Monday, January 26, 2009

The Only Way

Jesus . . . I've got to say that I'm lovin' you - more every day.

That's a line from a popular Christian song and I love it when the Lord prompts it to flow from my heart. EVERY day I love Him more. EVERY day I want others to love Him more.

Today I learned about a woman who has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). As I understand it, few, if any, afflictions could be more daunting to face. The long and short of it is that your mind becomes a prisoner within a body that you literally lose all control of.

So what is there for us to do to help this woman? What would Jesus do? Well, Jesus regularly sought quiet time alone with the Father. He sought the Father's will for His life. His first reaction was always to pray. I, on the other hand, cry first and ask questions later. After 'BooHoo Bonnie' leaves the building the next thought I have is to be like Jesus and pray. Yes, pray for healing . . . for in Matthew 19:26 Jesus says 'With God all things are possible' but even more importantly - pray fervently that this woman knows Jesus. Pray that she has declared Him to be her Lord and Savior . . . for without Him, she is without hope - both in this life and in the next.

So . . . how about you? What would you do if you were the woman who received such news? Are you ready if your daunting news arrives tomorrow? Do you know this man who died for you? This man who is your only hope. Is He the Lord of your life? No? Well, you're not alone because ALL have sinned against God and in doing so we have fallen short of His glory. But the truth is that He loves us to much to leave us outside of His glory. He wants us to share in His incredible blessings of a life filled with hope and joy and love . . . so today the incredible truth is that your life can be filled to the fullest if you ask Him to come into your heart. Seek to develop an intimate relationship with Him. He is an incredible friend. In Scripture it says . . . 'Ask - Seek - Knock' - it really is that simple!!!
Ask . . . the Holy Spirit to come into your life - ask that your sins be forgiven - and ask for life (and life everlasting!).
Seek . . . to know who this God is that you now trust and praise and love. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out.
Knock . . . at HIS door - He's waiting to start this new life with you.
For all who ask, receive.
All who seek, find.
And to those who knock, the door WILL be opened unto you.

If you truly want to live in His forgiveness - with all of His incredible promises - talk to Him - it doesn't need to be rehearsed - it just needs to come from your heart when you say to Him . . . LORD God, I know that I'm a sinner. I know the penalty of my sin is death but I thank Jesus for sacrificing His life so that I can once again be reconciled to You. I pray LORD that the Holy Spirit will now live within me, working in and through me to bring Glory to your Name.
Please come and be the Lord and the Treasure of my life. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen and Amen.

Listen as the angels welcome you into the family of God!!! It is sure now that you will spend eternity with all of them in heaven!
bo
www.anencouragersheart@blogspot.com

Thursday, January 1, 2009

What's the Big Deal

I read a devotional this morning that centered around . . .
"I'd be happy - if".

You can imagine that it went on to say . . . "If you begin a sentence with those words, then beware. Those little words of discontentment are the very words that Satan uses to draw us into his deceitful traps."

As I woke up this morning and thought about the fact that it's a brand new year I wondered what the hoop-la was all about. What's the big deal? Yes, we now have to remember to write a new year on our checks (although who writes checks out any more). Yes, we now have a new benchmark on time but if you think about it, today is merely a new day - just like yesterday was a new day when it arrived.

CS Lewis once wrote, "Relying on God has to begin all over again every day. As if nothing had yet been done." It was as important to know this truth yesterday when it was 2008 as it is today in 2009.

Pastor pointed out last night in service that God gave us His word in the much quoted (heehee) book of Haggai (2:8-9) that all that 'is' belongs to God (silver and gold were mentioned specifically) AND that the 'glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house' AND 'in this place I will grant peace." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Given this promise from our Father we are to rejoice that yesterday is gone and that He - faithfully - brought us a new day, a new year AND what hope we have in His promise of eternal peace!!!

So - what is your response to 'I'd be happy - if'? What on earth could there be left 'to do' or 'to have' that your answer would be anything but . . . 'Come Lord, Jesus'?

May His blessings fall upon your 'New Year'!
bo
http://www.anencouragersheart.blogspot.com