Be Careful The Associations You Make

Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble. (Proverbs 13:20 NLT)

Associations have the power to shape our character! Most of us would SAY that we do not hang out with our enemies, however, the opposite is true in some cases. It is possible to have someone as a friend who is an enemy to our souls. In the above verse and again in Psalms 1, we are told that who we associate with we become like. If I spend most of my time with those who do not have a relationship with Christ, then eventually I will take on the characteristics of the world. However, if I spend time with those who are passionately following Jesus, that too will rub off on me and my passion for Him will grow as well. To be wise I must follow those that are wise, and WHO is wiser than Jesus?! The closer we get to Him the better off we are and the greater the impact we can make on others. Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ." Can others follow your example, or are you being shaped by the culture to much to make a difference? Check your connection to Jesus today and through prayer, ask God to speak to you about your associations......STEP Forward!

Don't Ever Forget!

In Genesis chapter 32, Jacob is dealing with some uncertain times. He has just dealt with a father-in-law who was dishonest and now he is heading back home where he hasnt been for 20 years because his own brother wanted to kill him. He does not know what is ahead of him, whether good or bad. So in verses 9-11 we find him praying and his prayer is centered around what God had before promised him. He reminded God, not that God needs reminding, that it was He who told him to return home with the promise that all would go well. The reality is is that we will all find ourselves in times of uncertainty and all we can do is what Jacob did. Don't ever forget what God has told you. Don't ever forget His promises to you. They will give you peace in the storms of your life. I recently have been dealing with some personal issues, and God has led me back to what He has before said. He will not leave or forsake us. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If you are ever in doubt about whether or not you are on the right path, just recall what God said to you.......STEP Forward!

I Will....No Matter What!

This is the day the Lord has. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

I mentioned the above verse at the end of yesterday's service and felt led to post it here today. Life is not always fair. Sometimes bad things happen even to godly people. Just because we are followers of God doesn't mean we are not going to face difficult times. Things that we don't understand. Bad doctor reports. Bad news from the job front, and so forth. But just because something "bad" happens, doesn't mean that we are forgotten or forsaken. It's just life. God has not changed and He never will. What we go through has the potential to make us greater and stronger. It has the potential to better us for Gods service and to reach others. In the above verse, the psalmist says that God made today. In other words, everyday that I have is a gift from God, and no matter what I face today, I must be determined to rejoice and be glad. I can't let lifes circumstances talk me out of who God is. I can't let bad things convince me that God is bad. When I make the decision to rejoice and be glad no matter what, I become an overcomer. Perhaps life has thrown you a curve lately. I know that it hurts and that it would be easier to sulk, but God is still in control and this is not the end. Who will you trust?the God who gave this day to you as gift or the one who brought the bad news.......STEP Forward!

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!