Grace for your spirit April 1, 2014

Grace for your spirit

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."  Psalm 14:1

Today is April 1st, "Worldwide Atheist's Day."  It coincides with the observation of "April Fool's day."  Imagine climbing a long extension ladder, and when we arrive at the top realizing the ladder is leaning against the wrong building.  That's the destiny of the atheist.  At the end of life, we will realize that God is real.  Matthew 5:22 tells us that we should never call anyone a fool, but when God calls us a fool, we really are one.  Let's not participate nor celebrate fool's day.

Grace for your spirit April 2, 2014

Grace for your spirit

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.   Proverbs 21:1

We can put our hand in a stream of running water and change the flow of the water by the way we move our hand.  Often kings, or others in authority can seem to block our way to success.  God has the ability to change those obstacles into steppingstones, when we ask for His help. One example is Nehemiah.  King Artaxerxes stood between him and his desire to help Jerusalem.  Nehemiah prayed and God put His hand on the king's heart.  That giant obstacle became a giant steppingstone in building the walls of Jerusalem.  May we never give up.  Instead, let's give our obstacles to God.

Grace for your spirit March 31, 2014

Grace for your spirit

You have given a banner to those who fear You.  That it may be displayed because of the truth.    Ps 60:4

When armies would march into battle, they would often carry a flag or banner that identified who they were to both friend and foe.  God gives us His banner for us spiritually for the same purpose.  Our banner may be the fruits of the Spirit.  Banners of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfully, gentleness, and self-control.  As the old hymn says, "There's a royal banner given for display to the soldiers of the king."  Lift it high, keep on marching, and keep on singing.  Let's show our banner proudly.

Grace for your spirit March 28, 2014

Grace for your spirit

Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor people?  Now he said this, not because he concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money, he used to pilfer what was put in it.  John 12:5-6

"SHOW ME THE MONEY", are sometimes the most spoken words in our churches.  So many are obsessed about how much money we have and where it is spent.  These words were about Judas Iscariot, the apostles' treasurer.  Judas Iscariot was apparently a good businessman, but a terrible apostle.  When we ask about the church finances, is it because we want to know how much good we can do for those in need,  or is to know how much there is for us?  The ministry of Jesus Christ needs to be a people ministry, not a business venture.

Grace for your spirit March 27, 2014

Grace for your spirit

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.    John 12:24

The devil didn't know much about farming, or the mission of Jesus.  In farming, the death, decay, and germination of the seed, is the key to bring forth a hundred fold out of each grain.  The devil was pushing to kill Jesus, and that was exactly the reason Jesus came to earth.  When Jesus would die, His seed would be available to everyone in the world. His death made that happen.  Jesus calls us to come and die that we might live for Him.  Let's not stay cold and alone. Let's die in Jesus and rise to walk in a new life. 

Grace for your spirit March 26, 2014

Grace for your spirit

Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.    Luke 11:26

When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it will return if the man's house if it is left empty.  When it comes back, it may be seven times worse than is was before.  When we become Christian and the Spirit of God fills our lives, evil is pushed out of our lives.  It is important that we remain full of His Spirit, so there is no room for those evil spirits to move back in later.  In the world, a vacant house is a hazard and un-insurable.  The same is true in the spiritual world.  Let's remove the hazard, and insure God will keep the evil away with a full house.

Grace for your spirit March 25, 2014

Grace for your spirit

For I testify about them they they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not know about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  Romans 10:2-3

Proverbs tells us what we already know.  It is not good for a person to be without knowledge.  Unfortunately, too many chasing God in religion do not have the knowledge needed to be victorious.  Many are sincere, committed, even zealous for their religion, trying to achieve righteousness by their own effort.  That is zeal without knowledge. The way to righteousness is not in our own works, but in receiving it from God through Jesus Christ.  When we don't subject ourselves to His righteousness, there will never be any righteousness at all.