Victory obtained by death, burial, and resurrection?

The dying Jesus is the evidence of God's anger toward sin; but the living Jesus is the proof of God's love and forgiveness. –Eifert

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14

When Jesus arose from the Dead He conquered death, Hell, and the grave! It is by His resurrection that He gave us victory; victory over a sinful world, victory over self, and victory over Satan! Boy that’s something to praise Him for today!

Have you received Christ as Saviour? Has He radically changed your life from what you once were? If so, you are a living victory of God's grace and you should be sharing it!

I Owe, I Owe, so I'll Praise Him as I Go

To the man who himself strives earnestly, God also lends a helping hand. -Aeschylus

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10

This is one of the major problems with people today. They have the, "you owe me attitude". The fact is, we are not owed anything. The only thing we deserve is hell. We have or had a sin debt that we could not pay and Jesus paid that debt for us. No one owes us anything but we owe Him. We owe Him everything so I'll praise Him as I go!  

Stirring you right out of your comfort zone.

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 Peter 3:1

Complacency has set into the average church in America. It’s not the liberal church’s fault. It’s not the atheist fault. It’s not the sinners fault. It’s my fault and it’s your fault if you are a Christian and we are not following the Word of God.

Peter said in order the get people out of their complacency (stir up your pure minds) he was going to stir them up. He did this by His Word and His Preachers! Be thankful for the preacher God has put in your life! It may be your Mom or Dad, your Sunday School teacher, a friend at School, a co-worker, a grandma or grandpa, or your pastor or youth pastor! God has placed people in your life to show you the way through the wilderness! Will you remain in your self-centered way or will you be stirred up?

Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Jesus is coming back are you ready?

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Psalm 24:9

The Word of God is clear, one day the Lord will bodily return to this earth. He will be returning but unfortunately I believe there will be many who are not ready. Many who have not confessed Him as Lord of their life. Many who have not repented of their sins and starting living for Him. Some will question, “Who is the King of Glory?” As David said, “The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.” “Selah” has been defined as: Think on these things, amen, John Phillips said, “What do you think about that?” I really like how one preacher explained it though—“Chew on that right thar!”

He is Lord!

Who is Jesus to You?

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. John 20:28

Someone once said, “Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or He is Lord.” It really doesn’t matter what you think about Jesus because that will not change who He is. It will only change who He is to you! Thomas doubted and it has gotten him a reputation down through the ages. What about you? Do you doubt Jesus is God? Do you doubt He is the Saviour? Unlike Thomas, if you see Him, then it will be too late. For every knee shall bow confessing Him as Lord!

Investments that are worthwhile!

If we work upon marble, it will perish.  If we work upon brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust.  But, if we work upon men's immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with the just fear of God, with love of their fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something which no time can efface and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity. –Daniel

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:1-3

The greatest privilege in this life is to invest our lives in the next generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s the only thing we can give them that truly lives on forever. Don’t leave it up to the school system; they kicked the influence of the Word of God out a long time ago. Don’t leave it up to the Colleges in America or abroad, the humanists have been in control of thought there for years. Christian take a step up and make up the hedge! Invest in the next generation! If you don’t who will?

How in the world can I love my enemy?

It is a man's peculiar duty to love even those who wrong him. –Antoninus

 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45 

This is obviously one of the hardest things to do as a Christian. Loving someone who is undoubtedly an enemy by their words and actions is not an easy task but yet the Lord told us to do just that. How could He expect us to love our enemy? Because He first loved us—His enemy! (James 4:4)

I Care but I don't Share...How does that work?

In no one else in all history do you find an abiding hatred, an immortal hatred except against our Lord... The hatred against Christ has never weakened even after twenty-centuries... because he is still an obstacle-an obstacle to sin, to selfishness, to godlessness, and to the spirit of the world. --Fulton J. Sheen

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20

Think about everything going on around us: high country deficit, racial tensions, wars, elections, our family problems, our jobs, and other things that preoccupy our minds. Do you think satan is sitting back, laughing it up because we are not doing what the Lord has told us to do? If the love of God is in us, then we need to be sharing that love, that blessed hope, the book- the Word of God, and about the blood- that was shed for the lost! Lord make it our life's purpose to share Jesus with someone everyday!

He's My Shepherd..is He yours?

"The Lord is my Shepherd," not was, not maybe, not will be.  "The Lord is my Shepherd"-is on Sunday, is on Monday, and is through every day of the week; is in January, is in December, and every month of the year; is at home, and is in China; is in peace, and is in war; in abundance and in poverty. –Taylor

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

A common definition of shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards sheep. I am glad the Lord is MY Shepherd because He tends to my needs. He keeps me from the snares of the Devil. He feeds me with the Manna from His Word. He guards me from the dangers of this world.

He does that every hour, every minute, and every second of every day! Who do you have doing that for you?

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

            There may be some sins of which a man cannot speak, but there is no sin which the blood of Christ cannot wash away. –Spurgeon

             Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 1 Peter 1:18-19 

            I have heard testimonies of men being in the Hell’s Angels being saved. I have heard of women living a life prostitution being saved. I have heard of drug addicts being saved. I have also heard of choir members, church members, and deacons being saved. I even heard of a preacher being saved one time. Guess what, all of them had the same need—they needed Jesus’ blood to wash them white as snow! No matter what your back ground His blood can and will wash you whiter than snow! Ask Him to be your Saviour today!

The Real Sustainables-

“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”― Billy Graham

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

The best definition of sustain is: To bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure. I enjoy reading in the Word of God where God sustains. I love hearing Preachers preach on how God sustains His people. But most of all I am very thankful how He took an old wretched sinner like me, saved me, gave me life and has sustained my life ever since! Do you know what I’m talking about today?

We know He knows us but do you know Him?

It is shocking to reflect that a change in the weather has more effect on some men's lives than the dread alternative of heaven or hell. –Spurgeon

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18

Here is another thing to be reminded of:

After three days in a borrowed tomb Jesus arose conqueroring death, hell, and the grave! He said He was going to do this in Mark 8:31 and He did! He also said in John 1:1-3 He was leaving to go and prepare a place for His children but He’s coming back! That’s something else that is better than any coffee in a cup or biscuit on a plate! Well….it is if you know Him! Do you—know Him? For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

Music for the quieting the Mind

A friend once asked the great composer Haydn why his church music was always so full of gladness. He answered: "I cannot make it otherwise. I write according to the thoughts I feel. When I think upon my God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap from my pen; and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit." -Van Dyke

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. Colossians 3:16

Music is so vital in our lives. It can motivate us to peace or to war. It can make us laugh or cry. But the main purpose for music I believe is Worship. Music is a great prelude to the preaching of God’s Word because it can prepare our hearts for Him! So when you are picking out that next cd, video, Blue ray disk, or if you still need a cassette; make sure you get something that will quiet your mind so that God can work in your heart!

The B-i-b-l-e that's the Book for me!

Perhaps there is no book more neglected in these days than the Bible.  I believe there are moldier Bibles in this world than there are of any sort of neglected books.  We have no book that is so much bought, and then so speedily laid aside and so little used, as the Bible. -Spurgeon

   Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

  I believe the greatest need in these days isn't more education, jobs, money or more Bibles. I believe what we need is to crack the seams of our Bibles, dig into each line, investigate every precept, and begin to build upon "Thus Saith the Lord". When we do our lives will begin to change in such a way that we become more educated. We will get that job promotion. We will be more financially stable than we have ever been before. We will be more of a witness because we are more confident in what we believe and why we believe it. But more than all of that we will not be ashamed when we stand before our Lord and Saviour!

Today is the day of salvation

The greatest of all miracles is the salvation of a soul. -Spurgeon

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.                    2 Peter 3:9

All means all...not just a chosen few! And that means You!