A daily audio devotional delivered to your mp3 player Monday through Friday
This is my New Year blessing and prayer for all who listen. You can click the player to hear it or the download link to save it to your computer. Happy New Year, and may God bless you all.
God is God alone,
He made all we see.
But the world has many things
That would our idols be. They would take God's place
In our busy lives,
But God is the only one
Who all our needs supplies. Only God can save,
Only through His Son,
Though the devil lies and says
That many gods are one. We must make a choice
To serve God today,
And to not let worldly things
Cause us to go astray.
8 Don't fear, neither be afraid. Haven't I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don't know any other Rock."
9 Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don't see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
10 Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.
There are many things in this world that people worship as gods. Sometimes worldly desires such as money, sex, drugs or fame are put in high places in our minds and we lust after them instead of seeking God. Some of us actually worship other spirits and even make statues or images of those spirits. Even worse, some would claim that all these other spirits as represented by various images and statues are all various forms of one divine spirit, and therefore we all are worshiping God even if we worship God in another form. But this is not true at all. There is in fact only one true God in only three manifestations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Anything else or any other spirit is powerless in the face of the one true God. Any worldly desire that takes the place of God in our minds is meaningless and is not of God. These things are all referred to in the Bible as idols, and God says that we shouldn't bow to them. Nothing is to be placed above or even beside God in our lives; no spirit, no image or statue and no desire or created thing. God alone is above all and is the only one worthy of such high regard and worship. So we must be careful what we think about and how much. We must be careful that the things we want and the worldly things we love don't take our minds off God, who supplies all we can ever hope for. Because if we do let something else take the place of God in our lives, we will ultimately be disappointed. Nothing in Heaven or in earth and no spiritual being comes close to the love, grace, mercy and power of God, and none of these other things could possibly save us as Jesus Christ did when He laid down His life for each one of us.
LORD, we thank You that we are able to come to Your throne of grace. We thank You that Your mercy and loving kindness are everlasting. God, there are things in our lives that we have set in high places in our minds. We sometimes give these things so much attention that they take our minds off You and become gods to us. Help us to remember that You created all these worldly things, so they could never take Your place. Help us to keep our minds focused on You so that we're not disappointed when the things we desire fail to satisfy us as only You can. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Continue to pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering from the effects of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help has arrived, and people are on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water, supplies and medical care they need. Pray for the people providing much needed help and supplies, that they will be able to go where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him even in this most unlikely situation.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, therefore I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. All songs, including my original compositions, all text and spoken words and all scripture passages are released into the public domain for the glory of God. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
O Lord, our Lord, in all the earth,
How excellent Thy Name!
Thy glory Thou hast spread afar
In all the starry frame. From lips of children, Thou, O Lord,
Hast mighty strength ordained,
That adversaries should be stilled
And vengeful foes restrained. When I regard the wondrous heavens,
Thy handiwork on high,
The moon and stars ordained by Thee,
Oh, what is man! I cry. Oh, what is man, in Thy regard
To hold so large a place!
And what the son of man, that Thou
Dost visit him in grace! For Thou hast made him little less
Than Thy blest angels be;
With honor Thou hast crowned his head
And glorious dignity. On man Thy wisdom hath bestowed
A pow’r well nigh divine;
With honor Thou hast crowned his head
With glory like to Thine. Thou hast subjected all to him,
And lord of all is he,
Of flocks and herds, and beasts and birds,
And all within the sea. Thy mighty works and wondrous grace
Thy glory, Lord, proclaim.
O Lord, our Lord, in all the earth
How excellent Thy Name!
1 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who has set your glory above the heavens!
2 From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained;
4 what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?
5 For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field,
8 The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Look at the world around us. Look at all the wonderful things that God has made. Look up in the sky and see the sun, the moon and all the countless stars. Look at all the flowers and trees and grass growing from the ground. Look at the ocean with all its many creatures. Seeing all these things, who are we and why does God care about us so much? We are his greatest work, and we show forth His glory like nothing else which He has made. All the other things God has made are finished. They don't need to be improved or perfected. But we are always works in progress, constantly being improved and perfected by God each and every day. And this is the reason why He cares about us so much that He sent Jesus to die so that we may live, and why to this day He continues to change us from the inside and to help us to become more like Him. It's all for His glory. We see the glory of God in all of nature if we know where to look, but the more we become like Him, the more of His glory we show to the rest of the world, even if they don't know where to look. You see, God is above all, and there is none like Him, but many are blinded by the things of the world and they can't see the glory of God in everyday things. But we are the light of the world. So the more we allow God to work in and through us, the more of God's light will shine through us, so that others can't help but see God living on the inside of us. And once they see God living on the inside of us, they will allow Him to live inside of them as well, and He will begin working in their lives. Just as one candle can light many others, we as living works of God can light many other people for God as we let Him work through us. Go ahead and light some candles for God today and show the world how majestic He is.
LORD God, thank You for caring about us. Thank You for continuing to work in and through us to bring others into Your presence. Thank You that You made us able to show Your glory in the world like nothing else You have made. Now as we go through this day, continue working in us to bring Your light to the people we meet. Help us to show Your love to the people we meed today, just as someone else showed Your love to each one of us, so that You may be glorified in all that we do. In the majestic and excellent name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Continue to pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help has arrived, and people are on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water, supplies and medical care they need. Pray for the people providing much needed help and supplies, that they will be able to go where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him even in this most unlikely situation.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, therefore I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
“If you love Me, I now say,
All My teaching you’ll obey.
I will to My Father pray,
And He’ll send His Spirit to stay. “Spirit of truth and Counselor,
Unknown by the world this hour;
But you know His presence here,
With you, in you, always near. “Orphans you will never be.
Though the world will not see Me,
You will see, I’ll come to you;
Since I live, you will live too. “You’re in Me and I’m in you;
I am in My Father too.
If you My commands obey,
You’ll show love for Me this way. “If you love Me, you’ll be loved
By my Father God above.
I Myself will love you too,
And will show Myself to you. “Peace I leave with you this day,
Not as in the world’s own way.
Let your hearts not feel dismay;
Do not fear; My peace will stay.”
15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,--
17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can't receive; for it doesn't see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21 One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
24 He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me.
25 I have said these things to you, while still living with you.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
Once we showed our love for God by accepting His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, He sent us His Holy Spirit to live inside of us forever. But many people misunderstand who the Holy Spirit is and what He does for us. Some say that if we are dancing, jumping, shouting or speaking in tongues, that we are "in the Spirit." But that's not exactly the case. There's nothing at all wrong with praising and worshiping God in this way, and the Holy Spirit does at times lead some people into worship in this way. But we must understand that the Holy Spirit is always within us, even when we don't feel like dancing and shouting, and even when words in another language don't come to our lips. There are also people who say we must "pray in the Spirit," which basically means that if we aren't praying in another language or making moaning and groaning sounds, that we aren't truly praying. But that again is not entirely true. The bible tells us in Romans 8:26: "In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered." This doesn't mean that we moan and groan and use words in other languages because we can't pray in our native tongue. It simply means that because we don't know how to pray as we should, the Holy Spirit prays for us, and when He prays on our behalf, He, the Holy Spirit, prays using groanings that we are unable to speak. So does this mean it's wrong to pray in tongues or to cry out to God without using words? Absolutely not. The Holy Spirit can and does lead some people to pray in that way. But we should not feel worried or guilty if we don't. We must simply remember to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as we pray and ask Him to pray on our behalf when we don't know how to pray as we should.
You see, the Holy Spirit is the guide, teacher and comforter who lives on the inside of us at all times, whether we feel like He's there or not. And we need no special "heavenly language" to communicate with Him, because He knows how to communicate with the Father, even when we don't. We can and should talk to the Holy Spirit just as we would talk to a friend who is in the same room with us, even though we can't see Him and can't always feel Him. He is always right here with us and is leading, guiding and prompting us at all times in all situations. All we have to do is ask Him for help and understanding and listen to the response. This response always comes, not necessarily in the form we think it should, but it always comes to us. And we can be sure that if we listen carefully to the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will always keep us on the right path. He's not called guide and councilor for nothing. He is one of the three persons of God, so just like the Father and the Son, He always keeps His word.
Ask the Holy Spirit for understanding and wisdom as You study the Bible. Ask Him to teach you the truths of God's Word that don't seem immediately apparent. Ask Him to lead you and guide you through every aspect of your life. Listen and obey His prompting at all times, no matter how you feel and no matter the situation. The Holy Spirit will never steer you wrong, because He's God, and God never lies.
Father God, we thank you for sending Your Holy Spirit to live inside of each one of us. Holy Spirit, we thank You for always being with us, even if life's circumstances keep us from being able to feel an emotional response to Your presence. Help us to remember that we can always talk to You. Help us to remember that when we dont know how to pray, that You are always there to pray for us, even if we can't speak the words or the sounds. Beautiful and precious Spirit of God, teach us, lead us and guide us through every aspect of our lives. Give us wisdom and understanding as we study the Bible and reveal the truth that doesn't immediately jump out and grab our attention. We ask these things in the lovely name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Continue to pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help has arrived, and people are on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water, supplies and medical care they need. Pray for the people providing much needed help and supplies, that they will be able to go where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him even in this most unlikely situation.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, therefore I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
Do not worry for your life,
What you’ll eat or drink or wear;
Is not life much more important
Than these things that cause you care?
See the birds—they sow and reap not,
Nor in barns do store away.
Yet your heav’nly Father feeds them;
Have you not more worth than they? And why worry about clothing?
See the lilies’ glad array;
Solomon in all his splendor
Never dressed as fine as they.
This is how God clothes the grasses,
Though their life is but a day.
Will He not much more meet your needs?
Let your faith not fade away. So I tell you, do not worry,
Asking what you’ll eat or drink.
Nor be anxious about clothing—
These are things that all men seek.
And your Father knows you need them;
Worry won’t command His power.
Which of you by constant fretting
Adds to life a single hour? Seek first, then, your Father’s kingdom
And His righteousness on high.
All these things will then be given;
God will not neglect your cry.
So fret not about tomorrow;
God directs the future, too.
Though each day will bring its troubles,
Trust in Him—He’ll see you through.
25 Therefore, I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they?
27 "Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin,
29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
31 "Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?'
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient.
It's quite natural for us as human beings to worry about what could happen or how we'll get food, drink or clothing, especially with our economy in trouble and money getting tight. But although worry for the future and our own survival is a natural instinct, we have God to take care of us. Jesus says in the Bible that God feeds the birds without them having to gather and store food. He says that God clothes the grass and the flowers and they don't do any work to make their own clothing. Then He goes on to say that we as human beings are much more important to Him than any of those things. Therefore, Jesus says, and it makes sense to believe, that since we are more valuable than the birds or the grass, that God would most certainly provide for all our needs. Worrying about what we have, how we'll get what we need or the things that may happen to us doesn't cause God to act on our behalf. We must simply trust and believe that He will do what He says in His Word. God doesn't lie, so if He says He'll do something, we can be fully confident that He will most certainly do it.
Here's something that is extremely difficult even for myself, but as Christians, we all must do this. We must stop worrying about our lives. We must stop worrying about the future. We must give all our cares to God, because He knows what we need and will most certainly provide all that we need to live and to bless others. He says so in His Word, and no one can honestly say that God is a liar. We must trust and believe that God will give us everything we need to live and to do His work in the world around us. Once we put all our faith In God, who is the source of all blessing, from waking up in the morning to the meals we eat and the clothes we wear, and once we give our lives fully to Him, even if at first that seems impossible to do, we'll experience the joy of serving God in all that we do and we'll receive the reward of eternal life in Heaven with Him. We'll also be able to make Earth a much better place to live while we're here.
Father God, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for letting us know that You provide everything that we need to live and to be a blessing as we serve You. Help us to remember Your Word. Help us to learn to trust You and to give our entire lives completely and fully to You. LORD, it's hard for us to give our lives fully to You. It's hard at times to trust and believe that You do everything You promise You will do. LORD, things happen to us, troubles come and life causes us to doubt You. Help us to learn to trust and believe everything You say to us in spite of anything that happens to us that would test our faith. Help us to remember to always look to You for all we need, even if it looks like we won't survive; even if it looks like we won't get food; even if it looks like all our money is gone, so we can't buy the things we need to live. We ask these things in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Continue to pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help has arrived, and people are on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water, supplies and medical care they need. Pray for the people providing much needed help and supplies, that they will be able to go where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him even in this most unlikely situation.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, therefore I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
Everyone should be quick to listen—hear now and heed—
Slow to speak, also slow to anger in word and deed.
Anger does not yield a life praised by the Lord,
So get rid of all sin and humbly accept God’s Word. If you listen, but do not practice, you’ll go astray,
Like a man who looks in a mirror, then goes away.
You must keep looking; God’s Word will set you free.
Don’t forget what you’ve heard, but do it, and blessed you’ll be. If you think you’re a model Christian, yet speak too free,
If your tongue has no rein, faith’s worthless; you’ve been deceived.
Here’s faith the Father accepts as pure and true:
Help the needy, keep from defilement in all you do.
19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
Being quick to listen and slow to speak is very difficult for many people. The natural instinct for those people is to speak quickly, either to defend themselves or their actions or to attempt to persuade the speaker to see something their way. But this is clearly in contrast with the Word of God, which says that we must be quick to listen and slow to speak. Sometimes the words that someone is saying to us make us angry. The Bible also tells us that we should be slow to anger. If we get angry too quickly about what someone is saying to us, we lose sight of the truth that person is trying to impart to us. Note that the Bible never told us to sit down and shut up. It never told us that we shouldn't feel an emotional response of anger when someone is saying things that we feel are contrary to God's Living Word. The Bible tells us that we should instead listen to everything and then speak, discussing points of contention in a civilized way and coming to an agreement based on the Word of God rather than on our own minds.
Now after we have listened and discussed points of contention, coming to an agreement based on the Word of God, we should not forget the conversation we've just had. God has clearly spoken to us through the discourse we had with another person, because we invited Him into the discussion. So we must take that knowledge away with us. We must study the Bible for ourselves and pray for the understanding of God's Word, and then we must take it and apply it to our everyday lives. God didn't tell us to be forgetters of the Word without remembering it, and He didn't tell us to simply memorize and be speakers of the Word without doing what it says. So we must learn to apply the Word of God to our lives each and every day in each and every situation. Once we learn to apply God's Word to our lives, we will have a much closer relationship with God and our lives will be much better because of it. If we don't forget God's Word and if we apply it to our everyday lives, God will take care of us no matter what happens. He says so right there in the Bible, and He never breaks a promise.
Father God, we thank You for Your inspired Word. We thank You for giving us words to live by as well as promises for our lives. Help us to learn to listen more to the people You send into our lives. Help us to learn to be slow to speak and slow to anger, because that is Your way. Help us to learn how to have civilized discussions that reach agreement based on Your Living Word and to take that Word and apply it to our situation rather than going away and forgetting what we learned. All this seems like the hardest thing in the world to do, and for us it may even seem impossible. But with Your help, we can do anything. We ask all these things in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Continue to pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help has arrived, and people are on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water and supplies they need. Pray for the people providing much needed supplies, that they will be able to get them to where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him in this most unlikely of situations.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, so I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
11 Not that I speak in respect to lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.
12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
We all have times of need. But then we all have times of plenty. There are times when we are humbled by things around us and things that happen to us and there are times we feel like we can fly because things are going so well. But no matter what is happening to us, no matter what we have at any one time, we must learn to be content in all circumstances. This is entirely impossible on our own. On our own, we feel at times like we just can't keep on living. On our own, we feel that life has no meaning. On our own, there is no way through any problems we have. On our own, good is good and bad is bad, and we feel good when we have a lot and bad when we have little. But there is a secret to being hungry and being content in that. There's a secret to being full and being content in that as well. There's a secret to being content in all things, whether good or bad. Verse 13 tells us that secret, and that is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That's right. no matter what happens or what we have or don't have, we have an endless supply of strength that comes from Jesus Christ. Knowing this, we have the power that comes from Him to take on any situation, good or bad, that comes our way. So whenever things are good, we can be content in the knowledge that God gave us such good things. And whenever things are bad, we have the strength from Jesus Christ to be content in that as well, because He and only He sustains us. Look to Jesus today. Find your source of contentment and strength, no matter what may be happening to you, no matter how much or how little you have. Lean on His everlasting arms and He will support you every hour of every day.
Father God, we thank You for being our source of strength. We thank You for giving us all we need and for the ability to be strong in all circumstances. LORD, teach us to be content in all things, when it seems like we have enough, and also when it seems like we are in great need. Teach us to look to You to help us through life's trials and tests of our faith, and also teach us not to lose sight of You when all is going well. Teach us that contentment in all things doesn't mean satisfaction with the way things are, but instead means that we know the source of our strength and that we have You to take care of us no matter what we may be facing. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Please pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help is on the way, and people are already on the ground with food, water and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food, water and supplies they need. Pray for the people providing much needed supplies, that they will be able to get them to where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him in this most unlikely of situations.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, so I don't claim any copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Were my life worth living for a day?
Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort
In the things that soon must pass away?
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife?
Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing
For a moment with a Christ-filled life? O the joy of having all in Jesus!
What a balm the broken heart to heal!
Ne’er a sin so great, but He’ll forgive it,
Nor a sorrow that He does not feel!
If I have but Jesus, only Jesus,
Nothing else in all the world beside—
O then everything is mine in Jesus;
For my needs and more He will provide.
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesn't consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,
4 he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
5 constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't carry anything out.
8 But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.
9 But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Paul didn't sell the Gospel. Neither did he sell blessings. Neither did any of the other apostles do these things. But every day we see churches on TV, hear them on the radio or perhaps even sit in their pews, that sell healing or blessings or try to make people feel guilty if they don't give more than they are able, all so that the pastor or other officers of the church can have a new expensive suit, a big fancy house, an expensive car or even a private jet. I do understand that a church needs money to spread the Gospel. I understand that churches have to use worldly systems such as TV, radio, the internet, printed publication and travel to do the work of God, and that this costs money. But last time I checked, a Honda Accord has the same potential to spread God's word as a Cadillac, and Southwest Airlines can be used just as effectively to transport a person of God as a private jet, and with a much lower cost. Not to mention the fact that the Bible, the very book being used by these churches to make their highest officers and pastors a quick buck, says that we should be content with food to eat and clothes to wear and that we should withdraw ourselves from those people who think that godliness is a means of gain, or in other words, we should avoid people who think that God is a get rich quick scheme. Such people are suffering from a love of money, which the Bible tells us is a root of all kinds of evil, and greed, which the Bible tells us leads us astray from the faith and causes much sorrow. So preachers, stop trying to get rich by selling God and start being content with the fact that He provides for your needs and even provides all you need to be a blessing to others. And church members and others who visit, watch or listen to a church, give your money where the Holy Spirit tells you it will do the most good, and don't feel guilty if you aren't helping to make somebody rich. One good way to give money to the work of God would be to buy groceries for your neighbor and tell him or her about Jesus, effectively helping someone in need by helping them to receive salvation and also providing needed food. This goes a long way toward receiving true gain, which is the heavenly treasure that comes from knowing, loving and serving God, and the reward of eternal life with Him.
LORD, we thank You for providing for all our needs. We thank You that we can count on You to bless us with all we need to live and to be a blessing to others. God, we know that we are to be content with whatever You give us, but sometimes living in the world makes it hard. Help us to be content with everything you provide for us, and help us to use your provision in our lives to be a blessing in the lives of others. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and anyone who contributes in other ways.
Any brand or company names in today's podcast were only used as examples and are not endorsements or advertisements. I don't and never will ask for money either from listeners or from advertisers, because this podcast is a free gift from God.
Please pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help is on the way, and people are already on the ground with food and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food and supplies they need. Pray for the people providing food and supplies, that they will be able to get them to where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him in this most unlikely of situations.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. No human being can claim to own God or His words, so I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
God's Words are like the drops of rain
That water drying ground,
And like the rays of sunshine
That spread morning light around.
God's words do what He says they'll do
And never void return,
Though withering grass and fading flowers
One day in fire will burn. God's thoughts are truly not our thoughts,
His ways are not our ways,
So put aside your evil thoughts
And serve our God today.
God pardons all who come to Him
And choose to do His will,
So choose to serve the LORD today
And in His peace be still.
7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says Yahweh.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
God speaks to us in the Bible. He also speaks directly to us by the Holy Spirit, which is supported in the Bible. Whenever and however He speaks to us, God doesn't speak empty words. He says that His words are like rain on the ground. They do what He sent them to do and never return void. The problem with us as human beings is that listening to God is a learning process. It's hard to know who's speaking when people take scripture out of context in an attempt to justify wickedness or disprove the Bible. It's also hard to know who's speaking when we receive conflicting actions spoken to us, one by God and the other by the enemy, Satan, who is very good at giving us scripture and sounding in our minds like the voice of reason, or even like how we may think God would speak to us.
I'm not here to tell you who is speaking to you and when, because I don't know the situation you may find yourself facing. There's not even a magic formula that will automatically unmask the devil and amplify God's voice so that it hits your ears like a giant thunder clap. But I can tell you that God is with you no matter what problem you may be facing or what decision you need to make. Study the Bible for yourself and find God's voice there. Ask Him for wisdom and understanding to know the true meaning of the words on the pages, unclouded by previous interpretations given to you by pastors of churches, friends, family members or others. Open yourself to direct communication with the Holy Spirit who will freely give you hidden meanings in God's Living Word. Remove the devil from your mind and your thoughts. The power to do this is given to you by God. Use it to the fullest. Once that line of communication between you and God is opened up, keep it clear by continuing to study His Word and pray for guidance. Don't allow any sin to come into your life to block the line of communication. It's a long process and can even seem quite difficult at times, but once you have fully open, continuous communication with God, your life will be entirely directed by Him and you will begin to live to your fullest potential by the power of God, who is living on the inside of you.
LORD God, we thank You for Your Living Word. We thank You for the power that You give us to have continuous open communication with You. Give us the wisdom and understanding we need, which only comes from You, in order that we may know how to apply Your Word in our lives. In the name of Jesus, we bind Satan. He must leave our minds and thoughts and allow us to hear the voice of God. LORD, help us to hear and recognize Your voice in our lives at all times. Direct our steps and keep us focused on You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Please pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help is on the way, and people are already on the ground with food and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food and supplies they need. Pray for the people providing food and supplies, that they will be able to get them to where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him in this most unlikely of situations.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. No human being can claim to own God or His words, so I claim absolutely no copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
Heav’nly Father, this I pray,
Make me more like Jesus;
Lead me in the heav’nly way,
Make me more like Jesus. More and more, more and more,
More and more like Jesus;
Lead me in the heav’nly way,
More and more like Jesus. Father, teach me day by day,
To be more like Jesus!
Teach me how to watch and pray,
And be more like Jesus. More and more, more and more,
More and more like Jesus;
Lead me in the heav’nly way,
More and more like Jesus. In submission, faith, and love,
Make me more like Jesus!
Grant this blessing from above,
Make me more like Jesus. More and more, more and more,
More and more like Jesus;
Lead me in the heav’nly way,
More and more like Jesus.
12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
13 You call me, 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You say so correctly, for so I am.
14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him.
17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus, the Son of God and the Word by which the universe and everything in it was created, came to Earth in human form. He came to give us eternal life by dying for our sin. He came to live as a human being; to feel what we feel and to experience what we experience. But there's another reason Jesus lived on Earth as a man. He lived here to teach us how to live, not only in words, but also by example. Everything Jesus did here on Earth was done to teach us. So we can look back over the life of Jesus Christ and know how we are to live, because Jesus Himself lived to be an example of Christian life.
Study the life of Christ today. Look at how He lived and look at everything He did. He explains in the Bible why He did those things. Then ask God for the grace to live more like Jesus each and every day. In all things, ask yourself "What would Jesus do?" Then find out what He did in a similar situation by looking in His Word. Then ask God to help you apply the example of Christ to your own life.
Father God, we thank You for sending Your Son to Earth. We thank You for the example of His life. Help us to apply this example in our own lives. Help us to live more like Jesus each and every day. It's not easy, but with Your help, we can do it. In the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Unless otherwise specified, scripture passages in this podcast are quoted from the World English Bible, a copyright free modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The translation is reliable and accurate, but it is still in progress. Please visit the web site and consider helping in any way you can if the Holy Spirit moves you. If you feel unable to contribute to the translation, please pray for the translators, the editors and all those who contribute in other ways.
Please pray for the people of Haiti who are suffering because of the earthquake on Tuesday January 12. Help is on the way, and people are already on the ground with food and supplies. But they still need our prayer. Pray that the people of Haiti will receive the food and supplies they need. Pray for the people providing food and supplies, that they will be able to get them to where they're needed most. Pray for those who don't know Jesus Christ, that they will find Him in this most unlikely of situations.
If you've been blessed by this podcast, please help me share it with the world. I can't claim to own God or His words, so I don't claim any copyright on His podcast. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:8. Have a blessed day in the name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and may His Light shine through you everywhere you go.
