Finish Strong

 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.  And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” – Acts 4:11-12

Do you not know?
What was the point of it all?
When you started, did you know where the finish line was?’
How will you ever achieve all you strive for if you don’t know what it is?

There is a Supreme Being, God Almighty, who reigns over mankind.  He created man from dust, gave life to the world in which we live.  Do you not believe that these things happened?

Is the Bible nothing more than a fantasy for you, or is it a factual recording of our human history?  If we are not capable of realizing the truth that exudes from the pages, and claim them as an interesting compilation of stories, then how can we claim that the Almighty even exists at all?  Can you believe in the Creator and yet claim that He has mislead billions of people?  What a ludicrous thought this is.

If indeed you claim to believe in and follow the One called Jesus Christ, than is it not bestowed upon you to study, learn and fully embrace His teachings?  Are we content in claiming our Christianity, simply to avoid Hell, yet not be concerned with living out the truth that is so blatantly provided through His Word.  He died for you to live, not to exist, and to live with conviction, love and purpose.  It is upon you to spread His love, not to simply accept and be done.

The God, we claim to serve, has created the world and all that is in it.  He has provided for your every need, and continues to work on your behalf in the unseen and unknown days that lie ahead.  Our excuses are compiled in a manner to justify our lack of interest in actually recognizing His plan.  We are enamored and enticed by the world around us to pursue our personal interests and have consistently chosen to put God on hold.  Yet, we feel fully justified in claiming our right of passage into eternity.  Just stop and think about it for a moment.  Are you truly committed to God, or are you using Him?

Make a stand Christian.  Take up your armor and fight for the freedom that He died to provide for you.  For life in Christ is truly freedom, and is the only freedom you will ever have.  The freedom discussed in the media and tabloids is still subjective to the world’s perception and understanding.  Pursue God and re-discover the path that He has laid out for you.  The finish line is not far off in the distance, but we must finish strong.

37 Days – He Prunes for New Growth

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” John 15:1-3

January 10^th Prayer:

Father, thank You that You cut away every thinking pattern, relationship, and activity that no longer produces good fruit. I am excited to know that You are working in me to produce more fruit. And so, I trust You to take away anything, no matter how painful, that keeps me from producing good fruit. Holy Spirit, I open to You now to bring to mind any activity, thought, sin, relationship, or use of my time that You desire to cut. I trust You and thank You for pruning me . . . in Jesus’ name!

(Write down the things the Holy Spirit brings to mind.)

My thoughts:

Do you still struggle with that sin?  You know, the one you never talk about with your friends or family, but it consistently pulls at you, draws you in and tempts you.  We are all bound in this human flesh, which in and of itself is sinful, and therefore prone to the temptations of this world.  We are not immune to the lusts, the addictions, the anger, the envy and jealousy, the words, the actions and the pride that are so prevalent in this world.  There is one, though, who faced these temptations and overcame them all.  He stood upon the strength of His Father in heaven and turned from them by focusing upon God’s plan and God’s provision.  You have that same ability, if you so indeed to take advantage of it.

As hard as you try to will yourself to be “better” and not fall into that trap again, you alone are incapable.  Your straight jacket discipline is unable to stand against the evil in this world.  The people, the activities, thoughts and sins that are pervasive here will quickly envelope your defenses.  Unless you reach for the One who has been tested and found Holy against the evil one.  Jesus Christ came in order to set you free from these sins and relationships.  By leaning into Him and drawing upon His authority and strength you can also be found an overcomer. 

As we discussed yesterday – there will be pain in cutting away some of these habits and relationships.  But, at the end of the journey, the strength that will be built up in you, and the path that you find yourself walking on will be much more in line with God’s plan and less aligned with the world’s plan.  Your objective is to grow in your walk, in your faith and in your life’s purpose for God.  Looking carefully at those things in your life that separate you from God, I ask that you sit down right now and lift them up to Jesus in prayer.  Asking Him for the wisdom and courage to cut those things that are not benefitting your walk and to focus more heartily on those things that will allow you thrive in the Lord.  This new year of 2018 is your year to reset your direction on a path serving the Lord in all areas of your life.  Take this small step today on that new journey.

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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Don't Be Misled

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”  – Ephesians 6:13


A wise man once told me, “Always listen to God and be prepared for the worst.  It wasn’t raining

when Noah built the Ark.”  We are watching as more and more immorality and corruptness become the accepted norm in today’s society.  Watch the news, listen to the talk shows, read the blogs and newspapers. 

I recently heard a story of a police officer who observes an older pickup driving straight through a Stop sign early one morning.  He pursues the truck and hits his lights and siren.  Assuming the man was simply late for work and in a hurry, he radio’s in the information of the vehicle before walking toward the pickup.  As the police officer nears the vehicle the report comes back that the vehicle in question was involved in a convenient store robbery and the driver is assumed armed and dangerous.  The police officer did not hear the report as he was too far from his vehicle at the time.  He moves to the driver’s window and before he can ask for a driver’s license and registration, the barrel of a gun is pointed at his chest and a blast goes off.  The officer falls backward into the street, laid out flat on his back.  The suspect, fumbles with his keys trying to start the truck and get away, before realizing that the police officer is standing once again and has pulled his gun and fired twice.  The first round hits the windshield, but the second goes through the door and hits the suspect in the leg.  At this point the armed robber drops his weapon and surrenders to the police officer.  The officer’s forethought and preparation by putting on his Kevlar vest that morning saved his life.  He had no idea that this pursuit would result in a gun being fired, but he was fully armed and prepared for the worst possibility.

The war we battle each day we wake up is not with man.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authority and power of this dark world.  Satan, and his demonic spirits are alive and well in this world in which we live.  You don’t see him walking the streets with red cape and horns, no he is much more creative and maniacal than that.  He works in the spiritual realm by working in your mind and heart.  He will find the slightest opening in your faith and pry it open as a burglar might in the middle of the night.  He uses emotions, guilt, and worldly things to entice, seduce and lure you into his darkness.  Many are blinded by his manipulation of the truth and follow along unknowingly because it doesn’t seem to hurt anyone else, therefore it must be good.  People have told me, “I’m a good person, I don’t drink, swear or do drugs; I’ve never hurt anyone, stole anything or lied; I help the homeless and work at the nursing home on Thursdays.  I’m sure God will take me to heaven, when I die; why wouldn’t He?”  This sounds like the perfect Christian role model.  The person I am referring too doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ though.  Satan’s misleading this person to believe that all “good” people go to heaven.  Another of his tremendous lies that is influencing today’s world in an enormous way.  Jesus himself teaches us in Matthew 7:21-23 that doing good works without a relationship with Jesus Christ himself is considered evil work.

Satan is going to use our laziness, our busyness and our lack of patience against us in these last days (no prediction here, could be hundreds of years from now).  Face it, we are a society looking for a quick answer to today’s problems and lacking any answers, have shown a willingness to settle for the next best thing.  Just as the police officer prepared for his day by putting on his Kevlar vest, we need to put on our armor every morning as well.  Start with the word and prayer each day, asking God to walk with you, protect you and watch over you.  This is the first step each of us should take to battle Satan in this world.

Prayer:

Almighty God,

You have given us Your word as a weapon against the evil in this world.  Let it live within us, real and inspiring to protect us when we are pursued by the trials and temptations of the day.  We draw upon Your name and Your protection against Satan and his power, equip us to fight the battle for You.  In Your name we pray - Amen
             

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I Can't Do It

“Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”– Genesis 18:14

Shattered glass like pieces of a broken heart, lie upon the floor.  Words from others, that have long since moved on, echo through the chambers of my mind.  Every morning sun brings with it a realization that my past cannot be undone and the future looks to be from the same mold.  What does this day hold that is worth putting my feet on the floor?  Where will my joy come from this day, which was so fleeting yesterday?  Desperation and fear have filled the void left by joy and peace in my youth – as this existence has evolved into a life of uncertainty and doubt.  There must be more, for if this is all there is than we are all in a dire state.

In today’s world of uncertainty, many are just plain giving up.  It’s so much easier to wake up feeling helpless and worthless than it is to wake up with a purpose to live.  You see, when we come to realize that each and every day contains the beauty of His grace, life takes on a meaning.  “Why would God love me?”, I heard the desperate young woman say.  The only real answer is, “Because from the moment you were conceived, you belong to Him”  You may walk through each day thinking that you have it under control, yet each night you feel overwhelmed when your head hits the pillow.  You were never designed to walk this journey alone.  Each and every one of us are given 24 hours (1440 minutes, 86,400 seconds) in a day to live in His grace and share it with others.  I know it’s hard to find God when life is filled with disappointment and heartache.  It’s at these times, though, when there is nothing else worth holding onto, when we need to reach for His hand the most. 

My boy is six years old, and he gets frustrated when he something seems to difficult.  Often times I see him just give up, frustrated and angered with whatever he was trying to do.  I’ll kneel down, look him in the eye and give him this advice, “There is nothing you can’t do, you just need to ask for help sometimes.”  I give the same advice to you today - Give it to God and rest assure, you won’t be the first one to bring this problem, whatever it is, to His feet. There is nothing He hasn’t heard before.  You just need to trust that He actually hears you when you call and be patient for His help to arrive.  Put your feet on the floor and live, while you’re waiting.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

I trust in Your strength and Your promises.  I give You my problems and my worries and I know that You will walk with me through this day.  You have given me a spirit of courage, confidence and compassion to make it through this one day, and just like manna from heaven, You will give me more tomorrow.  I know You love me, and I want to share Your love with others in the same manner.  Help me to walk in Your light this day.  In Your name I pray – Amen
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