It’s Time To Put God First

My Pastor Texted this message to our church this morning. I thought I would share his message.

It’s time to put God first. The enemy comes after you all day long, and if you’re going to “stat ahead of him” you need to pursue God first thing in the morning. Meditation is praying and praising God with Psalms, and the words of Psalm 5 are the specifics for this pursuit.

Today’s Prayer: Father, Thank you for leading me in your righteousness because of my enemies. I am listening for your voice, and I receive Your Spirit for the grace to fight and win every challenge I face today and every day. You promised blessings and life to those who meditate in your Word.

Psalm 1. I am looking up to you, for those blessings and that life. Remember… Meditation is praying God’s Word a lot.

Give ear to my words. O’ Lord, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry. My kings and my God. For to you I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning I will direct it to you. And I will look up. Psalms 5:1-3

I do not usually share things from my pastor but, this was worth sharing.

Becoming People Of Prayer

In Jeremiah we are told “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” These are powerful words; a promise from God. Why then would we not pray, prayer can become just another option for us ; something to pick up and put down for our own purposes. But it can and should be so much more.

Prayer is a mighty vehicle for us. It is something we use to carry out the purposes of God. We know prayer can increase our our purposes. We know prayer will boost the harvest. We pray so we can lead. We pray so we can be a witness to others. We pray so we can have fellowship with God. We pray so we can hear from God.

Prayer and the life of prayer are spiritual practices. I cannot explain who prayer changes your life. They must be experienced. I believe that prayer changes things. But it is not prayer that the changes things. Prayer has no power on it own. If simply being enthusiastic about prayer as a powerful vehicle we’re enough, I could pray to anything and receive an answer. Prayer doesn’t change things. It is not prayer or even a life of prayer that brings us power, it is the God to whom we pray who has all power.

Paul said in Thessalonians 5:16-18, “rejoice always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.” You and I have been called to do something: pray continually. We are to pray without stopping.

Prayer is essential in the life of a believer. Whatever has gone on in the past, you can decide today that you’re going to become a person who prays, a person who maintains a lifestyle of prayer. I’ve made the decision. Have you?

How can you pray continually? The key to rejoicing always and pray continually is to lean on God all the time and to call to Him repeatedly and often. Praying is like keeping the radio going in the background. Keep that connection open to talk to God as you go through your day. Be aware that He is at your right side at all times.

Here are some ideas about praying continually:

  • Begin your day with a grateful attitude.
  • Get real with God.
  • Incorporate prayer into every day chores or at work.
  • Tell Him what He already knows. God is all knowing.
  • Pray while to wait.
  • Sing a song of praise while your driving or are alone.
  • When you mess up, admit it.
  • Give up worrying. God has everything under control.
  • Stop taking once and awhile. Instead, just listen.
  • In your alone time pray.

I pray and acknowledge God throughout my day. If all you have time to say is “Jesus Jesus Jesus” that’s a prayer and it will bring Him closer to you. But don’t use it as a constant prayer. Get deep with God.

Start From Heaven

How do you solve the problems you’re dealing with; the ones you’re dwelling on; the problems that are on your mind?

The Lord’s Prayer says, “on earth as it is in heaven.” But the original text from the Bible actually says, “as it is in heaven so on earth.” Maybe it’s about letting heaven reach your life. First as it is heaven then let that touch your life.

Would if we started by forgetting the problem that’s on earth. And focus on what comes from heaven. All good things come from heaven. Forget about the problems your dwelling on and start from heaven. Get your eyes on the Lord; in His love. Start with the answer which is from heaven, then let it also be on earth.

Messiah is the answer. He didn’t start from earth, but from heaven and came down to earth. This problem of yours is going to be solved when you forget about it; get your eyes off of it. Trust the Lord and get your eyes on the Lord and heaven. Let it be so as it is in heaven, so let it be in your life.

From experience I have found when I stop trying to solve me problems and focus on God and heaven my problems usually solve themselves.

Seek to live your life not from earth to heaven, but from heaven to earth.

“But, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Understanding True Holiness

Holiness should always be “unto the Lord.” Any time we are it “unto men,” it’s wrong and misguided because it’s just pride and pretense. Jesus condemned the Pharisees not for their acts of piety, but because they preformed themselves to impress others. Not only did they lived by a long list of religious “do’s and don’t, ‘ they also kept a scorecard on others who didn’t live up to their list and denounce them for it. Some people grew up in homes and churches that did this, and when they squirm and think of believers with somber faces and pointed fingers in accusation. That’s not Bible holiness, that’s legalism. And God hates it and the Bible condemns it.

To understand what true holiness is, think of the word “contamination,” it’s one of every hospital’s greatest concerns. It’s why doctors in an operating room insist the their surgical instruments are constantly sterilized; caps, gowns, and gloves are worn; and the environment in the room is cold, held at a temperature where germs cannot live. Are you getting it?

Now adjust the lens a little bit, and you’ll see the Spiritual application. True holiness does not isolate you from the world it insulates you from the contaminants. Apostle Paul corrected the Corinthian church for their approach to the communion table; “In eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.” – 1 Corinthians 11:21- So Paul addresses their spiritually sloppy anything goes attitude. “For this reason many are week and sick among you, and many sleep. (have died)

What’s the answer? “Holiness unto the Lord.

The Lord’s Last Word On Holiness:

He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still. -Revelation 22: 11-

Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. -Revelation 22: 12-

The point being made here is not that evil is to be encouraged. Rather, people can do as they choose, but God will not change His plans.

In the context of death and the end times, this is a dire warning. Unbelievers who reject the gospel do not receive a second chance to be saved if they die. Eternity doesn’t change anyone’s status. The person who die’s in an unsaved condition will be unsaved throughout eternity, and the saved person will be saved throughout eternity.

When Forgiveness Still Hurts

Forgiving when it hurts and is painful is far from easy. As we journey with Christ in our spiritual walk, we often try to forgive those that have wronged us without asking for Jesus’ help. Simply knowing the command to remain in Christ isn’t enough when we face tough situations. We have to apply this truth, and remain attached to the vine that is Jesus, and ask for His helping hand.

I admit that after I chose to forgive my mother. I’ve had difficult times because of the hurt she has done and the suffering she has caused me. If I let the hurt inside, it will eat me up. I become an awfully mean person. Only the Lord can help.

We cannot, on our own strength, and the triggers and emotions we experience become proof of that. We have to experience the fruit of the Lord’s restorative and enduring peace, we need to remain in the Lord as John 15: 1-5 records Jesus instructing as we remain in the lord, we are relying on His strength to forgive.

To forgive others as God first forgave us is a task beyond even our best efforts. In our humanness, we could never manage to forgive as the wholly God has commanded. And yet still He commands it. But why? Because God never intended for us to forgive alone God has had a redemption plan for us from the very beginning, and that plan is rooted in forgiveness. Through the blood of Jesus on the cross, God has forgiven our sins.

By the gift of the Holy Spirit, God has empowered us to forgive others. And when we rely on God’s power to heal our hurts, we can forgive wholly and completely. In His strength, we can forgive those who seem undeserving; we can forgive again; we can forgive that which feels unforgivable, and we can finally trade or festering hurts for the fine of His grace-filled redeeming fruit. The choice to forgive is ours today. Even when it still hurts.

Salt And Light

We are called to be the salt and light For The World. Matthew 5 says being salt and light is not optional, Jesus did not say you can be or you have …

Salt And Light

God Sees Our Pain

We all know what it is like to feel pain, but does God see what we’re going through?

A great truth that we can live by, is that no matter where we live or who we are, God sees us, and He knows every detail of our pain. He comprehends the unexplainable anguish that invades our lives like an intruder bent on stealing our joy, self-esteem, health and more.

Pain comes in various forms physical pain as we fight headaches to cancer. Emotional pain as we experience a severed relationship. Financial pain when our position is terminated, and bills stack up. Spiritual pain when we question Gods love because life is so hard. Pain saps our energy and can lead to bitterness and despair. Like a wicked taskmaster, it can enslave us. But God sees us, and He cares deeply. He doesn’t waste the pain in our lives.

Psalm 139:13-24 encourages us that God sees us in every moment of our lives, and reminds us that God knows our hearts and our thoughts.

In Verse 23 of the same scripture God tells us from the time He formed us in our mother’s womb until we see Him face to face, we are never out of His sight. There is no place to flee from His presence. God sees us in the dark because it is as brings as the day to Him.

He sees us when we wander. He sees every thought, every word and every action. He knows our motives and our deepest desires. He sees all around us, in front of us, and behind us, and His hand in on us. He leads us, He holds us, He searches us, and He knows us. And most of all He hears our prayers.

The other day at the grocery store I ran into an old friend. He told me he cancer. He told me it was because God was mad at him. I asked why he thought God hated him, his reply was because he gave me cancer! I explained that God didn’t hate him and how I also had been through cancer and how much I had grown in the Lord since. In the middle of the grocery store I prayed for this man. And brought peace to him.

No matter what you pain is Gods see you! You may feel invisible, that no one really sees you or comprehends your hurt and despair. When you begin to doubt that God sees you, read Psalm 139. Our God sees us, knows everything about us and loves us perfectly in the midst of our imperfection.