Guile!

Merriam-Webster pocket dictionary defines guile as such, "deceitful - cunning". In I Peter 2:22 scripture says in reference to Christ Jesus, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Chapter 3:10 of the same book says, "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile..." Jesus had no sin or guile in his life. He spoke the truth in love. We should be inspired to do the same knowing we are to be like him and that we will see good days when we do so, as stated in I Peter 3:10. Do you know anyone who refrains their tongue from guile? In our world, most folks will tell partial truth when they think that they have something to gain from doing so. Some use guile, they say, to protect others who are weak and need their help. What do we use guile for? Or is guile actually in our lives? I hope that we are all receiving the Holy Spirit as he is pointing out our use of guile, and are repenting of it in our lives. Remember John 8: 31-32 which says, "...if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free." True freedom requires that we speak no guile.

Love Your Wife Like Christ Loved The Church!

I've sat in my office with them on many occasions. There stories sounded so much alike that it made me wonder if they had some sort of club where they learned their lines to certain interactions. He would say, "Pastor I will love my wife like Christ loved the Church when she submits to me in all things as unto the Lord." Yep, you guessed it, she would say, "Pastor I will submit to my husband as unto the Lord in all things when he loves me like Christ loved the Church." Someone needs to man up to their responsibility as unto the Lord. Brothers do we want to be a Godly leader for our Lord, our wives, and our children? If so, it's time to step up and become the servant leader that God intends for us to be. With one last question, I will leave it lay. How did Christ love the Church? Didn't he love us while we were yet sinners? Yes he did, and so must we love our wives the same way.

The Best!

Every man needs a wife, because many things go wrong that he can't blame on the government. With the joking set aside, consider Proverbs 18:22 which says, "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord." God's favor and a wonderful woman for your wife, sounds like the best a man can have.

God Is Good!

Just as the Psalmist David said in Psalm 27:13, I would like to say for myself; "I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Just how wonderful it is that God is with us all the time and most certainly in the time of trouble. For the past 66 years God has been with me through the good times and through the hard times and I praise him for that fact. Psalm 48:14 says, "For this God is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death." Sorry Mr. Skeptic, but God is alive and very much working in this world and in our lives.

Got Faith?

Saul's soldiers thought Goliath was too big to kill. David thought that he was too big to miss! Is our faith anywhere near this level? If not, why not? The Bible says in Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We must learn to obey the word by stepping out in faith to do just as God says. We too, will soon have mature faith and that faith will allow us to accomplish much on behalf of the Lord.

Praise Ye The Lord!

Psalm 149:5-9 says, "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord." Did you know that praise is this powerful?

A Prayer Away!

In Psalm 20:1 we read, "The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;" Verse 9 of the same chapter says, "Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call." Isn't it wonderful and a great blessing the fact that we can call on God in the name of Jesus at any time night or day and He will hear and answer. Thank you Lord Jesus for your great sacrifice for each of our lives. We bless and praise you that you are only a prayer away.

Rich And Wealthy!

A farmer was overheard describing his financial condition in a colorful way. He said, "I'm as broke as the ten commandments." To that regard, I hope we are all rich and wealthy for keeping the ten commandments.

Its Our Turn!

Luke 6:31 says, "And as you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." This is called the "golden rule" and it is our turn. It is always our turn and we should be about it, for it brings life to all involved, because it is after all, "God's Word".

Forsake Not!

Some people never come to church except for their baby dedication, their marriage, and their funeral, or it could be said this way when they are hatched, matched, and dispatched. Hebrews 10: 25 says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching," It is important that we worship together, pray together, and sit under the preaching and teaching of God's word together. That assembling does not need to be in what man calls a "Church" but can be anywhere believers meet to worship the Lord. Hope all of us are able to assemble with other believers this weekend for a time of worship. Blessings!

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. I like the word rejoice. In Psalm 13 it tells us to rejoice in God's salvation. Have we paused today in our busyness to thank the Lord for saving our souls? If not, perhaps now would be the appropriate time. As a chorus goes, "Thank you Lord for saving my soul, Thank you Lord for making me whole, Thank you Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free."

What is it like when we speak?

Psalm 11:6 Amplified Version says, "The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over." When God speaks it is pure and holy and to be relied upon. What is it like when we speak? Verse 2 & 3 of the same chapter KJV says, "They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:" What is it like when we speak? We had best make sure that our hearts are pure before we speak, for Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Clean hearts will bring forth clean words. God is not to be mocked, we will reap exactly what we sow. He is listening to us each time we speak.

If The Foundations Be Destroyed

In Psalm 11:3 the Bible says, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" There is no doubt that we live in an hour when the foundations are being destroyed. In every country men are doing what is right in their own eyes. Folks are no longer following the laws of the land nor God's laws. Criminals have more rights than the average citizen and they are armed to the maximum. The world is in chaos and what can the righteous do? Verse 4 of that same chapter gives us the answer, "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." We must remember that God is on the throne and we can turn to him in Jesus name and he will hear and answer our prayers. God is not shocked at what man is doing. Sure he hates evil and his word clearly says so, but the time of the Lord's return is not yet. We surely don't know the hour or day but we know that there is an hour and day in which the Lord will return to execute his righteous judgment on all. Let's all be about doing God's word and being a witness to all who observe our lives. Let's lay a righteous foundation in our lives by obeying God's word! Perhaps others will follow.