a bit more clearly by sending along yet another "nudge" then I sort of tend to pay more attention. Like today, for instance.

We have assurance in these verses. We have assurance that we have a room, a home, or a mansion (depending on which version of the Bible we read) awaiting us in heaven with Jesus. We have this assurance from the very lips of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He couldn't have been more clear, no matter which words we use to describe the place He spoke of, that this physical planet on which we live is only a temporary and passing "home" for us in this physical body we use.

The message I hear this morning about these verses is one that gives me true hope. What Jesus spoke to us in these verses should give ALL believers true hope.

The other message I hear today is that no matter the problems, challenges, difficulties, or bad times we must face in the here and now, there is guaranteed...promised by God...a better place, a perfect place, that awaits us. That place that Jesus has prepared for us also lasts eternity. Forever. Never ending. For always.

I'd like for all of us to take hold of this promise presented in these verses and truly believe what Jesus has told us. I'd like for all of us to think about that which awaits us after all of the tribulations of this life have passed. I'd like for us to put into perspective the difficulties we have in living on this earth and remember that this is only a short part of the journey on which all believers in Jesus Christ are on. I'd like for us to know, without any doubt or hesitation, that the ultimate destination is an eternity with God in a heaven that cannot be described.

Grasp this promise, my friend. Hold on to it. Never forget it. It is the truth.

Jesus HAS already prepared a place for each of us to be with Him. Nothing can take that away from us.

Give thanks and praise Him today!

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Friends

Good Morning,

Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)
A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
John 15:13 (NIV)
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

I'm not going to write a devotional about friends or friendship today. We won't explore what a friend is or is not. I think that we know what friend truly is, anyway, and we don't need to belabor the point.

No, none of that today.

What I'm going to do, however, is to ask you a couple of questions that have been asked of me in my mind this morning. And, I'm going to ask you to be 100% truthful in your answers...both to yourself and to God. Then, what you do with your answers is strictly between you and the Lord. So...

What kind of friend are you? How do you treat your friends? What do your friends mean to you? Who, exactly ARE your friends? Are your friends important to you?

That's it today. Answers a bit tough, perhaps? You know, sometimes God asks us the tough questions. Sometimes He wants us to do something about our answers.

Now, nobody will ever know if you have, or have not, done this little exercise. Well, nobody but you and the Lord. However, if, perhaps, you haven't loved your answers to these questions...and maybe the answers to some others that have popped into your mind as you thought about this...then you will know that something needs to be done.

Here's the deal on this...If you do what God tells you to do, believe me, you will notice, your friends will notice, and most importantly, God will notice.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David