No Condemnation

Romans 14

10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”

12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

There is therefore no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. Yet, we criticize and condemn others when then are not lock-step in agreement with us. We do this to our shame! I am NOT saying that we can’t help bring along the weaker brother in Christ to a more full understanding of the Gospel, but we cannot start that process with condemnation. Let us start with love. May the love of Jesus be our benchmark, our starting point, and the common bond that expands the Kingdom (and knowledge about the Kingdom) of Christ always.

Love In Action

Romans 13

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

In my desire to be a more loving person, I continue to get reminded by my LORD just what exactly love is and what love means. As many times as I have read through Romans 13 in the past, I usually am more struck by the passage just prior to this one...you know, the one about obeying authorities and paying taxes. This morning, however, I am overwhelmed with this notion that loving my neighbors fulfills the Law of God, and that time is running out! Yes, I need to do a better job of loving my neighbors, and living out that love in tangible ways. I’ve been praying about this for some time and the nugget of some plans is coming to the surface. The time is drawing near to discuss this with my Bride and to take action as we are lead by God to do so.

How Appropriate

Romans 12

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

In my Life Map for this year, I wrote the following:

“A STATEMENT OF MY "PREFERRED FUTURE"

By God's grace and His unending mercy in my life, I will be more LOVING of other people, seeing them through the eyes of Christ. I will be more FORGIVING of others remembering how much I have been forgiven. I will be more CONNECTED to my heavenly Father through a more meaningful and consistent prayer life. I will be more INTENTIONAL in relationships with people outside the church, and I will set an EXAMPLE for other Christ Followers in my daily life.

Seems only appropriate that these two verses from Romans 12 would stand out to me in my daily reading today, doesn’t it?

God's Kindness

Romans 11

22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

Yikes! Paul is talking to us Gentiles in this passage. Yeah, we have no reason to get all puffed up in ourselves, because it is ONLY due to God’s kindness that we have been extended the privilege of being part of God’s family. Obedience is the key, and let us not think for one second that our place in God’s family is because of anything we have done or earned, it is solely because of God’s kindness.

Things God Won't Tolerate

2 Chronicles 19

4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people, traveling from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, encouraging the people to return to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges throughout the nation in all the fortified towns, 6 and he said to them, “Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case. 7 Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”

Just as the King of Judah proclaimed in this passage, I need to be reminded to not allow myself to get too cloistered in my “holy huddle.” Going out among the people as a source of encouragement is a duty I far too often neglect. I also need to remember to remind God’s people about that which the Lord will NOT tolerate: perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. God doesn’t tolerate those attitudes/actions in judges, nor does He tolerate them in His people in general. Thank You, Lord for reminding me of these things today.

His People

Romans 9

25 Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,

“Those who were not my people,
I will now call my people.
And I will love those
whom I did not love before.”

26 And,

“Then, at the place where they were told,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called
‘children of the living God.’”

Praise God for His love for ALL peoples! Yes, I am among those Gentiles about whom Hosea prophesied. I am also reminded that God is calling all people, everywhere to be His people. Sometimes, we Christian Americans get that part confused. God’s people consist of folks from every tongue, tribe, and nation, and we have an obligation to reach out to them in the name of Jesus, extending the open arms of love and fellowship, and partnering with them in proclaiming the Gospel. Yeah, Joel Khopang’s visit to VCC this week is still weighing on me Oh, to be half the man of God that he is!

Spending Time In Your Word

Psalm 19

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,

reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

8 The commandments of the Lord are right,

bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,

giving insight for living.

Thank You, LORD for Your Holy Word, and for the instructions contained therein. Thank You, LORD for Your decrees, because as simple as I am, I could use all of the wisdom You care to pour into me. Thank You, LORD for your commandments and for the joy they bring to my heart as well as the insight for living in such a manner as to please You always. What a blessing to spend time in Your Word each day.

Praying

Romans 8

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

I am so glad that the indwelling Holy Spirit knows how to pray on my behalf, because I am such a doofus in this regard. I praise God for the opportunity to pray for Elliott and Abi, and I am so thankful that God already has things worked out according to His will, and for their good.

Sharing in Christ's Suffering

Romans 8

17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Isn’t it funny how we like to think about being co-heirs with Christ, having a share in God’s glory, but we rarely hear this passage in its entirety. If we are going to share in his (Christ’s) glory, we must also share in his (Christ’s) suffering. When it comes right down to it, the question I must ask myself today, as a follower of Christ, is: what have I suffered for the sake of the Kingdom? If I haven’t really suffered, then can I really share in his glory?

My Rock

Psalm 18

1 I love you, Lord;

you are my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me,

and my place of safety.

I love You, Lord. Thank You for loving me, protecting me, strengthening me, and discipling me. Keep me on the path that YOU would have me tread. I will rely on You every day, Father. I will do my very best to simply do what You would have me to do. Nothing more, and nothing less. You are my rock and my salvation, and I will praise Your Holy Name always.

Free Indeed

Romans 7
6b Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

Freedom in and through Christ! Freedom from the Law of Moses, and freedom from man-made rules and regulations. We are free to love God and love people. We are free to follow the example of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. We are free to die to self, take up our cross and follow Him daily. We are free indeed!

Alive in Christ

Romans 6
 1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

I absolutely LOVE this passage from Romans, and I just can't bear to break it apart today. Because of God's grace, our sins area forgiven. It is through baptism into Christ that forgiveness of sins is accomplished. It is because of our salvation that we should live a lifestyle where sin is no longer the driving force in us. I know that before I was baptized into Christ, I was a dead man walking. Now, I am alive in Christ Jesus!

Knowing God Intimately

1 Chronicles 28
9a “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought."

King David is speaking to his son Solomon as David is preparing Solomon to be the next King of Israel. While much of what is said in this passage specifically applies to Solomon, this part from verse 9 strikes me today. What great advice for us all to heed! Learn to know God intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind! Today, I want to pray for an attitude adjustment. I want to worship God with my whole heart, and a willing mind, and I want to know Him intimately.

Rejoice

Romans 5

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Paul’s writings here sound a lot like James in chapter one of his letter. Because of our faith in Jesus, because of the gift of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, we can indeed rejoice in times of problems and trials knowing that they produce endurance. Lord, build my character through whatever means You see fit, so that my character may reflect the love of Christ always. I do realize the implications of such a prayer, and I rejoice in what God sees fit to do with it and with me.

Faith of Abraham

Romans 4

1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Again, an example of faith in action is seen through the life of Abraham. God accepted Abraham because of his faith. But Abraham didn’t just sit back and say, “yeah, I believe in God.” He did what God asked of him over and over again. It wasn’t that his deeds gained his acceptance by the Lord, it was that his faith led him to his deeds as an outpouring of that faith. Oh, that my life would be an outpouring of my faith in my Lord, Jesus!

Declared Righteous

Romans 3

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

It is only through Jesus that anyone can be declared to be righteous in the sight of God. There is no other way. We can’t work hard enough, we can’t try hard enough, we cannot do it because of us. Biblical belief is more than a mere mental assent, it requires action. In this case, it requires obeying the Gospel of Christ. When we believe and obey, we are declared righteous. Without this belief in action, we are dead in our sins.

Love Costs Everything

1 Chronicles 20

22 David said to Araunah, “Let me buy this threshing floor from you at its full price. Then I will build an altar to the Lord there, so that he will stop the plague.”

23 “Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish,” Araunah said to David. “I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, and the threshing boards for wood to build a fire on the altar, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give it all to you.”

24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!” 25 So David gave Araunah 600 pieces of gold in payment for the threshing floor.

One of the themes at this summer’s MOVE Conference is that “Love Costs Everything.” It is designed to get students thinking about what their commitment to Jesus costs them. If it hasn’t cost anything at all, then the likelihood is that there is not much of a commitment on their part. David understood that principle. He had sinned against the LORD by ordering a census. God had brought an angel of destruction against the people, and David cried out to God. The angle of destruction was stopped at the threshing floor of Arauanah. That’s where this passage picks up. Bottom line: David could not offer sacrifices (worship) that had cost him nothing. What has worshipping/following Jesus cost you? It is time to count the cost and measure the depth of your love for the One Who loves you best.

Kind Tolerant Patient

Romans 2

1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

How quickly we turn to judge others, when we ourselves are guilty of the very sins for which we want to judge. Lord, I know that my life is filled with way too many sins, so if I am seeking forgiveness from You with a repentant heart, why would I dare not extend forgiveness to others? That, it seems to me, is a serious sin in and of itself. I know that I am not worthy of Your love and forgiveness, yet You give it to me freely anyway. May I be known for my loving and forgiving heart. May I be wonderfully kind, tolerant and patient just as You are.

Giving Thanks

1 Chronicles 16

8 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

9 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

10 Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

11 Search for the Lord and for his strength;

continually seek him.

I want to join with David this morning in praising my God. He is powerful above all others. He is loving beyond measure. He is Holy, Holy, Holy. Forgiveness of sin comes only through His plan of Salvation as enacted through His Son Jesus. He continues to bless His people in ways that are amazing. What a blessing for me today to celebrate Ruth Ann’s birthday with her in person. She took me in as a son, and I have always called her Mom. It is my privilege to do so. What a blessing to pray for Elliott and Abi as they leave for El Salvador and Honduras today on a mission trip. Do mighty works through them, O Lord. I pray that they know You are with them every step of the way on this journey, and that they know I am, too! Father, may we seek You with our whole hearts always. May we live our lives in such a way that others have no doubt about Who we serve.

The Power of God

Romans 1

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

The Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. It is the Gospel that contains the formula for salvation. It is the Gospel that instructs us what must be done in order to be saved. This Gospel preached to the Ethiopian official in Acts 8, to the household of Cornelius in Acts 10, to the Philippian Jailer and his family in Acts 16, results in the immediate obedience from these folks to the instructions contained therein. They are made right in God’s sight. This Gospel is the same today: through faith we must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We must repent of our sins, and be buried with Jesus in baptism (immersion), and THEN in God’s sight we will be made right. I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.

Lead Me

Proverbs 19

3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness

and then are angry at the Lord.

Wow. How quick we are to go off on our own, thinking that we can handle “it” without God or His Word. How much more quickly do we blame God when things then fall apart all around us! Father, help me to stay focused on You always. On my own, there is plenty of room for foolishness. When I seek Your face and Your guidance, wise choices are much more likely to be made. May I never fall into that trap of blaming You, O Lord, for ANYTHING! I know that it is a trap of satan, and I do not want to fall into that trap. I love following You, Father. Lead me through the good times and the bad, but whatever You do, lead me to the Cross!

Family Reunion

Proverbs 18

24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,

but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

I’ve spent the past week among friends who stick closer than brothers. The NACC affords such a family reunion. Traveling up with PhatRok, and hanging out all week with Brent & Jeff Sagstetter, while also getting some quality time with Jeff Patrick...well, there are some serious brothers of mine. Yes, I also go to see lots of other brothers, some of whom I had not seen in years. Each meeting was a time of sweet fellowship as those years melted away in the light of our embraces, smiles, and laughter. Yeah, I love the NACC for the teaching and preaching, but mostly I love it for the opportunity to reconnect with brothers in Christ. Thank You, Lord, for once again reminding me about how large my family in Christ is, and how sweet those family reunions are!

Repentance

Psalm 7

12 If a person does not repent,

God will sharpen his sword;

he will bend and string his bow.

13 He will prepare his deadly weapons

and shoot his flaming arrows.

Repentance often gets the short end of the stick in the salvation process discussion. Yeah, we hammer away on belief and baptism, but usually give little more than lip service to repentance. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sin. Without forgiveness of sin, baptism is irrelevant. Without repentance, God is ready to shoot flaming arrows our way. Yeah, it is time to let folks know the importance of repentance...this change of heart and change of mind, this turning from sin and turning toward God. He apparently thinks it is kind of important.

Become as Crazy as Me

Acts 26

19 “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 21 Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 22 But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—23 that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”

24 Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”

25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”

28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”

29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

A couple of things that jump out at me today. First of all, the craziness of the message of the the Gospel of Christ. It is crazy to think that God loves people so much that He would send His Only Son to die in their place, to raise from the dead and to return some day to collect those who love and follow Him. Yet, that is EXACTLY the plan of a Great and Loving God. Secondly, the Gospel, as crazy as it sounds to mankind, is not always easily accepted by those who hear it. We cannot expect that everyone is going to instantly embrace the grace freely extended to them. Whether they embrace it or not, it is our responsibility to introduce people to this Grace. Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that everyone with whom I have contact might someday because the same as I am...a 100% sold out follower of Christ.

Make My Way Plain

Psalm 5

7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;

I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.

8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord,

or my enemies will conquer me.

Make your way plain for me to follow.

Worshipping corporately this week at the NACC has been a fantastic time. The messages yesterday were beyond convicting, and I know that I must make changes in my daily routine to show the love of God to a community that is lost and dying and crying out to God. Forgive me, O Lord. Make my path right. May You be glorified in all I do every day. Make Your way plain for me to follow.

Recalibrating

Psalm 4

5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,

and trust the Lord.

Getting your attitude right before offering sacrifices (worshipping) God is essential. God is not interested in us going through the motions. He desires our whole heart, mind, and soul. This week at the North American Christian Convention is a chance for me to recharge. To get my attitude properly adjusted. To recalibrate my faith, using the book of Acts as the proper means of recalibration. To rest my body physically. To reconnect with brothers and sisters from around the globe. One night into the convention, and I am well on my way to achieving those goals. I praise God for this time of Refreshing (and that is next year’s theme).

Refreshing and Recharging

Psalm 3

5 I lay down and slept,

yet I woke up in safety,

for the Lord was watching over me.

I know this is a Psalm of thanksgiving for protection from enemies. Today, starts the 2011 North American Christian Convention, and the enemy satan, is prowling seeking to distract and devour those whom he may. I am praying for God’s hand of protection for all of us who are about to be challenged to be unleashed in the name of Jesus. I am grateful for the night’s rest we have had, following a couple of very long days on the road, and a long but wonderful evening with brothers and sisters in Christ celebrating the July 4th festivities here in the greater Cincinnati region. Thank You, Lord for You unending watch over us and for Your unending love for us. May this week be a time of refreshing and recharging as we are unleashed in the name of Jesus to change the world in which we live!!!

Submit To God's Royal Son

Psalm 2

10 Now then, you kings, act wisely!

Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,

and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—

for his anger flares up in an instant.

But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Today, we celebrate Independence Day in the United States of America. As a Christ Follower, I celebrate my independence from sin every day. I want to do my best to follow Jesus (not just to be a fan of His). I pray that the leaders of this great nation will do the same. We have not done this as a whole in America for quite some time now, and it is amazing to me that God’s wrath hasn’t poured out upon this country because of that. May those of us who follow Christ and live in America continue to pray, repent, and lead by example so that others around us will follow Christ. May our lives help others understand the eternal importance of submitting to God’s Royal Son.

How Saul Got Saved

Acts 22

6 “As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.

“And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene,^[c^] the one you are persecuting.’ 9 The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.

10 “I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

“And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’

11 “I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions. 12 A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus. 13 He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!

14 “Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. 15 For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. 16 What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’”

Many people try to tell the story of the conversion of Saul of Tsarsus. They claim that he was saved on the road to Damascus, but that is NOT what he says. When giving his testimony, Saul, now known as Paul, tells people that on the road, his instructions were: “get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.” So, what was he told to do after he went into Damascus? Well, Ananias said: “What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.” THAT, my friends is the true story of how Saul got saved...straight from the mouth of the one who experienced that salvation!

Praise the Lord

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

This Psalm and 1 John chapter 3 are my memory work passages of Scripture for this calendar year. I want my life to reflect an attitude of praise always. Not just when I am leading a corporate Celebration Service on Sunday, but when I am doing yard work through the week, when I am doing media work, sermon duplication, sweeping floors, lifting heavy stuff, driving down the road, standing in line at the grocery store. May my life reflect praise and glory and honor for the Lord God Almighty every day in every single activity of my life!

I Am Ready

Acts 21

10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

I would in no way place myself in Paul’s class, but like him, I simply want to pray every day: “I am ready.” Lord, I am ready to go where You want me to go, to stay where You want me to stay. I am ready to say what You would have me to say, and to guard my tongue for Your glory always. I want only Your will for my life. I know that You have blessed me with talent and with opportunities. May I make the most of these for Your glory every day You grant me here on this earth.