Friday, July 31, 2015

Just a little reminder....



Of what Jesus did just for you:

Isaiah 53:3-12

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

Oh what a Savior we have in Jesus!!!

Tom

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Your faith tested. 7-30-15

Tell others of our Great God!



May we all take these words to heart and give glory where it is due...to God!

Psalm 96:3-13

3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Keys point to grasp in this Psalm:

1. With your voice brag upon God and tell what He has done for you to others! Don't keep it to self!

2. Fear God and praise Him!

3. Idols are worthless! Worship God who made all including heaven.

4. Strength, beauty, splendor, and majesty all describe God.

5. Give to God glory and give offerings to God.

6. Worship and tremble before God after all He is God!

7. Let all know God reigns and He will judge all one day.

8. Creation worships God.

9. All will be judged righteously be cause God is faithful!

Oh what an awesome God we have...praise Him!!!!!

Tom

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

What are you feet looking like????



Was reminded of this verse last night:

Romans 10:15
And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Short and sweet today...what are you feet looking like? Beautiful because you are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ or covered in dead skin and ugly because you are keeping the news to yourself???

Pray, evaluate, and GO!

Tom

God keeps His promises! 7-29-15

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Do good for God's glory not your own!



The ole devil likes to see us brag about doing things for others for pride has then entered us. Be very careful about this because when we brag about doing something for others, we then are patted on the back and that is our reward! On the other hand if we do good for someone and keep it to ourselves, God sees it and will give us rewards in heaven! Look at these verses:

Matthew 6:1-4

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reread that slowly and listen to what God is telling us! Here are a few other verses to think upon also:

Colossians 3:23-24

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Luke 6:35

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

I wonder how many rewards I have lost in heaven because I just had to tell someone what I did for somebody else!!! Why is it so hard to keep it to ourselves? Pride! Don't let the devils tool steal your rewards!

You are serving Jesus and He knows all you are doing and that is all we need to know!

Tom

Don't get ahead of God! 7-28-15

Monday, July 27, 2015

What the world can do to you! 7-27-15

I want you FIRST!



On this Monday morning start your day off by listening to this song by Lauren Dangle called "First" turn it up and worship brothers and sisters!



So is that your prayer and aim this morning to put and keep God first in everything? I sure hope so, it is for me! Although I fail often. The scriptures point to this for us also, let's look at a few:

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Galatians 2:20 
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

John 3:30 
He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Matthew 22:37 
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Take some time this morning and evaluate the desires of your heart...are these desires of God first and foremost or something else. Pray for God's leading and help and He will give it. God deserves first place! Let us as those created in His image always place Him first in our lives for anything else in first place is an idol!

Tom

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Seek God



God is so easily found. Through His grace and mercy, and most of all love, He has paved the way for us to find Him...think about that for a moment. God allows us to find Him and have a relationship with Him. That just blows me away!

Acts 17:27
27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Deuteronomy 4:29
29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

2 Chronicles 15:13
13 but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

Psalm 14:2
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[a]
who seek after God.

Psalm 69:32
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

Psalm 70:4
4 May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”

Amos 5:14
14 Seek good, and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
as you have said.

Colossians 3:1
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

God's Word speaks loud and clearly. Let these soak in you this day and may we glorify the name of Jesus in all we say and do! Seek HIM above all!!!

Tom

Don't look back! 7-15-15

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Judgement is not a joking matter! 7-14-15

Yahweh!!



Yahweh is very important name for God. Do you know why? If you don't let's find out! Yahweh for a simple definition means "I Am" or "He is". The "I Am" example can be seen in Exodus 3:14 account with Moses:

Exodus 3:14
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

For a more in depth look at Yahweh I like what John Piper says here:

10 Things “Yahweh” Means
John Piper

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” (Exodus 3:15)

God’s name is almost always translated LORD (all caps) in the English Bible. But the Hebrew would be pronounced something like "Yahweh," and is built on the word for "I am."

So every time we hear the word Yahweh, or every time you see LORD in the English Bible, you should think: this is a proper name (like Peter or John) built out of the word for “I am” and reminding us each time that God absolutely is.

There are at least 10 things the name Yahweh, “I AM,” says about God:

1. He never had a beginning. Every child asks, “Who made God?” And every wise parent says, “Nobody made God. God simply is. And always was. No beginning.”

2. God will never end. If he did not come into being he cannot go out of being, because he is being.

3. God is absolute reality. There is no reality before him. There is no reality outside of him unless he wills it and makes it. He is all that was eternally. No space, no universe, no emptiness. Only God.

4. God is utterly independent. He depends on nothing to bring him into being or support him or counsel him or make him what he is.

5. Everything that is not God depends totally on God. The entire universe is utterly secondary. It came into being by God and stays in being moment by moment on God's decision to keep it in being.

6. All the universe is by comparison to God as nothing. Contingent, dependent reality is to absolute, independent reality as a shadow to substance. As an echo to a thunderclap. All that we are amazed by in the world and in the galaxies, is, compared to God, as nothing.

7. God is constant. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He cannot be improved. He is not becoming anything. He is who he is.

8. God is the absolute standard of truth and goodness and beauty. There is no law-book to which he looks to know what is right. No almanac to establish facts. No guild to determine what is excellent or beautiful. He himself is the standard of what is right, what is true, what is beautiful.

9. God does whatever he pleases and it is always right and always beautiful and always in accord with truth. All reality that is outside of him he created and designed and governs as the absolute reality. So he is utterly free from any constraints that don't originate from the counsel of his own will.

10. God is the most important and most valuable reality and person in the universe. He is more worthy of interest and attention and admiration and enjoyment than all other realities, including the entire universe.

Wow think on this for a while and then worship Him with the help of this song from Phil Wickham "At your name" (Yahweh Yahweh):



Tom

Monday, July 13, 2015

Pattern Satan used to deceive us. 7-13-15

God's grace is enough.


My Pastor Mark Warren shared these verses last night at church and it was a good reminder:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A few things to notice:

1. As workers for God we must remain humble and not become conceited. v7. Obviously Paul must had an issue with this so God allowed a problem to keep him humble!

2. Physical problems can be allowed by God for our benefit. v7. Wow don't ever forget that, while the physical ailment came from Satan God used it to benefit Paul! Paul asked God many times to remove it but God did not!

3. So what do we do when problem is not removed? Know that God's grace is sufficient and the power of God will see us through. v9 God is always there and will help us...trust Him!

4. When we see the power of God getting us through our problem we glorify God and brag on HIM! v9

5. When we can grasp these truths we then know that any hardships we face that although we are weak in ourselves, with power of God we are strong! Amen!!!!! v.10

Grab onto these truths and remember them always! You will need them as a follower of God!

Tom

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Let's just praise Him!


WE should do this everyday! Let us join the psalmist this morning and give the one who deserves all the glory, honor, and praise just that:

Psalm 96 

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

It seems we ask ask ask of God when we need to spend much more time in praise praise praise of God!!! Take some time just to praise God right now and ask for nothing!!!

Tom

Sometimes our good in not good! 7-2-15

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

That many may be saved.



AS a follower of Jesus we have a few main goals. One is complete obedience to the Word of God. Two is glorifying the name of God in everything we do. Three is to preach the Word so others may come to salvation. Four would be to love others and put them first.
How are you doing in these goals as a follower of Jesus? Look at these verses:

1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

11 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Now when it says do not be an offense, it is referring to love and mercy and example setting. But when it comes to God's Word we must never waver, if they are offended because of that then they must deal with God about that! In all we do we are to give glory to God and obedience brings glory to God!

Do all we can to bring others to Jesus, so they may be saved! Imitate Christ!

Tom

God spares the Righteous! 7-1-15