Happiness Is The Lord!

Let me ask you. Are you happy? If not, why not? We live in the most wealthy and powerful nation in the world. Does power make one happy? Does wealth make a person happy? Most modern day advertising is directed at making us desire something that we don't currently possess with the reason given "to make us happy". The Bible says in Colossians 2:19, "And ye are complete in him..." The being complete has reference to coming to the fullness of life, and the him is Jesus. Power and wealth and education won't do it for mankind. It is presented to us through Jesus Christ the Savior and Lord of the world. If you have Christ as Savior and Lord you have the fruit of the Spirit developing within. One of the fruit of the Spirit is Joy. That's right Joy. God gives to his children Joy. When we are full of Joy, we are happy and content and complete. Do you know Christ? Are you full of Joy? We cannot be fulfilled through things, power, position, or wealth; but only through Christ Jesus. An old time chorus says, "Happiness is to know the Savior, living a life within his favor, having a change in my behavior, Happiness is the Lord." In summary, Happiness is the Lord.

Armor Less?

Paul wrote in Ephesians about the armor of God and how we need to wear it. In Chapter 6:13 it reads, "Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, ..."
It happens just about every year that someone will take a hike in Rocky Mtn. National Park during a threatening storm and will be struck by lightning and killed on the spot. Their life could have been spared if they would have heeded the authorities warnings. We too can be struck dead if we disregard Paul's warning about the spiritual battles that we will encounter in life. We need to put on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to stand against the tricks of the devil. So many Christians think that they know better than God and the Apostle Paul and they try to battle the devil with their intellect. This course of action will cause them to be struck down as though a bolt of lightning hit them. Let's put on the whole armor of God daily, and ask God to help us stand and overcome the tricks of the enemy. Are we one of the armor less ones who think we can make it on our own? I sure hope we aren't!

Life Is?

Life is summarized with this thought, love God and one another.

Just Wondering!

Can't help but wonder what would be the outcome if we had a holiday on our calendar for mending. We could have it in March or May. It could be called "March Mending Day" or "May's Day Of Mending". I'm not talking about mending socks, or mending fences so cattle can't get out. I'm talking about mending unhealthy relationships in our lives. You know what I mean, reaching out in love, grace, and humility to our hurt family member, neighbor, or friend. It would be a manifestation of God's word where we are told to do to others the way we wanted them to do towards us. Like loving God and our neighbor as we love ourselves. Maybe our part would be to forgive someone as God has forgiven us, or perhaps to ask forgiveness. The key to it's success might just be found in our willingness and desire to be at peace with God and all men. We don't always have to agree with everyone on each issue of life, but we are called upon to love one another. Jesus even told us to love our enemies. Well like I said, I was just wondering!

20/20

The parents of two teenagers are worried about their teens failing eyesight. The daughter can't find anything to wear in a closet full of clothes and the son can't find anything good to eat in a refrigerator full of food. Perhaps the best eye salve (ointment) for these two teens is found in I Thessalonians 5: 18 which says, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." As we become thankful for God's awesome provision into our lives, our vision becomes 20/20. How are we seeing just now in our lives?

What Are You Seeing?

I've seen the Saved
I've seen the Healed
I've seen the Broken
I've seen the Filled
I've seen them Laugh
I've seen them Cry
I've seen them Live
I've seen them Die
What are you seeing?

What Are You Looking At?

II Corinthians 4: 17-18 says, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." How important is it for us to keep our eyes on the right thing? It is vital that we look to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12: 2) for that is what is eternal. The world and all of it's stuff will pass away but not God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, The Bible, or Heaven, for these are all eternal.

Looking For Holes?

One's attitude is so important. If you only look for holes, you will think a screen is useless: yet it keeps the flies out. If we are inclined to look for loop holes in the word of God, we are ill advised. We must simply be those who do the word and not just listen to it. The word of God keeps the enemy out of our lives, that is, if we do it.

Yes, I Must Be In Heaven

Early in my career as a doctor, I went to see a patient who was just coming out of anesthesia. Far off church chimes were sounding. The woman murmured, "I must be in heaven." Then she saw me. She said, "No, I can't be, there's Dr. Campbell." What would the woman have to say if she came out of anesthesia and saw one of us standing there? Hopefully she would say, "Yes I must be in Heaven."

Yea and Amen!

II Corinthians 1:20, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." In Jesus the answer is YES, not maybe, or we'll see, but YES. God is the giver of all good gifts and hopefully we will receive through Christ Jesus all of his good gifts. Perhaps it would help us to study just what is promised to us, and then hold on to it in Jesus. It could be Christmas in July in all of our lives.

Love Never Fails

You might know the verses out of I John 4:7,8 which reads as such, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." It is wonderful that God is love and we can know him and experience as well as share his love. In I Cor. 13:8 it says, "Love never fails, ..." Could we surmise then, that our God never fails. Well of course we can and we should know at all times that God is love and that love never fails. It is important that we live in the reality of what I'm saying here. God is for us at all times and he is here to help us at all times. He is not missing or tardy. He is ever present with us and because of that we should rest in his peace.

The Blessing Of Rain!

All of this rain that we have had lately reminded me of these verses where Jesus spoke in Matthew 5:43-45, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." If God treats the evil and unjust with the blessing of sending the sun and rain upon them as well as upon us, shouldn't we walk full of his grace towards them as well?

Fret Not!

I often remind myself of a very important principle found in God's word. In Psalm 37:1-2 we read, Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb." In verses 8 - 9 of the same chapter it says, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth." We need to be careful and not worry about evil people and their deeds for God has it all in hand and will in His good timing deal with all these people and their situations. Care to rest with me in the Lord?

God's Wisdom

There is so much wisdom to be found in God's word, and the book of Proverbs offers its own bounty is this area. For instance Proverbs 19:11 says, "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." It is good for us to restrain our anger (be angry and sin not - Eph. 4:26), and it is to our credit to overlook an offense directed at us. We are called to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. How much of God's wisdom is evident in our lives?

You Are Not Your Own!

Paul writing to the church at Corinth in chapter 6:19-20 says, "What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Mark these words, "ye are not your own", for they are at the foundation of most believer's problems. We aren't in charge of our lives, God is. If we don't believe it, we will be taught by the Holy Spirit that it is true. Most problems can be linked to our refusing to obey God and his word. The prevailing reason that we disobey is that we want to do our own thing in our own way. Are we not able to see that we cannot serve God and self at the same time? Life has got to be lived in God way at God's time. Anything else falls short of the glory of God for we are not our own we are bought with a price.