Transformed Life

Romans 1: 1-4

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

What a wonderful picture the Lord paints for us here in these scriptures pertaining to Paul. When Jesus appeared in all His Glory before Saul (Paul) at his conversion, he had no idea what he was getting into. All he knew was he saw Jesus Christ, the one he was persecuting, transform his life right before his eyes.

Out of all the people Jesus could have picked for the job, he picked Paul. Why would he pick such a horrible, wretched sinner like Paul? Because like Paul, we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. We might look at murder as a worse crime than stealing, but in God’s eyes sin is sin. That doesn’t change the fact that murder is still bad just like stealing is, it just means that to God, if you commit one you commit them all. It separates us from God forever. That’s why he sent Jesus to cancel our sin debt. I believed Jesus chose Paul because he wanted to show how much he loves us and will forgive us of all our sins when we accept him as Lord.

When people say, “Oh, I could never follow God and serve in ministry,” we continue to accept the lie from Satan saying we aren’t good enough. We have done too many wrong things to deserve God’s love. If we look at ourselves as dirty rags and realize that we have an awesome God that loves us, then we will have complete joy in our lives for what Christ did for us at the cross. Paul realized this and changed the world around him in his lifetime. Even though he died for his faith to Christ, the world would feel the impact of his loyalty to the gospel. Many people are now saved because of the foundation he and so many other first century Christians did for the sake of the gospel.

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for paying for my sin debt. Thank you that I can come humbly before you and know you as my Savior and King. Please help me to remember the precious sacrifice you made for me at the cross. Help me to live out my faith everyday for your glory. In Jesus name, Amen!

I Don't Have to be Afraid

Acts 27: 21-22

After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

Paul had faced many trials in his life. This scripture tells us about his journey to Rome, but it was short lived due to a hurricane that shipwrecked him on a little island known as Malta.

Without Paul and the crew being shipwrecked, something might not have taken place. An angel of the Lord appeared to Paul and told him to not be afraid and that he would stand trial before Caesar. Think about it in today’s world. That would be like you or me standing trial before the President of the United States. I think any one of us might be afraid or at least a little nervous.

Many of us might miss the point of this scripture and skip through it. But sometimes God decides to send storms in our lives for a reason. God wasn’t punishing or wanting to kill Paul. He was simply allowing Paul to see His awesome power. Even though the ship was damaged, nobody was killed or injured.  It’s the same in our spiritual life. Even though the body or the flesh may fail, our spirit will live on forever. Remember, no matter what we face or go through there is a God who loves you and will take care of us even to the end.

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for your protection today. Thank you for allowing me to not go through any storm alone. I don’t have to be afraid because I know and trust you will take care of me. In Jesus name, Amen!

Put on Love

Acts 24: 14-16

However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Have you ever been wrongly accused of something that wasn’t true? How did that make you feel? Did you have a hard time recovering from it?

Paul was constantly under attack for his sold out love for Jesus. He was falsely accused on several occasions and wrongly mistreated. He spent many months and years in prison. He was always facing problems not just in his own life, but also with the new churches.

I think it is easy to forget that when we are sold out for God we will be treated unfairly and often our reputation can be ruined. What is more important to you? Is the approval of man more important or is God’s? I think the answer is quite simple. All you have to do is look around you and you will see how sold out you are for God.

If you pursue money and materialistic wealth more than you pursue saving souls than we don’t have a time problem we simply have a love problem. Jesus says in Revelation speaking to the church in Ephesus that we have lost our first love. When we take the focus off of what Jesus did for us on the cross and focus on our problems, than we are nothing more the clashing cymbals. Always remember to put on love and let it go with you everywhere you go. No matter what people might think or say about you, do what is right and God will honor you for your faith.

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for loving me. Thank you for giving me an opportunity today to share my faith with others. Help me to return back to my first love and to keep you first in all things. In Jesus name, Amen!

Encouraging Words

Acts 11: 22-24

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Has there ever been somebody in your life that has encouraged you over the years? Somebody who has been someone you can turn to when times get tough? I’m sure from time to time we all get a little disappointed. Maybe it’s your job or a friend that has hurt you. Whatever it is, we all need encouragers in our lives.

In this passage, we continue to see the growth of the church throughout the known world at the time. We continue to see even with some like Stephen and others that were persecuted and killed that the church continued to move forward and not backward. It would seem that with every persecution and every murder of Christians, the church would be even more bold and courageous than ever before.

We need to remember that spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ is an encouraging thing. Sharing the love of Jesus to people that might not ever have heard of the gospel is an incredible task and should be taken with devout faith and commitment. We should always be an encouragement to others by sharing God’s Word and loving one another. Even though the church might be persecuted and look down upon by society, we should always lend a helping hand and encourage others to do the same.

Dear Jesus, help me to be more encouraging today wherever I go. Help me to encourage my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to carry out the gospel message to people that need to hear it. Give me the boldness and the courage to be a light in this world. In Jesus name, Amen!

Act on Your Faith

Acts 9: 19-20

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Saul, otherwise known as Paul, had a remarkable conversion with the Lord. Saul was very devoted to his beliefs, but his beliefs led him to believe that it was right to persecute and murder Christians. Not everything we believe is the truth. We need to make sure that what we believe is directly from the Word of God.

After Paul’s conversion, he spent several days with the disciples. This scripture says, at once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Notice here that there was no hesitancy by Paul. He simply acted on what he saw and believed. We don’t have that luxury of seeing the Lord like he did yet, but that shouldn’t stop us from sharing the gospel.

Some people have the belief well I have to see it to believe it. How foolish that is! Do we see the wind or see the air we breathe? Without air we couldn’t breathe yet we know it exists. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who don’t have to see and believe.” Just because we can’t physically see Jesus right now doesn’t mean everything stops and we make excuses. We should be actively going out and sharing our faith and believing what the scripture says with the help of the Holy Spirit. That is the only hope for our nation and the world.

Dear Jesus, help me to act on my faith daily. Help me to not make excuses for not sharing my faith with others today. Give me opportunities today to make a difference in someone’s life today. In Jesus name, Amen!

First of Many Steps

Acts 5: 29-32


But Peter and the apostles answered, “ We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”


These verses should tell us who our God really is. He’s not interested in man’s ability. If he was he would have used great and mighty men to share the gospel, but instead God used ordinary men like us to carry out His plan.

At times, Peter was very outspoken and had a bad temper. But that didn’t stop Jesus from making Peter the rock that He would build his church upon. If you were Peter, how would you feel if Jesus said that to you? You see, Jesus knew that Peter loved him. But Jesus was only interested in seeing how obedient Peter was going to be until the end. Remember, Peter didn’t get it right the first time. He denied Jesus three times when Jesus was arrested, but now Peter was ready to accept his purpose.

So the question for us is, are we ready to accept God’s plan and purpose for our life? Like Peter, we might not get it right the first or for some of us maybe several times, but eventually through growing and maturing in our faith, we will be ready to accept God’s purpose for our life. Peter had a huge mission to fulfill, but his mission is the same one that we have; to tell others about Jesus and how much he loves us. Today, make a point to thank God for sending his Son Jesus and paying the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for your love and forgiveness. Thank you for allowing me to have a purpose in your great plan. I pray that today I will take the first of many steps to accomplishing your will for my life. In Jesus name, Amen!

Preach the Gospel!

Acts 4:31-32
³¹ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.³² All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

Acts 2 through 4 shows a very exciting time in the life of the new believers. Peter and John had faced some adversity, but God prevailed and they left to testify what the Lord had done on their behalf. Word spread like fire through Jerusalem what had happened on the Day of Pentecost and thousands were repenting of their sins and joining the fellowship of new believers daily.

Peter and John, even when faced with threats to not testify of what Jesus had done for them, simply couldn’t listen to what man had to say, but only to what God had to say. God’s plan relied on the apostles to preach the gospel to as many as they could. As the church began to grow, new challenges arose, but the message of Jesus Christ became uncontrollable and the religious people didn’t like it.

Many Pharisees and Sadducees continued to deny that Jesus was and is the true Son of God. They continued to plot how to kill new believers and  weaken the churches’ efforts to preach the gospel. One thing is for sure, without the help of the apostles and the new believers; it would have been more difficult for the gospel to spread like it did. We as Christians should continue to pray like they did for boldness to preach the gospel to the all the nations no matter what the cost.

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming and dying on the cross for my sins. I repent and turn from anything that would hinder my relationship with you today. Please help and protect those that carry the good news to the utter ends of the earth. Give them renewed strength and zeal to finish the work that you have for each one that is called by your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

His Bride, the Church!

Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Here in the book of Acts, we see several things take place. First, we see Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. Second, we see the disciples replacing Judas with another follower of Jesus named Mathias. Third, we see the coming of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the church by Peter.

This was a very important time in the lives of the disciples and new followers of Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, they were going to be able to fulfill God’s will and preach the gospel to not just the Jews, but to the Gentiles. This would establish a president to the fulfilling of the end of the age. Without the establishment of the church, Jesus would not have his second coming.

The entire purpose of Jesus’ second coming is to come back for his bride, the church. The church has had to go through many trials and tribulations to get where it is today. As you worship God together at your church this Sunday, gives thanks to God for allowing us to have the freedom to worship Him. Thank God for establishing his church and for not allowing the gates of Hades to overthrow what God has made.

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for your bride, the church. Help me to be involved and find ways to help others through the local church. Bless our leaders and staff that sacrifice their time and efforts to further your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen!   

Think Before Speaking

John 17:22-24

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

Sin in the church can ruin relationships. One of the biggest problems the Christian church deals with today is gossip. Yes, there I said it! Gossip will destroy lives, ruin friendships and make enemies out of people. If we learn to keep our mouth shut sometimes and think before speaking, there’s no doubt that our churches would be better off.

This scripture is about Jesus’ last recorded prayer before he would stand trial and be sentenced to death on a cross. Interestingly, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples. He could of prayed for anything, especially that he wouldn’t have to go through so much pain and suffering on our behalf, but instead, he prayed for others. Ultimately, he prayed for his best friends here on earth to accomplish the difficult task of spreading the “good news.”

Jesus cares so much about our unity. That’s why he prayed this prayer. He wants all of his children to be unified and care and love others. If we are too busy gossiping and spreading vicious lies and rumors about each other, than we are doing the complete opposite of what Christ wants us to do. Today, make a point to get right with those that might have done you wrong in the past and love and pray for them anyways. Do everything you can to make peace with God and others today.

Dear Jesus, help me to stay unified with your Holy Spirit and with others. Give me discernment and wisdom to act right and do what is pleasing to your heart. Thank you for praying for me before I even existed and giving me a hope and a future. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Ultimate Sacrifice

John 15:16-17

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

In chapters 14, 15, and 16 of the book of John, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and explaining about the things to come. The disciples were having difficulty understanding Jesus’ figurative speech. It wasn’t until the end of chapter 16 that they finally understood what Jesus meant.

Jesus several times said things that the disciples had difficulty understanding. It would seem that Jesus should have given up on these men and moved on to more educated, even considered more spiritual people like the Pharisees right? Interestingly, Jesus didn’t stop teaching and showing them the way. He continued to guide and direct them with patience and love. What we should realize from Jesus’ relationship with his disciples is this: Jesus was showing us that it’s ok to not have it all together. It’s ok if we don’t have it all figured out. Why?

Jesus went after those that people considered either hopeless or hated by the community. How’s that for shocking? But Jesus didn’t give up on them and he will not give up on you. Jesus showed frustration at times with his disciples, but he still befriended them and loved them. Not only that, he died for them and for us too. So even if you don’t have it all figured out yet or you don’t know where you’re going next in life, remember that Jesus laid his life down for you and knows all about your situation. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for your soul and loves you unconditionally.

Dear Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice for my soul. I ask that you guide my life today and give me peace that is only found in you. Let your Holy Spirit reveal what I need to do today and purify any iniquities that I may have caused against you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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!