DO YOU LOVE ME?

“The third time [Jesus Christ] said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep’” (John 21:17 NIV).

 

As a matter of fact, most of the followers of Jesus Christ were following Him because of what they could get from Him (see John 6:26). No wonder, when it seemed to them that His teaching was hard, many of them no longer followed Him (see John 6:60-66). From that incident, it seemed His twelve disciples were different because they stood by Him (verses 67-69). However, as Jesus Christ predicted, one of the Twelve - Judas Iscariot - betrayed Him (verse 70; 13:21-30; Luke 22:1-6, 47-48) and Simon Peter - the spokesperson of the disciples - denied Him trice (see Luke 22:54-62). This same Peter led some of the disciples to go back to their old profession after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see John 21:1-3). When Jesus Christ appeared to them, He asked Peter that important question three times: “Do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus could ask him this question three times. Then, Jesus told him what was required of him if he truly loved Him: he should act in favour of Jesus Christ, NOT in his (Peter’s) favour.

 

The Valentine’s Day for this year has just been celebrated. Many people (especially men) asserted that they love some ladies. Most of such ladies have been used and dumped after such assertion. The real meaning of the day (that is, sacrificial love as demonstrated by some people that were coincidentally named Valentine between third and fourth centuries AD that were killed because of their love-related actions) has been defeated. If anybody asserts that he or she loves you, you should ask him or her again and again, “Do you really love me?” If he or she answers in the affirmative, then let him or her prove it by acting in YOUR favour. 

 

Jesus Christ demonstrated the real love by laying down His life for us. We also ought to do likewise for our fellow human beings (cf. 1 John 3:16). Why are you following Jesus Christ? Is it not to get something from Him? Are you ready to really surrender your whole being to Him and do His biddings? Why do you love that person that you claim to love? True love is rooted in what a man or woman can give, not what he or she can get from the object of his or her love.

 

Do you really love me? 

 

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

When We Belong to Jesus

Renee Swope

"For your Maker is your husband — the LORD Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit — a wife who married young, only to be rejected,' says your God." Isaiah 54:5-6 (NIV)

We had what felt like a storybook Christian romance. Mike was tall, dark and handsome. He had a successful business and he loved Jesus. But to top it all off, instead of asking me for a date, Mike asked if we could "court."

Our lives were connected on so many levels. We lived on the same floor of the same apartment complex. We attended the same church. And we had several mutual friends. We loved when people told us we made a great couple, in life and in ministry.

Eventually we started praying about marriage and talked to our pastor. Not long after, Mike proposed.

But two weeks into our engagement he looked into my eyes and said: "I've made a horrible mistake. You are not the one God wants me to marry."

I was devastated and wondered what I'd done to make God change His mind.

After counseling and walking through a painful process of forgiveness, I eventually recovered. Much to my surprise, Mike showed back up in my life and asked me to consider rebuilding our friendship.

I was shocked and hesitant. But I also wondered if God wanted to redeem our story. Eventually I gave Mike a second chance. We spent time with friends and took things slowly. But in time, the topic of marriage came up. He proposed again. And he dumped me again!

That time I got smart and kept the ring, holding it as collateral to get Mike to counseling with me. In our first session, the counselor explained that Mike had a fear of commitment. Having a name for it helped me feel better, but Mike felt embarrassed and ashamed.

One night I woke up with a deep sense of concern for him, so I drove to his apartment. Sitting in the parking lot, I felt compelled to get in his van and pray for him. Afterwards I opened my eyes and noticed his journal sitting on the console.

Though I shouldn't have opened it, I turned to the entries he had written when he called off our engagement. I came face-to-face with why he didn't want to marry. There were many things about me he wished were different.

After reading Mike's journal, every time I stood in front of a mirror, doubt whispered: No man will ever want you. You'll never be good enough.

Rejection. Betrayal. Abandonment. Our greatest fears can become reality. Maybe your father abandoned you, or your husband betrayed you. Maybe your best friend broke your trust, or your teenager has shut you out.

The deep pain from broken relationships can make us doubt our value. We begin to see ourselves as disposable. Easily replaced. Not good enough.

One morning, I woke up and felt the heavy weight of rejection. Opening my Bible, I read through the book of Isaiah and landed in chapter 54. There, God showed me He is my Maker, Husband and Redeemer - the One who bestows the honor and acceptance I long for.

As devastating as it was, I learned two life-changing lessons from the pain:

• I have to choose to separate myself, and my worth, from a man's decision to want me or not.

• I have to hold others' words and preferences up to God's Word and choose which one I will rely on.

Although people's preferences will change, God's desire for us won't. Others might not think we're good enough, but God always will. And even if someone decides they don't desire us anymore, God most certainly does!

The truth is, when we belong to Jesus we are loved and accepted forever. We are covered in His goodness, and His goodness makes us good enough!

Lord, I want to know and rely on the love You have for me and live in Your love. Remind me each day that Your goodness makes me good enough! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Good News From Renee's Profile:

Although Renee wears a lot of hats, her favorite and most important are the ones she wears at home. She and her husband JJ have been married for over twenty-one years and have three children: Joshua (19), Andrew (17) and Aster (6) who their family adopted from Ethiopia in 2009.

Make God Flesh and Blood

from KenBible.com

What an amazing concept! Our loving God, an infinite Spirit being, holy, unseen, and transcendent, made Himself a real human being. He longed for us to know Him. He wanted us to trust Him. He wanted to assure us that He understood us. He became like us in every way, sharing our existence, our life, our temptation, our pain, even our death. He became like us so that we could become like Him.

That is incarnation: God made flesh…God become human. God became incarnate in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is no longer with us in physical form. But God’s deep longing to be incarnate has not cooled. He still burns to be seeable and touchable. He still desires to be flesh and blood here on this earth, among the human beings who need to know Him and come to Him. Incarnation is still what He wants.

How can He be incarnate here? We, His children, His Church, are His incarnation. As soon as Jesus returned to the Father, He poured out His own Spirit on all who trusted Him. By the Spirit of God we make God flesh and blood, here and now. We make Him real to needy people. We are His face, His hands, His feet, His heart. We are His love, His compassion, His holiness, His peace, and His unconquerable joy.

Our wonderful God become seeable and touchable. What an amazing possibility! And each of us and all of us can play a part.

Seek Those Things Which Are Above

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

 

People who play sports learn very quickly to keep their eyes on the ball. It does not matter what the spectators are shouting or doing. It doesn't not matter even what the opposing players are doing. What really matters is who has the ball, and, in which direction is that ball going!

Folks that are saved, folks that have overcome this world by the faith in the blood of the LAMB, folks that are waiting for Jesus to come again and take us to live with him; WE must stay focused with uplifted eyes and “seek those things which are above”. We need to stay focused on what things are permanent and important, NOT, on things that just get attention and are temporary.

I would never pay a hundred dollars for some ice cream cone, but, I would pay that amount for a one caret flawless diamond.

The lesson in our verse today seems to tell us to set our priorities correctly.In other words, we need to get our head on straight, know what our goal is, and, commit our ways to getting to that goal.

Keep looking up Christian, our redemption draweth nigh!

 

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.

e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com

Jesus, the Savior

BIBLE MEDITATION: 
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: 
One day I drove my car off the hot pavement out into a grassy area because I knew where there was a persimmon tree. I love persimmons and I thought, “Well, this is about the time those persimmons would be ripe.” But I got impossibly stuck in the mud. I got a board and tried to dig myself out. I found a piece of carpet there in the woods and put that under the tires. My tires only sunk deeper.

I prayed, “Lord, I’m in the mud. I need your help. I’m helpless here. Lord, get me out.” And almost at the same time, a man came by in a four-wheel vehicle. With that mighty truck, he pulled me slowly out of the mud. I was back on solid ground.

I was so grateful. I hadn’t known what to do, but God sent someone in a four-wheel truck with a cable. That’s so much like salvation. We’re looking for the things of this world and sinking in the mud. We say, “Well, I can get myself out of this.” And the more we try to handle it, the deeper and deeper we sink. We need somebody who will see us, care for us, come to us, and get us out. Jesus is a Savior. He has what it takes to extricate us from the mud we’ve gotten in.

When I got home, my car was covered with mud. I got out the hose and began to get the mud off. That man got me out of the mud, but it was up to me to deal with the mud that was still on there. When I got saved, I was covered with mud. But since then, I’ve been letting Jesus, the Water of Life, clean me up.

ACTION POINT: You can struggle all you want, but all you’re going to do is sink deeper. Stop the struggle. Surrender to Christ. You don’t have what it takes to get out unless someone takes you out. And that one is Jesus. His name is wonderful. He is the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Discover Jesus

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

Christians-- We Aren't Promised Success

by Rachel Dawson

It’s no secret that the American dream is rooted and established on the idea of personal success. Our whole culture is centered upon personal achievement, and it’s become an obsession. We hear endless chatter of success in all different forms-- box office hits, viral blog posts, bestselling books, massive social media followings, promotions at work, big deals signed, showy purchases made, awards and trophies for kids at school or in sports, fame found and status gained… it’s everywhere we look.
For American Christians especially, we run the risk of success becoming an idol we put in higher priority than God in our lives.
“Where did this idea of ‘Christian success’ come from, and why have we equated influence with notoriety?” Rachael Graf asks in her trending article “God Doesn’t Promise You’ll Be Successful” for Relevant.
The irony in all of this for us Christians is that Jesus was the total opposite of what we today would call “successful.” He didn’t have a home, he didn’t have a wife, he didn’t have the label of a king or the security of a stacked bank account, and he wasn’t even very well-liked. “If we really think about it,” Graf says, “Jesus, from the perspective of his culture, was a failure.”
Why do we expect to be successful when our Lord and Savior was anything but?
He never promised us a glamorous, glorified lifestyle if we chose to follow Him. Luke 21:17 says “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” Graf gives even more examples of this: “He told his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him (Matthew 16:24-26). He told them that the gate is narrow and the way is hard (Matt. 7:13-14). He told them that whoever wanted to be the greatest had to be a servant (Mark 10:43-45). He told them that he was going to the cross (Matthew 17:22-23). And he did.”
Not all of the disciples stayed with Jesus. Not surprising, when we consider the challenges guaranteed to face those who associate themselves with such a radical man. It’s not surprising that many Americans haven’t stayed with Jesus either, for the same reason. We want the fame, the fortune, the family, the followers online, the friends in high places, the fancy car in the garage, the fabulous vacations around the world… we don’t necessarily want to give that all up to follow the footsteps of Jesus.
It seems like setting ourselves up for failure in a way, doesn’t it?
Jesus was familiar with failure, Graf says, but He also claimed a truly victorious success over all sin and death through his crucifixion and resurrection.
“We serve a paradoxical God, one who says that worldly gain is loss if it costs you your soul. That in foolishness there is wisdom and that in dying we live. That in failure there is redemption. Jesus does not promise us earthly success if we choose to follow him, because earthly success was never his aim. What he does promise us is a future so glorious that it cannot be fully described in human language (1 Cor. 2:9). Success is not inherently wrong, and achievement is good cause for celebration. But we must remember that if we succeed—at anything—it is only because our abundantly gracious God has allowed us, for His glory. When we let the world define our success instead of Jesus, we fall into idolatry.”
Dr. James Emery White, a Crosswalk.com contributor, shares a striking contrast between worldly success and Biblical success that is helpful for us to keep in mind: “But doesn't the Bible say to judge people by their fruit?  Yes, but not as defined by the world, such as money, success, numbers, buildings, publications, position, title, speaking engagements, notoriety, rankings, sales or press coverage. That is the world's standard of success, not the Bible's. The fruit the Bible has in mind is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).  Is that person loving, joyful and a peacemaker?  How do they handle adversity - with faith or despair?  Would they be considered kind, good and faithful?  Is there a gentleness that surrounds them; are they self-controlled? And interestingly, the qualifications of leadership as outlined by the apostle Paul say nothing of the ability to speak, market yourself, write or inspire.  But it says much about a spirit of humility and a godly character.”
So while it may seem like setting yourself up for failure to focus on things the world doesn’t prioritize, we best live like Jesus when we follow His footsteps and seek to glorify Him above ourselves through all that we say and do. He promises a far greater reward than anything this earth or the American dream could offer us!
What does it look like for you to be successful in your life and faith? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Rachel Dawson is the editor of BibleStudyTools.com
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The Bible's Authority

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - (Hebrews 4:12)

The Bible holds supreme authority by virtue of its Author, who is the King of creation and thus Ruler over all the earth. The Bible’s authority is inherent in its every word. Scripture is God’s revelation in history. Just as there is no higher authority in an earthly kingdom than a king, there is no higher authority you and I can appeal to than the Word of God in God’s kingdom.

The Bible’s authority is timeless. For example, when we read in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before Me,”this command has the very same force behind it today that it had when God first thundered these words to Moses more than three thousand years ago. Unfortunately one problem I see as a pastor today is that people disregard God’s Word because to them, it’s just ink on a page.

Our problem is that we weren’t there when God first spoke His Word—because if we had been there, we wouldn’t be so casual about it. To get an idea of the terror that gripped Moses and all of Israel when God gave His commandments, read Hebrews 12:18–21. Even Moses said, “I’m so scared that I can barely even stand” (loosely translated).

The Bible is not simply words about God, it is the Word of God. Many people learn about God from the Bible, which is good—but that is not where you are to stop. The Word of God is the voice of God in print. It is active and alive and sharper than a two-edged sword, able to reach and instruct the deepest recesses and core of who you are (Hebrews 4:12).

Reflection: Do you find yourself convicted by the thought that you, too, take the Word of God too casually? Read and meditate on Hebrews 4:12. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the Bible—and spend some time reading it. Your Word, God, is powerful. Your authority is all-inclusive. Grant me grace as I study Your Word to understand and apply it in my life each day.

Watch Online Videos of Dr. Tony Evans and The Urban Alternative at LightSource.com and Listen to Dr. Tony Evans Online Broadcasts at OnePlace.com.

God’s Faithfulness

by Max Lucado

Life has many unanswered questions, but be settled about God’s faithfulness to you! Romans 8:32 declares, If God “did not spare his own Son but gave him for us all,” will he not also give you all you need for a Promised Land life? God’s Word is sure!

And 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is the reminder that Scripture is powerful and a useful weapon against any stronghold. “All Scripture is God-breathed…useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I invite you to join me in a Scripture Memory Challenge. Let’s memorize together the verses in 2 Timothy 3:16-17!  I’ll show you how easy it is at GloryDaysToday.com.

Happiness Habit: Get to Know God Better

By Rick Warren

“For my determined purpose is that I may ... progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly.” (Philippians 3:10 AMP)

You were made to live in relationship with God, and if you think you can be joyful without getting to know him better, you’re just fooling yourself. Happiness is found in getting to know God a little bit better every day.

Paul discovered that. He says in Philippians 3:10, “For my determined purpose is that I may ... progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly” (AMP).

There is a difference in knowing about someone and knowing someone. I know more about Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian than I want to, but I don’t really know them. I know my wife and I know my kids because I spend time with them. I have a relationship with them.

Paul became “deeply and intimately acquainted” with God because he had a relationship with him and took the time to get to know him.

You don’t get to know God by accident. It’s a “determined purpose.” It’s something you have to do something about. You have to invest your time in it.

But, we get too busy, and busyness destroys relationships. It destroys your relationship with your family, and it destroys your relationship with God.

To get to know Jesus, you’ve got to spend time with him. If you want to spend time with him, you’ve got to make time for him. Just set aside 10 or 15 minutes of focused time with God in the morning, and make sure you and your mind are not busy. Just be still, and it will make all the difference in the world.

Talk It Over

• What is something you do every day for at least 15 minutes? Is it more important than spending time with God?
• How do you need to adjust your schedule so that you can make time to spend with God?
• What are the distractions that keep you too busy to spend time with God?

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit rickwarren.org

Our Only Boast

by Pastor C.R. Stam
 
 “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Gal.6:14).

St. Paul was once a proud Pharisee, smug in his self-righteousness. In Philippians 3:5,6, he lists some of the things in which he took great pride:

“Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

But everything was changed since that day when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Suddenly he had seen himself a lost, condemned sinner in the sight of a holy God and had tasted the matchless grace that could reach down from heaven and save even him. He knew now that he could not stand before God in himself, or “on his own two feet,” as we say. His only safety before the bar of God was to take refuge in Christ,as he says in Verse 9:

“And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

Now he knew, as we all should know, that he really had nothing to boast of as far as his own standing before God was concerned. For the rest of his life, however, he did constantly boast of one thing: the cross,where the Christ he had so bitterly persecuted had died for his sins that he (Paul) might be justified before God. All else of which Paul boasted was embraced in the cross of Christ. This too is really the only thing we have to boast of and the most godly saint will enthusiastically join Paul in saying:

“BUT GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD GLORY, SAVE IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BY WHOM THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED UNTO ME, AND UNTO THE WORLD.”

Enough Love for Two

Author: Unknown

When Kerri was almost two, we found we were expecting another baby. We wanted to get Kerri used to having another child around, hoping she would learn to share and be good to other kids. So, our friend, Millie, brought their little boy over to play with Kerri and she loved Andy a whole lot. They played together and she didn't have trouble sharing her things with him, at all. Andy was about a year old, I guess, and was such a contented little boy.

The day, finally, arrived and we had another baby girl, named Sherri. She was called 'Peanut' all her life, and still is.

On the day we were to go home from the hospital, I had asked my mom to get Kerri dressed for the coming home ride, so that Kerri would feel like this was her baby, too ~ as we had said, all along, to her, "This is your baby, too."

It was mid November and there was a blizzard going on that day. So, Peanut had been wrapped in two big blankets, for the ride home.

As we got into the car, Kerri stood between me and her daddy. (That was back before the days of car seats and children seeing the babies before they came home.) During the ride, Kerri kept looking around the car and seemed sort of confused.

"What's the matter honey?" I asked. "What are you looking for?"

"Where's my baby?" she asked me. I opened the blankets to expose the little tiny face of her sister, to which she replied, "Oh," and looked very disappointed.

We tried to make conversation, with Kerri, on the ride home; fearful, already, that she didn't like her new sibling. Then I realized, to her, a baby was Andy and he was much bigger, and able to play. This little thing was not her idea of a baby.

During the early days of 'welcome home, baby' there were adjustments and I had the job of sorting through some of Kerri's clothes; some to keep, some to pass on, some to get rid of, and some to give back to the people that had loaned them.

One day, while setting to this task, again, Peanut began to fuss and I needed another hand, for sure. Picking up the baby, then I grabbed a diaper and a washcloth (before the days of Pampers and wipes) and settled on the couch to change her. I must have been grumbling about everything needing attention at the same time. I was so frazzled, trying to be a good mom and not to let Kerri feel left out. I had serious doubts that Kerri would ever like Peanut, her new baby.

I must have been near tears, myself, in my frustration, as Kerri approached us. She was very quiet and subdued. (Though, Kerri was never a noisy child and demanded very little of my time.) She had a tear in her eye. So, I asked "What's the matter, honey?"

Then came the answer to my prayers, "Mommy, can we keep her?"

I guess my sorting clothes had been quietly observed by this little girl, full of questions on who stays and who goes; just like with the clothes.

What a day of blessing that was! There have been many times since then that they have fought and wanted to give each other away. But, for today, there was enough love to keep them both.


"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied." - Jude 1:2

You Ask Why I Follow This Jesus?

Author Unknown

 

You ask why I follow this Jesus?

Why I love Him the way I do?

When the world’s turned away from His teachings

And the people who serve Him are few.

 

It’s not the rewards I’m after

Or gifts I hope to receive

It’s the Presence that calls for commitment

It’s the Spirit I trust and believe.

 

The Lord doesn’t shelter His faithful

Or spare them all suffering and pain,

Like everyone else I have burdens,

And walk through my share of rain.

 

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose,

And that joy only Christians have known,

I never know what comes tomorrow,

But I do know I’m never alone.

 

It’s the love always there when you need it;

It’s the words that redeem and inspire,

It’s the longing to ever be with Him

That burns in my heart like a fire.

 

So you ask why I love my Lord Jesus?

Well, Friend, that’s so easy to see,

But the one thing that fills me with wonder is

Why Jesus loves someone like me.

 

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” - John 10:27 

Choose Wisely

by shani4jc

"You can't shack up with the devil and expect God to pay your rent."

I'm not sure who originally came up with this saying, but there is a lot of truth in those 14 words.  There may be a lot of truth in those words, but do we live our lives as if we believe that truth?  Speaking for myself, as much as I hate to admit it, I have been known to have a housewarming party or two (who am I kidding...it's too many to count) with Satan and then expect God to pick up the tab.  However, it simply doesn't work that way.  We cannot live a life controlled by Satan and expect God to turn a blind eye to it.  We cannot expect to do God a favor by going to church on Sunday and then live the rest of the week however we choose to and still have Him provide for us, protect us, and give us the best He has to offer us.  Even in our deepest sin, God blesses us, but it is not going to be the way He intended to bless us.  When we settle for a life of sin, we choose to settle for a life of just a trickle of His blessings when what He planned for us was a life of a tsunami of blessings.  Nothing we have ever done and nothing we will ever do will cause God to stop loving us, but when we live a life driven by sin, we limit how much we will experience this love.  It's so easy to live the way we want to and then say God doesn't love us when He doesn't do exactly what we want Him to do.  It's so easy to blame Him for not coming through for us when, in reality, our sin is what has kept Him a bay.  We can say that God isn't who He says He is and that He can't do what He says He can do, but the truth is, our sin keeps us from knowing Him as He really is and from experiencing what He really can do.  The Bible is clear...we cannot serve two masters.  We are either for God or we are not for God. There is no middle ground.  There is no straddling the fence on this issue.  Either God is your master or Satan is your master...the choice is yours.  Choose wisely!

No One Knows the Day or the Hour

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Anybody who sets a date for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ may be crossing the line of blasphemy. The Bible teaches very clearly and plainly, and our Lord taught, that no one knows the time—no one.

Just before our Lord was taken up into glory the disciples asked Him, “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (Acts 1:6-7). No one knows the day when Jesus Christ is coming again, but what a glorious day that will be!

ACTION POINT:

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. What encouragement do you need to share with someone today?

A Merciful Delay

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever wondered why Jesus has not yet returned? I’ll tell you why. Because our Lord is waiting on people to be saved. He’s waiting on your family member, your neighbor, your co-worker, or maybe you, but one of these days soon, and very soon perhaps, Jesus will come.

You see, it is the mercy of God that holds back the Second Coming of Jesus, but the justice of God and the judgment of God require that one day He will come.

Even now, the raging waters of God’s wrath are furiously pounding against the dam of His mercy. And one of these days, the dam of God’s mercy will give way to God’s judgment, and the day of the Lord will come. Our Lord is coming!

ACTION POINT:
Does the Lord’s return make your heart beat faster because you anticipate His coming or dread His coming?

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers. 

God Is Not Politically Correct

by Dr. Larry Ollison 

    

God has not changed. The things He disapproved of during the time of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Paul, He still disapproves of today. God is not an evolving creature that changes His character depending upon His environment. God's Word always has been and will always be true. 

Growing up in the United States of America, I have become accustomed to democracy. We vote on everything. In America everyone from school leaders to community leaders to state leaders to national leaders, all are in their positions because they were the most popular. Growing up in this society tends to make one think that if something is popular, it’s right. When it comes to character, righteousness, and the spiritual things of God, nothing could be further from the truth. God's kingdom is not a democracy.

Everything God created was created by and for His Son, Jesus. We were created to fellowship with Him. It may come as a shock to some people, but in the Kingdom of God, God is the King. We don’t vote on the rules. We don’t debate the rules. We don’t argue the rules. Our duty is to willingly obey the rules of the King.

The good news is, God is a good God and He rewards those who believe in Him and receive His Son by faith with eternal life and a multitude of good gifts. God is the God of love. In fact, God is love. God is a good God and He is just. God is light and God is love. However, God is not politically correct nor will He ever be.

 

So the point is this. When you come to the point of decision in your life on any subject, never make your decision because of what is politically correct. Make you decision based on what the Word of God says. Only then will you choose correctly.

Reference Scriptures

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. (Philippians 2:9-10)

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (John 1:5)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11)

Stay Away from Strange Women

(Proverbs 5:2-14)
  Her description
God describes the strange woman in verses 2-6. The word strange is equated with the word stranger. She does not behave as a proper Christian young lady should. The stranger was someone from another land and did not know the law of God, therefore, her dress was seductive, her actions were aggressive, and her words were sensual.
  1. She has sweet lips.
She knows what to say to entice a man.
  2. Her mouth is smoother than oil.
She knows exactly how to speak and what to talk about. Some things are not appropriate topics between men and women. When a person is married, they should be careful about complementing the opposite sex, “nice hair,” “nice clothes,” or “nice perfume.” Do not discuss your relationship problems with the opposite sex. Do not discuss bedroom furniture, your empty house, or things that excite you. These are the topics of the strange women.
  3.    Her ways are moveable according to verse 6.
You cannot know what she will do next. You cannot expect her to stay with you. You cannot build your life with her, because you do not know how long she will be around.
  Her effect on your life
In verses 4-14, Solomon tells us a strange women will affect the life of a young man.
1. She will be bitter as wormwood.
The word wormwood means a bitter curse.
  2. She will be as sharp as a two-edged sword.
The word two-edged means “mouth.” She will be sharp tongued. The tongue that is flattering now will tear you up later.
  3. Her feet (her way) is to death - the death of the soul.
Your mind, your will, and your emotions will be affected terribly. Her ways will bring death to your family and marriage.
  4. Her steps take hold on Hell according to verse 5.
Take hold means there is a continual attachment. Your life will be a living Hell if you get involved with this type of women.

Solomon goes on to say in verse 6, that because her ways are moveable, you will be unstable. You will give your honor away according to verse 9. You will live a life that is cruel. You will work hard and make other people wealthy. Strangers will take your hard earned money. In verse 11, he says you will mourn, because you will have sexually transmitted diseases. You will grieve, because you did not listen to wisdom. You will wonder aloud why everyone is happy and you are not, according to verse 14.

How should you respond to her?
God’s Word is clear. Remove far from her. Do not come near her door.

Your Friend,
David Teis

Enjoy Your Married Life

Proverbs 5:15-19
Enjoy Your Married Life

In verses 2-14, God tells us to avoid sexual immorality. In verses 15-19, God tells us to enjoy sex in the marriage relationship. Dr. Wemp preached a message entitled Love, Courtship, Romance, and Sex. He used this particular passage to talk about marital intimacy. God is very clear. He wants us to enjoy the marriage relationship. If we do, it will keep us from sexual sin.
  1. Drink waters out of thine own cistern or your own sink.
God wants you to enjoy your own wife. Ladies, do not get upset when your husband wants to enjoy you, look at you, be with you, and touch you.
  2. Drink running waters out of thine own well.
See to it that your wife has all that she needs to satisfy you. Take care of her, and maintain the well.
  3. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
That very simply means produce children from your loving relationship and have lots of kids.
  4. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
God is definitely against wife swapping. God hates divorce. Read Malachi 2. The indication here is stay with one wife, and let no one else touch her.
  5. Let thy fountain be blessed
Your children will be happy and well spoken of if you stay married to the woman you are married to.
  6. Rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Have fun with the wife you are married to while you are young, sexual fun and otherwise.
  7. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe
Enjoy looking at her. Her beauty and her shape were made for you to enjoy.
  8. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times.
Think about her all the time, her and only her, as a young couple, and as an old couple. Think about her, and let your thoughts about her satisfy you.
  9. Be thou ravished always with her love.
The word ravished means to be lead about. The idea is be passionate. Allow your passions to run wild with your wife.

God is very clear that the marriage relationship is holy. It is undefiled. It is wonderful. A man and woman should never think of their relationship with one another is dirty or unclean. It is right for a husband to have a passionate, loving desire for his wife. If he is not right with his wife, then it will lead to immorality, which we will discuss in the next lesson.

Your Friend,
David Teis

The Consequences of Immorality - Proverbs 5:20-23

In our introduction to Proverbs 4, we listed some of the consequences of immorality in our nation [the USA].
- We have a fifty percent divorce rate
- We have unstable children
- There are sexually transmitted diseases
- We have a culture filled with unhappy, hurting, and discontented people

In verses 23-27 of Proverbs chapter 5, tells us the sad end of a man who chooses to live an immoral lifestyle.

Let me say that it is obvious that anyone who is involved in any type of sexual perversion will suffer severe consequences. By sexual perversion, I mean anything beyond what God has established, which is one man and one woman. Proverbs 5:20, asks why do you love another woman with passion and not your wife?

Our culture leads men to look and desire things that are contrary to the Word of God. God reminds us in verse 21, that the ways of man are before the Lord. He knows your desires and the right way to fulfill them. He says enjoy your wife. He sees what you are doing elsewhere. He knows everywhere that you are going. One way to avoid sin is by keeping that knowledge in your mind daily.

The self-will of the wicked will bind him. His sin will control him. God does not want us to be controlled by any outside source except Him. He goes on to say, he will die without instruction, which is without correction. His life will never be correct.

Beyond that, He says that the more he sins, the more his sin will bring him down the wrong path. Immorality is devastating to the individual, to the individual’s spouse, and to the individual’s family. Avoid it with everything that is in you.

Daily surrender yourself to the control of the Holy Spirit, and you can overcome this devastating sin.

Your Friend,
David Teis

Proverbs 6 - Do Not Ever Co-Sign a Note

In order to succeed in life, there are certain do’s and don’ts that we must all follow. If we ignore these admonitions, we will find ourselves less than successful. As we study Proverbs 6 and 7, you will see that He warns us over and over again about finances, immorality, and laziness. We will examine these subjects each time they are brought up, so we can get God’s perspective.

Proverbs 6 has six big DO NOTS. Let us look at the first one today:
  Do Not Ever Co-Sign a Note
In thirty-seven years of ministry here in Las Vegas, there have been many times people have asked me to co-sign on a loan. It was to help them out of a tight situation they found themselves in financially. Because of this passage of Scripture, we have made it a policy never to co-sign. If I cannot give someone the money they need, than I should never put my name on a note that will put me in worse financial shape than I am right now. If I cannot give it, I will not lend it.

Verse 1 - God says that you should not go with a friend to a stranger and promise that he will pay with your name as guarantee.

Verse 2 - Your words will trap you. Remember Proverbs 22:11, says, “the borrower is servant to the lender.”

You may be reading this and thinking - What if I have already done this? Solomon answers that question.
1. He says, “Get out of the situation as soon as you can.”

2. Humble yourself before your friend. Tell him you cannot afford this. Often times, our pride causes us to over commit in areas God does not want us to commit.

3. Make sure your friend - the words make sure means to strengthen or to help his pride. Let your friend know he can do it without you. Strengthen him. Let him see he is as good or better than you are and he does not need your help. If he cannot get the loan on his own then you certainly do not want to help him get in worse shape than he is in right now.

4. Solomon goes on to say, this is more important than sleep. He says in verse 4, “Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe.” You are like a roebuck or a gazelle. You are being hunted. Run from co-signing like you would if you were a deer, and you saw a man with a gun aiming it at your head. RUN. RUN. RUN. Never co-sign a loan.

Your Friend,
David Teis