“I Know No Limits”

Feeling limited? Feeling stifled? Feeling like you are beating your head against a wall? I believe this Psalm contains the secret to living the Christian Life…

“My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits.” Psalm 71:15 NKJV

This is such a powerful Scripture. It speaks of newness, boldness, righteousness, Heaven, and all that encompasses the declaration of the Salvation of the Most High. How in the world can any of us be so courageous so as to proclaim this great Gospel? The last part of the verse gives us the key. “For I do not know limits.” Notice in the original language the word, “their” isn’t even there! I believe this was David’s secret to “the Christian Life”, if you will. He saw himself as unlimited! Could it be that so many of us are not sharing the glorious Good News that God can make us righteous and that His Salvation is available is because we set limits on ourselves? We feel we’re limited by our mistakes, our past, our jobs, our cities. We find ourselves saying, “Oh if only….” David wasn’t like this. He was going forward because he didn’t know anything about limits. If you would have asked David, “But what about the strongholds of the enemies?” He would have said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, anyway God fights my battles!” We need to learn to live without limitations. We must break them off and begin to do what God has called us to do!

A Changed Life

One of our youth sharing a little testimony of how Youth Discipleship changed her life. Enjoy!

How do you see “Jesus”?

This is really quick. Who is Jesus to you? Check out this video. Post a quick comment.

When we go “a whoring”

Never say, “Never”, is the adage. “Not me, Jesus, I’ll never forsake you!!” Watch out!

Judges 2:17 KJV “And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.”

Judges 2:17 MSG “But they wouldn’t listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods–worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to GOD’s commands. They refused to have anything to do with it”.

It’s this phrase, “they went a whoring after other gods” in the King James Version that really stands out to me. It has such an in-your-face connotation to it. God wanted to bless, protect, and meet every need of the children of Israel, but as they forsook the Lord to go after these other gods they actually found themselves in an unexpected predicament. Isn’t that the way sin always is? Because they wouldn’t listen to the deliverers God had raised-up…

1. They ended-up bowing down to who they prostituted themselves to.
• 2Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has conquered us. GNB
• I’m sure the first few times a person uses Crack Cocaine thinks it’s pretty fun, but then he finds himself “bowing down” to it. It has become his new master.

2. They took an unmarked off-ramp to leave the highway their forefathers walked-in.
• How sad when someone has once walked on the road of obeying God’s commandments and then leaves for something, (or someone) else. God’s Word is our “Road map” as we live in this world.

3. Their attitude became a reinforced snobbery of rebellion against God.
• It’s a sad day when a person has gone so far that they thumb their nose at the One who did so much for them. This type of warped thinking doesn’t just automatically happen. It starts with a glance, with a subtle temptation, with a person who’s already done it, and there’s an unexplained attraction. But in the process Satan is sliding on the hand-cuffs, and there will be no escape unless the victim cried out to the Lord from the heart. [Judges 2:18].

When we leave our 1st Love [Rev. 2:4] to go a whoring after other gods it has ghastly results. God’s desire is for us to stay in perpetual communion with Him and to walk according to His Word.

Daily Bible Reading: Judges 1-3

Around the World in 3 Verses

“Lord, please don’t send me to Africa!” is the prayer of many Christians today. But maybe that prayer is twisted for a reason. Could it be that we’re not seeing something?

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 67-68

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 67:1-3 “O God, in mercy bless us; let your face beam with joy as you look down at us. 2 Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind. 3 How everyone throughout the earth will praise the Lord!” TLB

OBSERVATION
1. MERCY: Mercy Comes First. God is always the initiator, and man is the respondent. What a wonderful thing Mercy is! When we ought to be judged, God has mercy!

2. SHINE: Then God’s Face Shines Upon Us. No mention here of us doing anything to make God happy. And yet when we receive His Mercy it thrills the heart of God. No longer is there any barrier. Now we have wide-open fellowship and communion with God.

3. EVANGELISM: The Right Response. Here the Psalmist is so overwhelmed with the Mercy and the shinning Face of God that he says, “Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind!” This is God’s desire. It’s not something we have to conjure up. It’s not that we’ll have a world-wide ministry, but it’s the natural prayer of someone who has experienced God’s Love. How can we not want everyone to know this great Mercy and Love?

APPLICATION
Barriers, walls, sins, strongholds, transgressions, anger and resentment – this is why we need Mercy. Until we humble ourselves and ask for Mercy we won’t get past any of it. But as we do – anything is possible with God smiling over your life! If I don’t have this burning heart for world evangelism and Missions could it be that I haven’t experienced Mercy? Could it be that God isn’t pleased with me? I want to take some time to really pray about my heart today. Because deep down I really want everyone to hear the Gospel, but I am willing to pray that God would literally send me around the world to do it? What kind of sacrifice are we talking about here?

PRAYER
“Lord, how I desire to pray like the Psalmist. But my heart needs Mercy. My heart needs You. Please have Mercy on me this morning. Let my heart burn with a day-by-day passion to see the Gospel declared in all the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Caught Drooling…

Have you ever been caught drooling? How embarrassing! But before the “drool” is the “signal”. I wonder how many Christians today are “signaling” without even knowing it.

Daily Bible Reading: Matt. 23-28

SCRIPTURE “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Matthew 25:5-6 KJV

OBSERVATION
Most believers know about the 10 Virgins, and how that 5 were wise, and 5 were foolish, and that we should be like the 5 wise virgins, (obviously). But, this morning I saw something: “They ALL slumbered and slept”. These are actually 2 different words. “Slept” is= totally asleep. But the other word, “Slumbered” actually comes from 2 words= 1) Nodding, and 2) signaling. Have you ever seen someone beginning to nod off? They’re signaling to everyone, “Look at me, I’m exhausted! And I’m about to fall asleep.” Well, in these Scriptures even the “wise virgins” were caught drooling. Have you ever been caught drooling? How embarrassing! But before the “drool” is the “signal”. I wonder how many Christians today are “signaling” without even knowing it. As they hold on to the “pillow” of their secret sin the drool of a cold and indifferent heart is like a screaming ambulance signal in Heaven, and… in Hell.

APPLICATION
It also mentions that there was “a cry made”. This is amazing, because even though we might be drooling on our pillow of slothfulness still the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention. He could just let us settle on our dregs at the darkest moments of our life, but He intrudes with His own signal! His strong desire is for us to be fully awake, fully filled with Oil, ready to do the will of God, and ready to meet the Lord in Heaven at any moment. We need to hear the signaling cry of the Holy Spirit today.

PRAYER
“Lord, let me not slumber, let me not nod off in my spiritual walk with You. I don’t want to be caught drooling in apathy when You come. I want to be fully awake – busy doing Your will. I also pray that not only would I be awake, but that You would use me in this generations to cause others to be awakened! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

Bunch ‘a Smart-Alicks!

Have you ever encountered a “Smart-Alick”? Yeah, who hasn’t? Did you know that Jesus ran into “Smart-Alicks” all the time? How do you handle people like that? Because they can really be draining!

Daily Bible Reading: The Gospel of Matthew 20-22

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 22:17-21 “Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” NKJV

OBSERVATION
In chapter 22 of Matthew’s Gospel there were at least 3 Smart-Alick questions posed at Jesus. I’m all for honest questions about the Bible, [and I know Jesus is too], but when you get people who just want to start a fight – I just don’t have time for that. I think its good [and necessary] to be able to defend your faith, but here Jesus must have been shaking His head at these people. I’m sure He was holding Himself back from “getting in the flesh”. If He did I’m sure He’d say something like, “Ya’ll are ‘a bunch of smart-alicks!” Why? Because they didn’t really want to seek the truth, all they wanted was to trap Jesus and make HIM look like a fool. That’s…. not a good idea. [But He did call them, “hypocrites”, so… I guess He did get them a little bit. I like that! Go get ‘em, Jesus!]

APPLICATION
I love the wisdom of Jesus. He didn’t “get in the flesh” and lash-out, but He had such incredible wisdom, and with that wisdom He put THEM in their place. I think we need to be careful about being a “Smart-Alick” around people, and especially around the Lord. If you’re wanting to really know the answer – great. But if you’re only trying to make people look stupid by starting some kind of argument over the Bible I think you need to check your heart. I know I need to check mine everyday to make sure that I’m being honest to God, AND to the person I shave in the mirror each morning. I believe God will give us incredible wisdom for the moment to handle the “smart-alicks” in a way that truly honors God.

PRAYER
“Lord, there something in my heart this morning that really wants to be open and honest before You. I do need wisdom, but I never want to be so hardened in my heart that I become a whining “smart-alick”. I pray that I would seek after wisdom and truth like precious jewels that are in the earth. Help me today. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

A Holy “Daw-gawn it”?

Frustration, anger, resentment, profanity… uhh? Could it be that God has prepared this situation to bless you?

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 63-66, Matt. 17-19

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 65:9 “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. KJV

OBSERVATION
In my study this morning I discovered that the word, “corn” (or “Grain”) in Hebrew is the word, dâgân, which is pronounced: “daw-gawn”: which literally means “increase”! Think of it. Most of the time when we say that slang word we mean something else. (Yep.) People use it when they’re frustrated about something. It’s when there doesn’t seem to be any “increase” we say, “Daw-gawn it!” But instead of getting in the flesh we need to see that God really brought this situation to bring us “holy daw-gawn it” of increase! Instead of frustration God will “visit” us with the River of God! The Holy Spirit will enrich us and prepare us for increase, because He really is planning that for us! God isn’t leaving us to fend for ourselves. No! He’s desiring to visit us even in the midst of our carnal, “daw-gawn it’s!” He has a plan. It’s not a bare-bones minimum blessing of a trickle either. The River of God is FULL of water! Glory!

APPLICATION
When I’m tempted to get angry, frustrated, or get in the flesh I must understand that God has an alternative. God’s alternative can bring more – increase. But if I don’t understand that the Lord is visiting me in these situations I may miss the precious outpouring of the River of God to meet all my needs.

PRAYER
“O Lord, it’s my prayer this morning that You would bring increase in my life. Help me not live in the rut of frustration, saying in effect, “Daw-gawn it!” Rather let me expect You to bring a holy “daw-gawn” of increase and blessing! Thank You for visiting me in times when I least expect it. You are amazing. I bless and love you this morning. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”