VERSE:

VERSE: If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concernmine infirmities. -- 2 Corinthians 11:30 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=2+Corinthians+11:30&translation=kjv

THOUGHT: One of Paul's recurring themes throughout 2 Corinthians is thatGod's strength is made perfect in weakness. In 1 Corinthians, heemphasizes that the strength, wisdom, and power of God are shown inwhat is normally a sign of weakness and humiliation -- the Cross(cf. 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5). Paul wasn't a wimp -- remember all heendured and kept on serving the Lord. (2 Cor. 11:24-27) He justknew that even with all his training and talent, he wasn't skilled,smart, or strong enough to do all that needed to be done for theKingdom of God. But he knew that when we recognize ourinsufficiency, God takes our weakness and uses it powerfully whenwe offer ourselves to him!

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for all those times that youhave strengthened me when I was under trial, given me wisdom whenin a difficult situation, or empowered me when I faced situationsand opportunities greater than my ability to handle. I recognizethat you saved me by your grace; but each day that I serve you, Iam again reminded that your grace continues to enable me to serveyou. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE END IS NEAR

THE END IS NEAR Philippians 4:5 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+4:5Dear Father, victorious deliverer,Everything points to the fact that we live in the last days, solet me not waste time sleeping.Salvation is nearer now than when I first believed. The night isfar gone. The day is at hand.Help me cast off all the works of darkness and put on the armor oflight.Let me conduct myself as becomes one of your people, not inreveling or drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, notin quarreling or jealousy.Rather let me put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisionsfor the flesh, to gratify its desires.In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

How to Deal With Your Issues

How to Deal With Your IssuesDr. Betty R. Price Proverbs 4:20-27 gives us some very sound advice if we want to move ahead with God:20 My son [that includes daughters], give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart;22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.23 Keep your heart with all diligence [that is careful effort, perseverance], for out of it spring the issues of life.24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you.26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.27 Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.According to these verses, how we deal with the issues or challenges that face us in life come from our hearts.In Matthew 15:18-19 Jesus gives us more information about the issues that come from the heart:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.Jesus is telling us that any time we are involved in fornication and adultery, and all the other things He listed in Matthew, they come out of the heart. That is why you have to protect your heart, in order to keep those things from getting in there.Luke 6:45 says: For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. It is up to us as Christians to keep all the ugly things out of our hearts and to protect our hearts with all diligence by right thinking and right action. So many people bring the types of things listed in Matthew from the world right into their Christian life because they have never been told that they do not have to keep those things in their hearts and they don't have to do them. Many Believers don't really know how to take the Word and drive these things out of their hearts.You might be wondering where the heart is. We know it is on the inside of us. There are many views about where the heart is. There are some who say the heart is where the spirit and the soul meet. This theory witnesses with my spirit. The Bible indicates that the spirit man is the heart of man. The heart and the soul go together. You can only separate them to talk about them, but they go together. When a person gets born again, he or she is supposed to take his or her born-again spirit--the new man--and renew the new man's mind by the Word of God. The renewed mind is a part of his heart and is the soul and spirit combined. It now exercises control over the old man--the soul that used to control the heart.How do issues get into the heart?These negative issues enter the heart through thoughts, ideas, and suggestions that are planted by Satan and also by the eye (what we see), the ear gates (what we hear), and by the mind (the things we experience and dwell on). Some of the other issues of the heart we also deal with, in addition to the ones Jesus talked about in Matthew are: sicknesses, bad relationships, rejection, promiscuity, hurts, depression, abuse, low self-esteem, loneliness, lying, jealousy, envy, gossip, bitterness, guilt, malice, lack of peace, lack of finances, worry, fear, overweight, racism, prejudices, and unforgiveness. The list goes on and on. We can't cover every issue, but there is a principle that leads to victory over every one of them: you cannot get victory over your issues or live the Christian life victoriously without the Word of God. You can take this same principle and deal with whatever issues you may be facing. There are still too many churches today that do not teach the uncompromising Word of God. Believers who attend these churches are usually up and down in their Christian walk. They may get emotionalized every week, but they are not taught to be overcomers. That is why they live in and out of sin, committing fornication and adultery, and doing all the other junk we covered earlier. Even when they are in church, they may be planning how they are going to meet their girlfriend or boyfriend and have sex that night. They may shout and fall out every Sunday morning in church, even after having a sexual affair that Saturday night before. They are what we call carnal Christians, and basically they live that way because they don't know they can do better. They do not have enough Word in them. They will never have peace in their lives because they can't continue to live that kind of life and be prosperous or victorious in the kingdom of God. If you are caught in such a trap, the only way to escape and find peace is to find out what the Word says about your situation, and then do what it says. What does the Word say about fornication? What does it say about adultery? You are going to have to refuse to go down to the level of how you feel, and make up your mind that you are going to do what the Bible says to do.

Prophecy Revelation

Prophecy RevelationRevelation 7-11 Saturday: Acts 23-24Sunday: II JohnMonday: Deuteronomy 29-31Revelation 71 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 81 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! Revelation 91 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. 13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Revelation 101 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. Revelation 111 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

REJOICE! AND PRAY!

REJOICE! AND PRAY! Philippians 4:4-7 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+4:4-7Dear Father, forbearing God,Let me rejoice in the Lord always! Again I ask this from you: Letme rejoice always!Let me be gentle, open to reason, slow to make negative judgments.Let this forbearing spirit be apparent to everyone.I know the Lord Jesus is near, so I have no reason to be anxiousabout anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, withthanksgiving, let me present my requests to you.I believe in you, Father, a God who transcends all humanunderstanding.I believe that the peace which comes from you, which transcendsall understanding, will keep my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.In the name of the ever-near Jesus. Amen.

Living With Thanksgiving

Living With ThanksgivingDr. Tony Beam Believe it or not, not everyone is looking forward to Thanksgiving. My mother-in-law was in the Department of Motor Vehicles the other day and she overheard someone say they wished they had to work on Thanksgiving so they could avoid having to spend time with their in-laws. Why do some people have such a negative feeling about such a positive holiday?It would seem there are plenty of people who go through life looking only at the disappointments or the painful experiences refusing to see the blessings that surround many of life's challenges. I don't know who should receive the credit for the following witticism to but I agree with its underlying philosophy."As you travel down life's pathway, may this ever be your goal...keep you eye on the donut, and not on the hole."The first Thanksgiving took place in the midst of some of the worst trials imaginable for those who braved the crossing of the Atlantic to begin a new life in the new world. One hundred and two pilgrims landed at Plymouth in December of 1620. Less than six months later only fifty-five were still alive. Their chances of survival rested fully upon the fruit of the fall harvest.When that harvest was fully gathered Edward Winslow wrote these words, "...although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."There in the middle of devastating circumstances with their very lives hanging on the quality of the harvest that small band of believers were able to praise God for what they believed were His abundant blessings.King David understood this principle when he wrote Psalm 103. David begins by exalting the name of the Lord and by encouraging himself to remember who God is and what He has done. "Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits."The key to an attitude of thanksgiving that transcends the season is our ability to remember the blessing of our God. David emphasizes the fact we must respond to God in a personal way. We must personally bless the Lord as we remember His goodness.Jesus understood this principle well for John's Gospel records that before Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish to feed the five thousand, He lifted his eyes toward heaven and gave thanks for what He had in His hand.I am afraid if I had been holding nothing but a few loaves and a few small fish I would have been too focused on my lack of supply to be thankful for what God had already supplied.When our praise becomes personal it does so because we are consumed with an attitude of thanksgiving for what we have rather than focusing on what we need.Those blessings are profound, in that they are blessings that proceed from the soul. Being thankful for our blessings should proceed from the very fiber of our being. It isn't the mere material and temporary blessings that David is speaking about but rather the eternal blessings that flow from God who is eternal.This week, as we sit around a bountiful table surrounded by the blessings of God, let us not forget all His benefits.

MY JOY AND CROWN

MY JOY AND CROWN Philippians 4:1 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+4:1Dear Father,Help me to stand firm in the Lord, not only for my own sake butbecause I am someone's joy and crown, the object of their love andlonging.May I reach out to others to call them to follow the exampleChrist. Let them become my joy and crown, the objects of my loveand longing.Especially, Father, let me influence my family - spouse, children,in-laws, grandchildren - to walk in your way and to long for yourday.I love them dearly and long for their salvation. Draw them to yourheart of love.In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen

VERSE:

VERSE: All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no manknoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man theFather, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I willgive you rest. -- Matthew 11:27-28 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+11:27-28&translation=kjvTHOUGHT: True rest comes from knowing God. King David reminds us of thisin Psalm 23. Jesus makes it clear again. Only Jesus can fullyreveal God to us. Only Jesus can take away the burden of seeking toplease God without an understanding of grace. Only he can removethe burden of our past sins and enable us to stand holy, blameless,and free from accusation before God Almighty (cf. Colossians1:21-22). PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus to fulfill the Lawand to bless me with your grace. May I never take that grace forgranted. Dear Father, empower me to serve you with joy and gladnessthat come from knowing that the burdens of my sinfulness andfailure have been lifted by your grace. In Jesus' name I pray.Amen.

A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN

A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN Philippians 3:16-21 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+3:16-21Dear Father,I want to join all your holy people in imitating the example ofyour apostle Paul, and I want to take notice of people in my owntime who live by the same example.Thank you, my God, that my citizenship is in heaven, from which Iwait the return of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.Thank you, Father, that he will come to change my lowly body to belike his glorious body, by the power which enables him to subjectall things to himself.In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen.

For He is Good

For He is GoodGreg Laurie
Often at this time of year, we put a lot of emphasis on Christmas. As merchants compete for our attention, we start becoming preoccupied with putting up the lights, trimming the tree, buying presents, and so on. In the process of it all, we can very easily forget the beautiful holiday called Thanksgiving. Proclaimed as a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, it initially was a religious holiday and, more to the point, a Christian holiday.
At this particular time of year we can sometimes forget about how thankful we ought to be. We need to never forget that God has blessed us to live, in my opinion, in the greatest country on the face of the earth, the United States of America. We have so many privileges here. We have a lot to give thanks for.
Certainly the Bible urges us to give thanks to the Lord. We are told in Psalm 106:1, "Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (NKJV). Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (NKJV). Then in Hebrews 13:15, we read, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (NKJV, emphasis mine).
Sometimes worship and thanksgiving can indeed be a sacrifice. Why? Because we don't feel like it. It may be because we are down or depressed or things aren't going all that well for us. Maybe we are experiencing hardship or a tragedy has struck, and we don't want to thank God. But Psalm 106:1 doesn't say, "Give thanks to the Lord because you feel good." It says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."
We are quick to ask for help, but we are slow in returning thanks. Yet we should be just as definite in giving thanks to God as we are in requesting help from Him. As a result, there are at least three things about giving thanks that we Christians need to know.
First, to give thanks, we must recognize that God is in control of all circumstances surrounding our lives, both good and bad. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (NKJV). God is paying attention to what is going on in our lives. And He knows what you are going through right now.
Second, we must realize that God loves us and is always looking out for our eternal benefit, even if what we are presently going through is difficult. As 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (NKJV).
Third, we must realize that God is wiser than we are. He is always dealing with us for our best eternal good, where in contrast, we are always interested in what is for our temporary good. But sometimes what is good for us eternally is not easy for us temporarily. God will make that determination and work in our lives accordingly.
When is the last time you said...
Lord, thank You that you have allowed me to live in the United States of America...Thank You for my church and allowing me to be a part of it...Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins...Thank You that He rose again...Thank You that my life, which was once filled with guilt, is now filled with Your purpose and peace...Thank You that no matter what happens, You are coming back again for me...?
There is so much to give thanks for. Have you been thanking God? Let's not wait until the fourth Thursday of November. Because for the Christian, every day should be Thanksgiving.

VERSE:

VERSE: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.Believest thou this? -- John 11:26 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=John+11:26&translation=kjvTHOUGHT: Several days ago, we emphasized that Christians who diedphysically were never really separated from their relationship withGod's loving presence. Today, Jesus challenges us to believe a verysimilar thing: Do we believe that the real, living part of each ofus made by God will never die even though our physical bodies die?It's an incredible thought, isn't it? We are eternal, immortal,joined with Jesus, and his future is joined with us (see Colossians3:1-4).PRAYER: Almighty God, I do believe that because of Jesus, I will neverdie. Please bless me, dear Father, so that I can make every minutecount while I am here in this life. At the same time, dear God, Ido look forward to seeing you face to face. In Jesus' name I pray.Amen.

THE U IN JESUS

THE U IN JESUS Before U were thought of or time had begun, God stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray, you'll see it's true, You can't spell out JesUs and not include U. You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name, For U, He was born; that's why He came. And His great love for U is the reason He died. It even takes U to spell crUcified. Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand He rose from the dead, with U in His plan? The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew, and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U. When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension, He felt there was one thing He just had to mention. "Go into the world and tell them it's true That I love them all - Just like I love U." So many great people are spelled with a U, Don't they have a right to know JesUs too? It all depends now on what U will do, He'd like them to know, But it all starts with U. Will YOU pass it on? When Jesus died on the cross he was thinking of you! If you are one of the 7% who will stand up for him, forward this. 93% of people won't forward

VERSE:

VERSE: And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought againstany: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you yourtrespasses. -- Mark 11:25 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Mark+11:25&translation=kjvTHOUGHT: To me, this is one of the most challenging reminders of God'swill in Scripture. I must forgive others! When I refuse, it cuts meoff the stream of forgiveness that God so longs to give to me.While forgiving others is never easy, God has not only commanded usto do it; he has also given us his Son as an example offorgiveness. In addition, he has promised to empower us to be ableto do his will by the power of the Holy Spirit. The real issue:Will we let go of our bitterness toward those who have wounded usand truly forgive them? PRAYER: Dear God, I want to forgive ____ of the sin committed againstme. Please block cynicism and bitterness from my heart. Pleaseempower me to forgive as Jesus did. In addition, dear Father,please teach me what my commitment to forgive actually means interms of the life changes I need to make. In Jesus' name I pray.Amen.

LIVING FROM THE FUTURE

LIVING FROM THE FUTURE Philippians 3:15 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+3:15Father,May the motivations of my life come from the future you haveappointed for me rather than from the past I have lived.Let every one of my fellow Christians be mature in this mattertoo, along with me.If I, or they, are lacking in any way, please disclose this to us,and change us!Help us hold true to what we have already attained. Don't let usthrow this away!In the name of our Lord Jesus I ask these things and pray that youwill grant us a spirit of perseverance unto eternal life. Amen.

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made

This is the Day That the Lord Has Madeby Dr. David C. Cooper In his book, "To See the World in a Grain of Sand," C.L. James tells the fable of a wise old cat that notices a kitten chasing its tail. "Why are you chasing your tail so?" asked the wise old cat. The kitten replied, "I have learned that the best thing for a cat is happiness, and happiness is my tail. Therefore, I am chasing it; and when I catch it, I shall have happiness." The wise old cat said, "My son, I too have paid attention to the problems of the universe. I too have judged that happiness is in my tail. But, I noticed that whenever I chase after it, it keeps running away from me, and when I go about my business, it just seems to come after me wherever I go."Jesus promised us real happiness and true joy. "I have spoken these things to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11).Happiness results from positive emotions such as joy, gratitude and hope. Negative attitudes are toxic to the mind and body. Research shows that negative emotions narrow thought. We can't dream or envision new possibilities when we are filled with negative emotions such as fear, resentment and pessimism. Positive emotions make thinking more creative and resourceful. Everyday is a celebration of life. Begin every day with this affirmation of faith: "This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps 118:24). First, today is the day the Lord has made so receive it with joy and gratitude. "In everything give thanks" (1 Thes 5:18).Second, God only gives you today, not tomorrow, so focus on today. Don't get distracted by the failures of yesterday or the worries of tomorrow. Third, He has made this day especially for you. Today is not an accident; not just another 24 hours. Fourth, everything in each day is made for you -- the ups and the downs, the joys and the sorrows. God is involved in every aspect of your today. So, "give thanks for everything" (Eph 5:20).Finally, expect something good to happen today. Then go out and make something good happen. You've got to make something happen in order to be happy

The Books of the Law

The Books of the LawDeuteronomy 26-28 Tuesday: Nehemiah 10-13Wednesday: Psalms 143-145Thursday: Song of Solomon 3-4Deuteronomy 261 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. 3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. 4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. 5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 7 And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: 9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: 11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. 12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. 14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me. 15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken. Deuteronomy 271 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee. 4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: 7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God. 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. 9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. 10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. 11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: 13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. 16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. 18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. 19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. 20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. 21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. 22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. 24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen. 25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. 26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen. Deuteronomy 281 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. 10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. 23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. 27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: 29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. 30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. 31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. 32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand. 33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. 36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. 38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. 41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. 42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. 43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. 45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. 47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. 49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; 50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: 51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. 52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. 53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: 55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God. 63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. 65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: 67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

TO KNOW CHRIST

TO KNOW CHRIST Philippians 3:10-14 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+3:10-14Father,I want to do this because I want to know Christ and the power ofhis resurrection, and be allowed even to share in his sufferings,becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain theresurrection from the dead.Dear Father, I know that I have not made this my own yet, but onething let me do: Let me forget what lies behind and strain forwardto what lies ahead. Help me to keep pressing forward toward thegoal so that I may win the prize according to your will in ChristJesus, my Lord.In his name of our Lord Jesus I ask these things and pray that youwill grant us a spirit of perseverance unto eternal life. Amen.

A Moment of Thanks

A Moment of ThanksDr. David Jeremiah
Life is hard, and every day is challenging. You may be wondering just now if you can go on. Perhaps another person is vexing you. Perhaps you've been maligned or criticized. You're discouraged with unanswered prayer. Maybe you're feeling like Elijah under the broom tree, wanting to die.
Try praying with thanksgiving. A thankful attitude is the cure for many emotional ailments. Take depression, for example. What is depression or discouragement except the total collapse of thanksgiving in our lives?
Thanksgiving is also the opposite of discontent. It's easy for us to become disgruntled with various factors in our lives; but let's be like one man who was thankful...
* For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat. * For all the complaining I hear about the government because it means that I have freedom of speech. * For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive. * For the teenager who is not doing dishes but is watching TV because that means he is at home and not on the streets. * For the taxes that I pay because it means that I'm employed. * For the lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home. * For weariness at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard. * For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.
Thanksgiving is the opposite of anxiety. Philippians 4:6: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Worship and worry cannot live in the same heart. They are mutually exclusive, according to Ruth Graham.
Thanksgiving is also the corrective for sadness and even grief. While working on a message from Psalm 100, my phone rang. It was from a family dear to me. Our children were about the same age and had played together growing up.
The caller told me there had been an accident in the woods, and a portion of a tree had fallen on one of the boys. He'd been pinned for over an hour before the ambulance arrived, and it appeared the young man would be paralyzed from the waist down. His spinal cord had been crushed.
Well, that just destroyed my afternoon. I couldn't get it out of my mind. This was a blond-headed kid, very athletic, full of life; and in one moment, his life was shattered and changed. I wrestled with my own thoughts and emotions until evening, then I placed a call to the intensive care unit of the hospital. Frankly, I didn't know what to say; but I didn't have to say much at all. The boy's father ended up comforting me.
He said, "Pastor, I want you to know that my wife and I are, first of all, thankful that our son is alive. Second, we're thanking God that it wasn't the upper part of his body that was paralyzed. And thirdly, though we don't understand why, we know God is good and that somehow in the midst of this, He has a plan for our son's life that must go beyond anything we can imagine. Though it's hard and we wish it hadn't happened, we have committed it to our God, for He is good."
Is the race of life wearing you down?Try a moment of thanks.

VERSE:

VERSE: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered untoyou, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayedtook bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do inremembrance of me. -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Corinthians+11:23-24&translation=kjv

THOUGHT: Remember Jesus! Remember his great sacrifice. Remember hisincomparable love for each of us! Remember him through his Supper!Remember Jesus! Remember!

PRAYER: O Father, thank you so much for Jesus! Thank you for blessing mewith a spiritual meal which reminds me and proclaims again thatJesus died, offering his body and blood as the atoning sacrificefor my sins. Thank you for giving me the day of his resurrection asthe day I can powerfully remember this great sacrifice andanticipate the great day of reunion that his resurrection hassecured for your children. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

A PRECIOUS PROMISE

A PRECIOUS PROMISE Philippians 3:8 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+3:8Dear Father, Keeper of all your promises,You have promised: "Be faithful unto death and I will give you acrown of life." Thank you for such a precious promise! You are sogracious to me!Help me to count everything as loss for the surpassing worth ofknowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. For his sake I would gladly sufferthe loss of all things - at least I hope I would - and count themas refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him.Father, you know my heart. You know that I don't want arighteousness of my own based on self-sufficient rule-keeping, butone which comes from trusting Christ.I want the righteousness that you provide when I commit myself toyour trustworthy care.In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Prayer of Praise and Worship

The Prayer of Praise and WorshipDr. Frederick K.C. Price Have you ever watched a talented mechanic or craftsman work? He always has the right tool. You or I might strain to reach underneath an engine or struggle with pliers to put together some little piece of furniture. But for a master mechanic or trained craftsman, it seems that no task is too great. The mechanic whips out a long instrument that has a ratchet on the end, slithers it up through the crowded engine compartment, and has a bolt out in seconds. A craftsman can affix the perfect-sized screwdriver head to an electric drill and assemble a complex-looking bookcase in minutes. If you talk to these people, they will always tell you that it is critical to use the right tool. A screw won't come off easily with pliers--if at all, and you can't drive in a nail with a screwdriver. This principle is critical when it comes to prayer. Many Christians aren't aware that there are several different types of prayer discussed in the Bible, and if you use the rules or tools from one prayer when you should be using the tools from another prayer for your needs or your request, it won't work. You would be applying the wrong spiritual tool to your needs or your request. Consider what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. He concludes a long section in which he urges the Christians at Ephesus to "put on the whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:11), then to "stand" (v. 14), saying this should be done by "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (v. 18). Notice that Paul tells us to pray with "all prayer." This refers to all kinds of prayer, or to put it in a different way, Paul is saying there are different kinds of prayer.A failure to understand that there are different kinds of prayer and that they don't all do the same thing has let some ministers to claim we cannot pray correctly at all, or to conclude each prayer with "if it be Thy will." They frequently use Romans 8:26 as a proof text to show that we do not know what we need, so, in essence, we can't possibly pray correctly.It is for this reason that we must know from the outset what the different prayer tools are--to know a ratchet from a screwdriver, as it were, in the realm of prayer. We have no problem understanding that baseball, basketball, and soccer all have different types of balls, different paying surfaces, and different rules. Why is it so hard to think that prayer is any different? In fact, there are six different types of prayer mentioned in the Bible, and God intended them for different functions.THE PRAYER OF PRAISE & WORSHIPIn this prayer, you are not asking God to do something for you or to give you something. You are not even asking for direction and dedicating your life to whatever it is God has called you to do. Rather, you just want to praise the Lord, to thank Him for His many blessings and mercy. You want to tell Him how much you love Him. A good example of this type of prayer appears in Luke 2:20, discussing the reaction of the shepherds who had seen the baby Jesus:Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. This means that it happened just as the angel of the Lord said it would. In Luke 18:43, we see the blind man "glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." Ostensibly, they prayed prayers of thanksgiving.Look at how Jesus prayed in John 11:41 "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me," referring to His previous prayer regarding Lazarus. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6). This says that even when we pray the prayer of faith, we should always intersperse worship and praise.The prayer of praise and worship is the only prayer that you are permitted to direct to Jesus rather than the Father. It is perfectly acceptable to say, "Thank You, Jesus, for Your love, Your sacrifice, Your obedience, and Your perfection. Thank You for saving me." In John 15:16, Jesus said, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." All petition prayers are to be directed to "the Father, in Jesus' Name." No exceptions!In the prayer of consecration and dedication, you are asking God for His direction--not Jesus. But in the prayer of praise and worship, you are free to address the Son directly and thank Him for His sacrifice, His courage, His consistency, His mercy, and His love

It's Better Not To Know Better

It's Better Not To Know BetterSteven Furtick My youngest son Graham lets me throw him up in the air so high that he almost goes through the ceiling. He loves it. He just turned 1 about a month ago. His older brother Elijah used to let me do the same thing. He's 3 now, and he doesn't like it so much any more. It scares him. Didn't used to scare him, but my wife Holly says now that he's more aware of his surroundings, being thrown in the air freaks him out. I guess that's understandable.Sometimes our awareness of our surroundings can take the naiveté out of our faith in God. When I first came to Christ, it was like I was letting Him throw me up in the air as high as He could (or would, more like it), and it never crossed my mind that this was dangerous.It never crossed my mind that He might drop me.If He prompted me to speak out for Him, I spoke up. If He urged me to give something to Him, I gave. If He wanted me to give up something for Him, I gave it up.Then came mortgage payments, adult responsibilities and the like. Now I'm more aware of my surroundings. And it's a little more unnerving to get thrown up in the air.It didn't frighten me at all when I didn't know any better...and sometimes I think it's better not to know any better. As a child of God, and even more so as a leader, I don't ever want to become so aware of my surroundings that I stop innately trusting God because it's dangerous.Not that we should stay in a state of perpetual childhood. It's good to grow up, to exercise wisdom, and to analyze the risks.But when it comes time to jump, never let your awareness of your surroundings be the final factor when deciding how high to go and how much to trust.As you finish this year strong, find confidence in the strength of the one who caught you the last time, and who is positioned to catch you again.

Please, Put the Remote Down

Please, Put the Remote DownMilan Ford Well, it's official.My wife and I can no longer watch television together. And I must admit - it is largely my fault.While it pains me to share this with you, several years ago I contracted a deadly disease that is affecting men of all ages and ethnicities at an alarming rate. The disease is called O.C.F.Also Known As: Obsessive Channel Flipping.Some of the symptoms of this disease include:(1) An inability to watch an entire show or film in its entirety.(2) An abnormal distaste for commercial breaks.(3) An endless pursuit and search through movie channels I know I haven't paid for yet.(Pray for me - but sometimes I wake up hoping my cable company would one day make a mistake.)Since it has become nearly impossible for my wife (or anyone for that matter) to sit and enjoy watching any form of television with me, I decided to get some serious help. After seeking the advice of several close friends, family members, as well as a few cable technicians I knew, I soon discovered that my problem was much bigger than channel flipping.In fact, it is a problem that men, women, and a majority of the Body of Christ today have as well.Our problem: FINISHING.Whatever happened to that project you were working on (that you just knew was ordained by God), only to flip to something else less demanding because you were afraid of failing?Or what about that relationship you took before God in prayer earlier this year? Why were you so quick to flip onto something (or someone) else after that first sign of disagreement?It is amazes me how we (as believers) are at times some of the biggest channel flippers when it comes to life's challenges. When faced with adversity, we often surf for a better station, rather than to wait and see what God may have in store at the end of the program.Sometimes we forget that God (as described in Hebrews 12:2) is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith. There is nothing that catches Him by surprise concerning our lives.While there may be times in our life that seem too difficult to watch and endure, we must find confidence in knowing that God does not view our life as some one-time program. He sees our lives as a series.A series that He has authored and gone before us all to finish.A finish that you and I do just can't afford to miss.While 2008 is indeed drawing to a close, and there still may remain some things you were hoping to accomplish this year, this is not a time for channel flipping.This is a time to finish the work that God has begun in you. So today, if you are in need of any words of encouragement (or accountability) in order to aid you in finishing this year strong......let me leave you with five good ones my wife gave me the other day:PLEASE, PUT THE REMOTE DOWN

Two Choices

Two Choices “What should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ?” Matthew 27:22 (NCV) Pilate is correct in his question. “What should I do with Jesus, the onecalled the Christ?” Perhaps you, like Pilate, are curious about this onecalled Jesus. What do you do with a man who claims to be God, yet hates religion? What doyou do with a man who calls himself the Savior, yet condemns systems? Whatdo you do with a man who knows the place and time of his death, yet goesthere anyway?... You have two choices. You can reject him. That is an option. You can, as have many, decide thatthe idea of God’s becoming a carpenter is too bizarre—and walk away. Or you can accept him. You can journey with him. You can listen for hisvoice amid the hundreds of voices and follow him. From: And the Angels Were Silent Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2003) Max Lucado

VERSE:

VERSE: And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them whenthou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, whenthou liest down, and when thou risest up. -- Deuteronomy 11:19 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Deuteronomy+11:19&translation=kjvTHOUGHT: Moses gives us three crucial messages about God's commandments.First, as parents, it is our responsibility to teach them to ourchildren -- not the responsibility of the government, or of theschools, nor even our churches. Second, we are to teach them in theeveryday course of life as we go about our routines as a family.Third, we are to teach them continuously by both our words and ourlives as we raise our children.PRAYER: O LORD God, please bless me as I seek to impart my faith toothers, especially to those in my family. Please bless me with aconsistent and faithful witness to them and the right words to saywhen the time is right. Give me the courage and sensitivity to sayit with loving respect, and the courage to live as a strongChristian example for my children and grandchildren. In Jesus' nameI pray. Amen.

ONE IN SPIRIT

ONE IN SPIRIT Philippians 2:3-11 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+2:3-11Dear Father, One God of your one holy people,Help all of us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vainconceit, but in humility help us count each other better thanourselves.May we look out for the interests of each other, not just our own.Let our attitude be the same as was in Christ Jesus, who madehimself nothing and obeyed you, our Father, even in the matter ofdying.Help me humbly and obediently to exalt Jesus, even as you haveexalted him and given him a name that is above every name, thatevery knee should bow and every tongue confess - to the glory ofyou, our God and our Father.In the name of Jesus Christ, the source of our unity andsalvation, I ask these things. Amen.

The Psalms

The Psalms
Psalms 140-142 Thursday: Song of Solomon 1-2Friday: Revelation 1-6Saturday: Acts 21-22Psalms 1401 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. 6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. 7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah. 9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. 11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. 12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Psalms 1411 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. 2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. 5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. 6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet. 7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. 8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape. Psalms 1421 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. 4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me

VERSE:

VERSE: When they heard these things, they held their peace, andglorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles grantedrepentance unto life. -- Acts 11:18 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Acts+11:18&translation=kjvTHOUGHT: Breaking through racial and cultural barriers is never easy.Thankfully, God's Spirit doesn't let us settle comfortably into ourprejudices. Instead, we are challenged, led, and pushed to breakthrough racial hatred and cultural ignorance. Let's be the kind ofpeople who rejoice and praise God for every barrier that falls thatdivides people. Let's press on until the triumphant promise of theGospel is fulfilled: "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave orfree, male or female. For you are all Christians — you are one inChrist Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)PRAYER: Holy God, I ask that you bless all those everywhere who aretrying to cross cultural, linguistic, and nationalistic barriers toshare the grace of Jesus with those who do not know you and do nothonor your Son as Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Finishing Well

Finishing WellKen Boa We sing the song, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back," but why is it that so many people do? There seems to be an epidemic of Christians who begin well but finish poorly. Let me share seven crucial characteristics that will help you to finish well. 1. Intimacy With Christ.Our highest calling is to grow in our knowledge of Christ and to make Him known to others. Does our desire to know Christ exceed all other aspirations? If not, whatever is taking His place in the center of our affections must yield to Him if we are to know the joy of bearing spiritual fruit. A key secret of those who finish well is to focus more on loving Jesus than on avoiding sin. The more we love Jesus, the more we will learn to put our confidence in Him alone.2. Fidelity With Spiritual DisciplinesSpiritual disciplines such as prayer, fellowship, study, worship, and submission are not ends in themselves, but means to the end of intimacy with Christ and spiritual formation. When left to itself, however, any one of these disciplines tends to decline and decay. An infusion of directed intentionality and effort is necessary to sustain order and growth and to bring repeated times of personal renewal.3. A Biblical Perspective On The Circumstances Of Life.Part of the purpose of our suffering and trials is to drive us to dependence on God alone. God responds by revealing more of Himself to us. This knowledge increases our faith and our capacity to trust His character and His promises through the times we do not understand His purposes and His ways. When we view our circumstances in light of God's character instead of God's character in light of our circumstances, we come to see that God is never indifferent to us, and that He uses suffering for our good so we will be more fully united to Christ.4. A Teachable, Responsive, and Humble Spirit.Those who finish well maintain an ongoing learning posture through the seasons of their lives. Humility and responsive obedience are the keys to maintaining a teachable spirit.Humility is the disposition in which we displace self through the enthronement of Christ in our lives and realize that all of life is about trust in God. Obedience is the application of biblical faith in that which is not seen, and that which is not yet. As we mature in Christ, we learn to trust God's character and promises in spite of ambiguity or trials.5. A Clear Sense Of Personal Calling.God has called each of us to a purposeful journey sustained by faithfulness and growing hope. This calling or vocation transcends our occupations and endures beyond the end of our careers. As we seek the Lord's guidance in developing a personal vision and clarity of mission, we move beyond the level of tasks and accomplishments to the level of the purpose for which we were created.6. Healthy Relationships with Resourceful People.Relationships such as spiritual mentoring, servant leadership, and personal and group accountability are valuable resources that encourage, equip, and exhort. People who finish well do not do so without the caring support of other growing members of the body of Christ. These relationships help us to increase in intimacy with Christ, maintain the needed disciplines, clarify our long-term perspective, sustain a teachable attitude, and develop our purpose and calling.7. Ongoing Ministry Investment In The Lives Of Others.Spirit-filled living requires us to discover and develop the spiritual gifts we have received and exercise them through the Spirit's power for the edification of others. Believers who finish well are marked by ongoing outreach and sacrificial ministry for the good of other people.Those who squander the resources, gifts, experiences, and hard-learned insights God has given them by no longer investing them in the lives of others soon wither and withdraw.What does it take to finish well? Taking to heart the above seven characteristics will help you finish well day by day, as you "run with endurance the race that is set before [you]" (Heb. 12:1).

UNDIVIDED, INDIVISIBLE

UNDIVIDED, INDIVISIBLE Philippians 2:1-2 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+2:1-2Dear Father, One God of your one holy people,Help me never to be a party to any division within the body ofChrist. Let me be perfectly united in mind and heart with allothers who follow you.Help me not to be some kind of -ite, -ist, or -anian. Keep me frommisplacing my loyalties with this person or that!Christ, of whom I am part, is not divided. He is of one mind. Solet me and all his people be together and in agreement.Let us be like-minded, having the same love, one in spirit andpurpose.In the name of Jesus Christ, the source of our unity andsalvation, I ask these things. Amen.

The Heart of Jesus

The Heart of Jesus The Son does whatever the Father does. John 5:19 (NCV) The crowning attribute of Christ was this: his heart was spiritual. Histhoughts reflected his intimate relationship with the Father. "I am in theFather and the Father is in me," he stated (John 14:11).... Jesus took his instructions from God. It was his habit to go to worship(Luke 4:16). It was his practice to memorize Scripture (Luke 4:4). Luke saysJesus "often slipped away to be alone so he could pray" (Luke 5:16). Histimes of prayer guided him. He once returned from prayer and announced itwas time to move to another city (Mark 1:38). Another time of prayerresulted in the selection of the disciples (Luke 6:12-13). Jesus was led byan unseen hand.... The heart of Jesus was spiritual. From: Just Like Jesus Copyright (Word Publishing, 1998) Max Lucado

TO LIVE IS CHRIST

TO LIVE IS CHRIST Philippians 1:20-26 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+1:20-26Dear Father,Fill us with courage so that Christ will be honored in our bodies,whether by life or by death.For us to live is Christ, to die is gain!Grant that our manner of life may be worthy of the Good News ofChrist.Help us to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving sideby side for the faith of the Good News, not frightened in anythingby our opponents.Grant that we may not only believe in Christ, but that we shallalso be willing to suffer for him if necessary, engaged in the sameconflict as was Jesus, the apostles, the martyrs, and all of yourchurch until this very day.In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.

Finish for a Change

Finish for a ChangeDr. Jamal Bryant Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. (Genesis 11:31 NIV) It is much easier to start something than to finish it. There is an old adage that says, 'it is not how you start but how you finish.' The great philosopher Manuel Diotte said, "Wining isn't always finishing first. Sometimes wining is just finishing." Success in dealing with the secular and the sacred is not contingent on the start of a thing but rather on the end of a thing. How great of a man would Noah have been if God had given him the directive to build the ark and Noah built the ark half way? How great in Biblical record would any ink be wasted on the life of Nehemiah if he had heard about the walls in his hometown that were damaged, started the walls and then heard miserable comforters who beckoned him to come down, prompting him to stop the job half way?Imagine then the God that we serve sent his beloved son Jesus to save humanity. But would we really have followed Jesus or worshiped Him if all He was able to leave was a testament of his goodness; feeding 5000, blind man able to see, deaf man able to hear, and a crippled man able to walk? Would He really be worthy of worship? It was not until Jesus was on the cross with his arms stretched out, blood trickling down his eyes down to his chest that he was able to declare so that men would see as a role model, 'it is finished.' There is something that beckons us to greatness that God does not want men or women to just start good ideas, or to embark on great projects and not finish them. You could have been talking about 2 to 4 different careers but will you not finish something? You have probably failed to finish school, doing one semester and leaving three more semesters undone. Will you finish anything? As a new convert, one is usually in church shouting, praising and rolling around but after they get blessed, they sit in church like God owes them something. Endeavor to finish something.God told Terah to shift his entire family. The place that Abraham and his family were living in was not were they were to die. Where you are right now may not be where you are supposed to be forever or die. The anointing the Lord is releasing on you is not for individual advancement nor is it for personal gain, but it is to shift your entire family. God promised to take Terah out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Ur translates means, the place of fire. God is shifting you from an area in your life where you may have been under attack, and persecution. God took him from Ur to a place called Canaan- the place of promise. Unborn generations were able to walk on this promise. Whenever God gives a promise, it is not a seasonal promise, but a generational promise. Get ready for a shift because when God gets you into a wealthy place, you will not be 'hood rich' - where you have a nice car but don't have a house, dress good but your children look a mess. You will be wealthy.On their way from Ur the place of fire and persecution to Canaan the place of promise, something happened. Halfway to their destination they got to a place called Haran. Archeological facts state that, Haran is one of the wealthiest regions in the east. In 1832, they uncovered the tombs of 18 kings all of which were shrouded in 14 karat gold robes and gold headdress. Their wealth was so pronounced that the workers of their court were burred alive with them. They said we would rather be dead than to live without our king. In "Haran" they had the best schools, best university, and water plumbing system. The problem was that as good as "Haran" looked, it was not the promise. The Promise was Canaan. Some people could be confused. Because they have a job or degree, they might think they have arrived. There is more to you than what you have now. They might become comfortable and complacent because where they are could be better than where they had left. Do not be satisfied with second best. Just because you have taken a step up doesn't mean you have reached the full flight of steps.As you read the text you will notice that Terah was the father of Haran and the place were they stopped was called Haran. Many of us go half way because we can't go on after a person leaves us. After the breakup, or divorce, you may feel like the world has come to an end. Don't rely on a person, because when they are no longer with you, God promised to never leave or forsake you. Some of you ought to thank God that some people left you early because they left you before you ever got your promise. If anyone is planning on leaving you, let him or her leave you at the half way mark. They shouldn't stick with you until you get to your promise. If you ever get discarded, dumped, or played, that is a sign that you are half way to your destination. God was not mad that they stopped. He was mad that they stayed.When Terah set out to go to Canaan, he took Abram and his wife Sarai, and Lot Terah's grandson. We have a problem here because Terah has three sons; Abram Haran and Nahor, but when he had to go to Canaan, he didn't take Nahor. Instead he took Abram and his wife Sarai. Abram's name means 'man of faith.' In other words the only person Terah could take into the promise was somebody who had faith that the promise was still there. God is only going to release a promise to those who believe it is theirs. He took a man of faith and Sarai, which means princess. When she got to Canaan she become Sarah, meaning queen. In this next shift God is not only going to bless men but women as well to seat on their own throne. Determine not to be second in rank for anything because you were born to be a queen. Terah didn't take Nahor. I couldn't figure the reason until I discovered that Nahor's name means dry. The secondary definition of Nahor's name means hoarse. One becomes hoarse from a dry throat. Terah couldn't take anybody into the promise, who couldn't use his or her throat. Some people are too calm to the extent that even when they are under fire, they will not know how to praise God. Secondly, he could not take him because he was stiff. Terah needed someone who could get excited before they ever got to the place of promise. Get connected to somebody who wants you to praise God with him or her. If you can see your promises begin to praise God in advance. If God has given you an advance preview of what lies ahead of you, I dare you to praise God. What do you think Abraham did when he saw the sign, '10 miles to Canaan?'Terah died in Haran. The Lord then told Abraham to leave the place where his father had died and go to the place of promise.The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1 NIV)The Lord has anointed you to go further than your father. Where your father would have stopped and quit, God put some extra kick in you not to stop and fall short of where your predecessors stopped. Some of you have perfect fathers but if you want God to stretch you to go beyond where you father was able to go, I dare you to finish something. God told Abraham that when you finish, I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Gen 12:1-3 NIV)The Lord spoke to Abraham in Haran, the half way place where he was driving the best car, living in the best house, and making the best money he had ever made. God told him Haran was not the promise, Canaan was. He had more for him at the place of promise. Imagine what God has for you when you finish up? The lord has got more for you. God told Abraham to do what nobody in his family had ever done to FINISH! You are probably comfortable in "Haran". That is not it, go all the way and finally complete something.

Finish for a Change

Finish for a ChangeDr. Jamal Bryant Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. (Genesis 11:31 NIV) It is much easier to start something than to finish it. There is an old adage that says, 'it is not how you start but how you finish.' The great philosopher Manuel Diotte said, "Wining isn't always finishing first. Sometimes wining is just finishing." Success in dealing with the secular and the sacred is not contingent on the start of a thing but rather on the end of a thing. How great of a man would Noah have been if God had given him the directive to build the ark and Noah built the ark half way? How great in Biblical record would any ink be wasted on the life of Nehemiah if he had heard about the walls in his hometown that were damaged, started the walls and then heard miserable comforters who beckoned him to come down, prompting him to stop the job half way?Imagine then the God that we serve sent his beloved son Jesus to save humanity. But would we really have followed Jesus or worshiped Him if all He was able to leave was a testament of his goodness; feeding 5000, blind man able to see, deaf man able to hear, and a crippled man able to walk? Would He really be worthy of worship? It was not until Jesus was on the cross with his arms stretched out, blood trickling down his eyes down to his chest that he was able to declare so that men would see as a role model, 'it is finished.' There is something that beckons us to greatness that God does not want men or women to just start good ideas, or to embark on great projects and not finish them. You could have been talking about 2 to 4 different careers but will you not finish something? You have probably failed to finish school, doing one semester and leaving three more semesters undone. Will you finish anything? As a new convert, one is usually in church shouting, praising and rolling around but after they get blessed, they sit in church like God owes them something. Endeavor to finish something.God told Terah to shift his entire family. The place that Abraham and his family were living in was not were they were to die. Where you are right now may not be where you are supposed to be forever or die. The anointing the Lord is releasing on you is not for individual advancement nor is it for personal gain, but it is to shift your entire family. God promised to take Terah out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Ur translates means, the place of fire. God is shifting you from an area in your life where you may have been under attack, and persecution. God took him from Ur to a place called Canaan- the place of promise. Unborn generations were able to walk on this promise. Whenever God gives a promise, it is not a seasonal promise, but a generational promise. Get ready for a shift because when God gets you into a wealthy place, you will not be 'hood rich' - where you have a nice car but don't have a house, dress good but your children look a mess. You will be wealthy.On their way from Ur the place of fire and persecution to Canaan the place of promise, something happened. Halfway to their destination they got to a place called Haran. Archeological facts state that, Haran is one of the wealthiest regions in the east. In 1832, they uncovered the tombs of 18 kings all of which were shrouded in 14 karat gold robes and gold headdress. Their wealth was so pronounced that the workers of their court were burred alive with them. They said we would rather be dead than to live without our king. In "Haran" they had the best schools, best university, and water plumbing system. The problem was that as good as "Haran" looked, it was not the promise. The Promise was Canaan. Some people could be confused. Because they have a job or degree, they might think they have arrived. There is more to you than what you have now. They might become comfortable and complacent because where they are could be better than where they had left. Do not be satisfied with second best. Just because you have taken a step up doesn't mean you have reached the full flight of steps.As you read the text you will notice that Terah was the father of Haran and the place were they stopped was called Haran. Many of us go half way because we can't go on after a person leaves us. After the breakup, or divorce, you may feel like the world has come to an end. Don't rely on a person, because when they are no longer with you, God promised to never leave or forsake you. Some of you ought to thank God that some people left you early because they left you before you ever got your promise. If anyone is planning on leaving you, let him or her leave you at the half way mark. They shouldn't stick with you until you get to your promise. If you ever get discarded, dumped, or played, that is a sign that you are half way to your destination. God was not mad that they stopped. He was mad that they stayed.When Terah set out to go to Canaan, he took Abram and his wife Sarai, and Lot Terah's grandson. We have a problem here because Terah has three sons; Abram Haran and Nahor, but when he had to go to Canaan, he didn't take Nahor. Instead he took Abram and his wife Sarai. Abram's name means 'man of faith.' In other words the only person Terah could take into the promise was somebody who had faith that the promise was still there. God is only going to release a promise to those who believe it is theirs. He took a man of faith and Sarai, which means princess. When she got to Canaan she become Sarah, meaning queen. In this next shift God is not only going to bless men but women as well to seat on their own throne. Determine not to be second in rank for anything because you were born to be a queen. Terah didn't take Nahor. I couldn't figure the reason until I discovered that Nahor's name means dry. The secondary definition of Nahor's name means hoarse. One becomes hoarse from a dry throat. Terah couldn't take anybody into the promise, who couldn't use his or her throat. Some people are too calm to the extent that even when they are under fire, they will not know how to praise God. Secondly, he could not take him because he was stiff. Terah needed someone who could get excited before they ever got to the place of promise. Get connected to somebody who wants you to praise God with him or her. If you can see your promises begin to praise God in advance. If God has given you an advance preview of what lies ahead of you, I dare you to praise God. What do you think Abraham did when he saw the sign, '10 miles to Canaan?'Terah died in Haran. The Lord then told Abraham to leave the place where his father had died and go to the place of promise.The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1 NIV)The Lord has anointed you to go further than your father. Where your father would have stopped and quit, God put some extra kick in you not to stop and fall short of where your predecessors stopped. Some of you have perfect fathers but if you want God to stretch you to go beyond where you father was able to go, I dare you to finish something. God told Abraham that when you finish, I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Gen 12:1-3 NIV)The Lord spoke to Abraham in Haran, the half way place where he was driving the best car, living in the best house, and making the best money he had ever made. God told him Haran was not the promise, Canaan was. He had more for him at the place of promise. Imagine what God has for you when you finish up? The lord has got more for you. God told Abraham to do what nobody in his family had ever done to FINISH! You are probably comfortable in "Haran". That is not it, go all the way and finally complete something.

The Books of the Law

The Books of the LawDeuteronomy 23-25 Tuesday: Nehemiah 5-9Wednesday: Psalms 140-142Thursday: Song of Solomon 1-2 Deuteronomy 231He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.2A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD. 3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. 5Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. 6Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever. 7Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. 8The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation. 9When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. 10If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 11But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. 12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 14For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. 15Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: 16He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him. 17There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 19Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 20Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 21When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. 24When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Deuteronomy 241When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. 3And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 5When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. 6No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge. 7If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you. 8Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do. 9Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt. 10When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. 11Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. 12And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: 13In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God. 14Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. 16The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. 17Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: 18But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing. 19When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Deuteronomy 251If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. 2And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. 3Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee. 4Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. 5If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. 6And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. 7And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. 11When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: 12Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her. 13Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 16For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. 17Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 18How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.