The Lord is Our Judge

"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, he LORD is our king; it is he who will save us. Isa 33:22

The world is on the verge of worldwide panic. Economic recession and political tension consumes the headlines. Decision makers vacillate because the problems seem so complex and overwhelming. The world has dug itself a financial hole through excessive spending and the accumulation of massive debt. Those who loaned the money to fuel the spending spree and grew wealthy on the interest, are now finding it difficult to be paid back what was borrowed from them. We face uncertain and potentially dangerous times ahead.

As a society, we are like children who have run away from home and found that the world can be cold and dark outside of the confines of the warmth and security of our parents home. We are like sheep who have wandered away from the protection of the shepherd and are standing in the midst of wolves. We have chosen to ignore what our Creator has told us is best and have wandered away from his covering.

The problems we have today are of our own doing. God is not punishing us because he is mad; rather we are suffering from what He warned about. He loves us and wants us to return home. How many times did we read his word and say, "God really didn't mean that, I think we can still do this and be okay." We rationalized his word saying, "the Bible cannot be taken literally, it must evolve with the times. After all, it was written by humans, how could they know what God was thinking?" Or worse many have chosen to completely ignore Him saying, "The Bible is just a collection of fairy tales, that are for weak-minded people, who needs it."

The Holy Spirit through his servant Moses wrote, "The LORD will vindicate his people and relent concerning his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. " Deut 32:36 Although this was written specifically for the Jews, it certainly applies to the world situation today. "He (God)will say: 'Now where are their gods (money, credit cards, material things) the rock they took refuge in,'" Deut 32:37

Many people say that God is mean, that he brings down calamity on the world. The fact is we serve a good God, one like a good parent wants the best for his children, who loves them and disciplines them when they are doing something they shouldn't. We cannot run our lives without boundaries. The boundaries established by God. When we look at the Bible as a source of things that are written by a cruel God who doesn't want us to have fun, we miss the point. Like a good parent, God does not want us to get hurt. He doesn't want us to suffer economic hardship, so he wrote through Solomon, "the borrower is the slave to the lender." Prov 22:7 No, God wants his children to enjoy life and because he is wiser that us, he has established the best possible set of boundaries to maximize our freedom and safety.

We are in this current situation for only one reason. We have chosen to ignore God's advice and now we must let the mess we have caused unravel itself. Many will lose everything they have accumulated and many will find themselves with no job or home. People will lash out against each other and sadly some may be murdered or assaulted. Some may even choose to commit suicide and others imprisoned. None of it is a surprise to God and none of it was caused by Him! The echoes of what he warned the Jews in the desert are ringing loudly today. History repeats itself.

My prayer. Father thank you that you want the best for your children. Thank you that you would not let us stray too far from home and that as a good shepherd you would gently nudge us back. I pray for an awakening in your people that we may see the error of our decisions and repent from our misdirection and begin the journey back to You. I pray for financial wisdom and blessings in the days ahead and I thank you that you will have compassion on your servants. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!

Are You Ready?

"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Acts 7:55


While Stephen was being stoned by the religious leaders in Jerusalem he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Acts 7:59 Luke said, that Stephen "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing (at God's right hand)!" Stephen was clearly serving God no matter what the cost, he was truly "full of the Holy Spirit."


I have been asking the Lord lately to reveal to me what he wants me to do for Him and His Kingdom and although he is silent on the specifics he continues to reveal to me that there will be troubled times ahead. He has given me Jeremiah 13 and 17 as well as Revelation 2 (the "persecuted church" as his words to me. He is clearly reminding me of difficult times ahead for the Body of Christ. These are the days of Noah and we will all need to have the strength that Daniel had in his faith if we are to persevere.


In my study in the Book of Acts, the Lord has made it abundantly clear to me that what Stephen suffered because he chose to tell the truth of the gospel, is an echo of what life soon will be like even in America. Today, verbal stones are constantly being hurled in our direction. The congregations of many denominational churches are shrinking. I believe there will be a day in this country that many Christians will have to seek the underground as they do in China and North Korea. Churches of the future will most likely look like the home churches that were first organized in Stephen's day.

Just as our European brothers and sisters do in England and elsewhere, Christians battle in an increasingly secular society to practice what their moral compass requires even at the risk of their jobs. The rise of socialism and diminishing freedom in the name of societal engineering is driving out ethical behavior and replacing it with moral relativism and a strong centralized government that desires to enslave its citizenry and control every aspect of daily life. The United States is fast becoming a socialist "democracy" with a leadership that is imposing its will upon the people through fear. Christians are the last bastion of resistance and the length of freedom's reign in the United States will be directly proportional to our willingness to endure the "stones."

While we stand and pray for our leadership to seek the will of God for our country, we are preparing ourselves for a spiritual battle unlike we have ever experienced. The Spirit-filled Christian will be the last man standing in a war against tyranny.

Are we ready to take the persecution?

Do we have enough love for Jesus and our fellow man to stand up for what we believe and speak the truth even when the rocks begin to reign down on our heads?

The time is now, to man up and serve the God who loved us enough to hang on a cross so that we could spend eternity with him in Paradise. Lord, give us the strength to endure to the end, like our brother Stephen.

I'm in! Will you join me!

Through Life's Trials

"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;" Rev 2:8-11

In Jesus' letter to the church at Smyrna he writes, "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)....." In these difficult days many of us face job loss and and financial hardship. Stresses of everyday life are magnified as the pressure of the economic crisis enveloping the world weighs heavy on everyone. We as Christians however have cause to rejoice because we have a Savior in Jesus Christ who is with us no matter how difficult the struggle. We are truly rich even in our poverty.

I believe the times we are in will get worse and even in the United States Christians may experience increasing persecution as liberal groups continue to influence our politicians and the affairs of our government. Jesus prophetically predicted this and as he wrote to the persecuted church in Smyrna, " and I know the the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." Jesus, encouraged them as he does us now to "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days," because the faithful will receive "unto death, .....a crown of life."

Jesus' message is for today and for all who are and will be persecuted for their faith. Whether it is a reprimand at work or a physical beating, we as believers are or will be persecuted and we must endure to the end. God may not always deliver us from the trials of life but he is always faithful to stand with us as we endure them. Just as He shut the mouths of lions and lead his people as a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night, God is with us. We will persevere until the end if we trust that he is the "Alpha and the Omega" the beginning and the end. "He that hath an ear, let him hear."

Our First Love

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

Jesus, who walks in the midst of the churches, explains to the Church at Ephesus that He knows their works, how hard they labor, how they have been patient and how much they hate evil. He continues, “you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” All great praises from the Savior.

But the King also has this to say, a message for all of us in the “Loveless Church.” “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” How devastating it is to hear Jesus use these words, “you have left your first love.” He is telling the Ephesians and all of us “who have an ear” that we must be careful not to forget why our churches exist and who it is we are there to worship. Jesus says to everyone, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

Our faith must not be in the youth programs, the praise band or the size of the sanctuary; it is about loving Jesus and remembering how he captured our hearts when we realized that he loved us so much that he willingly gave his life that we may be sinless in the eyes of God. We cannot lose site of the fact that He gave of himself as an example that we are to give of ourselves completely to His service and the service of others.

I Stand at the Door and Knock

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev 3:19-21.



In the Book of Revelation, Jesus writes seven letters to Churches of that day which when laid out in order, mystically reveal church history from 100 AD until the time of the Great Tribulation. The commendation and criticism God had for each of the churches reveal to the modern day Christian that there are many practices and attitudes in churches today that the believer, who is serious about his relationship with the Father, should distance himself from.

Many people today are claiming that they have "lost their religion" because of the experiences they have had in church. Judging from the letters in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 this is not at all surprising to God. Jesus clearly reminds seven times, "He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches." that we should recgonize the churches that do not stand on the word of God and leave them. Warning us of the dangers of false doctrine and the dismissal of God's word.

We live in very interesting times. The level of deception seems to be increasing and the number of people leaving churches because of false doctrine, wickedness in the pulpits and hypocracy in the pews, is on the rise. As believers we must pray for the lost and lead them gently to the loving arms of our Father who wants to adopt them into his family (our family). Time seems to be running short as the day of our Lord's glorious return is ever closer.

My prayer. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would open the eyes and ears of your wandering sheep and turn them back toward you. I pray that we as your children will be more keenly aware of how to reach your sheep and help guide them back to you . Show us Father how to lead them back as you change their hearts and call them out of darkness and into light. I pray in earnest that all may find their way home, in Jesus mighty name. Amen!

Forgive One Another and Be Healed

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Eph 4:31-32

We all have things that we hold on to. I suppose there is security in holding on; like a blanket or a pacifier to a young child. Even after we are saved and we promise to give our hearts to God and walk with Jesus Christ daily we continue to carry those burdens into our new lives with Christ. We fool ourselves into thinking that because we accept Christ as our Saviour that the burdens and the past will melt away in the euphoria of our salvation. Not exactly! When we give our hearts to Him, we have work to do. In fact, we may discover that we have burdens we didn't realize after we walk with God awhile.

No, just like when we went forward or we prayed a prayer and asked God to step into our lives, we also have to physically with some and spiritually with all our burdens "let go" of them. If we are grasping hold of our anger toward another, or hanging on to an addiction we cannot take hold of Jesus' hand and allow him to lead us. If we harbor resentment, jealousy or lust in our hearts there is no room for God there to heal us from them. We must make the first move our selves with these burdens of our former selves and release our grip on them so that we can grab hold of something new.

I have learned so much in my walk with God but letting go seems to have been the most difficult lesson. God however, is patient and has allowed me to release them over time while revealing new ones that I didn't realize I held onto. Like a parent, God loves us through these issues but we must trust him and give the problem to him freely and keep our hands off while he heals the wounds and replaces the burden with more of him.

Its a wonderful experience but you have to make the first move.

My prayer. Father thank you for your gift of salvation through your one and only Son. Thank you that you love your children so much that you want none of us to suffer the burdens that we have taken from the devil and have carried all of our lives. Not all of these hurts we asked for, some of them were done to us by people who were supposed to love and care for us, but none the less we still hold onto the pain because that is all we have ever done. Help us Lord to trust you enough to release our grip on the hurts and the burdens of our past. Replace them with more of your love and lead us Lord into new lives of service to you and our brothers and sisters who are still lost and carrying their own loads. We want to be free Lord and take hold of the good things that you want to give your children. Thank you Lord! I pray all of these things in Jesus mighty name, Amen!

Begining of Wisdom

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7

There are a lot of difficult questions facing our world today. How do we organize our spending priorities to change the economic crisis we are in? How do we resolve the problem of world wide terrorism? Should we continue with the war in Iraq or move to Afghanistan? On the medical front, in the classroom, on Capitol Hill and in the cities and towns across America, we seem to have more questions than good answers.

Fundamentally, we have failed to look to our best source for answers the one true God. The most wise man to ever have lived was King Solomon. He was wealthy beyond his wildest dream but the one thing he asked God for was to gran him wisdom and God did. Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Each is filled with tremendous insight and wisdom for young and old alike, for leaders, for married couples and a host of other professional disciplines and social situations.

However, Solomon starts his writings with what I believe is his most profound revelation for the God, the spiritual author of everything he wrote. All knowledge begins with fear (respect and reverence) of the Lord. One can spend a lifetime studying and become a scholar and recognized expert in his or her field, but without a genuine reverence for God, all of it is for naught.

Isaiah 29:14 says, "I (God) will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Paul says in 1 Corinthians that God has "made foolish the wisdom of the world."

What scholar has figured out where the earth came from? Why are no two snowflakes the same? Who or what caused "Old Faithful" to erupt like clockwork for thousands of years? In the thirty-eighth chapter of the Book of Job, God conducts a four chapter final exam for which Job cannot answer a single question after which he concedes "I know that you can do all things (Lord); no plan of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:2

As much as we try to find the answers to life's most difficult questions and debate over Darwin Theory, our minuscule attempt at gaining knowledge cannot advance until we first concede like Job "and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6 God is the Creator, the author and he knows the beginning from the end and until we grasp that knowledge we will be hopelessly searching for wisdom and find ourselves miserably lost and ignorant.

My Prayer. Father, please forgive us for thinking we are wise when we fail recognize you as our loving and gracious redeemer. Forgive our arrogance and our pride and gently nudge us back from our aimless wandering. Help us to realize like you did with Job that it is only through your plan that our life will be lived. Help us to understand that we are your hands and feet and that your purpose will be fulfilled no matter how hard we try to do things on our own. Thank you Lord for continuously bringing us back as a shepherd rounds up his strays. Thank you for loving us enough to give us your Son as redemption from our sin and mediator for us when we wander away. I love you Father and I ask you for a double portion of wisdom beginning with a deep reverence for your goodness and mercy. In Jesus name I pray, Amen