DO NOT FEAR

On March 4th, 1933, in his inaugural address, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt uttered the words, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". One wonders at the high probability that our God, in HIS providence, influenced Moly, FDR's speech writer and FDR himself to not only include this statement, but to open his address with it. The nation faced dangerous times and challenges.

Fear can and has crippled whole nations reducing them to indecisiveness, error and even destruction. In God's economy, trusting believers push through fear, overcome paralysis, boldly reach beyond their immediate grasp through unbridled faith in God's power to go before you.

"The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." {Deu 31:8}

Yoking yourself to the Almighty and His grace is the horsepower behind success, for His ways are better than our ways; I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. { Jer 10:23}

Unlike God, mans vision is short sighted, often distorted by the influence of the world and of sin. Man's view and power is limited. Limited, that is, until he places his full faith in the hands of the Creator.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. (24) When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. {Psa 37:23-24}

In a Psalm written by Asaph, The Lord's promise holds strong contrasting righteousness over the wicked; "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand." (24) "With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory". { Psa 73:23-24}

All believers should find great comfort and strength in the covenant that Christ Jesus has made with us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. {Rom 8:38-39}

Never attempt to go it alone! Always pray for and invoke the awesome power of our Savior through the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

DO NOT FEAR

On March 4th, 1933, in his inaugural address, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt uttered the words, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". One wonders at the high probability that our God, in HIS providence, influenced Moly, FDR's speech writer and FDR himself to not only include this statement, but to open his address with it. The nation faced dangerous times and challenges.

Fear can and has crippled whole nations reducing them to indecisiveness, error and even destruction. In God's economy, trusting believers push through fear, overcome paralysis, boldly reach beyond their immediate grasp through unbridled faith in God's power to go before you.

"The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." {Deu 31:8}

Yoking yourself to the Almighty and His grace is the horsepower behind success, for His ways are better than our ways; I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. { Jer 10:23}

Unlike God, mans vision is short sighted, often distorted by the influence of the world and of sin. Man's view and power is limited. Limited, that is, until he places his full faith in the hands of the Creator.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. (24) When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. {Psa 37:23-24}

In a Psalm written by Asaph, The Lord's promise holds strong contrasting righteousness over the wicked; "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand." (24) "With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory". { Psa 73:23-24}

All believers should find great comfort and strength in the covenant that Christ Jesus has made with us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. {Rom 8:38-39}

Never attempt to go it alone! Always pray for and invoke the awesome power of our Savior through the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

WE ARE THE CREATURES

HE IS THE CREATOR

It is a mystery to me why humans have such difficulty recognizing the simple relationship, as stated above. He is the CREATOR. We are the CREATED. He is the COMMANDER IN CHIEF. We are not. He makes the rules. We don't. I have a neighbor who has a four year old. Even she grasps this concept. What is our problem?

It seems the older we get, the narrower our view becomes. We tend to see ourselves as total and complete in our soft and squishy selves. We actually believe that we are in full charge in our pathetically weak and ineffective lives. Let me ask you brother, when was the last time YOU moved a constellation, or modified the orbit of a star? How about the last time YOU created life out of nothing? How about the time you last spoke the Word and created water out of simple, breathable air? {crickets...}

Here are just a few of the attributes of our CREATOR, our GOD, our BOSS; He is Solitary -- The only one; He is Sovereign, He is Immutable {He cannot change}; He is all Powerful; He is Holy; He is Faithful; He is Mercy; He is Love; He is Patient.

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. {Isa 1:18}

Did I mention that He is Forgiving?

"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins. (26) "Put Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together; State your cause, that you may be proved right. {Isa 43:25-26} "I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." {Isa 44:22}

Here are some human attributes; We are selfish, ego-driven, lustful, untruthful, cruel, nasty, violent and by-enlarge, unfeeling. Its all about US. We are "Screw-Ups". Adam was made perfect. Then he screwed up. Since he was the first, and at the time, the ONLY man, and we evolved from his seed, we who followed were infected at birth by the "Screw-Up" gene. Its what we do. We seem to gravitate to the "Screw-Up" position with relative ease! Left to our own devices, we will ALWAYS "Screw-Up".

God saw what Adam had done. Here was HIS response: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (17) "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (18) "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {Joh 3:16-18}

All the ugliness in the world cannot be blamed on God. God is perfect and blameless. If you want to blame someone for all the hate, horror, violence, and sin, blame Adam. He opened the door, not God. Blame us; humans, we truly were the first "Screw-Ups".

Although the poison of sin was released into the world, the antidote that God created was His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. He took the death, the pain, the humiliation, for you, for all of us. Since God gave us the power to decide, the decision is yours. His hand is extended to you with the cure. How about your hand? Are you ready to reach out?

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. {Rom 5:15}

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. {1Co 6:11}

Here is the deal. God gave you the ability to make the choice. The agreement expires the moment you draw your last breath. It is really simple; If you do nothing, continue to live as you are, you default to the Adam infected gene. At your last breath, Welcome to HELL. This will be your new home--FOREVER!

If you elect to follow Jesus, who, by the way, died to give you release from the Adam induced "Screw-Up" gene, {Satan}, you will be saved at your last breath. Your eternity will be in Paradise with your Creator. Jesus is the door!

If I were you, I would not wait too long to make your decision. Later today you just might draw your last breath. Make the choice.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

WE ARE THE CREATURES

HE IS THE CREATOR

It is a mystery to me why humans have such difficulty recognizing the simple relationship, as stated above. He is the CREATOR. We are the CREATED. He is the COMMANDER IN CHIEF. We are not. He makes the rules. We don't. I have a neighbor who has a four year old. Even she grasps this concept. What is our problem?

It seems the older we get, the narrower our view becomes. We tend to see ourselves as total and complete in our soft and squishy selves. We actually believe that we are in full charge in our pathetically weak and ineffective lives. Let me ask you brother, when was the last time YOU moved a constellation, or modified the orbit of a star? How about the last time YOU created life out of nothing? How about the time you last spoke the Word and created water out of simple, breathable air? {crickets...}

Here are just a few of the attributes of our CREATOR, our GOD, our BOSS; He is Solitary -- The only one; He is Sovereign, He is Immutable {He cannot change}; He is all Powerful; He is Holy; He is Faithful; He is Mercy; He is Love; He is Patient.

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. {Isa 1:18}

Did I mention that He is Forgiving?

"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins. (26) "Put Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together; State your cause, that you may be proved right. {Isa 43:25-26} "I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." {Isa 44:22}

Here are some human attributes; We are selfish, ego-driven, lustful, untruthful, cruel, nasty, violent and by-enlarge, unfeeling. Its all about US. We are "Screw-Ups". Adam was made perfect. Then he screwed up. Since he was the first, and at the time, the ONLY man, and we evolved from his seed, we who followed were infected at birth by the "Screw-Up" gene. Its what we do. We seem to gravitate to the "Screw-Up" position with relative ease! Left to our own devices, we will ALWAYS "Screw-Up".

God saw what Adam had done. Here was HIS response: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (17) "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (18) "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {Joh 3:16-18}

All the ugliness in the world cannot be blamed on God. God is perfect and blameless. If you want to blame someone for all the hate, horror, violence, and sin, blame Adam. He opened the door, not God. Blame us; humans, we truly were the first "Screw-Ups".

Although the poison of sin was released into the world, the antidote that God created was His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. He took the death, the pain, the humiliation, for you, for all of us. Since God gave us the power to decide, the decision is yours. His hand is extended to you with the cure. How about your hand? Are you ready to reach out?

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. {Rom 5:15}

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. {1Co 6:11}

Here is the deal. God gave you the ability to make the choice. The agreement expires the moment you draw your last breath. It is really simple; If you do nothing, continue to live as you are, you default to the Adam infected gene. At your last breath, Welcome to HELL. This will be your new home--FOREVER!

If you elect to follow Jesus, who, by the way, died to give you release from the Adam induced "Screw-Up" gene, {Satan}, you will be saved at your last breath. Your eternity will be in Paradise with your Creator. Jesus is the door!

If I were you, I would not wait too long to make your decision. Later today you just might draw your last breath. Make the choice.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Bring it to the Lord

Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? {Est 5:3}

The Queen risked her very life approaching the King without a specific invitation. The penalty for this error was death. She did so to bring to his attention a plan that would result in the slaughter of thousands of her kinsmen, and at the same time reveal to the King that she herself was a Jew. God heard her prayers. She and her people were spared.

And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious. {Exo 22:27}

Jesus is our doorway into the court of the Almighty. His horrible death on the cross paid the price for us. We belong to Him. We owe EVERYTHING to Him; including our very lives. Jesus did this out of love. He loves us!

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (17) By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (19) We love, because He first loved us. {1Jn 4:16-19}

Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. {Heb 10:22}

For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. {Eph 2:18}...in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. {Eph 3:12}

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. {Heb 4:16}

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Bring it to the Lord

Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? {Est 5:3}

The Queen risked her very life approaching the King without a specific invitation. The penalty for this error was death. She did so to bring to his attention a plan that would result in the slaughter of thousands of her kinsmen, and at the same time reveal to the King that she herself was a Jew. God heard her prayers. She and her people were spared.

And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious. {Exo 22:27}

Jesus is our doorway into the court of the Almighty. His horrible death on the cross paid the price for us. We belong to Him. We owe EVERYTHING to Him; including our very lives. Jesus did this out of love. He loves us!

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (17) By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (19) We love, because He first loved us. {1Jn 4:16-19}

Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. {Heb 10:22}

For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. {Eph 2:18}...in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. {Eph 3:12}

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. {Heb 4:16}

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

LORD, What is my calling?

What am I to do?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; (30) and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. {Rom 8:28-30}

Saint Paul was convinced that he was on the Lord's ordained path as he chased, arrested and witnessed the deaths of those who were of the "Way" (Followers of Christ). One day, Paul saw the light, literally! His path would never be the same again. And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.. {Act 9:5} God had a plan for Paul and it all began before Paul was born. In his mother's womb, as his tiny bones were being knitted together, The Lord caused his tiny heart to begin beating. Paul would be gifted at this moment with talents, skills, and specific temperaments that HE, the living God, would call upon years later "On the Road to Damascus".

Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, were all equipped before birth with specific talents and strengths that would be called upon by the Creator in order that His will might be done. Accomplishing His will through these human vessels created by His hands. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased (16) to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood.... {Gal 1:15-16} Paul showed up!

Army Sergeant Brent Crawford was an E-5 Sgt with over 22 years in the Army when we first met. Twenty-two years, never busted or reduced in grade. Let that sink in. He was perfectly happy being a buck sergeant, refusing promotion after promotion. Crawford's job was serving as a "Dumpster-Diver", an equipment and material recovery specialist. God had so ordained this soldier at birth with certain talents and characteristics that suited him perfectly to his adult soldierly task of recovering things tossed out, items of worth and value that should not have been thrown out. He was very good. Sgt Crawford was also color blind and barley five foot five in height. Both of these being usual dis qualifiers for Army service. The color blindness afforded Sgt Crawford the ability to see patterns and shapes that normal sighted people could not see. Camouflage was useless around this NCO. As a result, the Lord provided the needed waivers allowing him to continue serving, and the Army began redesigning their technique of camouflage.

Over his eventual 26 years of service, Crawford retired as a Buck Sergeant, and was recognized as saving the U.S. Department of Defense multiple millions of dollars in recovered, serviceable material and equipment. One of Brent Crawford's last official acts of "Dumpster Diving" resulted in the recovery of a newborn baby girl that had been disposed of at Robinson Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. His color blindness made her tiny body immediately visible among the various other colored material and food products in the Mess Hall dumpster. Tiny Hannelori survived and grew into a beautiful and intelligent young woman who founded a number of orphan support facilities in Europe. Crawford was right where he needed to be and exactly when God needed him. He showed up.

Crawford was a Godly man, born again, who quietly presented himself everyday to do his job. The Lord gave him a specific set of talents and characteristics that resulted in continuity of God's will through HIS Creation, HIS vessel. We know for certain that at least one tiny life was saved through his God given (or modified) abilities. Who knows if the millions of dollars of recovery he was responsible for shaped the lives of other folks over the years. Just by showing up and using that which the Lord gave him at birth, by God's grace, Sgt Crawford fulfilled the Creator's will. Praise You Lord!

LORD, What is my calling?

To serve and please your God, to love Jesus with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul; and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. That is your calling. That is your purpose. That is your job.

What am I to do?

From the moment of your conception, the Potter fashioned you into a one of a kind vessel, endowed with unique talents and gifts of His creation. You are unlike any other. Just as the sunrise has never repeated in it's colorful glory, God created you to bring glory to His Majesty and Holiness. Whatever your talent, whatever you are good at and excel in, do that. Do what you do best but do it in HIS glory and in HIS name. Show up. Be available. Represent HIM well. Learn of HIM.

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. {Gen 1:31}

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?