Rescue Me!...Psalm 34:18

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 

I once heard, if God could break his only son for us, what makes me think that he wouldn't break me for His purposes. Weren't we created for God's purposes? Weren't we created to glorify his name always? 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Why is it that Our sinful nature always gets in the way of our adoration for God through Christ! We must always remember that God loves us more than we can understand. He wants us to cry out to him and he will rescue us but that requires faith! That's why we call it a trial. It feels like God is testing us to see if we truly love him. Well you can say that we tested him when we put Christ to death. But Jesus came through and died for our benefit anyway. He didn't waver and he did not give in to the trial. He loved us that much to endure the pain that he suffered. I cannot attest or comprehend what Jesus went through but what I know is that I have placed my faith in Jesus for my salvation! Jesus is my savior and I am eternally grateful for the love that God has for me. I know this because God's Word says so and I know this because in prayer God has answered my prayer through his Holy Word and through others as they counseled me. Next time you go through a difficult trial or suffer a broken heart for what ever reason, trust in God, reach out to him, ask him to hear your prayer and have faith that he will! Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 

Father I thank you for hearing my prayers, for constantly looking out after me, for giving me the Holy Spirit within me to guide me and to lead me to your will. Thank you Father for your love and truth and I trust you. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!

Secret of Living...Phillipians 4:13

Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

Paul is addressing the people in Philippi of Greece and is giving them thanks for their help and generosity. He tells them in Philippians 4:12 "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." That secret is Jesus Christ! Not some special diet or meditation or support group, it's JESUS! Dependence on Jesus! This comes to much surprise to modern day society because we've become desensitized to today's culture and a huge dependance on modern day idols like self help, success, money, vanity or looks and not to mention independence! Most people today who are non-believers or weak Christians dont understand what Paul means here. In fact, this verse has become overly used and has lost its meaning and/or translation throughout the years. Make no mistake, God's Word never gets old, never becomes obsolete or irrelevant. Our sinful nature is always at work to glorify its own selfish desires. Thats why most people will not accept Christ, they dont want to let go of what they think they have or believe to have created. This a temporary false sense of security. Read what God says about His Holy Word...(Remember that this was written by the Holy Spirit through man...2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. 

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

Deuteronomy 28:58-59 “If you refuse to obey all the words of instruction that are written in this book, and if you do not fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord your God, then the Lord will overwhelm you and your children with indescribable plagues. These plagues will be intense and without relief, making you miserable and unbearably sick. 

James 1:22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 

Father, we bring Praise & Honor to your name! We thank you for your Holy Word and promise of salvation through your son Jesus Christ in whom we place our Faith & Trust! Help us when we doubt with your wisdom, shield us when we are afflicted with temptations with faith in Christ, help us to discern the lies with your written truth! Blessed be your name forever! In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!

Wisdom & Understanding...Proverbs 2:10-11

Proverbs 2:10-11 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you

You've heard the saying, "Knowledge is Power", that definitely applies to the Word of God. Not knowing what God has to say about our lives is like having a fine steak placed in front of us and we not knowing what to do with it. We hear people constantly searching for our purpose, where did we come from, why do bad things happen to good people, I could go on & on but the Good News is that we have answers, directly from the Holy Spirit within the Bible. A library of books that constitutes a Love story unrivaled in history. How anyone could refuse God's gift of His son as the perfect sacrifice for the atonement of our sins is something I can't understand. All I know is that every day, I'm given a new opportunity to get closer to God through His son, Jesus and fellowship with His Holy Spirit who lives within me, guiding me, helping me discern Truth from lies, right from wrong, etc. this type of understanding only comes from His grace through faith! Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Who would I be without faith?

Father, thank you so much for your gift of wisdom which gives understanding! I am so grateful for your love for me, a sinner! Teach me your will Father and draw me closer to your son Jesus Christ, my savior! In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!

Nuff Said!...John 21:25

John 21:25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. 

The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible through man. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. The fact that God gave us the Bible is an evidence and illustration of His love for us. The term "revelation" simply means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can have a right relationship with Him. These are things that we could not have known had God not divinely revealed them to us in the Bible. Although God's revelation of Himself in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything man needs to know about God in order to have a right relationship with Him. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practice, and morals. Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. 

Imagine how big the Bible would be if the Holy Spirit kept on writing! He didn't have to go any further than what he did. God said all he needed to say. Next time you are left wondering why about something in your life, reference the Bible and see what God has to say about it. Make it a point to seek God's perspective. The WWJD "What Would Jesus Do" movement originated in 1896 in a novel by Charles Sheldon titled In His Steps but became popular in the 1990's. Imagine a new movement, WDGSAT "What Does God Say about That?" Why dont we seek God's understanding when it comes to the issues we face in this world? One answer! Our sinful nature!

Thank you Father for your Word, your truth and how fortunate we are to have it so accessible to us in our time. Through technology, we can be conneced to your truth at any time and place more than ever before in history! We have no excuse to be ignorant! Help me Father to turn to you and your truth with every trial I face and may you give me understanding as well as discernment so I can apply your truth to my life and help me guard against satan's attacks. I love you Father, Blessed be your name always. In the name of Jesus I pray, AMEN!

To live is Christ...Philippians 1:21

Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” 

Most people focus on the second part of the verse, “to die is gain,” and contemplate the joys of heaven. But we should not overlook what comes before. The importance of the phrase “to live is Christ” cannot be overstated. In all honesty, this phrase should be central to every Christian’s life.

In this statement, the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ. From the time of Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Christ. Paul’s singular aim was to bring glory to Jesus.

“To live is Christ” means that we proclaim the gospel of Christ. Paul preached in synagogues; he preached at riversides; he preached as a prisoner; he preached as an apostle; he preached as a tentmaker. His message was constant: “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He brought the message of Christ’s sacrifice to kings, soldiers, statesmen, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He would preach to literally anyone who would listen.

“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and say. The church benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). What would Jesus do? That’s what we want to do.

“To live is Christ” means that we pursue the knowledge of Christ. We want to know Christ better and better each day. Not just a set of facts about Christ, but Christ Himself. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).

“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9). We cling to the promise of our Lord in Mark 10:29-30 that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.

“To live is Christ” means that Christ is our focus, our goal, and our chief desire. Christ is the center point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is our life.

Commentary by www.GotQuestions.org

Heavenly Father, help me make you first in my life through Jesus, my savior! Blessed be your name always! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

Does God need us?...Exodus 3:14

Exodus 3:14 

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 

God is holy, eternal, almighty, and totally self-sufficient. He does not need any created being, but we do need Him. All of creation is dependent on the life that God alone sustains. “He makes grass grow for the cattle,” and “all creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. . . . When you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust (Psalm 104:14, 27, 29).

God, on the other hand, is not dependent on anything or anyone. He suffers no lack, knows no limitation, and experiences no deficiency. He is “I AM THAT I AM,” with no qualification or exception (Exodus 3:14). If He needed anything to stay alive or to feel complete, then He would not be God.

So, God does not need us. But, amazingly, He loves us passionately, and in His goodness He wants us to live with Him forever. So 2,000 years ago, God Himself put on skin, came to Earth, and gave His very life to atone for our sin and prove His deep love for us. He paid the ultimate price to reconcile us to Himself, and nobody pays that high a price for something they don’t want or value.

Jesus certainly knew what was going to befall Him at the end of His earthly ministry (Mark 8:31; John 18:4). In His anguish in Gethsemane, as He prayed about the trials that would soon befall Him, blood-tinged sweat dripped from His brow (Luke 22:44). And Jesus surely knew very well the prophecy of Isaiah 52:14, “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.” The Son of Man was flayed to the bone to the extent that He no longer resembled a human being. And that torture was followed by something even worse, the crucifixion itself, the most painful and vile method of execution ever devised.

As Jesus hung on the cross, His Father in heaven “turned away” from Him. Habakkuk 1:13 confirms that God’s eyes “are too pure to look on evil.” And at that moment, Christ cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

This is the price God paid for us, and this is how we know that He loves us. Because of this incredible and unwarranted love for us disobedient sinners, we are offered eternal life. Salvation is a gift, given freely for the asking, because of the breathtaking, voluntary sacrifice by the one true God. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Once joined to Christ, nothing can separate us from Him. Romans 8:38–39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Believers in Christ are made new. We understand the depth of His love for us: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

You, too, can immerse yourself in God’s eternal love for you and know the certainty of eternal life. Continue reading here to learn what it means to accept Christ as your personal Savior.

Father, thank you for who you are, I am nothing without you. I am grateful for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ of which I am not worthy. Blessed be your name most high! In Jesus name we pray, Amen!

Commentary by GotQuestions.org

Faith...believe it or not...2 Corinthians 5:7

2 Corinthians 5:7 Our life is lived by faith. We do not live by what we see in front of us. 

Everything we do is done with faith however we've become somewhat blind to it. When you turn the keys to start your car, you're not hoping that it won't start...on the contrary, your hoping that it will start. In fact you could say that you have faith that it will. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see. Let's live like God intended us to, in the glory of God's love for us. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

Next time you feel in doubt about whether or not God loves you or is there for you, look to His Word and hear His promise for you: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Thank you Father for not forsaking me nor leaving me when I need you most. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me so that I can be redeemed in God's grace. Thank you for loving me more than I could possibly understand!

Praise be your name always! In Jesus name, Amen!