Be Strong

“Extremely popular with both men AND women. One of the few programs that helps preserve and even build muscle mass while losing fat.” That only one program and you could find more without looking very far at all. All weight loss and all muscle building programs only work if you commit to the plan. Sounds like our Reformers Unanimous Program! I know a man his name is Mike and he helps people build muscle mass and lose weight; I asked him when his busiest time of the year was and he said after the first of the year. New Year and many decide to get rid of that extra weight they put on. Many will choose to devote themselves to some physical routine to strength their body, they will pay money spend their time to accomplish their goal, while letting their spiritual mind become weaker and weaker. Nothing is wrong with losing weight and building body mass if we don’t sacrifice our spiritual man in the process. Timothy put it this way;

1Timothy 4:8  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Don’t sacrifice your prayer and Bible time for weight loss; but instead commit yourself to becoming strong in the Lord so that when the problems of the day come you’ll know how to handle them.

Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

What will it be weights or God’s Word? Three times in chapter 31 we read these words “Be strong and of a good courage:“

Deuteronomy 31:7  And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

Deuteronomy 31:23  And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee. As Moses was coming to the end of his life he knew that it was time for Joshua to continue to lead the Israelites into the promise land. He tells him three times be strong and of a good courage; don’t be afraid for God will not fail you neither will He forsake you. You know what? The same can and will happen to each of us if we only put our trust in the Lord and know that the Lord will not forsake us. Too many times we get our mind on the here and now and we forget that the Lord will never forsake us. We must choose to pursue spiritual strength as we exercise ourselves in prayer, Bible reading, study and daily godly living. It’s a brand new week press the up button and get off at the top.

Warning

Broken homes, broken hearts; towns that were nearly erased all because of a tornado. Homes lost, pets gone, picture, memorabilia, cars and boats all gone in a flash. As one man said it’s just stuff but I thank God that my family is okay. We’re all safe, no one is hurt because we had enough warning of the oncoming storms and we left for safer ground, thank God. It’s the difference between life and death taking heed to the warning we heard. In John chapter 8 and verse 24 we read this I (Jesus) said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Living without Him is hard. Dying without Him is hell. With God's warning also comes God's way to escape the storm.

Romans 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I know, I know we have heard the warning too many times but have we heeded the warning that we heard? Or have we said to ourselves not right now maybe later. What would have happened to those in the line of the tornado had they heard the warning and said “maybe later I am too busy at this moment; can’t you see I am putting the finishing touches on this project maybe then I’ll find a safer place. You would say to that person that they were out of their mind. What about those; maybe even yourself that have heard the warning that they could die in their sins or Jesus could come back at any moment. The warning is not taken seriously or the idea of later will be a more convenient time. That could have been what the people of Noah’s day thought and by thinking that way they literally missed the boat. Most everyone, if not everyone who reads these blogs knows the Lord as their personal savior; aren’t you glad you took heed to the warning and moved to safer ground; Jesus. In order for that to have taken place someone had to warn you that a storm was approaching so you could have the choice to make the decision to move to higher ground. Well, are we passing that same warning on to others? I’m not talking about pushing others into a corner and waving a big Bible in their face. Oh no, that’s not the kind of warning I want to do or see done to others. We all can warn others in small ways for we all have the ability to share and live what God has done in our life. Some plant, some water and some harvest but we can all have an opportunity to warn others.

1Corinthians 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. Do others want what you have spiritually? See you next week have a great weekend!

Going Up

You'll see one as you walk down the corridor at the hotel, at the state building, at the department store, at the hospital. They are all over the place; what in the world am I talking about, you may ask. At the hotel, state building and the department store it's so small and it only takes one finger to press it, although I have seen some people hit it with the palm of their hand.  What, what is it? Why it's, the up button! You may be thinking, you made me read all that for an up button? Yes; but the question is not about the up button on the elevator. Oh no, it’s our attitude when we got up this morning, did we push the up bottom? Our attitude is our choice; we have the choice to push the up bottom or the down button. We can find the best in what we do, we can search for the best in people, we can praise the good or we can ignore the good and push the down button. We can have the controls to rule our spirit or we can be like a city with broken down walls.
Proverbs 25:28 He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls. Are you going up or are you taking others down? You're in charge! I choose the up button.  My good friend Joe heard it this way; Everyday is like getting on an elevator ; you can go “up” or go “down “; when you wake , (  “ALWAYS CHOOSE THE UP BUTTON “ ) it will make the day much brighter.

This Day

I'm one of those morning people. As you already know I'm sure! You have to admit that there are some advantages to those early hours of the day, getting started on things before there are interruptions, beating the world to the punch.

 Zephaniah 3:5-The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. Co-workers will fail you some days, your boss will, your family will, your mate will, your church, fellow believers, even spiritual leaders. But "every morning, He will not fail."

I'm so glad God has based some of His central promises on daily delivery, because we don't experience our life as weeks, or months, or years. What we do we do a day at a time, and so does God! He meets our needs in the form of "daily bread"

Matthew 6:11-Give us this day our daily bread. "His mercies are new every morning

Lamentations 3:22-23-It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

Lamentations 3:23-They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. In

Psalm 68:19-Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. We're told that God is our "Savior, who daily bears our burdens." That's a good thing, because that's how we experience our burdens isn't it - the weight of this particular day.

Deuteronomy 33:25-Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Our strength will equal our days. You will never have a day for which you do not have matching strength, even if some days give you more to carry than the day before. The Apostle Paul tells us one big reason why we never need to "lose heart."

2 Corinthians 4:16-For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. So, no matter how battered you got yesterday, God has promised that He will give you a renewing, rejuvenating, re-energizing touch each new day. Some days you're going to wake up anxious. Some days you're going to wake up dreading the day. Some days you're going to be excited about what's ahead. Other days you're going to be overwhelmed by what's ahead, or some days you may be discouraged, or eager, or exhausted. But however you are, no matter what that day holds, the sun is going to come up again. It always does. And God is going to light this day, no matter what. So why don't you claim God's guarantee for yourself. "every morning He faileth not" You can count on HIM! Now put some excitement into your day and a smile on your face, for the Lord will give you the strength for this day and this day only. Concentrate on today!

 Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Today is all we can handle!

Not by Accident

I witnessed a man talking with another man one day and I heard one of those men say to the other that he had great wisdom; I heard him tell him two times that he had great wisdom. I wondered what he meant by that statement? In the book of Proverbs that word “wisdom” is mentioned 54 times. If it is mentioned that much it must be an important word, let’s look at it for a moment and I believe we will see why that man was called a man of wisdom and where his wisdom came from.

Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Get wisdom, get insight; prize her and she will bring the honor. Just as a person would get anything else you must work for it. Want riches? It doesn’t come by accident. No one gives them to you. Want to be a professional football player, baseball player, basketball player? It doesn't come by accident. Want to be a writer of some kind it doesn't come by accident. Want to be the best in your field; it doesn't come by accident. Neither does wisdom come by accident for one must first know where to obtain wisdom. One must not let wisdom decline, therefore one must use the wisdom they get. The word principal means most important thing, influential; wisdom is the most important thing, wisdom will influence everything you do, so be sure you get it and understand what you have.
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.
Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come from the Lord and when we don't have wisdom we can ask for it. Now that’s ingenuous isn’t it?  The Lord wants us to know and understand so He’s made it fool proof for us to get; just ask!

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
That word upbraid means to criticize severely: find fault with; so when we asked the Lord for wisdom no matter how small or how much, He has promised that He would give it and give it literally and without criticizing us for asking. We'll never hear the Lord say you should have known better or you should have known that. The principal thing is to know God's word and the only way to do that is to read it and study it daily. Wisdom doesn’t come by accident, either!

Slippery Slope

When you think of the name Judas what comes to mind? Do you think that was the disciple that betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ? I got to thinking about that name and I have never met or known any one named Judas. Come to think of it I have never know anyone who has named their pet Judas; now I had a horse one time that was so mean that I named it Satan, but I never thought about the name Judas. Now I want to write about him for a reason and although we may have never betrayed the Lord Jesus as he did, you and I have sinned. Have you ever gotten so caught up in a wrong doing; oh, excuse me, have you ever justified something that you had planned on doing to the point that you did it? As Steve Curington has always said, “Before you did it you thunk it.” So Judas; before he betrayed the Lord Jesus, thought about it, planned it and then he did it.

Mark 3:19  And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

Mark 14:10  And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

Mark 14:43  And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

Wrong is always a slippery slope downward. It all seems so right, you get yourself all into it. You then keep telling yourself, why only one beer will be ok, one joint won’t hurt, just a few pills will help me to relax, wonder how he or she would treat me, one quick look on the internet will be ok. I’m an adult and I have seen it all before. Then before you know it one beer has turned into 50, one joint has lead you to buy a gram, those few pills now have you down at the ER telling lies to get more pills. Those thoughts about that person you were wondering about have gotten you into divorce court and that quick adult view on the internet now has you using your credit card. My, my, how those little innocent thoughts have gotten you into some more kind of problems and trouble. Just like Judas it all started in your head and finally got into your heart and then it was no stopping you. After it’s all over and we have done our wrong or our sin we then feel the guilt of our actions just as Judas did.

Matthew 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Matthew 27:4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Matthew 27:5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. Judas was angry with himself so angry that he allowed his guilt to bring him to a wrong response to his actions. When you are coming down off the high the guilt is horrible. We must be careful what we allow to enter into our heart. Guard it for you are the keeper, you’re the guard, you are the only one that will let it through. Think before you let it in I assure you you’ll be a happier person. Have a blessed week and watch out for wrong thinking.

Following Him Two

A closer look at this night aboard a ship with Jesus; If you’ll remember these disciples followed Jesus into the ship before the storm of earthquake proportions.

Matthew 8:23  And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. The storm has begun, the ship is now being covered with the waves; but what’s this? Jesus is not upset, why no He’s asleep; how could this be possible? These disciples are all upset!

Matthew 8:25  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. This disciple didn’t ask Jesus for Strength; They don’t ask Him to   still  the storm; They don’t ask Him for Knowledge or Wisdom; They don’t ask if He is aware of the Storm. No! No! They now have doubts about Jesus and His character: Don’t you care we are going to perish? Get the picture, The Disciples are screaming while Jesus is Dreaming. I want you to notice Jesus is not catnapping or resting He’s asleep. Let me ask you a question; could you sleep on the scream machine at six flags? That’s what Fear Does it clouds our confidence in the Goodness of God, It confuses our control “Do something, Do something, will somebody please do something!” Fear dulls our Miracle Memory! This fear caused these disciples to forget all they had witnessed earlier. What about you and I? When the storms come into our lives do we then allow fear to rob us of our miracle memory? Jesus was right there with His disciples, Jesus was right there in the storm with His disciples. Wait a minute, do we not have the same promise?

John 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. In this storm Jesus had control.

 Matthew 8:26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. I don’t want you to think fear doesn’t have a purpose, for it does. Signs, read Danger High Voltage, No Smoking while you are pumping gas, stay away from the edge, swift currents, rip tides…. Fear is not sin; but it can lead to sin. Many medicate fear with anger, alcohol, self-starvation, drugs, unhealthy fear is not from God 2Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Fear will always be around, don’t invite it in. When I was about 10 years old I went with a bunch of neighborhood boys to the theater to see a movie about Frankenstein and that afternoon I allowed fear to enter in. Life for years to come would never be the same. I became afraid of the dark, the man in Red, and any one that was dead. And just as you’re thinking right now “that’s crazy, why were you so fearful of something that was nothing.” That’s the same way Jesus felt toward His disciples and He said so “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? “ So why do you and I act the way of those disciples? Because many times when troubles come our way we too wonder where is Jesus and just like that night on the ship, He’s right there all the time. Have a blessed weekend and watch out for Mr. Fear and don’t let it cloud your confidence of the Goodness of God and don’t be robbed of your Miracle Memory.