Given September 6, 2006
The Holy Spirit has been reminding me a lot lately about pride. Pride can be a bad thing. Sure, I’m proud of my family, some of the things I’ve accomplished, and the things I’ve been blessed with but those things can get up there too high for God’s liking. I have to watch out for that. So, I’m not going to brag on my boys right now. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2”

The other morning in prayer, I was saying, “Lord, I lift You up…”, then I thought, “Who am I to be lifting God up to a higher place? He’s already as high as you can get!” I realized what I needed to do was to lower myself and get in the right position before God. That’s why we bow when we pray. “…Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought… Romans 12:3”.

God is reminding me that I’m to be a servant. And, even in the leadership positions I’m in, I need to be a servant; to think of others above myself and not look down on any of God’s creation. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phillipians 2: 3-4”. My flesh doesn’t like that but that’s the way it’s gotta be for God to be pleased with me. God will lift me up in due time.

Given September 5, 2006

A friend related a story to me that she called a testimony. She and her husband had a big bill due and the checking account was a little low. They wanted to pay off this debt completely instead of making small monthly payments on it. My friend had prayed for God to supply the need. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19”.

The next day, she was doing some checking in her bank records and found that they had $3000 more in the account than she thought they had. And guess what the amount was they needed to pay off the dept? You’re right, $3000! She was testifying how God supplied their need, and He did.

I rejoiced with her at this news but shared a thought I had with her. The blessing she and her husband needed was there all the time, they just didn’t know it. And that’s the way it is many times with the things of God. He has provided wonderful blessings for us that we are just not aware of. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20”. God can and has done more for us that we can even imagine! And…it’s by His power that is at work within us! It’s already there!

Now, when we get ahold of that truth and begin putting it to the test…”and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10”. Study God’s Word and find out what He’s given you and, “go in and possess the land!”

Given March 15, 2003
“One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. Deuteronomy 19:15“. One person could not accuse another in olden times and get a conviction. Two witnesses had to agree before the matter could be established.

I get a picture of a scenario that shows what this verse means. Picture yourself standing before a judge sitting behind a high desk. There is a matter before the judge relating to your health. On one side, the devil says you’re in poor health. On the other side, the Word of God says, “…with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5“. The judge looks at you and says, “This witness says you’re sick and this witness says you’re healed.” I can’t decide either way from the mouths of these witnesses. It’s your choice, you are the deciding witness. Which one are you going to agree with?”

Could it be that in matters such as this that WE are the deciding witness? The devil is always going to be the witness contrary to the Word of God. God’s word is the true witness. Which one are we going to believe? Which one are we going to speak out of our mouth, to confess?

In the scenario, if we say, “I believe the Word of God, I’m healed!” The judge pounds his gavel and declares, “The matter is established. Two witnesses say he’s healed, so he’s healed. Court dismissed.” What does the Word of God say about your situation? Don’t listen to the lies of the devil and certainly don’t agree with him!

Given August 9, 2006
First of all, I want to apologize for so much time between posts lately. With vacations and the beginning of school, I have been swamped. I hope to do better for those of you who are regular readers.

I heard a comment in church recently that made me think about how things have been done in churches over the years. Our preachers preach rousing sermons about the need for salvation and people will come to the alter in the passion of the moment, say a “magic” prayer, maybe cry, then bask in the love of God and the applause of the congregation. These people have become “born again”. But is that all there is to it?

The Bible says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21“. Saying a prayer at the alter is only the first step of being a Christian just as being born the first time was only the first step in earthly life. There’s a whole lot more to it than that. Now, many people do get the “real thing” at the alter and go away changed forever. I’m afraid, however, many go away unchanged thinking that saying that “magic prayer” did it for them eternally. Will that hold up when they stand before the Judgement Throne of God? “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27. And..”Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:20“. They will follow Jesus and you’ll be able to tell it by the way they live. They are changed forever.

I’m afraid there will be many who will be shocked at the judgement who thought being in the “Born Again Club” would get them in. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:23“. We all need to examine our lives, with prayer and maybe fasting, to see if we’re where we need to be. If we see, through the Holy Spirit, that we’re lacking, we can repent and make amends. Standing before the Judgement Throne of God will not be the time to do this. That will be too late!

Given August 17, 2006
I was reading the other morning about hidden sin. Most of us have some of this; sins comitted, mistakes made that no one sees or knows about. But we know that God sees them and we know about them. How embarassed or bad we’d feel if everyone knew about those “unseen” sins.

I thought, “What if our unseen sins stunk?” Wouldn’t that make a difference in our behavior? What if we were talking with friends and began to gossip about someone when a terrible stink arose from us? Those around us would know and we’d have to repent to “clear the air”. And what if you were involved in some kind of sinful addictive behavior? You’d stink all the time! And people would know it!

Israel had turned away from God and He did this very thing to them in the book of Amos: “..and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4:10“. We want to be pure and unblemished as we stand before God and we should want the same thing as we stand before men. Im glad our sin doesn’t really give off an odor that others can smell but it makes you think, doesn’t it? Remember, God sees what we do in private and He can smell it too.