"HOW TO BE A WINNER"

An humble King Wins!

The LORD had spoken to Judah; the inhabitants of Jerusalem and king Jehoshaphat saying, "This saith the LORD to you, Be not afraid, nor dismayed because of their great numbers; for the battle is not yours, but God's."

The first thing that the LORD wanted them all to come to realize was that He has the battle taken care of and they would not need to be afraid. What would it be like in each of our lives if we all could experience this whenever something came up that we couldn't handle?

The football player that catches my attention the most is the one who drops down on one knee and points his or her hand up to God! That is exactly how Jehoshaphat reacted when he knew his victory was sure and it was his humble attitude that also influenced the attitudes of all of Judah and Jerusalem! Just think about how different it would have been for their entire nation if he had started whooping and hollering and praising himself or his nation? But think about it, isn't that what the United States of America has been doing ever since the war?

I remember when we went to fight in Iraq. Songs began to emerge about the US and how proud we were to be Americans and about our victory over there when we demolished their bases and army. Songs like "Born In the USA", "Proud to be an American" and "Bomb Iran" were written and people chanted these songs with a smile on their faces as if killing was exciting and fun. I saw the pride of our nations leaders begin to swell and they boasted in the news how no one will mess with the USA.

Think about how different that is from Jehoshaphat and his nation's attitude in this passage? Ask yourself, "Which one is right and which one isn't?" They can't both be right, because God is always the same and the Spirit of God spoke to them. Let's see how they reacted as a nation,

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.  2Chronicles 20:18-19

One of the most influential nations of all time was influenced by their King who loved and worshiped God. His attitude of thanks and praise to God shined, as the king bowed his head with his face down to the ground worshipping God. The amazing thing is that a nation of people that love God follow the leadership of a man of God with the right winning attitude!

Whooping and hollering, chest pounding, heads held high or singing songs of pride in the USA doesn't reflect the attitude of a nation that humbled themselves and prayed before offering up songs of praise to the LORD God of Israel. Does it???

 Can you see the difference in the attitudes of the leaders and citizens of our nation today and the attitude of king Jehoshaphat and the nation in this passage? Don't forget the key that makes all the difference between nations as we look back at the end of verse seventeen..."for the LORD will be with you."

In the next post we will look at the consequences of having the right winning attitude and praising the LORD. We'll see what happens in situations that look so hopeless, when it is put in God's hands.

Until then, remember to trust and praise God even when you are surrounded by impossibilities and the people, whose lives you impact, will be watching and following Your example! Psalm27:14

"VICTORY CAN BE CONFUSING"

Where the King goes, the people follow!!

The LORD had spoken to Judah; the inhabitants of Jerusalem and king Jehoshaphat saying, "This saith the LORD to you, Be not afraid, nor dismayed because of their great numbers; for the battle is not yours, but God's."

The first thing that the LORD wanted them all to come to realize was that He has the battle taken care of and they would not need to be afraid. What would it be like in each of our lives if we all could experience this whenever something came up that we couldn't handle?

My daughter called me one day about something she was going through and I suggested that she pray and ask God to fight that battle for her. That's when she told me that she had been learning to whisper prayers to God all through the day. What a blessing it was to hear that my daughter had already been doing this at the age of twenty-two.

Oh that we would live like that every day and fear not, nor be dismayed!

The literal Hebrew translation for "dismayed" is to "break down or be confused".  The LORD was saying to those who faced destruction and defeat, "Don't be afraid and don't get confused and break down emotionally (in your thinking) either! Don't give up!"

Let's look at the next thing that the LORD said to Judah through his servant Jahaziel;

2Chronicles 20:16-17 Tomorrow you go down against them: watch for them as they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and you will find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, you stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

The LORD sent them to the enemy. They had been fasting and trusting in God up to this point. They were told that He would fight the battle for them and they really liked that part of His message.

 Now the LORD is telling them to go out to meet the armies that want to defeat them? Have you ever thought about approaching a situation in your life, when you knew you were certain to lose unless something drastically changed? Not me! Not a chance! But think about this for just a minute! 

What if you knew that no matter what it looked like, you were going to WIN? How do you feel about  situations in your life when you knew you would come out on top? You knew you were sure to win and you probably couldn't wait for that moment to arrive, could you?

Were you experiencing that rush; that thrill of victory? When it happened, did you throw a fist up in the air and shout out without a moments hesitation, "YES!"?

Have you ever noticed the difference in how football players react whenever they score the winning point? They all react differently,don't they? Some of them hold the ball over their heads and point at their chest,showing everyone who should get the praise. Some will turn and bang chests with their team mates and then get carried off the field in praise. Some will even kiss the ball as if it had some great power of it's own. But the player that catches my attention the most is the one who drops down on one knee and points his or her hand up to God!

This is exactly how Jehoshaphat reacted when he knew his victory was certain. His humble attitude and reaction influenced the attitude of all those around him; of Judah and Jerusalem! Just imagine  how different the outcome may have been for the entire nation of Judah and Jerusalem, if Jehoshaphat had started whooping and hollering and praising himself, or maybe even praising HIS NATION? 

But think about it, how do Americans act when we are on top? Do we take the glory? When was the last time that our President gave God any glory for a victory granted? Does it make any difference?

You bet it does!

TO BE CONTINUED....

If you face battles you can't win, with an humble spirit, ask for God's help today. It begins with the humbling of the spirit that God grants us a truely victorious life eternally. God will ultimately cause you to lie down in green pastures.(Psalm 23) He will surely bring you out! Remain steadfast by faith!(Hebrews 11:1) Shalom

"WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HAD"...Continued

Have you ever fought a loosing battle?
There are millions of Americans who are without jobs and the Senate passed and announced a couple of years ago that the unemployment compensation would be cut off for anyone who had been unemployed for six months or longer; leaving many families without any source of income.

Think about how the layoff of thousands of fathers has impacted the lives of everyone, even the single mothers who are raising their children alone and depend on that child support to provide proper care for their children. Think about the businesses that no longer receive business from  thousands of families who are now without any income whatsoever! It's a fearful time for most Americans today!
 Yes, things are looking hopeless and even the wealthy are fearful for their families and their own survival. Couldn't we relate in some ways to the feelings that Judah was going through in chapter 20 of  2Chronicles before they began to fast and pray? I think so!

Maybe you or someone you know seem to be fighting what looks like a losing battle with employment, an illness, a physical recovery, an addiction, disease or emotional abuse of some kind. Those are the kind of battles that we must trust God to win! Those are the battles man cannot fight on his own!

Let me tell you something encouraging now, my brothers, sisters and friends! Let me show you how Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah won the war that was IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN! Let's look at another passage a little further down when the Spirit of the LORD spoke to Jahaziel a Levite, in the middle of the congregation of Judah. Let's see what Jahaziel said;

2Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken you, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat, Thus says the LORD to you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

He said not to be afraid or dismayed because of what you see when you look at your circumstances! Isn't that just how we feel too sometimes? Why did he say this?

He told them that the battle ahead wasn't going to be their battle to fight, but God's!

Your fight to survive illness, injury, loss of job, your financial struggles, your clothing and home are not yours to battle for in the time of hopelessness! You may think it is and you may fight and struggle until you are sick and exhausted and in tears, but the LORD will fight this battle for you if you will follow the recorded demonstration found here. Look at what all of the cities of Judah did thousands of years ago when they made the right choice.

They didn't even raise their hands to fight this battle and they not only won; they went home with treasures that they didn't have before? Isn't that just like our LORD to fight our impossible battles and send us home with something more than we had before? I have personally seen God's hand at work so many times when it seemed like there was no way to win! I know that the LORD will do the same for ANYBODY that turns to HIM! I know he will hear our prayers and attend to our fasting when we are experiencing pain, hunger and see no possibility of winning. Put your trust in the LORD!

Don't be afraid; for the battle is not yours, but God's!

TO BE CONTINUED....
In the next chapter we will look at what the families of Judah were expected to do when the enemy was upon them and how the LORD rewarded their prayer, fasting and obedience.

"WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HAD"

Have you ever felt like you fought a loosing battle?

I know that life can take sudden turns for the worse and when that happens we tend to react with panic, fear and sometimes even feel like running for our lives. Isn't this so true of almost everybody in the world today? Yes, there are still a few unusual people who bow their backs, hold their heads high and will fight on to the death. There are those people who will begin to plan another strategy and another angle of attack to hold off the approaching army, but there are times when even those brave and stubborn people must realize that they too must seek help to win.

In the Word of God we find a King who had just experienced that feeling of fear and panic and just didn't know what he needed to do. His name was Jehoshaphat and he had just been given the message that he was going to be attacked, not by one, not by two, but by three armies. These armies were of the children of Moab, Ammon and the Ammonites. He was informed that the group was of a very great multitude coming from the sea and they were getting closer every minute. Don't you think that this king who had been placed over the children of Israel and had served the Lord in all his ways may have been a pretty fearless kind of guy? After all he had the Lord of all creation on his side! how would you have reacted to this message knowing that you had a much smaller army? Let's read a passage that shows his reaction to this message;

2 Chronicles 20:3-4 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of ALL the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. (For a way out & direction)

Wow! Can you believe that? It says that Jehoshaphat (the King) feared! What did he fear? He was afraid of the armies headed in his direction and he knew that he was in an impossible situation to escape alive. He couldn't help his feelings of fear and panic, BUT he could help how he responded to the news that had overwhelmed  him at that moment of surprise!

Haven't we all gotten surprises in our lives that shock us and leave us feeling helpless or in a total state of panic? Yes, I have experienced this and I know that anyone alive today has also been through this feeling and some may have even felt this way recently. My friend, let's learn from the reaction of this King to his fearful situation, his helpless situation. He had no hope of winning. He knew he was doomed to loose this battle and also to loose all that he had received from the Lord himself! What did he do though?

He set himself to the LORD! This means that he turned his face to the LORD and turned his attention to the LORD for help. Then he proclaimed to all of his kingdom to fast and pray. You see, the prayer and fasting come before the impossible over and over in the Bible. When I read this my first thought was of how the lack of food would have made the warriors of Judah even weaker physically as the armies of their enemies gained ground towards the great attack on their city. Knowing that they would grow weaker without food and continuing to proceed with the fast was a total move of faith in the LORD. As a matter of fact, it was the only choice that King Jehoshaphat had, that presented any chance of victory in this hopeless situation!

Think about this for a minute! Every life was in jeopardy and their very existence was at stake at this moment of their lives! Is this where you are in your life today? There are millions of people in the US right now that don't know where there sustenance will come from for the next day, week or month.

To be continued....

Hold fast and look to the LORD for a way, find a way to fast and meditate on thanking God for the way He is going to work in your life. Let's see how this situation turns out my next post.

"JUST DO IT!"

REMEMBER THAT FAMOUS NIKE SLOGAN?

I have spent time over the past few weeks enjoying dvds that I just randomly chose from our church library. They were movies about men that I knew little about, so I decided to watch them and learn. As I began to watch these movies one by one, God began to show me that the movies that I had chosen were not just random choices at all. Every movie that I had chosen gave thorough detail of men who had devoted their life to making a difference in the world. Not just part time or on holidays, but literally full time commitment to reaching a lost and hurting world with the truth and hope for a better life.

In the past week as I was talking with my most confident friend, I shared my inner most feelings about the things I had seen in the dvds and how it made me feel. I have to say openly that I felt as though I had done so little for others in comparison. My life has been mostly devoted to the building of my own security and gain up to about two years ago. God got a hold of my heart and allowed me to see how uncaring the world and the church in general could be to those in desperate need. God showed me this by allowing me to experience what life felt like on the other side of the fence where the grass doesn't even grow and the rivers are dried up. Through the valley of disappointing experiences where I shared my need with others and received only a pat on the back or a promise to pray, I began to see what God wanted to reveal to me. Every one of the people who didn't respond to help with my or my families need for food, shelter, medicine, comfort and compassion reminded me of myself! That's right!  That is exactly how I acted for many years when anybody else shared their needs with me. When it finally sunk in that what I was experiencing was the same way I had treated others for so long, I got down on my knees and cried out to God for forgiveness.

From that moment forward, whenever I saw other people turn and walk away from a person in need of help or encouragement, my God would emphatically remind me, "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT!", "DON'T LET THAT PERSON CRY OUT TO ME WHEN I HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GIVE, ENCOURAGE OR PRAY WITH THEM!".

Since then, I have had the blessing of helping and encouraging others who are going through a crisis or spiritual battle in their personal life, but my actions haven't even scratched the surface of what God can do when I, like those men who surrendered themselves totally to His service in this world, do just that!

God wants me to give all I have to His service on this earth and for His glory on earth as it is in heaven. Our reward is promised in heaven if we don't make our treasure on earth.

 God has his own way of showing us the way we should go and the things we should do, but we all have a commission by Jesus to spread the word and care for the hurting. Some will be able to buy the seed, some will plant it, others will water it and a few will go out and harvest it. Jesus knew that the word was already out there when he told his disciples that the fields were ready for harvest. That's why he also said that the world will know his disciples by their love for each other.

What can I say today that would cause my brothers in Christ to show love, except to check your hearts and see if there really is love enough to make a difference. I would exhort you to really seek God to be used to make a difference and God will reveal His will to you. When He does, as Nike urged the world for years, "JUST DO IT!" Here is a short video of a man who has done just that. His movie is available at Redbox called "Machine Gun Preacher". You may not totally agree with all of his ways , but God said, "your ways are not my ways". What will You do?

"LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON"

"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For who the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father corrects the son that brings him delight." Proverbs3:11-12

This passage was treasured and preserved of the writings of King Solomon. I wondered as I read these words if, indeed Solomon was writing this for his very own son. Such a message of guidance from a father would have been long remembered, especially if it was delivered following a time of fatherly correction in his son's life. What was it that was most important though for his son to remember?

The chastening of the LORD will come and His never failing correction will happen in a man's life as he is maturing and learning to be the man God had intended.

It was the attitude that Solomon was addressing in this part of his writing.


 "Don't get angry and hate or despise the LORD's correction and chastening", but "Why not?" his son may have asked. "My son, if the LORD corrects you it's because He loves you just like I love you and am proud when you choose to do what is right!"

How powerful a message is that to our sons and daughters! But in this day that we live in the counselors, advisers and specialists are afraid to use this wisdom because it is all too rooted in the principals and teachings of the Bible. Instead the child is left to figure it out for themselves without any kind of role model or correction in the home. Modern psychology says to leave them alone so they can have their space or else they may become rebels or even run away. My response to this teaching would be, "How is that working out for you?". I admit, even I followed some of those professional words of wisdom found through counseling and school. And yes, I experienced the results first hand of this world view in my personal life with one of my children. If you have been there yourself to see the anger and hurt in the eyes of your child after following this advice, you know how little delight there is in this kind of relationship. I'm sharing this with parents now because it literally took years to find the truth and wisdom from God's word that gave me the answer to having a delightful child.

But first and foremost, the LORD chastised and corrected me, His son. He helped me to change my attitude of anger and despising correction when it was necessary. As I remember going through this process, it was knowing that He loved me and gave Himself for me that kept me coming back for more of His wisdom. Our children will do the same as we teach them and correct them when they need it, teaching them about the patience and love of our LORD through our own actions. Actions speak louder than words!

There is only one verse in the entire Bible where you will find the words "son" and "delight" mentioned together, but in this one and only verse containing these two words there is another of critical importance; the word "correct". Receive these wise words and lay aside the influence of our modern day thinking; as the media has been calling it lately, "the new norm". Beware my brothers and sisters, even Jesus warns us of the "new" world views that water down the words of Jesus found in the original scriptures.

"Correct your son, and he will give you rest; 

yes, he will give delight to your soul." Proverbs29:17

Shalom

"WHAT ABOUT ME?"

Continuation of the"Awake" devotional series

Who's Serving Who?

It is all too easy to say we agree with the scriptures concerning relationships and then keep moving ahead with our life centered  on our individual pleasures. That's not only a sign that we have fallen asleep at the wheel, but also a sign that we may be doing what little we do for our families with an indifferent attitude. As we continue into chapter three of Colossians, together we'll find out how we can check our attitudes as we read about servants.

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; ~ Colossians 3:22,23

You may be saying to yourself by now, wait a minute, "I'm not my spouses servant!", so how would this apply to me?  But think about this for a minute. Wasn't it Jesus who taught us to serve others? Why wouldn't that apply to our relationships at home too? Maybe that was one of the first things that God taught Adam and Eve while they were out walking together in the mornings of that very first week in the Garden of Eden. When the temperature was perfect and the sun's heat was just the right distance away that they could walk all morning and not even break a sweat. They were able to enjoy every minute of every day!

You know what else! I'm not a betting man, but I would be willing to bet that Eve was in total bliss on her honeymoon with Adam as he served her like he was suppose to as her husband. I would also bet that Adam was just as happy because Eve also served him with the right attitude as his wife? This was not only the first marriage on earth, but it was the perfect marriage designed and created by the God of all our universe!

Why then, when men and women attempt to serve each other, does something happen that creates friction between us? Well, we have to examine our motives and ask ourselves honestly ,"Am I attempting to serve the Lord or am I serving a person?". This can apply to parent/child as well.  As a servant in my home I must become humble and bring peace to my family. How? By reminding myself of the most important part of this passage. Take notice, it starts out with a command and then we learn how to live it out successfully in our relationships.

We are instructed that a servant is to obey their master. From a man's perspective I was thinking, "How would that apply to our relationship with our wife or children?".  But then it kind of sunk in slowly as I finished reading the rest of the passage. Who is my Master, I thought to myself? Who is your Master? Who do you serve in life? Then it hit me! Jesus talks all through the scriptures about how we can only serve one master, right? If you think that I am going to tell you to start calling each other "Master", I'm not. But, just imagine for a minute what a difference it would make if we treated each other as if they were the master and we were their servant? That's a radical thought now, isn't it?

Then it gets a little more confusing when we think about this passage that says, "Don't be a person pleaser using the eyes to please; but in singleness of heart fearing God".  How can I do the best I can with sincerity of heart? By fearing God alone because He alone is our only Master and we are to do it as if we are doing to Him. Wow! What kind of difference would it make if we would remember that it is God, our only Master, that we are serving every time we stop to do something for our mates, our family or anyone else?

I imagine Adam and Eve before the fall of sin, experiencing the perfect joy of serving God when they reached out to serve and care for each other. Try it! Serve God as you reach out to care for family and friends, I can guarantee that you will experience that perfect joy too! Shalom.

WHAT'S HOLDING YOUR HOME TOGETHER?

Continuation of the "Awake" devotions series.

WHAT DEFINES A CHRISTIAN HOME?

There are many who claim to be Christian and even have a real testimony of salvation to share publicly, but the genuine ingredients for a real Christian home according to the Word just aren't there yet. You may be thinking, how can that possibly be? Well, let's look at what the Word says and see if we have all of our materials to complete the project of building a strong, durable Christian home.


Let's start by taking a close look at the text in verses twelve through thirteen of chapter three in Colossians and we will discover the vital ingredients of a Christian home. In this passage, seven things are listed for us to have in our homes. Let's consider them carefully: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another..."

After giving us these seven ingredients to apply, the Lord covers them all up with something like a glue that holds all the other ingredients together. This is the bond of Christian love that is the most important ingredient to apply to our homes. We find this in verse fourteen,"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

Have you ever come across a home that was built with average materials and during construction of the home something went wrong and the house was never quite finished. You could see that the house was left there through the winter and summer without the final coatings applied. As those average materials that were used to build that home were exposed to the elements of nature, without the proper protection they began to curl and swell and fall apart. It wasn't too long before the walls began to crack inside and the ceilings began to stain from the leaks of an unprotected roof as well.

It is like that house that was built and then left unprotected without the final materials that may have seemed to be insignificant at the time; we also can find the value of protecting our homes. We must protect our home with the ingredient valued above all other ingredients if we want to build a Godly Christian home. What God has valued above all else is LOVE! We must ask ourselves; each and every one of us, "Do I have the love that God has placed so much value on? Is my home strong?". Are the materials (mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, long suffering, forgiveness) that my house is made of, going to be bond together when the difficult seasons of life arrive? Could it be that my house going to begin to curl and fall apart or show stains of leaking because of the lack of the one ingredient that God valued above all the others? We must ask ourselves, "Is my home protected by the covering of Love, which is the bond of perfectness?"

"Awake"- Building Your Home Life!

QUALITY HOME LIFE

All relationships are different in some way or another, but there are certain principles in a relationship that apply to every person alive today. These principles were established by our Creator for us. It is so important to pay attention to them and tap into our priceless resources made available for the building of an awesome home life.

People will often agree that God is "love"; but we also have to realize that He is the Master of love. So, that being said, His divine guidance is not going to tell us something that would guide us into a relationship full of hatred, conflicts and abuse. So I urge  us all once more, as we begin to search  out and explore the materials that make a Strong Home, Stay Awake! Pay close attention and get ready to start filling up those abandoned love tanks!

Maybe your love boat, so to speak, has been tossed around in the storms of life and your love tank is empty. Maybe your boat isn't even running, leaving you drifting through life with lack of purpose? If so, please don't abandon ship yet! Just hold on tight and let's find out, as we explore your options for how you can begin to refuel your relation"ship" and get your engines running full throttle again! It will be worth it, I promise!

Note: Remember. A house is a place, a home involves people. Don't be confused.

And since you are reading this right now, you are not alone! Don't hesitate to drop an email anytime and I will help you find a place to call home in your area. There are people waiting to welcome you.

Following my college days, I spent some time in the home building business. We built houses with a few bedrooms made of average building materials and we built other houses out of the same materials, but the rooms were bigger. Then there were a few houses we built that were mansions. The mansions took years of planning and a year or more to build. Many of the materials were ordered special from  international artisans and manufacturers all over the globe.

Once there was a couple who many of you would know if I named them because they own a national company. This older couple made a trip over to Europe to look at a chimney that they saw in a picture and thought they wanted for their home. After seeing it for themselves, they took the Stone Mason back over to Europe with them so that he could get a true understanding of the materials and choice they had made. The stone mason then came back and built the exact same fireplace and chimney in their new home once the stone had arrived by ship from Europe. Now that's quality...and expensive!

Regardless of how much was spent on the materials, whether it be thousands or millions, the cheapest was a house and the most expensive was a house.

The mansion was a better house because of the quality of the products used and it came with allot higher price than the houses built with average products. Value effects the price you are going to pay. You might find this interesting or you may be thinking that I have gotten totally off track talking about building houses, but let's take a few minutes to see how this relates.

We may be working very hard on our home life, but are we using average materials? Some of the things that it takes to build a quality home life are valued highly today, such as our time, respect, worship, obedience, love. In our day many of the self help books teach us to acquire for ourselves the things I just listed in order for ME to succeed. I want to share a  radical  fact to apply to build a quality home life. In the following passage Paul teaches us that we are to give these things to have peace in our hearts, unity, wisdom and encouragement in our home life.

In Colossians, chapter three,verses fifteen through twenty-one, the Bible says, " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged."

WE NEED THREE QUALITY HOMES

What if I said that everybody ought to have three quality homes. Would you think I had lost my mind? How about if I took it a step further and told you that you ought to build three of those highly valued mansion style homes instead of just average like most of the population. You probably aren't following me, but the fact is that you have the highly valued materials already. Why not invest your God given resources and go ahead and build an amazing home?

BUILDING OUR FIRST HOME

This is the first point that Paul brings to our attention in this life changing passage. What are we doing when it comes to our spiritual home life? Are we asleep and running on auto pilot, driving to church at the scheduled times of service and driving home again week after week? Here is a good way to know if we are using the high quality material to build our spiritual home. Look at what Paul says," let the peace of God rule in your hearts, for this reason also you are called in one body; and be thankful...".  Does the peace of God rule in your heart? Don't just say "yeah". Think about it throughout the rest of today and especially tomorrow as you go through the Lord's day. If you find that it isn't there, don't get discouraged.


Paul mentions this first because the peace of God in your heart is your #1 resource for building the Three Quality Homes that we all need. Without putting the priceless peace of God into your first Home material list, I'm afraid you are going to have to settle for an average spiritual home life. What's really amazing though, is that this priceless item is yours free for the asking! It's between you and God, right now, tomorrow, or next week. God has made us to receive His peace so that we can build upon it. 


Shalom

ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL

IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE!
As newly married couples join hearts and hands in marriage, there are far too often those who feel they have the privilege of offering their two cents to the couple, even before the wedding reception is over. The traditional quotes and riddles with hidden meanings are passed on by those who have fallen asleep at the helm of their love boat, so to speak.

Most of those couples who have been together for years will tell them that the honeymoon will soon pass and reality will begin to sink in, so get ready! Isn't that a wonderful thought to leave a couple with right after they have married? The reason that this goes on generation after generation is because these couples have fallen asleep at the helm of their love boat.

They no longer feel like they once did because their love boat fuel tanks are empty or running on their last gallon of fuel. When the waves come and rock their boat around, that last little bit of fuel is still there but isn't quite enough to keep the motor from sputtering. The tank is very large and could hold hundreds of gallons of fuel, but that last gallon is swished back and forth past the fuel pump, allowing only enough fuel to barely keep their love boat running in the storm. So they share their experience with the newly weds as a forecast of days ahead in their relationship, almost as though it is normal and to be expected.

The facts are that this type of relationship between a husband and wife is not what God intended and there is a clear and decisive way for couples to avoid falling asleep at the helm and allowing their tanks to run dry. There are clearly defined principles to apply to our lives that will prevent a couple from finding themselves stranded and at the mercy of the storms in their lives. Instead of just hoping for the storms to pass, they will have the fuel and the navigational equipment necessary to move through the storm. When they come out of the storm, they will be on the same course that they were on before the storm and will have also made some progress along the way.

You might be thinking to yourself, "How can I tell if I have fallen asleep at the helm?". Most people, awake or asleep, think that they are doing alright in all of their relationships, but take heed! Paul is talking to believers in the book of Romans when he gives us this warning to "Awake" and this series of messages will show us just how our lives will change when we wake up; at home, at church and in the community around us. I have learned first hand, the things that I will share with you in this series and how applying the principles that Paul teaches us in the thirteenth chapter of Romans will bring a change in your relationships at home, in the community and even in your worship with God.

Romans 13:11
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.


Now it is HIGH TIME! That means that the HOUR is here and the time is NOW. People just roll over and go back to sleep in relationships all to often. I must agree with the apostle Paul when he says, "IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE FROM OUR SLEEP!" Verse twelve says,"The night is far spent", that means it is later than you may think! I want to tell you that it is later in this age than you may think! I believe that Jesus Christ is at the threshold and I believe that the trumpet is about to sound and Jesus Christ is going to come soon and it is only the restraining hand of Almighty God that has kept the floodgates of evil closed as much as they have been. It may be later in your life than you think! You only have so many more days or hours left to serve the Lord Jesus. James 4:14 says,"What is your life but a vapor that appeared for a little with and then vanished away"!

It's later in the day of opportunity than you may think. We have opportunities now that are unparalleled to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said when he was here on earth in John 9:4, "I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work!" There are allot of things you can do here on this earth, but there's one thing we won't be able to do in heaven and that is to win souls to Christ.

There are several things that I pray that everyone who hears this message will do, that the apostle Paul urges us to do in this passage and the first one is to "WAKE UP"!

God's alarm clock is going off all around us!
A young man asked his pastor one Sunday if there was a good prayer that he could pray whenever he came to the service and his pastor said,"Yes, Now I lay me down to sleep".

It's time that we wake up. So many times we are like Sampson, asleep in the lap of Delilah. When we wake up and go out to shake ourselves, it's without the spirit's power. How do we wake up? Not by hitting the snooze button; we have to wake up and get up! Get busy doing the things that you are purposed to do in your life!

Wake Up! Get Up! Husbands and wives, grab the wheel of your boats and get ready to fuel up and apply the principles we will find in the series of messages I have titled "AWAKE!".

IT'S HIGH TIME TO AWAKE! LET'S GO!

HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!

"FASCINATING"

I spotted this captivating insect while touring a lake and visitor center at the top of Raccoon Mountain in Tennessee. It appeared to be about ten times the size of an ant and it was clothed in a bright red coating. It crawled like an ant but it looked like a bee. After my brother did some research, we found that it was actually a wingless bee that has been known to gang up and kill cattle with it's sting.

 As beautiful and fascinating as it was, it could have been a life threatening situation if we had gotten too close, as we were at least 30 minutes from the nearest doctor. I can tell you though that we were all fascinated with it's color and design.

Isn't that how it is sometimes with people who are famous or popular? People follow them in droves from city to city, station to station, trend to trend?

The thing that we need to keep in mind as brothers and sisters in Christ is that we each have something about us that is just as awesome and just as useful as those people who are considered popular. As a matter of fact, just like this beautiful bug that we were all so fascinated with, some of those "popular" people might not be so awesome and friendly if you had to spend every waking minute with them. If you got close enough, you could even get stung! We all have our faults and we all have our strengths! We read about this every day in the news. There are popular news papers published just to share the latest celebrity heartache! Right?

Please be careful! Remember this! One day all that we choose to do will be manifest and only what really counted will be rewarded.

We all know that God is good! I came across a passage one day that talked about receiving some of His goodness. It might take a little while for us to accept this passage into our hearts in our present day of "idols" , "survivors", "celebrities" and "heroes" , but please take it to heart and know that it is good to take heed when true wisdom is shared.


"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are empty. For this reason let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's." ~1Corinthians3:18-23


Isn't that fascinating?  All who believe (popular or not) are on the same plain! This passage comes after a lesson about the ministry of our Lord where Paul was teaching believers that we all are one in our service and in our bodies because the Spirit of God lives in us and we all ought to be working together in life to accomplish the sacred will of God. 


Peter also wrote about the importance of our daily deeds.  Deeds are referred to as work in verse fourteen of the KJV and is described as an act, toil or deed in the Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary . For those who enjoy the facts, the Greek word is ἔργον and the English spelling is ergon.

Don't feel discouraged at this point because, just as many others, you may have become captivated by the wisdom of people instead of  our Lord. Maybe you found those popular men or women of our day to be quite "fascinating".  I suggest to just take a moment and pray. God understands you more than you think. Otherwise, this passage wouldn't have been recorded so many years ago in the book of Corinthians and preserved for us to read, learn and declare today. Let the Lord know that you are fascinated with Him and that all other fascinations fade into the shadows of your life next to Him.

Claim for yourself these three things declared in 1Corinthians 3:22,23 as you put Christ first!


Everything is Mine!


I am Christ's!


Christ is God's!

"A WISE BUILDER"

 In the process of checking my father's roof following a wind storm, I had to set up an aluminum ladder to access the roof. His ladder wasn't very long so I chose the lowest point on the roof. This happened to be at the back deck. I have never liked putting any type of ladder on a deck in the first place, but I thought that if I was real careful it would be fine just this once. As I climbed to the top of the ladder I became more and more confident in myself and the ladder since there wasn't any signs of slipping or movement. So I went to step off of the ladder onto the roof just as I always did when everything was secure, but what happened next was a quick reminder of why I had a problem with putting ladders on decks. The surface of that deck had just enough algae or moisture to cause the bottom of the ladder to kick out and slide. Thank God I had one foot on the roof, but my weight was still on the ladder and my other leg went through the rung and I ended up scraping up my shin.

I knew better when I started up the ladder, but it seemed ok, so I continued up one step at a time. I even remember thinking how well it had gone and saying thank you God in the recesses of my mind, right before the ladder fell. Well, I knew better than to ask God why it happened because He had given me the ability to understand the danger before I climbed that ladder. What I did think about though was this passage.


"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. " 1Corinthians 3:10-11


Paul was warning the believers to be careful what they spent their lives doing. But I thought about the grace of God that had made Paul a "wise" master builder. He had laid the right foundation which was greater than any other foundation laid by men. Jesus Christ! Just as I put that ladder on an unsure foundation, we too can place our trust and faith in the wrong place. Let's be careful that we aren't building our lives upon the foundation laid by the famous men in this world, but rather on the greatest of all men who ever lived, Jesus.


You may hear someone talking about other men all the time, but forgetting to ever give our Lord thanks for his honor, glory and power. If so, beware! Famous men will fall when they build their life on their own man made foundations. Often so many others who idolize them also get hurt when their foundation gives way and they fall. I can promise any man alive this one thing for sure, "Jesus Christ will never let you down".


 Be a Wise Builder! Make Jesus Christ your foundation and be careful what you build upon it. Selah

DAY PLANNER

"What are you planning to do today?"

I once worked for a man who would ask us this question at about 6:30 every morning. This meant getting my ducks in a row and organizing my day before walking into the morning meetings. On those really long days, I sometimes waited until the early morning to make out my plan for that following day. That meant I was drinking coffee and scratching my head at 5:30am. Over the years I learned that it was a much better idea to plan ahead the night before and my day was much more productive as a result.



How do you start your day? I often find myself thinking about the different appointments I have set even before I have finished making my coffee in the morning. I think that this is typical of anyone who has a family or business to care for these days. You may even be thinking to yourself right now,"Do I really have time to read this?". Well, try your best to focus on what I'm getting ready to say because it could literally change your entire life. How could I do that, you might ask? Let's reflect for just a few minutes on a passage that David wrote in Psalm 71.

But I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more. My mouth will proclaim your righteousness and your salvation all day long; because I don't know how many days I have to live.  ~Psalm 71:14,15


David wasn't sure about the outcome of some of his relationships, especially those of his enemies; those that took counsel together against him. David was pleading for God's help earlier in verse 12 of this chapter and asking for the enemy to be confused and removed, and to be found a reproach and dishonored in verse 13. But the very next thing that he writes totally changes the outcome of his life!

Not only does he say that he will have hope but that he will also praise God more and more.

 When I read this passage, I asked myself if I could relate to what David was saying here. As I thought about this and how we often come up with strategies and plans when we find that someone is taking counsel against us, especially if we know we are doing what's right! Boy, does the blood pressure rise and the tempers flare as our self defence mode is triggered? We want to stand up for our dignity! Of course we do, but look at the reaction of David and learn something from David's Day Planning that Carnegie's and other popular courses would never teach you.

 First we see that David was a little older now, as we look down in verse 18 where he says, "now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God forsake me not". In his aging David had come to realize that God was the one and true hope for all situations that he may face in Life. David was a fighter at heart, yet he had turned to God in verse 15 and I'll quote him in saying,"My mouth will proclaim your righteousness and your salvation all day long!" Then he says, "Because I don't know how many days I have to live."


David was praising God, Yes, because he had become wiser and understood something about time management.

Who knows how many days we have left on this earth? I certainly have no clue about the length of my life, do you? Having said that, how have you planned your day? Should we consider the actions of a much wiser and older David, a man after God's own heart? If you're already flying through your day full speed ahead, take just a moment at break or maybe the next stoip light; think about the choice that David makes back in verse 15 and consider his example for your life.

"My mouth will proclaim your righteousness and your salvation all day long;...." ~Ps.17:15

 Who knows, you may not have that many days left on this earth. Will people remember, as David says in verse 18, that you carried the strength and power of God with you?

"O God, don't leave me; until I have showed your strength to this generation, and your power to every one that is to come." ~ Ps.71:18

Take a long hard look in the mirror, just as David does here. I believe this is what the wise old David would have wanted us to write in our Day Planners today and every day for as long as we are alive. I want to see a man in the mirror whose mouth is proclaiming righteousness and God's salvation (liberation from bondage) any time of the day to the younger generations, because I don't really know how many days I have to live. Selah.

WHAT SEASON IS IT ANYWAYS?

The seasons have totally confused me lately. I don't know whether to take an allergy pill or wear my winter coat. The flowers are blooming in the middle of March and the mid-west is experiencing hurricane season already. I can't help but wonder if we are going to get the April showers this year. It can all be a bit confusing to the animal life as well. What I have notinced though, is that everything seems to be rolling with the changes and moving ahead regardless of what month it happens. Even the mosquitos hatched from their eggs early! Ouch.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. ~ 2Timothy 4:2

As I thought about this passage in 2Timothy, it made me think about the resilence of the living creatures, even in unusual circumstances. I feel that this was exactly what Paul was trying to convey in his message to Timothy. Pauls life was nearing the end and he had seen many followers come and go, as you will find in the rest of this chapter. I'm sure it was really hard on Paul to see this happen after spending hours teaching these men who had made the choice to follow and commit themselves to the Lord's calling. It brings to mind the verse in Psalms where David tells us to put our confidence in God, not man. (Ps. 118:8,9)
I thought about Paul's words, 'in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For a time is coming when they will not endure sound doctrine..'
I can't really tell you for sure if we are in season or out of season right now, but I know that it is one or the other! Another words, Paul left us no question about when or where to be doing the work of God. I believe that he used some life application here that words it in such away that nobody could exclude themselves for a period of time to take away from the calling of God on their life. There is a constant, relentless plea made here to continue while there is time and people will listen to the TRUTH. Is the truth being taught? Would the people who come in contact with us know what we believe or know how to believe in God? Read verse five of 2Timothy to see what Paul had to say about this situation as well.
I'll admit brothers and sisters, without knowing it, I have worked beside men all day long only to find out later that they filled the role of ministers or youth leaders in a church. Let verse seventeen be a challenge to all men to preach the truth so that, as Paul says, all the Gentiles might hear. We live in a nation full of Gentiles and there's only one way I know for them to hear; it has to be spoken. Let's exhort one another in the church to open our mouths and speak the truth. Let's rebuke the temptation of satan to remain silent. Last but not least, let's reprove ourselves that we may also say at the end of our lives, as Paul claimed in verse seven, that we fought the good fight, we finished the course and we kept the faith.

WHAT'S SO AMAZING ABOUT THE BIBLE?

If you have about a minute, I'd be glad to share what I find so amazing...

The Bible contains

the mind of God,

the state of man,

the way of salvation,

the doom of sinners

and the happiness of believers.

It's doctrines are holy,

it's precepts are binding,

it's histories are true,

and it's decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise,

believe it to be safe,

and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you,

food to support you,

and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map,

the pilgrim's staff'

the pilot's compass,

the soldier's sword,

and the Christian's charter.

Here Paradise is restored,

Heaven opened,

and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject,

our good the design,

and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory,

rule the heart,

and guide the feet.

Read it slowly,

frequently and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth,

a paradise of glory,

and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life,

will be opened at the judgement,

and be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility,

will reward the greatest labor

and will condemn all who trifle with it's sacred contents.

Visit this link for 10 interesting Bible Facts: http://www.factsofworld.com/bible-facts