Tag Archives: Lord

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God Values You

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What do you consider the most precious substance in the universe? Silver or Gold? Precious jewels? Star dust? The energy of the sun? For millions of us, we consider the Blood of Jesus as the most precious substance. Because it made a way for us to come back to the Father. God’s very own precious blood shed for us while we were still sinners, before we were ever born. Pretty cool right? Now think about this…God thinks we are more precious than that! He gave His blood for what? That’s right, for us! Don’t ever doubt that God loves you, or that person who seems so far gone.

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Just Imagine

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Job 1:6 NIV
“One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
The Lord said to Satan, “where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “from roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?”

I Peter 1:18-19 NAS
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers. But with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

Imagine with me for a minute, that after the fall, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan shows up…

“Where have you come from, Satan?” the Lord asks.
“I have come from going to and fro in my kingdom. The one your silly man gave to me. I have been looking over all I possess,” he brags.
“Yes, I do miss those quiet times walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening,” replies God with a note of sadness. “What would you take in return for my children whom I love?”
“You will never get them back! There is nothing you have that I want,” sneered Satan. “There is nothing you can do. They are legally mine. They chose me over you,” he gloated.
“So be it. Leave my presence,” answered God solemnly.

Years later as God’s chosen people suffer under oppression and continued slavery, Satan again presents himself to the Lord.

“Where have you come from?” the Lord asks.
“I have come from my kingdom, from tormenting those rebellious, stiff-necked children of yours. You know it could all stop. All you have to do is say the word…” taunted Satan.
“What word would that be?” the Lord asks with a knowing smile.
“Surrender. Give me your throne so I can command heaven and earth, and they are yours,” weaseled the devil.
“You know better than that. My throne is forever mine. It can’t be given nor taken away,” replied God.
“So bet it. Off I go to torture your loved ones,” laughed Satan.

Much later when God’s children began calling out for a redeemer, looking with hope for the promised one, Satan again pays an unwelcome visit.

“Where have you come from?” the Lord asks.
“I have come from the earth, where I rule and reign over all principalities, powers, dominions and rulers of dark places. I am the Prince of the air, the Lord of the Flies, the Father of Lies and of many children,” he answered with his bloated pride.
“There are still a remnant that choose me, that forsake your lies and follow after the truth,” stated the Lord.
“What would you give me in exchange for them all-not just your little ‘remnant’ but all of them. The ones who curse your, who sacrifice their children to my idols, the ones who live in perversion and lust?” he asked.
“There is no thing in heaven or earth worth giving up for those ones,” the Lord calmly replied.
“You finally admit it! They are worthless, unloved, unwanted garbage!” exclaimed Satan in triumphant glee.
“No…you misunderstand,” God said quietly. “They are worth more than all the streets of gold in heaven, worth more than the sun, the moon and the stars. They are more precious to me than silver and Gold.”
“Then what else is there?” answered Satan in some confusion.
“There is myself. I will give myself”

Now fast forward to Satan’s victory party. He is expecting Jesus any moment into his hellish domain. He thinks he has killed the creator of the universe, his own creator. Then in the midst of the party Jesus descends into hell and before the enemy of our souls can lay a finger on him something happens. You see hell can’t hold Holiness. It wasn’t built for sinless, pure, incorruptible LOVE. We don’t know exactly what happened that day in the depths of hell, but we do know that Jesus didn’t come out alone, and he took the keys of death and hell with him. Ponder on this for a moment and let it put things in perspective…Satan doesn’t even have the keys to his own home.

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The Importance of Prayer

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”

Prayer for the Christian is important. Praying to God is simply any conversation you have with Him. There are different types of prayer. Sometimes we are requesting things or answers from Him, for ourselves and for others. (Philippians 4:6-7). Other times we are in dire straights and need some help. Psalm 145:18 “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” Prayer is also giving thanks for all He has done for us and for who He is.

No matter our circumstances, prayer should be our first step, before the doctor, before the lawyer, before the bank and credit cards, before counseling and self help books. First thing every day we should go to Him with a heart of Thanksgiving. The last thing we do before our eyes close to sleep is to end our day in conversation with Him. Notice I say conversation. Conversations are two sided. We have to be still and quiet enough to hear His voice. A great place to start is after a time of praise and reading His word, ask God how much He loves you. Then listen.

The verse in I Thessalonians tells us to “pray without ceasing”. I know the majority of us have jobs and obligations. Yes we need to verbally, out loud, pray to God. Use His word in our prayers. Recite His promises. But we can also pray silently, or pray in the spirit quietly. Another way to look at it, is that you are always open to hear from Him. Maybe your job takes a lot of concentration and you can’t let your mind go into prayer, but you can thank Him when you are done with a task, thank Him for helping you handle that difficult client. Be creative. Always pray before you eat. A trite, “Good bread, good meat, thank God let’s eat”, just wont cut it. You don’t have to pray until your food is cold, but be earnest and honest with God. Do you commute to work? Take that time to pray.

So maybe you are thinking, “my life is pretty good, I don’t have that much to pray for.” Here are some suggestions for you. Of course, always pray for yourself and your family. Name their names, be specific in what they may need. Pray for the lost ones especially.

Pray for our leaders and those in authority over us.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;”

We don’t have to like them, we don’t have to agree with them, but God says to pray for them. Pray for their salvation. Pray that they use Godly wisdom and pray for their protection.

Pray for our spiritual leaders.
Colossians 4:2-4 AMP
“Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison; That I may proclaim it fully and make it clear [speak boldly and unfold that mystery], as is my duty.”

Ask God to bless them financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Pray that they have time to rest, relax, and spend time with their families. Pray that they are led by the Spirit of God, and are upright in all their ways. Ask God to give them Godly wisdom and discernment.

Pray for one another.
Colossians 4:12 AMP
“Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you earnestly in his prayers, [pleading] that you may [as persons of ripe character and clear conviction] stand firm and mature [in spiritual growth], convinced and fully assured in [a]everything willed by God.”

Pray that they can stand in these evil days. Pray again for supernatural provision. That they lack no good thing. Think about the things you need and ask God to provide those things for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pay attention to those around you, are they going through some hard times, go to God on there behalf. Again, make sure you take the time to listen to God. He may ask you to do something or direct you to pray in a certain way. A word of caution, if God reveals something to you so that you can pray, don’t go and gossip about it!

Pray for your enemies.
Matthew 5:43-45 ESV
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Pray for their salvation. Ask God to open their eyes to their need of Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare their hearts. “Get them”, “punish them”, “give them what they deserve” are all NOT good prayers. We didn’t get what we deserved. Ask God to forgive them.

Pray for the lost.
Acts 26:18
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
God’s desire is that all are saved. Jesus died for all men. We shouldn’t write off anyone.

Like most things you have to work at building a habit. Set time aside, on purpose to pray. You will see great changes take place. God’s word does not return unto Him void. When we pray according to His will, He does the miraculous.

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Prayer

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Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for your promises, that are always “yes” and “Amen”, to your glory. Thank you for your love, which is shed abroad in my heart, and for the shed blood of Jesus, for your Holy Spirit who leads and guides into all truth. Who comforts and encourages us. Who convicts of sin and convinces of righteousness. Thank you for your grace and mercy, and your joy (which is my strength). Help me to treat others as you would, to help and encourage. To esteem others more highly than myself. To not grow weary in well doing, but to persevere and press on in doing good. Strengthen my feeble knees, and fan the flames in my heart. Help me to be bold in my testimony, in my profession of faith. Help me to be humble and teachable. I choose to run the race with patience, not turning to the right or the left, but to fix my face like flint, to keep my eyes on the prize (Jesus), and to stand against all the works of the evil one. I choose to not only defend myself and those around me from the enemy, but to be on the offensive, to attack, to go into the enemies camp and take back what he has stolen. I choose to put off the former ways of the world and my flesh and to put on the robes of righteousness that you gave me through the death and resurrection of your son. I take on life and health and a sound mind. I accept and receive all the blessings you have prepared for me, before the foundation of the world. I choose you, Jesus, again, as my Lord and King. I choose the Kingdom of love and light, and renounce the kingdom of lies and darkness. I choose you, Lord, as my Father, because you first chose me. I thank you for coming humbly to this earth, to experience what we do, as a man. For giving up the your kingly robes and crown, for taking up the role of a servant. I thank you that after fulfilling all that was needful to purchase my redemption, you took back your crown and rule and reign as my King.

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If you read my last blog about an attitude adjustment, you may have noticed some things that need changing. It occurred to me that I left you hanging… So, let’s say we need some adjusting, how do we go about it? First, repent. Ask God, and anyone else who may have been a witness to your bad attitude, to forgive you. That is always the first step to change. Next, you have to choose to change the way you think and speak. Before church, thank God for your Church Family, your Pastors, leaders and those who serve. Be honored and thankful that you get to serve yourself, (if you aren’t ask if you can, volunteer.) Ask God to help you serve with His Joy. Choose to go to church because you love Him and look at your service as an extension of that love instead of a duty or obligation.

We also need to change the way we look at others. When a negative thought comes in, before you blurt it out, cast it down and replace it with something positive. It may be hard at first, but even if all you can think of is “they have nice shoes”, then so be it. It’s a start. Never despise small beginnings. At work, be thankful for a job! Choose to see your employer as a vessel that God chose to use to bless you financially. Remember, your boss didn’t start that business to provide for you- he started it to provide for himself and his family. He has just accepted your request to work in exchange for an agreed upon amount of money. You can’t get mad because he drives a jag and you a pinto. He has all the headaches that come with owning a business and the responsibility. He also made all the investments to get the business up and running. Respect and honor your bosses and supervisors at work. Refuse to participate in the grumbling and complaining. Pray for those in authority over you. Not a “change them” prayer but a “change me” prayer.

Ephesians 6:5-8 “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”

When you adjust your attitude, with God’s help, you will see great changes. You will have more joy, have more patience, less worry and stress. You will love people more, hear God clearer and you will definitely be more fun to be around!

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Need An Attitude Adjustment?

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We tend to think of an attitude as a bad thing. We commonly hear parents of teenagers saying things like “he has an attitude”. But we can have a positive attitude or a negative attitude. We can have an attitude of gratitude or a complaining attitude. We can have an attitude that changes the world for the better or one that will change it for the worse.

Many things can affect our attitude… but only if we let them. Because, truthfully, our attitude is our choice. We may not be able to control everything that happens around us, or even to us, but we can control how we react to those things. We might even start out with a good attitude, only to find that it has gone sour somewhere along the way. How can we rightly judge our attitude? It’s always easy to see someone else’s, no always so easy to determine our own.

Matthew 12:34 says, “For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” A great place to start is to listen to what you are saying and before we can speak it out it goes through our heads first. So our thoughts are even more important, but usually it is easier to listen to our mouths as a starting point. Are you a “negative Nelly”? Are you quick to find fault in others, yourself, with your job, your finances…the weather? When discussions come up about changes, a new project or plans for the future, are you the one saying, “it will never work.”

Our attitude also affects our service to God. Over the years, I have seen many people (including myself) who have committed to serve in some way, greeting, ushering, or maybe working in the nursery, wanting to help out and be a part of the family, only to hear them speak negatively about it down the road. It started with the comments (or thoughts) of “I’d like to stay home today, but I have to usher again,” Next comes the “I greeted three times this month, can’t someone else ever do it”, and before you know it they become dissatisfied with almost everything. Those comments are red flags for an attitude adjustment. When serving becomes your only reason for attending church, instead of a genuine love for God, His word, and fellowship, you’re in trouble. If we don’t get our attitude right, soon we will be dropping out of serving, feeling burnt out and resentful, feeling like we don’t have a reason to go to church anymore. I’ve seen individuals and whole families fall victim to this bad attitude. Serving God, in any capacity is an honor, not a duty, obligation or a drudgery. The motivation has to be love.

It can be the same at your job. If you are working just for a paycheck, your attitude can quickly go south. You’ll think the hours are too long, the pay isn’t enough, your boss is selfish and the other workers are lazy. God hasn’t put you in that job just to provide for you financially, but so that you can be a light and show the love of Christ. Be a blessing to your employer. Set an example, work hard,(Christians should be the best workers in any job). Otherwise you will start to join in the complaints, maybe even become disrespectful to your supervisors or boss. This attitude doesn’t glorify God and eventually you will quit or get fired, or worse yet, just live a grouchy unthankful life.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23). Sounds pretty simple. We should help others, at church and in our personal lives. Make hats and mittens for the homeless and don’t complain about the cost of yarn or shipping (that one is for me). Serve in the church , joyfully, gratefully, knowing that you are blessing others and pleasing god. Be that city on a hill at your job, light the way to Jesus.

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Don’t Leave Him In The Manger

I love the Nativity Story. Even some non-Christians get all teary eyed hearing the Christmas story. There is something about God in the form of a helpless baby, born in a barn and cradled in a feed trough that can touch even the hardest heart. Immanuel, God with us, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. The Word made flesh, born to a virgin, come to save the world.

A powerful story. But only the first chapter. There is so much more. We can not leave Him in the manger.

Hollywood loves to mock Christians. One way they have done this is showing less-than-spiritual, half-crazy characters praying to and praising “baby Jesus.” Myself, I find that rather offensive. Not humorous. I pray and praise not that small bundle of hope that brought God’s love to earth so long ago, but to a risen Savior who defeated death, hell and the grave. I have fellowship with and am in relationship with The Creator of the Universe who sits on His throne of Power in Heaven.

Jesus in the Manger didn’t destroy the works of the enemy. He didn’t shed His blood in humiliation and submission. Jesus in the manger can’t cleanse us of our sins. We have to see Him for who He really is. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is full of power and authority. Jesus in the manger touches our hearts. But Jesus on His throne changes our hearts.

Having said all of that, enjoy the Christmas plays, “Away in the Manger” and all the things that makes Christmas special. But remember what He has done and who He is. Get to know Him now. Have a blessed Christmas everyone!