Christ Sits On The Judgment Seat

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10

No matter what you do (good or bad), no matter how much you lock away in your heart or secret closet; the word of God reminds us today that we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ… This should provide cause for concern for the unbeliever; however, this statement should also provide encouragement to the man or woman of faith who knows that they will stand before the Lord knowing that they have walked in His will and not the views or opinions of this world… There are things done in the dark that will come to light, there are situations that have been suppressed which will rise again and the notion to think that you can or have gotten over is simply foolish and a device used by the enemy which many fall victim to… This message today is not to say that you have to be perfect; this message is to remind you that your focus and the motivation of your heart which led to actions must be founded upon the directive and promises of God… This is why David can be called a man after God’s own heart; this is the reason why Moses can be seen on the mount of transfiguration and the same reason why Peter could preach and point 3,000 souls to Christ after denying Him… We can try to cover up things for our entire lives, we can try to pull the wool over many peoples eyes and may even been successful in deceiving some; however, we are reminded today through Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth that God not only knows and sees all, but that we will be judged by the things we do on this earth as well… This passage is not one to fear; however, it is one that should cause us to examine our lives and focus our attention on being the person that we were created to be in Christ… We all make mistakes, we all sin and continue to fall short, but I am thankful that God not only looks beyond our faults, but that He can see the heart that we have… Don’t confuse this statement and think that its okay for us to walk in sin, in reading this passage it informs me that we must have a heart and desire to turn from sin and be the beacon light that we are to be… God will judge us and He will weigh the decisions that we have made along with the desires that lie within… David took another mans wife and slept with her, in the end he was called a man after God’s own heart… This wasn’t because of the sin he committed, but because the heart for God that he had… Just like David we fall short, but what desires lie within you? These are the things that will motivate you to correct your wrong, overcome your mistakes and seek to live according to the will of God… Accountability is the driving force behind Paul’s second letter to the Church of Corinth… We all have heard the saying, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink…” Paul reminds us today that we have been afforded a (n) opportunity to live a life according to God’s will; however, the choice is up to us whether we will or we will not… Regardless of the decision you make or have made, one thing is for sure and that is that we all will stand before the Lord… The bible tells us in Romans that we all have fallen short of the glory of God; every man and every woman has entered this world as sinners and made mistakes along the way… We have made decisions that we regret and have gone to bed many nights trying to undo choices that we made… Understand that we all have slipped here and there; however, the importance of today’s scripture is to know that we will all stand before God in judgment… This concept is not a bad thing, but rather an opportunity for us to understand that it is not about the decisions we make, but rather about how we deal with bad choices! Jesus knows that we have fallen short; He knows that we have made mistakes, but He is judging the content of your heart and how you seek resolution for problems… Again, remember that God called David “…a man after his own heart…” He saw David’s flaws; He knew and noticed David’s bad choices, but He still called him a man after my own heart… David choices were bad, but he learned from them and made good out of them… David killed a (n) innocent man, stole his wife and even disobeyed God, but look at the reaction of David through his psalms, look at how he fell prostrate before the Lord… David refused to eat, he refused to ignore his mistakes and pains and came to terms with the death of his son (whom God took from him)… As soon as David received word that his son was dead, the bible says that he got up and went into the temple of the Lord! David meant well (even when he messed up and fell short), he was after God’s own heart because he desired to do right, he desired to do better, he was seeking God through his life and suffered some bruises along the way… In the end he too will stand before God and will give an account for all that he has done! Judgment isn’t a bad thing, if you know that you have made some mistakes but are seeking to uplift the kingdom of God with your life and heart… Today’s scripture says we will be judged whether good or bad… Bad things will come, bad choice will be made; however, the key is to make sure your good outweighs your bad!

Erma Bombeck said it best; “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me…"

BE BLESSED!!!

Don't Indulge In Nonsense

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

 

Proverbs 1:32-33

 

Temptation is at every turn or our head… There are so many people that we encounter on a daily basis that simply do not have our best interest at heart and today we are reminded of the importance of having a sober mind and steady focus on the Lord… As I read the opening portion of this scripture which says, “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them…” I immediately begin to think about Lot (in the book of Genesis) leaving his home at the command of God and how his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt… The entrapment of Lot’s wife was founded on the hills of her focusing on the past while God was leading them to a new home and future… The simple things in life are often the hardest things to overcome and let go of… Success (making money), an addiction or even a relationship all pose major problems in our lives; however, we are reminded today that when we fall victim to seeing someone’s success, pick up a beer based on the suggestion of someone or become envious of a relationship we have allowed these simple devices to ruin us and ultimately slay us… In understanding the word simple used in the passage taken from the book of Proverbs I come to the conclusion that the matters that will affect you the most and deter your growth in the Lord are the simple matters that are allowed to fester in your life instead of being handled in a mature manner at the time of their conception… Arguing with your spouse about matters which can be rectified can be a simple thing which grows to something larger and ends in divorce if not handled correctly… As the word of God says, you have to be faithful over a few things… Don’t allow small matters to occupy huge chunks of your time; don’t allow worldly prosperity of fools to destroy you… Turn from those fleshly and lustful desires; the more you see and feel tempted to chase after vainglory is the more that you need to run from it and hearken unto the Lord… Not every door is for you to venture through, not every path laid before you is of God and you must abide in Him so that He can write the vision and make it plain…  You have to know that the pastures you dwell in today may not be the green pastures you think exist on the other side; however, you must stand in faith knowing that God is and that God can do anything but fail… You are where you are for a reason and a seasons; don’t get caught up in what appears pleasing to the eye (it could be damaging to the soul)… We all have heard the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover” today; let us apply this in our Christian walk… Solomon gives important advice today as to how we are to handle situations or opportunities that arise in our lives… There are so many people that we come across that are in need, they are in need of financial assistance, they are in need or prayer and they are in need of a relationship with Christ… We view this people in our lives as a situation or something that happened on one of our days journeys; however, I refer to all these examples as opportunities… When you are faced with a person in need, this is an opportunity for you to share Christ power, faithfulness and love to that person or individual… Solomon tells us that “the turning away of the simple shall slay them…” When we turn away from these opportunities we slay ourselves by denying Christ to move in our lives and impact the lives of others through us… Solomon was given the title of the wisest man to ever live... Today he gives us reasons for his wisdom when it comes to living according to the word and will of God… So many of us have turned away from God, we have set our eyes on things of this earth and have lost focus of the bigger picture at hand… Solomon reminds us today that we perish not because of mistakes, but because we have set our minds and chased after the wrong things… Every situation you face in life presents you a choice and Solomon calls for us to recognize on today that when we make choices that turn us away from God we will end up perishing… If you are motivated by earthly gains and prosperity than you are not motivated by the love of Christ and His offering on the cross; likewise, when you are motivated by God you live a Godly life that is acceptable in His sight… The way to find out what kind of life you are living is to simply look at how you conduct yourself in your everyday affairs… Hosea 4:6 records that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Not knowing the God you server in the most adverse situation will allow the enemy to control you at your weakest and lowest point… We are dying because we do not know God, we are not motivated by His love, and we aren’t walking according to His calling… Solomon goes on to say “the prosperity of fools shall destroy them…”It’s so easy for us to get caught up in what someone else has or a level of success that we think someone else has achieved… However, as a child of God we must know that we seek a crown that is incorruptible, a mansion that will never fade a way and a life that will never end… We must remember that we will be tempted and their will be many things that will come in to our lives which may lead us to question the path we are currently on; however, we must stay the course, deny the desire to try a (n) easier path and hold to God’s unchanging hand… Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” When things seem right to you and God is not the center you need to recheck your ways… When things seem right and you know God is not pleased you need to take a step back… The bible tells us that those who walk according to their own desires will succumb to them; however, we are promised to overcome when we walk with God as our head… “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quit from fear of evil…” God promises your protection, He promises your safety and He promises your deliverance… This is a two-way street; you must hearken unto Him… You must turn to Him, you must adhere to Him, and you must abide according to His will and plan for your life… Even the richest men shall perish; the most prosperous shall be in want if they are not under the guidance of Jesus Christ… All those of this world shall perish when the Day of Judgment comes, all those living according to this world shall be cast into the pits of hell and never know the true prosperity that comes from God… You must fight the good fight, keep the faith and finish the race… Knowing that your work is not in vain when it is in the Lord…

 

BE BLESSED!!!

We Are Justified Through Him

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed.

Galatians 3:8

No matter the situation or how drastic the circumstance may appear to be; today’s focus verse reminds us that it’s not too late for the wayward soul, there is still time for the one who is lost to be found and a ray of hope for the one who so many have wrote off… The word of God can redirect the paths of whoever comes in contact with it and the grace of God can justify any man no matter their prior history… In reading this verse, it is vital that we understand and know that we can only be justified by faith… There is no deed or process which you can complete to have your name recorded in the book of life and be assured that heaven is your Eternal resting place… The things you deserve to receive are not the things that you desire to receive; however, through your acceptance of the blood which Jesus shed on Calvary, you have a door opened unto you where the things you desire can actually be manifested in your life… This is how you can gain the things you desire (not because you deserve them), but because you are justified by Christ to receive them… Abraham was promised by God to be the father of many nations; however, up until he turned 100 years of age his wife Sarah was barren… In believing that the promise would not be fulfilled, Abraham took the advice of his wife and had a child with her maidservant… This was not the child promised to Abraham and led to a seed of bitterness to take root within the heart of his wife Sarah… The point of summarizing this message today is to say that we must stand on the promises of God and know that He is only one who can bring them into fruition…  We must come to a point in our lives where we firmly believe and trust in the Lord… So many of us have claimed to be Disciples of Christ, but we allow other things or circumstances to “Lord” over us… The bible tells us that “without faith it’s impossible to please God…” Going to church isn’t enough, paying your tithes and offerings isn’t enough, praying every now and then isn’t enough; however, trusting that God doesn’t make mistakes, believing that He is the great I am and having complete confidence that He is the way is enough… We all have fallen short, we all have made mistakes and we all have a reservation for hell as soon as we exit our mother’s womb; however Paul writes to the church of Galatia teaching them about the promise that God has made for all those who walk by faith… Paul says, “…preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed…” We must have the word in us and developing in our lives in order to reach the levels and points that God has ordained for us… Our faith must be present, but its presence can only be found through the word of God… The bible says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God…” How can you have faith if you don’t study and apply the word of God in your life…? How can you have faith if you aren’t walking in the will of the Lord nor staying active in your fellowship with His people…? We must be clear in understanding that faith is a (n) action word… This is why James says that “faith, if not accompanied by works is dead…” It’s also why He said, “show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by what I do…” You can’t proclaim faith by mere words, but actions… Paul wants us to understand today that we are justified by faith, to be justified means that we are accepted or vindicated… The penalty of sin has been removed when we are walking in faith, the sentence of death placed upon our heads has been overturned when we walk by faith and this only can come to fruition when we find ourselves in total devotion to the will of God by studying, learning and applying His word…God made a promise to Abraham that “in thee shall all nations be blessed…” Abraham was a man that followed the will of God by faith… At the age of 75 he set out from Haran to the land of Canaan and was placed in the territory of the enemy which forced him to totally rely upon the Lord… We know that God promised him a son and through trying to assist God by sleeping with his wife’s maidservant he suffered some trials and tribulations… We look at the story of Abraham to understand today that God has indeed made a promise; we can be justified by our faith in Him… Just like Abraham, we must allow God to lead us according to His will and not try to assist along the way… When we try to take matters into our own hands we no longer are walking by faith, but rather giving in to the pressures and temptations what we are currently facing… The seed of Abraham was provided by God’s allowance for His wife Sarah to have a son… Sarah was barren for 90 years, so we know that this seed came from the Lords grace and mercy… This is the same grace and mercy which was bestowed upon us, the same grace and mercy that has kept us and the same grace and mercy that calls for us to have faith in the only one who is faithful and continues to open up doors and make ways out of know way… To be the seed of Abraham we must believe that Jesus is Lord. We will be justified through faith; God is telling us that if we believe and hold onto His promise, than we shall be blessed. It doesn’t mean hold on to Him in times of trouble, but through ups and downs continue to let your FAITH soar. We will be tested and tried each and every day of our lives, but know that God is justifying your claim to the thrown and to be heirs with Christ by the testing of your FAITH… So go on and press forward for your prize, knowing that when Jesus cracks the sky, you will receive your reward in full… You will receive it not because you have done enough to deserve it, you will receive because Christ has done enough to have authority over it and if He blesses you with it then so be it… I am not justified by my actions on this earth; I am justified by the actions that Christ performed on this earth and the faith that I have in Him…

BE BLESSED!!!

Your Answer Lies In Seeking The Lord

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

1 Chronicles 16:11-12

Seeking the Lord is not something that we can ever afford to grow tired of nor can we complete this journey of seeking Him while living upon this earth… There are so many things that we desire to do while we are living; however, there are quite a few things which we may never accomplish… In reading today’s focus verses I am reminded about the urgency and importance that seeking the Lord plays in our development and growth as a Christian… The bible declares that we can find the Lord when we seek Him with our whole heart; Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This verse penned in the prophetic book of Jeremiah takes place at a point and time when the children of God were full of disobedience and rebellion… This 13^thverse is preceded by the 11^th verse which declares to the children of God that even though things may seem bleak; there is a plan that has been devised and will be carried about the Lord… It is in the 11^th verse that we find these words, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I recite these two verses because they speak in parallel with today’s focus verses; the Lord had a plan for the Israelites, even though they endured a lot of trials and tribulations the plan of God was a plan that would provide hope for them; however, this very plan could only be brought into existence in their desire and focus of seeking the Lord as the plan that He had for them unfolded… The times of despair in your life are the times when you need to seek Him most; these are also the times when your hurt is more vulnerable and can be given in completely… There are so many of us that have turned away from God because of the trials and obstacles that we have faced; I feel led to tell you today that your adversity is not to be seen as a hindrance but a sign which foreshadows the coming of the Lord…When you go through tings in life the enemy wants you to become fearful of the way in which things appear to be; however, in today’s verse we are reminded that these times can serve as stepping stones which will lead to your divine destiny… Don’t allow the enemy to deter you from seeking and getting to know the plans which God has for you… The enemy doesn’t want you to be what God has created you to be, so he will stop at nothing to get you to focus your attention else where… Seeking the Lord is not an easy task; however, it is the most important task that directly impacts your eternal resting place… So many of us have fallen victim to temptation and have become engulfed by snares not because we were weak, but because we became to strong within our own minds and did not put our strength and confidence in the Lord… We seek the Lord on occasion but try to handle situations on our own every now and then; we pray to God in the morning and at night; however, we neglect prayer during the day when we think we can handle the current situation on our own… These incidents provide insight into the occasional seeker and the seeker of God who utilizes his whole heart… I know that it’s not easy to live this Christian life in the midst of the things that we face daily… Often times we find ourselves struggling and fighting a (n) uphill battle; every mountain seems to grow as we climb and every valley seems more narrow and dark as we walk through it! Today we are encouraged to keep our faith and continue to seek the Lord! It is very easy to give up, it’s very easy to quit and forgo your spiritual destiny, but we are encouraged today to push on… How do we do that you ask… By remembering the things that God has already delivered you from… I have often heard people say that “they weren’t always saved…” and I agree with that quote because we all have fallen short, but let us keep in mind the reasons why we can say that we are saved now! It wasn’t by your doing or your hands, but by God plucking you out of your sinful ditch and placing you on the tender love of his arms… God has seen you through some trials and tribulations already; he has been your advocate when no one else believed in your ability and he has washed you and bathed you in grace and mercy! We draw our strength from God’s love and his faithfulness; we draw power from our past knowing that it was only God that saw me through and we can run this race to the end because we know that “he who hath begun a good work in us will see it through tell the end… {Philippians 1:6}” Look back and be thankful, look forward and be faithful! He has done marvellous works in your life already and he will continue to do them as long as you continue to seek Him… I believe that Isaiah says it best for those who want to find answers, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

BE BLESSED!!!

He's In Control

But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

Psalm 9:7-8

There is hope for the lost soul, there is light for the one whom has traveled the paths of darkness and there is guidance for the wondering mind… In today’s devotional, we are reminded that even though tomorrow is never promised, the endurance of the Lord is… Even in your weakest hour, you can find comfort in knowing that God is strong and that his strength will never fail nor falter…  This psalm is penned out of gratitude toward the Lords faithfulness and mercy… The truth of the matter is that we all deserved a death sentence; however, the love of God not only gave us a second chance but also gives us the opportunity to be judged in righteousness… Your past failures do not have to limit or restrict your success in the spiritual realm; the mistakes you made yesterday can serve as stepping stones tomorrow in leading you to your destiny… David declares He hath prepared his throne for judgment… I am so thankful that God is ready to judge and that He has not already judged me… Just like David, we all have made mistakes, we all have fallen short of the glory of God; however, the Lord knows that we needed a savior, we needed a fighters chance, we needed a saving grace and He bestowed that in the form of His son… When you feel like giving up, just know that He never gave up on you… Times of adversity not only display our true character, it also shows how much God has spared us and delivered us from… I say this because so many have come to actually feel entitled to question the very movement of God and His plan… Truth be told, it was His plan that destroyed the plan of the enemy for you; it was His plan that kept you and is keeping you right now… You can find joy in knowing that the Lord endures because you know that He will outlast your toughest opponent or adversary… It is to this point that David declares in the 3^rd and 4^th verse of this psalm, “My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.”  The Lord knows that without Him we don’t stand a chance… We needed Him before we even know it and this is why He endures… Despite all the mistakes that you make, the errors you have made and the wrong choices of yesterday, the grace and mercy of God endures and He continues to open of paths that lead to a brighter tomorrow and hope for the future… David made several errors in His lifetime; however, His heart for the Lord allowed God to wipe His slate clean and keep the enemy at bay… Your hands may be filthy with all kinds of secrets, but just like we studied in Ezekiel you can be cleansed… He hath prepared his throne for judgment; there is nobody else seated on the throne but the only true and wise God… There is nobody who can make the final call on your life accept Jesus Christ and you should be thankful (if you know Him) because He will provide you all the tools and resources that you need to pass this test called life… In examining this text, I am reminded of the fact that our very being today is a privilege which was allowed by God… You did not wake up on your own, you did not have a say so in your course for the day and you did not make in through the night without incident because of your security or locked doors… God has upheld you, He has paved the way for you and he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness… There is only One who shall endure tell the end… Everyone you know will pass away, everything you take joy in shall become old and day by day your society will change… The bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever; our hope and perseverance derives from knowing that Christ will always be there… To know His throne is prepared for judgment assures us that all will stand before Him and The Lord is sure to return; Jesus will part the clouds and return for those who have endured for his name… Those that have fought the good fight and have run the race will surely see Him fulfill His promises! So many people live as if God is not real or as if He will not return; but today we are reminded that judgment is coming; we are told that the Lord will endure… To endure is to suffer, tolerate and last; God suffered on the cross, He has tolerated all the sins that we have committed and in the end He will stand on this earth and all things of this earth shall perish! This is not to scare anybody nor for you to become fearful… These words should be encouraging to our Christian walk knowing and understanding that Christ INDEED will return and will repay all evil on this earth…The fact that Christ will return lets us know that our judgment is coming… We will stand before his throne and hear Him say “well done;” we will hear Him say “enter in,” we will hear Him say “this peace I give unto you!” You will find rest when Christ returns, your weeping will end when judgment is rendered and you will be enclosed in God loves arms for all eternity… The psalmist is anxious about Christ return because he sees the deeds of his fellowman, he knows how much has been hurdle upon him and how many obstacles he has had to face… We too know how many storms have come knocking on our door; we have stared misfortune in the face and have bore witness to the dark clouds of depression being cast over our households… Through this pain and suffering we are enduring just as the Lord endured… We are being refined just as he was on the cross and soon we will be walking the streets of gold where sin will be no more and joy will flood the streets all day long! God will stand to judge everything man according to the work he has done… Take pride in knowing that your work in the Lord is not in vain; take pride in knowing that God will minister judgment and that you will we called one of His own… You shall be lifted up, you shall be white as snow, you sins’ shall be blotted out and you will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds when He returns… Those who have are guilty of a crime hate hearing their judgment; however, those in Christ welcome it with open arms knowing that this judgment will allow us to be with Him forever more!

BE BLESSED!!!

He Has The Power To Cleanse

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Ezekiel 36:25  

Understand today, that as a child born into this world you are a sinner without the saving Grace of God upon your life… This means that you are a disgusting filthy and dirty rag not worthy of anything accept the very pits of hell… There are so many of us that do not want to accept this reality and the message I have for you today is that if you are amongst those who think you are without blemish than the devil really has a stronghold on you… The very children of God found themselves falling into a recurring theme of filthiness and are reminded today through the lips of the prophet Ezekiel that they will be cleansed by the authority and ability of God… You can only be washed clean by the saving power of God and the blood of Jesus which was shed for all on Calvary’s Cross… This message of cleansing speaks to the filth in our lives; however, it also speaks the ability of God; in that, He can cleanse even the dirties of all people no matter where they are or what they have turn their lives over too… The robber, murder, adulterer and drug addict can become the Pastor, Deacon, Missionary and worship leader when they encounter the blood of Jesus… Know today that you can be cleansed, but more importantly, also let others know that they can be cleansed as well…God has the ability to reach you wherever you are… No matter how far you have fallen, no matter how many mistakes you have made or even the depth or severity of your actions, we are reminded through the prophet Ezekiel that we are never out of the masters reach… This passage is written to the House of Israel at a time of bondage and despair… The warning was that disaster would come; captivity was imminent, but God wanted them to know that there was light at the end of the tunnel… The House of Israel would be renewed… Likewise today, know that even in your current situation, even in your current circumstance, even in your current hardship, you house will be renewed… God will“sprinkle clean water upon you…” Water represents life in the Bible; God will give you a clean slate, a new life, a new direction, a new path and a new vision… He will wipe the pain and tears of yesterday from you eyes and clothe you in his goodness and mercy… We must remember this fact today, the fact is that we enter this world as sinners and if we are not cleansed by the “clean water” of God we will leave the same way… Ezekiel reminds us today that without God we are filthy rags that will never be clean… In order to be cleansed the first step one must take is to know that you are in fact dirty… We must come to the realization that we all have fallen short of the glory of God, we all have made mistake and we all have been guilty of sin… God cannot cleanse us until we realize that we are in need of cleansing… Ezekiel tells us that we will be cleansed from all filthiness, and idols… Whatever is in your life that has defiled you as a person, whatever is in your life that has taken your focus and attention off God shall be removed… We can become filthy by giving in to peer pressure; we can become filthy by hanging out with the wrong kind of people… Idols are gods, statues or icons that we worship; there are many things in our lives that can become “gods” in our lives and rob us of walking according to the only true and wise God’s calling… Some of the idols that we face come in the form of relationships, fame, and fortune or even work… We strive to be so much that we allow whatever we want to be to overshadow the will and authority of our Lord and Savior… Ezekiel’s call today is for us to understand the errors of our ways, accept the mistakes we have made and turn to God to be cleansed…The word says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you…” Placing the emphasis on the “then” tells me that two things have to happen… The first is that we must come to recognize who God is and what it is that we need to do in order to develop a (n) intimate relationship with Him… The second thing is that we must embrace the consequences of our actions knowing that “God disciplines those He loves…” Stop allowing your current situations to destroy your relationship with God and stop acting as if you are perfect… We must go through and achieve these two important pieces if we want to truly be cleansed… There are steps in this cleansing process, there is a clear define direction that we must take in order to receive this clean water… God desires to cleanse you, He desires to give you a new lease on life, He desires to right the ship that you are on and plant your feet on solid ground…. It was up to the people of Israel to turn to the Lord, the choice is yours today to turn your life over to the Lord… This clean water cast all your cares away, this clean water gives you the ability to smile in the face of adversity, this clean water makes it possible to laugh during the rain, this clean water removes all doubt and gives you the chance to be called heirs to the promise of God… God says through Ezekiel “will I cleanse you…” It doesn't matter how far you have fallen, it doesn't matter how many mistakes you have made, it doesn't matter how many bad choices you have made, it doesn't matter how many temptations you have given in too, it doesn't matter what your current standing is… God says that if you realize the filth that has cluttered your life, if you realize the idols that have eased God out, if you realize that you are headed down the wrong path you can still be cleansed and made whole… The Israelite's were in bondage and suffering, yet God says I can still cleanse you… You may be in bondage right now, you may be suffering right now, you may be hurting right now, but there is still hope for you, there is still a future for you… Turn your life over to God and allow Him to pour out His spirit (clean water) upon you that will give you a new sense of direction, a new purpose and a new outlook that will help you reach the heights of prosperity that only God can take you too…

BE BLESSED!!!

Always Give God Your Best

...Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.

 

2 Samuel 24:24

 

The bible declares in the book of Rome that you should present your body a living sacrifice; this message is one that we bring to the forefront of or memories as we examine today’s text knowing that there is and should be a cost involved when following the Lord… There is nothing that Jesus did for you without a cost (even His very life); this same fact is what separates the Christian from the non-believer… We claim to be a child of God, but we don’t want to endure the expense that comes along with that claim… In studying this verse I cannot help but to pose the question, how valuable is your relationship with God…? How much do you treasure being in good standing with the Lord…? Are you someone who attends church out of obligation or to pay true respect and honor to the Lord…? These questions are questions that are posed all across the world; however they are answered through actions not words, through devotion and not presentation… This passage is written at a time when David knew that he had sinned against God; he knew that he had fallen short of His glory and understands that he had to restore his relationship with God… We too have made many mistakes; we have damaged our relationship with the Lord and the question now because “how bad do you want to repair it…?” What does God’s love mean to you, how much do you want to show God your appreciation and love…? What are you offering Him…? These are important factors in our life that we too must come to understand; God deserves all of our time and commitment because we have fallen short, he deserves the very best we have because we turned our backs on Him and lost sight of His Grace and Mercy! This is why David said I will not offer anything unto the Lord that cost me nothing, he realized all that it cost God to save us from sin, he realized all that God gave and invested in him to see him reign as King and he came to the realization that he was throwing it all away… We must never forget that God gave His only begotten son, we must never lose sight that Jesus died the most humiliating death known to man and all this was done to save us from our eternal death… When I sit and really ponder what God has done and how He bestows new mercies on us every morning I realize that there is nothing of this earth that I shouldn’t give unto Him… I know that God has given His very best in the form of His son and I dare not to acknowledge His sacrifice with meaningless words or things… God wants your heart, He wants your life; anything else is worthless… The cost that David speaks of in this verse refers to the amount that he puts out for the Lord… This doesn’t necessarily deal with money, but the amount of energy, time, devotion that we pour out to studying God’s word, praising His name and worshipping Him… David had a right perspective of who God is and what He means to him… So he wanted to show his devotion to the Lord by paying for the land to be offered back to God… When we trust God, when we desire to worship God we also act in faith knowing that God sees all things and will reward us by our giving and devotion… Think about how precious the gift is that God gave to you in the form of His son and ask yourself what gifts are you giving to God… The only thing that God wants is you, you are the gift that He desires and we give ourselves to Him by totally surrendering to His will and way… This is where the cost comes in, I have often thought and told myself that if it comes easy it isn’t what I need… Today, know that offering yourself to Christ is going to cost you some friendships, it’s going to cost you some fleshly desires and it’s going to cost you some aches and pains… Do we know how much it cost God to raise us up out of the pit of sin, how much it cost to release us from the handcuffs of death, and pave a way to salvation! It cost Him His only son, it cost Him pain and anguish to witness His son on the cross dying an agonizing and intensely painful death… It cost God a great deal to watch His son be spit on, mocked and beat, it cost God a great deal to see Him laid in a tomb and watch the throngs of people mourning… It cost God more than we could ever offer Him and we surely could never pay back to Him what He put out! Let us keep that in mind when we go to church, let us keep that in mind when we put down our bibles instead of reading, let us keep that in mind when we make God’s will and afterthought in our life… How much does God mean to you? How much do you really believe He poured out from on high to save you…? Show your belief in your actions and service to the Lord… David said I will not offer anything unless it cost me something, not because he wanted to spend, but because he knew how much God had already spent!

 

BE BLESSED!!!