Saturday, January 29, 2011

In Whom Do We Receive Comfort?

In my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class, we are studying the book of Isaiah, which is not a very easy book of the Bible. I am amazed by this book, simply because I must have skimmed through it earlier and not fully grasp everything that was being said to the people of Israel or to me.

It is a book that all believers should study at some point in their lifetime. It is a love story between God and his people. God is a god who loves His people and will not leave them alone or to their own devices. He promises never to leave or forsake His own even when we don't believe that He is true to His promises.

A couple of scriptures I would like to share with you. A friend shared today one from the book of Psalms, chapter 130, verse 5, which reads, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word, I put my hope." Another friend shared Isaiah 40:31 what says, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

There is a whole lot of waiting in these two scriptures and I must confess that waiting requires patience. My patience comes and goes; not sure about yours. I know that as a Christian I am suppose to possess the fruits of the Holy Spirit and patience is one of those fruits. I am not good at waiting. I have a hard time sitting still. I want to move around and do things, find things to do. But these scriptures say to "wait," and waiting requires patience.

There are three stages of Christian growth: (1) the young Christian shall mount up as an eagle; (2) the adult Christian shall run; and (3) the mature Christian shall walk. Regardless of who you are, if you are going to move with God through this earth, it will cost you something. One thing for certain, God will furnish you strength in whatever your condition might be. If you need strength to walk, He will give it to you. If you need strength to fly, He has that for you also. If you need strength to run, God will give you that too. God is our Comforter and the scripture in Isaiah reveals God as our Creator, as our Savior, and as our Sustainer.

God is our everything. He is our all and all. Whatever you need, He can provide it. There is a catch. We must have faith. We must trust Him. Mostly, we must be obedient to His word.

God is not going to leave any of His creation alone, to go it on their own. We must rely on Him. We cannot align ourselves with any one else but Him. Don't go to your friends or even your family to give you some relief in this walk called Life. God is our only ally. As I often tell my children, don't come to me, don't go to the phone, but go to the throne of God, and offer up a prayer. God does hear you and He will provide an answer, in His time. Don't expect immediate results. God's timing is not out timing. But wait...but wait on the Lord, and put your hope and trust in Him.

A person of faith takes God at His Word and realizes that God is committed to His Word. A person of faith knows that God honors His Word above His name and has settled in his heart that God intends to bring His Word to fulfillment. A person of faith remains confident in God's promises and takes His warnings seriously.

God wants to receive the glory and He can only be gloried if we believe in what His Word says. When we wait on God to do what He says, we demonstrate that we have some patience.

Thought for Today: Remember that God intends good for His people to give them hope. Wait, I say, wait on the Lord.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Amazing Grace

I was twiced blessed today, two reminders on this Martin Luther King Day celebration and the sacrifice that Dr. King made so that we can enjoy the freedom and privileges that we now have.

My Pastor, Rev. Dr. Cleopatrick Lacy, preached an excellent sermon and someone emailed the history of the song, Amazing Grace, definitely a favorite of mine.

I wish I had that beautiful voice of Wintley Phipps; he really sings this song but I am going to encourage you to go to http://www.youtube.com/ to view Amazing Grace History by Wintley Phipps.

If you want to hear a dynamite preacher preach and teach, you can contact my church and get a CD of my Pastor, Preacher and Teacher, Rev. Dr. Cleopatrick Lacy, an annointed man of God, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 321 East Taylor Street, Griffin, GA 30223, (770) 228-1927.

I got to plug both this Sunday. It was God's amazing grace that I got up after feeling poorly all week. I got up and got to church. I still have the same aches, but my spirit was fed. I was obedient to the call of Christ, and as my Pastor said in his sermon, that we all should have a song in our heart. He reminded us of the song of Moses (Exodus 15: 1-18) and he reflected on a song we all have know since we were children, "Jesus loves me; Yes, I know, for the Bible tells me so." I know many of you have sung that song; most of us learned it as a child. It is still relevant today.

The Word of God is replete with scripture that reminds us that God loves and cares for us. Look in the concordance in the back of your Bible.

I have to leave you with two of my favorite scriptures 1 Peter 6:7, "Give all your worries to Him, because He cares about you." God cares for us. He says it in Word. He cannot lie, right? He is God and God does not lie.

John 3:16 says that "for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." God loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins. This reminds me of another song, that goes, and "That's love" and I think Vickie Winans sings it. I am not sure that is the title, but she sings it throughout the song. She reminds us of the love that God has for us because of His son's sacrifice on Calvary.

I have written before on the sufficiency of God's grace and it is this amazing grace that we have that gives us assurance of God's love for us. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. Be encouraged and keep a song in your heart! God's amazing grace is sufficient.

Thought for Today: Think on the goodness of God's amazing grace.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Book of the Law

It is funny many people do not favor having to follow or be guided by a book of laws. However, God had a purpose for giving his chosen people a Book of Law by which they should follow and be guided.

We have laws in this country that people are guided by, especially, laws about speeding on highways. There is a reason for a speed limit; your safety and protection and for others.

There is a reason for the Book of Law that was given to the chosen people by Moses from God. It was for their safety and protection and for the safety and protection of others.

I am reminded of the scripture in the book of Joshua that states, "Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

It is amazing when you think that God chose Joshua to led 2 million people into a strange new land and conquer it. I can't think of leading 2 people around the block without getting lost. Joshua, Moses successor, was appointed by God; he was an eyewitness to the Egyptian plagues and the exodus from Egypt, he was Moses personal aide for 40 years of wandering in the desert, and he was one of two spies who searched out the land that God had promised the chosen people and came back with a good report.

Because Joshua had assisted Moses for many years, he was well prepared to take over the leadership of the nation. Every new job is a challenge and God must have felt that Joshua was up to that challenge. Without God it can be frightening. With God it can be a great adventure. Just as God was with Joshua, He is also with us as we face our new challenges.

God promises to never leave or abandon us. By asking God to direct us we can conquer many of life's challenges. Let's look at what Joshua is asking the people of Israel. He is saying to not let the Book of Law depart from your mouth. Constantly read and study the Book of Law--God's Word. Meditate on it day and night. Be consistent, think about it all the time so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Obey God's law and by doing so, you will prosper and be successful.

Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that for Joshua to be successful, Joshua would have to be strong and courageous because the task ahead of him was not easy; he would have to obey God's law and he would have to constantly read and study the Word of God.

To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua; you may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes, and his opinion lasts forever.

Thought for Today: Success and prosperity are obtained by following the Word of God and being guided by the Holy Spirit.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Intimate with Jesus

True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and spirit.

The whole experience of life is designed to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His Word, but do we really know Him?

In John 14:9, "Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?'

Jesus is the visible, tangible image of the invisible God. He is the complete revelation of what God is like. He is the Son of God.

Hebrews 1:2 states, "the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word. When we know Jesus, we have all we need to be saved from our sin and to have a perfect relationship with God.

Jesus explained to Philip, who wanted to see the Father, that to know Jesus is to know God. The search for God, for truth and reality, ends in Christ.

Jesus is the Way to the Father. Many people and religions have problems with Jesus being the same as the Father, but the bible is clear, He is the Son of the living God and if you see Him, you will see the Father.

Colossians 1:18-20 says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or power or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him. He is the head of the body, the church."

Jesus is not only equal to God , but He is the exact representation of God. He not only reflects God, but He reveals God to us (John 1:19). This is one of the strongest statements about the divine nature of God found anywhere in the Bible.

Thought for Today: Get to know Jesus personally. He will lead you to the Father.