GIVE PRAISE TO GOD TODAY

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. (Psalm 113:3 NIV) One of the joys of living in the High Desert is our sunrises and sunsets - both of which are spectacular. The beautiful hues of red and orange take my breath away each and every time I see them. As I was driving to my office yesterday morning I was taken by the sun's rising over our valley and was filled with praise to God for His almighty acts and mercies and blessings on all of our lives. By nature I am a morning person so naturally the sunrises are my favorite. As it ascends over our easterly mountains - I am reminded of the scripture that declares to us that "His mercies are new every morning." The past is over and the struggles of yesterday are behind us. I choose today who I will give my allegiance to. I choose how I will direct my life. I can choose my words and who will hear them. It's a new day with a clean slate. I choose to praise my God and give Him thanks today. My God is good and I want everyone to know that today. I PRAISE MY GOD!

I LOVE GOD'S HOUSE

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (Psalm 84:10 NIV) Unlike a lot of people - I have been a Christian most of my life. The Sunday after I was born I was in my moms arms at church. They didn't have a nursery in those days so I was often put under the pulpit to sleep or play while my parents went about pastoring the church. I even amused the audience from time to time playing peek a boo while the service was going on. Often, I remember going to sleep on the pews during service and waking up in my bed at home. Other than a few short rebellious stints in my life - I have and do enjoy being in God's house still. I love to worship Him and I love to be around God's people. I love seeing my own life change and the life of those around me. I don't ever want to lose that wonder and mystique - ever. I want to always look forward to what God has in store and the lessons and impressions He will bring to my heart. Like David I want to say, "I will enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise" and "It is good for me to be in the house of The Lord." I am a blessed man!

MY GOD IS BIG!

For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 ESV) Each and every one of us live with limitations. As I helped my dad out of bed this morning I was very aware about the limitations we have while on earth - especially as we age. Bodies can only do so much. Minds can only hold so many thoughts. Fincances only go so far, etc. As a result - when we think about God, we do it through the filters of our own limitations. We don't understand what it means to have ALL power or ALL knowledge and ALL wisdom. As a result - we see God only through our finite minds and don't see what He can really do. The fact is - God is ALL powerful and He is ALL WISE and He can do anything. NOTHING is impossible with God - ever. There is no situation out of His control and there is no problem that is too big for Him. He is powerful enough to control the universe but He is also powerful enough to know and be concerned about the little scratch you have on your finger. You can trust Him today with your needs - whether they be big or small. He is waiting for you to call on Him. He loves to hear your voice. He loves to meet your needs FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBE WITH HIM!

"SATAN, YOU HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH!"

"'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have gone far enough, princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 45:9 NIV) The enemy has gone far enough! He has captured our children and has ravaged our dreams. He has tried to bring havoc to our lives and has wounded and destroyed too many people's lives. By the authority that Christ gives - we speak - "Enough is enough!" God has declared a victory over us and we need to walk in that anointing today. The enemy has limits to what he can do to you today. God has surrounded you with angelic protection today and He won't allow any more to come into your life then what you can handle. Don't allow the lies, condemnations and negativity ruin your day. You are a child of the King who has already declared over you victory today. The Sovereign Lord has declared that over you. Accept it and stand in the victory that is yours today!

JESUS IS COMING SOON!

"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. (Revelation 22:12 NIV) A few years ago - we used to hear a lot of sermons about the Second Coming of Jesus. Preachers would preach with elogance that Jesus could come anytime. Movies were made about being left behind what the earth would look like if millions of Christians were raptured. It seems as if this message has now taken a back seat and I fear that for many - it is not at the forefront of many of our hearts. But the reality is this, every day is a day closer to that event taking place. We are told that we don't know the day or the hour but it is coming. It's like THE BIG EARTHQUAKE in California. We know it's coming - it's just a matter of when. The problem then becomes that we are not in a state of readiness and alertness. May I encourage you today that Jesus could come anytime and it is so important for us to always stay ready and to be looking for His soon coming to rapture us to heaven. As I write this today - my heart yearns for that moment in time when we will all be joined together in heaven where there will be no more crying, no more sorrow and no more pain. It will be where we are all together worshipping Him and Him alone. (I can't wait for that worship service). Don't be lazy about this today. Always be on the alert and know that Jesus is coming soon!

DO YOU NEED OPEN HEART SURGERY?

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26, 27 ESV)

Have you ever got into a funk?  I know I have - many times over.  Life has a tendency to wear us down and to cause us look more at our circmstances then to our Master and King - Jesus Christ.  God's promise to us today is that He will give us a new heart to replace the stony heart that develops by the "junk" that creeps into our lives.  Recently, my dad had a double by-pass heart surgery.  The doctor explained that during the operation that his heart would be taken out of his body and put on machines while they worked on the heart.  His chest cavity would be filled with ice to lower the body temperature until they we're able to place the heart back into his body.  Through many hours of surgery - They were able to replace arteries and valves allowing the blood to flow properly again.  It was almost like getting a new heart.  May I challenge you today to allow God to step into your life and do some open heart surgery?  Would you allow Him to deal with the hardness that has crept in and taken over?  Sure,  you can exist without this procedure but you won't have a quality of life.  Please be encouraged today that even if this process is painful - its rewards are so fulfilling and satisfying.  I am a candidate for open heart surgery today by Dr. Jesus and I pray that you will become one too.  God Bless you today!

FROM ONE FRYING PAN TO ANOTHER

In distress you called, and I delivered you;  I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.  Selah (Psalm 81:7 ESV)

Have you ever called out to the Lord in a season of stress and anxiousness.  I know I have - over and over.  It's interesting in this passage that His answer to us comes to us in a completely different way than we would think.  I want my answer to be like Jesus speaking to the storming sea and saying the words "peace" and all of a sudden everything is calm.  But that's not always the way that He works.  This passage tells us that He answers in the "place of thunder" (noisy/ confusion/ unstableness/ stormy) and at the "waters of Meribah" (bitter waters).  The NLT version says that it was the place where there was no water.  It's in these places that our trust has to be totally on Him and not on ourselves. The answer to our stress is that God, at times, puts us into another place of stres and another place of having to trust in Him.  I want the quiet, the peaceful streams, the seclusion - away from everyone and everything and God puts me in another situation where I have to immediately have to start calling out to Him again.  He puts me into the "thunder" and in the places of want and need - in the places that I have to call on Him to make right choices.  It might be that your stress today is the place where your masters has placed you because He knows exactly what you need today.  Trust Him to carry you through to the next place that He has prepared for you.  (Exodus 19:4)

GOD IS GOOD!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22, 23 ESV)

As I was on my knees praying this morning I was reflecting on how good and faithful God is.  I then opened up my Bible to this mornings devotions and read this great scripture and was blessed all over again.  I love this verse because it so true.  Over my years I've heard many people give testimony of God's faithfulness in their lives.  They would say things like "I've never seen God let me down or fail me."  Or "God has always been faithful to me in every part of my life."  Now...that is my testimony today also.  God has been a steady rock and has never let me down on anything.  Sometimes I thought He was a little slow in getting things done but in the end - He always came through at the right time.  He is always faithful and His love is a steady rock in my life.  Today is a new day and His mercies are new all over again.  Have a great day!

STANDING IN THE GAP

“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one. (Ezekiel 22:30 NET)

During a season of intense rebellion - God was looking for someone who was interceding for the nation of Israel.  Sadly, He found no one.  There was not one man or woman who was intently praying for the people to turn from their sins and for the hand of God to not destroy their nation.

I was thinking about this passage this morning and was convicted about the intensity of my prayers for the Victor Valley and for my city, my church and my family. I have family members who don't know Jesus Christ and it is possible that my or my wife's prayers are the only ones going up in intercession on their behalf right now.  Their souls and their future destiny are at stake and it is possible that no one else is praying and interceding for them.

What has God asked you to pray for today?  What is He asking you to intercede for and not give up on?  What family member needs to be the target of your prayers?  It is possible that you are the only one in the whole world that has that assignment today? It is possible that you are the only one standing in the gap for their soul and future destiny.  Don't allow anything to hinder you from falling on your knees today with instensity for the things your heart feels inclined to pray for.  Don't give up when others have given up.  Keep praying.  Keep believing and God will come through for whatever you are praying for.  Pray that spiritual blindness will be pulled down from them.  Pray that bondages will be broken and shackles will drop to the ground.

"Jesus, I ask you today to bring down the strongholds over our loved ones.  I pray that spiritual blindess would stop and that their eyes would be open and that repentance would come.  Lord, even if I am the only one praying for this situation - I entreat you today to hear my prayer and bring the needed deliverance.  I ask this in Jesus' strong name.  Amen."