Dressed For Success

There is a childrens story titled "The Emperors New Wardrobe" that tells the story about an emperor who cared only for how he looked. He was a prideful man. One day he decided to walk in a parade to show off a new wardrobe that his tailors told him only a person of his stature could see. Even though he could not see them, his pride would not allow him to confess which caused him to parade around unclothed! How many are sitting in our churches and are spiritually undressed. We put on Christianity but never put on Christ. In essence we are unclothed. We find a story from Jesus in Matthew 22 about a great feast. When the King comes through the banquet hall he finds a man who doesn't have the right clothes and he is thrown out. I do not want to be found in this condition! If all I do is put on Christianity, then all I'm doing is putting on works and works don't save me. I must, you must, put on Jesus Christ. Putting all of our hope and trust in Him. Don't be to prideful today to confess your issues to Christ. Trust Him and He will cloth you......STEP Forward!

Don't Lose the Joy!

I want to encourage you today not to lose your joy and if you have....GET IT BACK! When we lose our joy in serving Christ everything, and I do mean everything, will begin to suffer. We will lose interest in our relationship with Christ and will eventually begin to compromise. We will lose interest in serving others and will begin to live selfishly. We will begin to think only of ourselves instead of being invested in our spouse and children. Everything will begin to suffer. We must remember that joy is not the same as happy. I once heard someone say that "to be happy I need good stuff to happen, but my joy is simply based on who Christ is." What a powerful truth. I will, and you as well, have days where bad things instead of good take place. I can not allow those days to still my joy! No matter what our days are like, It does not change what Christ did, who Christ is, or what Christ promised! For that reason alone our joy should be "unspeakable and full of glory." If you have found yourself to have lost your joy then do what David did in Psalms 51, repent and ask God to "restore the joy of His salvation."........STEP Forward!

Never Give Up

It is inevitable that bad days will come. That some days, you will be better than others. The reason is is that we are not yet perfect. Though we are to strive everyday to grow closer to God through faith in Christ and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, there are times that our flesh will rise up. I am in no way giving liscense to sin. Romans 6 tells us that we are not to continue in a lifestyle of sin. However he also reminds us in Romans 7 that we still have a struggle with our flesh. In fact he cries out "oh wretched man that I am!" have you ever felt like that? I have. It is a feeling of almost hopelessness. A feeling that you are never going to achieve what you want to become. A feeling that you are a failure. It is in this moment that we must read the rest of what Paul wrote, "who can save me?! Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord!" we must remember that we can not do the work ourselves. It is Christ who works in us. It is His grace and forgiveness. The Bible says that He is able to finish what He began in us. Perhaps what we need today is to recommit ourselves to trusting in His grace and not our works........STEP Forward!

Is God Even Paying Attention?

Have you ever asked the above question? Have you ever felt like you were going through tough situations alone and that God must have gotten off a couple exits back? I have, and chances are you have too. We all go through seasons of hard trials. We all have moments where we feel like we may not survive this and perhaps you have even had that moment where you were ready to throw in the towel. Here is what I have personally learned about those moments in life: "When it doesn't look like God is working at all, He is working the most". Just because we can't see or feel Him, does not mean He is not there. In 1 Kings 17:8-16 we find the story of a widow who was living in a time of famine. She and her son only had enough food for one more meal. There was nothing left in the reserves. No more savings, no more coupons. This was IT! She surely felt hopeless and in despair. In one place she even admitted her feelings when she said, "my son and I are going to eat this and then die". HOWEVER! God was working on the other side of the situation. There was a prophet on the way with a word from God that would become her provision through the remainder of the famine. The Bible says that when she decided to trust in God, her barrel never ran empty. Maybe that's where you are today. You are in the place of giving up. I say to you, hold on and put your trust in God. Not in what you see, but in what He has told you......STEP Forward!

What Are We Giving?

I was sitting in service Sunday night listening to the evangelist that is with us this week, and the thought dropped in my spirit "if you are not giving all, you are not giving at all." I have played that over and over in my mind since then. What a powerful concept. I believe that many in our churches, and I am guilty of this, are giving some but not all. Perhaps we may even be giving most of ourselves, but if we are not giving our all, then we are giving nothing. Our example is Jesus. The Bible teaches us that He came and gave His all, His whole life, on the cross so that all who believed in Him, would have life. Jesus gave all. The Bible also teaches us to totally deny ourselves in becoming His disciples. Maybe today you are giving Him your Sunday but not your Monday. Maybe you are giving your time, but not your money. Maybe you are giving your stuff, but not your self. He wants it all. My time, my energy, my stuff, my money, everything that I have and that I am, He wants it. Thats what it means for Him to be Lord. If He is not your Lord, then you are living in rebellion and rebellion is sin. Give Him your all today.......STEP Forward!