Christmas is Only 12 Weeks Away

(Luke 2:11)

Christmas parties, shopping, special events at church, Holiday programming on television, time with family . . . it is a very busy time of the year for many. While we all know what this time of year is really about, while we all know the catchy phrases like “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” many of us get so wrapped up in all of the seasonal events that we really do forget what it is all about. Singing “Silent Night” in a Christmas Eve service puts our mind back on the birth of our Lord . . . for a moment . . . but the way we have fallen into the world’s celebration of this time has really motivated me to use this time to challenge you as we enter into the heart of the Christmas season.

The best advice I can give you is to again keep that close, intimate, daily relationship with the Lord. Knowing Him in this personal way, having that relationship fresh each and every day, can go a long way from keeping us from falling into the holiday trap. Let me say right here, I AM NOT one of those extreme people who believe Christmas is evil and we should not enjoy this time of year. It is a wonderful time of the year for kids. It is a great time for those of us who are older to reflect on Christmas’ past, see some of the shows we enjoyed growing up, enjoy the joy that seems to dominate so many lives this time of year. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. My purpose today is to simply help you stay focused not just on the birth of Christ, but WHY He came. He came to give you, me, and everyone an opportunity to be reunited with our God. His life was to be that perfect sacrifice for the sin condition we were born into. He came to bring peace, joy, and life to this world. Remember not just that He was born, but why He was born.

This time of year, more than ever, people’s hearts are at least open to what this Jesus was all about. I have said here many times that your greatest witness is not what you say but how you live. You will be around schoolmates, coworkers, family members in some casual settings in the coming weeks. Take advantage of those moments to share the love of Christ, your
personal relationship with Jesus. There is no greater season to witness than the Christmas season. My challenge to you is that while you are busy with the various things you will be doing in the coming weeks, don’t forget to add sharing Christ with others to that list. Hearts are never more open or more receptive than during the Christmas season. This can be the greatest Christmas ever in regard to allowing the Lord to use you to touch others for Him. I want you to focus on that today. Pray about that today. Ask Him to use you in the coming weeks to affect the lives of people you come across that need more than anything this Christmas, a personal relationship with the Lord.

I love you and pray for you daily. I am praying, today, that this will be the most blessed Holiday season of your life. More than anything, I am praying that you will use these coming days to be a vessel God can use to reach others with His love. Be blessed today as we look forward to the busy Christmas season. Keep your daily walk with the Lord first in your life. Never forget that He loves you, cares about you, and wants to use you in a mighty way to fulfill His plan and purpose for this world. I pray during this upcoming Christmas season, the song on your lips will be “Joy To The World.”

Fornication

(Ephesians 5:3)

Fornication is an Old Testament word that means sex outside
the bounds of marriage. If you are having sex and it is with someone other
than the person you are married to, it is fornication. It is clearly
defined as sin in the Bible. To see how God feels about this issue, you
should get a Bible concordance, look up the word "fornication", and read
the various scriptures in God's Word that address this issue. Also, let me
say this in advance of the questions I know many are already getting ready
to ask. Jesus said if you lust in your heart, you have committed the act of
adultery. That may seem like a very high example to live up to. But that
is what God expects of us. If you remember, in past Devotionals I have
talked about sin and how it starts in the heart, then moves to the head,
and is ultimately consummated in the act itself. Jesus was talking about
killing sin where it is born, in the heart.

I get emails daily from people, young and old, asking how "far" they can go
with a boyfriend or girlfriend. I often remind them how the Bible says we
are to run from temptation. Listen, if you are trying to find "the line",
you have already crossed it. You are only playing mind-games with yourself.
It is like the moth that flies near the light. Ultimately, the moth gets
too close and is killed. You have to stop sin at its root, in the heart.
Once you let it go from your heart to your head, it is already too late.
Once you let it leave your head and actually start to act out the sin, your
are done.

Let me explain why fornication is wrong in very real, practical terms.
First, it is a perversion of God's plan for sex between a man and woman.
God's plan was for one man, one woman, for one lifetime. Sex is part of that
relationship between a man and woman. When you have sex outside of that
special union, you are opening up very special, intimate emotions that just
don't work outside of marriage. It is a very special part of the marriage
experience, and by perverting that plan, you cheapen it and compromise it,
and it is never as special as God intended it to be. Of course, in addition
to that side of the fornication issue, is the reality of sexually-
transmitted disease. That is a very real by-product or consequence of this
sinful activity. Then you always have the possibility of the woman getting
pregnant. Again, this opens the door to a plethora of consequences from
abortion, to having a child out of wedlock, to two people who God never
intended to be married getting married for all the wrong reasons, which
almost always ends badly for both people, to any number of other
consequences that can dramatically change your life. THERE ARE
ALWAYS...ALWAYS...ALWAYS...CONSEQUENCES FOR SINFUL ACTIVITY. At some level
you will have to deal with the consequences, if you choose to be involved in
fornication.

This issue perfectly illustrates the choices we have. If we choose to do it
our way, give in to our physical urges and engage in this sinful activity,
not only do we pay a very high price for choosing to rebel against God's
plan, but the fact is, what we get for that choice is very little. I can
personally attest that it is not in any way, shape or form worth the price
you have to pay. However, if we obey God and do it His way, this can be one of
life's great blessings. Sex is NOT bad. God created it. Enjoyed in the
context God created it to be experienced, it is wonderful. You see my
friend, God gave us each free will. We can choose to do it our way and deal
with the consequences of our rebellion, or do it God's way and know the
blessings of obeying Him. Often, the blessings we seek in this life are
there for us if we will simply be faithful and obedient. We hold the key
to many of our blessings by simply being obedient and doing it God's way,
instead of rebelling and trying to do it our way.

I love you, and care about you very much. I know this is a difficult issue
for many of you, and many are in the midst of struggling with it right now.
God's timing is always perfect, and it is NO ACCIDENT you are reading these
words today. God is clearly speaking to you. Again, it is your choice. I
can assure you that as long as you live in disobedience, in rebellion, and
continue to sin in this area, you will continue to struggle, have to deal
with the various consequences of this sinful activity, and it will keep you
from the close, intimate daily relationship with Christ that He wants to have
with you. For those in this battle with fornication today, this is for you:

"You are in a battle. To win a battle, you must have a battle plan. Pray,
sit down, and let God give you a plan you can faithfully work at each day.
Then you need someone you can be accountable to on a daily basis. You
can't win this fight alone. You need someone to stand with you and to hold
you accountable. Lastly, you need the strength you can only get from God.
That comes from your daily relationship through prayer and the Word, and from
being in church and finding ways to serve the Lord. All of this working
together will help you overcome this battle and see victory. I will stand
with you and be praying. He is able!!!

I will be praying for you today. I know for many this is a major bondage in
your life. With the strength God can provide and making it a priority, you
can overcome it and see victory. From my own life I can tell you this. If
you listen to God and do it His way, it not only works, but it is incredible.
Why settle for the scraps this world offers, when we can enjoy the feast our
God has prepared for us. I will be praying.

We Change, God Does Not

(Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8)

Immutable is one of those $5 theological words
that describes an attribute of God. It is one of those attributes that
allows us to keep our faith and trust in Him daily. It simply means
"without change". That is why we can boldly say that the same God who brought
you through the storm 3 months ago is the same God who will bring you
through the storm today. He doesn't change. That is why we can have
confidence each day that God loves us. He doesn't change. It is the fact
that God never changes that gives us the ability to go to John 1:9 when we
sin and KNOW that He will forgive us and cleanse us. Part of the foundation
of our faith is this wonderful truth that GOD NEVER CHANGES.

The point I want to focus on today, however, is that WE do change. Living in
Florida these last 5 years, my wife and I often get away for a few hours and
drive just a few miles from our home to the Gulf of Mexico. We often sit
and talk, watching the tide roll in and out. I think how our lives are like
the tide. Always moving, always changing. The challenge I want to give you
today is this. Take a few minutes and get alone in a quiet place. Get some
paper and a pen. Make a list of the following categories. DAILY WALK WITH
CHRIST - CHURCH FELLOWSHIP SERVING GOD, SPOUSE (if applicable), CHILDREN (if
applicable), MOM, DAD, BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND (if applicable), FAMILY MEMBERS,
FRIENDS, SCHOOL/WORK, FINANCIAL, HEALTH, RECREATION/HOBBIES, BONDAGES (such
as alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, etc.). Now in each category,
simply jot down notes as to where you were in this area 10 years ago, 5
years ago, 1 year ago, 6 months ago, and where you are now. Be honest, this
is between you and God.

The point of this exercise will be apparent very quickly. WE change. We
are not immutable. Unfortunately, much of our change is for the worse and
not the better. It doesn't happen overnight, but over a period of time,
just like the tide that slowly rolls in. It isn't even something we notice
most of the time. Looking over your paper when you are done will clearly
focus you on those areas of your life that you need to work on and make
some changes in. This may seem like a waste of time, but trust me, God is
speaking to you loud and clear as you read these words. He is trying to get
your attention. The 10 minutes it will take you to do this can be the
difference between your relationship with Christ being all it can be or
having little life in it. It can be the difference between a better
marriage or divorce. It can be the difference between having good health,
or constant battles in that area. I am not trying to be over-dramatic, but
the way we change over time, the subtle ways we change without even being
aware of it, can lead to many of the problems you are dealing with today.
These could be some of the most profitable minutes ever as the Lord reveals
to you those areas of your life that need to be worked on.

I love you, and I care about you so much. I realize many will resist this
exercise for many reasons. Ultimately, though, it is because the enemy will
try to stop you from having to face in black and white those things in your
life that need changing. We get comfortable in our lives, even when they
aren't the way they should be. We get comfortable living with sin. It is
like having a mouse in your house. You can't catch it, and it may even get to
a point where you will try and live with it. My friend, it is time for a
Holy Ghost extermination of those things in your life that shouldn't be
there. The only thing keeping you from all the wonderful blessings God has
for your life is YOU. I will be praying that you will take the
time to pray, put your life on paper, see those areas where you have moved
away from God, and give yourself a real and precise focus. I talk about
game plans as a way of overcoming sin in our life. Once you complete this,
you will then have identified those areas that need work, The next step is
to formulate a game plan in order to get where God wants you to be in every
area of your life. It won't be easy. It won't happen overnight. But over
time, working faithfully daily and in the strength He can supply, you will
see victory.

We can be thankful today that our God NEVER changes. We do. Now is the
time to see the areas of our life that need to be changed for the glory of
God!

Joy – What a Powerful Word for Only 3 Letters

(Psalm 100)

It is the one thing that so many are looking for each day. There are many types of joy. The joy of doing well on a project at work or school. The joy of seeing your favorite sports team win a big game. The joy of a parent as their child accomplishes something special. There are many types of joy, but the one the Bible talks about can only come from an intimate relationship with God. You see, the other types of joy I alluded to, are fleeting, passing, and based on single events. The joy of God is deep down, continuous, encompasses your whole being. This joy can only be experienced when you are in a relationship with Christ, and a daily walk that magnifies Him.

You see, many believers lack joy in their life, because they are still trying to live life their way, in their own strength. When you do it your way, you put yourself in the same place the world is at. The world continually seeks real, true joy. But because they lack a relationship with Christ, a daily walk with God, it is never possible to experience. Men of great wealth have often said that to have lots of money is nice, but without the joy only a life dedicated to Christ can bring, it is very empty.

Many of you this morning are looking for different things in your life. Many are facing great financial problems, health issues, relationship difficulties. I tell you today, that despite the earthly problems in your life today, there is an opportunity for you to have something money can’t purchase. In spite of the problems in your life, you can still have something so special, it gets you beyond those problems. God is offering His joy to you today if you are interested. Simply pray and ask for God to open your heart, help you through the difficulties, and put His joy in your heart today. Trust me, having the joy of the Lord can give you the strength you need to overcome and be victorious in any situation.

It is impossible for the world to understand the concept of Godly joy in the face of many difficulties. But the joy comes from the fact that God is fighting for you. God is working on your behalf. He said that if you will be about His business, He will take care of yours. Start serving God today, be an inspiration to someone today. Let God give you His joy today to strengthen you to carry on despite the circumstances you are facing. His joy is not for sale, but free to those who ask for it.

I love you, am praying for you, and wish you a great day as we live with God’s joy in our lives each and every day.

Security of God's Children

(Psalms 91:5)

From the thousands of email requests that come
into Liveprayer.com each and every day...from men and women of all ages,
nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, professions....there is one
common element. That common element is that everyone faces the hurts and
pains of this life. It is inescapable. Family and friends die. You or
people you know battle health issues. Parents have conflicts with their
children. Children have conflicts with their parents. There are issues at
school or on the job. People have problems in their marriages and
relationships with other people. Everyone has financial issues at some
level. We all have battles we fight in our life with different things that
put us in bondage. You see, my friends, the common bond all men face in this
life are the hurts and pains of a world ravished and saturated with sin.
Being a Christian does not make you immune. Jesus, just hours before going
to the cross, told his disciples that in this world they would have
tribulation. You see, He did not want them to think that just because they
had a personal relationship with Him, they would be immune from the hurts
and pains of this life. Then, after warning them, our Lord spoke these
wonderful words, "be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
AMEN!!!!!!!!

The good news today is that you can have the assurance and knowledge that no
matter what your circumstances are, however difficult your life may be
today, the trials and tribulations of this world do not win if you have
Jesus as your personal Savior. The pain from losing a loved one, those
health issues, problems with your parents or kids, situations at school or
work, problems in your marriage, financial concerns, battles with
addictions....in the end, you overcome all of the hurts and pains of this
world because of Jesus. For those who have chosen to live without Christ in
their life, it can be an unbearable existence. Going to sleep at night only
brings the expectation of another day without hope. There are more
questions than answers, more problems than energy to handle them. This
doesn't get better because some may have money either. When you don't
have Christ in your life, you can have all the money in the world and you
still have no security, because the hurts and pains of life are such that
money can't make them go away. The ONLY answer to the hurts and pains of
this life is a real, vibrant, intimate daily relationship with Jesus Christ.

I love you, and care about you so very much. For those reading this today
who know Christ as your Savior, take with you the security that Jesus has
overcome this world and all of the problems this world can offer. I don't
care what things may look like in the natural, because God will always have
the final word. It is time to make your faith real..trust God today!
Whatever battles you are fighting, meet them head on with the confidence
that the Lord has already won. You can lay your head down tonight with the
security of knowing God is working for you while you rest. For those
reading this today who do not have a personal relationship with Christ, who
do not have that assurance, you can. The Bible proclaims today is the day
of salvation. You can go to my website, www.liveprayer.com and click on
"Salvation". Pray, listen, and let the Holy Spirit guide you. It
is the most important decision you will make in this life. Becoming a
Christian is NOT going to make your problems go away. It will NOT mean your
life will be a bed of roses. It DOES mean you no longer have to fight
alone. It DOES mean you now have a power and strength that is greater than
any other in the universe. It WILL give you the assurance and security that
nothing else in this world can give you as you deal with the pains and hurts
of life.

I will be praying for you today. Jesus loves you. While we get so focused
on our own daily struggles, we often forget in the light of eternity, this
life is very brief. That means whatever the problems are, whatever the
struggles are, are only for a short time. The hope is one day all those who
profess their faith in Christ will be with Him for eternity. Knowing that
gives us the security of living this life despite the hurts and pains,
knowing where our eternal home will be. It also lets us serve the Lord and
bear fruit with our life, despite whatever problems life may throw our way.

Wrestling with God.

(Genesis 32:22-29)

We must learn how to wrestle with God for His
blessings. The deep things of God are available to those who want them bad
enough. How serious are you today about receiving ALL of God's blessings in
your life? There are three levels of blessings. The first are general
blessings available to everyone. The Bible tells us that "it rains on the
just and the unjust". The second are family blessings. These are blessings
available to those within the family of God. Lastly, there are special
blessings. These are available to those in the family of God who desire the
deep things of God, ALL that God has. To be a recipient of God's special
blessings, you must demonstrate to God how serious you are. God sovereignly
chooses who to bless in special ways and He is looking for those who are
hungry for all He has to offer. Too many of God's people are satisfied
eating hamburger when they could be dining on fillet. Jacob wanted to be
blessed by God and wasn't going to settle for anything less. He knew what
he wanted, didn't give up until he got it, and then finally received his
blessing from God.

Before you can wrestle with God for the special blessings, you must know
what you want. Paul knew what he wanted...to be like Christ. Unfortunately,
most Christians don't really know what they want. We have to be specific
with God. God is a specific God. He didn't just tell Noah to build a boat,
he gave him every last detail. He didn't just tell Moses to build a
tabernacle, he told him every single detail. But once you know what you
want, you have to be willing to not give up until you receive it. We live
in such an age of instant gratification. Drive through food, fax machines,
cell phones, FedEx, 24-hour banking...we want it now and aren't willing to
wait. One reason we may have to fight for what we want is that in that time of
fighting, the Lord is purifying us. As we wrestle with God, He is purifying
us, cleansing us, and preparing us to receive His blessings. Finally come the
blessings. God loves to bless His children. The Bible says, "..and see if
I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have enough room for it."' The blessings we receive flow
from God's abundant grace and endless love for His children. God is in the
blessing business!!!!

Do you want God's blessings in your life? Are you willing to wrestle with
God for a night? A week? A month? A year? Or are you going to just
accept things the way they are. It is time to get as serious with God about
our blessings as we do in wanting other things. People of the world get
focused on their goals and sacrifice everything to achieve them. Unfortunately, the things of this world are temporary, but the things of God are everlasting. If we work so hard for things that last but a short time, why don't we work that much harder for those things of God that will stand the test of eternity? I will be praying for you today. Praying that like Jacob, you are serious enough about God's blessings, that you will do anything, even wrestle with God until He blesses you. The deep things of God are available to those who want them bad enough and are willing to do whatever is necessary to receive all God has for their life. He loves you, He cares about you, and He wants to bless you. Now it is up to you to show God how serious you are.

Loving The Things Of This World

(Colossians 3:2)

The enemy is so subtle how he works. One of my main goals is to expose some of his tricks so that you won't be fooled or have to live through the consequences of falling into one of his many, many traps. How easily we get distracted from our heavenly mission and goals, and get focused on meaningless things of this world that will one day be gone. I think about a few months ago when millions were glued to their TV sets watching that horrible perversion of God's plan for a man and woman, "Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire". Most laughed at the show, but what powerful messages it sent to so many without any kind of Biblical foundation about how we have minimized the sacred institution of marriage. It is now little more than a way for TV networks to get ratings. Or professional wrestling, one of the most popular programs on TV. Entertainment, fun? Is it really entertaining to watch a huge man body slam a woman through a table? Is that what our "fun" has deteriorated too?

The reason I address these issues today is to show you how we, yes
Christians, have gotten so out of focus in our daily lives. It would be
nice to assume that everyone watching these programs, everyone going into
adult bookstores, everyone that is engaging in so many ungodly activities each
and every day were simply "the lost". But unfortunately that is not the
case. Many good, saved, churchgoing people get caught up in the things of this
world because they have allowed the temporary, short-term allure to capture
their mind. They have focused on the things of this world instead of on
things above. For most, it happened slowly, over a period of time. But by
continually focusing on the things this world has to offer instead of the
things of God, they have slowly been led down roads they never thought they
would be on.

For the record, I am not blaming the problems in people's lives on wrestling,
TV shows, or other things that many get enjoyment from. I am not telling
you that you should stop doing things you enjoy or stop having fun. I am,
however, issuing a warning to you today that when you start focusing too
much on the things of this world and not enough time on the things of God,
you are inviting problems into your life. Just like the way that TV program
has perverted the institution of marriage, often the world perverts things and
you start to think that is the way it should be. Remember, in the world
there is no right or wrong. There is no absolute truth. Again, that is
why I encourage you daily to stay in the Bible, because God's Word IS ABSOLUTE
TRUTH. The world's goal is to be politically correct and not offend. The truth in God's Word is highly offensive to many because it lays out clearly what is right and what is wrong, and those living in rebellion to God are then reminded that the free-will choices they have made are wrong and not in God's will. I guess my question for you today is, are you more concerned with pleasing the world or pleasing God?????

I love you and care about you. I am so thankful for those of you who
have been able to stand with us in prayer. One day in Heaven you will get a tap on your shoulder and someone will tell you how they gave their life to Christ or got through a difficult time because of Liveprayer. You help make that possible each and every day with your prayers and support of this work. Thank you. Let me close today again with a simple question, is your mind focused more on the things of this world or the things of God? Think about that today.

A Message To Those Committing Adultery

(Exodus 20:14)

Early in my marriage, when I was
not walking with the Lord, I was involved in several adulterous affairs. I
thank God daily for His love and mercy, and for His forgiveness. I thank God
daily for my wife and her commitment to our marriage and unconditional love
that allowed her to forgive me. I confess this to you today, so those who
read this will know that I understand this subject. Adultery is simply an
act of gross selfishness. There is NO excuse for it, no way to even try and
justify it. It is an act of total rebellion towards God. It is sin, and
trust me my friend, God cannot and will not bless sin. When you commit
this act, you are sinning against God, your spouse, yourself, and you are
contributing to the sin of the other person. There are NO winners in an
adulterous situation. EVERYONE LOSES. For whatever moments of pleasure
there are, you pay an incredibly high price. So why are so many involved
in this activity?

The reasons for committing adultery are endless. All of them added up
together still aren't justification for this blatant act of disobedience.
Do you realize the time and effort that it takes to be involved in an
adulterous relationship? If that same time and effort were put towards your
spouse, it would do wonders for your marriage. If you took all of the time
of planning it takes to be together with that other person, put forth the
same energy you do to please that other person, were as kind, considerate,
and affectionate as you are with that other person....with your
spouse....how much better your marriage would be? Do you realize that when
you are involved in an adulterous relationship, how much communication there
is with the other person? If you put even half of that communication in
your marriage, it would be dramatically better.

Here is reality my friend. There is no future with a person you are
involved in an adulterous relationship with. It will never work out, if
for no other reason, God is never going to bless such a union. Whatever
problems exist in your marriage that even cause you to consider committing
adultery, are fixable with the effort of both spouses and God's involvement.
For whatever reason there may have been, you chose to commit to marry that
person, now you need to make it work. For those who are yet not married,
maybe now you can see why it is SO IMPORTANT to not rush into marriage, to
stay pure so you aren't forced into marriage, and to be equally yoked so there
is spiritual harmony and communication in a marriage. Most problems stem
from the marriage starting on a bad foundation. Marriage is SERIOUS.
However, if you find yourself in a marriage that was started on a bad
foundation, Jesus Christ will help you rebuild that foundation on the Word
of God. But you have to be willing to put forth the effort. Trust me, you
may think things will be better in a new relationship, but ultimately,
after a period of time there will be problems. So don't compound them by
fighting against God. That is a battle you will lose every time.

I love you and care about you so much. I know many of you are hurting. For
those spouses who are in pain today because your spouse has cheated on you,
let me encourage you. You are NOT responsible for his/her actions. Your
spouse has the same free will you have. Your most effective weapon is to
pray for them and commit them to God, since only He can change their heart.
My wife learned how to really trust God 100% during that period in our life
many years ago. It will help you to make your faith real. The Lord will
help you overcome the pain and hurt, and actually be able to forgive your
spouse and move forward in your relationship. For those who are currently
involved in an adulterous relationship, let me challenge you. STOP TODAY.
I know that it will be difficult, but it is the first step to getting your
relationship with God back, and your life back. Anyone who is honest knows
that life becomes almost not worth living under those conditions. God will
always help you when you are trying to follow His way. Whatever problems
exist in your marriage, adultery is not the answer. Honest open
communication with your spouse, allowing God to be an active part of your
life, and working at the commitment you made to your husband/wife....this is
what it is going to take to make your marriage all that God wants it to be.

Because of the sensitive nature of this issue, know that I will be spending
time in prayer for those of you who are dealing with this in your life,
both for those who are committing adultery and those who have a spouse
cheating on them. My prayer is that you will find that intimate personal
relationship with the Lord you need to overcome the circumstances you are
facing in your life. No matter how hopeless things may look, there is
ALWAYS hope in Christ. Get right with God, then get right with your
spouse. It is the only answer, and God will help you when you follow His
Word.

Being a Godly Citizen

(Titus 3:1)

Even though most who read this Devotional are in the
United States, the country you live in doesn't matter. One of our
responsibilities as a child of God is to be a Godly citizen of the country
we live in. This is accomplished primarily by obeying the laws and honoring
those God has placed in leadership. Here are many scripture references that
support this: Ecclesiastes 8:2, Matthew 17;27, Matthew 22:21, Romans 13:1, 1
Peter 2:13, 1 Peter 2:14, 1 Peter 2:17, Ezra 7:26, Exodus 22:38,
Ecclesiastes 10:20, Acts 23:5, Proverbs 14:34. For those of us fortunate
enough to live in the United Sates or in other democratic countries, we also
have the ability to have our voice heard through our vote. Let me just say
this. Voting is an incredible right we have, and it should not be taken
lightly. It is one way we can make our voices heard, and at the same time be
the Godly citizen we are to be. If you are not registered to vote, then
pray about it, and get registered.

One of our most powerful ways to be a Godly citizen is through prayer. Pray
for your country. Pray for your leaders. Pray for God to bless your
country. Also, pray about those things that need to be changed. In the US,
for instance, we have an incredible problem with abortions, divorce, and how
incredibly easy it is to access any sin you can name. As you know, my
philosophy on social change is one heart at a time. There is a certain
amount that can be done politically, but real change can only come from God.
A great example was the Prohibition era. Making it unlawful to drink didn't
even slow it down. A great modern day example is the illegal drug crisis we
are in. The fact that they are illegal is little deterrent to those who
want to use these illegal substances. Again, real change comes one heart at
a time. The prayers of God's people works!

Another way that you can be a Godly citizen is through getting involved in
the political process. In a democracy like we have in the United States, it
invites people to participate. It gives those so led, the opportunity to
give of themselves to help their fellow citizens. Like everything else in
this world, sin has perverted the true meaning of public service. In its
purist form, it is an act of serving. Unfortunately, it has deteriorated
into a way for some to get rich, acquire power, and fulfill self-serving
interests at the expense of the people they are supposed to be serving.
However, being involved with pure motives can be an incredible way in which
to not only serve your fellow citizens, but God as well. Not just as
someone who holds public office, but those many, many dedicated people it
takes in support positions. To this end, with the Presidential elections
less than 50 days away, I contacted the offices of Vice President Gore and
Governor Bush since both men claim to be Christians. I asked them if they
had their Christian testimony that I could share with our friends at
Liveprayer.com. Vice President Gore's office said that he did not have a
testimony in written form; however we did receive one from Governor Bush.
If you are interested in reading this, simply go to:
www.liveprayer.com/BushTestimony.html

I love you and care about you very much. You will be in my prayers. As you
go throughout your daily lives, never forget the responsibilities we have to
be Godly citizens. Again, the best way we can fulfill that responsibility
is by obeying the laws, respecting our leaders, and praying for our leaders
and nation. I sense in my spirit that our great land is on the verge of
losing much of the blessings God has bestowed upon us these past 200+ years
due to our sin and rebellion. We can read clear examples in the bible of
how God dealt with the children of Israel when they disobeyed. Even though
they were God's chosen people, he took the hand of blessing from them for
their disobedience. I hear the trumpet sounding its warning my friends.
Lets us turn from our sin before it is too late. Being a Godly citizen is
one way we can make that happen.

Being a Servant

(John 13:4-8)

The first 3 years of my ministry, I spent 51 weeks a year on the road doing evangelistic meetings in over 500 churches of every denomination, racial make-up, ethnic background, and size. I am deeply appreciative for the Lord opening so many doors to give me such a wide range of experiences. I then devoted the next 4 years almost exclusively producing programming for Christian t.v. stations nationwide. Again, God opened the doors for me to become involved with most every national ministry and many of the top Christian music artists. While I still preach in selected situations, and am still involved in producing programming for Christian t.v., the last 10 months my time, energies, and focus has been almost 100% on our Liveprayer.com ministry. You see, the one thing the Holy Spirit greatly impressed upon me over my years of preaching and producing television, as I was being exposed to so many ministries and people in God’s work was this . . . . WE ARE HERE TO SERVE OTHERS. Our job description is very simple . . . SERVANT.

Because of the incredible access the Lord gave me to so many ministries, churches, and people in the Lord’s work, I came to realize two very real truths. One is always keep God first. There are some very large international ministries that reach millions of people, yet whose focus is strictly money. The people are simply an avenue to generate money. Even though the Lord can minister in spite of wrong motivations, He has always judged those who used His work strictly for personal gain. We have seen even in our lifetime large ministries that virtually disappeared overnight when they ceased putting Jesus first. There are many examples in the Bible of God exercising His judgment on kings and kingdoms that quit honoring him. I can tell you in no uncertain terms, that this country we live in has been richly blessed by God, yet if we continue to rebel by killing unborn children, stopping prayer in our schools, and forgetting God in our daily lives . . . we may see God’s judgment on the United States in our lifetime. When we stop putting God first in our life, our church, our ministry, our country . . . He knows how to remove His hand of blessing and allow judgment to come. Go and read again the life of King Saul to see God’s anointed judged for not putting Him first.

The second truth I have learned is that those churches, ministries, and people serving the Lord who followed after the example of Jesus . . . and became a servant . . . were richly blessed by God and saw much fruit from their work. Don’t forget, “richly blessed” doesn’t always mean the biggest church, the most people, the largest bank account. That is the way the world judges things. God judges by totally different standards. I have been in churches of 5,000, brand new buildings, huge offerings. I have also been in churches of 80, small storefronts, sacrificial offerings. If those in the 5,000 member church are simply coming to be entertained, or out of guilt, or as a ritual, yet not growing spiritually or serving people’s needs . . . and those in the 80 member church are growing in their personal faith, out serving God in their lives, making an impact for the Kingdom . . . then even though the world may judge the 5,000 member church a success and the 80 member church a failure . . . God says the 80 member church is the success and the 5,000 member church is the failure. Those who follow Christ are to be servants as He was a servant.

I will be praying for you today to always remember in everything you do to keep God first and to be a servant. I love you and care about you so much. I spent 12 years of my life living in rebellion to God, living to be served by others. By the world’s standards I had everything you could ever want in this lifetime. Yet, I was never happy, never at peace, there was no lasting joy. God mercifully broke me, took everything away so that I had to be totally dependent upon Him. These last 10 years I have tried each day to be a servant to others. To selflessly share Christ’s love with others who were hurting. As I have been fulfilling the purpose God gave my life, to serve and glorify Him with my life, I have found peace, joy, happiness above and beyond anything I had ever imagined. Before I had so much, but actually had nothing. Now I have only a little, but in reality have everything that matters in life . . . God gave us this life not to be served, but to be a servant.

Remembering God

(Jonah 2:7)

It may sound unrealistic, but many times in our greatest hour of need, we tend to forget God. Many times we are tired of praying. Many times we have given up on Him answering. Often, we are so wrapped up in solving our problems our way, we forget it is God who can help us. If nothing else, let this word, today, be a reminder to you to remember God, especially in your time of greatest need. Oftentimes, we back ourselves into corners, and when things aren’t working out, we lose sight that we are to be serving the Lord, working for Him, and it is to be on His terms and under His plan. When we get ahead of God or forget Him all together, we often fail. When it is in His time, on His terms, under His plan, we can never fail.

I could go into a long, drawn-out message today, but the Holy Spirit has impressed upon me that you are very busy, and I try to respect your time. Today, there is simply very little more to add than that God is there. He has never left you, though you may have left Him. He is waiting for you to call on Him. Jonah, while in the belly of the whale, finally realized there was only one place to turn. Don’t wait until you are in the belly of the whale. Call to God, today, and let Him walk with you, help you, and give you what you need to overcome. Remember God today. In your busy life, remember if it is on His terms, His way, it will ALWAYS work out because GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT FAIL.

I love you and care about you very much. I will be praying for you today, as I do every day, that you will remember God. That you will cry out to Him and let Him help you. He loves you, cares about you, and has a special plan for your life. Take advantage of the access He has given you and tap into the greatest power in the universe. Remember God today–He loves you, cares for you, and will never abandon you.

Giving Our Best Effort In All Areas Of Our Lives

(Matthew 6:33)

One of the easiest traps
to fall into, and one of things that I pray about daily, is giving my best
effort in every area of my life. For most of us, a big portion of our life
is our job or school. We tend to spend the majority of our time and energy
either involved in our work or school. How many days do you come home from
work or school and are exhausted? You have literally given everything you
have, and your tank is empty. The problem is, in addition to your work or
school, you have a spouse, children, family, friends (maybe only one or
possibly all) that are part of your life and need to be nurtured. How often
do we come home and we just have nothing left for our wife or husband? Or
how many times are we too busy to spend that quality time with our children
we need to? The fact is, while we often give our best efforts, give the
best of what we have at work or school, those we love most in this life get
the leftovers. Recently I did a Devotional on working at our job or at
school as unto the Lord, doing our best since we are His representatives in
the job site or classroom. So I am NOT talking about not giving our best
efforts when we are working or in school. What I am talking about is the
balance in our life that is so critical.

The order of our priorities is simple. Our relationship with the Lord has
to be first since who we are and what we are in this life flow from that
relationship. Then comes those people God has given us to share this life
with...our spouse, children, family, close friends. Next is our job or
education. Now I realize that I may make some people uncomfortable today.
Talk to the Lord about it. Why do we give so much at work or at school, give
the very best we have, and give very little at home.....and usually nothing
at all to the Lord. That is upside down! When our priorities are upside
down, our lives tend to get upside down. Marriages get into trouble because
husbands and wives don't work at it. Marriage is NOT a joint living
arrangement, but a bonding, a blending of two lives into one, with Christ at
the center. Everyone is so busy with "work", that many marriages are little
more than convenient living arrangements. Is it any wonder then, why without
the intimacy and the daily nurturing, that so many end up in relationships
outside the home? The really stupid thing is that if you put the same
amount of energy and effort into your spouse that you end up putting into
someone else, you would be amazed at how wonderful God can make the marriage
experience. Because of "work", your children don't get the best you have,
they get little bits and pieces here and there. Other family members and
friends also get whatever is leftover. The Lord???? Maybe a "hello" as you
leave in the morning or a "prayer" as your eyes close at night.

Nobody is more guilty of this than I am. I have written this Devotional
several times in the last months, but never sent it out. As with all
battles, we must have a battle plan. Being a very organized person as many
of you are, here is how I have worked at keeping my priorities straight,
making sure that I was giving my best efforts in all of the areas of my
life. First, is my daily walk with Christ. Whether you are a pastor, in
full-time ministry, a homemaker, a student, or whatever else you may do in
life, THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST.
Especially for those in ministry, if you don't have a real, intimate, daily
walk with Christ, you have NO ministry. Your ministry flows from that
personal relationship. I spend the first 15-20 minutes every morning in
prayer, then another 20-30 minutes in the Word. I HAVE to start my day with
the Lord for many reasons, but practically, if I don't do it then, it will
never get done. That is reality. I schedule my day to include time with my
wife. It may sound cold, but I operate best under a disciplined schedule.
I make sure we eat dinner together, we do something out of the house
together, and spend time each day talking. Even when I don't want to, I
HAVE to talk with my wife. Husbands and wives HAVE to talk to each other
each day, and not just about the daily business. Communication is critical
to a relationship. Talk with the Lord and talk with your wife. Sandwiched in
between is our work or school.

How is it possible to have the energy, to give our best to the Lord, at work
or school, to our spouse, kids, family, and friends? My friend, in our own
strength it is impossible! We can only do it in the strength the Lord gives
us. We have to be aware how important it is to keep our priorities in line.
When we get our priorities out of line, we will get into trouble in one,
two, or many areas of our life. It is just a matter of time. I love you,
care about you, and will be praying for you today. I realize that this is a
very difficult subject for many, and will actually involve much conviction
from the Holy Spirit, since you are so entrenched in your day-to-day lives.
It is not too late to make changes, and God will help you to get your
priorities in order. God, our loved ones, work/school. If we keep our
priorities straight, the Lord will help us to always give our best effort in
EVERY area of our life.

Life makes No Sense without Christ

(Psalms 78:32-33)

I have often been asked by those who have never asked Christ into their life why it is so important to accept Christ. Of course, the theological response is obvious. The Bible clearly states that there is only one plan of salvation and one way to everlasting life and that is through faith in Christ. There is NO other way. But that is not the answer I give. My answer is this. Setting aside for a moment the eternal consequences of knowing or rejecting Christ in your heart, life simply makes no sense without faith in Christ.

You see, to reject Christ, is to reject the only answers that make sense everyone who lives asks. Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going when this life is over? We were created in the image of God, by God, and not by some catastrophic accident or evolutionary process that has been totally rejected even by the most ardent evolutionists. If that is true, then there must have been a purpose for our creation. this deals directly with our day-to-day lives. Unless there was a planned purpose and reason for our existence, this life is not only most miserable, it is also totally meaningless and in vain. There is really no reason for us to live since it means nothing. God created us for the sole purpose of serving and glorifying Him with our life. That is why our life has meaning and purpose. We have been created to serve our creator. WE have been created to glorify our creator through our lives. You see, live has meaning and purpose. It is not just in vain. That means if God created us, and created us to serve and glorify Him with our lives, our eternal destination is to be reunited with our Creator.

As oversimplified as this may seem, it is really not much more complicated. We have made life much more complex than it really is. I am praying today, that as you read over these words, you realize that those around you who are without Christ are most miserable. I don’t care how successful they may be, how much money the may have, how much fun they may appear to have. Until you have settled in your heart the basic questions of where we came from, why we are here, and where we go when life is over, you can NEVER have real peace in your life. Not only that, you will never have that sense of purpose that makes your life meaningful. I pray today you will open your heart and not only internalize these truths in your own life, but share them with others so that they too may realize how important this life really is.

I am praying, today, for you. My love and caring for you and your needs increases each day as God allows me to share His thoughts with you via this Daily Devotional. You are very important to me, and very important to the Lord. Your life has value as great as the life of God’s own son. Never forget that. I will be here to stand with you in your time of need, as well as to share with you the joys this life offers. May His richest blessings be yours today as we stand together proclaiming to this lost and hurting world the love and hope we have in Jesus Christ!

Today, I Want to Question your Faith

(Mark 4:37-41)

Here on the west coast of Florida, everyone was preparing for Hurricane Gordon to come through our area this morning. We were expecting 80 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, 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.

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 nor 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 who caused the sun to shine in Florida this morning instead of the storm damage everyone expected . . . is the same Jesus who can cause the sun to shine in the circumstances of your life today!

ADVERSITY
(Mark 4:35-41)

Avoiding the Distractions
Several weeks ago, the Internet was hit with several major viruses that affected millions of users worldwide, took down the mail servers of many smaller ISPs, and cost tens of millions of dollars in damage to computers, loss revenues, and employee down time. Sending out the Daily Devotional to over 1.7 million email accounts worldwide each day, receiving over 40,000 prayers requests by email daily, and sending a response to each one, Liveprayer literally operates 24/7/365. Issues like viruses, hackers, and just the myriad of technical problems on the Internet are things that we have to contend with every day. It is simply part of being in that world.

Another issue that I have to deal with every day are people in the world that simply hate God, reject Jesus Christ, and think of the Bible as a book of fables. In addition to the over 1.7 million who receive the Devotional directly, it is posted on Liveprayer.com every day, on about 100 other websites that we have given permission to, and forwarded by our subscribers to another 2-3 million daily. Obviously, dealing with the real-life issues that I do each day, taking a Biblical stand on those issues upsets many people who read what I write.

One of my main goals each day is to share the hope and love of Christ with the lost and hurting of this world. We have been successful in doing that both here on the Internet and now 5 nights a week LIVE on secular television. One of the prices you pay in taking the truth of God’s word to this lost world is the hateful mail and emails many send. I know God is watching over me and I fully realize that these people are lashing out at God and not me.

Add to the technical issues and people who are hostile to the work of God, you also have the financial demands that have to be met, problems in the lives of those who work in the ministry, plus the endless list of daily problems that come out of nowhere. ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE A DISTRACTION TO DOING WHAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO THAT DAY!

You see my friend, one of the things that we MUST do to live a victorious life in Christ, is keep our focus on HIM at all times. Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus told His disciples that in this world they would have trials, they would have tribulation, but to be of good cheer because HE has overcome this world!

You see, as long as you keep your eyes focused on Jesus, you will be okay despite what the circumstances may be. The reality of this life is that we will ALWAYS have problems. There is no way to live this life without dealing with the day-to-day problems of life. It is inherent to living in this sin-filled world – but we can never let the problems of this life distract us from what God has called us to do. No matter what, we must always keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

I love you and care about you so much. It hurts me to know that in facing the daily problems of life, many of you have allowed those distractions to keep you from being all God has called you to be. They have kept you from serving Him in the capacity that He has asked you to serve Him. That means you are allowing the distractions of life to keep you from fulfilling your purpose which is to serve and glorify Him with our lives.

When we are fulfilling our purpose in life, THAT is when we can know the true joy, peace, and abundance that this life can offer. I know many of you today are having major problems with your health, job or school, your finances, marriage or other relationships, and with a million other very real and pressing issues. I want to encourage you today to not let anything distract you from what God has called you to do for Him today.

I will be praying for you today. Praying not only for the needs in your life but that God uses this word today to help you not be distracted in your service to Him by what is happening around you. Our purpose is to serve Him and we can never let anything distract us from fulfilling that purpose. Too many people are like the disciples in today’s passage of scripture. They are focused on the storms in their life instead of on the one who can calm the storms.

The Bible teaches that if we will be about our Father’s business, He will be about ours. Stay focused on Jesus and don’t let anything distract you from what He has called you to do with your life.

Your Best Witness Is How You Live Your Life

(Matthew 28:16-20)

One of the hardest things for most Christians to do is to
witness. It doesn't matter how old or young you might be, male or female,
there just seems to be a difficulty in sharing our faith. Let me give you a
some basic practical help in this area. First of all, never forget your
best witness is how you live your life...not what you say. The unbelieving
world has for too long heard Christians say one thing, then live in a
totally opposite way. There is nothing more powerful to a non-Christian
than how you live. Trust me, whether it is at school, at work or at play, if
you have expressed a belief in Christ, people are watching you. They are not going to judge you so much by what you say, but how you live. You are truly a
"living testimony" and how you live is the most effective and powerful
witness you will ever have.

When those opportunities present themselves to vocally share your faith, the
minute you get into theological debates or Biblical arguments, or trying to
make the case for the existence of God, you are going nowhere fast. People
are afraid to witness because they feel inadequate answering the tough
questions. Listen, it is nice if you can handle yourself in those types of
situations, but rarely is a correct or adequate answer to these types of
questions going to turn someone to Christ. You have a personal relationship
with Jesus. Anytime you talk about Jesus with anyone, it should be in the
context of what He has done in your life. The person you are talking to
needs to know that this is not some ghost or imaginary character we have
dreamed up, but that Jesus is real and has a real impact on your life.
Your time of sharing should be focused on that aspect, what He has done for
you and the fact that Jesus wants to help whoever it is you are talking to.

Sharing your faith is kind of difficult for many, simply because you lack
the conviction of what you believe. If you knew for a fact a bomb would
explode at your office building or school at noon Tuesday, October 26, what
would
you do? Of course, you would do everything in your power to tell everyone
to stay away, that something terrible was going to happen. You wouldn't hold
back that life-changing information from anyone. Well, if you believe that
Jesus is Lord and those who accept Him will spend eternity in Heaven and
those who reject Him, eternity in Hell, what are you waiting for? One of
the big fears is that of rejection. Listen, they are not rejecting you if
they choose to walk away, they are rejecting Christ. But don't forget, you
can't save anyone. Only by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit does
someone
make that decision to accept Jesus. Usually, many have planted seeds and many
have prayed, you are just the last link in God's chain. You did nothing but
be obedient and allowed God to use you to touch someone's heart. I was an
evangelist for 3 years and preached across the country in over 500 churches of
every denomination. When I gave the alter call and people came forward to
accept Jesus, I knew it was nothing I said, but the prayers of many, the
efforts of many planting seed in those lives over the years. God was just
using me for the final step.

Witnessing is not an option, it is a commandment from our commander in
chief. Get busy. Live right, holy and blameless before God and man, and
take those opportunities God gives you to tell others what Jesus has done
for you. God will do the rest.

The Foundation Of Our Lives

(1 Corinthians 1:9)

I often refer in these Devotionals and in many
responses to the prayer requests we receive, that your daily walk with
Christ is the most important thing in your life. You cannot minimize how
important that daily time in prayer and the Word is to your life. In that
time of fellowship with Christ, He speaks to you, you share the struggles
and joys of your current situations, you gain strength, and you stay focused
on what this life is all about. When a person "backslides" or gets caught
up in things that go against what God wants, having that daily time with the
Lord usually stops. Why? Because in your rebellion, you know you are not
doing what the Lord wants. When Adam sinned, he hid from the God he used to
fellowship with. When we disobey our parents, we try to avoid them. When
we do something wrong at work, we try to cover it up. When we violate the
trust with our spouse, we try to avoid them. Why? Because we know we
are rebelling. We have allowed sin to control us and are ashamed and guilty.

As difficult as it may be, when you sin, that is the time to run TO the
Lord. We have that special promise in 1 John 1:9 that assures us if we
confess our sins, He will forgive us. The problem is, we don't want to stop
sinning. We enjoy it. As destructive as sin is, we love it. We play games
with ourselves that we will never do it again, but let a little time pass,
and we aren't looking at solving the problem, but doing it some more.
Again, deep down we know that it will hurt us, hurt others, possibly even
destroy us and many others, but it doesn't matter. Let me say something
very clear. SIN IS SELFISH!. The reason it is selfish is that you don't
sin in a vacuum. Your sin not only affects you and God, but it affects
others. Adultery is one of the most selfish acts you can partake in. For
that little pleasure, you destroy so much. There is always a cost to sin,
and it is always very expensive.

One of the most important things we can do for our health is preventative.
Exercise, good nutrition, regular check-ups. All of these things help us to
stay healthy and avoid getting sick. However when we do get sick, do we run
from the doctor? Likewise, our daily time with the Lord is our preventative
spiritual medicine; however when we get "sick" we need to run TO the
"doctor". Your personal relationship with the Lord each day will not
guarantee you don't make a bad decision or sin, since we all sin and fall
short of God's glory. The random sins that we commit are not really what I
am talking about. I am focusing more on the habitual sins. Those are the
sins and behavior we can overcome through a real daily walk with Christ, since we will be under such conviction we will be motivated to overcome our sin.

I love you, and I care about you a great deal. Don't ever underestimate
that everything you are, everything you do, flows from your walk with
Christ. AS I have said on numerous occasions, that relationship with Him is
the only thing you will take from this life into eternity. It is a very
special relationship. Like all friendships, it must be nurtured. There is
no substitute for time. A friendship grows day by day, as does our walk
with Christ. Not only should it be your top priority each day, but
eventually, as your love for Him grows, something you look forward to. We
often take for granted that the one who walked this earth 2,000 years ago,
the one who gave us the example of how to live life, the one who went to a
cross and died a horrible death for OUR sins...wants to be our friend. I
remember growing up becoming friends with Joe Valenzuela. He was my best
friend. I was so glad he wanted to be my friend, and I worked hard to be a
good friend to him. We did everything together. We played together, hung
out, and shared many great times together. 30 years later we are still
close. That is the type of friendship I am talking about, and Jesus Christ,
the Lord of Lords and King of Kings wants to be your friend and share that
type of intimate relationship!

I will be praying for you today. Make your personal, intimate, daily
relationship with Christ the very foundation of your life. It will sustain
you during the difficult times. It will give you joy in the good times. it
will give you strength when you are under attack. It will keep you from
falling into many of the traps the enemy has set for you. Jesus loves you,
and your relationship with Him must be the very foundation of your life.

Working For The Lord

(Colossians 3:23, 24)

One of the biggest misconceptions is that only
ministers or those who work for a ministry are in full-time service for the
Lord. WRONG! Everyone who professes a personal faith in Christ is working
for the Lord. The only difference is where God has placed you to do your
work. Jesus said we are to be the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the
world". That means God needs His children working in every kind of job, in
every kind of industry. That is why the Lord has given each of us special
and unique talents and opened certain doors in our life, so that we can serve
Him and work for Him. Even though you may be going to school to get an
education, even though you may be working at a job to earn a paycheck to pay
the bills, that is not the only reason you are in that school or in that
job. My friend, it is NO ACCIDENT that you are going to school where you
do. It is NO ACCIDENT you are working where you work. God has allowed you
to be there for a season, not just for the reasons I already mentioned, but
also for a Divine reason. You see, in addition to your classes, in addition
to performing your duties, you have a Divine reason for being where you are
at.

God opens and closes doors in our life to guide us, direct us where He
wants. While we make choices daily, there are always things that are
totally out of our control. Those are the things we need to pay very close
attention to, since it is one way God speaks to us. We need to look at
those circumstances beyond our control, pray and read the Word, pray and get wise counsel from those outside who can be more subjective, pray, oh yes, and
pray. Trust nothing happens in your life by chance or by accident. God
often steps in to make things happen we can't control, to speak directly to
us and show us what He wants. After all, it should be our daily prayer, "Lord,
not my will, but THY will be done".

Now that we understand that in addition to getting an education, God has you
in the school you are in for a Divine reason and the job you work for a
Divine reason, the logical question is "what work is it God wants me to do?"
The number one job is to live in a way that glorifies our Lord. Our loudest
and most effective witness is not what we say, but how we live. Trust me,
people see how you live. Never forget, you are representing Christ every
second of every day. You are His ambassador at that school or on that
job site. In addition, God will give you opportunities to share your faith
in Christ. People are so afraid because they may not know exactly how to
answer a question. Listen, you are NEVER going to lead a person to Christ
in a debate. Those who want to argue about dinosaurs, and why God makes
people suffer, and how the bible is wrong, etc. etc. etc., are not going to
all of a sudden hear your answer and fall to their knees. It is best to
share what Christ has done in your life and how He has made a difference.
Most people who come to you are at a point in their life when they are
hurting and looking for answers. You may not have the answer, but you can
pray. You can assure them you will walk with them thru the difficulty.
This is what Jesus would do. Never forget the greatest ministry you can
ever have is sharing the love and hope of Christ with someone who is
hurting. Let the love Jesus has shown you flow from you to that person.
That is what opens a person's heart to the Lord. Pure, unconditional love.

Speaking of love, I do love you so much and care for you. I pray today that
you will take a few minutes and first thank God for where you are going to
school or where you work. You may hate your school and you may hate your job,
but that has to change, because you are there because that is where God wants
you. Remember, you are working for the Lord, so give Him your very best.
When it is time to change schools or change jobs, God will show you. He
will cause things to happen out of your control to show you where He wants
you. Don't forget it is His life, not yours, and your desire is to be
wherever He wants you to be, doing whatever He wants you to do. Go out each
day with the confidence and knowledge that you are where God wants you to
be, to use all He has blessed you with to serve Him. You are not working
for a teacher or working for a boss, but you are working for the Lord.

Dealing with the Reality of Death

(Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12; Hebrews 9:27)

Saturday, the sports world was shocked at the death of St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher, Darryl Kile. Darryl was 33. Also on Saturday, long-time advice columnist Ann Landers died at the age of 83. The deaths of these two well-known people reiterates the reality that one day every of us will die.

Every day here at Liveprayer, we get hundreds of prayer requests from people who are having a hard time dealing with the death of a loved one or friend. That is natural. Each year during the Christmas season, I find myself thinking often of my father who passed away in 1974, and my mother who died the day before Christmas in 1998. I have wonderful memories of the holidays growing up–it was always a special time of year in our home. It is perfectly natural that we think of and miss those who have died and were once part of our lives. As difficult as it is to lose someone we love and care about, we can never forget that death is part of this journey we are on. The Bible clearly teaches us that tomorrow is promised to nobody. Probably the hardest thing about death apart from its finality, is the burning question–why? Why does a baby, such a precious gift from God, get sick and die? Why does a teenager with so much life yet to live, have to die? Why does an accident, suddenly and without warning, take the life of a mother or father? Why does that wonderful grandfather, or loving grandmother have to die? Why does a good person get sick and have to suffer so much before they die? Why do so many innocent people die every day from acts of violence, wars, and natural disasters?

Sadly, there is never a good answer to why? This is why faith in Christ is so important. It is at those times in our life, when there are more questions than answers, that our faith MUST BECOME REAL. It is as those times that we must let our faith become real and trust God. What exactly does that mean? It means knowing that God is in control at all times. Nothing happens in this world apart from God allowing it to happen. God did not create death. Just the opposite. God created man to live forever. It was MAN who chose death when he sinned. Death became a by-product of man’s choice and we all inherit that fact of life.

However, because God loves us so much, while we must accept the consequences of our sin and face death one day, it is merely physical death. By His grace, He has made a way for us to be eternally with Him if we will repent of our sins, and accept by faith His Son Jesus Christ into out hearts. THIS IS HOW WE BECOME VICTORIOUS OVER DEATH! Even though these clay tablets we occupy during this brief journey may be dead, our soul lives on eternally. While sin not only destined our bodies to die, it also separated our eternal soul from God our creator. But God so loved this world, that He sent his only Son to die on a wooden cross to pay for the sins of all mankind. And WHOSOEVER believes in Jesus, will not eternally perish, but have LIFE EVERLASTING!!!

THERE IS VICTORY OVER DEATH THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! If, as you read these words, you do not have the assurance that if you died this very moment you would be eternally with God, then please go to this link, pray for God to open your heart, and take 2 minutes to read over what is written; www.liveprayer.com/SPlan.html.

I love you and care about you so much. I know many of you will be missing a loved one or friend today. Know that while we will all face death one day, we live on long after we are gone through the lives of those we were able to touch along our journey. Your loved one; your friend lives on through your life! You will live on through those lives you touch! Death is NOT something we should fear, but an event we should accept. We must also accept that we don’t know when or how it will happen. We never know if there will be a tomorrow. That is why I share so often that NOW is the time. We must not waste the precious time God does give us in this life. We must not take it for granted, but strive daily to serve and glorify God the best we can. After all, that is the purpose of this life.

So, as you remember your loved ones, your friends who are no longer with you, never forget that this journey we are on is very short indeed. Even if you are fortunate enough to live into your 80s and 90s, the time goes by very quickly. Can you believe that there is only a little more than 6 months left in 2002? Make the most of each day, treat it as the precious gift from God that it is. Do all that you can each day to share His love and hope with those you encounter. You will be living on through their lives, long after you are gone from this earth and in your eternal home.

The real problems in the United States

(Proverbs 14:34)

***So you are not alarmed, today's Daily Devotional is a repeat of
yesterday's Devotional. These were very difficult words to write, and had
been brewing inside for quite sometime. The Holy Spirit said that now is
the right time to print them. These words are so important, I am sending
them to you again, to re-read, pray over, and meditate on. You need to
forward this Devotional to everyone you know, print it out and post it at
work, church, the grocery store, wherever you can. God is clearly telling
us that time as we know it is drawing to a conclusion, and we need to get
serious about what this life is all about. You need to forward this to
every political and religious leader you can. This needs to go to the news
media. As I read about the lives of the prophets in the Old Testament, I
read of their frustration. However God simply told them to share the
message..that was their job. What people did with that message then became
their responsibility. Our job is to get this message to as many as we
possibly can. what people choose to do with these words is between them and
God. These words were written in the midst of 3 days of fasting in
preparation for the wonderful time of prayer last night..praying for over
150,000 people battling with alcohol. There is a special presence of God
with me right now that is so sweet. You are in my prayers. Be bold, have
no fear...as you share the love and hope of Christ.

I have received thousands of
requests over the last several months about the upcoming presidential
elections in the United States. In early November, I will do a Devotional
on those critical elections. I will not tell you who to vote for since that
is not our purpose here. By the way, God is not a Democrat, Republican, or
Independent. It will however focus on your personal responsibility as a
citizen of this country, or whatever country you live in since this
Devotional is written for a worldwide audience each day. Today though, I do
want to focus and share with you what the real problems we are facing here
in the United States. Let me start by saying God makes it clear in His Word
that it is no accident who our rulers are, and that it is God who puts those
rulers in office, and God who takes them out of office. We are to honor,
respect, and pray for those God has placed in authority over us. Some may
find this hard. But praying for our enemies is hard too, but that is what
the Bible tells us to do. Do you realize, it was God who allowed Bill
Clinton to become president for two terms? It was God who allowed Adolph
Hitler to rise to power? It was God who allowed the Emperors of Rome to
hold office. Never forget, the New Testament was written under the
inspiration of the Holy Sprit during the time Rome was in power and there
was mass persecution of Christians. Yet God clearly calls us to pray for
our leaders.

We have many problems in the United States today. Most of those problems
like Social Security reform, gas prices, employment, health care,
prescription drug benefits for our senior citizens are all in the news and
will be debated at length in the coming weeks, months, and years. However,
these are logistical, practical problems. The real problems we face in this
country are spiritual. The practical application for your life today is
this. Whatever problems you are facing in your life are NOT the real
problems. Your finances may be a major issue today. Addiction to alcohol,
drugs, gambling, sex may be a major battle you are fighting. Your marriage
may be in trouble. There may be health issues you are being confronted
with. All of these issues my friend are surface problems. Practical day to
day real life issues we have to deal with, but the real problems in your
life, just like the real problems in this country are SPIRITUAL.

Anyone with common sense can look back on the brief history of the Untied
States and see the Biblical principles upon which it was founded and set up
to operate under. There can be no doubt that the greatness of this country,
in spite of its' very young age compared to countries in the rest of the
world, are because of this personal relationship with God and His Word. The
problems we face today are because we have forgotten God, tossed His Word to
the side, and decided to do it "our way". No more prayer in school. The
legalized killing of millions of babies every year. God's plan for the
family perverted. The bold and shameless marketing, making easy access to
every kind of sin imaginable. Our great country, founded on Biblical
principles, has misappropriated the freedoms God gave us. We have used our
freewill to consciously ignore God, to turn our back on Him. God gave us
the ability to make that choice. But never forget there are consequences
for our choices. There are consequences for rebelling against God.

This country has lived off of the obedience to God of our forefathers. We
have enjoyed the blessings of their faithfulness. Unfortunately, the legacy
we will leave to our children and grandchildren, should Jesus tarry, will be
the consequences of our rebellion to God and His Word. 2 Chronicles 7:14
says, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Deuteronomy 8:19 says, "If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow
other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today
that you will surely be destroyed." It is not too late. However, we need
spiritual leaders, who under the power of the Holy Spirit will call the
people of this great land to repentance. IT IS NOT THE POLITICIANS JOB TO
DO THIS. It is the job of the spiritual leaders, and only a spiritual
revival will solve the real problems of this country. God is saying to
those leaders today, to you pastors, to you who have been given a position
of leadership, to those who have been blessed with a national and
international platform..."quit building a kingdom to yourself, and focus on
building my kingdom...my people are perishing for lack of knowledge...give
them the knowledge and lead them out of the darkness and into the
light...come down from your self-built ivory tower that has been lavishly
made with the blessings I have bestowed upon you...and feed my sheep...then
LEAD my sheep...thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel...."

My friend, I love you and care about you. The relevance this word has to
your life today is that the same problem the country has is your problem.
You are focused on the external problems in your life, when the real
problems are spiritual. Focus on that side of your life. Get back to the
basics. Pray daily. Read the Word daily. Get in church. Find ways to
serve God. Set your spiritual base, since everything in your life, who you
are, flows from there. I am praying for you. I am praying that just as
this country needs a spiritual revival, you have a spiritual revival in your
own life. That is the answer to building the foundation on which your life
is built.

The Real Problems in the United States

(Proverbs 14:34)

I have received thousands of
requests over the last several months about the upcoming presidential
elections in the United States. In early November, I will do a Devotional
on those critical elections. I will not tell you who to vote for since that
is not our purpose here. By the way, God is not a Democrat, Republican, or
Independent. It will, however, focus on your personal responsibility as a
citizen of this country, or whatever country you live in, since this
Devotional is written for a worldwide audience each day. Today though, I do
want to focus and share with you the real problems we are facing here
in the United States. Let me start by saying God makes it clear in His Word
that it is no accident who our rulers are, that it is God who puts those
rulers in office and God who takes them out of office. We are to honor,
respect, and pray for those God has placed in authority over us. Some may
find this hard. But praying for our enemies is hard too, but that is what
the Bible tells us to do. Do you realize it was God who allowed Bill
Clinton to become president for two terms? It was God who allowed Adolph
Hitler to rise to power? It was God who allowed the Emperors of Rome to
hold office? Never forget, the New Testament was written under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit during the time Rome was in power and there
was mass persecution of Christians. Yet God clearly calls us to pray for
our leaders.

We have many problems in the United States today. Most of those problems
like Social Security reform, gas prices, employment, health care, and
prescription drug benefits for our senior citizens are all in the news and
will be debated at length in the coming weeks, months, and years. However,
these are logistical, practical problems. The real problems we face in this
country are spiritual. The practical application for your life today is
this. Whatever problems you are facing in your life are NOT the real
problems. Your finances may be a major issue today. Addiction to alcohol,
drugs, gambling, or sex may be a major battle you are fighting. Your marriage
may be in trouble. There may be health issues you are being confronted
with. All of these issues, my friend, are surface problems, practical day-to-
day, real life issues we have to deal with, but the real problems in your
life, just like the real problems in this country, are SPIRITUAL.

Anyone with common sense can look back on the brief history of the Untied
States and see the Biblical principles upon which it was founded and set up
to operate under. There can be no doubt that the greatness of this country,
in spite of its very young age compared to countries in the rest of the
world, are because of this personal relationship with God and His Word. The
problems we face today are because we have forgotten God, tossed His Word to
the side, and decided to do it "our way". No more prayer in school. The
legalized killing of millions of babies every year. God's plan for the
family perverted. The bold and shameless marketing making easy access to
every kind of sin imaginable. Our great country, founded on Biblical
principles, has misappropriated the freedoms God gave us. We have used our
free will to consciously ignore God and to turn our back on Him. God gave us
the ability to make that choice. But never forget, there are consequences
for our choices. There are consequences for rebelling against God.

This country has lived off of the obedience to God of our forefathers. We
have enjoyed the blessings of their faithfulness. Unfortunately, the legacy
we will leave to our children and grandchildren, should Jesus tarry, will be
the consequences of our rebellion to God and His Word. 2 Chronicles 7:14
says, "if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Deuteronomy 8:19 says, "If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow
other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today
that you will surely be destroyed." It is not too late. However, we need
spiritual leaders, who under the power of the Holy Spirit will call the
people of this great land to repentance. IT IS NOT THE POLITICIANS JOB TO
DO THIS. It is the job of the spiritual leaders, and only a spiritual
revival will solve the real problems of this country. God is saying to
those leaders today, to you pastors, to you who have been given a position
of leadership, to those who have been blessed with a national and
international platform..."quit building a kingdom to yourself and focus on
building My kingdom...My people are perishing for lack of knowledge...give
them the knowledge and lead them out of the darkness and into the
light...come down from your self-built ivory tower that has been lavishly
made with the blessings I have bestowed upon you...and feed My sheep...then
LEAD My sheep...thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel...."

My friend, I love you and care about you. The relevance this word has to
your life today is that the same problem the country has is your problem.
You are focused on the external problems in your life, when the real
problems are spiritual. Focus on that side of your life. Get back to the
basics. Pray daily. Read the Word daily. Get in church. Find ways to
serve God. Set your spiritual base, since everything in your life, who you
are, flows from there. I am praying for you. I am praying that just as
this country needs a spiritual revival, you have a spiritual revival in your
own life. That is the answer to building the foundation on which your life
is built.

Contentment

(Philippians 4:11)

For many, one of the greatest challenges of this life is finding contentment. For those who have bought into the world system, contentment is impossible. The world system teaches that happiness comes with being successful, being on top. The fallacy of that philosophy is that
you are NEVER successful and NEVER on top. There is always someone more successful and there is always another rung on the ladder to climb no matter how high you may get. Chasing the things of this world and finding contentment in the things of this world is impossible because there is always more and always someone ahead of you.

So many reading this devotional today are unhappy, bitter, and in many cases, without any joy or peace in your life because you are trying to find contentment in something that will never offer it to you. It will entice you and make you feel like you are almost there, but then the unquenchable thirst begins and you have to keep chasing . . . chasing . . . chasing until you get to a point you don’t even know what you are chasing any longer.

My friend, there is only one avenue to finding true contentment. That is in your daily relationship with Christ. You see, the short gratification this world can offer you leaves you only wanting more. Your relationship with Jesus give you all you need and then some. This is a very difficult and involved issue because it is going to require a total re-prioritization of your life. That will take commitment. That will involve a conscious effort on your part to find contentment in something other than what you have been programmed to for most of your life. It won’t be easy, and my main job today is to be a messenger and inform you that there is true contentment in this life, if you are willing to get it. My prayer is that if this is speaking to your heart today, you will make that difficult decision to find the contentment only found in your daily relationship with the Lord.

I love you and care about you and know many are struggling with this issue today. Open your heart and let God speak to you today. It is not an accident you are reading these words. I am praying for you and will stand with you and help any way that I can. Today is the day of decision, so why put it off. Make the choice today and find the true contentment this life can offer.

Bearing the Burdens of Others

(Galatians 6:2)

I never forget each day when I wake up, that my number one job that day is to help others. Serving God each day is not only my purpose for being, but yours as well. We serve God when we serve others. So many of you are kind when you write me and apologize for taking my time with your request. Listen, God has placed me in your life to be here for you in those times of need. Don’t ever apologize. For this season of my life, this is how God is using me. None of us can do it alone. None of us is immune to life’s problems and tragedies. We all hit those places where we need the love, support, and prayers of those in the body of Christ to make it through the valley.

God never intended for us to go through this journey alone. He created the church, as a fellowship of believers to be our support system for this life. That is why the church is so critical to our spiritual journey. He has placed Christian friends, teachers, singers in our life to help us not only grow in our knowledge of Him, but to bless us and help us through this journey we are on. I want to encourage you today to take advantage of the people and resources the Lord has placed in your life. They are there for a reason. This Devotional and Liveprayer.com are not accidents that just “happened.” God has strategically placed these resources in your life to help you along the way.

I love you and really do care about you. It is a love and caring that stems from my relationship with the Lord who loved me and cared about me enough to not only die for my sins, but give me an opportunity to serve Him after I turned my back on His call several times. You see, I can’t turn my back any more on what God has called me to do with my life. One of the things He has called me to do is to be here for you when you need someone to listen to you. Someone to pray for you. Someone to share your pain and burdens. Never forget that when you are hurting, when you need someone to lean on, you can email me and I will do everything I can to help. You are not alone.

My prayers are with you today as we meditate on how God loves us. He really did think of everything. He helps us at times when we don’t even realize it. Always know I am here for you, ready to bear your burdens, because that is the Lord’s will for my life.

Avoiding The Appearance Of Evil

(1 Thessalonians 5:22)

One of the more troubling things for me in
this media culture we live in are the mixed signals many of the most famous
athletes and entertainers send out in regard to their faith. Let me say up
front, I am not judging anyone's salvation. Only God knows a person's heart,
so we should never, ever try to say a person is saved or lost. However, a
person's actions often give an indication of where they are at spiritually.
Britney Spears is one of pop music's top performers. It is well publicized
that she is a Christian, reads her Bible daily, and has taken a vow of
abstinence until marriage. I applaud her stand on abstinence and hope many
of her fans will follow her example. There is a great contradiction, though,
in Britney's professed faith in Christ and the image she portrays in her
singing career. For those who read my Devotionals daily, you know I have
been through much in my own life and am not into finger-pointing, but
simply sharing the truth of God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to bring
you under conviction. From the lyrics in the songs she sings, to the
clothing she wears, to the choreographed dance routines...all are based on
sex.

Britney is not alone though. Toni Braxton has several ministers in her
family, Mariah Carey is one of pop's superstars, N Sync is the hottest group
today, and many more of the superstars in music and film profess a faith
in Christ, yet their professional careers are built around marketing sex to
the masses. We also have famous athletes, very visible and bold about
proclaiming their faith in Christ, yet living lives that would call into
question their level of commitment. The purpose today is not to question
the salvation of these people. It is not to humiliate them for the sins in
their lives, for we ALL have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Most of
us are fortunate that our sins aren't printed in the National Enquirer or on
the 6 o'clock news. No, my friend, the purpose is to highlight the mixed
signals many of these high profile people send out.

The Bible says clearly that we are to avoid the appearance of evil. This is
a powerful verse. Why? Because there is a world, a lost world, watching.
Never forget that your most powerful witness, your loudest witness for
Christ is NOT what you say, but how you live. People watch you, they notice
how you live day to day. Having Christ in your life, living for Him daily,
makes you different, and people notice that difference. Again, I am not
here to judge Britney Spears or any other celebrity that professes to be a
Christian. I have enough problems taking care of my own life. However, due
to the fact these people are so visible, have so many people that idolize
them and imitate them, what they portray, even though it may not be who
they really are, influences many people. THAT is why the Bible says to
"avoid the appearance of evil." How you act influences others.

I love you and care about you so much. I will be praying today that you
will be aware that as you are living your life day to day, people are
watching you. As you make it known that you are a Christian, people will be
looking to see what is different about your life. Of course, in your own
strength, there is nothing. But when you are living in the power of the
Holy Spirit, there is everything. We possess a power greater than anything
known in the universe. The key is tapping into that power each day. We do
that in our time of prayer and in our time reading the Word each morning. We
do that by dying to self daily and letting His will, not our will be done
each day. It is what Jesus said when He told us that we "are the salt of
this earth," and that we are to "let our light shine."