Remember Lot's wife.

LUKE 17:32

When the Sunday school teacher told her class, 'Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt,' one child responded, 'That is nothin'! My mum was driving home yesterday, and she looked back and turned into a telephone pole!' Lot's wife only appears briefly in one scripture, so why did Jesus tell us to remember her? Two reasons: 1) she invested her life in something that had no future. John writes, 'This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever' (I John 2:17 NLT). God tried to get Lot's wife out of Sodom, but she couldn't get Sodom out of her. When she thought of what she was leaving, she looked back and turned into a lifeless monument. When God says it is time to move, do not hesitate! Do not become like those who once walked with Him, witnessed on the job, stood out as shining lights in their communities, but now have turned cold and unresponsive 2) your decisions have consequences. If Lot's wife had kept moving forward she'd have been there to protect her daughters when they got to the cave. Instead they became victims of abuse and incest. Before you lose your children, poison your marriage, and tear up your life by refusing to break with your past, 'remember Lot's wife.' She did not make it to safety, but she did make it into scripture long enough to warn us about three things: a) complacency b) involvement with the wrong things c) a divided heart!

Are you resisting God?


And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
--Genesis 32:24

Do you know the kind of person that God blesses? Well, it may surprise you.
In the Old Testament Scriptures, you and I meet a man named Jacob who struggled with his faith nearly his entire life. More than anything, Jacob wanted to be blessed even if it meant tricking people to obtain the blessing.
God eventually intervened in Jacob's struggle and sent an angel of the Lord to confront him. Jacob grabbed hold of the angel (whom we may safely believe to be the pre-incarnate appearing of Christ Jesus) and he literally wrestled with him all night until God conquered him once and for all.
So let me ask you a question. Are you struggling with your faith? Maybe you're resisting God and trying to win at life through your own strength.
Well, take heart! Even the apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christian who ever lived, said, "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). Paul also struggled with his faith.
But here is what both Paul and Jacob came to understand: You don't conquer in life by winning; you win by being conquered by God.
Be the kind of person who God blesses. Let God conquer your heart. Hold nothing back.

YOU DON'T CONQUER YOUR WORLD BY WINNING; YOU WIN
BY BEING CONQUERED BY GOD !

Do You Have Peace About It?


...You will...be led forth in peace... Isaiah 55:12

One of the first things you lose when you step out of God's will, is your peace. So if you don't have peace about it, don't proceed! God's promise is, 'You will...be led forth in peace.' Many times peace is all God will give you to let you know whether you're on the right track or not, so don't violate 'the peace rule.' Jesus said, '"...My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth..."' (John 14:27). The world offers a feeling of peace that operates only when everything's going well. But when the opinions you're getting seem to be confusing and contradictory, when it feels like nothing is going right for you and yet you're able to remain calm, you are experiencing '...the peace of God, which transcends all understanding...' (Philippians 4:7 NIV). You say, 'How do I get this transcendent peace?' Peter answers: '"...Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honour. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you...Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters...are going through the same kind of suffering you are...after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation..."' (1 Peter 5:6-10 NLT). So, be at peace, don't rush ahead of God, be confident knowing that God 'cares about what happens to you' (See 1 Peter 5:7 NLT).

Jesus Christ said;

WHOEVER ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN, I WILL ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.
( MATTHEW 10:32-33 *NIV )


The Bible says to have an answer for why you believe for those who ask you. The following is a good example of an answer to one of the most common reasons people give for ignoring God and His Goodness.
The following was sent to me this week. It is called:  "God Exists!"

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always. He began to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

Suddenly, they touched on the subject of God. The barber said:
"Look man, I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist. Oh, tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God exists, there would be no suffering nor pain. I can't think of loving a God who permits all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but he didn't respond because he did not want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barber shop, he saw a man in the street with long hair and a beard that was very long as well, one could tell that it had been a long time since he had his hair cut. He also looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say they don't exist?" asked the surprised barber." I am here and I am a barber. Why I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist, because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who is outside."
"Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people sometimes do not come to them."

"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God does exist. What happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there is so much suffering and hardship in this world today."

Dads who make a difference


The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
--1 Peter 4:7

We live in desperately wicked times. I've said that many times, and it's true. It's a reflection of the last days in which we live. And for this reason, it's never been more important for fathers to pursue God with their whole hearts. Your kids need to see the authentic witness of Christ alive in you! They need to see you praying, serving God, and showing love and respect to their mother. And your kids need you to be actively present in their lives, providing love and guidance that aligns with the witness of your daily life. It's hard to live this kind of life if you're allowing your mind to be numbed or your judgment clouded. Don't let yourself be intoxicated by the spirit of this age, but as Peter said, be "self-controlled and sober-minded."
Now, I know many men who think they've blown it with their kids. But there's hope and restoration in Jesus Christ.

Let me challenge you to do something today.

If you want to make a difference in the lives of your children, start by getting on your knees in prayer. Answer God's call to grow closer to him and to live a holy life before the Lord and your family.



YOUR KIDS NEED TO SEE THE AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF CHRIST ALIVE IN YOU!

Making Decisions by Hearing God

By Os Hillman
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God speaks to his children in many varied ways. God has said that his ways are not our ways. If left to our reasoning, we will fail to fully walk in the full counsel of God, which leads to poor decisions.
Thus, our goal is to avoid being deceived and to develop a listening ear that hears the voice of God with confidence. Our goal is to have such intimacy with God that we can walk in the full blessing of our decisions and to be assured they are not based on our own reasoning alone. This does not mean that we do not use the intellectual and logical skills that He has equipped us with.

A.W. Tozer said that the man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice - any choice will be the right one. J. Oswald Sanders explains his method of receiving guidance from God for decisions; "I try to gather all the information and all the facts that are involved in a decision, and then weigh them up and pray over them in the Lord's presence, and trust the Holy Spirit to sway my mind in the direction of God's will. And God generally guides by presenting reasons to my mind for acting in a certain way." The apostle Paul said, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). God has equipped us with everything we need to make good decisions. Hearing His voice is the first step toward making right choices in life.

Do you have a decision to make? Submit that decision to the Lord, ask God for clarity. Ask Him to make the desires of your heart the same desires that He has for you in this matter. Await His perfect timing on the matter. Then you can be assured of making the right decisions.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

~ 1 Timothy 2:1

Just Drive, and Let God Direct You!

Lead me, O Lord...make Your way straight before my face. Psalm 5:8

Hannah Whitall Smith writes: 'God's voice will always be in harmony with itself, regardless of how many ways He may speak. The voices may be many, the message can be but one. If God tells me in one voice to do, or leave undone anything, He cannot possibly tell me the opposite in another voice...therefore my rule for distinguishing the voice of God would be to bring it to the test of this harmony.' To know that you're being led by God you must: 1) believe that He has a plan for your life 2) spend time in prayer asking Him to reveal it 3) step out and obey Him, even though He doesn't tell you all you'd like to know 4) be confident that even in difficult times He's still directing your steps. During the making of Ben-Hur, Charlton Heston trained long hours to drive a chariot for the movie's big chariot race. He improved greatly, but he became convinced that the task was more than he could handle. So he approached the legendary movie director Cecil B DeMille and said, 'I've worked hard at mastering this rig. I think I can drive it convincingly in the scene, but I don't think I can win the race.' After a moment's silence DeMille smiled and said, 'You just drive, I'll direct.' He did, and the chariot race became one of the movie's most memorable highlights. You don't need all the answers, you only need to know you've fully obeyed the instructions God gave you. Once you know that, just drive, and let Him direct you!

God Will Take Care of You!

...He will take care of you... Psalm 55:22

Gladys Aylward, missionary to China more than fifty years ago, was forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yuncheng. With only one assistant, she led a hundred orphans over the mountains toward free China. During the journey she grappled with fear. After passing a sleepless night she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A thirteen-year-old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Red Sea. 'But I am not Moses,' Gladys sighed in despair. 'Of course you aren't,' the girl said, 'but God is still God!' When Gladys and the orphans made it through they proved once again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God, and we can still trust Him. Sometimes God calms the storm, other times He lets the storm rage and calms us. Either way, He sustains us and brings us through. We always have a choice: either we give the burden to God or we try to carry it ourselves. How does God provide for us? One day at a time. Remember the Israelites in the wilderness? Each day God fed them by sending manna from heaven. Notice how it worked. The number of people in your family determined the amount of manna you received, no more and no less. And God would only allow you to collect enough for each day; if you tried to hoard more, it rotted. Getting the idea? So trust God for today and leave tomorrow in His hands. 'Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.'

 

In this fast paced World we live in, patience is becoming a lost art!   We may even think that God isn't hearing our prayers because they aren't answered instantly.

 

When you find yourself feeling that way remember to; REST IN THE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM.  ( PSALM 37:7 ). Therefore, why not slow down and practice patience, as well as, take time to enjoy the simple things in life like:

 

                          TAKING TIME

 

           Take time to think...It is the source of

           power.

 

           Take time to play...It is the secret of

           perpetual youth.

 

           Take time to read...It is the fountain of

           wisdom.

 

           Take time to pray...It is the greatest power

           on Earth.

 

           Take time to love and be loved...It is a God-

           given privilege.

 

           Take time to be friendly...It is the road to

           happiness.

 

           Take time to laugh...It is the music of the

           soul.

 

           Take time to give...It is too short a day to be

           selfish.

 

           Take time to work...It is the price of

           success.

 

           Take time to do charity...It is the key to

           Heaven.

Win over sin!
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
--Galatians 6:7
One of temptation's great allures is the question, "Who's going to know?" It's true, isn't it?
Satan is good about coming in secret to tempt us with a sinful thought. He comes when no one else is around and no one is watching.
This was certainly how he tempted Joseph. There he was, a slave in Potiphar's house, with Potiphar's wife doing all she could to seduce him. Who would know? The Scripture says they were alone in the house.
Potiphar's wife certainly wasn't going to tell her husband what she did. Joseph didn't have to tell anyone. But in spite of the secretive nature of the temptation, Joseph resisted and literally fled from the woman's presence.
Now, you need to see this. The truest test in a person's life is what a person does when no one is looking. Satan's suggestion that "no one will know" is a lie. There is no such thing as a truly secret sin. Jesus himself said those things that are done in secret will be brought to light and shouted from the housetops (Luke 12:3).
But Joseph's life is testimony that there is power over temptation through God.
When faced with temptation, watch for a way of escape and take it, just as Joseph did. You can have power over temptation in Jesus. 
THE TRUEST TEST IN A PERSON'S LIFE IS
WHAT A PERSON DOES WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.

Practicing the Presence of God
By Os Hillman 
"Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24).
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.
He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today. "For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."
You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of his children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give a detailed account of is life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Genesis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!
What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means stopping at a red light and praying for the person God brings to mind. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.
Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
~ Psalms 143:8

PRAY EVERY MORNING TO HE WHO STRENGHTENS TOU.

When 'Helping' Is Hurting

Whoever says to the guilty, 'You are innocent' - peoples will curse... Proverbs 24:24

Ever lied to protect the reputation of someone you love? Or covered up for them? Or rushed in to 'help' without being asked? We're not talking about acts of compassion where help is genuinely needed, we're talking about 'enabling,' which is a destructive kind of helping. It's natural to want to protect a loved one from the painful consequences of their actions. But by letting them off the hook you end up feeling angry and victimized because you did something you didn't want to do; something that wasn't your responsibility. The Bible says it's a mistake to say to the guilty, 'You are innocent.' By continually rescuing them you lengthen the valley they must go through in order to come out whole on the other side. Paul said, '...Wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?' (Romans 7:24 NIV). Sometimes people have to reach the 'wretched' stage before they acknowledge their need, just like the prodigal hit bottom before he got serious about his sin problem. And his father let it happen. It's called tough love for a reason! 'When [the prodigal son] came to his senses, he said '..."here I am starving to death! I will...go back to my father and say...I have sinned'' (Luke 15:17-18 NIV). By crossing the line between caring and caretaking, you hurt the person you're trying to help by implying they can't handle the truth or learn their lesson. So back off, and place your loved one into God's hands. He loves them even more than you do.