Day Off

Mark 6:31)

I am taking off today and wish everyone a most blessed, healthy, prosperous,
and most of all....fruitful new year as we stand together serving our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ in this new year. Blessings to you and your family.

The Dangers Of Driving

(Psalms 37:32)

If you do not have to drive tonight, please don't!
One of the things most of us do each day is drive a
car. In our society, it is the way we get around to do all the things we
have to do each day. Rarely do we think twice about driving, it is just
part of our life and something we do, almost instinctively. The Bible tells
us that the enemy comes to "kill, steal, and destroy". For those who have
accepted Christ as their Savior, the enemy can't have your soul, but he can
destroy your life and ability to serve God. He can also steal your peace
and joy. He is also able to lay traps to kill you. Let me say here, that
the Bible clearly teaches that nothing..nothing..nothing..happens to us
apart from God allowing it to happen. Read the first chapters of Job and
you will see clearly that it is God who is in total control. I am convinced
from my years in ministry and from the Word of God, that there is no
disease...no accident...not even a bullet that can take the life of one of
God's children until that person's work here on earth is finished. It is
God who will make that determination. Having said that, we are still
responsible to be alert and to use the common sense the Lord gave us in our
daily lives. That includes driving.

Driving our cars is such an instinctive thing we do, I doubt we ever really
focus on the actual dangers we face when we get behind the wheel. First of
all, seatbelts are a safety mechanism that have been proven to save lives.
I don't care if you are going across the country, or across the block...WEAR
YOUR SEATBELTS!!!! Also, remember why you are driving. It is to get you
from point A to point B. It is not to listen to the radio, it is not to put
on make-up, it is not to eat and drink, and it is not to talk on the phone.
There is nothing wrong with listening to the radio or tape deck; however, set
it up before you actually start driving. Do your make-up at home, not in
the car. Eat at home or at your destination, not in the car. Take a break
from the phone in the car. Why do I say this? Simple. Any of these
activities while driving takes away from your ability to fully concentrate
on driving your car, and takes away from your ability to focus on what is
happening around you. Even if you are the best driver in the world, the
problem is there are others on the road who may not be. Never forget.
Every time you get in your car, you are putting your life in the hands of
those other drivers. You are trusting them to drive safely and obey the
rules. In all honesty, you often put more faith in strangers you have never
met than you do in God.

This Devotional is not meant to scare you or to make you afraid to drive
your car. Quite the opposite. It is intended to make you aware of one of
the potential dangers you face each day, and to realize how important it is
for you to be alert and focused every time you are driving. I love you and
care for you so much. God has a wonderful plan for your life. We have a
very real enemy out there that would love to hurt us. That is why we can
never take things for granted, and must always remember that God is our
protector and shield. I will be praying for you today that as you drive,
the Lord will be with you to guide you and protect you. We can not always
avoid accidents in life, and we often have no good answers why those things
happen. Our responsibility though is to do our best to not be the cause of
an accident by being careless or not paying attention. Driving is an
important part of our life and can also be very dangerous. Concentrating
and being fully aware of the responsibility we have each time we drive a car
is of utmost importance to protecting your safety as well as the safety of
the other drivers you encounter on the road.

So many things we do in this life we take for granted and get so used to, we
don't even think about it. I pray you will stay focused each day in all of
the things you do. Especially, remember how dangerous driving can be and
that it requires all of your attention. The way to live in victory each day
is to follow Him and use the intelligence God blessed us with.

Alcohol and the Christian.

(Isaiah 5:11....one of many)

Before I even start, I know Jesus drank wine.
In that culture at that time, there was no bottled water, or even tap water. Wine was used in that day much like we use water today. Jewish scholars have
reported that the day-in day-out wine drank in the days of Jesus had a very
small alcoholic content. I am also not going to try and lay a guilt trip on
anyone who has a glass of champagne on New Year's, or a glass of wine with
dinner, or a beer every now and then. I have never been one to condemn
people for the decisions they make, just try to point them to scripture and
let the Holy Spirit deal with them. As I say so often, you cannot force
someone to do something. It takes God moving on a person's heart to make
change. On top of all of the scriptures in the bible that support
abstinence from alcohol, I often use 1 Corinthians 6:19. In context, this verse is
dealing with our bodies in sexual matters, but it is also appropriate for
use in the area of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

Rather than preach to you on the issue of alcohol, let me refer simply to
that one verse and ask you if you feel it is right to pollute the temple of
the Holy Spirit with something as harmful as alcohol that alters your state
of mind. I am going to let you pray on that question and work it out with
the Lord. For Christians, alcohol also becomes a stumbling block for those
nonbelievers in your life. Not only is it harmful to your temple, but is
also a bad witness to those you are in contact with. Never forget, your
strongest testimony is how you live your life before others. Respecting the
intelligence of those who receive this devotional every day, I am not
feeling led to say anything more about this issue. The supporting scriptures for
abstinence are very clear. The reasons to abstain from alcohol are equally
clear. Like everything, it is up to you and the Lord to work it out in your
own life. I will tell you, like any bondage, if this happens to be yours,
God is able to deliver you...whenever you are serious about quitting and ready
to let Him. I will be in prayer today for you or anyone you know who is
struggling with this issue.

I love you, pray for you every day, and am always here to help if I can. I
pray you will be richly blessed this day as we serve God with each breath He
blesses us with. Have a blessed and Jesus-filled New Year's.

The Enemy Is Never Far Away

(1 Peter 5:8)

For many years, I lived in downtown Chicago.
You do not have to spend much time in downtown Chicago before you see the
Chicago Streets and Sanitation Departments big blue tow trucks. These are
not your normal tow trucks. They are about three times the size of a
standard tow truck and bright blue. One afternoon I was sitting on a bench
near City Hall, and I was watching this one particular tow truck slowly
creeping up the street. Very slowly. The driver was carefully looking at
each parked car to make sure they were parked at a meter and that there was money in the meter. I watched as the truck slowly went up one block, then back
down the next block. Then all of the sudden, the yellow lights went on, the
truck went into action, and within a few minutes, had attached an illegally-
parked car to its hook and was off to the pound. Now, as interesting as
this story may be, you are probably wondering what this has to do with the
Lord or anything spiritual.

That tow truck represents the enemy walking about seeking who he might
destroy. The parked cars represent each of us. You see, when your
spiritual meter is full and you are properly parked, then the enemy has no control over your life. The enemy is interested in finding those who are adrift, away from God. He looks for those who are weak. That is why day after day I encourage you to start in prayer and read the Word. That is the
spiritual food you need to be strong for the day. That is the equivalent of putting money into your spiritual meter. What you do during the day, the places you go, and the activities you are involved in are the equivalent to being properly parked. Remember, when we are illegally parked in places we shouldn't be, we become an easy target for the enemy.

The point of this Devotional today is to keep you aware that there is a very
real enemy out there whose goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. If you
think back on your life, or possibly where you are right now, you can probably
trace a lot of the attacks to not being where you need to be with the Lord.
Just like those cars illegally parked or cars at expired meters, you become
an easy target. I love you, and care about you, and try daily to do my best
to warn you of the dangers that exist in this life and how we can avoid many
of them. Remember, it is critical to be prayed up, and in close daily contact
with the Lord. The enemy is out there, lurking. Like the big blue tow
trucks of Chicago, the enemy is looking for an easy target. God has given
you the tools to avoid being an easy target. Use them.

Keeping Your Temple In Good Shape

(1 CORINTHIANS 6:19)

Probably the number one New Year's
resolution is to lose weight and get in shape. Yesterday afternoon I had 2 minutes left on the treadmill and began wondering why I was putting myself through this agony. 3 afternoons a week...10 minutes of abs, a complete cycle of weights to hit all the muscle groups, finished by 30 minutes on the
treadmill. One hour of torture that I DO NOT like. So why do it? I have
been very blessed to have been one of those people who could eat pretty much
whatever I wanted and never gain weight. All my life I have played
sports...basketball, tennis, baseball, and football. Two years ago when I hit
40, I realized that I couldn't just play and stay in shape, but had to
structure a regular work-out program. Again the question, why? Because
even though this life is brief, I want to be as physically fit as I possibly
can in order to serve the Lord.

There are enough spiritual hindrances to our service, without having
physical barriers as well. Does this mean God can't use you if you aren't
in tip top shape? Of course not. But imagine if you are in the best shape
possible, how much more you can accomplish. I have to admit, with the
schedule I keep, I HAVE to be in top shape to keep up. We have to use
wisdom to not overextend ourselves, because that defeats the purpose too.
The Bible clearly tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy
Spirit. We are responsible for doing our part to keep our "temples" in the
best shape possible so we can maximize the extent to which God can use our
lives. This is a specific word to everyone today to ask God how you can get
in, and stay in the best shape possible. Many of you have simply neglected
this area of your life, and this word today is a wake-up call.

I am not going to say anything more. You get the message loud and clear,
and now it is up to you to either heed this word from the Lord or ignore
it. I have to remind myself each day I go to the gym that this is part of
my responsibility in serving Him, to keep myself in the best possible
physical shape I can. Of course, exercise is only one facet. We also must
be cognizant of what we are eating. What we put into our bodies is critical
to staying in shape. Illegal drugs, alcohol, cigarettes...all pollute the
temple of the Holy Spirit. If you want the best scripture for not doing
these things, it is I Corinthians 6:19. Would you smoke pot in church?
Would you have a beer in church? Would you smoke in church? No??? Why???
Because it is a holy place. It is a temple where we go to worship God. Our
bodies are "our temple" and that is why we shouldn't be involved in these
activities since they defile the temple.

I love you and care about you. While I try to cover the spiritual side of
life, I MUST deal with the practical side of life as well. God has a great
plan and purpose for each one of our lives. The better we maintain our
bodies, and keep our "temples" in good shape, the better we are able to
serve Him. I will be praying today that you take this word to heart. I
speak of game plans often, and if anyone has a better game plan to stay in
shape rather than hitting the gym several days a week....I am open. I am
still waiting for the workout pill, but until then, I guess good old
fashioned sweat will have to do. I have found that time in the gym is a
great time to pray though. Trust me, whenever you strive to do what God
wants for your life, He will help you make it happen. There is much work to
do. God has raised us up to serve Him. Get serious about getting in the
best shape possible so that you can run the race at maximum efficiency and
fulfill that plan He has for your life.

Moving Ahead Of God

(Psalms 37:7, 40:1)

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

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

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

Faith Is What We Believe Not How We Feel

(Hebrews 11:1)

One of the requests I get daily
is from people who just don't "feel" God. Or, they were once "on fire" for
the Lord and just don't "feel" Him like they once did. Don't make the
mistake of judging your relationship with the Lord or your service to God
based on how you feel. Our relationship with Christ isn't an emotional
experience. We accept Christ by FAITH. It is a relationship built on
"faith," and not "feelings". Feelings will betray you since they can change
from day to day, even minute to minute. Our faith, however, is not based on
how we feel, but what we believe. Just like your feelings may change in
regard to your spouse, parents, children, and friends...it doesn't stop them from
being who they are in your life. You accepted Christ by faith. Our
relationship with Him is one of faith. Just because your feelings may
change, your relationship with Him does not.

As you mature in Christ, as those who have walked for years with the Lord can
attest, you rely less on how you might feel and more on your faith. The
wonderful thing is that God is the same "yesterday, today, and forever".
God is immutable, a $5 theological term that means "unchanging". So
regardless of how you might feel, God is always the same. His promises are
the same and He is the same. There are no surprises from God. He doesn't
change the rules on you at a whim. His love and His concern for you never diminish or fade away. The longer you walk with Christ, the better you get to know Him, the more you realize that you don't have to rely on how you feel. You
can count on your faith and what you believe to guide you through this journey,
because God never changes.

For many people, this is a big hurdle to cross over...the hurdle of feelings
versus faith. I will be praying for you today to really understand that you
don't have to count on the way you feel to determine your walk with Christ.
It is not measured by goosebumps. That is why I stress so much the daily
time with Him, the 30 minutes or so at the start of the day in the Word and
prayer. Just like you can never develop much of a relationship with your
friends without actually spending time with them, so it is with your
relationship with Christ. How can you have a relationship with Him, when
you never spend time alone with Him? Today is the day we go to church. Our
focus tends to be on God and the things of God. I pray that you overcome the
hurdle of feelings versus faith, and really commit to having a serious
relationship with Christ. That doesn't happen overnight, just like an
earthly relationship doesn't happen overnight. It is a day-to-day commitment. Make that commitment today. Luckily for us, He never changes, so He is waiting
for you.

God So Loved The World

(John 3:16)

For God so loved the world, HE GAVE. Today is the day we celebrate the
greatest gift ever given. We celebrate the birth of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ today, God's gift to the world. Today is truly a day of
rejoicing. Because of this gift from God, we can be forgiven of our sins
and reunited with our Creator for eternity. So much of what I deal with
each day in this devotional is to help you walk through this short journey here
on earth victoriously and productively. But we must never forget that our time
here is very short, and there is an eternity waiting for us when this
journey is completed. I want to focus for just a minute on this most blessed day to that split second when our life on this earth is finished and we are
launched into eternity. Do you this day have the assurance that when your life is complete, your eternity is going to be spent in Heaven?

If the answer to that question is anything but a resounding YES, then let me
just share this simple truth with you. You see, our God, our Creator so
loved this world, so loved His creation, that He sent His son, His only Son
to be part of this world. Jesus had one mission in this life. It wasn't to
be a great teacher, though He was a great teacher. It wasn't to be a great
prophet, though He was a great prophet. It wasn't to be a great miracle
worker, although He did work many great miracles. No, my friend, Jesus came to
this world with only one job...to die. You see, the reason it was vital for
Jesus to be born of a virgin was so that he was not infected with the same
problem you and I were born into this life with, sin. Otherwise, the best
He could have done was die for His own sins. Jesus lived on this earth for
some 33 years before it was time to complete His work. That work was finished on a cross on the hill called Calvary where He hung and then died as the
perfect sacrifice for the sins of this world.

That is why, whosoever believes in Jesus, shall not perish for eternity, but have everlasting life! Believing in Jesus is the only way to be saved because it was Jesus who died and was sacrificed for our sins. There are no other ways to be saved, no other roads back to God, and no other plans of salvation. This is God's one and only plan to reconcile his fallen creation back to Himself.
This is the only way you can escape eternity apart from the God who created
you in His own image. It is through His grace and by faith in Jesus Christ!

There are many incredible mysteries in the Bible. There are many doctrinal
issues that will never be fully understood until we are in Heaven. But God
made the most important decision of this life very easy and simple to
understand. He gave everyone the opportunity to have their sins washed
away and be assured of an eternity in Heaven. That is why we celebrate Christmas today. That is why we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The most important decision you will make in this life is not who you will marry,
where you will live, or what kind of job you will have. The most important
decision you will make in this life is to accept Jesus Christ as your
personal Lord and Savior. If you have not done that yet, the Bible says
that today is the day of salvation. I would invite you to go to my website,
www.liveprayer.com and click on the button that says SALVATION.
Listen to those words, pray that prayer, and accept today God's gift to
you this Christmas, the gift of His son Jesus.

I love you and care about you deeply. For those of you who already know
Christ as your Savior, I would encourage you to forward this email to
someone you know who is lost and without hope this Christmas. What better present to give someone than the opportunity to know Jesus as their Savior. I pray today you will take time out of the busy day of travel, visiting friends and family, to focus on the gift God has given to us in His son Jesus. He gave
His very best gift to us, which is why I will continue to encourage you to
give your very best every day to Him.

The Reason For Joy

(Luke 2:20)

This is the time of year when the word joy is
everywhere. Joy to the world. I have joy in my heart. Isn't this a joyous
time. Joy, joy, joy, joy. Let me just take a minute today and tell you the
reason we can even say the word joy. God, our creator, has opened our eyes
and showed us His plan. He has showed us His son being born of a virgin in a
manger, He has showed us the example of the perfect life as we read about
Christ's earthly ministry in the Gospels, He has given us the one and only
sacrifice for our sins in Christ's death on the cross, and He verified it
all in the resurrection of our Lord on that 3rd day.... assuring us of victory
when we put our faith and hope in Jesus. I don't know about you, but if
that isn't reason for joy, I don't know what is. You better stand up right now,
because I think I might start preaching.

I know many of you are struggling with your finances....you should still
have joy today because God said you have riches beyond anything this world can
offer! I know many of you are depressed today because you are alone...you
should still have joy today because God promised He would never leave you
nor forsake you! I know many of you today are having marriage problems....you
should still have joy today because God can mend your broken heart! I know
many of you are fighting addictions to sex, drugs, alcohol, food, and tobacco
today....you should still have joy today because God can clean you up and
make you whole again! I know many of you are facing battles at work or
school....you should still have joy today because God said He would fight
for you! I know many of you are dealing with health issues today....you
should still have joy today because God is still in the healing business! It
doesn't matter what the situation, what the struggle, what the problem....you should still have joy today because Jesus Christ was born, lived, died, and
rose on the 3rd day, giving you the assurance that when this short time here
on earth is over, if you have put your faith and trust in Jesus you will
spend eternity with Him!

Don't let the cares of this world steal your joy on this Christmas Eve. God
is still on the throne, still hearing and answering the prayers of His
children, and still working miracles. I love you, care about you deeply, and
want you to know the joy this Christmas that those shepherds knew on that
first Christmas because of all that God had shown them. Because of His birth. we have the true joy of Christmas!!!!

Our Relationship With Christ Is A Daily One

(Ephesians 6:19,20)

One of my personal prayers each day is that the Lord will pour through me the exact words He has for His people on that day. I never take for granted the incredible responsibility He has entrusted to me as I share with you through the Daily Devotionals. As we start this wonderful Christmas weekend, I want you to know that I do my very best each day to communicate in a very straightforward and clear manner the things God wants you to hear each day. Never think for a second it is a coincidence when you read each day's Devotional. There is a word in that Devotional from God for you. He loves you, and one way He shows you that love is by trying to guide you along this journey we call life. He does that in many ways, one of those ways being the Daily Devotional you receive from Liveprayer.com.

Many have asked why I write these each day. Why not do it once a week. or once a month. The reason is this. Our relationship with Christ is a DAILY relationship, not once a week or once a month. The problem is, too many treat their relationship with Christ that way and thus end up in many unfortunate situations. We understand there is a very real enemy who would love to see us ineffective as servants of our God. The easiest way to make us ineffective is to get us so tangled up in sin, the things of this world, that we lose focus on our true purpose, which is to serve and glorify Him with our lives. That daily walk, that daily communication, that daily connection with our Lord is what helps us to stay focused and keep our priorities straight.

You will never know how much I love you and care about you. The greatest gift I have this Christmas is your friendship. While the Lord has called me to be here to encourage you and challenge you in your walk, you have also been an encouragement and blessing to me and my relationship with Christ as well. The Bible tells us that we are to bear each others burdens. Just as I am here each day to share your burdens, you have been there to share mine. My wife and I took an incredible step of faith 16 months ago. After much prayer, we took all of our personal funds and invested them in the launch of this Internet ministry. The Board of my ministry voted unanimously to earmark all the funds we had in the ministry to this outreach to sustain it while we got it going. These last 16 months have been an incredible walk of faith for me personally, as I put action into the words I used so often. Saying "have faith and trust God" is one thing. Doing it is entirely different. But you have prayed, you have given me encouragement, and you have given sacrificially to help me in this incredible ministry opportunity. I can never tell you what that has meant to me, especially on those difficult days when joy seemed so far away.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, know that I am always here for you in your time of need. I pray for you daily. Count on the fact that each day as you open the Devotional, it is something that has been born of much prayer, and is something that God wants to say to you that day. I will continue to do all I can to share the love, hope, and victory we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

The Sin That Separates Us From God

(Isaiah 59:2)

Going into this wonderful Christmas weekend, there is so much laughter and joy; it is really an incredible time of the year. However, for many of you, you don't have that joy, that peace this Christmas, because of sin in your life. I am talking of that sin deep down, the sin you keep to yourself, the sin nobody else knows about. On the outside, everything looks fine. But deep inside, you are dying because of sin you have refused to deal with, sin you have held onto and not dealt with. THAT is the sin that is robbing you of your joy this Christmas season. THAT is the sin that is keeping you from the close, intimate daily relationship Christ desires to have with you. THAT is the sin that is slowly destroying your life and effectiveness for the Kingdom of God.

The problem you have is that you have learned how to live with the sin. You have learned how to bury it, hide it, and live with it, rather than get victory over it. Oh I know. You have tried. You have prayed and worked at it, but in the end, you have given in, and rather than fight any longer, you have accepted it. IT IS THAT SIN IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM THE PEACE, THE JOY, AND THE ABUNDANCE THAT CHRIST HAS PROMISED US IN THIS LIFE. You have settled for less than the best God has for you because of sin that has beaten you.

My friend, this kind of sin is not just "going away" some day. It will be part of your life, holding you back until you are serious about getting victory over it once and for all. The key question though is this. Do you WANT victory over this sin? That may seem like a dumb question, but trust me, it isn't. Many people are actually OK with this sin in their life. They know it is wrong, but the power over them is so strong they don't really want to let go. Until you are ready to do all that is necessary to get victory, nothing will change. That is why some drug addicts and alcoholics will go through rehab program after rehab program and never get better. They don't WANT to get better. Until you WANT to get better, you won't. Until you really WANT victory, you will never get it.

I love you and care about you so much. If you are serious about victory over that sin in your life, here is a place to start.
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 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, from being in church, and from 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. Never forget, He is able!!!
This Christmas, give yourself the best present you ever could. Victory over that sin in your life. Know that on Christmas day for several hours in the afternoon, I have committed time to pray for you and whatever that sin may be. I don't need to know the sin, that is between you and God right now. If you want me to pray for you, simply email me with the words "VICTORY OVER SIN". No explanation is needed, God knows. I twill be my honor and privilege to spend part of my Christmas day praying for you and victory over that sin in your life. God loves you.. It is NO ACCIDENT you are reading this now. God could not be talking to you any louder than if he bellowed from the Heaven's your name. This Devotional needs to be sent to everyone you know. What an act of love to plant this seed in someone's life who is struggling secretly with sin, letting them know God really does care. My friend, this IS answered prayer. Victory is in sight. The battle can be won. God has heard your cries. He is able. the only question that remains is, are you ready to put that sin out of your life once and for all?

Does Anyone Care

(1 Peter 5:7)



As we start the Christmas weekend, a time of

rest for many, we start to dwell more intensely on those problems and

concerns we have in our life. It is easy to get so busy with work and our

daily routine Monday through Friday, that we can forget or push to the back

of our mind many of the problems we are dealing with in our life. But when

the weekend comes, especially a Holiday weekend with extra days off, and our lives

slow down a bit, those issues become the focus

of our attention. We can't hide from them any longer.



For many of you, those problems that you are facing have been problems for a

long time. You have prayed.. and prayed.. and prayed. You have turned

them over to God, taken them back, and turned them over again. Despite all

of the praying and agonizing, there are some problems that just don't go away,

and you start wondering if anyone is really listening. Does anyone really

care about what you are facing?



Let me give you this word of encouragement today my friend. The Bible

proclaims that God not only hears our prayers, but answers them as well. It

is His good pleasure to bless his children. We have that precious promise

to "cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us." No matter what your

mind may tell you, your faith has got to step in and give you the assurance that

God is hearing your prayers. No matter how you may feel, when all others

abandon you, God is always there. There to love you, hold you, and comfort you.

HE CARES FOR YOU!!!!!



Don't let those problems you have today, ever make you think that God is not

hearing your prayers. He is. Don't ever get to the point where you feel no

one cares. He does. Go through this Holiday weekend with the confidence and assurance

that God knows and understands your situation, and be comforted that He loves

you and will never leave you nor forsake you.



God bless you this special Season as we walk in the victory Christ won on Calvary's cross. He

is risen!! Because of that, if you know Christ as your Savior, no matter

what may be happening in this life, you have already won. Even though your

life is still playing out, you already know the ending. You win, because HE WON! I love you

and care about you so much. I am here for you, to stand with you for those

needs in your life, and to pray for you. You are not alone with your problems

this Holiday season.

Be Like The Shepherds

(LUKE 2:20)


I was taught very early in life that you can learn

much by watching people. In the day Jesus was born, a shepherd was the

equivalent of a busboy or dishwasher in today's society. It was a very low

position, and these were not the type of people you would think to look at as

role models. Again, let me remind you that you can never judge a person by

the house they live in, the car they drive, or the job they hold. The

shepherds on the night Jesus was born must have been pretty important men in

the eyes of God, because it was to those men He revealed the birth of His son

in Bethlehem's manger that night. While there are many great spiritual

lessons you can learn from these men, the one I want to focus on today is

their conduct after they had visited the manger and seen with their own eyes

the baby Jesus.



The scripture reference today tells us that they left praising God for all

they had seen and were shown. Praising God. I have talked about this many

times in the past, and will continue to talk about it because it is one

element of our faith that we just don't do enough of. So much of our prayer

time, so much of our focus is on our problems and circumstances, that we

often forget to spend time each day just thanking and praising God for all

He does for us each and every day. In just the 16 short months since this

website has been in operation, we have already received thousands of praise

reports from people who found out about the site, came for prayer, and then

saw the power of God at work first hand. Let me recap just a few of the

praise reports.



A lady in Baltimore, Maryland emailed a request for God to restore her

marriage. Her husband had left her for another woman. Within 3 weeks, the

husband had come home, recommitted his life to Christ, and they were in

Christian counseling to work out their problems. For those of you today

with marriage problems, God is still in the restoration business. A man in

Newark, New Jersey requested prayer the day before open heart surgery. He emailed

us a week later telling us all had gone well and the doctors told him he would

make a full and complete recovery. For those battling heath problems today,

God is still in the healing business. A single mother of 4 in St. Louis

asked us for prayer after she lost her job. Two weeks later, God had given her

a better job with more money. For those of you in need of a financial

blessing today, God is still in the business of providing for His children.

On the 5th day after we started, our minister on the video feed was praying

for a person as they accepted Christ as Savior. The next day an email came

in from Hong Kong from a man who has lost his business, was thinking of

suicide, and somehow logged on to our site. As the pastor was leading the

person in the sinner's prayer, this man in Hong Kong prayed to accept Jesus

too. God is still in the business of saving souls. Every day we get

incredible praise reports of how God has touched lives and worked miracles in

the lives of people who have visited our site for prayer.



I would encourage you today to learn from the shepherds and never neglect to

thank God for all He does for you each and every day, blessings you take

for granted. It is through your praise, you telling others all God has done for

you, that they might increase their faith to allow God to work in their life.

Your praise report gives others going thru the same situation the hope and

strength to go on, trusting God for their miracle. Hope is the greatest gift

you can give to another person. That is exactly what Liveprayer.com is all

about...giving hope to people in their time of need. This is the only site

on the Internet broadcasting LIVE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, one of the

only places you can go in the world to find a Godly, loving person to pray

for you any time. We are here simply to share the love and hope of Jesus

with hurting people worldwide each and every day.



I pray today that you will not forget to give God the praise He deserves each

and every day. I appreciate more than you can know the praise reports we get

every day because that keeps all of us here at Liveprayer.com encouraged.



May His richest blessings be with you today as we praise Him for all he does

for us!

Our Freedom To Choose

(1 Kings 18:21)

One of the greatest responsibilities God has given each one of us is our ability to make our own choices. We often take for granted the fact that God has given us the free will to choose. Even though you do it subconsciously, each day you make hundreds, often thousands of choices, from when you get up, to what you eat, to what you wear, to the roads you drive, to what you say, and on, and on, and on. The choices you make ultimately determine the direction your life takes. Because we make so many choices instinctively, we lose sight of how important each choice can be to how we live our life.

The reason I continually challenge you in your DAILY walk with Christ is for this very reason. When you start the day, even if it is only 20 minutes, praying, reading the Word of God, it helps to give you a Godly focus to your thoughts and a Godly foundation from which you will be making all of those choices during the course of the day. Church is critical to the life of a believer since again, it helps you build that spiritual foundation in your life from which you make your day-to-day decisions. Paul said to "pray without ceasing". Literally, it means to "stay connected" with God at all times. You see, when you are "connected", it makes it difficult to make the choice to rebel against God. We make our bad choices and we make our rebellious choices when we are "unplugged" from God.

This is obviously a very deep and intense issue that people have spent their entire life studying. The point I want you to understand today is that God has given us this incredible ability to make our own choices during this life. Many have questioned why, since it is our freedom to choose that destroys people's lives. The alternative, though, would leave us a little more than robots. God gave us free will, so that we could freely, on our own, choose to love Him, serve Him, and glorify Him. We say with our mouths how much we love God and how important Jesus is in our life. The way we prove that is in our daily decisions, the choices we make day in and day out. That is how we ultimately tell God we love Him. The old saying, actions speak louder than words is very true.

I love you and care about you so much. I grieve daily as the emails pour in from all over the world, people who have had their lives destroyed by the choices they have made. The good news I want to share with you today is that God is in the restoration business. He can help you overcome the bad choices. He can strengthen you to make wise, Godly choices in the future. Be aware, that as you make each and every choice in the course of a day, it is a responsibility God has given to us. Take a second, and ask yourself if the choice you are making is the choice God would want you to make. After all, when you know Christ, it is not your life any longer, it belongs to Him. Pray!!!! If we prayed as much BEFORE we make our choices, we wouldn't have to pray so much AFTER we make the wrong choice. It only takes a second to ask God for guidance.

Lastly, the most important choice you will ever make in this life is the freedom God has given you to choose your eternal destination. The greatest choice of this life is to choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. If you want to make that choice today, simply go to my website at www.liveprayer.com and click on "Salvation".

God has given us the freedom to make choices in this life, I will be praying today that you will make wise, Godly choices.

Pray For One Another

(James 5:16)


The Bible tell us to pray for one another. It is a

great honor to intercede on someone's behalf and take their name before the

throne of grace. It is not only something we should do, but something God

has commanded us to do. Oftentimes, we get so involved in our problems and

concerns, that we forget the hurts and pain of others. It is amazing how it

works, but so many times when I have taken the focus off of my own problems

and concentrated on others, lifting their needs to God, my problems seemed to

work themselves out.



We all get to those times in our life when we need the prayers of others to

sustain us through difficult periods. That is why it is so important every

day to be sensitive to the needs of those around us and intercede on their

behalf during our time with God each day. We are all walking through this

journey called life together. Somehow, the journey becomes easier when we

are concerned about the problems of others..praying for them. In turn, they are

concerned about our needs...and praying for us. It works when we are

holding each other up, sustaining each other.



Let me challenge you to look at those in your life today, see what

they are dealing with, and help ease their burden by praying for them. It is

a great thing to pray for others. Never take it lightly. God is moved by

the prayers of His people. You can be part of helping someone through a

tough time as you pray for them. I want to pray for you today...for your

needs. I want to hold you up before God today and stand with you for the needs

in your life. I know the power of God and the miracles He

can work in the lives of people. Take this opportunity to allow me the

privilege of lifting you up to Him today by sending me your most urgent

prayer requests at bkeller@liveprayer.com .


I love you and care about you. These are not empty words. Not only do I

spend hours each day making sure every prayer request that comes into this

ministry is answered, but I take time each day to lay my hands on every email

name in our system....praying the Lord's blessings will be

with you and your family. I pray today that we never forget how important

it is to pray for one another as the Bible commands us to do.

Gluttony

(Proverbs 25:27)

Eating to excess. In my years of ministry, I could always get the "Amen corner" into my sermons when I preached against homosexuality and preached against the more visible sins. On those occasions when I mentioned gluttony, it usually got very quiet. I realize this will be a difficult read for many
today, but that is one reason I am here...to challenge you. Let me say
right up front, gluttony is a sin. Anything you do in excess, to your detriment and to the detriment of your ability to serve God, that is ahead of your daily relationship with God, is a sin. I know that during this Holiday season many will be sitting down to some incredible feasts. I am not saying you
shouldn't, and I am not saying you should not enjoy food. I believe God gave us food to nourish our body and taste buds to enjoy food, and eating is part of
our life. Gluttony, however, refers to eating in excess. I know many fine
men and women of God who have tremendous lives and do great work for the Lord.
However, this is an area where they struggle, and that is why I bring it to you today.

Like all sin, gluttony can be overcome, not in our own strength, but in His.
Like all sin, if you fight this battle, you need a battle plan. God can give you that plan, the strength to carry it out, and the perseverance to get
victory. Like in other sins though, the question becomes, do you really want to win? Do you really want to conquer this foe? Do you even recognize this is a problem in your life?

At this point, you have either accepted through the prompting of the Holy
Spirit that this is an issue in your life, or you have realized that this is
not something you battle with. If you are in the latter category, then I
would encourage you to pray for those who do fight this battle each day. I
have no doubt you know people in your family, school, workplace, and church
that are going through this struggle. Pray for them today. Pray that the Lord
would open their eyes and show them this is a problem. Pray that they will
have the courage, like anyone who is dealing with a particular sin, to admit
it and allow the Lord to walk them to victory.

If you are struggling in this area today, I will be praying specifically for
you today. I realize what a difficult struggle this can be. God is more
than able to give you victory, but my prayer for you today is that you
recognize the issue is very real. I pray that you recognize it as a problem. I am confident that if you take that first step, God can and will help you
overcome this struggle in your life. I love you, care about you, and
realize the sensitive nature of this sin like any sin. But there is no use in
hiding it or candy-coating the problem. It is time to recognize it as a problem, get busy fighting it and letting God help you become victorious over this part of your life.

Don't hesitate to write me if I can pray for you specifically about gluttony
or whatever the struggle you may be facing today. It is no accident you read
this devotional, it is no accident God has placed me in your life for this
season, and it is no accident that God is speaking to you today. I will pray,
stand with you, and try to help any way that I can to see you become all
that the Lord has raised you up to be.

The Need To Have Fun

(Proverbs 17:22)

The key word to living a successful life for God is
balance. Solomon said it best when he stated that "there is a time for
everything." Having fun is a critical part of life and one that often gets
overlooked when we discuss day-to-day living. God gave us life and having
fun is an aspect of what makes our life enjoyable. We tend to focus on the
trials and tribulations of daily living, the heartache and pain, but we also
must look at the fact that there is great joy in life, and having fun should
be something we all strive to do each and every day. I am not in any way
trying to trivialize the seriousness of the issues many of you are facing.
All I am trying to do is get you to realize that we must make time each day
to have fun and enjoy the gift God has given to us that is life. There is a
time to be serious, there is a time to be battling with the issues each one
of deals with, but there MUST be time to have fun.

God has made each one of us unique, and we all enjoy different things. I
want to challenge you today and encourage you to take at least 2 hours this
Friday or Saturday and do something you like to do. Maybe it is going to a
baseball game or going to the beach, possibly for the women it is going
shopping, or maybe to an amusement park. Whatever it is that you like
doing, that makes you happy, treat yourself this weekend and have some fun.
You have heard the expression that "life is too short". It is very short,
so we need to not only work at our God-given purpose of serving Him each
day, but make sure we have some fun and enjoyment as well.

I read through the incredible amount of email that comes into Liveprayer
each day, and understand that many of you are writing because you are in the
midst of problems that require the Lord's help in overcoming. However, in
addition to dealing with life's problems, we also must recognize our need to
have fun and take the time to enjoy this life as well. When Jesus talks
about the abundance of this life, he speaks of the peace and joy that can
only come from being in a daily relationship with Him. That is where the
true "fun" of this life stems from. When we are living for Christ, serving
Him, even though we will always have problems, we can still have fun during
the time God gives us here on earth. I realize that for many of you, life
has not been much fun lately. It is especially for you that I write these
words today. In the strength God can give you, set your burdens down for a
while today and just take some time having fun enjoying life. It will help
you to re-energize, refocus, and improve your ability to handle those
problems.

I really do love you and care about you very much. Finding balance in life
can be one of our greatest challenges. There just don't seem to be enough
hours in the day. My friend, there is just enough time each day to do the
things God has for you, including using a portion of every day to do the
things you find enjoyable. Remember, this journey is not a sprint, but a
marathon. It is a daily journey for the rest of our life. Taking time each
day to have fun is an important part of the journey and one I encourage you
to focus on each day.

Patience

(HEBREWS 10:36 )

One of the things that I lack more than anything in my life is
patience. I have done better as I get older, but it is still something that
I have to pray about and work on almost every day. Many of the problems
that I read about in people's lives each and every day can be traced back to a
lack of patience. How often do we jump out, do something without really
thinking it through or praying about it...and then not wait on God to see
if it is something that He wants us to be doing....and end up in a major
mess? It doesn't matter what the issue is. Finances, relationships, where
we should be working, living, recreating, going to school, everything we do
in our life should be done with careful thought, prayer, and leading by the
Holy Spirit.

Often I speak about hearing from God. Obviously, this is where patience
comes in to play. Now this doesn't mean we are to just sit in our room,
praying, fasting, and waiting for God to speak to us from the heavens. To
be very honest with you, I really hope that never happens to me. I'm
comfortable hearing from God in the ways I spoke of yesterday. We just
can't be paralyzed, we need to live our lives. But as we are making those key
important decisions of life, we need to think them through, ask ourselves
what does the Word say and what would God want us to do. I can tell you,
almost every decision we make during the day can be made using those two questions
as your guide. In the bigger decisions, those that will affect our life in
a major way, we need to exercise patience and see what God wants us to do.
Don't forget, He has a plan and purpose for your life already drawn up. He
will show you the way and give you direction on those important key decisions.

He won't be silent. The big problem becomes our desires when they aren't
His desires. We often try to see what we want to see and ignore God when He is
obviously closing a door in our life, or perhaps opening one. One reason we
often don't have much patience is because we may already know what it is God
wants and it isn't really what we want. It is called rebellion, and it will
cause you pain and heartache every single time. Maybe not right away, but
trust me, when you are doing it your way and not His, there is ALWAYS a
price to pay.

I love you and care about you a great deal. It is no accident you receive these devotionals every day, and I never take lightly the opportunity God has given me to encourage you, challenge you, and stand with you as He continues to make you the man or woman of God He intended, as He speaks to you and leads you into the service he has planned for your life each and every day. I will be praying today for you to have patience, to wait on God during those critical
decisions you must make at times in your life. I will be praying that you
hear Him clearly and then follow His directions..not rebel, but obediently
follow Him in the direction He wants you to go.

In this busy holiday season, when we always seem to be behind schedule, learn to
be patient and wait on God. Remember, His timing is ALWAYS perfect!

Unity

(1 Corinthians 1:10)

I have remained silent over the last 35 days as the post-election battle raged on. We did issue a plea to the 1.5 million plus we mobilized prior to the election to continue praying until this was over, but other than ongoing prayer, I wanted to wait until it was over to comment. One overriding fact in this episode in our nation's history has been the Biblical fact that God will always have the final word. This is an important fact for you to hold onto in your daily life. No matter what you may be facing, no matter what man may be saying, never forget it is God who will ALWAYS have the final word. I refuse to fall into the trap many have in claiming this was a battle of good versus evil. That is divisive and nonsense! We do know from scripture that our battle is not against flesh and blood but is a spiritual war. That does NOT mean those who voted for Vice President Gore are evil or bad people. It just so happens that God has decided for reasons we may never understand that George W. Bush was to be our next President. Just as many who support the Republican party have faithfully prayed for President Clinton these last 8 years as the bible instructs, so must Democrats pray for President Bush. As bitter as the rhetoric was, as hurt as many people are, the key now is for our nation to come together in unity.

In the many radio, television, and print interview I do each week, I am often asked what the number one need is in the Christian community. I never hesitate in telling them it is a one word answer...UNITY. We may have some theological differences, but for all who hold the Bible to be God's inspired, inerrant Word, for Jesus Christ to be God's only begotten Son who was born of a virgin, came and lived a sinless life, died on Calvary's cross for the sins of the world, was raised from the dead after 3 days and is now at the right hand of the Father, one day to return....we must be one. Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus Christ prayed a prayer you can find in John's Gospel chapter 17 verse 22. It is a prayer still to be answered . I mention that as a note to those who are waiting on God for an answer. In that prayer, He prayed that the Body of Christ would be one. Jesus Himself said that a house divided would fall. Our strength is in our unity.

Likewise, we as a nation now must become one. Even though we may be Republican, Democrat, or Independent, now is the time to come together as one nation. Our strength as a nation is in our unity. The election is over. However fair or unfair you may feel it is, it is now over. We must now come together for the greater good of our nation and be one. There is so much that we can accomplish, so much that we can do as one nation, under God. While there will need to be a time of healing from these past 35 days, it is critical for those who prevailed to be humble and those who have been disappointed to be forgiving. We must all set aside our personal feelings now and come together to help this nation remain the beacon of light to the world it is.

I love you, and care about you so much. I realize many are satisfied with the outcome of the election and many are bitterly disappointed. Again, let me remind you that now is the time to set our personal feelings aside and be one unified nation. Even more important, we as Christians must never forget our part in fulfilling Christ's prayer that the Body of Christ be one. We each need to do our part, realizing that there is a hurting, dying world out there that so desperately is looking for answers. We as followers of Jesus Christ have the one and only answer. That message needs to be loud, clear, bold, and unified. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. He is THE answer. While we not always agree on every political point, and while we may disagree on some theological points, we must realize that our strength as a nation, our strength as followers of Christ, comes from our unity.

Cheating Spouses

(Exodus 20:14)

Perhaps there is no subject more personal, more emotional, more difficult to deal with than that of a spouse who cheats. First of all, there is absolutely NO justification for cheating on your spouse. Point blank. It is a sin in God's eyes. Man has tried in his own feeble way to categorize sin. Bad sins, and really bad sins. The Catholic church has broken sin into two categories, mortal and venial, in an attempt to make some sins worse than others. I have to tell you that my study of the Scriptures absolutely rejects this concept of categorizing sin. Sin is sin in the eyes of God, no matter what it involves, since sin is an act of rebellion towards God. There is no arguing, however, because of the intimate and sensitive nature of adultery, it is a highly visible sin because of the raw emotions involved. Having laid that foundation, let me look for a minute at this topic from both sides...that of the person who has committed adultery, and that of the spouse who has been cheated on.

First of all, for anyone who has committed adultery, you have to understand some basic issues. First is that what you have done is a sin in God's eyes no matter how you may try to justify or spin it. There is NO circumstance that makes adultery acceptable. Second, anyone who has been involved in this type of behavior knows deep down inside the incredible price you end up paying, for what boils down to a few moments of pleasure. Like all sin, you pay a very high price for what you end up receiving. Having dealt with this issue in literally thousands of cases over the years, I can assure you that there is NEVER a positive ending. These relationships, due to the foundation on which they are built, never last long, and if they do, are never filled with the joy and peace life has to offer. Remember, God cannot and will not bless sin. So you go off into this new relationship on a foundation of sin and deceit, without the blessings of God. How can you ever expect it to work?!
So what is the answer? Simple. Repent, get right with God, then begin the long, long process of getting back into a correct relationship with your spouse. This will take lots of time, lots of effort, and things will never be 100% the way they were before. However, God can heal and help you and your spouse find His peace and love again to live many happy years together. It is not hopeless. But you have to be willing to repent, get right with God, and then take the steps necessary to get right with your spouse. God is able to do all things, and you will need his help and strength each step of the way, but He will honor your commitment. Don't give up, that is what the enemy wants you to do.

For the spouse that has been cheated on, it becomes a time for you to find a level of faith and trust in God you never experienced before. Because of the deep hurt and wounds, God is your only source of strength during this time. While the Bible in the New Testament does give a scriptural "out" in a marriage when adultery is involved, the reading of the complete Word still proclaims it is God's plan for one man, one woman, one lifetime. That must be your goal. You will need to spend much time in prayer for your spouse. They need your prayers to overcome the wrongs they have done. You will need to spend much time in prayer with the Lord to keep in focus that you are loved. Many spouses who have been cheated on feel that they are to blame. Listen. You CANNOT control the actions of your spouse. You CANNOT be responsible for what they do. Quit blaming yourself for their actions! Know that in Christ you are loved and worthy. Lastly, you will need LOTS of prayer to have a forgiving heart. This of course is the most difficult hurdle to overcome. It is not possible in our strength. Only God can give you a forgiving heart to go on. Ultimately, the key will be in your focus on the Lord. Your faith, your trust in the Lord will be tested and stretched. It is in times like this when your faith becomes very real.

There is absolutely no way in just a few paragraphs I can deal with an issue like this that can fill a library full of books. I have tried to give you the bottom line from both sides of this issue. It will all boil down to each spouse's commitment to the Lord to overcome this part of your life. The cheating individual will need the Lord to overcome the sin committed and get back into a right relationship with the spouse, and the spouse will need the Lord to overcome the intense emotions and feelings to allow the spouse back into a place of trust in the relationship. There is no way things can ever be the same again; however, the Lord is still in the healing business, and He can help work things out so there is still a loving, fruitful relationship for many years to come. The key is trusting God and not giving up.

I love you, and I care about you deeply. I realize from all of the email we get each day how prevalent this issue is. I will be praying for you today, both those who have committed adultery, and those spouses who have been cheated on. I realize the heartache and pain you are going through. If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to email me; I will do my best. I cannot do marriage counseling over email, but I can pray and give some basic direction. My main point today is that God is still on the throne, He is still in control, and despite our rebellion.....He will have the final word. Jesus said, "be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." That includes the sin in this world like adultery.

The Other Side Of The Holidays

(Joshua 1:5)

While we usually think of this time of year as a time of being with family and friends, a time of great joy, the fact is for many it is one of the worst times of the year. Many people dread the holiday season because for many reasons they are alone and feel left out of the festivities associated with this time of year. It is the time of year when suicides are at their highest. Being alone takes on a new significance during the holiday season. This devotional today is dedicated to all of you out there who feel this way. You don't have the joy and the spirit of this Christmas season because you are alone.

I want to encourage you today. First of all, I want to remind you as God told Joshua, as the Lord told his disciples, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The fact is, God is always with us. While that fact is comforting, it still does not alleviate the loneliness many feel from a lack of human companionship. In the Book of Hebrews, God commanded that we "not forsake the fellowship of one another." You see, one of the important facets of being part of a local church is that it is a source of fellowship. It is where we can find people of like faith, who become part of our life. While many of you understand God is always there and you have fellowship with other believers, you are still dealing with being alone.

The real loneliness that is so real during this time of year, is the loneliness that comes from not having a spouse or not having that close intimate relationship with family. There is no substitute for that. One of life's mysteries to me after many years in the ministry is why God allows some to remain single..I wish I had an answer..I don't. The other night I was with a family whose son was killed by a drunk driver. Why, they kept asking. I had no answer. The best I can do is to encourage you to treat it like any other battle. Get a plan...pray..ask God for wisdom..have someone to be accountable to who will walk thru this with you, and then rely on the strength God can give you each day. Don't be frustrated if you don't see results right away. His timing is always perfect. Don't force it, but do the things God leads you to do to. God knows your desire and understands your need. As for family, as I shared the other day, do all you can to reconcile where reconciliation is needed. In many cases, there is no family. That is why being part of a local church family is so important.

I love you so much. I care about you I know the pain and hurt so many are going thru during this wonderful season when so many appear to be so full of joy. Please know that you will be in my prayers. I wish I had magical answers, but there are none. However, there is One who does have the answer. It is during these times in our life, those times when we hurt and things don't make sense, that we need to press in even deeper to our daily walk with Christ. You see, that is what will sustain us through those lonely, difficult times. The promises in His Word are true. We need to find our peace, comfort,and joy in Him, in our service to Him. My best advice for those who are lonely is to know that you are not alone. Find ways to serve others during this Christmas season. It is in your service that you find the true meaning not only of Christmas, but in what being as Christian is all about. It is also in service that we realize we really are never alone as long as we have Jesus.

As difficult as this Christmas season may be for you because you are alone, let me remind you that I am always here for you. You have the promise of God's Word that He will never leave you nor forsake you, and there are people out there who are also hurting. Let the Lord use you to bring His hope and His love to someone else who may be alone this Christmas season.

His Word

(Matthew 24:35)

Having preached to several hundred thousand people in
evangelistic meetings at churches of all denominations, having ministered to millions
over the years via our television production ministry, and having prayed for and
intimately counseled thousands and thousands of people over my 9 years of
ministry...I would have to say the biggest problem I have encountered with
believers is that the vast majority have never read the instruction manual.
Statistical research shows that less than 10% of professing Christians have
never read the entire Bible. The church as a whole is Biblically illiterate!

From time to time in my devotionals I will give my opinion on an issue, and I
am very careful to always let you know when it is Bill Keller's opinion.
Most of the time I just let God's words speak for themselves. There is not
one issue, one thing we deal with in everyday life that is not covered in
His Word. How many people are in terrible marriages where one spouse is a
nonbeliever. Do you think God admonished us to "not be unequally yoked" for
nothing? How about those dealing with horrible illnesses because they
abused themselves over the years with alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Does God not
tell us our body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit? How many families are ripped
apart by bitterness and hatred when the Bible commands us to "have love one for
another," "forgive as Christ has forgiven you," "love your enemies." I have
to be honest. In many cases it is not rebellion of God's Word, but complete
ignorance of God's Word.

Like many men, I get a new electronic toy and the first thing I do is open
the box, toss the instructions to the side, and start "putting it together."
Usually after a period of time when it is not working, or I have broken
something, I grab the book and put it together correctly. How much easier
if I would have done that first. So is our walk with God. Many people claim
they can't hear God. God may be talking to you and you can't hear Him
because you don't know what to be listening for.

The Bible is the INSPIRED INERRANT WORD OF GOD. If you want to hear
God, just read the Book. That is God speaking to us. I have come to the conclusion
that those who are getting this devotional each day are above average intelligence, which is why I am
very direct, to the point, and don't hammer things over your head. I say
it, knowing you are smart enough to know what you are expected to do. I don't
have to paint a picture. So if you ever listened to me at all, hear what I
am going to say to you now. This applies to everyone, even those that may have read
the Bible cover to cover 100 times.

It takes an individual of average reading ability 90 hours to read the
entire Bible. That is one hour a day for 3 months. Most people make New Year's
resolutions. Here is one for you with eternal rewards and which will be more
valuable than losing 10 pounds that you will just put back on. Carve out
one hour every day starting January 1st and start reading at Genesis 1:1. One
hour. I suggest that for 90 days you get up 1 hour earlier than normal and
do it the very first thing. Trust me, God will give you the strength you
need during the day. Losing one hour of sleep for 90 days will not kill
you. Quite the opposite. It will save you 100 times that in loss sleep over the
years from problems caused because you didn't take time to read the
instruction book.

Now listen, I understand that some of the Old Testament
can be dry. The Jewish laws, the genealogy of kings, some of the prophetic
books can be very confusing and at times boring. Plug on. Don't get
discouraged because you don't understand everything you are reading. Having
read the Bible cover to cover many, many, many times, every time is like a
new experience as I learn more each time. WARNING: I am not the Bible
answer man, so don't start flooding me with questions. I'll pray for you
anytime, but I cannot handle thousands of Bible questions. I do suggest
though you keep a note of questions and talk them over with your pastor.

Trust me when I tell you, those 90 days will change your life. You will see
things you never thought were in the Bible. You will see God's warnings and
promises to help you through tough times. Most of all, you will start to
understand a little about how God thinks. How can you please God if you
don't understand how He thinks? He knows you are not a mind reader. That
is one reason He gave you the Book, so you could begin to understand a little
about what is expected of you. I promise you, the 90 days of doing this
will be the most important 90 days possibly of your life. I cannot emphasize
enough the importance of what I am challenging you to do. Start at the very
beginning. That way you can see God from the creation of our world to the
end. It is better than any book or movie you have ever read or seen.

The Bible is our final authority for all matters concerning this life. In
this day of being politically correct, accepting everyone's beliefs and
ideas, we are in the mess we are morally and spiritually because we have
gotten away from the black and white truth of God's word that this nation
was founded upon. We have none to blame but ourselves. In this day of instant
gratification, drive-thru food, cell phones, fax machines, email, Federal
Express, and jet travel, we want what we want now and refuse to wait. We have
become lazy, which is why we don't take the time to read the Bible. I
guarantee you will spend 90 hours plus in front of the television, the
computer, with the newspaper, doing something that you enjoy over the next
90 days. I am not saying quit living and enjoying your life. What I am saying
is that you have the time, it is now a matter whether this is a big enough
priority to take the time.

I love you, care about you, and my heart breaks every day as I read and try
to respond to the thousands of special prayer requests I get. How much
heartache and pain could have been avoided if people would have only read
the Book and followed the instructions. You cannot believe how much sense this
life makes when you are living under the direction of God's Word. I will be
praying that the Lord really opens your heart and conviction floods your
very being as you read these words. I can't force you to do it, you have to want
to do it. I will be praying, and trusting His Holy Spirit is moving on your
heart even now as you read these words.

Christmas Love For The Family

(1 Thessalonians 3:12)

One of the common prayer requests I see daily are
requests for God to reconcile family members whose relationship has been
broken for a myriad of reasons. One of our tests of spiritual maturity is
the ability to forgive, pray for, and love someone who has wronged us. It
is especially difficult when that someone is part of our family. I am going to
challenge you today to exhibit Christ-like love this Christmas as you share
this blessed time of year with family members. Regardless of who is at
fault, who is wrong, the circumstances involved, my challenge to you this
Christmas is to make an attempt to reconcile that broken relationship. I
realize in many cases this is going to be a very difficult task, but it is
what God wants you to do, and He will give you the strength and courage to
make the effort.

Let me say up front, you are not responsible for the actions of another,
only your own. You cannot force a relationship with someone who refuses to
accept you. But you can, and God requires you to, make the effort. At that point,
it is in His hands. He is the one who has to move on the other person's
heart. Much like in witnessing, you can never force someone to get saved,
but God requires you to give them the opportunity, and after that it is up
to the power of the Holy Spirit to move on the person's heart.

I am not going to elaborate very much today, because the challenge God has
for you today is very simple, very straightforward. God is asking you to
make the effort to reconcile this Christmas season. Forget the reasons,
forget what has happened in the past, make the effort in Christ-like love.
At that point, you have done what God has asked you to do, and it is than up to
the other person to respond. I know this is not easy, and in many cases,
very painful. I will be praying for you. I will be praying for His strength,
words, and love to be with you in a way you never have known before. God is
love. It is His desire to see His children love one another. What better
Christmas present for God than to obey His voice and make the effort to
reconcile your relationship with that family member you are separated from.

I will be praying today specifically for you to heed this challenge and to
be obedient to God's voice. I love you, care about you, and want to see you be
all God has raised you up to be. One way we do that is by doing those
things in life, even the painful things, that we know God expects us to do.
You will be surprised how much can be accomplished just with communication.
The problems don't disappear, they don't wipe away in some cases years of
pain, but God is able to heal and restore relationships. That is His desire
for you this Christmas.

Getting Away With God

(John 10:40)

Getting away at least once a month for a half day is
critical to your relationship with the Lord. So much of our time with God
is on a tight schedule, we get into a rut of doing it the same way every
day. Once in a while, we need to break the routine, get away for at least a
half day, and just spend time alone with God. Jesus, who was 100% God while
being 100% man, still, in His role as a human, needed the fellowship with
God. Many times in the Gospel accounts of His life, we see Him getting away
alone by himself. If Jesus needed this intimate contact with God once in a while,
how much more do we need it?

In any relationship, you must take some time to nurture that relationship.
I have talked some this week about our daily relationship with Jesus, but
once in a while, we need to take a half or full day just to be alone with
Him. Why? Because we get very clever in getting in "our time with God" each day
to the point it can get stale and very meaningless. It becomes an exercise
like going to the gym. That is fine, but we get so comfortable, we sometimes
don't take the time to listen to God. This 1/2 day becomes a time
to take inventory of your life, see where you are at, where you want to be.
More important, is where God wants you to be. We can get so busy, we start
missing His voice.

I want to challenge each one of you today. In the next 45 days, find a half
day or full day, and just devote it to talking with God. Let Him minister
to you. He will talk to you. Most important, you will take time to make
sure you are on track. We all want to follow Him and serve Him. Sometimes
it takes some time alone with Him to really hear. I know we are all very
busy with our lives, but let me ask you this question...are you too busy for
God?

I will be praying for you. Keep following Him!!!!

What Is Your Goal

(Luke 12:16-21)

We all get so bogged down in the day-to-day activities of life, we can lose sight of the big picture. One of the goals I have each day is to help you stay focused on the "big picture". The ultimate "American dream" is to win several million dollars, buy a huge home, new cars, quit your job....then? That becomes the big question. When you have all those things you ever dreamed of, when you have accomplished all of the things you strive for...then???? In today's scripture, we read about a man who could have easily been living in the year 2000. Obviously very talented. Obviously very goal-oriented. He had his plan, followed it through, got everything he wanted....then, the Lord says, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you."

You see my friend, this Devotional in no way is meant to tell you that your goals are not important. It is in no way meant to tell you that you should not strive to have the best things this life can offer. There is nothing wrong with that at all. What I am trying to get you to hear this day is that you MUST keep your goals prioritized and in perspective. To simply let your goal be "get all I can now" is a bad goal. The Bible says, "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul." That, of course, is for an unsaved person who wants everything, but eventually must realize that there is an eternal life when this one is over, when all of those things you accomplish and gain in this life have no meaning. While we work on our worldly goals, we MUST keep focused on our eternal goals.

Those things we gain in this life will be gone the instant our life is over and we pass into eternity. At that point, the ONLY thing that matters is our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I have said it often, and will continue to remind you of this fact, the ONLY thing we take from this life into eternity is our personal relationship with Christ. That is why I harp constantly on that intimate daily walk with Him, through the Word and through prayer. At that instant when this life ends and eternity begins, that personal relationship with Christ is all that will matter. With that being the case, why do we spend so much time on striving to accomplish things in this world that will one day be meaningless and so little time on our walk with Christ, which one day will be all we have?

I love you and care about you so very much. Each day I do my best to open my heart to you and allow God to pour through me meaningful things that will help you in your daily life. My challenge for you this day is to not get so focused on the goals of this world, that you lose sight of your eternal goals. Work just as hard on your relationship with Christ as you do on your day-to-day work here on earth. Don't let the things of this temporary world consume you to the point you miss the eternal goals we all should be working on. We need to be careful. The media and our culture push us daily to "have it all". We get so consumed with that message, we forget, we can never have it all, unless we first have Jesus.

The Ambush

(Jeremiah 51:12)

One of the most famous ambushes in history happened 58 years
ago today when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Sneak attacks have been part
of warfare since its inception. It is a strategy and can be used very
effectively. Catching your enemy off guard gives you a tremendous advantage.
In our spiritual lives, we are often the target of an ambush by satan, and
God has warned us to be prepared, to be ready so we are not caught off guard.
Incredibly, we are most susceptible to the ambush when we are strongest.
When things are going well, when we are on top of the things going on in our
lives, we get lulled into a false sense of self-confidence. We get lazy.
We forget to do the things we did that made us strong. That is when we are the
most ripe to be ambushed.

As God warned the prophets of old, today He is warning you. Be prepared.
Keep watch. The battle is never over and when you least expect it is when
the enemy will attack. This is not meant to scare you or have you living
in fear wondering what will happen next. This is to prepare you for the
inevitable. As long as you are living, loving God, and serving God, you are
going to be a target. All God wants you to do is be prepared. The way you
do that is by maintaining that close, personal daily relationship with Him,
battling the sin in your life each day so the enemy has no foothold in your
life, and fulfilling God's purpose for your life by serving Him each day,
loving others, and helping others.

My goal today, my prayer for you today is that you open your heart, look at
your life, and ask yourself if you are prepared if the enemy launches a
sneak attack on your life today. If the answer is yes, I am prepared, then
continue doing the things you have to do each day to stay strong. If the
answer is no, then it is time to change the things you need to change so you
are ready. Trust me, the ambush and the attacks are not going to stop.
Prepare for them now, because once you are in the middle of the fight, it is tough
to think and to respond the way you need to respond to be victorious. I am praying
today that you will stop whatever it is you are doing and make sure you are
prepared for a sneak attack on your life this very day.

I love you and am thankful for your prayers and support of our work here at
Liveprayer. com. Much of what we do here is help people through the crises
in their lives. They are already in the battle and need God's help to be
victorious. That is why I take opportunities from time to time to try and
prepare you in advance for the attacks that will eventually come so that you
are prepared. God loves you and has given you all the tools you need to be
victorious. Make sure you are using them and doing everything you can do to
stand strong, so that you are not only victorious in your own life, but that you
can help others be victorious as well.

I am grateful for all of you that email me daily with your special needs.
As you know, I answer each and every request and try to impart some Godly,
scriptural advice to help you in your time of need. Never hesitate to write
me since I am sure God has placed me here, not by accident, but for a divine
reason. He loves you and speaks to you in many ways, so never hesitate to
use all of your options during those difficult times to hear from Him in
every way possible. Make this a great day as you serve Him, while insuring
you are prepared for whatever the enemy may decide to throw at you.

Doing Our Best

(1 Timothy 6:18)

Each day, God only expects one thing from His children, their best effort. We can only do so much. While we often put pressure on ourselves to achieve more, to accomplish more, God only expects our best effort. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do more, we should always be looking at how we can improve. But many put unrealistic expectations on themselves, put themselves in a position of having to be almost superhuman, then feel a sense of failure when it all doesn't come together. I have often spoken of having a game plan. I am totally convinced that we must use the common sense God gave us in all aspects of our life, and too often we have no real plan of attack. Part of doing our best is using God-given wisdom in the things we do each day.

The word I have for you today is to not put so much pressure on yourself, and if you are feeling overwhelmed by your day-to-day life, that is a warning sign that something is wrong. Just like when we pull a muscle in our leg, we can still walk on it, but the pain is telling us something is wrong. If you find yourself totally exhausted each day, not able to accomplish all you need to, if you feel that you are always under pressure, if you are feeling helpless in the midst of all there is to do each day . . . TIME OUT. It is time to stop, pray, and ask God what is wrong. My strategy is to always get a notepad and write down what it is I need to accomplish in each area of my life. This helps me get focused on my goals and my day-to-day plans. It will be very apparent if you are doing more than you can physically and emotionally handle. If you are in that situation, it is time to reformulate your game plan.

I will be praying for you today. I realize that many of you are facing the rigors of day-to-day life and being overwhelmed at times by all that you are trying to do. The key is at all times, do your best. Simply do your best. God will honor that. In the midst of doing your best each day, He will guide you and help you to be wise in all that you do. I love you, and care about you so much. More important, God loves you. Life was never intended to be lived on a razor's edge. It was never meant to be lived under constant pressure. All God expects of His children is that they do their very best. God can help you to do that. I will be praying for you. Never forget that the number one way we can show our love to the Lord is in our daily lives, serving Him and giving Him our best.

Being Lazy

(Proverbs 18:9)

Many people ask me each day where I get the inspiration for
these devotions each day. I literally sit down and write these every
morning around 5am. It is quiet in the office, my mind is fresh, and hopefully God
is speaking into my heart what to share with you. Some days what I feel God
leading me to write makes sense, other days it doesn't. This is a "doesn't
day" but here it goes. I am convinced through Scripture, that God expects
us to be busy, to be active, to be productive in our lives. It is through this
activity that we earn our living or get an education, participate in sports
and other recreational activities, interact with family and friends, and most
important, serve Him. You see, lazy people make bad servants. The bible
tells us to be busy working while there is still light, because night is
coming. That means that until Christ returns, we need to be busy serving
God so that His plan for our lives can be fulfilled.

Now I realize that many take a scriptural position that we really don't have
to do anything because God is going to do it anyway. Others put the
dependence on the actions of man for God's plan to unfold. I have always
tried to see the blending of those extreme positions where it becomes the
sovereignty of God working in conjunction with the activity of man. I know,
these can be deep theological concepts, which is why I try to concentrate on
my responsibility and not get too caught up in the theological debates. As
far as the issue of being lazy is concerned, the Bible clearly tells us in
many passages that it is a sin to be lazy and nonproductive. That is why
today I want to encourage you not to fall into this trap, and if it is an
issue you battle, it is time to recognize it and battle to conquer laziness
just like any other sin in our life.

I will be praying today that you take a few minutes to analyze your life, and
if laziness is something you fight that God will give you the strength to
become more active and productive in your daily life. It really is about
having focus, having goals, and having projects to complete at all times.
In other areas of your life, you have much going on, but often the sin of
laziness the bible is speaking of occurs in our service for God. We have
energy to do other things, but in our service to God, we tend to
slack off. My prayer is that you will be just as energetic in serving the
Lord as you are in other areas of your life.

I love you and am praying for you. Make this an active productive day of
service for the Lord. He has blessings above and beyond anything you could ever
imagine if you just follow Him, love Him, and serve Him each and every day.
May this be a most blessed day.

Trying to Negotiate With Satan

(Genesis 3:1-6)

One of the most stupid things we can do in
this life is try to negotiate with or talk with Satan. Now I realize many
people doubt that there really is a Satan, that he is some mythical
character with horns, a red cape, and a pitchfork. Some think that Satan is
not real, but what we call the evil side of life, something to blame all of
the pain and suffering on. As in everything, rather than try to sort
through what we think Satan is, let's go to the Bible and see who he really
is. In Ezekiel chapter 28, we find out that the devil was at one time an
angel, with access to the very throne room of God. Isaiah the prophet tells
of his fall in chapter 14, after Satan desired the very throne of God and is
cast out of Heaven because of pride, taking along 1/3 of the angels who
followed him. A quick side note. Maybe now you can see why pride is so
dangerous, it was the original sin in the universe. Satan is intelligent,
has a memory, a will, emotions, and great organizational ability. THE DEVIL
HAS READ THE BIBLE!!!! Think about that. If your enemy has read the Bible,
how much more do we have to? He is busy. He imitates God, perverts the
Word of God, hinders the works of God's servants, blinds men to the Truth,
accuses Christians before God, tempts, afflicts, deceives, undermines the
sanctity of the home, and tries to disrupt the prayers of God's people. Can
you see why he is so dangerous?

However, let me clearly tell you that his powers are limited. He is NOT
omnipresent. He can not be in more than one place at a time. He is NOT
omniscient. He does not know everything. He is NOT omnipotent. He is not
all powerful. These are only attributes of God himself. Also, and hear
this clearly....Satan can DO NOTHING apart from God allowing it to happen as
in the example of Job.

The good news is that he has already been defeated by Christ. God foretold
of Satan's demise even as early as Genesis 3:15. Knowing that prophecy,
Satan and his demons must have been rejoicing as Christ took His last breath
on the cross. However, their rejoicing turned to terror just 3 days later
when Christ rose from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ sealed
Satan's doom once and for all. The Bible tells us that his final
destination is the Lake of Fire for eternity. That is why it is so sad to
see people reject Christ. They are going to spend eternity in a place that
was never created for man, but for Satan and his fallen demons.

My prayer for you today is that you will recognize who your enemy is and
stand in the midst of whatever he may try to throw at you. Satan's final
resting place will not occur until after the millennium, which is after the
7-year tribulation, which happens after the Rapture. Until then, we still
have to contend with Satan and his hosts. Satan claims authority over this
world, which is why he is called the god of this world. He has the power to
blind sinners to the truth and contends for the saints to destroy their lives
of service and their testimony. He is a very real foe that we must contend
with. That is why the Bible warns us to be self-controlled and alert. To
submit to God and resist the devil..to stand firm in the faith. Ephesians
6:11 tells us to "put on the whole armor of God so that you can take your
stand against the Devil's schemes." Ephesians 4:27 says "...do not give
the Devil a foothold." Those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus
Christ are protected by His blood. We do not have to live in fear, but in
victory. When Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan came to tempt Him,
Jesus didn't try to negotiate with him or debate him. He simply stood on
the Word of God. Stand on that word today that says "greater is He that is
in you, than he that is in the world."

The best way to deal with Satan is by taking souls on the way to Hell and reroute them to Heaven. I love you and care about you. I am praying for you. Live in the victory that Jesus Christ has given us each and every day!