The battle plan (walk) 2

Have you ever tried walking as a way to lose weight? Many people are into various diets and exercise plans. Maybe because there are so many to choose from. There is one exercise video that I am reminded of. It is called "Walk Away The Pounds". And personally, I think it is a good exercise video. In the Christian life, it is important to have a good spiritual exercise program. One verse that I am reminded of is found in Psalm 1, which says, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful." If we are serious about winning the Christian battle then we have to be willing to walk in the right direction. God wants us to live in victory, but if we continue to walk in disobedience we will never live a victorious life. Remember, we don't fight for victory, we fight from victory. The real battle has been won on the cross!

The battle plan (walk) 1

During the Christmas season, there is a whole lot of walking that we do. We might walk around the mall, we might walk around a certain light display, or walk over to Starbucks. We may spend the whole day on our feet, and they hurt. Walking is a part of our life. It would be pretty hard to get around without our two legs. Did you know that the Christian battle can be won by walking? As Christians, we sometimes view the spiritual battle as only being a war that requires weapons and fighting back. It is true that it does require us to use certain spiritual weapons and fighting back. But part of fighting requires us to walk in a way that pleases God. Deuteronomy 13:4 says, "You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him." When we consistently walk after the Lord in a way that pleases Him, in total obedience, we will have many victories!

The battle plan (stand) 3

In military combat, a lot of the war involves watching for on-coming fire from the enemy. You have to be able to detect an on coming missile, or certain kinds of bombs in order to save the lives of your platoon. In Christianity, I think there are plenty of Christians who have a hard time detecting the bombs of the enemy. In fact, I think that some believers are fooled into thinking that there is no battle. Satan would love it if every believer became unaware of his fiery darts and his plan to steal, kill, and destroy. Paul, writing to the Corinthians said: "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong." (I Corinthians 16:13) As believers we are to watch as a soldier waiting at his post. As we are standing, we are to stand on the faith that we have in Christ, without fear. We must know that God is with us and that He is the general of the Christian army.

The battle plan (stand) 2

Many people today stand up for a lot of things. Some people stand up for saving the planet, some people stand up for human rights, and some stand up to save the animal kingdom. But what about standing up for God, or better yet what about letting God stand up for you? As a Christian it is not possible to stand on our own. We need to firmly stand on God's truth and allow him to overcome the battle that has been set before us. The Lord speaking to Joshua and the children of Israel said, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you." (Joshua 10:8) When we allow God to take over the battle, not only will He defeat our enemies, but not one of them will be left standing. At the end of the day, the only ones that will be standing are God and us. That is real victory!

The battle plan (stand) 1

As long as we are enlisted in the Lord's army, there will always be a battle to fight. The secret to victory is not found in our strength or our abilities. The secret is found in realizing that God is in control, and He is the One who will save us. When the children of Israel were released from the bondage of the Egyptians and were fleeing for freedom, Pharaoh (with his hardened heart) thought about what he had allowed to happen. He decided to gear up, get his men together, and go after the children of Israel. When you read the account it seems like it is all over for the children of Israel. It might even seem like they were surrounded by the enemy, so to speak. However, Moses says some powerful words. He says to them, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." (Exodus 14:13) When the enemy throws thoughts of fear at you, do not be afraid. If God is for you, who can be against you. When the enemy tries to get you to bail out of the battle, do not move. Stand still, hold your ground, and see the salvation of the Lord. Remember, the battle belongs to the Lord!

The battle plan (fight) 3

When we are in a spiritual battle, it is important that we have our battle armor on. Paul, in writing to the church in Ephesus, said, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [schemings] of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11) Do you have your armor on? You should! Paul went on to list the pieces of the armor and here they are:
1. The belt of truth- This part of the armor keeps our Christianity held up. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. The way we combat his lies is by truth.
2. The breastplate of righteousness- The breastplate protects our heart and chest from the fiery darts of the enemy. Satan would love it if we would trade in the righteousness of Christ for the sinfulness of Satan.
3. The shoes of readiness- The shoes are the message that we take to others (the gospel). Satan loves it if we leave the house without our shoes on. He doesn't want us to share our faith with others.
4. The shield of faith- The shield is what we use to block the arrows of fear. It stops them before they hit our body.
5. The helmet of salvation- The helmet protects our mind. Satan loves it if we are constantly questioning our salvation. The Bible says that he is the accuser of the brethren. This piece of head gear also protects our eyes and ears.
6. The sword of the spirit- The sword represents the Word of God. This is our offensive weapon. If we have all the other pieces of the armor on and do not know how to use this one, we will be protected but we will not be able to fight back.
7. The power of prayer- This is in addition to the armor. When we are in the battle it is important to be in prayer. This is like calling for back up. This creates a spiritual shield around us.
Make sure you put on the whole armor of God!

The battle plan (fight) 2

I once heard a story of a Christian who had enlisted in the army. He shared the barracks with a bunch of non-Christians and they gave him a hard time. Every night, when he would begin to say his prayers, they would curse at him and throw things at him. He decided to let his Sergeant know about it. The Sergeant said, "Well, if you don't want them messing with you, just say your prayers in silent." The soldier gave that a try, but as he began to pray that night in silence he felt like the Lord wanted him to pray audibly. He responded by falling on his face and talking to his God about those in the barracks. He prayed for their salvation every night. And within a few weeks they stopped throwing things, three of them had given their life to Lord, and he was teaching a Bible study in the barracks. Can you imagine if this soldier would have stayed silent? Paul writing to Timothy tells us, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (I Timothy 6:12) If we stay in the battle and do not let our voice be silenced, lives will be changed.

The battle plan (fight) 1

As a Christian are you ready for a fight? Are you ready to go toe to toe with the enemy? Some people think that being a Christian is a non-confrontational relationship. There is nothing farther from the truth. We are engaged in a daily battle. It will sometimes feel like you are walking around with a target on your back. That's okay, because God is with us. If God is for us who can be against us? Paul writing to young Timothy told him this, "This charge I commit to you, Son Timothy, according to the prophesies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare." (I Timothy 1:18) It is good that we engage and not retreat, knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord and that He is going to give us final victory!

The battle plan (renew) 3

The bible says, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." I like to say, "Out of the abundance of the heart the body does." Whatever thoughts we are meditating on will eventually affect our actions. If we are listening to secular music it will affect our mood. If we are watching racy movies it will affect our thought life. Paul, in writing to the church in Philippi, said, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? The word 'mind' means to have understanding or to be harmonious. What it means is that we are allowing God to enter into our thought life. Our thoughts are in harmony with Him. It also means that anything that He is not pleased with, we simply discard. If we could learn this kind of discipline we would be able to think more purely. Many people like to say, "What would Jesus do?" How about if we change that to, "What would Jesus think?"

The battle plan (renew) 2

Is it possible to have victory in the area of our minds? I believe that it is possible. It seems like from the moment we flip on the television, turn on the radio, or even log onto the computer, the war begins. There is so much garbage out there and its constantly pulling us in. When writing to the church in Corinth, Paul said, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) Paul knew that there is power in prayer and especially in God centered prayer. We have to take those thoughts captive in the name of Jesus. And when they come in we must immediately throw them into the trash bin. If we could learn how to do this on a daily basis, we could live a victorious life in the area of the mind.

The battle plan (renew) 1

Everyday when we wake up there is a war that is raging on. That war that is waging within us begins in the mind. It is what I call a mind battle. The kind of battle that is filled with ungodly thoughts, thoughts of impurity, or thoughts of disobedience. Paul, in writing to the church in Rome, gives to us the most practical way to combat these thoughts. He says, "I beseech [urge]you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1, 2) The secret to success here is: make sure that we are presenting our bodies to God daily, making sure that we do not let the world squeeze us into its mold, and having our minds renewed. If we do this, we will be ready for the battle.

God's top ten 10

Have you ever desired something that belonged to someone else? It could be anything really: their car, their house, or even an outfit that they are wearing. The tenth and final commandment says, "Thou shall not covet." To covet something means that you desire something wrongfully. Coveting a person's property could be a selfish and wrong thing, especially if theft becomes involved. When it comes down to the root of the problem, it is a matter of the heart. It is putting your own needs and wants above God. When we do this, we not only disobey God, but we are breaking one of the commandments as well.

God's top ten 9

It's amazing how when a celebrity dies, how quick the world finds out. It's interesting because as the weeks go by the story begins to change. Sometimes the whole story changes. How many times have we heard information about another person that wasn't true? How many times have we repeated information about a person that was not true? Why do we do this? The ninth commandment says, "You shall not bear false witness." When we spread gossip about someone, accuse someone falsely, or lie about another person, we are not only slandering, but we are breaking one of God's laws. I think if we would practice the principal of being slow to speak and quick to listen, we would stay out of a lot of trouble.

God's top ten 8

Have you ever stolen something? Even something small like your brother's toothbrush. If you have, you are a thief. Regardless of the size of the object, it still makes you a thief. The eighth commandment says, "You shall not steal." Many people steal today and do it so subtly. Maybe you show up to work late everyday or take work supplies home. If you do then your stealing money from your employer. What about your tithes and offerings? Do you give to God? If you don't you are stealing from God. God has given you everything that you have. It is not your money, it is His money. When we take from others and God we are in direct violation of this commandment. Repent, and get right today!

God's top ten 7

The word adultery can be defined as: a voluntary violation of the marriage bed. Some people, when they think of adultery, automatically think of someone who is married having an affair with someone that they're not married to. Well, that is true to an extent, but listen to what Jesus said about adultery. He said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." This brings a whole new meaning to the seventh commandment. Jesus is saying that having a lustful thought for anyone makes you an adulterer and a law breaker. This is why we so desperately need the Savior.

God's top ten 6

Most people today don't have a Charles Manson attitude. Maybe you are not a serial killer and maybe you have never killed anyone before. Jesus words are a bit sobering, when he said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with His brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.'" How many times have we been angry with people? What kind of hateful thoughts have we mustered up? If we have done that, we have broken one of God's Commandments with our heart. All we have to do is think the thought, and we have already killed someone with our mind. This is why we need Christ. No one can keep this commandment. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can be made righteous. All we have to do is repent and put our faith and trust in Him.

God's top ten 5

When I was younger, especially when I was a teenager, I was a bit rebellious. Like most teenagers, I thought that I knew everything and wasn't crazy about following my parent's instructions. I guess you could say that I was pretty disobedient toward them. The fifth commandment says to, "Honor your father and your mother." Interestingly enough Paul, in writing to young Timothy, tells us that one of the signs of the end times is that people will be disobedient to parents. In the letter to the Ephesian church, Paul said it is right to obey your parents. It is godly to obey our parents. God wants us to honor and respect them because they are the authority figures in our life. When we disobey our parents, we are disobeying God. He put them in our lives to raise us and take care of us. Even more than that, honoring them teaches us how to honor God. If we do not obey them, we are breaking one of God's commandments.

God's top ten 4

It's interesting when you look at the account found in the book of Genesis. We see that God created the heavens and the earth. We see Him create all the light. We see Him create all the animals. And He creates Adam. After He finishes this glorious work He sees that it is all good, and He rests on the seventh day. A lot of people today miss out on the importance of this commandment. We live in a world that is filled with workaholics. People everywhere desire the most extravagant style of living. This causes them to have to work, work, work. There is an old saying that goes, "There is no rest for the wicked." In a lot ways that is true. The fourth commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day, keep it holy." God did not create man for the Sabbath. He created the Sabbath for man. Every believer should take one day out of the week and use it for rest. On this day of rest it is vitally important to meditate and focus on God's greatness. God knows that we easily get distracted. That is why he has deliberately commanded us to stop what we are doing and worship Him.

God's top ten 3

Have you ever taken the Lord's name and used it as a three letter curse word? How about Jesus' name as a five letter curse word? If you have, you have taken the Lord that has given you life and used His holy name to express filth. The third commandment says, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." We get frustrated sometimes and we sometimes say things that we shouldn't say. That doesn't give us an excuse to take God's name in vain. When a person does this, it is almost as though they are denying how holy and sacred our creator is. Bad language is a bad habit in any case, but to add God's name in the draw card of names is straight out sin. Instead, we should use God's name to express worship, greatness, and power.

God's top ten 2

When it comes to idol worship today, it is not all that common for people to carry little wooden statues around. I don't even know if very many people sculpt or carve any idols for their worship. The Lord God said, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image." In terms of today's society, I would have to say a person should not make a god to fit their own likes. This brings up a lot of questions I know. But most people today have a strange view of God. They think that He is only a God of love and not a God of judgment. They will say stuff like, "my god would never send anyone to hell." That is probably true. The reason why that is true is because that is not the God from the Bible. That is a comfortable little god that people form in their minds. When people cannot see that the God from the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament, they fall into the trap of making for themselves a false image. When people do this, they fall in direct violation of commandment number two.

God's top ten 1

Idol worship is something that is both subtle and fascinating. If you were to ask anyone today if they worshiped an idol, they would probably say no. I like the way Louie Giglio has described this idea of worship. He said, "What a person values most in life, that is what they worship." I would have to agree with Louie. Most people don't bow down to statues, but some people worship their career, money, sex, drugs, or even pleasure. The Lord was very clear to Moses when he said, "You shall have no other gods before me." If you and I have something in our life that we are exalting or valuing more then the Lord, then we are worshiping another god. God almighty wants our worship to be for Him and Him alone.

The Ten Commandments

I thought this was applicable since we are currently going through The Way of the Master on Thursday nights. All the people being interviewed are Christians and are coming out of church. We thought it was funny and fascinating. Why don't you try?

The Tri-Unity of God

The first mention of the plurality of God is found in the book of beginnings, or the book of Genesis 1:1-3. In the Hebrew, the word God is Elohim which means "more then one". In verse 2 of Genesis 1, we see the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters. Some scholars think that this could be a direct reference to the Holy Spirit found in creation. In verse 26 of Genesis 1, we see that when God began to create man it says, "let us make man in our image." Once again speaking of the plurality of God. The prophet Isaiah mentions all the titles of the Godhead in Isaiah 9:6. It says, "For unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace." We commonly think of this passage whenever Christmas is drawing near. Interestingly enough, when John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus, Matthew's gospel tells us that when Jesus came out of the water the heavens were opened. And he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and a voice from heaven said, "This is may beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mathew 3:16, 17) Here we have Jesus standing with John, the Spirit descending like a dove, and God the Father speaking audibly from heaven. When Jesus commissioned his disciples, he included that they must make disciples of all the nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) We also know that the early church believed in the Holy Trinity. In Paul's benediction to the Corinthians he says, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen". (2 Corinthians 13:14) Church history tells us that by the 4th century the early church practiced what was considered to be an ancient ceremony. The followers of Christ would gather to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus and sing a hymn called, Phos Hilaron, or hail gladdening light. One part of the song says, "Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest The lights of evening round us shine We hymn the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Divine."

Offerings part 1

Many people think an offering is the time in a church service where the worship team plays a song and the ushers pass around the plate. The Pastor himself might even say, "at this time we are going to take up an offering." However, an offering is far more then that. An offering is something that is offered in worship or devotion. So really an offering can be just about anything that we give to God. Paul in writing to the church in Corinth said, "do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not you own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Corinthians 6:19, 20) We as Christians must come to the realization that we do not belong to ourselves, but to God. This will affect what we offer to God, and the motive of our offering.

The Trinity

The Holy Trinity is probably the most debated, and yet important building blocks of Christianity. We know that the early church believed in the Holy Trinity. In fact, one of the ancient hymns that we sing in church says, "praise, praise, the father praise the son, praise, praise, the spirit three in one, oh praise him!" In Luke's gospel, doctor Luke tells us that when John was baptizing Jesus, "The holy spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, a voice came from heaven which said, "You are my beloved Son; In You I am well pleased!" (Luke 3:22) Here we have Jesus standing there, then we have the Holy Spirit descending upon him, and finally God the Father speaking audibly from heaven. Just like we believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord by faith, we too must believe in the Holy Trinity by faith.

Prayer

Someone has said that, " A man without prayer is like lungs without air." I would have to agree with that. As important as it is to breath in order to stay alive, so should prayer be to us in order to stay connected to God. Prayer is important. The Christian should be in prayer continuously. In the book of Philippians the Apostle Paul urges us to, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6 Often times, for the Christian, prayer is the last resort instead of being the first priority. Prayer is how we communicate with God and how we align our will with his will. No matter how big or how small the request may be God cares for our needs. If we would do this constantly and regularly we would have less anxiety and would make better decisions in life.

The Word

Years ago, there were some funny infomercials on television promoting a knife set. These knives were amazing. You could cut through an aluminum can and immediately cut through a tomato with no problem. The whole idea behind the infomercial was to show how sharp they were and how they never dulled. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper then any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." As Christians, we should engage in the battle using our offensive weapon God's Word. It slices and dices. It tells us how to live, how not to live, and helps us to explain spiritual things to friends and family. When we don't use the Bible, it's like having a fancy knife set still in the box. In order to use it, you have to actually pull it out read it!

Salvation

The word salvation has been defined as: the act of saving someone or protecting someone from harm. 2000 years ago, God sent His Son to the world to pay the penalty for your sin. You and I were both drowning in our sin, but Jesus saved us from eternal condemnation. In Titus 3:5 it says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." The most remarkable thing about salvation is the fact that we did absolutely nothing to attain it. It was given to us through God's grace, as a free gift. That my friend is what salvation is all about!

Our house

Growing up as a young boy was a strange thing when it came to living in a house. Because of circumstances and financial reasons, we were not able to live in one place for a long period of time. In fact, we moved around for most of my teenage life. What I remember the most was that there was no permanent place that I could call home. Many people today live in houses and perhaps are even more permanent then the ones I lived in as a young boy, however a lot of people do not welcome the Lord into their home. In Joshua 24:15 it says, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." When God is welcomed into your house, then it becomes a loving home. The places that we live in should not just be places that we lay our heads at night. But they should be places where we pray continually, read God's Word, and worship the Lord.

Love not!

The world that we live in is an interesting place. The people that live in the world are quite alluring as well. One of the most striking things about human beings today is their love for the world itself. There are some who want to save the planet, there are some who want to save the animals, and there are some who want to save themselves. They will do this by eating the healthiest foods, getting plastic surgery, or even taking certain supplements that would increase their life. John, in his epistle, tells us: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the father but is of the world." (I John 2:15,16) We may live in the world, but we do not have to act worldly. The people that we know and friends that we have want to find happiness and fulfillment. It is our job as Christians to show them our genuine love for the Lord and how they too can have a personal relationship with Jesus. This is the right kind of love!

The greatest demonstration

People today demonstrate love in many ways. Some will demonstrate their love for a person by verbalizing it, some by buying gifts, and some by doing nice deeds. What if you were to show someone love who didn't deserve it? What if you did something nice for someone who wasn't nice? Paul writing to the church in Rome says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 God shows us how much he loved us by sending the greatest demonstration of His love to the world. Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sin and give us new life. The funny thing about it is that we didn't do anything to deserve it. In fact, we really don't deserve His forgiveness either, but he forgives us. That, my friend, is the greatest demonstration of love that anyone can give to anyone.

Making preparations

A friend of mine, who recently passed away, went to be with His Lord in heaven. What I remember most about this great man was that he was a man of preparation. He was the type of guy that would always show up on time for an appointment and was constantly thinking of the future. His greatest preparation was the relationship that he had was in Jesus his Savior. Jesus too was a man of preparations. In John 14:1-2 Jesus says, "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." Are you prepared to meet your Maker? Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those who have put their trust in Him. Making preparations is vitally important, especially when it comes to your eternal destiny.

Following instructions

Following instructions is very important, especially when you are putting together a piece of electronic equipment. This is why there are instruction manuals. Often times, we look to the instruction manual after we have put something together the wrong way. God gave the children of Israel specific instructions. Joshua 22:5 says, "But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." When we as Christians do exactly what the Bible tells us to do, the Lord will give us divine direction. If we do this, we will save ourselves the heartache of wondering in the wilderness.

Our wonder years

Experts often talk about the ages from three to ten as the "wonder years". This is a time when children are still loving, very helpful and incredibly curious. They spend much of their time learning everything possible about the thing they love the most. When we grow up, we are not much different. Yet, it should be that we are captivated by the Lord God in this way. The hymn writers Boberg & Hughes said it so well:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

God should be the one we love the most in this life. He is both amazing and deserving. Psalm 19:1-6 speak of His handiwork and the beauty of the heavens, only one of His creations. Verses 7-14 show us David's response to this realization. Take a look at Psalm 19 today. Maybe it will help you begin to refer to these years of your life as the "wonder years", when God is the One you spend much of your time learning about.

Keep on working

Are you tired? Is it hard for you to get up and go to work? Do you feel like your work is not important. Well, your work is important. And believe me, it is not in vain. Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, said, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58). One key thing to remember is that God is the one who sets your days out before you, He should be the motivation behind everything that you do. That includes what you do at work. He placed you in your work environment for a reason, so keep working for Him.

The Lord's battle

Do you ever take matters into your own hands? Have you ever tried to defend yourself? Joshua 10:25-26 says, "Then Joshua said to them, 'Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.'" We can get into a lot of trouble when we attempt to take matters into our own hands. We have to remember that though the Christian life feels like a fight sometimes, it is not our fight or our battle. The battle belongs to the Lord!

Mission impossible

Have you ever been in an impossible situation? Are you currently in a circumstance which seems impossible? Matthew 19:26 tell us, "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" With our own finite minds, it may look like there is no hope. With our own eyes, it may look like there is no way out. But with God, all things are possible. Although things might be impossible for man, they are still possible with God's divine help.

Your desires (part 2)

Are you abiding in Him? Are His Words abiding in you? John 15:7 reads: "If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." If we as Christians are not abiding in Christ, then that which we desire will be very selfish. However, if we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, then that which we ask for will not be selfish. When we are no longer self seeking, God will give us those things that we pray for and desire in life.

Your desires (part 1)

Are you desiring the right things? Is it a delight to serve the Lord? Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Often times, we desire the wrong things from God. One way to avoid this is to simply make it a delight to serve Him. If serving God is a delight, then our motives will be right. And we will desire the things that glorify Him. In doing so, God will give us the desires of our heart.

Need a clean up?

Are you clean? How do you get yourself cleaned up as a Christian? Psalm 119:9, 11 reads: "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. Your Word I have hidden in my heat, that I might not sin against You." God's Word is one of the best cleansing agents. Not only does it clean us up, but it also keeps us from sin. If we would read His Word and set it to memory, we would be much cleaner Christians.

Pressing On

Have you ever noticed that a runner doesn't win a race by constantly looking back. A runner cannot win by looking at what his opponent is doing. Winning only happens when the runner stays focused on what is ahead. Philippians 3:13, 14 says, "But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." When you are tempted to look back, remember that you cannot win unless you are focused on what is in front of you.

The blame game (part 2)

If God doesn't tempt us, then who does? James 1:14, 15 tells us: "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: And sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." The mistake that many Christians make is to blame the devil for everything. Although the devil is a problem, we also have the ability to sin on our own. Maybe it's time to quit shifting the blame and take responsibility for our own actions.

The blame game (part 1)

Do you ever blame God for temptation? Do you ever think God is the one tempting you? James 1:13 says: "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." God might test you, but God is not the one responsible for the temptation. There are really three things you can narrow it down to: the world, the flesh or the devil.

Blessed assurance

Do you question your salvation? Have you received Jesus? If you have, you can be assured that you have now become a child of God. John 1:12 reads: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." What a great encouragement that is. When a person puts their faith in Jesus, they now have all the rights and privileges to be called a child of God.

Be ready at all times

One night, I was driving home from work when I decided to call an old friend on the phone. It was about a twenty minute drive home, so I had plenty of time to talk to him. He is a person who I have witnessed to in the past. But He never really made a commitment. As it shared with him, I felt an urgency to ask him if he wanted to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. To my surprise, he actually said yes. Then, I led him in a prayer of commitment to the Lord. This all took place over the phone. Paul, writing to young Timothy, writes, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (II Timothy 4:2). We never know who will cross our path. As Christians, we should always be ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Be who you are

Sometimes we run around in life, trying to be something that we are not. No doubt, we all have a past. And we have been regenerated. But even though we have been born again, God still wants to use our personalities to give glory and honor to Him. God wants to use our testimony to reach others for His name. The apostle Paul is a good example of this. When he was ministering in Athens, he used his personality and even his knowledge of God in order to witness to the Athenians. "For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'" (Acts 17:28)

Why am I doing this?

I was standing over a dirty toilet, scrubbing it. Then, I began to ask myself some questions: "Why am I cleaning up after other people for a living? Why did God allow me to have such a dirty job?" As I meditated on these questions, the Lord began to reveal some things to me...... People get into a lot of dirty stuff (sin), and people sometimes make a mess of things. God wants all of us to aid people and show them how to get cleaned up, with His help. Let's read I Corinthians 1:26-27. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise." Your job may also seem foolish sometimes, but God can still use you for His purpose. After all, He is the one Who called you.

The big green

There it was: green, rolled up, and sitting all by itself. "Who would know anyway?" I said to myself. "The person that owned the ten dollar bill probably doesn't even know where they dropped it." As I picked it up, something inside of me (the Holy Spirit) kept saying, "Tell someone that you found it! Do the right thing!" So I did. Wow! What a release. Ephesians 6:5-7 tells us, "Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord, and not to men." Something to remember: others don't always know that we are doing, but God always knows.

Receiving and doing

James 1:21, 22 reads, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow (abundance) of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." First of all, we are to lay aside the garbage in our lives. Then, we are to receive the implanted Word with humility. But we don't just stay there, receiving the implanted Word and getting fat. We have to exercise our faith. We should take what we have learned and apply it to our lives. We must also share it with others; being a doer of the Word.

Fall face down

My friend Steve once told me, "You either start your day on your knees, or you will end your day on your knees asking God for His forgiveness." Psalm 145:14 says: "The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down." If we fall, and we will fall; it's better to fall face down in complete surrender to God. It is God who will lift us up. When we humble ourselves to Him and bow our hearts and lives to Him, He will never turn us away.

How can you do all of this?

This was a question that I was asked one day at work. I responded, "You have to just get in there and do it!" As I thought about the question, God spoke to my heart. I found that the answer should have been, "I can't, but I can!" I can't do any seemingly impossible job on my own. But I can pray for God's help, pray for people and pray for my workplace. Philippians 4:13 puts it this way: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This verse doesn't say, 'I can do all things by myself' either. It is through Christ. Jesus is the vehicle that we are to use to get things done!

Ready to die?

What if you were to die today? Would you be ready to die? Would you be ready to meet your maker? King Solomon gave us some great insight into life. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 says, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;" Just like the changing of seasons comes, so death comes to every single person. The idea is that we do not know when we are going to die. Since we don't know, it is important that we live our lives like today is our last day on earth. We should be right with God at all times. We should also be involved in sharing our faith with others. We don't know if we will ever get the chance again.

Are you afraid of dying?

If there is one thing that all human beings have in common, it is the fact that everyone must die. Death is inevitable, and death comes knocking at every persons door. The bad news is that everyone must die. The good news is that if you have a personal relationship with Jesus you can live forever. Psalm 23:4 says, " Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." If you know God personally, you can be comforted. And you will live knowing that what ever happens in this life that you will live forever with God, in the life to come.

Need help?

Have you ever needed help? Do you need help right now? Everyone at some point in their life needs a little help from their friends. Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." If you find yourself in a time of trouble and heartache, I challenge you to call out to God and ask Him for help. If you do it with a sincere heart, I guarantee He will listen and hear your prayer.

Be comforted

We don't always know why things happen the way they do. Sometimes the most drastic things occur without warning. I think we would love to be in control of everything that takes place in our life. Unfortunately, that is not what happens most of the time. What do we do when someone we love dies? Who do we go to, to help us with the pain? Jesus! Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest." If you need God's help why not pray and ask him for Help? Jesus loves you, and he wants you to come to Him.

Be strong

Are you strong? Do you need strength? It's funny how popular strong man shows have become over the years. Shows like Ultimate Fighting Challenge, Strong Man Competition, and American Gladiators are very popular among the television audience. In the Bible, someone that comes to mind, whenever I think of the topic of strength, is Joshua. The Lord told Joshua over and over again to be strong and of good courage. Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." As Christians, it is important to remember that God is with us. Knowing that God is with us will provide us with all the strength we need.