Moving Ahead Of God

Moving ahead of God. So often, we get far, far ahead of God because of our
impatience. Usually, we pay a big price for trying to move without God's
direction. There is a special place that we all try to get to in our daily
relationship with Christ. It is that special place that is hard to put into
words, but you know it when you get there. You are in a close daily
fellowship with Him, you communicate with Him throughout the day (I believe
this is what Paul meant when he said to pray without ceasing), and your
actions and decisions are totally guided by the Spirit.

When we are not in that special "zone", we are usually making decisions on
our
own, doing things without really praying about it, doing what we want to do
without seeing if that is really what God wants us to do. You can do that
because you have the free will to make your own decisions. But in trying to
live this way, you will ALWAYS make some major mistakes along the way that
you will ultimately pay a dear price for down the road. This really
pertains
to every aspect of your life, your family life, your relationships, your
job, the things you do for recreation, where you go to church...EVERY aspect
of your life.

Let me encourage you today. Quit doing it your way. The Bible says two
very
profound things. First, "without me you can do nothing". Second, "you are
to die to self". That means without Jesus, in your own strength and wisdom
you can do nothing, and if you have given your life to Him, it is not your
life anymore...it is HIS! Get into that close, daily fellowship and start
letting God guide your decisions. It may not be exactly what you want, but
you will be surprised how much pain and heartache you avoid when you do it
His way and not yours. Plus, you will be right where He wants you, doing
the
things He wants you to do. Isn't that where we really want to be?

May His richest blessings be with you today as we follow His direction for
our lives.

Struggle With Finances

For many people today, there is a lot of pressure because it is the end of the
month. Many struggling with financial commitments they can't meet are
dealing with a lot of stress today. Tomorrow starts another month and more
obligations become due. Giving up seems like the easiest thing to do, but my
friend, that is a thought straight from the pits of hell itself. Praying
doesn't seem to work. It doesn't look like any miracles are on the horizon.
What now? What is the next move?

First of all, praying is NOT in vain and is the first step. The Bible tells
us to ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us. Secondly, God has
promised in His Word to supply our needs, so we have to trust that promise and
use it as the hope to move forward. Third is the very real practical
situation of unmet obligations. Every situation is different and the
dynamics are unique to where you are at. But here are my suggestions.

Get a legal pad, as you probably have, and write down what is essential to
day to day living. Than write down the other non-essential day to day living
obligations. Lastly, write down all of the obligations you are delinquent
on. On the other side of the legal pad, write down the income you have to
work with and any income you will have during the month. The first goal is
to make sure the day to day essentials are met, then the other obligations
for the month. Lastly, you need a plan for the delinquent obligations. Your
first goal is to contact the debtor and explain your situation. Most
creditors are only interested in getting paid and as long as you are working
towards that, will usually work with you. You need to structure based on
your income..or possibly even additional income if you need to take that
route...and a plan to work down the past due obligations. The bottom line is that it will take three things: 1. Wisdom from God, 2) Discipline, 3) Hard work. You didn't get into the problem overnight, and you won't get out overnight.

I hope this has helped some of you focus on a problem we get a lot of prayer requests for. God is able...and He will walk with you through this.

Battling The Enemy

Battling the enemy. My friends, the most important reason that you HAVE and
MUST stay in a close, daily relationship with Jesus, is because there is a
very real enemy out there looking to destroy you. This is not some sort of
cheap horror movie character, but a very real being who the Bible says is
roaming around looking for someone to devour. The amazing thing is, the more
you are doing for God, the closer you get to God, the more of a threat you
become to the devil.

I am not sharing this with you to scare you, but to encourage you. Many of
the attacks you are under today are because the enemy is trying to do
everything possible to keep you from becoming an effective servant of God.
He is trying to distract you from serving Him. God has promised to fight for
us. God has promised to protect us. If you know Jesus you are covered by
the blood, and the enemy has no way to get you as long as you stay close to
the Lord.

My word for you today is stay in close daily fellowship with Jesus. Pray,
read the Bible, fellowship with other believers. Keep working for God no
matter what else is going on around you. Keep your eye on the prize. Keep
running the race. Discouragement is one of the enemy's biggest weapons, and
I say to you today you have no reason to be discouraged if you know Jesus.
The problems, however large they may seem, are but temporary. You have
already won the eternal battle. Knowing that fact, go forth today in a
spirit of victory and fight on. We have already won. Let's start living
like it and show this lost world there is total and complete victory in
Jesus!!

Pray For One Another

Pray for one another. The Bible tell us to pray for one another. It is a
great honor to intercede on someone's behalf, to take their name before the
throne of grace. It is not only something we should do, but something God
has commanded us to do. Oftentimes, we get so bound in our problems and
concerns, that we forget the hurts and pain of others. It is amazing how it
works, but so many times when I have taken the focus off of my own problems
and concentrated on others, lifting their needs to God, my problems seemed to
work themselves out.

We all get to those times in our life when we need the prayers of others to
sustain us through difficult periods. That is why it is so important every
day to be sensitive to the needs of those around us and intercede on their
behalf during our time with God each day. We are all walking through this
journey called life together. Somehow, the journey becomes easier when we are
concerned about the problems of others..praying for them. In turn, they are
concerned about our needs...and praying for us. It works when we are holding
each other up, sustaining each other.

Let me challenge you to look at those in your life today. See what
they are dealing with and help ease their burden by praying for them. It is
a great thing to pray for others. Never take it lightly. God is moved by
the prayers of His people. You can be part of helping someone through a
tough time as you pray for them.

Hope Is The Most Powerful Word

The most powerful word in the English language to me is HOPE. With hope, you
can do anything and get thru anything. Without it, everything seems
meaningless. The greatest thing you can do for another person is to give
them hope. Today, I want you to think about the people you come in contact
with each day. Those at work, school, the places you go...and take the time
to share with them that because of Jesus, there is always hope. No situation
is too difficult or too impossible. Because of Him, there is ALWAYS hope.

When God gave me the vision for www.liveprayer.com, it was a simple vision.
A place on the internet where people can find the hope to carry on. 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, a live human being, anointed men and women of God on
camera to look at someone and say, because of Jesus...there is hope. Don't
give up. Each week, over 4,000 pornography sites are launched on the
internet. This is Satan's playground. But we are here to say..God is
starting to take back ground. The Lord showed me that over history, revivals
have started in odd places. Azusa street in a small room, the campfires in
the 1800's, always in what would seem like odd places. I'm telling you
today, that God can use this internet to start revival. We have started the
world's first 24/7 LIVE broadcast site on the internet...and it literally
gives us access to the world. Anyone on the planet with internet access can
watch the live feed from our studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and be part
of this worldwide prayer meeting.

In our first month, we have had over 10,000 people a day visit our site.
Over 4,000 email prayer requests are received, and we send out over 200, 000
daily devotional. God is starting a movement here on the internet that will
spread into our churches and into the streets and culture as He raises up a
might army to take His simple message of hope into this sin-filled world in
these last days. One of the most exciting things to me has been that 30% of
the people we deal with each day are in other countries. Over 30% are under
the age of 20. It is time God's people got serious about telling this world
that there are answers to their problems. It is not drugs, or alcohol, or
illicit sex, or psychics, or mystic chants. It is Jesus!

May the Lord richly bless you today. Share with someone this day the hope
you have in Jesus. It is the greatest gift you can give.

Taking A Stand

Taking a stand. In today's politically correct society, taking a stand on
any subject can be dangerous. Someone will be offended. Therefore, as a
society and people, we have learned how to believe in many things, but take a
stand on nothing. We give lip service to the things we say we believe in,
but when it comes time to stand up and be counted....to take a stand....often
times we are nowhere to be seen.

This is most evident in our church. This is not a blanket slam against every
church, because there are some tremendous churches doing great things for God
every day. But the collective church as a whole has refused to take a stand
against the very things it states it believes in. You don't have to be a
biblical scholar to understand that we are living in the last days. If not
now, when? If those of us who have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ,
recognizing that He is "the way, the truth, and the life", then why are we so
hesitant to proclaim that message to a world dying in sin and desperately
looking for answer? We are the people with THE answer, yet we refuse to
speak up.

I want to encourage you today, and make you think about how many times just
in the last week, you had an opportunity to take a stand for God and didn't
do it. Mostly these come in the multitude of decisions you make. The
greatest witness you have is that of your life. Not the words you say, but
the life you lead. People are always watching you..and the most effective
way to take a stand for Christ is in the way you lead your life, not just in
church on Sunday's but every hour of the day, 7 days a week. Taking a stand
is living for Him 24/7...regardless who is watching.

Be blessed on this Lord's day. I hope you can take the time tonight to join
me from 9-midnight EST as I will be hosting that segment on our LIVE prayer
site, www.liveprayer.com. I will be praying for the needs of those who
request it, share a little from God's Word, and try to encourage those
watching to become the men and women of God He has called us to be.

Failure Is Part Of The Human Existence

Many of you are waking up, and there is one scripture that you need to hold
onto today. Romans 8:1 tells us that, "Therefore, there is now NO
CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus" (NIV).

Failure is part of the human existence. Each day we all fail to some degree.
The Bible humbles us when it tells us that we have ALL sinned and fallen
short of God's glory. Friday night is one of those nights when many seem to
fail the most. A trip to the local bar or nightclub can often dull our
senses and resistance and open us up to do things we normally would not do.
Many use Friday night as a time to celebrate the end of the week and use
drugs to get high. Many feel the loneliness of their lives to a greater
degree and involve themselves in illicit sexual activity outside the bounds
of marriage to try and dull the pain of that loneliness. Many fail in other
ways.

My friend, let me assure you that today, God still loves you. Whatever you
may have done doesn't change that. Let me add that there are usually
consequences when we fail, but our failure DOES NOT change God's love toward
us! The Bible tells us in that great verse in Romans 8:1, that if we know
Christ as our savior, there is no condemnation. If God will not condemn you,
why are you condemning yourself?

The Biblical formula is pretty clear. It tells us that if we confess our
sins, God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. First,
ask God to forgive you for what you may have done last night. Second, stand
on HIS promise that you are forgiven and cleansed. If that promise is true,
than there really is NO CONDEMNATION. So my friend, quit beating yourself
up...and get on with your life. God forgave you, forgive yourself.

Life is never easy, but don't make it more difficult than it already is. God
forgave you, forgive yourself and start living again.

Rest In Jesus

TGIF!!!!! Thank God It's Friday is how many feel as this day of the week
finally gets here. For many, school or work is coming to an end, a weekend of
relaxation and activities are right around the corner...it is a day when the
pressure seems to ease a bit as we go into the weekend. I pray as you go
thru this day, that you find rest and comfort in the Lord. Jesus said for
those who were weary and with many burdens to come to Him...He would give
them rest. We cannot continue to fight the battles, deal with the problems
we face, handle the pressures of day to day life without taking time to rest
and recharge our batteries.

I want to encourage you that often it is in these times of rest, that God can
help us deal with our problems. You see, we try and try and try to find the
answers, work out the solutions, that often God doesn't have room to operate.
In those times of resting, God has the ability to work and move in our lives
and circumstances, and to help us find the answers that often escape us.
Isn't it an encouragement to know that while we are resting, God is fighting
for us?

I pray today, as your week winds down and you start looking forward to the
weekend, that you ask God to help you. You know what the major issues in
your life are. Ask Him to be working in those issues while you rest. Ask Him
to help you find the answers to those difficult problems while you take a few
days to rest and recharge. As your body become re-energized, your mind
sharpens, God can speak to you and help you focus on the solutions you seek
to those problems in your life. Enjoy today. Unwind at the end of the day.
Relax. Take it easy. Let God fight for a while. He promised He would.

Pick Up Your Cross

Pick up your cross today. Jesus said to "pick up the cross and follow me",
for Jesus, the cross he bore as the sins of mankind. God has not asked any
of us to bear such a burden, but we each do have a cross we are asked to
bear. For some of you it may be a marriage that is in trouble. Many are
bearing a cross of physical affliction. Some are bearing a cross of
financial difficulties. We each have a cross that God has asked us to bear.

How we bear that cross each day becomes the challenge we face. Let me give
you some insight I have gleaned from the Word of God in regard to this.
First is having a right attitude. God promised not to give you more than you
can bear. Trust Him. He loves you and knows you better than you know
yourself. Second, realize that you can't do anything in your own strength.
Often times the cross we bear keeps us humble and constantly reminded that it
is not in our strength that we live, but in His. Lastly, give thanks for the
cross God has given you. Give thanks? The bible tells us to give thanks in
ALL things. That includes those things that we may not be very thankful for.
Don't forget my friend, nothing happens in your life that God doesn't know
about or allow to happen. So yes, give thanks even for your burdens because
God has a plan and is doing things you cannot even see or understand.

The best advice I can give you today to help you carry that cross God has
given you is to stay close to Him. Being in prayer, the Word, and fellowship
with other Christians daily, is vital. The farther you get from God the
heavier that cross will become. It is thru the carrying of the cross each
day that we become perfected and more like Him. Rejoice today, carry your
cross with thanksgiving, and know that God is walking with you every step of the way!

Is There An Earthquake Happening In Your Life today

We are in prayer for those in Taiwan involved in the latest natural disaster, a devastating earthquake that has claimed more than 2,000 lives. It causes many to stop and wonder how such tragedy can happen, why a God of love would allow so many innocent people to die so suddenly in such a way. The answer to these difficult questions lie in the same cause for those earthquakes that you may be dealing with in your life today....sin.

The Bible teaches clearly that when sin was introduced into the human
condition, man's surroundings, nature became corrupted as well. It is this
corruption of nature that is the cause of the natural disasters we witness
such as tornadoes, typhoons, earthquakes, and hurricanes to name a few. And
just as sin is the root cause of these natural disasters, sin is also the
root cause of those problems we face each day in our own life experiences.
Sometimes it is the sin of others, often it is our own sin that cause those
situations that threaten to destroy our very lives.

I am grateful today and want to encourage you, that the God who can control
nature is the same God that can control the circumstances that you are
dealing with today. Have hope this day that there are answers to those
problems you are dealing with today. When the destructive force of sin is
seen and felt in our lives, it is only God that can make things right again.
Just as the earthquake in Taiwan has destroyed so much, God can step in and
bring much good out of so much tragedy. He can and will do the same in your
life today.

I know the earth may be moving under your feet today, and things may look
very bleak. But that is the time, the very time, when you must cry out to
the Lord. Let Him hold you, comfort you, and stand with you. You don't have
to be alone. He loves you deeply, sees the challenges you are facing, and
has promised to bring you through if you will just put your trust and faith
in Him. HE IS ABLE AND CANNOT FAIL!

May God's richest blessings be with you this day as He carries us through
those disasters in our life onto victory.

Are You Looking At The Storms In Your Life

Here on the west coast of Florida, everyone was preparing for a major
tropical depression to come through our area this morning. We were expecting
50 mph winds, a lot of rain, and much damage. As the night turned into day,
the sun came up, the skies were blue, and the air calm. Not the scene the
people of this area expected. The anticipated storm was instead a beautiful
calm sunny Florida morning.

I share this with you because today, in many of your lives, you are expecting
the worst. You see the high winds of problems and the torrential rains of worry overtaking your life. All around you it looks as if the storm clouds are
preparing to unleash their worst damage. It reminds me of the passage in the
Bible when Jesus and His disciples were in the boat, and the seas were rough
and the waves coming into the boat. The disciples were overtaken with fear
and thinking they might not make it through the storm. Where was Jesus? He
was sleeping in the back of the boat. When His disciples woke Him, fearing
they might die, He looked at them and questioned their faith before calming
the seas around them.

Today, I want to question your faith. Are you looking at the storms in your
life? Or are you looking at the one who can calm the storms? Is your faith
in what you can see? Or are you putting your trust in the One who has
promised to never leave you or forsake you? Let me encourage you my friend.
No matter how bleak the picture may look. No matter how overpowering the
circumstances in your life may appear. Today, Jesus is there to calm those
storms and to give you peace. The same Jesus that caused the sun to shine in
Florida this morning instead of the storm damage everyone expected...is the
same Jesus that can cause the sun to shine in the circumstances of your life
today!

Are You Ready For A Change

Change is on of the hardest things for us to do. Even in the worst situations, we are hesitant to change because change brings with it an unknown element. That fear of the unknown causes us to continue living with situations and circumstances that we know are not the best for us. Today, you can start to make some changes in your life. The best part is, you can make those changes without fear because God loves you, cares for you, and wants the best for His children.

In the Bible are many, many precious promises that God has given us to let us know we have nothing to fear when we put our faith and trust in Him. Right now, many of you are dealing with and battling situations in your life that you know cannot continue but you have been reluctant to make the needed changes. Let me encourage you today, trust God. Make those changes that you have to make knowing that God is with you. His Word tells us that He will
never leave us or forsake us. He will give us wisdom if we ask Him. He will carry our burdens if we let Him. He will fight for us if we simply let Him.

My friend, have no fear. Make those changes in your life that you MUST make. You know what they are. Don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back. Put your trust and faith in God, in the promises we find in His Word, and go forward with confidence knowing that He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more that we could ever ask or think. My Bible tells me that ALL things are possible with God. That includes those circumstances in your life that require change. Step out in faith today, let His Holy Spirit guide you, and make those changes that need to made. God cannot fail!

May the Lord’s richest blessings be with you this day as we trust God to help us make those changes in our life needed to know the fullness of His love and blessings.

Sometimes The Answers You Are Looking For Come When You Are Giving Thanks

How often do we spend our time with God asking . . . pleading . . . begging God to act on our behalf. There is nothing wrong with that. The Bible tells up to make our requests known. But my friend, today, let me share with you that a lot of times we are so busy asking, we don’t spend enough time thanking.

God has done so much for each one of us. Every day we take so many of His blessings for granted. We are quick to say thank you when those big prayers are answered. But what about the daily blessing that God bestows upon us that we take for granted? Today, tell God what your needs are as He asks us to do, but than take some time to just thank Him.

Thank Him for your health. Thank Him for a place to live, food to eat. Thank Him for your family. Thank Him for all those good things He does for us every day. I understand that there may be great needs pressing you today. I am not minimizing those problems in your life, I am asking you to remember that God does so much for us that we just take for granted. Tell Him today that you appreciate all the wonderful things He does every day. Let Him know how much you love Him. In the midst of your thanksgiving, amazingly, it seems like the answers to our problems begin to come.

God bless you today and remember, GIVE GOD THE GLORY AND THANKS HE DESERVES!

What Did You Do Last Night

How many mornings do you wake up and ask yourself why you did what you did
last night? Paul summed up man's propensity to sin when he stated that "he
did the things he didn't want to do, and didn't do the things he wanted to
do". How many days have we started wondering why we do things we know we
shouldn't, yet fail to do the things we know we should. This my friend is a
struggle man has dealt with since the Garden of Eden. It has to do with our
free will that God has given to us to make our own decisions.

God could have made us like robots, preprogrammed to do exactly what He
wanted. Instead, He gave us free will to make our own decisions. Ultimately
the decision boils down to living a life of obedience or a life of
rebellion. Every time we make a choice, we are choosing to live as an
obedient child of our creator or as a rebellious one. In most situations,
the choice is very clear and there is no doubt that we are either obeying or
rebelling. There are some instances when it may not be as clear, and God has
given us His Word to determine what it is He would have us do.

My only purpose for stating what many are afraid to say this morning is that
many of you are not enjoying the fullness of God's blessings in your life.
You don't enjoy that peace that passes all understanding or have the joy that
someone in a relationship with Christ should have in their heart. All I can
do is to encourage you today to take inventory of your life and the decisions
you make each day. Are your choices in accordance with God's Word and a
choice of obedience? Or have you chosen in some areas to live in rebellion?
God wants to bless you in ways you can't even imagine. But God cannot and
will not bless disobedience. It may be very difficult for you, but He will
help and give you the strength. I am praying that you will open your heart
this day and begin to erase those parts of your life that are keeping you
from knowing the fullness of His love and blessing.

May His strength and grace be with you in great abundance this day. May this
day be a day to honor Him in the greatest way you can, thru choosing to live
as an obedient child. God bless you!

You Are Special

You are special!!!! Many days we get so consumed with our lives that we
lose sight of just how special we are. Life is filled with many problems,
and because of those problems, we sometimes get down and blame ourselves.
Not a day goes by that we don't fail in some way, and so many people tend to
live in self-condemnation. Let me encourage you today that God created you
in His own image and made each person uniquely different. No matter what you
are going through, what you may have done, God still loves you and in His
eyes, YOU ARE SPECIAL!!!!!

Forgiving others can be very difficult, especially when they have hurt us in
some way. However, just as difficult, even more so, is forgiving ourselves.
The Bible tell us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
There are no perfect people. But our God is ready to forgive us and cleanse
us from all our sin if we will simply confess our sins to Him and repent. My
friend, you cannot change what has already been done, but you have total
control over what you will do from this point forward.

I pray that this day, you will find freedom in the fact that you are special
and God loves you. What may have happened in your life before is behind you.
You need to stand on God's promise that if you are willing to confess those
past sins and ask His forgiveness, He will forgive you and give you a fresh
slate. If our God is willing to forgive you, then isn't it time you forgive
yourself? Let today be the first day in your knowledge that you are special.
God has a plan and purpose for your life. Go forward to accomplish His plan
for your life knowing that you are His child and He loves you unconditionally.

May God richly bless you today as you come into the full knowledge that He
loves you and because of that love, he sent His son Jesus to die for your
sins. You are special.

God Wants To Use You Today

God wants to use you today. Understanding this life is made a lot easier
when we understand why we are here. God created us to serve and glorify him.
Our jobs, our families, our hobbies....these are all parts of our life on
this earth. None of them represent our reason for being though. We are here
to serve our creator. I am convinced through scripture, that as long as we
are on this earth, God has a plan for our lives. There is no accident, no
disaster, no bullet, no knife, no plane crash, no car wreck...NOTHING...that
can end our life before God is done using us to fulfill His plan.

I don't know in what form or fashion God wants to use you today. Possibly
just to give a word of encouragement to someone who is down. Maybe to take
an active role in some area of your church life. Possibly to volunteer some
time to a ministry that He has connected you with. What I do know, is that
God wants to use you this day and is looking for your obedience. Many of our
blessings in this life come because we were faithful and obedient. We miss
many of our blessings because we rebelled and didn't listen to that "still
small voice" trying to tell us the direction God wanted us to go.

Spend a few minutes right now in prayer. Maybe you already know what it is
God is asking you to do. Now is the time to respond. Maybe you aren't quite
sure. Pray. Trust me, He will give you an answer. While we spend much of
our life dealing with the daily necessities of living in this world, let us
never forget why we are here and try each day to fulfill that purpose.

Share How Christ Has Changed You

Everyone in Florida is getting ready for hurricane Floyd. It has the potential of being a terrible disaster. Thanks to modern science and mass communication, people can be prepared in advance of such a terrible event and escape. Wouldn’t it be unforgivable if someone knew about such a pending disaster and didn’t tell anyone? How could you possess such knowledge and let people die, simply because they didn’t know?

Every day, those who know Christ as savior and have the assurance of everlasting life, come across people in their daily life who are lost and facing eternal death. Our faith teaches us that those who die without Christ are lost forever. We know that, yet we fail to even mention that there is a way to escape. God will not hold you responsible for the free-will actions of someone else, but He does hold you responsible for at least sharing the Gospel and giving those without Jesus the opportunity to make that decision. You don’t have to be a hellfire and brimstone preacher, just in normal conversation, let those in your life who need Christ know that there is a choice we all must make. Share how Christ has changed you. Let them know that this is a free gift from God available to all regardless of their past. God has only asked you to be a witness to others how He has changed your life.

There are so many needs. So many problems. Each day we are getting thousands of prayer requests from all over the world. As great as the needs may be, the greatest need any of us have is to know Christ as Savior. Pray today for 3 people in your life that may not know Jesus. Make it a priority to talk to those 3 people in the next 7 days. Not preach to them, not condemn them, just share what Christ has done for you and that He wants to do it for them as well. God’s Holy Spirit can do the rest of the work.

I pray that you have a great day today! There is no problem that you are facing that God doesn’t know about and can’t overcome. Trust Him today. He told us to be about His business, and He would be about our business. Translation: bless others, and God will be blessing you!

What is the Greatest Thing You Can do Today?

Someone in your life, a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker, a friend –someone in your life is hurting today. Reach out to that person. Let that person know you care. I am not suggesting that you have an answer to the problem because so many situations are very complicated and beyond our ability to even understand. But you know the one who does have the answer and you know how to pray.

When people are going thru difficult times and difficult circumstances, sometimes the thing they need most is someone to just be there, to walk with them. The greatest thing you can do today is to love and walk with someone today who is hurting. When I read about the life of Jesus, so much of what He did on this earth was comfort individuals who were in the midst of a great trial in their life. He said to show love one for another. God can use you today to be an instrument of hope in someone’s life. You can actually be part of the answer as He uses you to give encouragement to someone in need.

So much of the time we are focused on our problems and daily struggles. Today, will you find someone in your life who needs to know they are not alone? God blesses us as we bless others. Your greatest achievement each day is to be a blessing to someone. It is amazing that as we are busy blessing others, God is blessing us. As we help others through their troubles, God is working out our troubles.

I pray that this will be a special day for you. It is like no other day, and will not return, so make the most of it.

Today Starts Another Season Of NFL Football.

Well, today starts another season of NFL Football. All around the country, football fans are waiting with great anticipation to see how their team will do this season. People will actually be scheduling their lives around going to and watching football from now through the end of January. Sports has always been part of my life and something I’ve loved since I was very young. One day several years ago, I began to challenge myself in regard to how much time I spent going to games, watching games on television, reading about them in newspapers and magazines. I also began to count how much I was spending each year on sports. I came to the conclusion that I was spending A LOT of time and A LOT of money.

Now, I am not going to tell you that sports are bad or that they are evil. The point I want you to understand is that I think it is important how much of our time and how much of our resources are devoted to the things we like in this life, like sports, versus our eternal relationship with God. Sports for me, whatever hobby you may have for you, are an enjoyable part of this life. There is nothing wrong with them. Putting in perspective the short time we are on this earth against an eternity with God if we know His son Christ by faith, made me realize that I should be devoting at least as much time to my eternal relationship as I do my earthly interests which cease when this life is over. How many don’t have time each day to read their Bible or pray, but have time to sit in front of the television for hours?

Please hear me. Enjoy the good things that this world has to offer. Do the things that interest you. But please, don’t neglect the most important element of your life – that personal relationship with your Father. Your life begins to unravel quickly when you are out of fellowship with Him. You start to make poor decisions when you stop reading your Bible every day, praying every day, going to church, and spending that quiet time with God. All I want you to do is keep things in perspective and make sure you spend as much time caring for your eternal interests as your earthly ones.

Is Anyone Listening

Is anyone listening? Does anyone care? As we start the weekend, a time of rest for many, we start to dwell more intensely on those problems and concerns we have in our life. It is easy to get so busy with work and our daily routine Monday through Friday, that we can forget or push to the back of our mind many of the problems we are dealing with in our life. But when the weekend comes and our lives slow down a bit, those issues become the focus of our attention. We can’t hide from them any longer.

For many of you, those problems that you are facing have been problems for a long time. You have prayed and prayed and prayed. You have turned them over to God, taken them back, and turned them over again. Despite all of the praying and agonizing, there are some problems that just don’t go away and you start wondering if anyone is really listening. Does anyone really care about what you are facing?

Let me give you this word of encouragement today my friend. The Bible proclaims that God not only hears our prayers, but answers them as well. It is His good pleasure to bless his children. We have that precious promise to, “Cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us.” No matter what your mind may tell you, your faith has got to step in and give you the assurance that God is hearing your prayers, and no matter how you may feel, when all others abandon you, God is always there – there to love you, hold you, comfort you. HE CARES FOR YOU!!!

Don’t let those problems you have today ever let you think that God is not hearing your prayers. He is. Don’t ever get to the point where you feel no one cares. He does. Go through this day with the confidence and assurance that God knows and understands your situation, and be comforted that He loves you and will never leave you nor forsake you.

God bless you this day as we walk in the victory won on Calvary’s cross. He is risen. Because of that, if you know Christ as your Savior, no matter what may be happening in this life, you have already won. Even though your life is still playing out, you already know the ending. You win because HE WON! Amen.

Focus On The Problem Solver

Instead of Focusing on Your Problems Today, Why not Focus Instead on the Problem Solver? So, if you are reading this, that means the dreaded 9/9/99 didn’t start the great tribulation . . . the saints of God haven’t been raptured . . . and most of you even forgot that something dramatic was supposed to happen. I always am concerned about people trying to tie God to a specific date and time for anything. Every time I read my Bible, it always warns me that NONE knows the exact date and time God is going to do anything. You see my friend, God is not bound by space and time as we are. While certain dates may be meaningful to you and me, to God they have no meaning because he transcends time. The Bible tells us that a thousand years are but a day to him. Once you understand this truth, though, there is something to get very excited about. You see, the God who transcends space and time, who is not bound by the constraints that we are, is able to do ALL things. This omnipotent being is able to do ANYTHING. That includes working out those situations you are facing today.

So many are burdened down today by the problems in their life. Instead of focusing on your problems today, why not focus instead on the problem solver! You see, the God of the universe is waiting for you to exercise your faith, to bring those burdens to Him. “All things are possible with God,” the Bible proclaims. Isn’t today the day you need to believe that great verse? God is not afraid to be tested. There is no challenge that you can give God that He isn’t able to meet and exceed far beyond your expectations. God is in the blessing business!

Let me encourage you right now. Quit worrying about 9/9/99, Y2K, xyz, and every other thing that comes up. Quit worrying about your marriage, your finances, your children, your health, those unsaved loved ones, and those situations in your life that have you down. Our God is greater than any man-made calendar date . . . He is greater than divorce . . . He is greater than bankruptcy . . . He is greater than depression . . . He is greater than illness . . . He is greater than drugs, alcohol, gambling, and every other addiction . . . He is greater than any situation or battle that you are facing today. Start looking up. Put that problem in His hands today. He has created you to serve and glorify Him with your life. Give that burden to Him today and start living in the confidence and knowledge that your God has it all under control.

I love you and care about you. I know many are facing difficult situations. Trust God today. Cast your cares upon Him. He won't let you down.

A Time to Refresh

(Mark 6:31)

We have become so busy every day and our lives so tightly scheduled, that we never seem to have an opportunity to just relax and allow our minds and bodies to refresh. When was the last time you took a few hours and did nothing but just relax? If Jesus had to get away from time to time to rest, how much more do we need to? In this fast-paced society where we push ourselves to the limit constantly, it is no wonder why so many turn to alcohol, drugs, and illicit sex. It is no wonder why so many end up in the hospital. We end up burning out our minds and bodies and try to find the temporary relief to just get through one more day.

God never intended for his creation to live this way. Productivity is fine but to never stop and relax or allow ourselves the time to recharge is destructive. Our original purpose was to serve and glorify our Creator. How can we do this when we are so focused on all of the things of this world that occupy our time. In our busy day, the first thing we neglect is our time alone with God and our time of fellowship with Him in prayer and the Word. How can we truly have a personal relationship with someone who we never take the time to be with?

Let me encourage you today. Slow down. Make time each day to fellowship with God. You can do more in His strength than you could ever do in your own. Why try to do it all with the little bit you have, when He can do it all with the might and limitless power of the Creator of the universe! Today, the Lord is saying to you, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Stop, relax, refresh. Take the refreshing that can only come from God. My friend, you will be able to do more, accomplish more, feel better, and enjoy life, when you are living each day in His unlimited strength and not your own.