| We are not hidden from God | Not Available | The once perfect garden called Eden had been tainted by sin. Work had become toil and perfect communion was no longer a guarantee. |
| Our bodies remind us of the majesty of God | Not Available | Our in depth look at the omnipresence of God continues in Psalm 139 with a look at God's amazing crafting of mankind. People are fascinated with discovering miraculous signs like pretzels shaped like the face of Mary, yet they miss the obvious miracle of their own existence. |
| God knows us full view | Not Available | There is a huge longing for intimacy. I read this definition today. Intimacy means into-me-see. Our culture pushes instant gratification. Get it, use it, move on. |
| God is Omnipresent | Not Available | Omnipresence, means that God is everywhere at the same time. This is a unique pa rt of God that no one else shares. Satan is fast and powerful but he is not able to be everywhere at the same time. |
| God is Gracious | Not Available | God is gracious. Paul describes this in 2 Timothy 1 as he pens heartfelt words to his sone in the faith, Timothy. |
| Psalms 91 - Personal Protection from Trouble | Not Available | The ancient song mentions several specific ways God protects His children. He orders His angels to protect us. |
| God's reign in my heart | Listen | God longs for each and every person to acknowledge Him as Lord and master. It is not enough to believe that there is a divine designer who created and carefully designed our world. |
| Kingdom of Heaven is the Kingdom Within You | Not Available | Today we are going to look at a second dimension of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven refers to the people that He has called. |
| Kingdom of God Defined | Listen | The kingdom of God is the realm over which a monarch reigns. The monarch in this case is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. |
| A message of hope or hopelessness depending on which side of the cross you are on | Listen | This proverb expresses the depth of despair that this life holds apart from Jesus Christ. People seek desperately to deny the inevitable. |
| Victorious Living | Not Available | Alexander the Great was a brilliant strategist who led his armies to conquer the entire Persian empire, but he could not conquer his personal addiction to drunkenness. |
| Way of the Wicked | Not Available | In the last few devotionals we have been examining the straight way that has been modeled for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we are going to discuss the way of the wicked. |
| Jesus Characterized the Word | Not Available | This is our final installment devoted to looking at Jesus as the true example of the straight way which is described in Proverbs 11. |
| Jesus Cared for People | Not Available | There is no better example of a straight way than Jesus who called Himself the WAY. |
| Jesus Communed with the Father | Not Available | Some are smooth and others are pitted with potholes. In spite of all these differences all roads share one thing in common. They all go somewhere. A verse in Proverbs 11 mentions two roads which are headed to drastically different destinations. |
| Proverbs 11 Pride vs Humility | Not Available | Pride is programmed into the sinful heart of mankind. Only through the power of Jesus Christ can we live above self centered pursuits. |
| Proverbs 11:1-7 | Not Available | God wants to peel away all the layers of duplicity that keep us being who we really are in Him. |
| Part 2: David's intimate walk with God | Listen | We want to examine five intimacy exercises that David practiced which served to deepen his relationship with The Lord. |
| David's intimate walk with God | Not Available | Within each of us is a desperate longing for intimacy with another. Intimacy depicts a warm and close friendship. Who doesn't desire to share one's heart closely with someone else. |
| Through Jesus we are a royal priesthood | Not Available | The priest is a chosen representative of the people who has the task of going before the Lord on behalf of the people. |
| Who influences you the most? | Not Available | Our family loves to eat fruit. I grew up in Hendersonville, NC where there is an annual apple festival. Although the apple orchards have been dwindling through the years, there are still apple stands dotted along Highway 64 in the nearby community, Edneyville. |
| Authenticity Worship that God delights in | Not Available | We are continuing our study on worship. Who may live on God's holy hill? Who may dwell in His sanctuary? These are questions worth elaboration. Last week we focused on worship being displayed through righteous living. |
| Are you satisfied with your life? Do you want more? | Not Available | Years ago I was traveling through Tennessee on my way back to SouthWestern Baptist Theological Seminary. As I traveled I listened to a preacher on the radio who said these words: "You help me with my miracle and I will help you with yours." |
| Detours are not all bad | Not Available | There is this travel timer built into a man that makes him want to get to his destination as quickly as possible. I confess that it is difficult for me to make multiple stops when I travel with my family. I begin calculating in my head how many tasks I can accomplish when I stop. |
| Balaam before the donkey | Not Available | The journey of God's people for the promised land was poised to head directly through the land of Moab. Both the people and their king were terrified of the Israelites because they heard about the awesome power of God and the blessing the Lord had placed upon the Israelites. |
| Spiritual Drought | Not Available | Droughts parch the land. Plants wither and water becomes scarce. Some have tried rain dances. Others have cried out to God. The bottom line is that although a drought is unwelcome, we cannot control its length. |
| A Blessed Nation | Not Available | God chose Israel to be His people. History proved them to be a fickle bunch. They turned to God for a season and then they strayed. |
| Esau and Conquering Bitterness | Not Available | Christians are blessed beyond belief. God saw our sinful condition and chose to pay the price for our sin! We need to live in that freedom. |
| Wrestling and Brokenness | Not Available | A child screams and reaches for that special toy or object that he believes belongs to him. Soon the child learns that such an outburst is not successful, so he learns to be sneaky in order to attain what he wants. |
| Struggling and Submission | Not Available | After he uses all of the craftiness that he has learned through the years to prepare for a showdown, he turns to Lord. He makes sure impressive gifts are sent ahead, but he stays and spends the night in agonizing prayer. |
| Handling Success | Not Available | We have all dreamed about being wealthy. Who hasn't imagined Ed McMahon ringing the doorbell and handing over a check worth a large amount of money? |
| Usury | Not Available | Usury means the charging of excessive fees for an exchange of property. |
| Who Keeps His Oath Even When It Hurts | Not Available | The oath that existed between Jesus and the Heavenly Father was more than a finger prick and more than a deep gash in the hand. Jesus endured the maximum physical torture allowed by the law. The blows he took were lethal and caused Him great suffering |
| Slander | Not Available | The word slander is defined as words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another. This is one of the most prolific sins in churches. |
| Does neighbor no wrong | Not Available | Most of us can recite a similar disagreement we have had with a neighbor. God cares about the relationship we have with those who live next to us. It is surprising how often the Bible addresses the way we are to treat our neighbors. For the sake of time and conciseness, I will briefly address these areas. |
| Does What is Righteous | Not Available | The common trap in our land is that we are so blessed that we don't truly stop and thank God for the blessings we enjoy. |
| ...a man who stirs up dissension among brothers | Not Available | Before I make four observations about the destructive aspect of dissension I want to comment on the constructive way God can work through this destructive action. The most difficult task for a person is to see that he or she needs a Savior. |
| Is it true because I believe it is true? | Listen | Today we are looking at a false witness who pours out lies. A powerful witness adds credibility and validity to the claim of a person. The problem is that our present culture places more emphasis on the witness than in the pursuit of truth. |
| The Danger of False Prophets | Today I want to focus on the danger of the false prophet. The prophet holds a high position in the service of God, for he is known as the mouthpiece of God. |
| Whose Feet are Quick to Rush Into Evil? | This morning we are going to talk about feet. Most of the time feet are not a featured part of the body. You often hear people talk about how a person's eyes stand out, or the beauty of someone's hair. Others focus on physical fitness. | A Heart that Devises Wicked Schemes | So we make it our goal to please Him... With this in mind we are continuing our look at a section in Proverbs that tells us what God is displeased with. Today we are going to discuss the fourth of seven things that the Lord hates. The Lord hates a heart that devises wicked schemes. |
| Hands that shed innocent blood | My first thought of hands shedding innocent blood is the cold blooded murderer who kidnaps women and kids with plans to do hideous acts. There is the infamous legend of Jack the Ripper who struck terror into the hearts of many in London's East End during the years 1888-1891. |
| What are we for? 1 John 3:1-2a | Unfortunately God's people are often known for what they are against instead of what they are for. We are supposed to be vigilantly against sin. Abortion is murder. Homosexuality is perversion. Pornography is picture poison, not freedom of expression. |
| Haughty eyes Proverbs 16:7a | Second Corinthians 5:9 says, "We make it our goal to please Him..." Ultimately that is the heart's desire of a believer. We want to please our Heavenly Father. |
| What Are We For? | Friends, I would rather be know for what I am for, rather than for what I am against. More than anything the world needs to know that you and I are for Jesus. |
| Don't Meddle | Today's devotional deals with minding one's own business. If we are not careful, we can easily find ourselves ensnared in matters that are none of our concern. |
| Focus on God's Truth | Several years ago I went to get my driver's license and failed the eye test. I had no idea anything was wrong with my vision. I went to the eye doctor and had their testing verified. I needed glasses. |
| Wherever you are, be all there | The pursuit of the destination can often be so consuming that we miss the joy of the journey. We all want to be SOMEBODY and we want to be SOMEWHERE. The problem is that we can be so busy wanting to be somebody and so busy trying to specifically go somewhere that we miss who we actually are and where God has placed us. |
| Proverbs 20:7 A Parent of Integrity | I can think of no tougher job than parenting. One dear lady, Evelyn Douglas, used to tell me: ?When they are little they step on your toes, but when they are big they step on your heart.? The responsibility and the immeasurable love a parent has is staggering. To top it off elderly parents frequently tell me that the job never ends. |
| Perfect Peace | A few months ago we marched through the most prolific and destructive hurricane season I can remember. There were parts of Florida where the residents would return only to wonder if they should leave again. The strange thing about hurricanes is that although they are one of the most destructive forces on earth, the middle of the storm is peaceful and calm. |
| Anger Management | Someone has pointed out that anger is one letter away from danger. There have been many foolish destructive acts carried out because of an uncontrolled temper. |
| 1 John 5:1-15 | There are many things in life that are God sized. This means that there are many obstacles that are simply too big for people to handle. |
| Hebrews 12:14-15 | It has been said that people are attracted to Jesus and would follow Him if they did not have to see Him through the lens of His followers. |
| Hosana 10:12 | Bible clearly teaches spiritual gardening. What you plant determines what you reap. If you plant seeds of sin, you will reap destruction; but if you plant seeds of God's goodness, you will reap eternal life. |
| Romans 2:17-29 | The follower of churchianity tells everybody you must go to church to be right with God. The follower of Christianity tells everybody the only way to peace with God is through Jesus Christ. |
| Romans 2:12-16 | Through the years I have asked countless people the exploratory questions used in both Evangelism Explosion and Continuing Witness Training. I have never heard anyone answer the first question, “If you died in the next moment would you go to heaven?” “No, I know that I would go to Hell!” |
| Romans 2:5-11 | A rich dreamed that he died and entered heaven. Anxious to see his mansion he asked the angel to take him there. As they walked the golden streets, past mansions beyond description, he kept asking, "Is this it?" |
| Romans 2:1-4 | The moralist fails to see God in His glory. The scriptures paint a clear picture that God is not like us. He is set apart, totally worthy of worship, completely void of sin. |
| Rom 1:22-32 | In one of my favorite classic books on becoming a strong follower of Jesus Christ, Disciples Are Made, Not Born, there is this great insight. "You sow a thought, and reap an act. You sow an act and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap an eternity." |
| Rom 1:21-23 | The world has changed at a furious pace since the turn of this century. The basic mode of transportation went from horseback to motorized vehicles. Amazing advances such as electricity, indoor plumbing and refrigeration have made life very comfortable. I am personally thankful for the invention of the hot water heater. |
| Rom 1:16-20 | Statistics show that curiosity about the supernatural has been extremely high in the United States for quite some time. People are mesmerized by the idea of a power that is not explainable by logic and rational. |
| Acts 2:39 | Everyone who gives his or her heart to Christ does so in response to the Lord's call. We act as if God's call is reserved only for those who serve God in their vocation. Whereas it is true that God does call some to paid Christian service, He calls all of us to Himself. |
| John 14:1-3 | Tonight we spent several hours at the local community center where we live. We went to say goodbye to a number of good friends. I don't like goodbyes. They sound too permanent. |
| Col 4:12 | Epaphras was a precious prayer warrior which is a priceless blessing in a church family. He didn't talk to people about God until he talked to God about people. |
| Romans 12 | Most churches are suffering from a number of different diseases: cancer of the tongue, heart disease,dementia (they have forgotten who they are in Christ), paralysis of spiritual passion, tithing dystrophy. How does a church inoculate itself against the threat of such deadly diseases? |
| Colossians 1:8, 4:12 | Have you ever pondered the strengths of different Bible characters? We can learn so much from other believers who have gone before us. I want a heart like David. |
| 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 | When we cooperate we multiply our effectiveness. There is an old story about a person visiting both heaven and hell. On his initial visit both places looked identical. There was one peculiar feature of the new body in both places. Nobody had elbows. |
| Romans 2:1-4 | Believers are not to be like unbelievers. We are saved by grace but created to do good works which he prepared in advance for us to do, (Ephesians 2:8-10). |
| Psalm 118:1-2 | Where does lasting strength come from? Does it come from a proper diet that includes milk and green vegetables? Does it come from a pantry full of potent vitamins? Does it come from a rigid and consistent exercise program? |
| Psalm 119:9-11 | God demands us to strive for a pure, holy life. 1Peter 1:16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Holiness is not a suggestion, but a command. |
| Psalm 103:11-13 | There are times where I get quite frustrated with myself. I want to be holy and set apart for the Lord, but there are times where thoughts, desires and a loose tongue reveal my sinful nature. The painful truth is that I am a sinner in desperate need of a savior. |
| Psalm 119:33-37 | Do you want to find God? Do you long to know the creator and sustainer of the universe? |
| Rom 8:17 and Phil 3:20 | The Bible tells us that Jesus has invited us to be part of God's family. |
| Isaiah 30:18 | What is it that captures your thoughts? What do you dream about? What do you long for? Is it a specific job? Is it being filthy rich? Is it a romantic adventure? Is it a fulfilling walk with God? We all have deep longings. Did you know that God has a longing? Isaiah 30:18 reveals to us God's longing. |