Tag: God never leaves you

God gives us…


We have wind and rain. God gives us breath and our health. We are also given the light of the sun to warm us and water from the rain. God has given us all of these good things but we take them for granted each and every day. Some people are living with problems which make their lives miserable, but God is still there with them.

Why do I bring this up today?

Because in the world that most of us live and breathe in, we forget about all of the good things which God has provided for us. Humanists tend to look at the world around them and think that we have destroyed or rather we are destroying this world. The fact is that we are living in a world which has been under a curse since Adam’s fall. Of course, the “world” doesn’t look at things from the perspective of God’s Word. Much of the world and those living in it don’t even believe that the Bible IS the Word of God.

But, that is a story and a sermon for another time.

God is our Creator and He is the One Who takes care of our needs, not our wants. When we look at life and His provision for us in that light then we will see just how His provision is the best of all things. We may not get the best of those things here and now, but His best comes when He deems that we are able to receive it. God gives us talents and abilities in this life to be representatives of His goodness and His love toward the world, the people, around us.

Why? Because we are the only representatives which Jesus has in this world today and in many instances, you and I may be the only representation of the love of Jesus and His mercy that someone may see before the end of their life. Seek God’s wisdom and His direction for your life each and every day. Every decision that we have to make should be prayed over and placed in God’s hands through prayer and reading of His Word. I am speaking of major decisions here, not whether to put creamer in your coffee or not.

Make sure that people can see Jesus in your life and in the way that you live and conduct yourself in this world. Sometimes it is difficult to do, sometimes bills come due for one thing and prevent you from paying another bill. But…you can still honor God in your life and let others know how you are doing and living.

God gives us more than we need most of the time. Maybe not more money but more than we could ask for in regards to our relationships and our salvation through Jesus.

Be changed by Him


When we come to church and worship Him we are supposed to be changed in our heart.

“Why? I like my life the way it is!” Ok, so why do you have trouble at home or at work or at school? Are you more concerned about what you have or how you feel or how others are treating you than you are about those who are hurting around you? I realize that our culture today tells us that we are important and that our lives matter and that our personal ideas about the truth are ours and nobody should tell us any different. But…you know what that kind of thinking does to you and your relationships and to your life?

It gives us an “I” problem. It causes us to think more about our ideas and our things our lives. It causes us to concentrate more on what is good for me.

When you feel the Holy Spirit of God touching your life and your heart, He opens it up to the possibilities of being a part of a much bigger crowd. One that is part of God’s family and a crowd which is made up of people who are just like you. Some of them may be darker in skin tone or have a funny sounding name, but God has touched each of them and changed their heart so that we are part of His family. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how much your car or truck cost or any of that material life which is so valued in the world today.

God LOVES you! If you have felt or maybe you are feeling His touch in your heart today, don’t turn away from Him. Turn your eyes toward Jesus and ask Him to come into your life and change your life into a life which will make a HUGE difference in the world around you. He can do that and He will do it because He knows that you are the only person who can reach that man or woman down the road. You are the only one who can explain God’s plan of salvation to them or maybe to someone you work with.

Your life can be so different from the life that others lead with their “I” problems and their “me and mine” problems. Their life is centered on themselves and on what they can get or have. The problem with doing this is that your circle of friends doesn’t get very big when you live this way. Nobody wants to be around a selfish person who only thinks of themselves!

We are encouraged to be outgoing even when we don’t feel like it. When Jesus is in your heart and is a part of your daily life, you are open to the world and not just in a box or a cage by yourself. Its no fun living like that even when you have convinced yourself that you like it that way!

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of the things which you need will be provided in your life. Notice that this promise speaks of your needs not your desires or your wants. God will provide for you by the riches of Jesus Christ in Heaven, not of those things which are luxuries in this world, but your needs.

Be changed in His image. We are made in the image of God, but since the fall in the Garden, mankind has had a spirit of rebellion in their hearts from birth. Give your heart to Jesus and follow Him in all of your ways, conforming to the likeness of Jesus so that your ways and your life will be a reflection of Him rather than your desires and your ideas.conformed-transformed

Focus on God!


When you are in your home with your family, sit down and have a Bible study. Even if you only study a few verses or one chapter, this will show your children that the study of God’s Word is important to you. When you are at work, pray about your Bible studies and meditate on it so that your mind is focused on God during your day. You don’t have to do this for the entire day, but even a few minutes will keep your mind free of distractions.

Listen to Christian music during your drive to and from work or to the grocery store. This small thing will also keep God at the forefront of your day, each day. Why am I saying this? Because those who are against Jesus and His people study their “holy books” and writings much more than we do. We should be at least as versed in our Scriptures as they are in theirs so we could bring to mind any verses which will refute any of their arguments against Jesus.

Our life in Christ is given to us through faith which the Lord gives us when He draws us unto Himself. God loves every person, whether they are Christians or not, but He doesn’t approve of their sinful lives. Every person that is touched by the Holy Spirit and convicted of their need in Jesus Christ should give their hearts to Him, but if they do not then their outcome in eternity is on their own head.

By focusing your daily walk on God and His Wisdom you will keep your mind and your thoughts pointed in the right direction no matter what may be going on around you. God loves you and He does want the best outcome for you. The best way to achieve that is to follow Jesus and walk with Him on a daily basis. This will keep the “darts of Satan” away from you and help you to withstand any temptation which may come along too.

Featured Image -- 3119Remember when Jesus walked on the water and told Peter to come to Him? As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he could walk on the water but when the waves and the storm distracted him, he began to sink. That is the kind of focus we should have in our lives every day! Keep your eyes and your thoughts focused on Jesus and His Kingdom and all of your endeavors for Him will work out just fine.

In this picture, Jesus was walking on a fairly calm water but this is just an artist’s rendering of His walk on the water. Peter was walking during a storm according to Matthew’s account, so the waves would’ve been much larger and likely the reason for Peter’s fear. God can carry us through many storms in life if we will just keep our eyes and our heart focused on Him regardless of what may be happening around us or in our lives.

Are you a disciple?


This question has haunted me ever since I gave my life to Jesus and I still struggle to answer it. The Bible calls us “saints” although I don’t feel like I fit that description either. I was called into the ministry almost seven years ago, so I actually identify with the description of a disciple more than any other. What about you?

In many ways the first time I felt a call from God was about thirty-six years ago and at that time I wasn’t ready at all! I hadn’t been reading my Bible and I only attended church services a few times during the year. I felt that I wasn’t worthy to be called into any kind of ministry so I did what Jonah did…I ran away from that calling. I ignored it for many years.

Then, I got a call from a preacher who had been teaching a Bible study in a small church close to home. He told me that he needed me to fill in for him on Sunday (He called me on a Wednesday or Thursday, I really don’t remember). Anyway, I didn’t have much time to prepare. I was scared to death. I didn’t like speeches nor standing in front of a crowd to speak and you have to do that every week if you are a preacher.

God got me through that sermon, even though it only lasted about 8 or 10 minutes! I am still preaching there and today I can speak for about thirty minutes, sometimes a bit more. Why am I telling this? Because, as shy as I was in high school none of my classmates would think that I would ever do something like this! But, I have been there for six years and nine months so far. I pray that my sermons are doing some good for the Lord.

That is why I come here to “preach”. I don’t have to stand in front of people and I can write what the Spirit gives me to say so that others might come to know Jesus as their Savior. God loves each of you so much that He sent His Son to take the punishment that you and I should have been given. In many ways, you can see in the news today what is happening in our world with all of the murders and shootings and all of the wars and terrorist bombings going on. All of this is due to people who have made God fit their image of Who He is and what He demands of them.

God doesn’t demand anything besides your obedience once you have given your heart to Jesus and decide to follow His example in your daily life. Living your life through Jesus example is the best way to live because only He could fulfill the Law and the Ten Commandments perfectly. Please seek Him out while you have breath and time to do so because there is no second chance when you leave this life for eternity.

Romans 6:22-23 says this:   22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer for help in time of trouble


Psalm 13

How Long, O Lord?

{To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.}

(Habakkuk 1:1-4)

1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

When David was being chased by Saul and having to hide in caves and in the desert, he asked God “How long, O Lord?” Sometimes, when we are going through troubles and hardships it is the same feeling. How long, Lord? How much longer will I have to go through this?

It seems at times that God isn’t listening, but He is. He is just trying to teach you something or show you how strong you are as long as you and I depend upon Him in our weakness. If we try to do things on our own or make it through the tough times without leaning on Him, those tough times may last longer than they would have otherwise.

God’s not angry with us exactly. He doesn’t like the way that we are treating each other and ignoring Him. God loves us. Yet, we don’t care about His Son’s sacrifice nor does much of the world even acknowledge that He is God. He watches over our world and keeps everything going the way it should regarding our life-giving planet.

Satan is the prince of the air here on Earth because Adam gave it to him by disobeying God. Much of the destruction and hatred that we experience is because of Satan and his minions causing havoc all over the world. Not because it is fun but because they are trying to keep as many people from becoming Christians as they possibly can, in order to cause God pain.

Lean on Jesus in your hard times and don’t turn away from Him. Life is too short to be on the wrong side at the end, don’t you think?