The Good News

     Did you know that before we can accept Jesus we have to hear the Word? If you believe, you have heard the Gospel.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word about Christ.  Romans 10:17

     I want to share two important segments of Scripture today. If you love Jesus, and have never shared the Gospel, these verses will give you guidance when the time is right! Spread the good news. When someone asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved.  Romans 10:10

By this Gospel you are saved if you hold firmly to the Word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures. ! Corinthians 15:2-4

     The good news? Jesus, the Word come to life to dwell with us (John 1) born of a virgin, died for our sins and rose again. Believe this Word, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, “Jesus is Lord!” and you will be saved. I’ll say that’s good news. Let’s make it contagious with our joy and love.

Dear Lord,

How can we keep from sharing this incredible news? The lost world needs You now more than ever. Give us boldness to be the messengers of the Good News

It is Jesus.

Amen

Today Is The Day!

     Today is the day. This is it. The moment you believe in God’s unconditional love for you. Believe! Jesus died for you! Believe in Him as Savior and ask His forgiveness. And guilt? Let it go, as far as the East is from the West.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

     You are no longer condemned. You are free!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:2

     God’s grace overcame the law. There is no work you can do to pave the way to heaven. Jesus is the way.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6

     It’s time. Take it in. He died for you. He rose again. The work is done. You are His forever and ever. Just believe.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Father,

Let Your Words pour into our hearts today. Forgiven. No longer condemned. You are the way, the truth and the life. All because You love us so. We believe! Today is the day and we are Yours forever, because You gave Your one and only Son.

And in His name we pray.

Amen

Living Water

     When Jesus comes to us it is never with condemnation, but with grace. His harshest Words were for the religious leaders of His day, the rule-followers and judgment-callers, the ones pointing out faults and puffing themselves up with their fancy prayers and knowledge of God.

     Jesus went to the least of the people. His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well is a beautiful example of His love. She comes to the well at the heat of day, long after the other women have come and gone. Hearing her story (see John 4) we realize she was probably ostracized because of her five marriages and the fact that she now lives with another man.

     Jesus offers words of encouragement even before she understands the truth of who He is. He tells her she speaks truth and then He explains His offer.

 Jesus answered her. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the women said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water?” “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 4:10-12

     Maybe the secret to filling continually with that living water is truth and humility. Our need for Jesus will never go away. Everything else we fill ourselves with will not satisfy. No amount of fun, or food or fellowship compares to our time with our Savior. Let’s humble ourselves before Him and allow Him to flow through us with the living water that will never run dry.

Jesus,

We come thirsty and all you ask from us is to believe. Fill us with the unending stream of the living water of life. That abundant life will follow us into eternity. Turn our lives away from the sin that entangles into the Spirit-filled life that gives us purpose and love.

Amen

The Holy Spirit and Me

Comparing our lives to others comes naturally. The Jones family has a bigger house. The girl next door drives a more expensive car. We wish we were skinnier, funnier, taller. The list goes on. I pray this week we will begin to believe that we are one-of-a-kind, made just the way God intended.

     Even in the church we tend to compare. If you have the gift of music, you may wish you could sing rather than play the piano. If you teach, you may wish you had a larger audience, not your small group. You get the idea. God does not look at numbers or audiences or as if one gift were better than another. He doesn’t look at credentials or academics or the size of our house.

     God looks at the heart. You may be making a difference in your family, or one-on-one in a quiet ministry. You may be just beginning to know Jesus, excited and nervous about what it all means. Today, just accept His love. The Holy Spirit will teach you what is next. He will move you as He sees fit. The measure of faith, and what He wants us to do? It’s all up to Him.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.  1 Corinthians 12:11

Jesus,

Take away our divisions and competitive natures. Let us see each other as beloved children of God, brothers and sisters meant to work together in unity. We can only do that when we accept and believe we are loved, just the way we are and allow You to show us what is next.

Amen

When We Are Content

     What brings you contentment? What needs have to be met to be content? Does money help? Do the people around you need to live up to your expectations? How about interruptions? Do they cause a disturbance in your mood? Do you react to the actions of everyone and everything around you as if they need to accommodate you?

     Can we use the Holy Spirit’s help to stay content throughout the day? It’s not easy is it? A stressful day gets us out of sorts. A disagreement over the simplest of things hits us right in the stomach.   A sleepless night or two leaves us grouchy and sensitive. Peace and contentment are promised by God. Turn to Him in thought and prayer when you feel the seeds of discontentment about to plant themselves within your heart.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  1 Timothy 6:6

     The Apostle Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, put in jail and arrested. His words in jail? “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4. Is it any wonder the jailer accepted Christ? When we stay joy-filled and peaceful (with the help of God) it becomes contagious. Rely on Jesus. He can help. We’ll never get it just right, but He can transform us, day by day. And, like Paul, we can allow Jesus to meet our needs.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  Philippians 4:11

Dear Father,

Contentment is hard to find in these crazy days we live in, but with You all things are possible. Give us peace and contentment within our hearts and souls, no matter the circumstances. And we can rejoice in You always.

In Jesus name,

Amen

When We Are Filled With Joy

     We do face seasons of sadness. We face the unknown and, thankfully, we experience seasons of great joy; holding a new-born baby, facing the love of our lives on our wedding day, finding a cure, or experiencing a miracle, or something as simple as a walk in the park. I pray your life will have many joy-filled seasons.

For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

     As believers, we are to live with each other through it all, just as Jesus lives through it all with us.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn.  Romans 12:15

     I pray that each of you will have times of great joy this year. And when you do I rejoice with you. May joy come to you in the morning and cause you to dance!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.  Psalm 30:11

Jesus,

Thank you for the moments of joy that fill our hearts. Bless us with those moments this year and remind us to stop, cherish and hold them close when they come to us.

Amen

When We Are Sad

     King David wears his heart on his sleeve. We see him falling in love and committing great sin because of it. He cries out for forgiveness. Another time, with his enemies surrounding him, we understand his great fear. And, like us, there were days he did not understand his deep anguish and sadness.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so distraught within me? Psalm 42:5a

    Through it all, his faith in God remains. In fact the Bible calls him, “a man after God’s own heart.” We can learn from this man after God's own heart. He is not shy about pouring his heart out to God. Throughout the Psalms he moves through his life seeking God, praising God and loving God. In the second half of the verse above, even with his downcast soul, he continues:

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5b

    If great sadness surrounds you today, cry out to God. And yearn for his presence. Read these beautiful words that begin this Psalm.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2

Jesus,

We yearn for the living water of Your grace. Even through the times our souls are downcast within us, You will be there. Hear our cries for help today. Hear our voices filled with sadness. You hear us and we praise You, our Lord.

Amen