Thought For The Day

There is a great falling away taking place in our time as there was in the early church. However, as those who choose to walk away from the Lord, there are multitudes that are coming to Christ all over the world. Something we can rejoice about. For those who choose to believe what Jesus spoke to us and that He is God, He will fill to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. John 17:21-22 That they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; they  also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them , that they may be one just as We are one, Beloved, we are going to see some disturbing things happen, as judgment begins in the house of the Lord first.  Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Stay stable and keep yourself in the love of God. Jude 1:20-23 But you beloved,   building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,   keep yoursel...

When we received the Lord into our life, He gave us His joy. If you feel like you have lost your joy, you haven't, it is still there, God placed it in you at salvation. John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain in you , and that your joy may be full. Joy is associated with life, the very life that Jesus placed in you. A rejoicing and a delight. Isaiah 61:7 Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion, therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. How long beloved, is everlasting? God's word states that we have everlasting joy .  So when you feel like you are not experiencing the joy of the Lord, ask the Holy Spirit to manifest that joy in you once again. It is yours for the asking, and it is already in you. Things that can cause us to feel like we have lost our joy , when in fact it is still there. When we become critical of ...

Those that have experienced deep hurt in their life, and ended up with a broken heart, can be the best teachers to bring healing and wholeness in someone's life that is hurting. When God healed your heart, you are now able to help another mend. I have been there and done that, and I can tell you God is faithful to heal, all areas of a broken heart. Give those broken pieces to Jesus and see what He will do with them.  He will make something beautiful. Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart makes a cheerful continence, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken hearted And binds up their wounds. Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good like a medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. Wow, brokenness can cause arthritis, if you feel aches and pains in your body, search your heart and make certain you are not holding onto a past or pres...

We all would like to experience a great peace in all circumstances.  We have that peace if we have received Jesus. It is a supernatural peace. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you ; not as the world gives do I give you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. That is the key to retaining the peace that Jesus gives to us, by not allowing fear, to enter into our hearts, not to be afraid, confused or upset. When fear enters into our soul, it gets into our mind,  then we are robbed of that great peace. Fear is the opposite of peace. Fear causes an unrest for our mind and emotions. Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those that love your law, And nothing causes them to stumble. Christ Jesus is our peace. (Ephesians 2:14) Ephesians 2:17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Colossians 3: 1...

We all go through trials in our life, it isn't about what you will go through, but its about you growing through it all. Ephesians 4:15-16 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head- Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share , causes growth of the body for the edifying of its self in love. We need each other. 2Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Each new trial will cause us to stretch a little further into the kingdom realm.  We are Kings kids and we have to be tested to see if we fully understand that fact. We already have the victory in Jesus our Lord. God wants us to think like Kings kids and we cannot do that unless we renew our mind to think kingdom thoughts. We need to learn all we can about God's kingdom. Dyi...

Jesus Christ working in us and through us is of great value. Our confidence should be in Him and Him alone. We can have confidence that Jesus in us the hope of glory is working through us. Hebrews 10:35-36 Therefore do not cast away your confidence , which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. Our own abilities are our own tendencies to perform. We should be waiting on the Lord, before we attempt anything. His way will produce lasting fruit. Not fruit that falls to the ground and rots. (Self-effort) We do have abilities and we can do certain things, but they are not of eternal value apart from the Lord. Our human attempts are well meaning, but, when God the Holy Spirit moves on us to do the work of the Lord, we see lasting fruit. John 15:14- 17 "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his mas...

Its time we start looking for the beauty in others and not pay attention to the flaws, after all ,we have flaws. Look at others with a heart of God's love, and remember they are made in the image of God.  We are to love as Jesus loves. 1Corinthans 13:1-5 Though I speak with  the tongues of men or of angels , but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy , and understand all mysteries and all knowledge , though I have all faith , so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; loved does not envy;  love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own , is not provoked, thinks no evil; We can have all the spiritual gifts functioning, but if we do not have love, it means...

You can have all the faith that there is, but if you do not have love in your heart, your faith is dead. Faith works through love. Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Love is the very character and nature of God, so if you do not have that love, you need to receive Jesus, as He places that kind of love in your heart when you invite Him into your life. He imparts His Love and peace, mercy and forgiveness, and ads His great Joy! 1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. When we know God, we will love the unlovable, Because His love is always reaching out to touch those that need Him the most in their life. As my beloved sister in Jesus once said before she went to heaven, "Joy, people need to see Jesus with skin on"  That is who we Christian's are to be to this lost and dying world, Jesus with skin o...

Can we really know what is in a persons heart? Yes we can, according to what Jesus had to say. I hear people say that no "one can know my heart", we can by what proceeds out of your mouth. If your heart is full of the love of God, then you will speak those things that build up and bring hope to someone. If you harbor unkind thoughts and criticism and ungodly things in your heart, it will come out of your mouth. Matthew 12:33-34 (Jesus speaking) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers! How can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The things that come forth from our mouth, reveals our heart condition, Jesus said so! Yes we can know another's heart by listening to their words. It will help us to know how to pray for them, not condemn them, the Holy Spirit will bring the conviction, that is needed. By listeni...

How we live is evidence of the presence of Jesus in our lives. Our action and reactions speak louder than words. Titus 1:15-16 To the pure all things are pure , but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him , being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. There are so many that say they are Christians, but does their life measure up to God's word? Is the law of kindness on their tongue? Do they spend time getting to know the word of God. Not just in a bible study, but in their personal time. That is the place the Holy Spirit really speaks to us. Alone with the word. Titus 2:1-8 But as for you, speak the things which are proper and sound doct rine; that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in the faith, in love, in patience, the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given t...

Praise God, yesterday is gone, and we have a new start to follow Jesus and obey His word. His mercies are new every morning. His grace is available for each day. We can be so hard on ourselves when we mess up, but Jesus doesn't see the mess-up, He sees what we can and will be. He sees us as the finished product, pure and holy and righteous. Just like Peter when he denied Jesus, Jesus turned and looked at Peter with those loving understanding eyes. Jesus saw Peter as he would be, not as he was at the moment, filled with fear, and regret that he realized that he wasn't as strong as he thought. I use to sing a song at church that Joe Huges wrote, He was my Pastor in VA, who has now gone home to Jesus, the song was called "I saw Love " The words are about when Peter denied Jesus, yet Peter saw the love in the eyes of Jesus as Jesus turned and looked at him. You can Hear John Starnes sing it on You tube, John was a friend of Pastor Joe. John13:37 Peter said to...

When our batteries are low, our light will not be as bright as it should be. It is time to refresh, rest and power up. Get recharged, in order to be as bright as you are to be. This dark world needs our light. Matthew 5:14-15 "You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house. In the unseen world, those spirits should see us coming with bright lights, exposing all their darkness. In order to be the light of the world we have a responsibility to make certain our spiritual batteries a charged to the full. When our spiritual batteries are low, we just go through the motions of worship as our heart is not in it, we read our bible, but out of duty, because we know it is important to feed our spirit man,  we are not doing it with a desire to really hear from the Lord, Asking, "Lord what are we going to do...

We are so blessed in Jesus, we have exchanged all our misery for His love and peace, joy and mercy in time of need. Father provided the great exchange by sending Jesus from heaven to this earth to die for all our sins, past, present and future. We exchange our guilt and shame for His forgiveness and healing of our soul. We exchange, sorrow for joy, unrest for peace, Guilt and shame for forgiveness, condemnation for no condemnation, and a clean slate to start over. It all starts when we accept the sacrifice Jesus has made for us. When we believe He is our Savior and Lord. Receiving Him into our heart and life, and confessing we are His. Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Then the process of training us to be disciples starts.  We read God's word a...

When we have a need that only God can meet, we are to come boldly to the throne of grace. I had a dream years ago, that I was a child and I ran to Jesus and He received me with open arms.  That is how it is with Jesus and His children. A relationship with God our Savior and Lord is a precious thing.  Running into the arms of Abba (Daddy) is so comforting and reassuring. He knows our need before we ask, but He wants us to ask anyway. In a real relationship you love one another and want to spend time together. Father God wants to spend time with us, because He loves us. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Are you experiencing a heaviness in your soul? Jesus gives you rest. Isaiah 61:3  To console those who mourn in Zion, To give th...

Are you allowing your emotions to rule your thinking? If you are, you will not make right Godly decisions. If our emotions are not controlled by the Holy Spirit, then we can and will make wrong decisions, saying the wrong thing. Speaking off the top of our head. Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. The Holy Spirit knows how to control our words so that they will not hurt someone. The Holy Spirit is your best friend, He is there in you and around you as you go about your day. Ask Him to put a guard over your mouth. When our feelings and emotions do not line up with God's word, we can cause great harm to ourselves and others. Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so. Proverbs 16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks what is right . Do you want to speak what is right?  Then fill yourself up in the word of ...

We see so many pictures of the Lord floating up into heaven all by Himself.  Yet in the bible it says that a cloud received Him and took Him up. Acts 1:9 (He told them to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. While they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel.  Who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Since Jesus was taken up in a cloud , then He will return in a cloud . We know there will be lightning's and thunder and great noise. Wow just think the whole world will see this spectacular event. Matthew 24: 27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Luke ...

Recently I have been re-reading the gospels. Funny how you think you know a message in there, yet God opens your eyes to something you missed, or were not ready to see yet. For over 50 years I have studied the book of John, yet it is still unfolding truth to me. I love how the Holy Spirit unfolds new understanding, we know the truth, but now we understand the truth. Knowledge of something is to have the body of facts, whereas understanding is the power to learn how you can apply those facts. The Holy Spirit gives us the understanding, so that we will perceive what the knowledge is teaching us. We gain knowledge, then we understand as we walk out the knowledge that we have. That is when it becomes life to us. Walking in the Spirit. Knowledge is good, but if you do not apply that knowledge you will not have understanding. Proverb 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. John 21:25 (...

We all have a story of where God has brought us from to where we are now. A testimony that shares the gospel and how others can also be set free. No, we haven't arrived to perfection in our soul, we have in our spirit, it is brand new and perfect, seated with Christ in the heavens. Have you ever noticed that God sends people into your life that are going through what you have come through? 1Corinthians 1:3-4 Bless be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble , with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Nothing goes to waste in the kingdom of God.  God has a plan and He knows who He wants us to minister to, that they might be set free. There is no accident or coincidence where God is concerned. He places certain people in our lives, as we minister to them we too are healed a little more.  In pla...

Changing our attitude to a heart filled with gratitude, will make all the difference in your day. We need to praise God for all that comes into our life, yes even the things people may mean for evil, God will turn to good. (The story of Joseph) Having a grateful heart that is filled with thanksgiving, will help you see things from the Lord's point of view.  It will clear your mind. Taking your mind off of yourself, and onto the Lord Jesus. Walking in the Spirit. When you read God's word, are you thanking Him for the wisdom He is showing you, something fresh and new? Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. 1Thessalonians 4:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. We may not see the reason for a thing until later on, but thank God anyway, it releases a peace tha...

If your life isn't going the way you planned, just know that it is going the way God has planned. (Psalm 139:16) I am sure Paul thought that he would be a head Pharisee, but God had another plan. It took knocking Saul (Paul) off his high horse , to get him to the place God wanted him to be. Paul's whole attitude changed when he realized that God Almighty was in control. Things may not be where you pictured them in your mind, but believe me, I have lived this, it is right on time in God's schedule. Even the difficult situations, are all part of the plan to grow us to maturity. God knows what it will take for us to die to ourselves and allow Jesus to live through us. Proverbs 16:9 A man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Beloved, you will come easy or you will come the hard way, but let me assure you, you will come one way or the other, that is if you belong to Jesus. Yes we have a free will to choose, but if you are in Christ Jesus and have give...

Sometimes, we fool ourselves into believing we have the strength we need to have success in an area. We shortly realize that we don't have the strength needed. We then go to God and say "Lord, I haven't the strength needed for this situation, I need your strength. Admitting that we are weak is ok, as we draw  on the strength of the Lord, His strength never fails. In our humanity we are sometimes weak. 2Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me.  "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness .  Therefore most gladly I will boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong. Our strength comes when we are focusing on the word of God. I like to remember what Jesus said in John. John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you , you will ask what you de...

God Himself, created music and song.  Look at the song birds, they are singing praises to God. We also should be singing praises to our Lord. God gave man the ability to create different types of instruments to make a joyful noise until the Lord. Music can lift up a weary soul. Songs that remind us of God's faithfulness, of His love for us and His soon coming. (Songs like "The king is coming) Years ago we use to sing the psalms in our churches, singing the word of God is refreshing to our soul. Our brain will recognize its creators words, and respond with peace, and a relaxing feeling. Every cell in our body will hear God's song, muscles will relax and pain will leave. Songs and music are God's medicine to our soul. Psalm 149: 1-5 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. (this is one from your heart) and His praises in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their maker.  Let the children of Zion be joyful in their king. Let them praise His ...

Some people do their best to throw us off guard. They will say or do a thing that will push our wrong buttons. So how do we react?  We don't, we don't give them the argument that they are looking for. They may be a person who has to prove they are right, we don't have to prove anything , just rest in the Lord.  Where His total peace resides. Dead people don't react, right? We are to die daily as Paul said. Some people are just stressed out and are pushing themselves into arguments that they think they can win. We are to feel sorry for these folks, because they have no peace. Psalm 1:1-6 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly , nor stands in the paths of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;   But his delight in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season. Whose leaf also shall not wither;  And whatever he doe...