This cultural mindset of inaction saw the Greeks lose their empire to the Romans... a people of action!

I'm not saying we should act first and think later, but there's something to be said for this thing of action that can prevent us from being conquered and keep us in our place as conquerors.

This means moving beyond a mere contentment with just talking about the things of God (who, as with the Athenians, was really an "unknown God" [see v.23]), to being the people of God by knowing Him through an active pursuit of relationship and Kingdom building. Sure, we need to discuss things, brainstorm and plan, but at some point the need demands action, not words.

If we sit around and wait to be perfect enough to build, we won't drive the first nail. But if we can draw any inspiration from the Book of Acts, we can see that it was titled such because of the presence of God in their lives, a presence which empowered the people of God to do more than just talk about reaching this world, but saw them step out and act, conquering the enemy and building the Kingdom.

The lyrics to the song Even Greater by Planetshakers fits this theme: "Now is the time, for God's people to arise. The day is here, Lord your Kingdom we will build. We are called for greater. We are called for more. Let your love and power move through us. All we want is you Lord, come and fill us, hear the cry of our hearts, come and pour it out on us. You alone are the one we desire. You alone are the one that we're living for. Pour it out on us" (emphases mine).

There will never be the perfect or convenient time to get busy building the bridge of God's Kingdom. What we do have in Christ, though, is the One who can give us the perfect plan and ability to carry it out.

The "Unknown God" will get you nowhere until you choose to make Him known; proving He's all you want (as the song said) by yielding to His plans! Francis Chan worded this emphasis well in his book Forgotten God when he said, "Ask God to have His Spirit work so mightily in you that it would make for an amazing biography. A biography that speaks of a life so supernatural that no one would even consider giving you the glory." Wow!

A life lived trusting in our own accomplishments glorifies us and keeps God unknown. But a life that is consumed with being continually transformed by the indwelling presence of God will make Him known every time.

Question: What action is God calling you to that is in the inactive state? Why is it inactive?

The book of Exodus gives great detail of how the tabernacle was to be built... what materials... how tall... how wide... etc. Then Exo. 26:31-33 details the curtain that was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (God's dwelling place). This curtain would have been about 60 feet high, 30 feet wide and about 4 inches thick! No doubt a huge number of laborers worked diligently on not only the vast size of this curtain, but the great detail which included cherubim designs worked into the material.

This curtain symbolized the fact that man could not approach God because of their sinful condition. Access to the Most Holy Place was very restricted. Only the high priest could enter, and even that was only once a year to represent the people. Now, when Jesus came, He died for us and become the ultimate sacrifice for our sins... fulfilling the old covenant. When He died on that cross, this huge curtain was ripped in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:50-51). Clearly a supernatural event that resulted in a removal of the separation between God's presence and man! No more separation and no more need for a priestly mediator!

While this was indeed a miracle, my thoughts on this recently switched gears and thought about the skilled craftsman who worked so hard on that curtain... how many people worked on it... how much money was spent and invested into the fine materials. Now, imagine a large group of church ladies who had worked on this curtain... walking into the tabernacle to find "their curtain" has been ripped in half! Imagine their reaction. I'm sure some were thrilled, recognizing the miracle that had taken place. However, I have to believe that some of them were also... BOTHERED. Picture this conversation...

"Do you see that curtain!? Who came in here and ruined my, I mean, that curtain?!"
"Ma'am, no one did that. GOD ripped that curtain."
"Do you realize how long I worked on that?! Do you know how much of my own money and materials went towards that curtain?!"
"You don't understand... this is a miracle! As Jesus died on the cross, the curtain was torn, removing the separation that has always been there. We now have direct access to the presence of God! You and I can enter into His presence ourselves!"
"Maybe so, but what about my time... my efforts... Is this really good stewardship of the church's money and my artistic giftings?!"

YIKES!! Could some of these people been so bothered and offended that they lost sight of the miracle right in front of them? Unfortunately, this is something seen too often in the church today. People get offended too easily and usually over things that are just plain stupid and don't really matter in the full scope of everything.

Who is it that bothers or offends us?

1. Other People
   - None of us are perfect, but some people just know how to push everyone's buttons.
2. Church / Pastoral Leadership
   - offended by a pastor's message... direction of the church... style of music... someone else being used in ministry instead of you...
3. God
   - offended because God doesn't do everything the way you think He should or in the timeframe you expect... or that someone else seems to be blessed more than you... or because bad things happened to you. You can't see the whole picture like God does.

Proverbs 18:19-21 (NLT) reads "¹⁹ An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. ²⁰ Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. ²¹ The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."

3 Things Learned From Offense:

1. Offense Brings Separation
   - The only thing that comes from separation is separation. At Church52, we will fight for unity! This is one of our core values.
   - Loss of trust, which is difficult to regain.
   - Wounds don't always heal completely.
2. Our Words Have Power (Prov. 18:20-21)
   - You can speak words of encouragement, healing and forgiveness... or you can speak words of hate, resentment and unforgiveness. Words are NOT "just words".
   - Prov. 10:19 (NIV) "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Running your mouth is a SIN. The NLT version says it this way "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut." Enough said.
   - Prov. 16:24 (NIV)
   - Eph. 4:29 (NIV) "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." When you are running your mouth to everyone, is it really benefitting anyone or anything??
3. Our Responses Have Consequences (Prov. 18:21)
   - It affects your worship. You can come to church and put on a show while you are burning up on the inside. However, it will be nothing more than a show. (1 Cor. 13:1)
   - It affects your view. You don't see the miracles God is doing around you because you are too focused on yourself.
   - It affects the health of the Body. You only stir up division when you won't keep your mouth shut. Those people are a poison to whoever chooses to ingest it. You can feed it or stop it. Don't be a listening ear to garbage.

CORRECT RESPONSE:  Matt. 18:15-17 (NLT)

This passage in Matthew gives pretty clear instructions on how to handle an offense with another believer. It may sound harsh... but for those who love to talk... who refuse to listen to instruction... who refuse to do the right thing... there are consequences. We must fight for unity and for the health of the Body of Christ. When you are sick, you find out what is causing it and you do whatever it takes to remove that virus, infection, etc. Let's keep His Body healthy too!

There WILL be things that bother and offend you... if nothing has bothered you yet today, wait a few minutes. It's coming :) The question is how will you respond and how will you handle the situation? Do a self-evaluation even right now. If you need to get things right with God and/or other people in your life... do it TODAY! Walk in freedom... not in offense!

Her point: Such laziness is indicative of the same weak, short-cut seeking, inability to face life's challenges, kind of society that doesn't just expect "something" for nothing; but "everything for nothing.

She then began to describe how, at a very young age, she was drawn to really deep literature (including the Classics) and was able to read and understand them. Then she ended her observations with a phrase that has now become very popular in society, "Knowledge is power."

During the course of our conversation it struck me that this lady probably had a rough childhood; like she didn't quite fit in and tried to overcompensate by developing this "power" in order to feel important. I probably noticed this because I can relate. I once allowed rejection to lead me to look to other things besides God to find fulfillment and acceptance. Even in Christ, we still have to resist this temptation.

While thinking about this I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 8:1 where it says, "Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that 'we all have knowledge' about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church" (NLT).

This issue of eating food which had been sacrificed to idols was causing division in the church. Some thought it was okay while others did not. While Paul seems to agree that eating food sacrificed to idols wasn't a sin, he moves the focus from the debate to the real issue of importance: LOVE!

Verses 9-12 read, "9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you-with your 'superior knowledge'-eating in the temple of an idol, won't they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ."

Paul's point: this "superior knowledge" (you think Paul was mocking that phrase?) was expressing itself in self-centered ways... defending its right to do what might be questionable at the risk of leading others astray... to their harm.

John 8:31-32 reads, "31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, 'You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

I've heard that some colleges and universities have the words of verse 32 on their official seal, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Some misuse this quote to essentially say, "Knowledge is Power." It seems our world thinks knowledge gives them the best chance for success and fulfillment... but they skip the most important part. Verse 31 reads, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings."

My point: Whether trying to overcompensate for feelings of rejection, or using superior knowledge as an excuse to do whatever we want; God's love and acceptance is what we need, and we receive that by placing our hopes in Him and living for Him. When that happens, we won't have to lean on something as shallow as knowledge to feel important and loved.

Knowledge is fine, but without love it is useless (see 1 Corinthians 13:2). Love means being more concerned about the welfare of others than ourselves.

Can you relate to this? What are your experiences, and what steps do you take to keep from looking to anything but God's love?

Colossians 3

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on LOVE, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Today as verse 14 says, I pray you... "put on LOVE!" You may not feel it, but do it anyway. If you started off bad today, this is your chance to turn it around. Put on the LOVE of Christ right now and let's walk in unity. Let's continue to work together, to see the lost saved and at the same time glorify our God! Be blessed and encouraged knowing that we love you and pray for you without ceasing and remember no matter what it looks like outside, the forecast for Church52 is looking great!

Aren't these people fun to be around?? They make you feel depressed just talking to them!

Now, people who are unsaved can struggle with worst case scenario feelings and it makes sense for them. They are living without hope, without true joy... but those of us who have Jesus living on the inside should NOT be in this same condition! Shouldn't we have a hope? Shouldn't we be living a life of joy, thanksgiving and gladness?

Not everything we face in this life is good. Some things are frustrating, negative, sad... but as believers, we view life through a different set of lenses. Rather than seeing everything as a negative... a worst case scenario... we choose to put our faith and hope in Jesus... in ALL situations.

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Neh. 8:10 (NIV)

We choose to let the joy of the Lord be our strength and to help carry us through our day-to-day situations. We could waste our time dwelling on how negative everything is... but what is the point in that? Here's a better alternative:

"¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thes. 5:16-18 (NLT)

Recently, I had a friend pose a question on Facebook asking others if it bothered them when ministers use the title of "apostle" or "prophet". It was bothering him so he was venting a bit, but also seeing if others shared the same feelings. I told him how the office of apostle and prophet do exist in the church today, but there are so many that abuse them and use them improperly that those two biblical 5-fold ministry offices get a bad name... causing many to just dismiss them altogether. Those that abuse these titles are usually people that have self-appointed themselves as a prophet or an apostle... they focus too much on their self-given titles... making their names too long to even fit on a business card because of all the extra titles and credentials :)  It doesn't stop with just those two offices. This happens also with the more common office of "Pastor". There are many that function under a title of pastor that have no business doing so.

So what is my point? If you have to spend so much effort pushing your own titles to people and trying to convince them that you are a prophet, a pastor or whatever else... then you probably are NOT really what you claim to be. If someone is truly functioning in the role of a prophet, then it will be evident to others that they have that gift and God is using them in that manner. Whatever your ministry role is, the fruit of your ministry will show what you really are. Your title means nothing if there is no fruit to back it up.

Now before you say "I'm not in any of these type of ministry roles, so this has nothing to do with me"... hang on a second! This same thing applies to ALL of us. I'm not just talking about ministry offices and titles here. That's just a good example and what spurred this whole train of thought for me recently. So, on a personal level for all us... do you have to make an effort to try and convince others of your qualities, abilities, character, etc? You shouldn't have to. We've all heard the familiar saying "actions speak louder than words", and that applies here.

If you have to try and convince people that you are humble, while your actions show pride and putting others down... you probably are not truly humble.
If you have to try and convince people that you are caring, while your actions show that you're always looking out for number one... you probably are not truly caring.
If you have to try and convince people that you are loving, while your tongue is cutting others down behind their back... you probably are not truly loving.
If you have to try and convince people that you are forgiving, while you continually dwell in past hurts and situations... you probably are not truly forgiving.
If you have to try and convince people that you are dependable, while your lack of action shows that you never come through... you probably are not truly dependable.

See, I can tell you all day long how I'm an excellent driver... but eventually, you'll be in a vehicle with me behind the wheel and quickly see that no matter how excellent I SAY my driving is... reality will be spoken by my inconsistent speed, swerving, and lack of being able to get somewhere without first making at least two wrong turns heading in the opposite direction!

I think you get the point! 1 John 3:18-19 (NLT) says "¹⁸ Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. ¹⁹ Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God."

1 Samuel 2:3 (NLT) also says "Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don't speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions."

And finally, it doesn't get much clearer than this... Matthew 7:20 (NLT) "Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." Take this challenge... evaluate yourself and compare what is spoken out of your mouth compared to what is spoken by your actions. Lord, help us all!

This is why I like to have the church read key verses with me through our message series.  We need to hear God's Word in our hearts and say it with our mouth. We need to change the sentences we say to ourselves, conforming them to the principles and promises of the scriptures. Exchange the ideas of this world with the truths of God's Word. Speak the Word of God to your heart and mind. This is the secret to extinguish doubt. In an age of uncertainty and anxiety, faith speaks peace to our hearts.

When a situation you face seems hopeless, say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4:13. When others say "It's impossible" - tell them "with men it is - but with God Everything is possible" (Matt:19:26).

When the devil tempts you with an evil suggestion, confront him with God's words, "No temptation has overtaken me except what is common to man. But God is Faithful, he will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. But when I am tempted, he will also provide a way of escape so I can bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

When fear threatens to overtake you, speak the word of faith: "For God hath not given us (me) the spirit of fear, but of Power, and of Love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

There is an inner strength we gain as we speak God's Word in faith. This strength comes not of our own prideful tendancies, instead from the Lord and His never failing word.

No matter what you are facing - believe and stand on God's Word.

Abraham and Sarah were almost 100 years old when two angels came to visit them. The couple extended their traditional middle eastern hospitality to their guests, and after they had feated on veal, bread, and cakes that Sarah fixed for them, the  divine messengers announced, Sarah will have a son. The prophecy stunned the aged couple and Sarah laughed hysterically. She could not see into the infinite possibilities of God at that moment. Her mind questioned, how can Abraham and I even have sexual relations at our advanced age? How can my barren womb become fruitful? The Lord's reprimand was firm and clear: Is anything to hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14) It was a rhetorical question (one that does not require and answer - because the answer is already obvious). NOTHING - Absolutely nothing - is too hard for our God.

So here is the verse I was reading today... deep stuff...

(NKJV) 1 Chronicles 9:2 "And the first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and the Nethinim."

Now what stands out to me here is the Nethinim. Most of us know what a Israelite is, what the office of Priests and Levites are. But what in the world did a Nethinim do, and why are they included in this list.

I'll tell you why... somebody has to bring it! That's why! What?... you say... let me splain...

You see, after some research I discovered that the Hebrew for Nethinim is "Temple Servant". After further research I found out that the Nethinim had the high honors of being the "grunts" of the temple if you will... the fetch boys... and what was their primary job you may ask?

Well, they did a lot of work no one else wanted to do... they brought water and other supplies for the Priests and Levites... but their main task was to bring wood for the fire... that's right... their primary act of service was bringing the wood!

We all want the fire to fall in our church services, but no one wants to bring the wood! No one wants to do the "grunt" work of prayer and fasting in private, to see the glory of God come down in public. Like the old prophet did - no one wants to get in a "who can bring the fire down" match, because no one brings the wood.

For a fire to happen you need 3 things: oxygen, heat and fuel...

1. God is always "breathing" new life on us...

(NKJV) Isaiah 30:33 "For Tophet was established of old, yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it."

2. God is always wanting to send His fire...

(NKJV) Isaiah 10:16 "Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will send leanness among his fat ones; And under his glory He will kindle a burning like the burning of a fire."

So if the fire isn't falling like you want it to... and you are hungry for revival in your own life... check this verse out...

(NKJV) Proverbs 26:20 "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out..."

God is NEVER the problem in the equation of lack of fire, revival, miracles, church growth - you name it... the problem is ALWAYS us. But the good news is that God loves helping to solve our issues so we can be like Him. He has a great desire to pour out His love and glory upon His children.

What I believe God is looking for is more Nethinim... more people will to bring the wood - the fuel for the fire... can I encourage you? Next Sunday make a decision to "bring the fuel" and see what God does.

Make it a point to pray and fast for your services this Sunday, pray for the leadership... and bring something to burn, bring something that you love, something that get's in the way... maybe your "fuel" this week is pride, maybe your "fuel" this week is a bad attitude... whatever it is, bring it, watch God set you on fire and catch everyone around you on fire in the process.

So who is going to "bring it"? Somebody has to...

Mark 12:29-31 "29 Jesus replied, 'The most important commandment is this: "Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." 31 The second is equally important: "Love your neighbor as yourself." No other commandment is greater than these'" (NLT, emphasis added).

The problem is, we have so many opinions as to what love is-lost in a sea of love definitions-we truly are adrift with no clue. Like the old song says, "I want to know what love is. I want you to show me." That's the key...we have to "see" it and then duplicate it. For this, we have the example of Jesus.

In John 5:19 Jesus said, "...I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does" (NLT, emphases added). We are, then, to model His example and walk in the Spirit. He made Himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant.

Galatians 5:5-6, 13-14 "5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." ...13 "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (NLT, Emphases added).

If our definition of love is wrong, then we need to see what God calls love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 1 "If I could speak all the languages of the earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but I didn't love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (NLT, emphases added).

In none of the above scriptures is self pushed as the goal, except that we should crucify ourselves with Christ (see Galatians 2:20) by loving our neighbor as ourselves. This even applies to our attempts at keeping ourselves right with God. If that's all we are doing; we're not loving and serving others, and this is imbalanced.

James 1:27 reads, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you" (NLT, emphasis added). That's balance!

Keeping to yourself and not hurting others is not love. Keeping the peace and not saying or doing things that might make people feel uncomfortable is not love. While we should seek to say and do things in a loving manner, we still have to confront issues.

On this earth, Jesus was the epitome of love. It can be said that there have been those who've sacrificed themselves, their possessions and even their lives. But none of these gave all...for all...including giving all for those killing them. Jesus did. "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). That's love!

So, whether you claim to be a good person (which you believe to be the ticket into heaven), or you live without serving others, both attitudes cater to self because we make it about us rather than Jesus and obeying Him and doing all we can to be like Him.

Our enemy, the devil, has done a masterful job of deceiving humanity into believing many lies; but the lie which sees us elevate ourselves above God and others has to be the worst. This same focus on self is what saw the devil thrown out of heaven.

Let's choose to rise above this and look to God to let Him transform us into His glorious image (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

1 Cor. 15:58 "With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort." (MSG)

So what is the focus of the Kingdom of God? It is simply this... To do work that leads to people being brought into a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ! Every other program of man, every other earthly task pales in comparison to time spent that results in the salvation or rescue of one soul.

I have set my sails, pointed my compass and focused my attention on winning the world to Christ one person at a time. I encourage you to pray that God would help you to be focused in this area because it is His only focus!!

So here is a great question to ask yourself on a daily basis... What is the most effective thing I can do today to bring someone else the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

That's why Church52 is building a new student ministry center... that's why we do outreach... that's why we translate a service in Spanish... that's why I leave and go minister at other churches. That's why God has you, wherever He has you. To fulfill the great commission, and to reach a lost and dying world for the Glory of God.

Today is full of great possibilities. It is full of wonderful opportunities. The only question that remains... Will you and I take advantage of every moment God gives us to share this wonderful News of the Gospel with somebody? Are you focused on it? Let that be your heart today and everyday.

God's love is the most important thing we can know about Him.

God's personality and nature is love (1 John 4:8). It is the reason Jesus came to earth, lived a victorious life, and then died to restore man's relationship with the Father (John 3:16). The most important decision we can ever make is to receive this gift of God.

The Lord's affection is absolute, unwavering, and sacrificial. Moreover, God's love is not subject to favoritism. He cares for the sinner as much as He does for the saint. In our human pride or our desire to be "somebody special," we may find that fact difficult to swallow. But God grants love to each person. The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and the sun shines on the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45). This means that with or without faith in God, everyone experiences certain benefits and blessings from Him. But the person who receives Jesus as Savior is in a position to reap the blessings that accompany an outpouring of love into his or her life. The Lord's love is not based upon what we do, what we have, or what we achieve. He freely gives it to us simply because we are His creation. You cannot win or earn more of God's favor - it has nothing to do with performance. Be encouraged today in this truth.

The most important response we can make is to reciprocate God's love.

John said it simply and eloquently: "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19, NKJV). And Jesus said the first and foremost commandment was this: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37). The only acceptable response to God's great outpouring of love toward you is to love Him back. We can choose to rebel. And while this doesn't affect God's nature, it will change us. Those who refuse to acknowledge and receive divine love cut themselves off from great blessing. Not only that, but such individuals typically yield to anger, hatred, and bitterness. To harden your heart toward God is the supreme act of rebellion - in doing this a person hurts himself far more than he hurts others. Humbly receiving God, on the other hand, brings good into one's life.

Satan constantly tries to convince us that if we follow Jesus, we will have to give up personal freedom, identity, and pleasure. But those who live apart from God's love inevitably discover their rebellion did not make them any freer. They may not go to jail, but they end up in emotional or psychological prisons - caught in addiction - or trapped by feelings of resentment. The longer they live separated from the Lord's love and mercy, the less pleasure they find in life. In that situation, it is easy to become cynical, jaded, critical, and in the end, apathetic to nearly everything. But those who embrace and reciprocate God's love enjoy inner freedom they never imagined. They develop as individuals, discovering hidden gifts - talents and abilities. They experience true pleasure in knowing God and all of his benefits.

When we choose to love and obey God, we can be sure He will guide us toward doing what will bring about the greatest fulfillment in life.

God's love is our ultimate reason to hope.

If we know with certainty that God loves us and desires good for our lives, what is there to fear? Hope in Christ is for everyone - all people - of every nation. It compels us not to remain in a state of dread, doubt, or worry but to seek transformation by the Holy Spirit's power. Trust encourages us to anticipate God's best and look for the dawning of a new day. Our heavenly Father is generous and even extravagant in His love toward us. Open your heart and let the Lord shower more of His good gifts upon you. You won't regret yielding your life to Him. There are so many rewards when we do...

Scripture: "We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19

But you see, I have learned something early on, and I shared a little bit of this at my mother's home going celebration. Authentic worship is never possible until you are tested in the fire of trouble. Real worship can never occur while everything is going just fine.

(NKJV) 1 Peter 1:7 "...that the genuineness of your faith, [being] much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..."

The Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. True worship happens when we worship God, giving thanks in adversity. True worship happens when you have just been told you lost your job on Friday, and you offer God a dance of praise on Saturday. True worship happens when you get the worst news of your life, and your hands are lifted high in praise and thanks to the one who gives life. True and authentic worship, comes out when a person filled with the Holy Spirit and power, recognizes and realizes that this life is finite, that eternity depends on my worship in the face of trouble.

So Lord, I praise you in this storm. I lift my hands high and I shout aloud your name is worthy to be praised. You are God and there is no other.

Remember, this is a worship test. It's a test you will take over and over again throughout your life, building you up in the faith, until faith is all you have - and you have total dependence on God.

Yes, me and mom had our own private moment in the funeral home after everyone left... I wept and I told her how much I loved her, and that I would honor her legacy by living my life for the Jesus she showed me every day. I told her I would miss her so much, and that she was irreplaceable. The Lord in His mercy, in that funeral home, brought mom's voice to my memory, and I could almost hear her as if she was right there in the room, saying, as she often did to me... "My Rob, next Sunday, I'll be praying for you that God will anoint you... so go and preach it buddy... because it's the anointing that makes the difference." And I told her... Momma, for the rest of my days, I will honor you, by bringing it every Sunday for Him.

Thanks for the pep talk mom. Thank you Jesus for a loving, spirit-filled mother. I bless you Lord. I bless Your worthy name.

Now it's time to bring it... Will you bring it next Sunday? Will you bring it every day? I know He's worthy.

American General Walter Krueger needed no further convincing. "By all means, by any means, a force must be immediately dispatched ahead of the lines to attempt a rescue from the Japanese."

As Christians, Satan (our enemy) is out to steal, kill, and destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8) But God has already dispatched his angels ahead of "enemy" lines to rescue us! I love what General Walter said: "By all means, by any means..." God has that same approach. Next time you're up against the wall or feel captive/isolated remember God has already sent his angels ahead of you, and will rescue you by any means! God knows Satan's "final disposition" and has already made plans to win the war! God's plan is for not for one person to perish, but all would have eternal life through Christ Jesus. It is up to us to carry out his battle plan.

While reading Proverbs chapter 1 today, the Lord showed me some things related to this...

Does that sound too harsh? Well, if you study Israel's history, you'll see how God had to allow harsh things many times to get His people's attention. But understand this: Just like the GOOD parent, it is ALWAYS motivated out of love. God's intention is always to use such circumstances to draw His people back to Him.

So... the next time you're at the store and see someone disciplining their kid, just remember; every now and then, we all just need a good whipping.

Question: When you suffer "a good whipping" as a result of a lack of obedience or discipline, do you blame God, or do you line your life up with His will?