| Finishing What He Started Philippians 1:6 explains…”I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” There are very few certainties in life. The Word of God explains that most of what we see will pass away. However, there are some absolutes we can depend on. One of which is the above passage. God will continue His work on you and in you until you cross the finish line. The reality is that God will never give up on you. The call and purpose bestowed upon your life by the hand of God is without repentance. He never fails! You may run as Jonah did, but the opportunity you have in Christ will always make itself available. God has not grown slack, nor has He forgotten about you. Joshua put it this way, choose today who you will serve (choose what team you want to be on). You will finish this race; as to which team you finish it for is entirely up to you. As far as God is concerned, He will finish what He started! ...................................................................................................Saturday, September 29, 2007 Get Ready Isaiah 54:1-3 1>“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the LORD. 2>“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! 3>For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. We so often pray for the blessings of God in our lives, yet we fail to make the proper preparations. God is limited to what He will do if you fail to prepare for what He wants. He explains to a weary and war torn Israel that she is about to give birth. Out of desolation and destruction God is poised to birth something new. In my recent reading of Isaiah in the OYB, the message is clear, God is doing something fresh! It is time to make room and add more space. It is ludicrous to invite an infinite God into a little box, we must make room! For even in preparing, we are going to be bursting at the seams. God has placed and positioned you for the reality and the totality of all He has promised! Get ready! .......................................................................................................Friday, September 28, 2007 What God Likes To Hear Of the many things God hears, I truly believe there is one that stands out from all the rest. The voice God most delights to hear is yours. He has indeed created you to glorify Him. David explains in Psalm 69:30-31…”Praising God’s name with singing and honoring Him with thanksgiving is more pleasing than sacrificing cattle or a bull.” Meaning that God is much more pleased with your praising Him and worshipping Him with your voice than He is with your time in ministry, your ability to perform or the money you offer. Isaiah 52:7 explains… “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” There is a beauty that catches the eye of God unlike any other. When the children of God worship Him with a song there is a splendor created that even God cannot miss. When the children of God sing about the good news, peace and salvation Christ offers God will always respond. This is what He likes to hear! ..................................................................................................Thursday, September 27, 2007 Just A Little Patience In Isaiah 49:8…This is what the LORD says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you.” So often in life we find ourselves in situations in which we feel God needs to act immediately. I find myself there quite often! With what little experience God has allowed me, I have come to a very simple solution. He will respond and act on my behalf and for my good at just the right time. He will not be overlooking any detail, nor will he be too early or too late. His timing, His response and His will are the essentials in living the abundant life. In the famous words of a very ungodly group, ’just a little patience’! ...............................................................................................Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Unlike God, from time to time I get a little behind, please forgive me! He Is Lord Isaiah 45:18-19 boldly proclaims…for the LORD is God, and He created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the LORD,” He says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right. God is in charge! He is still sovereign and He misses nothing. He has created all things and put them where He wants them to go. Make no mistakes about the God we serve. The world we inhabit has a plan and a purpose and God will receive the glory. What God has to say is the most solid thing you can stand on. All of God’s promises are yes and amen (if you need to know what they are, then open your Bible). He will not go unnoticed and His voice will be heard (if not through you, then someone else…if not someone else, then the rocks will cry out…He will be heard). He’s not hiding from you; He is earnestly awaiting you. He can be found; you must ask, seek and knock first. God’s Word is infallible and He embodies everything your heart desires. He is Lord! .................................................................................................Tuesday, September 25, 2007 Infinitely One of the greatest struggles in understanding God is the fact the He is infinite. God is limitless and there is no end to what He can do. Our natural minds have such difficulty in grasping what is completely spiritual. Paul writes to the Ephesians in 3:20…”Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Paul begins by saying ‘now’. Now is the time God is at work within us. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never arrive! God is able through His mighty power to do anything. Take God out of the box you have placed Him in (if you don’t, He might put you in one). You have not arrived and you do not have a full understanding of His Word or His plans. Lazarus was dead and gone for four days. As far as everyone else was concerned, it was over. But Christ had another agenda. God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. We exist, process and live in a finite world. God exists infinitely! ....................................................................................................Monday, September 24, 2007 Suddenly God will say, “I have long been silent; yes, I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman in labor, I will cry and groan and pant. I will level the mountains and hills and blight all their greenery. I will turn the rivers into dry land and will dry up all the pools. I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:14-16 (NLT) When God moves it is usually in a suddenly fashion; He moves swiftly and with purpose. He moves with much anticipation, like a mother going into labor. His plan is to shake things up. In order to get your attention, God will bring about changes that cause you to seek Him. Whatever you have been looking to will be removed! God has a new path for you to travel. He is directing you in a new direction. The way He is pointing to is unfamiliar. This revelation of Him is one you have not yet noticed or have passed off as an impossibility. God is poised to turn on a light revealing a door that cannot be shut. It is just ahead! God is determined to do this. He has not forgotten about you, nor the plan He has for you. He is ready to move, suddenly. .....................................................................................................Sunday, September 23, 2007 Equipped Ephesians 1:3 explains…”All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” First of all ‘praise God!’ The only way to respond to God is with praise. Through the offering of Jesus Christ we not only have immediate access to God, we have everything we need. So often, as Christians, we exist in a state of feeling inadequate. We feel like the spiritual gifts we need are the ones others have. The fact of the matter is we are fully equipped for the task before us. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You have been blessed with Son of God living and breathing in you. You have been united with Christ and you have all you will ever need. Actually there is such abundance in your life; everyone around you can feed off the residual. You are equipped! ...................................................................................................Saturday, September 22, 2007 At Just The Right Time So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:9-10 NLT Any server would tell you and at the end of their shift they are ready to call it a night. As Christians, we can get weary and worn following the footsteps of Christ. When we are doing what we were designed to do (serving) we get tired! Paul tells the Galatians to not give up. We will reap what we sow. As opportunities present themselves, we should take advantage and offer Christ every time. Paul tells us to be especially mindful of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We tend to neglect the family members the most. Remember, God has a plan and it will be fulfilled at just the right time. .......................................................................................................Friday, September 21, 2007 Don’t Be Selfish Paul tells us Galatians 5:13... “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” The plan God has for our lives is realized in the liberty God offers. We have been called to live in freedom. Yet the freedom God gives is not just for us to enjoy. We cannot take advantage of the liberty God has given us. We cannot simply serve our own needs and ultimately edify only ourselves. We are to instead use our freedom to serve others. We are servers in a fine restaurant displaying a platter that will satisfy any appetite. We are designed to serve. The freedom we enjoy was given so we might offer Him to others. Isaiah (in today’s OYB reading) explains in Isaiah 35:3-4, we are to strengthen those with tired hands, encourage those who have weak knees and say to those with fearful hearts, ‘be strong and do not fear.” We have been designed to give. We are purposed and poised to share Jesus Christ at every moment of our lives. In light of all He’s done for you, don’t be selfish! ..................................................................................................Thursday, September 20, 2007 Held Up In Galatians 5:7 Paul desires to know what the hold up is…”you were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?” There were some preaching that God’s favor could be found by obeying the Law (the Law God gave Moses). Even today, many would consider following the rules and ‘doing good’ as a means to pleasing God and finding His favor. Consider then that the Law was given to show people their sins (Galatians 3:19). The Law is not something we can measure up to. The Law is not something we in our ability can carry out. Doing the right thing is the result of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Otherwise, doing good stuff is simply a series of failed attempts at earning God’s favor. The cost is out of our reach. Only through the blood of the Lamb are we saved and living in God’s favor. We will be truly blessed, the eternal type, only through Jesus Christ. Don’t get caught up in what you think you can earn! Don’ t get held up! ...............................................................................................Wednesday, September 19, 2007 Don’t Get Shook Up Psalm 62:1-2 states, “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” Sometimes you have to make yourself still so God can make Himself known. We need to be patient at more times in our lives than not. I have been pursuing the purchase of a home since we have been in New York (18 months). It has not been until lately, like the past week, that this is starting to become a reality. I have had to learn a lot and most importantly ‘wait’! Yet it has been worth the wait, for our victory will always come from Him (there is no other victory to be had). Christ is our Rock, meaning we can stand on His Word without wavering. Christ is our salvation, meaning we will live eternally with Him. And finally, Christ is our fortress, meaning we can move in permanently and find rest. The point is, don’t get shook up! ...................................................................................................Tuesday, September 18, 2007 You Are Free Galatians 3:22b states that we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. Christ is the only way, He is the only truth and He is the only life. The only way to the Father is through the Son. There are no options, we must completely believe in the totality of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples; then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." When we fully receive and accept Christ, freedom is the result. And once we are free , understand, we are free indeed. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. You are free! ....................................................................................................Monday, September 17, 2007 It Is No Longer I Galatians 2:20 explains…”My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” The fact of the matter is that as a child of God (a blood bought born again Christian) the old you is gone. There has been a transformation that has taken place in your life. The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, confessing Him as the Son of the living God, you stepped into the life that was created you long before your natural birth. This was the life you have been destined to have. God knew you before you were ever born (Jeremiah 1:5). He has predestined you, He has conformed you to the likeness of His Son, He has called you, He has justified you and He has glorified you (Romans 8:29-30). The real ‘you’ has finally emerged! The old has gone and the new is here to stay. It is no longer you that lives, but Christ who lives in you. .....................................................................................................Sunday, September 16, 2007 Preserve The Truth In his writing to the Galatians Paul recounts an extremely important experience. Galatians 2:4-5 explains…4>Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5>But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. The previous verses explain that Titus, a Greek, had come with Paul to Jerusalem. Many had anticipated Titus being circumcised as a result. This however did not occur. As a result, the religious crowd reared their ugly heads. They wanted to revert back to the Law of Moses because they did not understand Christ had fulfilled it. They sought to rob the freedom Christ offers from the true believer’s lives. They wanted to enslave the early church with their regulations and traditions (their religion). Yet Paul stood his ground and refused to give in. His position was to preserve the truth of the gospel. Some things never change. The religious crowd is still very much alive and well today. Much like the one they serve, they seek to steal! They lack as much perspective today as they did in Paul’s day. They are clouded with rules and regulations, they are consumed with human traditions, and they are religious! Our position should not change either. We must stand our ground, revert always to the Word and defend the freedom and liberty we have in Christ. At all costs, we must preserve the truth! ...................................................................................................Saturday, September 15, 2007 All People Need To Know Paul on many occasions made it very clear that he was not appointed or called by any other than Christ. Paul was not a people pleaser; rather he was consumed with satisfying Christ. In Galatians 1:23 Paul reveals a simple truth…all they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” The greatest thing you can show anyone is Jesus Christ living inside you. People need to see Jesus in our lives! What everyone around us needs to notice is change. The one thing that should be evident in our lives is that we have dramatically altered directions. We are no longer who we use to be. As Christians we are born again; we don’t think the same, we don’t talk the same and we don’t act the same. We have been transformed and this is all people need to know! .......................................................................................................Friday, September 14, 2007 Just Because You’re Saved Isaiah 12:3-5 tells…With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world.” If there was ever a reason to thank the Lord, if there was ever a reason to praise His name; it was when you first tasted of Jesus Christ. It was when you first drank the living water and found Him to be good. With Christ came a joy unspeakable and full of glory! Tell anyone, tell every one of all He has done. Let the world know how mighty He is. Sing it, play it, shout it, get liberal and dance before the Lord with all that is in you. He has done great things. Make His praise known. Don’t hide Him, don’t be ashamed of Him, reveal Him in all you do. If for no other reason, then do it just because you are saved! ..................................................................................................Thursday, September 13, 2007 When The Church Isn’t Giving Paul endured a lot of opposition in the Corinthian church. There were some who became very critical of his ministry; to the point they were outspoken, slandering Paul’s name. In some respects it was as though Paul was watching the church slowly drift in the wrong direction. He had completely invested himself into this ministry and he was refusing to let it go. This is probably one of the reasons Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians. In trying to figure out where he had made some mistakes Paul identifies one in 2 Corinthians 12:13… “The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!” It seems that Paul had not given as much time to the ministry of giving as he thought he should have. In 2 Corinthians 8:7, he found they had excelled in other areas, but had not in giving. In 2 Corinthians 9:6, he explains they must sew generously, and in return they would reap generously. Paul saw what is produced in a church when a church is not giving. He told Timothy in his first letter (6:10), the love of money is the root to all kinds of evil. When the church is not sewing and giving, tithing and offering; then the church will deteriorate. A critical spirit will arise and division becomes inevitable. This is what happens when the church is not giving! ............................................................................................Wednesday, September 12, 2007 When God Leaves It Alone Have you ever felt utterly helpless; as if God has abandoned you? Have you absolutely come to the end of your rope and set up residence in the bottom of the barrel? Have you called out and cried out to God without receiving a desirable answer? The Apostle Paul endured a similar experience, much like the one you face. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul speaks of a thorn in his flesh. The Bible never gives us clarification as to what the thorn was; and thank God it didn’t. As a result of not knowing what the thorn was, we can all identify with Paul’s situation (despite our thorn). Paul explains he begged God three different times to remove the thorn, yet God did not. God’s response will never change, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Paul’s conclusion was that weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, troubles and all sufferings existing in the Christian’s life remain so God has an avenue to perfect His power. It is when you are weak that He is strong! God is sovereign and He has not forgotten about you. God is using your greatest struggle, the thing that causes you the most grief as an instrument to perfect Himself in you. What the enemy has wielded to destroy you is the very thing God has ordained to edify you. The sword Goliath unsheathed to annihilate David was the same sword David used to cut the giant’s head off. Sometimes, God simply leaves it alone! ...................................................................................................Tuesday, September 11, 2007 Who God Calls Many Christians often wonder what the call and purpose of God is for their lives. It is probably the single greatest question I have responded to since I have been in the ministry. People in general just want to know “WHY”. I believe Isaiah gives us insight into the answering of this very question. In Isaiah 6 we find a very familiar passage concerning Isaiah’s revelation of God. He saw the Lord on a lofty throne and the train of His robe filled the temple. The angels were worshipping and the temple shook to its very foundation. In the presence of God Isaiah realized, unlike any other time in his life, that he was filthy. He was a sinful man with sinful lips. He feared for his life. Yet the response from the throne was unexpected. For the angel took a burning coal from the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips. The angel declared that his guilt was removed and his sin forgiven. ‘Then’, the Lord asked whom shall I send, who will go. Isaiah’s response was here I am, send me. And God said GO! This sequence of events helps us to understand the call of God in our lives. We must first realize who He is and who we are not. We must be humble, penitent and reverent. We must be cleansed and purified. God’s plan will not unravel in your life until you come to a point or reverence and purity. Through the blood of Jesus Christ the guilt must be removed and the sin taken away. It is then, and only then, you will hear the voice of God calling. His plan and His purpose will send you where you need to go and equip you for all that needs to happen when you get there. God seeks a willing vessel, someone who is available and willing. This is who God calls! ....................................................................................................Monday, September 10, 2007 Don’t Give Up If there was ever anyone in the Word of God who had a good excuse to give up I suppose the Apostle Paul might be one. Paul had been whipped, jailed, beaten, shipwrecked, abandoned, and left for dead more than any other New Testament writer. He had been persecuted and betrayed by those who hated him as well as by those who claimed to love him. He faced danger practically everywhere he went. And his conclusion was this, “I will continue doing what I have always done (2 Corinthians 11:12).” Paul was dedicated and determined, unwavering in his pursuit for Christ. He wrote in Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” As you face dilemmas and maneuver through the controversies life offers, consider Paul. Despite your situation and circumstance, don’t give up! .......................................................................................................Sunday, September 9, 2007 We Need Jesus We are humans and we simply do not perceive and understand as God does. Our natural minds are at a disadvantage when it comes to understanding spiritual matters. Isaiah 55:8-9 exclaims…”My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the LORD. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” God has a way of accomplishing His will and we must be accepting! Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5…”We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” Our position and duty is leading people to Christ! The strongholds we war against are the human intellect, the lies of satan and pride. We are certainly not limited to Paul’s observations, but they seem to be pretty exhaustive. Through the power of Jesus Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit we can preach the good news, proclaim freedom for the captive, recovery of sight for the blind, release the oppressed and declare this is the year of the Lord’s favor. Our ability, education and resources are nothing without the supernatural touch of God Almighty. The fact of the matter is that without Him we are nothing, yet through Him we overcome everything. We need Jesus! .....................................................................................................Saturday, September 8, 2007 A Generous Gift In this week’s OYB reading I have noticed a consistent theme in giving. In 2 Corinthians 8: 7 Paul notes the church (you and I) have excelled in many areas; faith, speech, knowledge, enthusiasm and love. Paul further explains we need to excel in the act of giving. In 2 Corinthians 9:12 Paul begins to unfold the ministry of giving. It is not just an act, it is a ministry (that each of us is called to). In today’s reading, 2 Corinthians 9:6 we can easily see the importance of giving…for a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. Even Solomon, writing probably in his older age, wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:1…throw your bread on the waters, for after days you will find it again – meaning – give generously, for your gifts will return to you later. This principle is consistent throughout the Word of God. Giving generously is not just a one time event; rather it is a lifestyle by which Christians exist. Giving generously is the measuring stick God uses in consideration for how He will bless His children. The generous gift is a continual response to God producing an eternal return. .........................................................................................................Friday, September 7, 2007 What Love Looks Like The Song of Songs is typically a book many steer away from. The language Solomon uses can feel a little intimidating and uncomfortable. However, there is certainly a message God does not want us to miss in Solomon’s Song. There is a level of love the church needs to have for Christ that seems so evident. Considering the young woman symbolizes the believer and the young man symbolizes Christ, we can easily see how our love develops and grows for God. I first recognized a response repeated three distinct times by the young woman…do not awaken love until the time is right (2:7, 3:5, 8:4). As it relates to our love for Christ we must first consider commitment. What does it mean to be devoted and in love with the Son of the living God. What will our love look like and what does a relationship with Christ entail when we commit ourselves to Him. I believe the few verses prior to each of the young woman’s response enable us to see what a love for Christ truly is. 2:3-6…reveals the overwhelming sense of first meeting Christ. He is simply the best thing that will ever happen to us. We become consumed with Him. We sit with Him, we taste of Him (and find He is good), He brings us into His presence, He strengthens us, He embraces us, it is obvious how much He loves us. 3:1-4…reveals how we yearn for Him and pursue Him. We search and seek until we find Him. Nothing can hinder, nothing can entangle our quest for Jesus Christ. And then we find Him; we hold Him tightly and embrace Him! Finally 8:1-3…reveals how we invite Him in. We have been overwhelmed and consumed. We have pursued and embraced Him. Now we invite Him into our lives; Christ takes up residence in our lives. We offer Him ourselves. Everything we are, all we have is turned over reverently and humbly. He is worth it all! This is what a love for Christ looks like. This is what a commitment and relationship with Jesus Christ truly is. This is what love looks like! ....................................................................................................Thursday, September 6, 2007 Sharpen Your Blade Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 10:10…Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. The point is that we relinquish a tremendous amount of energy on the wrong stuff. We tend to major on the minors and minor on the majors! Preparation is vital to a Christian’s perpetuation. Our edge is sharpening the blade. When the blade is sharp, then accomplishing the task is not overwhelming. Again Solomon reiterates in Proverbs 27:17…As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. The sharpening process is an interdependence kind of thing. The body operates at its best when it operates in unity. We compliment and complete one another in Christ. Alone we can do little, together we can overcome. The task before us as Christians is accomplished only when we are encouraging and edifying each other; this is when we become razor-sharp, purposed oriented and entirely effective. If serving Christ has become dull, seemingly ineffective and all together wearing you out, then consider this…sharpen your blade! .................................................................................................Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Excellence The standard of life should always be excellence. If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well. As we have been looking at houses lately, I have noticed a lot of cut corners. It seems the houses we have been looking at lately were not built sound, nor have they been cared for all that well. Although I am more progressive than most, I truly believe it would not be a bad idea to draw upon some old fashioned ideas. We need to return to excellence. Ecclesiastes 7:14 explains… Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. Whatever you do, whatever you care for and whatever it is you have planned; consider excellence. Realize that whatever you do, you are doing it for the Lord. And Jesus has only one request, excellence is all He asks for! .....................................................................................................Tuesday, September 4, 2007 When One Is Not Enough Solomon explains in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12…9> Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10> If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11> Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12> A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. In as much as we would like to have all the right answers, we don’t. In as much as we would like to be able to do everything on our own, we can’t. Life is much more than the individual. We need each other, we complete one another and this is just the way God designed it! One is simply not enough! ......................................................................................................Monday, September 3, 2007 Calm Down Be still and know that I AM GOD. .......................................................................................................Sunday, September 2, 2007 The Power Of Prayer In Job 42:7-10 we find yet another great example of how powerful prayer truly is. Up until this moment Job’s so-called friends had heaped condemnation upon him. They were relentless in their pursuit of Job’s guilt. In the end though, God finds that the accusers had not spoken accurately about Him. God decides that these three must submit themselves to Job so he might pray on their behalf. This is the prayer God will accept. Ultimately Job had to be obedient and pray for his friends, despite their previous attacks. Yet before he could pray on their behalf, I believe Job had to forgive them. So I see two principles at work when considering the power of prayer. Job was not only obedient, he was forgiving. The Bible says the Lord accepted Job’s prayer (it was effective). Furthermore, as a result, when Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as he had before. Prayer changes everything! Not only did Job’s friends find forgiveness with God and Job, Job received a double portion. There is no limit to what God can do. There is power when we pray! .....................................................................................................Saturday, September 1, 2007 |
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