Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Good word for the follower!
A good word for the follower of Jesus this morning!
John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
Remember brothers and sisters that when you come to Jesus and pledge allegiance to the Lamb of God with your life, He will never cast out! You will be with Him always!!! I know someone needs that reminder today! Live for Jesus, He alone is worthy of your life!
Tom
Monday, January 30, 2017
Comfort of assurance.
Speaking for myself and I hope you feel the same, knowing the assurance of my salvation in comforting and gives me peace! I want to give you a verse this morning to reassure you and comfort you as a follower of Jesus!
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
AHHHHH! Nothing can separate us from the love of the Father when we are in Christ Jesus! Thank you Lord Jesus!
Do you have that assurance in Jesus Christ? If not you can today. If you need help feel free to message me anytime! Be my honor to help you in any way I can!
Tom
Friday, January 27, 2017
He Knows Your Need (Guest writer)
I thought this was too good not to share! God is good!
Devotional by John Piper
“Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:31–32)
Jesus wants his followers to be free from worry. In Matthew 6:25–34, he gives at least seven arguments designed to take away our anxiety. One of them lists food and drink and clothing, and then says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:32).
Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. And this Father is better than any earthly father.
I have five children. I love to meet their needs. But my knowing falls short of God’s knowing in at least three ways.
First, right now I don’t know where any of my children are. I could guess. They’re in their homes or at work or school, healthy and safe. But they might be lying on a sidewalk with a heart attack.
Second, I don’t know what is in their heart at any given moment. I can guess from time to time. But they may be feeling some fear or hurt or anger or lust or greed or joy or hope. I can’t see their hearts. They don’t even know their own hearts perfectly.
Third, I don’t know their future. Right now they may seem well and steady. But tomorrow some great sorrow may befall them.
This means I can’t be for them a very strong reason not to worry. There are things that may be happening to them now, or may happen tomorrow, that I do not even know about. But it is totally different with their Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven! He knows everything about us, where we are, now and tomorrow, inside and out. He sees every need.
Add to that, his huge eagerness to meet our needs. Remember the “much more” of Matthew 6:30, “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you?”
Add to that his complete ability to do what he is eager to do (he feeds billions of birds hourly, around the world, Matthew 6:26).
So join me in trusting the promise of Jesus to meet our needs. That’s what Jesus is calling for when he says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Is God calling you worthy?
We are not worthy in ourselves but when we are covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ we become worthy and then have work to do!
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I want you to see a few things here:
1. Fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness-God is good! He desires for us to be good which brings pleasure to God and us. Are you being good?
2. The work of the faith with power-What is the work of the faith? Love God, Love others, meet the needs of others, and share the gospel. God has given us the Holy Spirit which supplies the power, we are without excuse! Do the work!
3. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you-what is our purpose in this life God has blessed us with? To glorify Jesus!!! He is the number 1 priority!
4. You in Him-we are also glorified just by the goodness of our God! Praise the Lord!
5. According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ-all this is only because of the grace that God gives to His children, those who have called upon Jesus as Lord and Savior! We are a blessed people!
So let me ask again...Is God calling you worthy?
Tom
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Assured of my Savior!
Some seem to live this life in questioning if they have salvation. Let me assure you this morning if you have called upon the name of Jesus to save you, repented of your sins, and made Jesus your Lord, you are saved! Let me remind you of a few verses:
Romans 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Romans 14:8-9 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
And may we all have the assurance of Job!
Job 19:25-26 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Tom
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Your Course!
God has a plan just for you in this life:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Don’t miss the words of Paul: “I have finished my course”. Paul is telling us here that he knows he has finished the course that God had laid out for him in life. It is very important to know God has specific plans for each of us. This is why it is so important that we are in His Word daily and in prayer without ceasing so we can know what God has for us to do in this life! Are you on the course God has for you?
There are a few things we know for sure for each follower of Jesus like share the gospel, love others, serve the church, and meet the needs of others. There are also things you will have to seek out with God like who you marry, the job you will get, where to live, and where to serve God in the church and outside the church.
So think about these things and ask yourself if you are on the course God has for you? If yes...AWESOME! If no, there is no better time than now to start!
Tom
Monday, January 23, 2017
Death is not a bad thing to the believer!
For the follower of Jesus I want to remind you that death is not a bad thing! Matter of fact it is a glorious blessing!
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When death comes we have ultimate victory as we become immortal because of the shed blood of Jesus as we enter heaven to dwell with the Father forever and ever!
Now does that sound bad??? I did not think so either!
Praise God for death! We have victory!
Tom
Friday, January 20, 2017
God must increase!
A very simple lesson from God’s Word today. As we go through this life as a follower of Jesus this must be our goal:
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
More of God and less of me. If we can do that each day we will grow to be more and more like Jesus!
Chew on that today!
Tom
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Are you ready for the grave?
This is one of the most important equations you can ask yourself. You can have assurance that you are ready. Paul gives us the example that you can be ready here:
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Paul was ready to die and go be with the Lord! How could he know he was ready? He tells us:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
He fought the fight, the spiritual battle, and had victory in Jesus Christ.
He finished the plan God laid out for him. Notice it was God’s plan not Pauls.
He kept the faith! Through good times and bad, Paul knew his faith was in the Lord.
So let me ask you again....are you ready for the grave? You can be! Get right with Jesus!
Tom
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Hard times bring growth in Christ.
It is taught often among believers that we grow in Christ most during the difficult times in our life. I agree! Why is this? When we face tough times the only place we have to turn is God! We learn He is the only place to go and He is the ONE with the answers! Sadly when we are having a peaceful, blessed time in life we tend to rely on self and others instead of the one who deserves praise which is God!
J.C. Ryle puts it this way: “Sickness and losses and crosses and anxieties and disappointments seem absolutely needful to keep us humble, watchful, and spiritual minded. We shall find that all worked for our good when we reach heaven.”
That good he speaks of will partly be growth in our faith! Remember this from the Bible:
Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
So when your in a hard time know it can help you grow in your faith! Turn to God and spend time with Him. BUT not just in hard times! Grow in Christ in the blessed times as well and give God all the glory!
Tom
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Do you walk with Jesus as your best friend?
When we surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior, we then have a new and perfect best friend!
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Now that we have a new best friend, do we treat Him like it? J.C. Ryle puts it like this:
“We must seek to have personal intimacy with the Lord Jesus, and to deal with Him as a man deals with loving friend.
To turn to Him first in every need,
To talk to Him about every difficulty,
To consult Him in every step,
to spread before Him all our sorrows,
to get Him to share in all our joys,
to do all as in His sight, and
to go through everyday leaning on and looking to Him!”
Paul told us this also:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
So let us ask ourselves...”Is Jesus my best friend and do I treat Him like it?”
Tom
Monday, January 16, 2017
Relationship with Jesus
Have you ever taken a moment to think about your relationship with Jesus? He is to be your best friend. Your love for Him is to be not even close to anything you have on this earth demonstrated by what He says here:
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Obviously Jesus does not want you to hate these folks but in comparison with the love we should have for Him, it should not even be close! Can you say that?
Think about the relations Jesus revealed to us in His Word for His followers and Himself:
His bride Bridegroom
His members Head
His patients Physician
His clients Advocate
His sheep Shepherd
His scholars Master
All these speak of relationship, and for us close relationship with our Lord and Savior!
So this morning think of your relationship with Jesus! It is of the highest priority?
Tom
Friday, January 13, 2017
You are nothing in your own strength.
We are made by God, to worship God and to glorify God. We are empowered by God through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, without God we are nothing!
Romans 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Can it be any clearer????
Tom
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Do you watch the company you keep?
Ever thought about the friends you spend much time with and how that relates to you relationship with God? According to the Word of God it is very important you evaluate this part of your life!
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Be careful here is saying “well my friends are not wicked”, if they have not surrendered their lives to Jesus that are wicked in the sight of God!
Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
So choose you friends wisely and those who are not following Jesus should be you priority is sharing the Word of God so they can give their lives to Christ! You are to shape their lives in a positive direction and not let then shape you life negatively!
Tom
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Sit and think about God.
Very simple this morning...take time to sit, be quiet, think about God and the things of God.
Psalm 4:4b Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 63:6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Are you taking time to be alone and quiet with God?
Tom
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
A sign of growth in our walk with Jesus.
When we get right with Jesus and we begin our walk with him there are serval signs of growth. I wan to mention two this morning. They are very simple but sometimes so hard to do!
1. Share the gospel with others. We should develop such a love for people and concern that any soul that does not have a saving relationship with Jesus will go to hell! HELL! Does that concern you?
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
2. Helping meet needs of others. This is a common teaching in the bible to help others. One reason this is important is many folks will not listen to you about Jesus until they know you really do care about them. Meeting needs is not only needed to help them live but also to build their trust.
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
So think on these two things today and evaluate your growth in Christ. Share Jesus and share your goods!
Tom
Monday, January 9, 2017
Growth equals loving more!
A simple teaching of the bible we need to be reminder of often is when we are growing to be more like Jesus, then we should be growing in loving others! Are we?A couple of verses to chew on today in this area:
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Hmmm I don’t think any more has to be said does it? The Lord has spoken!
So again I ask are we growing?
Tom
Friday, January 6, 2017
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Are you humble?
In our walk with God he demands that we be humble not proud. Take a moment and look at the men of the bible and how they viewed themselves before an Almighty God:
Job: Job 40:4 “Behold, I am vile;
Abraham: Genesis 18:27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
Jacob: Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant;
David: Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man;
Isaiah: Isaiah 6:5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips,
Peter: Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Paul: 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Until we humble ourselves before God and realize our worthless condition without Him we can never get right with Him. For God has told us:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
The good thing is though once we realize what we really our, we then can become clean again!!!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Praise the Lord! Get humble and get right with God!
Tom
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Are you living to please God or self?
That may seem like a strange question but it isn’t. Truth is on an average day most are looking to what pleases us and don’t even think about what God wants. Look at this verse:
1 Thessalonians 4:1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
The bible gives clear instructions on how followers of Jesus are to live and that is to please God in every area of our lives.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
You can not be pleasing to God and not know what His word says. It is impossible! So to please God you must know His word, spend time in prayer seeking His will, and the being obedient!
John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Think about this today...who are you trying to please?
Tom
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Are you growing in the things of Christ?
A true follower of Jesus should be growing in all areas of the faith. One may have times of stagnation but in the long road of the believer he should me growing. Look at these scriptures and evaluate yourself:
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
Colossians 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
2 Corinthians 10:15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,
1 Thessalonians 3:12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
I think these verses make it pretty clear that our Lord expects growth in our lives as followers of Him!
So as you look over the past year can you see growth??? Pray and ask God to help you grow in all areas of your faith!
Tom
Monday, January 2, 2017
It will happen this year!
Sometime this year we will have a situation come up that will put fear in us. Probably several times this year. It may be a sickness, it may be a job situation, it may be a number of things but I have the answer for you right here:
Psalm 56:3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
God is in control, and when you truly believe that and know He will take care of everything as He sees fit, you have nothing to fear!
So in this new year of 2017, put all your trust in Jesus and hold nothing back for He will see you through!
Tom
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