Here's your chance!

A kiss at the stroke of 12, a fork full of black-eyed peas for luck and prosperity, a toast with a glass of champagne, or passing the peace in a candlelit church. Resolutions will be made and adhered to for a few days, maybe. Promises will be made to jog more and eat less, to love more and argue less.
But shouldn't each stroke of midnight be a new beginning for us? We don’t have to wait 365 days to renew a right spirit within us. God’s mercies are new every morning. He has bridged the gap between our sinful nature and His Holiness and each day, each hour, each breath we decide whether to cross it and receive His forgiveness or to cower on the other side and try to resolve it ourselves.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
God has given you another opportunity. Today decide who you will follow. Celebrate new life in Him who gave up His life for you. Shine His light for the world to see and draw near with awe.
Remember we are still in the Christmas season – wise men (and women) are still seeking Him. He is our New Year’s resolution.
What resolution will you make this year?
Will you present it before God seeking His strength and guidance and forgiveness?

Who do you fear most?

Who do you fear?

Most people fear demonic things they can't see, but have no fear of God. That's just the opposite of what Scripture commands. We are told to fear the Lord (Proverbs 1:7), but we are never told to fear Satan. Fear of the devil is an inappropriate response to the reality of the spiritual world. Knowing his schemes and learning to resist him and take authority over him is the biblical response.

Isaiah 8:13, 14, reads, "It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary." The fear of the Lord is the one fear that expels all other fears.

Even the demons tremble!

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, a sign is effectively hung around your neck that says, "Under new management." You now belong to Jesus Christ, and He does not operate on a timeshare program. Isn't that nice to know? He doesn't say, "Okay, now I have Greg for six months, and the devil can have him for the next six months." That is not what happens. When we put our faith in Christ, He comes in and is the sole resident in our hearts and lives.

Although a Christian cannot be demon-possessed, the devil can affect a Christian outwardly. For instance, demons can tempt and oppress a Christian. The apostle Paul wrote, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure" (2 Corinthians 12:7). The word "buffet" means to hit in the face. So Paul was essentially saying, "Yes, I have come under some demon attack. But here is the good news: God will never give you more than you can handle."

The Bible tells us in James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" Of course, just because you believe something is true doesn't mean you have committed yourself to it. Obviously, demons are in rebellion against God.

Paul's oppression was allowed by God and orchestrated by Satan. So God may allow the devil to tempt you or harass you in some way. But remember, He won't give you more than you can take. The only thing that will stop the devil is the power of Jesus Christ. He is our only protection. He is the one we need. 

-GREG LAURIE

He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear.

Are you weak or heavy laden?

At the end of the year, it sure is nice to be invited to rest in Jesus. So before we begin a new year, let's pause and place our hopes, our future, our dreams, and especially our burdens down at his feet and let him give us rest.

 A yoke is a very heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen.... which is attached to equipment that they pull heavy loads with.
Sometimes we can feel like we're carrying heavy loads and burdens.  These loads can be sin, demands placed on us, people putting us down or talking against us or hating us, or even being tired in our search for God. Jesus can free people from all of these burdens!
The rest that Jesus promises is...love, healing, and peace with God.... but not the end of all labor. He doesn't promise us He will remove all of our burdens... burdens and troubles strengthens our faith and can make us and others stronger.  He may be teaching us or others something.
What he does promise is rest for your souls. A relationship with God eases burdens... because He will help us carry them.

Teach me, God, to learn to rest in your grace to worry less. I want to surrender my burdens to Jesus and let him teach me His way and how to find His rest. Sometimes I am so hurt by others. Sometimes I am so tired and weary I don't think I can continue, so please, dear Father, let me find rest in Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen.

Great story and song.... be blessed! What a Friend we have in Jesus! =D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeeuSoES0kw

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

Does a baby change everything? You betcha!!!

Thinking about after Christmas... it is like all the excitement about the birth of Christ is over. Things get back down to a regular pace.  But did it for Joseph and Mary?  Doubtful. I doubt their lives would ever be the same.  When we give birth to our children.... our lives are changed forever, too.  Probably not as drastic as theirs! 
We gave birth in a warm, sterile hospital room. Mary gave birth in a nasty, dark stable or cave.
We put our infant in their new carseat and drove them to a nice new nursery. Mary did not.
We had the best medicines, doctors, cameras, and family around! Mary did not.
The common thread to us and Mary... we love our baby as much as Mary. And our lives were changed, too. 
I love this song and wanted to post it here.

A Baby Changes Everything lyrics
Songwriters: Nichols, James Timothy; Wiseman, Craig Michael; Wiseman, Kim;

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust?
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
Ooh, she cries
Ooh, oh

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
And she cries!
Oh, she cries

Shepherds all gather 'round
Up above the star shines down
A baby changes everything

Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

My whole life has turned around
I was lost but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything

A Baby Changes Everything

Who knows what gift is best? Our parents!

The verse is from the Bible... and the lesson is from the great Charles Stanley. He says it so well~ please read!

Who knows a child better than his parent? From the time a baby is delivered, its mother and father know more than anyone else what will make the child content, sad, frightened, or excited. They recognize not only the youngster’s preferences but also his needs. And for that reason, parents usually know how to select the most appropriate gifts for their son or daughter.
How much more does our Heavenly Father understand us! He didn’t have to learn about us the way earthly parents do. As our Creator, who “wove” each of us when we were still in the womb (Psalm 139:13), He knows us better than even our family.
That means He is perfectly aware, not just of our likes, dislikes, abilities, and struggles, but especially of our needs. So when it comes to gifts, doesn’t it make sense that God is the best Giver?
God knew our greatest need would be a solution to our sin problem, because sin separates us from Him. So He designed the perfect plan, which is also the perfect gift: He determined to send His sinless Son Jesus as the payment for your sin-debt and mine. The One we see as a baby in the manger is fully God, who came to earth with a purpose – to die so that you and I could have forgiveness of our sins, and that by believing, we might have the greatest gift of all: eternal life.
Your best Christmas present is not wrapped up and placed under the tree; it is the One whose birthday we celebrate. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Question: What gift of wisdom and faith would you like to pass on to a friend or family member this year? How can you seek to do so?
About the Author: Charles Stanley

His provisons! Praise God!

Do you and your family enjoy heaps of delicious food on Christmas? Turkey or Ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream?
Do you live in a nice warm house? Can you prepare the meal with a good stove or microwave? Do you have a refrigerator in which you'll put the delicious leftovers? Will everyone get wonderful gifts?

Compare that with the night the Son of God was born. He wasn’t born in a warm hospital like we were!  He was born in a cold, dark, musty stable. Did some well-trained doctor deliver the Son of God? No, it was probably some local midwife—or Joseph.
And don’t even mention sanitary conditions! Then He was laid in the manger–a trough from which the cattle ate! (And perhaps some of them were standing nearby.)  As a mom you want the best for your child. And Mary was so young... how did she handle all this? With faith, I imagine.
How did they travel? For several days Mary rode on an uncomfortable donkey and Joseph walked the long dusty road, up and down hills. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took several long, tiring days. I thought about it today while driving to mom's. Labor is terrible anyway... how long was she in labor before she had her baby?  Did she have the painful birth we all experienced or did God show her some mercy since it was His Son? I think about those things.
They probably ate stale bread and cheese for supper that night instead of a nice hot wonderful dinner. When they finally arrived at Bethlehem, they found all the inns were full because many of other descendants of David who had come to Bethlehem to be taxed. The only thing left was a cave where the animals sheltered.

We are so comfortable in our lives in our homes. Think about what happened that night and praise God for His provisions. Especially His Son!!!!

Does He get your best?

The Magi? Who were they? Did they arrive at the stable like all the nativity scenes show?

Most religious leaders believed in a literal fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy... so they believed the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  What's weird is how these are the same leaders that hated Him.  When the Messiah came they didn't even recognize Him. Herod's plan was to kill Jesus so he tricked the Magi... or so he thought.
By the time the Magi found Jesus... he was probably one or two years old and lived in a house.... because they came to a house and saw the child. Not infant.
It is interesting the studying of the gifts. Gold was a gift for a King.... and Incense was a gift for deity... and myrrh was a spice for a person who was going to die.
They worshiped Jesus for who He was... which is true worship!  Honor Christ for who He is and be willing to give Him what is valuable to you. Worship God because He is perfect, just and the almighty Creator of the universe... worthy of the best you have to offer Him!

Are you willing to give your best to God?  Such as time? Or do you give Him whatever is left? What does He deserve?

Are you excited????

Luke 2:8-20 The shepherds were visited by an angel who told them about baby Jesus! Then they experienced a whole company of heavenly hosts who praised God!!!
Can you imagine experiencing something that cool???? I can't! What a birth announcement! At first the shepherds were scared. I imagine I would have been too. Their fear turned to joy as the angels announced the long awaited Messiah was here!!!  First the shepherds ran to see the baby, then they ran to spread the word  Jesus is YOUR Messiah, YOUR Savior! Do you get excited to see Him, to spend time with Him in prayer and talking to Him, to study about Him and hear what He wants to say to you through His Word each day? Have you discovered a Lord so wonderful that you can't help but share your joy with your friends?

If you're not sure if He is your Savior... think about this. God had the news announced to lowly shepherds. They were invited to meet the lamb of God!  What is awesome is the good news about Jesus comes to all! He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept Him! Whoever you are, whatever you do, whatever you've done....you can have Jesus in your life! No one needs extraordinary qualifications ... He accepts you as you are!  Just ask Him to forgive you and take your sins away and wash you clean. Ask Him to be the Lord of your life and live in your heart forever!!!

Did you leave Him in his bed?

When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they could not find a place to stay. The Bible mentions a manger... which is the basis for the traditional belief that Jesus was born in a stable. Stables were often caves carved into rock walls. These surroundings were dark and dirty and not the place Jews expected their promised Messiah to be born. We should not limit God by our expectations. He controls history. He is at work wherever He is needed in our sin-darkened and dirty world.

Our first image of Jesus is as a baby in a manger. I can't be our last. We can't leave Him there. This amazing, tiny helpless baby lived an amazing life... died for us...

and ascended to Heaven ... and He will come back to this earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords!!!!

This baby will come and rule the world and judge all the people according to what their decision about Him was. Is your Jesus still in a manger bed? Or is He the Lord of your life?  You will be judged on this decision. We all will be. Make sure you don't underestimate Jesus. Let Him grow up in your life and live in your heart!!!

The choice can be only yours

Is a name just a name? Really? What does the Bible say?

Jesus' name is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua. It means "The Lord saves". Just as Joshua had led Israel into the promised land... Jesus would lead His people into eternal life... He saves us! Names were very serious back in those days! People were very careful and thoughtful on what they chose to name their baby. In Jesus' name people are healed, demons were banished, and sins are forgiven.
In Luke 1:26-38 we read where the angel Gabriel came to Mary to announce that the Lord favored her and she would have God's child and name Him Jesus!!! Mary wondered how this could be since she was a virgin... and I love that Gabriel says "For nothing is impossible with God."  Isn't that the truth?  The angel appeared to Joseph and told him the same thing... name Him Jesus!
Names are important. Names are special because they carry a personal identity. God commands "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord"... that means not to treat His name lightly or use it as a swear word. It is so common for people to do this.... it must because they don't realize how serious it is! We should respect His name and use it appropriately... speaking it in praise or worship rather than in curse or jest. Do not take lightly the abuse or dishonor of His name.
God thinks names are important. Even ours! Has He written YOUR name down in the Lamb's book of life? 
Do you know the importance of His name? At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!!
Many  people know the Lord's Prayer and say "Hallowed be thy name"  which means "Holy is your Name!!!!"  We are proclaiming God's name is HOLY!
Do all in the name of Jesus, ask in His name, baptize in His name, Salvation is found under no other name. 
I don't think there is any name that brings peoples defense and anger up faster than the name of Jesus.
I also don't think there is any name that can bring you peace and happiness like the name Jesus.
Yes, I think names are important. Names conjure up certain people.  I pray Jesus' name brings a smile to your face.

Joseph... a normal guy.... or was he?

The strength of what we believe is measured by how much we are willing to suffer for those beliefs. Joseph had strong beliefs. He did what was right....despite the pain and he did it the right way! God's way!

Can you imagine being Joseph and your fiancee comes up to you with the news she is pregnant... and you are positive it isn't your child? How would you react?  I am sure he was angry and hurt. It would be hard to believe her story... that an angel came and it was God's child. What a whopper! But he had to be confused because he knew Mary's character. He decided to break the engagement but he was not going to expose Mary to public disgrace. He would do it secretly. He still wanted to protect her.  But an angel appears again to confirm Mary's story.  Guess you would believe now, huh?

Joseph obeyed God and married Mary. He also honored her virginity until after Jesus was born. Joseph was a man of integrity with strong beliefs. God knew this when He chose Mary and Joseph. Can you imagine being responsible for Jesus' upbringing? wow. I am sure he loved and nurtured the child with great passion and care.

We do not know much about Joseph after Jesus was 12. He taught the family trade of carpentry and was a spiritual leader honoring the Passover each year.

We can learn alot from the man, Joseph. Besides his integrity and beliefs, he was a man sensitive to God's will no matter what the consequence.  When we are obedient we are blessed, honored, and receive continued guidance from God.  Also... others probably didn't agree with his decision to wed Mary, but we must choose to obey God rather than seek the approval of others. Always, always, always seek God's approval first! You will be blessed.

MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS. What do we know about her?

Mary, did you know?

Mary, mother of Jesus. Motherhood is an honor.... a painful privilege. Such a blessing.  Mary was blessed to be the mother to the very Son of God!  There is such pain and pleasure being a mom. To kiss their face and fingers, to teach them their first steps, to see them grow into adulthood, to glow with pride! That is being a mom. What an honor she had been blessed with!  She was the only human to watch Jesus' birth and death. She saw Him arrive as her baby son.... and she watched Him die as her Savior.
When Gabriel the angel visited Mary it changed her life forever..... this is when she learned she would carry God's child and He would be the Messiah!  Her response was amazing. "I am the Lord's servant... May it be to me as you have said."  We can only imagine that even if she had known all she would suffer as Jesus' mother , Mary would still have given the same response. Are you, like Mary, available to be used by God?  God's best servants are often ordinary people who make themselves available to Him. Her response to the unexpected showed her amazing character. How do we respond to change in our plans?

Do you enjoy freedom or take it for granted?

...Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Christ's work on the cross set you free.  He died so you can live.  Once you've taken hold of that fact.... really believed it in your heart and accepted Him as Savior, your life begins to change. The freedom Christ gives opens your eyes to His love! It teaches you how to live in this world, obeying God and honoring Him!  What a privilege!

Of course, Satan is going to fight this freedom with all his power. He wants you back in that yoke of slavery. That is when the standing firm come in. Stand firm against sliding back to where you used to be. Stay close to God! Don't let Satan pull you back. Stay free! Live free!!! Live in Love!

Why do some do not want to hear???

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

Have you ever had a negative experience when trying to share the good news of Christ? Some people just don't want to hear about Jesus. Although your concern is for their eternal life, they may think you are trying to shove your religion down their throats.

Paul used the analogy of a Roman celebration of victory. In his day, when a general returned to Rome after conquering the enemy, he made a triumphal entry and led a parade through town. He rode in a golden chariot surrounded by his officers and followed by his troops. At the end of the procession were the chained captives. The smell of incense floated among the crowd. To the conquerors this was the sweet aroma of victory. But to the captives it was the smell of death.... because they would soon be killed by wild animals in the arena. 

In the same way, believers are a sweet fragrance of Christ as we follow Him in His victory over sin and death. But to those who don't know Him as Savior, we are a reminder of the judgment they dread.

Although some people will be repulsed by us and our message, we need to continue to share our hope with gentleness and grace (1 Pet. 3:15-16). At one time Paul hated Christians, yet he would be the first to say that the Lord can reach a hardened heart and change a captive into a victor. Keep sharing! You never know who you may reach! 

Our walk is our best witness!

Imagine that you give someone a fabulous gift. When they receive it, they positively beam with excitement and enthusiasm, and thank you profusely for giving them such a great present.
Then they toss it into their closet and ignore it forever.
You might wonder about the authenticity of their praise.
We might also wonder about our own spiritual walk when we do not “make good use of God’s kindness” to us (2 Corinthians 6:1). Although we are not saved by our own works, our response in faith to God’s grace given by Jesus’ death and resurrection reflects the change which has occurred in our hearts as the Holy Spirit has come to live and work inside us.
If we believe we have found the greatest hope, the greatest love, the greatest truth in the world, how could we not share this truth with others? The apostle Paul has a stern warning for us: “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11:22) That’s pretty harsh, but underscores the importance of making use of the kindness God has shown to us.
According to a survey of over 700 Muslims who came to faith in Christ, by far the largest single thing that influenced them to become Christians was seeing the lives of Christians that stood out due to the kindness and love they demonstrated. Therefore, let’s accept God’s kindness with thanksgiving, and not just put it on the shelf, but in turn offer kindness to others, so that they too might come to know the gracious God who proves such a wonderful gift for all who are willing to accept it.

Are you demon-centered or God-centered?

Satan is real.  Scary, huh?   Satan is in the world. He does not want people to become a Child of God!  He wants them to be with him. He is evil.  He will end up in the pits of hell.
The Satanist organization is massive and extremely secretive. When you hear of satanic priests or rituals, you are hearing only about activities at the lowest level. You need not concern yourself too much with what you see or hear, since the Satanist activity which you read about in the newspapers or which is recorded in most police reports is usually the activity of mere dabblers. It's what you don't see that is pulling the strings and arranging events in Satanism.
Many of us have been targeted numerous times. However, it should not be a frightening experience for me or you. John promised, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). You have authority over Satan's activity and you have the armor of God to protect you. Whenever Satan attacks, you must "be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might" (Ephesians 6:10). Consciously place yourself in the Lord's hands, resist Satan with the spoken Word, and go back to sleep or go about your day. You are only vulnerable when you are walking by sight instead of by faith or walking in the flesh instead of in the Spirit. What should we do about Satan's hierarchy of demonic powers? Nothing! We are not to be demon-centered; we are to be God-centered and ministry-centered. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, preach the gospel, love one another, and be God's ambassadors in our fallen world.
Prayer: Father, keep me from losing my focus on the eternal. I choose to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith.

Trust isn't easy, is it?

Trust is easy when things are going well, right? When our jobs, and finances are secure, when our health is good, when relationships are smooth, when your kids are good, all these times... trusting is a breeze.  But what happens when any one of these elements takes a serious knock? Can you still trust God when you don't know how your bills will be paid, when you face a serious health problem to you or a loved one? If you truly know and believe God is your Rock will give you peace. It can only come from going through the trials of life. When things are smooth... you don't need that rock.

When (not if) you face crisis'.... trust God to see you through. Believe He is walking beside you.. at times even carrying you... remember He can see what is ahead! Hold on to Him! Let Him be your Rock!

Forget what is behind!!!!

"Not that I've already arrived!" says the apostle Paul. Kind of a relief that we're not the only ones, huh?
Then Paul says this verse "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Even with all his imperfections and weaknesses... Paul has only one thing in mind.

It is important that he said "Forgetting what is behind"!  Why do we struggle with it? We're all little amateur psychologists these days... trying to remember and figure out our pasts...why our parents did this or didn't do that... all trying to figure out our little quirks and demons. We can't drive forward if we are focused on the rear view mirror!

The Bible tells us we're sinners and then says to get on with it, to look up and to move forward!!!! \
The same as Paul we need to strain toward what is ahead and fix our attention on it..... all of God's promises, all our inheritance, and the goal, the prize... Jesus Himself!

There is only "one-thing"!!!! Focus! Concentrate! Press on and up! The prize is so worth it!

Is your heart clean?

... and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

The bottom line is that your spiritual walk will not grow unless you pray this prayer and mean it with all your heart.  You cannot, by your own power and strength, make your heart pure.  You can't stop your own sinfulness. As hard as you try, eventually the selfishness and evil in your heart will come through.
Only God can make your heart pure.  Christ's sacrificial death made it possible for our hearts to be made pure. He took the punishment for your sin when He had never sinned. So, thank God that you have the opportunity to go deeper with Him.... and ask Him to help you. Ask Him to purify your heart and to help you stand firm in your spirit. Ask Him... then let Him do it!!!

How many roads to God?

John 14:6  Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

So... Jesus is the way...our path to the Father.
Jesus is the truth... He is the reality of all God's promises!
Jesus is the life.... He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally.

This is one of the most basic and important passages in Scripture. How can we know the way to God? Only through Jesus. Jesus is the way because He is both God and man. By uniting our lives with His, we are united with God. Jesus says He is the ONLY way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way... people should be saying "Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to you!"

Oprah and others say there are many roads to God. Greg Laurie says that is true. We must all meet God and be judged.... everyone will see Him. However, not all roads lead to Heaven.


Trust Jesus to take you to the Father... to Heaven, and all the benefits of being God's child will be yours.

Do you think you're fooling everyone????

Why don't I ever remember reading this verse before?

There is a saying: You can fool some of the people some of the time... but not all the people all the time.  You can say the Christian words, even quote Bible verses. You can sing the old hymns of the faith and the newest worship songs. You can even pray and seem lovingly concerned about others.
BUT... you can't fool God... ever!!! God looks at the heart. He knows who you really are! He knows who you are deep inside.  The only way to live before God is to keep your conscience clear!
Don't try to pretend you're something you're not.  Are you a child of God? Is this who you really are or are you a hypocrite who lives how you want without regard to what God thinks?  Again, you are not fooling Him!
Confess your sins, lifestyle and shortcomings to God... and ask Him to help you to resist going back. Then... and  only then can you come before Him with a clear conscience... knowing that He hears your prayers because He loves you!!!

What's yours on?????

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.—1 Corinthians 3:11

What have you built your life on? Some people build their spiritual foundation on another person's relationship with God. Maybe their relationship with God hinges on their spouse's relationship with God. Maybe it hinges on a parent's relationship with God. (I've seen this one with almost every kid... as a teen they need to find their own relationship with Christ... I think that is when many turn from God and start partying -.joyce) Maybe it hinges on a friend's relationship with God. But here is the problem: What if something happens and that person is no longer there? What will happen to you? Did you build your foundation on a person or on Jesus Christ?

Some people build their foundation on the church itself. It is all about their church. But what happens one day when something occurs in the church that they don't like? Maybe a pastor or other church leader will disappoint them. A foundation should not be built on spiritual leaders, because they are human. They will eventually disappoint. Everyone falls short in some way, shape, or form. ( I've seen people turn away from God for this reason too! -joyce)

If we build our foundations on people, on churches, on relationships, or on fluctuating emotions, then our foundation will be flawed, because these things shift like sand. It is like the people who always want the shortcut. They want the blessings of God, but they don't want God. They want happiness, but they don't want holiness.

Yet whether we like it or not, storms will come into our lives. The floods will hit. Sometimes it will be tidal waves of temptation. At other times, it will be the slow, eroding effect of more subtle methods. And storms can come hard and fast with a tragedy that alters your life overnight, and they will test your faith.

How will you fare in that day? If you build your spiritual life on anyone or anything else, you simply won't make it. So build your life on Jesus Christ. He will sustain you when the storms come.

-Greg Laurie

How Great is Our God!

I love the whole 113 chapter! :

Psalm 113

 ¹ Praise the LORD.^[a]    Praise the LORD, you his servants;
   praise the name of the LORD.
² Let the name of the LORD be praised,
   both now and forevermore.
³ From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
   the name of the LORD is to be praised.
 ⁴ The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
   His glory above the heavens.
⁵ Who is like the LORD our God,
   the One who sits enthroned on high,
⁶ who stoops down to look
   on the heavens and the earth?
 ⁷ He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
⁸ He seats them with princes,
   with the princes of His people.
⁹ He settles the childless woman in her home
   as a happy mother of children.
   Praise the LORD.

 If you believe the Bible... God's Word... this should just blow your socks off! He is the One to praise and adore!!!

 

I was going to do one verse and then the Lord led me to the song I posted above... 'how great is Our God!!!"  I love that song! Here are the lyrics:

VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
all the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
and darkness tries to hide
it trembles at his voice,
trembles at his voice

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great
How great is our God

VERSE(2):
And age to age He stands
and time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
the Lion and the Lamb,
the Lion and the Lamb

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great,
How great is our God

CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
how great is our God
Name above all names
you are worthy of all praise
and my heart will sing
how great is our God


CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great,
How great is our God


CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great,
How great is our God
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great,
How great is our God

Are you loving and accepting?

Christ accepted us just as we were.... the moment we asked Him to enter our hearts and be our Lord and Savior...we were accepted.  This doesn't mean He accepts our behavior. It doesn't mean we are to find others acceptable. Sin never is acceptable.  Toward other brothers and sisters in Christ... we are to have an attitude of love.... a spirit of unity. Do you feel it with other Christians?  As we become stronger in our faith and come to know Jesus better... we will become more capable of maintaining the attitude of loving everyone throughout each day!