Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Wow that is awesome, just awesome. The Lord really loves and care for us. Who else would I ever hope in but Him. His Compassion never fails and His mercies are new every morning. That is such a great promise to us yet we are so unworthy. What an undeserving privilege it is to be called one of His own. Praise God, He is so great! Let's continually praise Him all the days of our lives!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
FLEE! Sexual Impurity
As believers we have the power of the Holy Spirit to kill sin (Romans 8:13). The Lord gives us the strength to face sins head on and put them to death. However, there is one specific sin the bible continually tells us to flee from. We can't even mess with it or think for a moment we’ve overcome it. As soon as we stop fleeing from this sin we can find ourselves in deep trouble. With all seriousness we must do what ever is needed to keep as far away from it as possible. We can't face it head on; we can't dabble close to the edge. We must continuously FLEE from it! This sin can destroy us; it can kill our work for the Lord and bring ourselves and others a world of hurt and shame. Most importantly it brings dishonor to the Lord. The sin I'm talking about is sexual immorality and youthful lusts.
Check out this scripture: Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Tim 2: 21-22).
You see how by remaining pure it allows us to be used by God as vessels for honorable work? Isn't that awesome? By remaining pure we will be cleansed from what is dishonorable and will be used by the Lord for what is honorable! That is motivation enough to flee from sexual sin! Let’s do what ever we can to run away from temptation and the things that can lead us to failure and destruction.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? - 1 Cor 6:18-19
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. - Romans 13:13-14
Lord-forgive me for the times I have fallen. Please give me the strength to always flee from this sin and youthful lusts. My desire is to be used a pure vessel for your honor. I don't want to dishonor you and I don't want to hinder myself from being used by you. By the strength of the Spirit I must kill any sin that stands in the way of your work in me. Please Lord give me the strength for I am so weak with out you. I love you Lord and I thank you for your commandments. In Jesus name-AMEN.
Check out this scripture: Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Tim 2: 21-22).
You see how by remaining pure it allows us to be used by God as vessels for honorable work? Isn't that awesome? By remaining pure we will be cleansed from what is dishonorable and will be used by the Lord for what is honorable! That is motivation enough to flee from sexual sin! Let’s do what ever we can to run away from temptation and the things that can lead us to failure and destruction.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? - 1 Cor 6:18-19
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. - Romans 13:13-14
Lord-forgive me for the times I have fallen. Please give me the strength to always flee from this sin and youthful lusts. My desire is to be used a pure vessel for your honor. I don't want to dishonor you and I don't want to hinder myself from being used by you. By the strength of the Spirit I must kill any sin that stands in the way of your work in me. Please Lord give me the strength for I am so weak with out you. I love you Lord and I thank you for your commandments. In Jesus name-AMEN.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Being Self-Righteous
But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness's are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
Times come where I can get caught up in legalism and become self-righteous. I start to put my trust in the "righteous" acts I think I am doing rather than in the completed work of Jesus Christ.
I recently heard a quote- "A believer must preach the Gospel to himself everyday."
I have to constantly remind myself of and put my trust in the completed work of Christ. He lived that perfect sinless life that I could never do. He willing went to the cross and took God's wrath upon himself for my sins. He paid the price in full. I can't achieve it. I have to trust in that and not myself.
The book of Isaiah reminds me that even the good I do is like filthy rags to the Lord. This shows my unworthiness to be a child of God.
I do desire to obey His commandments but my trust must not be in what I do but in that He paid it all at the cross. My only response to the cross is to grow in holiness and give myself over to Him as one of His disciples. May all I do for the Lord be to bring honor and glory to him and not myself. I am so privileged to be called by Him, I look at my service to the Lord as a blessing! What an honor it is to be called to serve Him! What I do is done only by the Lord's strength. Being used by God in advancing the Kingdom and building up the body is far greater than any self righteous, religious acts I can fall into at times. That kind of legalistic service to God is not what He wants. He wants me to do His will and obey his commandments because I am so grateful for what he first did for me. We Love Him, because He first Loved us (1 John 4:19) and if we do really love Him, we will also obey His commandments (John 14:23). My service and obedience is the evidence and the fruit of my faith and salvation, it is not the earning of it.
Lord I pray that I never do things in your name to try to achieve my salvation or feel good about myself. I ask for forgiveness for any self-righteousness that may be in me and that it is destroyed. I also pray that I never get upset with or look down on other believers who may be strugling but rather be used by you to correct or encourage them. I don't want to ever become self righteous and I realize that I am no better than my fellow believers. It is only because of your Grace alone and the Righteousness of Christ that I will be found right before you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Times come where I can get caught up in legalism and become self-righteous. I start to put my trust in the "righteous" acts I think I am doing rather than in the completed work of Jesus Christ.
I recently heard a quote- "A believer must preach the Gospel to himself everyday."
I have to constantly remind myself of and put my trust in the completed work of Christ. He lived that perfect sinless life that I could never do. He willing went to the cross and took God's wrath upon himself for my sins. He paid the price in full. I can't achieve it. I have to trust in that and not myself.
The book of Isaiah reminds me that even the good I do is like filthy rags to the Lord. This shows my unworthiness to be a child of God.
I do desire to obey His commandments but my trust must not be in what I do but in that He paid it all at the cross. My only response to the cross is to grow in holiness and give myself over to Him as one of His disciples. May all I do for the Lord be to bring honor and glory to him and not myself. I am so privileged to be called by Him, I look at my service to the Lord as a blessing! What an honor it is to be called to serve Him! What I do is done only by the Lord's strength. Being used by God in advancing the Kingdom and building up the body is far greater than any self righteous, religious acts I can fall into at times. That kind of legalistic service to God is not what He wants. He wants me to do His will and obey his commandments because I am so grateful for what he first did for me. We Love Him, because He first Loved us (1 John 4:19) and if we do really love Him, we will also obey His commandments (John 14:23). My service and obedience is the evidence and the fruit of my faith and salvation, it is not the earning of it.
Lord I pray that I never do things in your name to try to achieve my salvation or feel good about myself. I ask for forgiveness for any self-righteousness that may be in me and that it is destroyed. I also pray that I never get upset with or look down on other believers who may be strugling but rather be used by you to correct or encourage them. I don't want to ever become self righteous and I realize that I am no better than my fellow believers. It is only because of your Grace alone and the Righteousness of Christ that I will be found right before you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Loving Lost People
As I go out tonight to share the Gospel with the lost I must remember that I was once lost myself. Now that I'm found, I should never forget what it is to be lost. It’s easy to become annoyed with lost people, with their actions and the things they say. I have to remember, I was once like them! I can't start getting upset with them, I must remember that they are blind and don't get it. I need that love that can only come from the Lord to share the truth with them. I pray that God continues to give me His heart for the lost. Without love for these children of wrath, what’s the point? Why am I seeking them out and sharing the cure for sin and hell? Have I started doing it just because I'm suppose to? If that is the case, then I should be ashamed and stop. God is not pleased with that attitude. I pray that he restores my passion and compassion for them. Yes it upsets me that some of the lost people will never see how they have offended God and will die rejecting Christ. However there are the ones who God is working in and He is going to save! Those ones need the Gospel!
If I let the God haters discourage me from seeking out those who God is going to save, then I'm letting the enemy defeat me.
Luke 15: 6,7 says: 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
May I never lose God's heart for the lost, may I never get upset with them and feel like they are a bother to me. May I never surround myself with the 99 righteous and forget about the one that's lost.
Lord, give us your heart and your strength to share the Gospel with the lost tonight. For we know that some of us may plant and some of us may water, but we are nothing and the increase can only be given by the Father. May we continue to plant seeds tonight and believe that you will do the work in the hearts of these lost people. We take comfort in knowing the Gospel is the power of God to save! In Jesus name, Amen.
If I let the God haters discourage me from seeking out those who God is going to save, then I'm letting the enemy defeat me.
Luke 15: 6,7 says: 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
May I never lose God's heart for the lost, may I never get upset with them and feel like they are a bother to me. May I never surround myself with the 99 righteous and forget about the one that's lost.
Lord, give us your heart and your strength to share the Gospel with the lost tonight. For we know that some of us may plant and some of us may water, but we are nothing and the increase can only be given by the Father. May we continue to plant seeds tonight and believe that you will do the work in the hearts of these lost people. We take comfort in knowing the Gospel is the power of God to save! In Jesus name, Amen.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thss 5:17
I've been defeated in my prayer life lately. James chapter 5 verse 16 reminds me that: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Let us all be reminded that even though the Lord is in control, He still calls us to pray without ceasing. Lets be encouraged in knowing that not only are we allowed to go to His throne in prayer, he is telling us to do it without ceasing! What a privilege it is to be able to go to our Lord in prayer!
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