Keep Your Eyes On Him

"The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24 We serve a God who is so faithful. He is faithful to us even when we are not. He has an appointed time for everything. And friend, His purpose will prevail. This is not in our time...we must remember, that it is in His perfect timing. He knows what is best for us and He will work ALL things for our good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. He uses all of our circumstances to conform us to the likeness of His Son Jesus. Romans 8:28-29 My friend, I don't know what you are going through or how long you have been waiting for the answer from God, but please do not give up. Don't lose hope in the fact that your God is mighty and powerful. Don't stop short of the answer. He tells us in His word to not get weary in well-doing, for in due season, if you faint not, you will receive your reward.Galatians 6:9 This is a promise from God Almighty. He cannot lie. But we have t...

When you place your faith in Jesus, the one and only way to God...the Holy Spirit will come and dwell inside of you. The words that come to my mind to explain His presence is indescribable, unexplainable, unspeakable and  of course, the joy that comes. The Holy Spirit will guide, convict, comfort, give you discernment and reveal truth to you through God's word. The Holy Spirit is part of the trinity-God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God gives us His Spirit to be with us until the day of Jesus's return. The Holy Spirit is our "guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption  of those who are God's possession-to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13 God seals us with the Holy Spirit confirming we are HIS! The Spirit who lives inside of us cries out "Abba Father," this is such an intimate phrase which means "Daddy." This Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Romans 8:15 The Holy Spirit is not an ...

Have you ever had those times in your life where you feel like God is silent? We cannot even begin to understand God's ways for they are not our ways. There are times when God is silent and those are the times we need to really press on and let our faith in Him take hold. It may be that He is teaching us patience and to wait on Him. You may be at a crossroads and are waiting on the answer...know that God has a purpose and an appointed time for His answer. His delay is not necessarily a no, but through waiting, our character is strengthened and we grow in our faith as we continue to look to Him. We live in a world where everything is instant...instant email, texts, fast food, microwave...many want that instant gratification. But in Isaiah we read "blessed are all who wait for Him." 30:18 It is not easy when God is silent...there are times when we want to feel His presence right then. Through the silence, we can learn to keep our hearts steadfast. Through the psalms there a...

I heard a song this morning that spoke to my heart. Jesus is ready to carry your load. We all too often carry the weight of our problems around with us and don't give them up. Jesus stands ready and waiting to carry all of it for you. When He died on that cross, He overcame...He overcame all of our guilt, all of our shame and all of the baggage we tend to carry around with us. It could be that you are still carrying around something you did years ago that you cannot seem to forget. You may be carrying the guilt of a past relationship gone wrong or guilt of sin. Friend, when Jesus died for you, He took all of that on Him so that in Him we can be free. No, we cannot change the past, but Jesus can and will restore your life the day you believe in Him and make Him Lord and Savior of your life. Isaiah tells us that He will give you back the years the locusts have eaten. Those wasted years you spent living for yourself and your own pleasures, He will take. The work on the cross was a fin...

Love, we hear and use this word all the time....what is love? First and foremost, God is love. 1 John 4:16 This verse goes on to say that whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is an action that we show. It is not based on circumstances or the way people treat us....we choose to love as Jesus loves. It is loving on someone that we may feel does not deserve it. Just as Jesus loved us while we were yet sinners, He chose to love us and this love is unconditional. None of us deserve this love, but God so rich in mercy chose to show His ultimate love in sending His one and only Son to die for us-in our place-on the cross. Take a moment and think about that. Jesus loves you and me with such great love whether we "feel" it or not. God's love is unfailing. Psalm 32:10. Loved ones, friends and family will disappoint you and may even turn their backs on you, but friend, God never will. He has promised that He will never leave or forsake you. You may not understand...

This morning I was taking a hard look at all the years I wasted living for myself and doing only things that pleased me without giving God so much as a thought. At the end of the day, I may have thrown up a prayer to God as I was drifting off to sleep. I was held captive by so many things. The weight of my sin and going my own way was so heavy on me. I cringe at some of the decisions I made and the actions that followed. I look back at see how wretched and filthy I was. I had head knowledge of Jesus and believed He died on the cross for my sins. I believed that He was the only way to God. Yet, I was only going through the motions. I went to church and sometimes did good things for others, but I lived like the rest of the world. I was no different than someone who was not "saved." I may have been religious on the outside, but inside, I was dead! All of those wasted years, God was so patient with me and He knew exactly what it would take to bring me to my knees. I remember cryi...

A verse that really stood out to me in the book of Isaiah is "Yet the Lord LONGS to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him." 30:18 God longs to show you compassion, in other words, He has an earnest desire or yearns to show you compassion. Gracious is being merciful and compassionate. That is our God! He showed us this grace when He sent His one and only Son to die for us, in our place, to take away all of our sin and shame. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:7 "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:7 Read that vers...

Are you doing good? By that I mean are you willing to do whatever is good no matter what someone does to you or says about you? In Titus, we are to "be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." 3:1-2 This does not tell us to only show humility to those who are kind to us, but to everyone, no matter how they may treat us. Now this does not mean that you are to be a doormat and to let someone walk all over you, but you are to show them the same love, grace and mercy that Jesus shows you. I think it is important to remind ourselves that we were once "foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." Titus 3:3 Think of where you once were-an enemy of the cross. You lived for yourself and worldly pleasures. You did whatever you pleased really not giving anyone else a thought...

Last night I began reading the book of Revelation and focused on the first few chapters where God is addressing the seven churches. What really stood out for me in these chapters were the words "to him who overcomes...." I read them over and over. "To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God (2:7)." "He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death (2:11)." "To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it." (2:17) "He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end..." (2:26) "He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (3:5) "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he...

The Bible talks about bearing fruit. What is this exactly? When you become a follower of Christ and He places His Spirit in you, you have everything you need. "Fruit" is looking like Jesus. It isn't just saying the words, but doing things that please the Father. It is your actions-giving to the needy, being obedient to the Father, loving as He loves, forgiving others as He forgives us, not thinking of yourselves, but putting others before you, trusting God in the most difficult of circumstances, it is kindness. joy and peace. These things do not come naturally for us, but God begins the process to change us from the inside out making us more and more like Jesus. God tells us in His word that every branch bears fruit (John 15:2). He also prunes us so that we will produce more fruit. This pruning involves getting the junk out of us like bitterness, resentment, complacency, selfishness, pride and wrong thinking to name a few. God doesn't take you through trials and tribu...

The Lord was really speaking to my heart today about pressing on. Press on in spite of your feelings. Feelings come and go, but that is not what our faith is based on. Faith is in God who has called us and keeps us therefore, He will give us the strength to press on. When you have moments where you struggle, like I did and do, pray through it. Stand on the Word of God and remind yourself you are a child of the King. This morning, I woke up and so many negative thoughts were running through my mind. I began to become anxious. Anxious over money, anxious over loved ones that are not yet saved and just thoughts that I was not good enough and don't deserve God's love. I began to pray and ask God to give me and show me today His grace and mercy and to remind me that He loves me in spite of me, in spite of all my wrong choices, in spite of my past-God loves me and you unconditionally. This love is not based on conditions or performance. God doesn't love you more if you do good de...

What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? He is our example and it cannot be done without Him-it is impossible. However, when you choose to follow Him and make Him Lord of your life, He places His Spirit in you who will guide, convict and help you to love as Christ loves. Lord of your life means Lord over all. It is not keeping Him in a box and only giving Him some portions of your life, it is giving Him everything. What Jesus wants is an intimate relationship with you. He is as close as the breath you breathe. It is not about how often you go to church, or even what you do for Him, while that is good, it does not mean that you are a Christian. It is not about how many rules you keep and things you don't do that are harmful to you. He wants you, all of you. It is keeping your eyes on Him. It is trusting in Him for everything. John 3:16 is a verse that most everyone knows. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should n...

As a follower of Christ, all of His promises are yours. They are yours regardless of what you may feel. They are yours not based on what you do, but based on what Christ did for you. The work at the cross is a finished work. When God speaks, nothing can change His plan and that plan was to save you from a life of death to a life with Him in Christ. You may be thinking, I do not deserve this love. Truly, none of us deserve this love, but God, so rich in mercy and grace, lovingly calls each of us by name and delivers us from the pit. Did you know that you are a jewel in the hand of your God? "You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God....this verse goes on to say that the Lord DELIGHTS in you and as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God REJOICES over you." Isaiah 62:3-5 Meditate on these words...let them sink into your heart, no matter what you may feel-God's word is true and His words are for you! Did ...

Why does a loving God allow trials and hardships you may often find yourself asking. First of all, know that God loves you unconditionally and His purpose for us is to mold us into the image of Christ. The day your eyes were opened and drawn to God by His Holy Spirit, excuse my language, but all hell broke loose. In 2 Timothy we read, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 3:12 Note that it says "will" be, not may or might, but will be persecuted. The trials you go through are there for a reason, they are testing your faith, strengthening your character, humbling you and helping you to lean on God. We learn so many spiritual things in the valley that we could not learn any other way. When life is good, humanly speaking, we tend to take our focus off of Jesus and we tend to be more self-sufficient focusing on what "we" can do instead of what God will do through us. You may have just gone through a trial or are getting rea...

As followers of Christ, we have a ministry. First and foremost, it is to share Jesus with others and live our lives in such a way that points to God giving Him all of the glory. You may think, "well, I am just one person, what can I do?" You have a certain sphere of influence that only you can reach. This influence is in your workplace, your circle of friends and your family. Whether you know it or not, people are watching your life, not necessarily what you say. They are watching you in difficult circumstances, in decisions you make and how you respond to situations. Your actions can influence people to choose Christ or not. Paul speaks to the Corinthians years ago, but the same is true for us today, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:6 You may plant a seed of kindness, forgiveness or love into someone's life causing this person to see the love of Christ in you. It is about being faithful right where you are. You may n...

After just coming off of the Daniel Fast, I felt led to write about fasting. In the Bible, we read that fasting was a part of the believer's life as much as praying and giving. The definition of a Biblical fast is abstaining from food for a spiritual purpose. It isn't just giving up food, that would be like any other diet or medical fast. The goal of a Biblical fast is to draw you closer to God. You are saying no to what your flesh craves and submitting it to the Lord. A fast is not to get God to do what YOU want, but instead, draw you to Him and His will for your life, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. Fasting positions us properly before God, positioning our hearts in humility. Fasting is a bowing of our will before God's, that our will would conform to His. When we humble and deprive our bodies through fasting, our spiritual being is made stronger, increasing our sensitivity to the Spirit. It is refraining from food in order to become physically hungry so ...

There is a battle going on. This battle is not something that you can see with your human eyes, but it is very real. The moment you chose to follow Christ, the battle began. Jesus said in the book of John, "if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also." 15:18-20 You will have opposition. This opposition may come through family members, friends or co-workers. As we go through opposition, "consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2 satan will do anything he can to rob you of your joy and keep you from producing fruit. He will attack when we are tired o...

Today I took the boys to Hanging Rock. As I looked at how beautiful the waterfalls and mountains were and the beautiful blue sky with the ravens flying overhead, I just kept thinking how awesome is our God who created all of this with His breath. He spoke the world we know into existence. Can you just wrap your mind around that thought? God SAID "let there be light, and there was light," God SAID "let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water" when He did this He called the expanse from the water above "sky", and God SAID, "let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear, and it was so, and God called the dry ground "land." Genesis 1:3-9 There is so much beauty that we have yet to see when you consider all of the galaxies that are out there and everything under the sea. God did this with you and me in mind. "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, who created all these? He who b...

Is there something or someone you have been fervently praying to God for and yet you hear nothing? When we pray and ask God for things, we must make sure that it lines up with His word. Praying for the salvation of a loved one or for God to meet your needs are examples of prayers that line up with His word. Praying to have someone else's spouse or praying for God to cause you to win the lottery are not. While He alone has the power to give you wealth, there are conditions that must be met. Are you wanting to get rich for your selfish gain? Or are you asking Him for an increase so that you can be a blessing to others? What are your motives behind your prayers? God knows your heart, He knows everything about you and why you do what you do. In James we read "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." 4:2-3 When we pray, we must remember that God sees...

I woke up in the middle of the night and felt God prompting me to write....God loves YOU and He wants you to know this. There is nothing you have done or ever will do that will change the fact that God loves you. In fact, the Bible tells us that "God IS love." 1 John 4:16 There are so many scriptures that God is telling us just how much He loves us. Exodus states that "in your unfailing love, You will lead the people you have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling." 15:13 In Numbers we read "The Lord is slow to anger, ABOUNDING in love and forgiving sin and rebellion." 14:18 In 2 Chronicles, "He is good; His love endures forever." 5:13 In Psalm 32:10, "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." Psalm 36:5, "Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies." Psalm 100:5 "For the Lord is good and His love end...

As I was driving home today from work, I heard an older song by the group Avalon. The lyrics jumped out of my radio as they sang and I wanted to share some of the lyrics with you as they deeply touched my heart. "I grew up in Sunday school I memorized the golden rule And how Jesus came to set the sinner free I know the story inside out I can tell you all about The path that led Him up to Calvary But ask me why He loves me And I don't know what to say But I'll never be the same Because He changed my life when He became Everything to me, He's more than a story More than words on a page of history He's the air that I breathe, the water I thirst for And the ground beneath my feet He's everything, everything to me." I don't know about you, but this song took me back to four years ago when God opened my eyes and showed me who He was. You see, as far back as I can remember, I believed Jesus died on the cross for my sins, rose again and that He...

We live in a world where there is a lot of busyness and sometimes chaos going on. Most of us work full-time and have families to take care of. All of this puts much demand on us to get it all done. We may have a checklist everyday of the things we have got to get done. But God wants to speak to you. He doesn't yell or scream, He speaks in a still, small voice that you will miss if you are preoccupied with everything going on in your life. His voice is gentle and loving and He always speaks words of life into you. Words of life that are based on His word. He will never try to coerce you into doing something, instead, He may gently nudge. We need to train our spirit to hear His voice. Get into the habit of reading His word, even if it is just for five minutes in the morning. If you don't know His word, it will be hard for you to discern His voice. When He speaks, it ALWAYS lines up with scripture. To hear Him, you have to quiet your soul before Him and tune everything else out. T...

I believe often times when we think of Jesus on the cross, we try to glamourize it, instead of seeing it as it really was. The prophet Isaiah tells us that "His apprearance was so disfigured, beyond that of any man, and His form marred beyond human likeness." Isaiah 52:14. There was nothing glamourous about the  death of Jesus. He was beaten, scorned, despised, ridiculed, humiliated-they even cast lots for His garments at the foot of the cross. He was obedient unto death..."He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:12. It was God's will to do this. He had you and me in mind. God laid on Jesus the sins of all. Every sin you have ever done or will do, was put on Jesus that day at the cross. He went through the punishment and death in our place. He made a way, that we could not ever do on our own. Can you just think for a minute how dearly God lov...

There is a song we sing in the choir called "To Our God," and one of the lines in it is "scandalous mercy and mighty to save." As I thought about those lyrics, God does have a scandalous mercy with regard to us. There is nothing that we have done to earn this wonderful mercy that He so freely gives. It is scandalous, because when we think of our helpless, sinful state, we definitely do not deserve this mercy. But God is full of mercy. "In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for YOU." 1 Peter 1:3-4 Wow, how awesome is God, that He cares so much and gave His One and only Son for you and for me. He does not give us what we deserve, which is hell. This inheritance He gives us in Christ is everlasting, there is nothing that can take it away. Sin entered the world through Adam and has been passed down genera...

"He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Cor 8:15 This verse speaks about the fact that your giving is based on what you have, not what you do not have and when you give from what you have, there will always be enough. The Bible speaks of money more than it does heaven or hell. This should make us stop and think for a minute. Are you tithing? God asks us to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, not part of a tithe, but all of it. 10% is all God asks of us, and it is all His anyway. He does not need our money, but through our giving, He is teaching us to be faithful and look to Him (nothing else) as our sole provider. He is the one who causes man to become rich. He alone has the power to give wealth. He can also take it away just as quickly as it came. Are you trusting in your employer or your stock options or a family member? Or are you trusting in the One who supplies it all? I have heard people say, "well,...

Paul wrote these words in Galations, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." 1:10 Which one are you doing? Who do you place your confidence in? It is so easy to get caught up in pleasing other people, but we can never please everyone no matter how hard we try. We need to look to the One who is the author and finisher of our faith. Do everything that you do for the glory of God. He is the One you will stand before one day, not your spouse, your parents your children or your friends. We are called to be set apart. This means that sometimes we are to take a stand even when it is difficult and may (probably will) cause division. When Christ comes in and takes over, He begins to change you from the inside out. This is not something you can do on your own. Things you once did, you no longer have the desire to do and when you are tempted, God will show you the way ...

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14: 2-4 I don't know about you, but I cannot wait to see what heaven is like! Our little minds really cannot comprehend how glorious and beautiful heaven will be and the best part is---we will see Jesus face to face and worship Him. When I look around at the beauty of nature-the sunrise and sunset, the ocean and how the waves break across the surface, the flowers, trees, animals, the stars in the sky...I could go on and on, I think how magnificent a Creator we have! And He spoke our world into existence, with His breath. That is just amazing to me, and to think, He wants share all of this with us...I can only imagine what heaven will be like-no more sin, no more su...