A Life Of Conviction

John 14:9-11

 9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

John 14:1-14, is a great reminder of who we are in Christ. Jesus was telling his disciples that his Father lived in him and he was in the Father. Jesus also said that we can ask anything in his name and he will do it! He just simply wants us to believe that he can do what he says he can do.  

People that doubt all the time are being foolish. The Bible is clear to not doubt. Doubting your beliefs and convictions can not help you grow as a mature follower of Jesus Christ. You have to stand firm on your beliefs and convictions no matter what. People want to water down the gospel so they can make people feel good, but Jesus definitely didn’t make people feel good all the time with his sermons.

Jesus offended many with his teachings and many of his disciples left in droves. Only the eleven disciples stayed faithful to him through the rest of their lives. Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple, obviously didn’t stay faithful to him because he was the one that betrayed Jesus. So the question we should ask ourselves is this; are we going to be faithful to Jesus to the end of our lives or are we going to betray him?


Even the demons believe in Jesus and tremble at his name. They were in heaven at a time and worshiped him, but many of them betrayed Jesus and were cast down out of heaven. If you want to live for Jesus, you have to live a lifestyle of constant dying to yourself and living out God’s will for your life. If not, pride can set in and can destroy your relationship with Christ.  

Dear Jesus, help me to stay firm with my beliefs and convictions no matter what. Help me to live out your will for my life without fear. Give me the boldness and the strength to live out a life of faith to the end of my life here on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Light Of the World

John 8:12

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Jesus was again, speaking to the Pharisees about who he was, “the light of the world.” He told them that they didn’t know him because they didn’t know the Father. If they knew the Father they would know him.

Jesus came to be a light in a dark time of the world. The Romans, who had control of the known world at the time, were one of the most feared societies ever on the planet. Their ways of abuse and death involved flogging, torturing, and hanging people on crosses for the crimes they committed. One thing that made Jesus special was, he was put on that cross not because he committed any crimes or sinned, but because our sins and crimes put him there.

Whatever we perceive about Jesus Christ, one thing is certain, he didn’t deserve to die for our sins. The amazing mystery about God is, he let his Son Jesus die for us even knowing we were in the wrong for doing so. We should get on our hands and knees and thank our all-powerful, loving God for loving us so much that he would allow such a horrible thing to happen to his only begotten Son, Jesus.

Dear Father, thank you so much for sending Jesus, your one and only Son to die in my place. Thank you so much for loving and forgiving us when we didn’t know what we were doing to you. Help me to stay focused on the things that matter most today and that’s telling people about what you did for us 2000 years ago. In Jesus’ name, Amen!  

His Glory

John 7:38-39

38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, “Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

When we read about Jesus, we see him as a humble and compassionate man. Obviously, no one was like Jesus before or after him. Jesus was simply being God in human form, but he also withheld his glory from us while he was here on the earth.

Only a few times did God reveal his glory through his son Jesus here on the earth. One time was when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. The other was when Jesus went on top of a mountain and a few of his disciples were there and saw Moses, Elijah, and Jesus transfigured in all of Jesus’ glory and brightness. Paul also had a run in with Jesus’ glory on his way to Damascus about to persecute more Christians.

Jesus didn’t have to withhold his glory from us, but because he loved us so much, he withheld it from us so he could pay the penalty for our sins. The disciples and the few that were there and saw Jesus’ baptism had to be in complete amazement when they saw heaven opening. Seeing God’s glory is actually a very awesome and terrifying thing for the few that have seen it here on earth. One thing’s for sure, everyone will see Jesus in all of his glory someday. The question is what did you do with him while you were here on the earth? Did you accept him or reject him?

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming as a man to take away my sins. I look forward to the day to see all of your glory. Thank you for choosing me to be a part of your plan here on earth. I pray that you will fill me with your awesome presence today! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

The Word= Jesus

John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Many people have wondered how we got here. Did a massive explosion happen? Did we come from monkeys? The answer to those questions can be easily solved. In the beginning the Word already existed. Let’s put it this way, in this scripture, replace “the Word” with Jesus.

When Jesus said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me” in Matthew 28, he wasn’t joking. Jesus was always there from the beginning of creation. He was the master artist if you will for all of his creation. He’s the one that gave us life, knowledge, and dominion over the earth.

We should always remember that Jesus is the cornerstone for all of life. He is the only thing that matters. Job said, “The Lord gives and takes away.” Everything will go through Jesus. The only way we will have eternal life is by believing and trusting in God’s Son, Jesus. Everything else we do on earth will disappear and vanish in an instant. Today, just focus on Jesus and thank him for creating you and for being your Lord and Savior.

Dear Jesus, thank you for being my Lord and Savior. Thank you for creating me. Help me to live my life for you and you alone. Give me the wisdom and knowledge to stay in your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Joy Of Our Salvation

Luke 22:19-20

19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

Jesus was preparing to have the Last Supper with his disciples before he would be crucified. This is one of the ordinances that Christ gave the church to do in remembrance of him. Every time we take the Lord’s Supper, we should examine our hearts and make sure we have made things right with our Savior.

I remember at a young age when I couldn’t take of the Lord’s Supper. I was only 6 or 7 at the time, but it made me wonder why. When I was 8, I can remember sitting down in my father’s bedroom and I can remember praying Jesus into my heart. At that moment, I realized I was going to heaven and spend eternity with Jesus. I hope everyone who gave their life to Christ can remember where they were saved.

The next time our church had the Lord’s Supper, I was able to participate. It brought great joy to my life knowing that I was now saved and was able to take the elements and honor my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the Lord’s Supper. I hope that whenever you take of the Lord’s Supper again that you will feel that same joy that came into your heart the very first time you gave your life to Christ.

Dear Jesus, thank you for dying in place for my sins. Thank you for allowing me to remember what you did for me by honoring you through The Lord’s Supper. Help me to remember what you did for me daily and continue to give me the joy of my salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

To Seek and Save the Lost

Luke 19:9-10
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Have you ever looked at someone's sin and felt like they don't deserve repentance? Have you ever wanted that person to not receive salvation because of the things they did to you or someone else? If Sadam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden gave their life to Jesus before they died, how would that make you feel?

The truth is, Jesus Christ came to save them too. Even though their beliefs and actions were evil, God would have still forgiven them if they turned from their wicked ways and asked for forgiveness. We can be upset and feel like that would be unfair that God would forgive people like this, but if he didn't, the purpose of why he came would all be in vain.

Jesus was always hanging out with sinners. He was around prostitues, tax collectors, lepers, and so many more. If Christians today associated with these types of people, they would be looked down upon and even forced to leave the church. The reason why Jesus hung out with these people was not because he wanted to sin, but he wanted to forgive their sin. He would always tell them after they repented to go and sin no more. That's the reason why Jesus came. We should try to develop the same attitude of Christ if we are going to save the lost. There are things we will all struggle with, some more than others. After all, we are only human, but our purpose is no different than that of Christ; "To seek and save the lost!"

Dear Jesus, help me to be more forgiving and accepting of others. I pray that you would forgive me if I've ever been judgmental towards someone. Help me to develop an attitude that reflects who you are why you came, to seek and save the lost! In Jesus' name, Amen!  

Leaving A Legacy

Luke 17:1-3a

1 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. 3 So watch yourselves!

                           

Our society has become more concerned about self than about godliness. We strive to find the next greatest thing. We strive to find the perfect person to be with or to look like. We strive to make money and be cool. All God wants from us is our hearts. Someone once said the reason we don’t go to God with our problems a lot of times is not because of time, but because of a lack of love for him.

God wants us to desire his ways and learn and grow from his Word. He wants us to love him more and give him our undivided attention. Many times we fall into the trap of temptation and even cause others around us to stumble. As adults, we have a responsibly to train and equip the generation under us. We should be asking ourselves, what kind of legacy are we leaving behind for our children and for their children?

This scripture is something we should examine seriously if we want our families to get back on track and serve God the way he wants us too. We have to be more like him and love like him everyday. If not, our families, friends, colleagues, and our country will continue down this downward spiral of despair if we don’t wake up and do something about it.

Dear Jesus, help me to be more like you everyday. Help me to love and forgive more like you did here on earth. I’m sorry if I’ve wronged you in any way today and I want to do better and live out my life to be a legacy for the next generation to see. Help me to live out my faith and set the right example for our children everyday so they will live for you and your glory! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Fear and Trembling

Luke 12:4-5

4 “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.

I was at Passion: OneDay 2003 in Sherman, Texas. It was the second one they ever had. Over 20,000 college students and adults were there. Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Christie Nockels, and Charlie Hall were just a few of the worship leaders there.

The day before, a horrible thunderstorm came through. Winds were 60-70 mph. Hail, lightning, and thunder ripped through the field where everyone was staying for the night in tents. They had no where to go. Chris Tomlin said he couldn’t even hear the person right next to him because the thunderstorm was so loud. Right before the thunderstorm though, they were praying that God will show up in a mighty way. They didn’t realize that God had arrived. In fact, they started praying that God would take the storm away.

The next day, Beth Moore was speaking about how the thunderstorm was in essence, God showing up with all His power and glory. In the Bible, it describes God’s throne of having flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. What we should realize is that God is awesome. Awesome literally means “terrifying.” When we pray for God to move and show up, we better be ready for his awesome presence to fill the skies. We should fear the Lord and show respect for His power and His glory.

Dear Jesus, thank you for your power and your glory. Help me to worship you today with fear and trembling in your presence. Thank you for loving me and allowing me to be used for your glory even when I don’t deserve it. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Willing To Die

Luke 11:52

52 “What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

                      

These several passages of scripture from Jesus are very important to understand. In this passage of scripture, Jesus was invited to eat with one of the Pharisees for dinner. The Jewish custom was to wash your hands before you eat anything so you would be considered clean. Jesus told him that he should look into the inside of his heart and not do things just for outward appearance.

There are many dangers that await those who do things for personal gain and for outward rewards. Jesus said that those who do these things get their reward in full. When we do things for the sake of getting nothing back in return, I believe we have understood what Jesus was talking about. There are several instances where Jesus says to do things quietly and without being noticed. God will bless you when you do things for him, but not for the acceptance of others.

Many fall into this trap of wanting to be accepted and loved by others. Jesus’ intentions were to die for you and for me. He knew going into it, it was going to be a hard road. He chose to die and suffer on our behalf while everyone rejected him. The disciples were also faced with this same situation. They all died for their faithfulness to Jesus. We have to be willing to suffer the same death if we want to gain eternal life. We might not ever be faced with death like the disciples did, but our attitude should be the same as theirs if we ever were. Jesus said, “if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

Dear Jesus, help me to live out my life for your plans and purposes. Help me to have the same attitude like you and the disciples did. Help me to realize the only way to live is to die to myself daily and even be willing to die for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

The Right Motives

Luke 6:10-11

10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

Jesus had asked the Pharisees a question in this passage. Was the Sabbath a day to save life or to do evil? The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus so they could plot against him, but that didn’t stop Jesus from restoring this man’s hand on the Sabbath. 

The Pharisees were keeping the Sabbath, but it had become about the tradition and not the heart. God intends for us to keep the Sabbath holy, but that doesn’t mean we allow evil to happen if we can do something about it. Jesus simply healed this man’s hand because he loved him and wanted to show that it’s about your intentions and not just following the law.

We will sometimes not follow God’s law. We will sin and fall sometimes. The point is that we come to the place of knowing we need forgiveness and humble ourselves and get right with God. The Pharisees simply didn’t want to get right with God. They were too prideful and had made a living off of everyone else and didn’t want to give up what they had. All Jesus is asking for is our hearts and motives to be pure when we come before him. Having a right heart and loving others is what Jesus is all about. We should continue to show love and compassion to others no matter what day of the week it is.

Dear Jesus, please help me to show love and compassion whenever I can. Help me to do good and not evil in your sight. Help me to see how important it is to come before you with the right heart and motives. In Jesus’ name, Amen! 

Fisher's Of People

Luke 5:8-11

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Luke’s account shows a different story then Simon Peter, James, and John getting up and following Jesus just simply by Jesus saying the words “follow me.” I think it is important to understand why they decided to follow Jesus. News had already been spreading around about Jesus and his ability to preach with authority, heal people, and perform miracles.

What we should realize is, the disciples had already heard about Jesus and Jesus even proved to them what he could do. The reason they followed Jesus was because they watched him do something no one else at the time could do. They simply were amazed by Jesus. Simon Peter was afraid and told Jesus he wasn’t worthy of following him. How amazing is it that Jesus told Simon Peter to not be afraid and follow him to be fishers of people.

What Jesus is trying to show us is simple. With God all things are possible. No matter what your background, God can use you. No matter how many times you’ve failed, God can use you. Jesus was simply telling them to be available to him. Their lives changed forever when they obeyed the Lord’s simple request of “following him.” If we want to be fishers of people and disciples of Jesus Christ, we have to believe in his power and authority and live it out daily in our lives.

Dear Jesus, thank you for your power and authority over my life. Help me to follow you in everything I do today. Help me to be a fisher of people and a disciple of you daily. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Spilling Over

Mark 14:3

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

Many of us have heard of the song “Alabaster Jar.” In one section of the song it says: “Like You spilled Your blood, I spill my heart; As an offering to my King.” What a significant message to portray to our King. This woman spilled out her heart to her Savior and the interesting part is, she was criticized for it by those that said they followed Jesus.

What we can learn from this is, we should be spilling out the overflow of our love for Jesus everywhere we go. If people criticize you for showing the love of Jesus to others, let them. Would you rather gain the whole world and sell your soul or would you rather stand for what you know is right and what will set people free?

Many people will criticize you for following Jesus. For me, I love to have the opportunity to share the gospel even if someone might not agree with me. The way we respond to them is probably the greatest testimony they’ll ever see if you respond to them with grace and kindness, not with pride and arrogance. People will see right through you if you’re not sincere about what you believe. Let God you use you as the overflow of His love and mercy today. Stand firm on your principles and follow Jesus all the way to the end.

Dear Jesus, thank you for allowing me to spill out my life for you. Help me to learn and walk in your ways so my life will be a reflection of your light and your glory. Help me to show kindness and mercy everywhere I go today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Giving It All

Mark 12:41-44

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

As a follower of Christ, we have to be willing to lay everything before him. This poor widow had probably suffered greatly, but it didn’t stop her from giving all she had. What a powerful testimony it was for this woman to give everything while the Pharisees were only giving what was expected and doing it for show.

We also see that this woman only had two small coins to give. While the others gave out of their wealth, she gave out of her poverty. In our culture today, we don’t think this way either. We might give the normal ten percent, but seldom count the cost of giving it all to the Lord. In essence, we should realize and be thankful that it all came from the Lord.

The issue here is simple; are we willing to give up ourselves, our wants, our needs, and our desires for the cause of Christ? I think a deep examination of our spiritual life can only answer that question. When we think about living for God, we should be thinking on every detail of our lives how we can make a difference for the Kingdom of God. We should be thinking of how our lives can make an impact wherever we go and whatever we say to give him glory. 

Dear Jesus, I pray that my heart will be completely yours. Use me, mold me, and fill me with your presence today. Help me to give all I have to make your name known around the world.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Pray Without Ceasing

Mark 9:21-24

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I hear many people pray with these words; “Lord if it is in your will let it be done.” I think when we pray this way we show doubt. Instead, we should pray; “Lord, I know and believe you can change this situation.  I’m praying with faith that you will answer my request." This shows God we believe anything is possible with him. 

The Bible says we should pray without ceasing. There will be times when prayer will be the only answer. When the disciples tried to cast out a demon from a demon-possessed man they couldn’t. They asked Jesus why they couldn’t and he told them that he could only be healed through prayer. This shows our need for God to intercede. If God gave us the power to heal like he did, many of us would become prideful and boast at what we can do and stop thanking God for giving us the gift of healing.

Jesus knows exactly what is going on in our lives. Whether you need healing from a disease, a struggling marriage, a bad financial situation, or anything else, we have to rely on God with faith and believe that he will come through for us. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” So continue to pray, ask, seek, and knock until God reveals his plan for you. Don’t give up! Keep believing!

Dear Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I have faith that you will work things out for my good. I pray for perseverance and endurance to pray without ceasing! In Jesus’ name, Amen!