Loving God With All You've Got

Matthew 22:36-38

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

Jesus answered not a disciple who was seeking a deeper truth about understanding what God required of people, but responded to a lawyer who set a trap to tempt Christ. This is the crux of the matter and the kernel of truth: One must love God unreservedly and entirely with the heart, which is the seat of the understanding; the soul, which is the center of will and personality; and, the might, which represents the strength of all the vital corporal powers, both mental & physical. Thus, God wants us to love Him with all that we've got in us (Deut. 6:4-5).

Consider these expressions:

"That was a half hearted effort" means lacking spirit or interest.

"His heart's not in it" means uninterested in something.

A divided heart has torn loyalties. It is pulled in many directions. The Lord wants all of your heart and not most of it, some of it, 89% of it, or a majority of it. He desires ALL of it. The whole stream of our affections, strength, understanding and will must run toward Him.

But, why?

The answer is quite simple: Because that's how God loves us (John 3:16;Rom. 5:8; I John 4:9). He doesn't do anything half way. God does all things well (Mark 7:37).

Here's a secret, of sorts, if you want to know what happens when you love God with all that you've got:

1. By loving God through Jesus Christ, both will come to dwell inside of you through the Holy Spirit (John 14:21, 23; 15:26).

2. Because you're indwelt by the Spirit, you have been set free from sin (John 8:32; Rom. 8:2).

3. There is liberty as a result of the Holy Spirit's indwelling! (II Cor. 3:17)

And it's only a secret because people choose not to know God's word. It's not like He's intentionally hiding His truth from us; on the contrary, we're running from it and by extension from Him, which regretably leaves us loveless; that is, incapable of loving and being loved.

If you're like that lawyer who's looking for a legal loophole then, Friend, you're going about life the wrong way. If, on the other hand, you are sincerely desiring to find a deeper truth, then look no further than this commandment to understand, worship and know God as He is: God IS love.

Read the Scriptures, follow the logic of God's love and trust in His truth. It is important for you to understand who you are (i.e., a sinner) in light of who God is (i.e., holy) and marvel at the wonder of His great mercy at Calvary.

Make no mistake, you are saved by the grace of God and NOTHING ELSE (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9).

So, if you choose to love God through Jesus Christ with all that you've got then these promises that Christ made to His disciples are the same promises you can take hold of today IF you accept Him as your Lord & Saviour.

Otherwise, you won't possess the joy of the Christ's Spirit inside of you, especially during the dark trials and valleys you're going to encounter in this life. Faith in Christ, dear Reader, and nothing else is the victory (I John 5:4)!

I Need A Victory Today!

To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav’n.
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring Name.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

Looking for God In All the Wrong Places

Proverbs 8:17

"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

If you're seeking God in the mountain tops or in the gilded skies or in mystical experiences or in a drug-induced state or by star gazing then, my friend, let me tell you: You are going about it the wrong way. You see, in order to find God, you need to look at the one source where His wisdom and will is revealed: the Holy Bible.

Consider the above quoted Scripture. There is a promise made by God to the Reader that will be fulfulled by Him, if you meet the conditions.

The first condition of the promise is that you must love God. Well, do you? If you love God, you must love Jesus.

Look at I John 4:14-16 -

"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."

There's no way around it, dear Reader: If you're seeking God, you must come through His Son Jesus Christ who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." (John 14:6).

And Isaiah 34:16 indicates, "Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them."

Matthew 4:4 further says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

It's pretty clear that the only place for man to feast on God's every word is found in the Bible.

The second condition is that you must seek Him early. Early in the day; early in your youth; early in your problem. The key word is EARLY, as in the first place, above all things else.

Here's another conditional promise made by God in Proverbs 2:4-5, "If thou seekest [knowledge] as silver, and searchest for [knowledge] as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."

So, seek God early and through His Word [ie, the knowledge of God]. When you do so, seek His word as if you're looking for silver & gold. That means with an intense, untiring desire. Think about it: How do men seek money? To what degrees do men go to get rich? Reader, seek the salvation of your soul as earnestly as the covetous man seeks wealth. Indeed, what profits a man that he should gain the world and yet lose his own soul?

The weight of your decision - to accept or reject Jesus Christ - will truly be felt in eternity. Do you want to wait until after you die to realize what a great treasure you passed up in knowing God through Jesus Christ His Son?

Ponder this parable by Jesus, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."  (Matt. 13:44)

Stop searching! Put everything aside, friend, and believe what Jesus Christ did for you at Calvary. He is a precious treasure to cherish here and hereafter.

Choose life, eternal life. Choose Jesus! I Choose You, Jesus!

Seeking the lost, yes, kindly entreating
Wanderers on the mountains astray,
"Come unto Me," His message repeating
Words of the Master speaking today.

Going afar upon the mountain,
Bringing the wand'rers back again,
Into the fold of my Redeemer,
Jesus the Lamb for sinners slain. 

The Most Important & Influential Book of All Time

Isaiah 40:8

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

The Holy Bible has been banned, burned, loved and hated. It’s been outlawed & outcast. It's been smuggled in countries in whole or page by page. It's been denounced, doubted, denied and destroyed. In spite of all of these things, the Holy Bible hasn't been silenced. It continues today to be read by more people today than any other book. The Holy Bible is the most important book of all time.

I Peter 1:24-25 declares, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

Did you all out there get that? The word of God endures forever. Forever. All eternity. Without end.

In other words, even though:

A car's engine will burn out and lock up, God's word endures forever.

A computer's hard drive crashes and all data is lost, God's word endures forever.

A legal contract may be breached, but God's word endures forever.

International treaties are broken, but God's word endures forever.

The U.S. Constitution may be attacked and altered beyond recognition, but God's word endures forever.

Man's philosophies and self-help aphorisms may come and go, but God's word endures forever.

Your father's and mother's words fail you, but God's word endures forever.

The President's lofty words may fall under the weight of hyprocrisy and demagoguery,  but God's word endures forever.

The leaders of religion misinterpret, misquote, misunderstand or malign God's word, God's word endures forever.

When all else fails (and sooner or later, they all will), God's word endures forever.

God's word endures forever because God, the Eternal One, spoke it. His Truth, you see, can't help but be true. God's word doesn't come true. It's already true. What was true yesterday, was true also at the beginning of time and is true today and is true forever.

Because Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life..." (John 14:6a) and because He is risen (Matt. 28:6) then Jesus Christ is the only Son of God and the words that He spoke are true. Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

Here's a truth I want you to remember for the rest of your life: God loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that if you believe in Christ, you will not perish and go to hell, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). God is waiting for you to make that decision to trust in His Son Jesus Christ.

Reader, what are you waiting for? Aren't you tired of men's empty philosophies and promises? Aren't you exhausted of looking for the next great idea only to be disappointed and disillusioned? Aren't you weary of religion & rituals that are devoid of meaning?

The only way to know God and have a meaningful and true relationship with Him is through His Son Jesus Christ. The Lord said in John 14:6b, ",,. [N]o man cometh unto the Father but by Me."

If you're ready to know the embodiment of truth, Jesus Christ, click here and see for yourself what peace, love and truth really is: I Want to Know Real Peace, Love and Truth Today!

 

Seasons of the Tree

Psalm 1:3
"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, twisted and empty of any value.

The second son said, No. It was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed, saying it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son took issue with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are - and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life - can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

The moral of the story is that if you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

In Psalm 30:5b, God promises, "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Furthermore in Isaiah 61:3, there is more encouragement: "...to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

Even though the Lord is speaking to the children of Israel, there's a Biblical principle that applies to Christians as well. To wit, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, in John 16:20 declares:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy."

What more comfort do you need than from Christ's own promise? I want to encourage someone out there today to not give up, to not despair and worry. Press forward toward the prize. The travail you're passing through will be nothing compared to the glory that awaits you in heaven if you faint not.

You might be thinking: But, what about right now? I need something now! All I can share with you is God's word. Paul pleaded, prayed and begged God to remove his thorn in the flesh. Let's read what happened next in II Corinthians 12:8-9,

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

And for the rest of you who like to point fingers and tsk-tsk at others' predictaments, beware! As Christ warns in Matthew 7:1-5 -

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

So,  let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not! (Gal. 6:9)

To find out more about Jesus Christ, click here: Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory!

The God of Another Chance

Romans 5:3-6

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

Sometimes your burdens may seem endless. You repeatedly go through the same trial, making the same mistakes. The last time through, you thought you had truly mastered this area of your life. However, now you realize that it continues to cause you pain.

You question if God has abandoned you or if you have displeased Him so greatly that He would allow this suffering to persist. You wonder if you will ever learn the lesson God desires to teach you. Take heart; the Lord loves you, He is with you, and He will never forsake you (Heb. 13:5). He allows the trials in your life because He desires to give you freedom through them and show you His love.

James 1:2-4 teaches, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Through your troubles, God develops perseverance, character, hope, and the ability to accept His abundant love. It is said that those who were closest to Christ our Lord were those with the greatest trials.

He is drawing you close through this repeated problem. Do not despair. Cling to Him and He will fill you with His love.

Consider this illustration:

A lecturer raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 20 ounces to 100 ounces.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

And that's the way it is with a burden. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.

A word of caution, you can put the burden down for a while and rest before holding it again. You may feel refreshed momentarily, but the weight of the burden will continue. Imagine carrying that burden with you month after month, and year after year. I dare say that some of you have been doing exactly that. Now imagine that what you're holding in that glass isn't water but poison; you may be nursing it, sipping it, gulping it and refilling it. And that's exactly what's happening when that burden is anger or bitterness.

You can carry on with the burden alone or you can turn it over to Jesus, who said "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”  Matt. 11:28-29

Other Scripture to encourage you includes,

Psalm 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

and,

I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

So, Reader, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Be still and know that He is God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. In a world of inconstancy, it's good to know that Jesus is the Eternal One who changes not.

Come to know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour: I Want Jesus to Give Me A Chance

portion of this post courtesy of Dr. Charles Stanley

A Lullaby for Believers

John 15:1-5
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

These verses are among my favorite verses in the Gospel of John. It references our inability to fight the good fight and live for the Lord in our lowly, sickly flesh. And, yet, it also encourages us to live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). Plus, obedience brings blessings (James 1:25).

So, if you're struggling in your Christian walk, all I can say to you is, Welcome to the club, Pilgrim!

The poem below highlights the Christian's daily struggle. And, if you aren't struggling, dear Believer, then it might be you aren't walking straight!


In the Stillness of the Night

In the stillness of the night
As I lay in bed and try to sleep,
I remember how I blew the fight
And all Your commands I didn’t keep.

I tried, O God, I tried
To strengthen my soul against the dark.
I felt so confident that I would abide.
But when temptation came, I had missed Your mark.

But then as I slept that night
You came to me in a dream.
You said to me, “Try as you may, try as you might,
You will fail, despite what it may seem,

It is not your job to see you through,
It is not your job to feel strong.
I just want one thing for you to do:
Give Me what you tried to do all along.”

So that morning as I awoke
And I knew my sleep was worth its while,
For as I remembered the words that You spoke
I gave to You my temptations and my trials.

I finally admited I was too weak
To face the day without making a mistake.
So to You I lay my life so meek
And I asked You that me You would not forsake.

Day by day You guide me on
And my strength I get from You alone.
All my battles have been won
For in Your strength I have been sewn.

by Geoff Lemke


And, II Corinthians 12:10 rejoices in this Biblical fact: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

When Christ indwells in you (Gal. 2:20), He does all the heavy lifting and you're just doing all the believing.

Finally, Christ said, "...[B]e of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Jesus has indeed overcome the world because He is risen!

Look no further than I John 5:4-5 to settle all your doubt, worries and fears:

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

You see, Reader, faith is the victory:

On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world!

It's up to you to believe what Jesus said and did. Do you trust Him today? If you don't, why don't you, Reader? You've read and considered other religions and philosophies. Instead, why not try a relationship with the the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ? Come and see what hope, love, peace, truth and mercy is all about!

Read all about here: I Want A Fresh Start!

The Whisper Test

Mary Ann Bird was born with multiple birth defects. She was deaf in one ear, had a cleft palate, a disfigured face, a crooked nose, lopsided teeth, and garbled speech. She suffered not only from her physical impairments but also from the emotional trauma of being different from others.

"I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft palate, and when I started school, my classmates made it clear to me how I looked to others: Just a little ugly girl."

"When schoolmates asked, 'What happened to your lip?' I'd tell them I'd fallen and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different. I was convinced that no one outside my family could love me."

One of her worst experiences at school, she reported, was the day of the annual hearing test. The teacher would call each child to her desk, and the child would cover first one ear, and then the other. The teacher would whisper something to the child. This was the whisper test. If the teacher’s phrase was heard and repeated, the child passed the test. To avoid the humiliation of failure, Mary Ann always would cheat on the test, secretly cupping her hand over her one good ear so that she still could hear what the teacher said.

There was, however, a teacher in the second grade whom the children adored: Mrs. Leonard. She was short, round, happy, a sparkling lady. Something about her made children feel valued and special. They wanted to please her.

"Mrs. Leonard gave the test to everyone in the class, and finally it was my turn. I knew from past years that as we stood against the door and covered one ear, the teacher sitting at her desk would whisper something, and we would have to repeat it back -- things like "The sky is blue" or "Do you have new shoes?"

I waited there for those words that God must have put into her mouth, those seven words that changed my life. Mrs. Leonard said, in her whisper, "I wish you were MY little girl."

It was a transforming moment for Mary Ann. It changed her life. She began to see herself in a new light. Later she would go on to be a teacher, seeing herself no longer as deformed but as a person who has inner beauty and love to share with others.

Imagine the power of words that you use. Do you use them for life or death?

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Indeed, words do make a difference in a person's life. They either edify or tear down. What are you saying to your spouse? Children? Friends? Strangers?

In John 6:63, Christ goes even further in talking about His Father's words:

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

Peter wisefully recognized who Jesus Christ was. When others were abandoning Him, Christ turned to him and asked if he planned to leave Him as well.

"Peter answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:68).

Reader, knowing that God's word bring salvation and eternal life, what are you waiting for? Turn to Christ now. Read further here: The Plan of Salvation.

Brothers Til the End

Mark 3:17
And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

I came across the meaning of the word, boanerges, which means sons of thunder. And I got to thinking about these men and their professions. They were fishermen and called by Jesus (Matt. 4:21). So, I imagine that these Galilean men were out on their boats, fishing, baking in the sun, hauling in their catch with their bare hands. They had to be very strong. Have you ever tried lifting something up out of the water? The water tugs at you and there's the sucking of the sea as you pull, a liquid resistance, if you will. I imagine their hands had callous upon callous because of the ropes that made up the net and the salty sea healing up those cuts (not to mention the fish scales slicing into their hands and the sea water working its way into the bleeding wounds). These men must've barked at each other over the howling squalls. These brothers loved being on the boats as much as they loved each other. After all, the brothers sat and mended the nets together.

As brothers are apt to do (I, too, have a younger brother and know this to be true), they tend to compete with each other; brag and exaggerate; tease about this matter or that; speak over each other; and, even finish the other's sentences, probably with a salty rejoinder to liven things up. Their silences, when they were busy at a task or angry at each other, were just as loud. No, these brothers probably weren't into clever banter. Just honest (and loud) talk with one another, as it should be among brothers. Maybe that's the reason they were called sons of thunder because they were boisterous, good ol' Galilean boys, roughnecks, who talked loud and live loud.

Don't you know that iron sharpeneth iron, Reader?

One illustration that we find in the Bible about these brothers' temperament is revealed in Luke 9:51-56. Let's read what happens:

"And it came to pass, when the time was come that [Jesus Christ] should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."

Can you see these brothers being indignant about how Christ was treated and how they backed each other up? I can. As an older brother, I certainly can relate to backing up my brother. They wanted Jesus to call down hellfire and smoke the Samaritans. Jesus, though, had other ideas in mind. He wanted to save and not destroy the people of Samaria.

Aren't you glad and grateful that you're no longer under condemnation (Rom 8:1-2) when you believe what the Son of God, Jesus Christ, did for you at Calvary? He's come to save you, too, and not destroy you. That is Good News, indeed!

As I read about what became of them in the Bible, I can't help to wonder what John thought or felt upon knowing that James had been killed:

"Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword." Acts 12:1-2.

I'm sure John grieved and mourned the loss of his brother while at the same time rejoicing that James was now with the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8).

John was banished to the Island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9). On that desolate Island, John received visions of the future and the Lord's words were recorded by him. The compilation of these visions and letters to the seven churches form the Book of Revelation.

As he lived on that island, I'm guessing that there were times he thought about his fishing days with his brother as he looked out into the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. He might've even got lost in thoughts of his youth and the joshing & joking that only brothers can know. I like to think that even though these men were in 2 different time zones (ie, temporally and heavenly), John comforted himself in knowing that one day he would be reunited with James. And both would hug and rejoice upon seeing each other and would bow down before Jesus Christ the King in gratitude for allowing them to share eternity together with the Lord of Lords.

All believers in Christ Jesus are brothers until the end. Are you one?

Eternity with Jesus can be yours, too. Here's how: The Plan of Salvation

Your Worth to the Father

Isaiah 49:16
"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;"





A well-known preacher began his sermon by holding up a $100.00 bill.

In the auditorium of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $100 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $100 to one of you, but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $100 dollar bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still, the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"

Yet, the hands went into the air.

"My friends," he said, "There's a valuable lesson in this illustration. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $100. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and by the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened, what is happening or what will happen, you will never, never ever lose your value in God's eyes. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to your Heavenly Father. The worth of your lives comes not in what you do or your social standing in life or what political influences you wield. The life is worth very much - indeed, worth more than gold - because you were purchased with the most precious commodity there is in life. You were bought with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ at Calvary. You are special to God and the proof is there at the cross. Christ's outstretched hands are ready to receive you."

Romans 8:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Jesus knocks on the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) with his nail-scarred hand. Answer Him now!

For Jesus shed His precious blood
rich blessings to bestow;
plunge now into the crimson flood
that washes bright as snow.

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
only trust Him now.
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

Here's how: The Plan of Salvation!

Acts of Worship

Mark 12:29-31
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

There's a difference between an act of worship and worship. In Mark 12:33, Christ acknowledges that what the scribe said was true: loving God with all the heart, with all understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. You can find this principle working in the Old Testament; in I Sam. 15:22 -

"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

In Matt.23:26-28, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and scribes. Let's read -

"Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

What Christ was pointing out was this: There's a BIG difference between an act of worship and worship. Do you know what that difference is? The answer is: It's a matter of the heart, according to what Christ confirmed to the scribe in Mark 12:33.

Jesus also taught that true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23).


Another way of looking at this question is like this: The difference between an act of worship and worship is the former is just an ACT; that is, the person is acting, pretending to worship. True worship comes from the heart. See I Cor. 13.

Dear Reader, the questions remains: Are you an actor or true worshipper?


In order to worship God, you must be saved. Are you? If not, here's how: The Plan of Salvation

In Search of John Doe

Luke 19:10

Imagine that you're looking for a long, lost family member: John Doe. All you know him is his name and the last state he lived in. That's it. Nothing more. You try the internet (Google, Ancestry.com, jail rosters of the major cities; and so on); you try a private detective; you purchase ad space in local newspapers announcing your search for John; and, you even consider leasing billboard space, but it's too expensive. You search turns to relatives who might know more about your loved one. But, you find nothing. Every lead turns out cold; they are all dead ends. Now, imagine seeking John Doe for 30 years. At times, you give up and stop looking. Then another lead turns up and you're back at it again. Searching, asking, and so forth. And so the cycle of frustration repeats.

On a certain day - a day no different from the others - you receive a phone call out of nowhere. A cold call. The person on the other line states that they're looking for John Doe's relatives. You see, he has adult children who are seeking to make a connection with his long, lost family.

The phone drops from your hand as you are in a state of shock. You feel jubilant, relieved,  doubtful  and exhausted all at once. And you begin to weep.

Your search is over.

I write about this scenario because it really happened. One of my job duties is to conduct relative searches. It so happened that on this particular case, the Lord would not let me stop. There was just something itching inside of me to continue the search for a family on the West Coast. And, it was on a hunch (well, really, the leading of the Holy Spirit) that I googled a combination of key words and the relative's name. The name popped up on an employee roster on the employer's web site. And just like that - a name, a phone number, a hope - a phone call was placed. Then, the family reunification was confirmed.

When I spoke to the person who had been seeking the relative and he told me of his 30 year odyssey of searching for the lost lost loved one, I asked him how it felt to have gotten a cold call out of nowhere, telling him that a search for his family had lead me to him. The person's voice cracked as he answered, "It was very emotional."


Emotional indeed. What person wouldn't be searching for a lost parent or sibling or loved one? You'd have to be love sick to continue searching in the face of frustration, disappointments and humiliation. And, what I mean by love sick, I mean a charitable, selfless love of giving all of yourself - sacrificing everything - to find your loved one.

And to think, there's the Lord of the universe who loves you so much, who cares deeply for you, that He sent his Son to look for you. It's very personal, don't you know? He wants you to know that He did everything possible to demonstrate His love for you. His Son Jesus Christ did just that at Calvary. This is what He has to say about His search:

1. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

2. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  Rev. 3:20

3. "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."  Luke 15:32

4. "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."  John 10:15-16

5. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."  John 3:16-17

There's oh so much more I could tell you about Jesus Christ, but I'll let the Gospels do that. Open your King James Bible and read the four accounts of Jesus Christ in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Read for yourself about the wondrous story of Jesus and His love and come home!

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling—  Calling for you and for me; Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching—   Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home. Ye who are weary, come home. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling. Calling, O sinner, come home!

If you want a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, click here: The Plan of Salvation

Get A Piece of the Rock

Psalm 27:5

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. "

It's said that since 711 A.D., the rock of Gibraltar has been captured and lost by the Arabs, the Spanish, the Dutch, the British, and the French. Throughout all of the battles, skirmishes, and bloodshed, one thing has held true: the rock has not moved or crumbled. It still stands tall along the the Catalan Bay, which is located in the Strait of Gibraltar (southern Spain). You can see why the rock was prized; from it, you could see the enemy approaching by sea, air and land. Therefore, you could mount a proper defense.

The Rock of Gibraltar captures the Scriptural passage beautifully. By putting your trust in God, He is the one who protects you. And, He does so because He loves you (John 3:16) and is responsible for you because you belong to Him (I Cor.  6:19-20; Rom. 8:14-15).

So, get a piece of the Rock (Matt. 7:24-25).

That Rock is Jesus. Yes, He's the One. That Rock is Jesus. The only One. Be very sure, be very sure your anchor hold and grips the solid Rock.

The Happy Man

"Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." (Psalm 127:5, KJV)

This message could be considered a belated Father's Day message, but I couldn't wait until 2011 to write about the happy man who has many children. Recent events have caused me to ponder about this matter. You could say, three little blessings arrived quite suddenly in our home and that made me stop and take in the reality of parenthood. You see, any man can sire a child. But, it takes more than a hombre to raise a child, let alone into a godly one. From where I stand as a father, the view is a long one, arcing over the next meal, bedtime stories, prayers, and scraped knees and into the eternal question: What kind of child do I want him to be? Parenthood is a lifelong state of existence because you never stop being a parent; you never stop hoping the best for them; you never give up in believing that things will be better for them; and on and on and on. It never stops. This isn't a complaint; it's a fact of life.

There's a song by Randy Travis that clearly points out what the parent, the father in particular, has to face:

"I’ll provide for him,

Walk beside of him,
I am strong enough.
'Cause it's time he knew
What a son can do
With a father's love:

He could change the world."

[from "Raise Him Up" lyrics found in "Rise and Shine" album, released: Oct 15 2002 ]

Because children are a heritage from the Lord (Ps. 127:3), they are not ours to keep. We are simply their stewards. So, if children are a gift of the Lord, what are we to do with them?

1. We are to teach them who God is. Gen. 1:1; Ps. 139:14-16
2. We are to teach them about God's Law. Deut. 6:1-9; Exo. 20:1-17
3. We are to discipline them. Prov. 22:6, 15; Eph. 6:4
4. We are to teach them about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jn. 1:1-4; Jn. 14:6

These are just a few Scriptures I'm quoting. There's more to be sure because God's Word is a treasure and inexaustible.

If you have children and you are not training up your kids according to God's Word, you will be called to account your time with them when you meet God, assuming you're a born again believer. If you're not, then you've got an entirely different problem; that is, you are spiritually dead and in need of salvation through Jesus Christ. Applying the principles of the Bible will not get you anywhere with God unless you are born again (John 3:3,5).

One final thought: Training up a child is NOT easy. It requires a strong commitment to God, placing faith in His awesome grace, and involves a lot of prayer, especially as they grow older and began exercising their will. There will be a lot of things you will not like in their choices, but take heart that they will have the Word of God in them. Once they become adults, they are out on their own and will have to live with the consequences of their choices. My heart goes out to those parents who have wayward adult children who have walked away from God. My only advice to you is to keep your faith and know that what is impossible for man is possible for God (Luke 18:27). Happy is the man whom the Lord blesses with children!


See here for more information: The Plan of Salvation

Birthday of the Unconquered Son

Luke 2:13-14

No one really knows when Jesus Christ was born. Some say in the fall; others, in spring. What is known is that Christ was indeed born. Certain groups of people who are anti-theistic (I refuse to call them atheists because God doesn’t believe in atheists) like to point out Christmas is celebrated on a pagan holiday and that the Christians are really partici-pating in a cultish festival.

In 336 A.D., Christian leaders set the date of Christ’s birth to December 25th in an attempt to eclipse a popular pagan holiday in Rome known as Saturnalia, that celebrated Natalis Solis Invincti, or "Birthday of the Un-conquered Sun." It was, therefore, the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours.Along with honoring the god Saturn, the use of the title Sol Invincti allowed several solar dieties to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian (AD 270-274); and Mithras, a soldiers' god of Persian origin.

So, Saturnalia was a time of general relaxation, feasting, merry-making, and a cessation of formal rules. There was drinking, gambling, and singing, and even public nudity. It was the "best of days," according to the poet Catullus.

While it may be true that no one on earth knows when exactly Christ was born, I encourage all of you who believe in Jesus Christ to hold this day holy because of He who made the heavens, the stars and all underneath it. Celebrate it because it was the advent of our salvation. It brought forth a Savior in a world too dark and too busy with itself to make room for Him on that special, holy night. His arrival brought great promise: peace to all the world. As Prince of Peace, Christ brought the only lasting peace—not with the world, but with God. Celebrate it because in Him there is hope, peace, love and redemption that were purchased with His blood.

During this Christmas season, remember that a young Jewish virgin woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior, who would become our Lord and Savior, whose birthday continues to be celebrated thousands of years later because of His redeeming work at the cross and because He conquered death.

That's the heart and soul of the Christmas message. Back then, there weren't many worshipers around the original manger; only a handful of shepherds. They were considered lowly because of their work. But, they were the first ones to see Christ. They saw and believed and humbled themselves before Him. Over two thousand years later, there are those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. But one day every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Those who doubt Him, those who are His enemies, those who merely ignore Him, all will one day bow, too, even if it be in judgment.

I pray that God grants you the life-changing spiritual experiences that only Christ can bring. I pray God gives you an ongoing attitude of joy, thankful-ness, and responsiveness that causes you to tell others that you, too, have seen Christ the Lord. And that He dwells in your heart. Truly, we celebrate the birthday of the Unconquered Son: Jesus Christ!


Jesus is the greatest gift you could share with anyone this season!
Spread the Good News and Merry Christmas!

On Being Set Free

Luke 4:18

It is said that upon his death bed, Sigmund Freud, father of psycho-analysis, [which shaped how the world perceived how humanity was motivated by sexual (eros) and death (thanatos) drives], was in agonizing pain in his final days. Apparently, he suffered from jaw cancer that plagued him for the last 15 years of his life. He underwent over thirty operations to remove it. After specialists finally reported that it was useless to operate again, Freud pressured his doctor for relief. After all, Freud had difficulty hearing and speaking and could no longer eat. Freud’s final words to his doctor were, “You promised me that you would help me when I could no longer carry on. It is only torture now and it has no longer any sense.” So the doctor gave him large doses of morphine and Freud slipped into a coma, dying peacefully the next day.

It is noteworthy that Freud’s own theorizing provided him little solace in the winter of his life. He spoke of religion as an illusion and maintained that it was a fantastic structure from which a man must be set free if he is to grow to maturity. In his psychoanalytic theory, Freud isolated two main princi-ples: thanatos is the drive towards the disillusion of all life, whereas, eros is to strive towards stopping the death drive. When one goal is reached, the other becomes out of reach, and vice versa.

At best, when wisdom degenerates to rationalism, our walk with God is reduced to an intellectual pursuit rather than a living relationship; at worst, we become indifferent, atheists or agnostics. All of these conditions are antagonistic toward God. In the Old Testament, wisdom was not under-stood as our ability to reason independently of God. Instead, it was an acknowledgement of divine revelation. Biblical wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. Proverbs 3:5-7 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understand-ing. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”

In contrast, Freud said that we may find less consolation, but the truth, harsh as it is, will ultimately set us free from false hopes and unrealistic expectations. But if the Everlasting God is true then so is His Truth, and as a consequence, all other truth fades in significance. Nothing has more profound and more far-reaching implications for our lives. Since all unbelievers are outside the moral boundaries of God, they can expect judgment. Christians living outside the moral boundaries can expect discipline. Truly, God’s love is a beautiful gift in the Son, Jesus Christ, who restores fellowship with God.

Consider, beloved, the thief on the cross — condemned by both God and man — was just hours away from death. But before he took his last breath, something glorious occurred. In the very process of dying, the criminal was rescued by Jesus, right in front of the mocking crowd. The thief’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and all of heaven rejoiced. Jesus promised him a place in paradise in the presence of God. The other thief died in his sin.

In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis said, "Divine gift love in a man enables him to love what is not naturally lovable — lepers, criminals, enemies, morons, the sulky, the superior, and the sneering." Man’s philosophies, with its best intentions, cannot attain this attitude. It is solely the blood of the Lamb that one is transformed, that one is set free (Luke 4:18). Praise the Lord!

A final sobering thought: Every one of us is just a heartbeat away from dying. Have you examined your life? Are you living the darkness? Are you alone and lonely? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Are you in anguish and can't carry on any longer? If so, friend, trust Jesus. Accept Jesus Christ now as your Lord and Savior. He will make all the difference in the storms of your life. Will you come to Him now? It will be the most important decision you make in your entire life.