Every Day Brings Trouble For The Despondent

This morning I finally phoned the Buick service department to ask if my replacement tire came in. I was shocked to find out it did on October 31st, and the man who promised me twice he would call and let me know as soon as my tire came in, never did. Today makes it eight days he could have phoned me, but cared not to. His actions and his words to me a week and a half ago were all made in vain.

Later when I picked up my tire, I was surprised to see the manager come out to greet and take care of my needs. One of the workers also took me to the side and told me they have received many complaints about this particular man. Sadly, I got the impression, he was soon going to be fired. When I caught a glimpse of the man's face as he was talking to a customer on the telephone, he looked angry and stressed. I couldn't help but wonder what was really in his heart and life to cause him to not to be able to do his job.

"For the despondent,

every day brings trouble."

Proverbs 15:15a (NLT)

All Glory And All Power Are His

We must constantly weigh our motives in everything we say and do.

"A person may think their own ways are right,

but the Lord weighs the heart."

Proverbs 21:2 (NIV)

If God is not receiving the glory, then our motives are wrong. The Bible says all glory and all power belong to Him.

"Do you have the gift of speaking?

Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you.

Do you the gift of helping others?

Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.

Then everything you do

will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.

All glory and power to Him forever and ever! 

Amen."

1 Peter 4:11 (NLT)

Earth Has Nothing We Should Desire

Last Sunday's message ended with this question: "Do you have six people in your life who can be called upon to carry your casket down the aisle when you die?"

I wanted to stand up and respond, "I don't know, but does it really matter. All that matters is Jesus will be with me, and it will be Him, not any human being on earth, who will carry me to Heaven.

"Whom have I in heaven

but You?

And earth has nothing I desire 

besides You."

Psalm 73:25 (NIV)

Friends are a blessing from God, but when it comes down to it, all we really need is Jesus. There is nothing on earth we should desire but Him. After all, your friends might be able to carry your casket down the aisle, bu they won't be able to carry you to Heaven.

Everything We Need Has Been Given To Us

God's children are called by His own glory and goodness, and it is by His divine power we are given everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him.

"His divine power 

has given us everything we need

for a godly life

through our knowledge of Him

who called us by His own glory and goodness."

2 Peter 1: 3 (NIV)

One may not have earthly friends, but if he/she has Jesus, he/she has it all! Through God's Holy Spirit and His Word, we have His divine power to overcome any addiction or temptation.

God Will Be The One To Rescue You

Last Sunday, our church had a motivational speaker and x-pastor come in and tell us that through a secular support group of sex addicts, he is now able to control his sex addiction. He said he is not cured and never will be, but with the help of his non-Christian friends with whom he meets regularly, his sex addition no longer controls him. Overall Jesus Christ was left out of his message. God wasn't the answer. Man was and this x-pastor implored the congregation to seek supportive friends to help them with their addictions. He also made it clear he didn't find any of his supportive friends in church, and had to look elsewhere.

Sadly, God's Word was never quoted, and prayer was never offered to those suffering from the same addictions. I wanted desperately to tell him that even though I was happy he had supportive friends to help him in his continuing battle, he had a best friend who could end it! This is an example of how humanism can enter our churches and infiltrate into the minds of God's people. Grievously, at the end of the service, man was elevated and praised, and God was left lying on the floor underneath the people's feet.

"Then call on Me

when you are in trouble,

and I will rescue you, 

and you will give Me glory."

Psalm 91:50 (NIV)

Let Your Light Shine Before Others

My oldest son Daniel and his friends carved these pumpkins. I thought they did a fantastic job! Daniel was the one who carved Anna from the movie Frozen. When I saw these pumpkin carvings, my first thought was: the light of Jesus Christ is shining through them because all of these young Christian adults chose to carve out something and not anything evil to display on their doorstep on Halloween night.

"In the same way,

let your light shine before others,

that they may see your good deeds

and glorify your Father in Heaven."

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

On a night where mainly evil is glorified, the goodness of God was also glorified.

Let Us Rejoice And Be Glad In It

Last night I had over 120 children and was sadly forced to shut my lights off at 7:30 PM because I ran out of treats.

It was so great to greet and talk to all the children who came to my door and wave to their parents who stood from afar.

The weather was amazingly mild for Edmonton (5 degrees Celsius) with not even the slightest breeze to make it feel colder.

The children also surprised me! They were very excited for my organic and healthy treats I was giving out this year: fruit bars, applesauce cups, Annie's organic crackers and graham wafers, and honey sesame seed snacks. (The parents, of course, were even more thrilled when the children ran up to them to tell them.)

I really had a lot of fun being giving, cheerful and kind to people on October 31st because October 31st belongs to God, not the devil. So, let us rejoice and be glad for an opportunity to show God's love.

"This is the day

which the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24 (NASB)