JESUS DID NOT PUT HIS TRUST IN MAY, BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN MAN

Jesus put His trust and His hope in God. He knows that trust in any man will lead to dispair. As for the fate of man, God's grace is suffient for him. Jesus announced to others that He did not come into the world to speak His own words to them. The words Jesus spoke were the words given to Him from the Father. Jesus did not come to impose His own will. He came to do the will of the Father. Jesus emptied Himself so that in full submission to God, the Father could be all in all. Now Jesus exhorts man to come to the Father like a little child, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Daily Prayer: Father, let us examine ourselves and You too examine each of us. Show us what is in our spirit that can be a stumbling block in our coming to You. Create in me a clean heart and write your will on my heart. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Whatever You Ask In My Name, He (The Father) Will Do

When we really want results from God, we sometimes add "in Jesus name," so as to insure positive results. Unfortunately that is not what Jesus said. He means that whatever you ask of the Father in My Nature, He (the Father) will do. That is why Jesus said to the Pharasees that whatever I ask of the Father He does, because I always do what pleases My Father.

Christians, by way of the resurrection and ascension of Christ have been lifted to heavenly places by way of the Baptism of the Spirit. This places us under the headship and direction of Jesus Christ Himself so that we may imitate Him and approach the Father.

Daily Prayer: Father, if only we put into practice that which is true. We are so caught up in our own flesh that we miss the will of God. Let it be on our own hearts that not my will, but Thy will be done. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

In "that day" nothing will separate us...

Jesus explains that once we have become "one with the Father" we will ask no more questions. It is not because we will have complete understanding, but it is because
you already know that the Father will reveal all things in time. If ever you find that there is something causing distance between you and the Father, do not seek a remedy in your flesh. The problem is in your spirit where there is something holding you back from complete submission. The body simply acts out the condition of the spirit. Once you have become united with the Almighty, you will ask no questions because as a child of God, you will become one with the Father.

Daily Prayer: Father, help us to seek out our spirit. Lead us into that which is holding us back from arriving at "that day." Search me and reveal to me those things so that they may be quenched and life can begin. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

This Is Eternal Life - "That They May Know You"

Many believe that eternal life is the means of extending your physical life past the time of your death. This is not what the Bible means. Eternal life is a present possession of the believer. While it is true that is has no end, it's beginning is from the point of belief in the Risen Christ.
Upon belief, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who is Christ's access into our life. In is the means by which Jesus Christ uses His power in the life of the saint. Our Triune God desires relationship, not sacrifice. For what kind of a father or a brother does not know his son or his brother? We are to rest in Him and share all things together with Him.

Daily Prayer. Lord, by the power of the Risen Christ, illuminate our darkened eyes so that we may see. Keep us from think far off thoughts and have us focus on the present time and our life with You even now. Amen.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Just as a person cannot live without his heart continuing to beat, so the Saint is seperated from God without prayer. Prayer is the means by which we stay in fellowship with the Father and the Son. One must not always be a prayer pose in order to pray. This is because by prayer we call God into forefront of all our decisions in life.

Daily Prayer: Father, by Your Spirit keep us mindful of You in everything. Let us not say in our hearts that this is too small to pray about. Strengthen our faith through our prayers. Let us be a living testamony to all that our God hears our prayers and answers the same. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

BE CAREFUL OF YOUR "RIGHTS"

As one who is saved by grace apart from works: what are your rights? When we speak of personal rights, the central focus is on ourself. God would prefer that we walk before Him.
This is a giving up of personal rights in favor of allowing God's election. This too is favorable for the saint because God makes infinitely better choices than we can with our limited knowledge and power. This is also the basis of surrender - the giving up of self in favor of another.

Daily Prayer: Lord, from our infancy we think about ourself. Help us to see the big picture and allow You to be the Lord of our life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

MY GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD

Have you ever noticed that in the Bible, when someone comes into the presence of either God the Father or God the Son, their normal reaction is to fall prostrate? Why is this so? It is so because our God is an awesome God. Too often we try to create God in our own image. We place on Him the restraint of human fraility. This is not God's nature. God's nature is one of unimaginable power. The Presence of the Father or the Son creates illumination which is blinding. God is full of zeal for His people. He is called the Lord of Hosts because nobody can deliver from His hand. This is what David realized when facing the Philistines. He said "who is this fellow to challenge the hand of God's elect? Accessing the power of God cannot be accomplished without undeniable faith. It is this faith that gives us access to the power of the Lord of Hosts and brings us safety in the midst of calamity.

Daily Prayer: Father, all too often we pray little prayers. We pray small because we believe small. Just as Your Spirit illuminates us to the truth of Your salvation, allow the Spirit to illuminate us to who You are. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

The Cares Of This World

Have you ever wondered why Jesus sent out his disciples without any provisions? The clothes they have on their back is all they took. He sent them with no "contingency plan." Instead He gave them His peace and instructed them to stay in the house of the brethren and do not go from house to house, but instead so long as someone would feed them and give them lodging He told them to let His peace reside over that household. If someone would not welcome them, He told them to shake the dust off their shoes and there would be no peace over that home.

So it is with the cares of this world. Jesus knows that the greatest enemy of the Christian is not the Devil, or his demons. No. The greatest enemy of the Christian are the "things" we lose sleep over. For this reason, Jesus taught us to ask for our daily bread and that is enough. Whenever we fret over things, we are demonstrating our lack of trust in the Almighty God. We know He has cattle on a thousand hills, but we want to see some of them on our hill. Even Solomon who prayed for wisdom, lot his common sense when he had too many possessions.

Daily Prayer: Father, we confess to you that we do worry about the cares of this world. We are taught from our infancy to be a self made man to our own distruction. Now that we know the truth, let us depend on You and Your provision for us. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

Jesus' High Priest Prayer (John 17)

Before going to the cross, Jesus petitioned the Father concerning those who are His. He prayed that we be "one" with the Father, just as he is one with the Father. The Father always answers the prayers of the Son, because the Son agrees with the will of the Father. Yet, most of us are not one with the Father. Why? It is because we have not fully surrendered our will to His. We have hidden sin or hidden agendas that are not from God and we don't want to let go of. These plans may not be evil in and of themself, but when they oppose the will of God they become evil.
So what do we do? We must pray in earnest, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When Paul was setting up his church plants, his attendant Luke (who was a gentile) said to Paul that he knows there is so much more, but what is the sign? Paul replys, "There is no sign, it is surrender." So it is with us. Let us pray that we meet Jesus on the road to Damascus (so to speak) so that we release our hold on our own life and give it to Jesus.

Daily Prayer: Father, give us the power and the belief to let go of our own life and put our trust in You. By doing this, I will by no means found to be guilty, but instead obedient to You. In Jesus name and for His sake Amen.

What Is Your Most Important Priority?

This is a serious question. One's core beliefs are what make the world view. All other things and matters fall under the lens of the world view. To some, a spouse is the most dominant factor in their life. To others, it may be their job or where the live. Yet, others feel that the church is the most important thing. Jesus says to seek first the Kingdom of God & His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Do you believe this? Peter found out how difficult this can be when he pledged to fight for Jesus, but denied him instead. The disciples all scattered at the Cross. The Jews went into exile for not placing God first. Think of the myrtyr, the one who lays his life down for God. Could we do this? It is important to remember that all things, wheather good or bad come from God's hand. You are not your own even if you want to be. It is better to thrust your life into the hands of a merciful God than to trust any man or any thing.

Daily Prayer: Lord, everytime we sin intentionally, we intentionally take ourselves out of your protection. Create in me a clean heart God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence. Transform me by the Holy Spirit to choose You over things of this world. In Your Holy name I pray Amen.

A New Life Must Be Disciplined From Within

When a person is "born again," they have a new nature by way of the Spirit indwelling them. But the Old Man still wants room in this new life. Just as a woman cannot have two husbands, this new nature cannot have both a new life by way of the Spirit and have the Old Man sitting at the kitchen table. You have to divorce yourself from the Old Man by way of force. Loyality now it to your new life given to you through the Spirit's indwelling. Allowing them both to mingle is a sin and grieves the Holy Spirit of God. You must yield to the Holy Spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the new life given to me because of the cross. Let me receive the Holy Spirit just like I received the Son. Not by my work, but by my trust I can be forgiven my sins and lead a new life forever. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST

God is love. This is the shortest, but most profound verse in the Bible. God doesn't possess love, He is love. Our Father who art in heaven created us in His own image and God is love. For God so loved the World...The reason that nothing can separate us from His love is because everything that a Christian opposes in this life is one of life's circumstances. Circumstances are not material, but God is love and that is not circumstantial. God says of Himself, "I am who I am." Jesus Christ says of Himself "I am the way the truth and the life." I am the Good Shepherd. The Father and the Son are material beings who override all of life's circumstances to be there for us regardless of life's circumstances.

Daily Prayer: Father, keep us in Christ Jesus in our daily life. Let us not view our circumstances as anything final. Instead let us see things the way You see things which is that all things are for Your purposes and for Your greater glory. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Consider The Lillies Of The Field

Jesus was trying to make a point with His disciples. He points out that the lillies neither sow nor spin, yet they are dressed more impressively than Solomon. What is the point? It is that self-effort does not advance your cause. It is like the tree planted near the river. It produces fruit not only because it was created to produce fruit, but it flourishes because of its proximity to the river. So it is in our life. Our River is the Living Water that we find in Christ Jesus. We must be near Him in order to flourish. If we separate ourselves from Him and try in our flesh to perfect ourselves, we will be fruitless. If we don't try so hard, but remain close to Christ, He will use us in every aspect of our life both to ourselves and to others.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, let us do Your will in our lives by way of the Holy Spirit. Let us neither make our own path, nor separate ourself from Yours, but instead let us abide in You and You in me so that we can bring the results You have given to us for our life. Amen.

It Is The Son Of Man Who Is The King Of Kings & Lord Of Lords

In the life of Jesus Christ, He came into this world as the eternal Son of God. He lived as any other man in the household of a carpenter and his mission underwent a radical change on the Mount of Transfiguration. From this point forward, he became the Son of Man. He experienced, trials, Gethsemane, betrayal, the cross and resurrection. He then ascended to the throne of God where He became the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. This is My Son, with whom I am well pleased says the Father. He didn't come to save Himself, but to give access to the Throne of God to all who receive Him by faith. This is why we inherit eternal life. The Lord gives it to whom He pleases which are those who believe in Him.

Daily Prayer: Lord, we are not called to suffer shame and die on the Cross. We are only asked to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Why is this so hard for so many? We now humbly ask that You lift the vail of spiritual blindness to those who are slow to believe and illuminate their only hope of salvation why grace is still offered. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Do Not Fall Into The Sin Of Self-Pity

People love to have a "pity party." They like to tell of how difficult things are for them and how they "somehow" came through it all. When we do this, it removes God from the throne and places our future in our own hands and not God's. To those who trust in God, He is their provider and their sufficiency. Even if one were to lose the benefits of our benevolent God, when we restrict ourselves to self-sufficiency, we are robbing others from benefiting from God's provision. This was Jesus' complaint about the Pharasee's. He accused them of not only robbing themselves of God's pleasure, but they steer others into their own miserable corner. God loves a cheerful giver we are taught. So let's give freely just as we have been given to freely.

Daily Prayer: Father, Your good hand of faithfulness is all around us. It is seen in the morning sun and the afternoon rain. We sit down and eat food that has been given to us and yet their are times we withhold Your blessing from others. Forgive us Father. Let us have renewed faith in Your faithful treatment of us and give You the credit You deserve for giving us our heart's desire. In Jesus' name I pray Amen.

My Life Is Like Broken Bread & Poured Out Wine

Brokenness is the way a person submitted to God should look like. We are tought to work out our own salvation. It costs us nothing to be saved, because that is a free gift. It costs us everything to "work out" our salvation such that we are a benefit to God and to others.
It should affect our speach, thinking, where we go, and what we do. Our life should manifest Christ so that He may be glorified by us.

Daily Prayer: Lord, help us to be steadfast in our devotion to you. Let us rise to the occasion by the power of the Holy Spirit to show our good deeds and glorify our Father who is in heaven. Amen.

CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO SUFFER SHAME FOR HIS NAME

The Christian does not choose adversity, but they go through it with grace. Jesus warned His early believers that they would suffer for His name's sake. So we are to count it as joy when Jesus uses us in our life circumstances to glorify Him with our bodies. It is what Paul learned when he petitiioned God three times for the removal of the thorn in his flesh. The outcome was Jesus telling him that My grace is sufficient for you. When we go through trials in the world without complaint or dispair, others see us as different and develop a desire to be more like that.
The church is to be like heaven's embassy. A place where people can experience a little bit of heaven on earth.

Daily Prayer: Father, let us not be like Jonah by fleeing from you when You call. Instead, let us be more like Jesus who was obedient to You, even obedient to His death on the cross. We now know that death is not final, because Jesus arose again so that all who believe in Him will have everlasting life. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

The Habit of Yielding to Christ

Our conscience is our guide as to wheather we are living in harmony with the highest standard we know. If you are born again, that standard is the one of the Most High. It is the goal to be able to end each day with a clear conscience. By having it is our spirit telling us that we have yielded to Christ and not to our flesh. Whenever we fail in this respect, the only way to gain peace is confession of our transgressions so that fellowship can be restored.

Daily Prayer: Lord, help us to love You as we ought to. Let us not put ourselves first in life's decisions, but allow You first place in our life. By doing so, you can give us Your peace and allow us to have a clear conscience. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

DO NOT THINK MORE HIGHLY OF YOURSELF THAN YOU OUGHT TO

Jesus, when speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven said, " In His Kingdom those who are last shall be first and those who are first shall be last." He goes on to say that we should not be like the Pharisees who treasure their own personal piety, but would not lift a finger to help his brother. He asks what is the value of washing the outside of a cup if the inside is full of dead men's bones.
So it is for followers of Christ. Christ said of Himself that He came not to be served, but to serve.
He warns followers not to take a seat of authority because someone better than you will come along and you will be asked to move back. In our service to Christ, it should hurt a little. It should be sacrificial but the right hand should not know what the left hand is doing. Humble yourself before the Almighty, because in His presence we are like Job who cannot measure up.
By grace we are saved by faith and not of works. It is a gift of God and not of man and no man can boast.

Daily Prayer: Father, we have much to learn. Let our first priority not be one of learning new responsponsibilities or even purifying ourselves. Instead, let our focus be on knowing You and Your Son so that we may naturally imitate you in our daily walk. Amen.

POUR OUT YOUR LOVE TO OTHERS

Because Jesus first loved me, I am to love Him too and also love my neighbors. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit so that the fruits of the Spirit may be made manifest in us. Love is a one way action that risks rejection. It exposes the highest form of intimacy from one to another. This is why we are so slow to love because we don't want to be rejected. If we are saved by Jesus, we must put to death our own ego and move forth boldly knowing that it is hard to win a soul to Christ for someone you only "like." Instead, you must sacrifice self-reward in favor of doing what is right for the other. The Bible describes two kinds of Godly love. The first is hesed which describes loyal love. The second is agape which is sacrifical love. These two combined are our higher calling for ones who are chosen by God to represent Him in our life setting.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me put away my self concerns and humble myself for Your Name's sake. Let me be all things to all people so that by all means some are saved. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Where There Is No Revelation, People Perish

The main thing wrong with the New Age Movement is that God is excluded from it's grounding principles. Idealistic principles are not moral incentive and lead to ruin. Where there is prophetic revelation from God, moral incentives flourish. If we try to cast God into our own image then we end up with an idol which takes us nowhere. But where you have God as your chief cornerstone, then we find life and being.

Daily Prayer: Father, let us be still and know that You are God. Let us not be too quick to speak, but instead be attentive listeners. Let us also be seekers of You and the Bible says that they who seek You will not be disappointed. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.

Faith: This is Our Supreme Act

Faith is not emotion. Emotion waivers when faith abounds. Faith is not logical. It doesn't come to a common sense solution. Faith is an abondonment in the work of your own hands and full trust in the hand of God. Abondonment is not what the world teaches. It teaches reasoning. Jesus said that eternal life is the knowledge of God. Though we do not see Him, we know Him.
I never witnessed the cross, yet I know that Christ died on the cross and rose again from the grave so that I may be freed from guilt and the penalty of death. The World has no answer to the power of faith.

Daily Prayer: Lord, give us the desire of Elisha. Let us desire a double portion of the faith of Elijah. By this we may come to glorify you by our lives and by our work in Your Name. Amen.

What It Means To Be Complete In Christ

Jesus is the Master Builder. It is His command that we become His disciples. We cannot please Christ in our flesh. He, the Master Builder, must make us anew. When He imparts new life in us we are His and lack nothing. Jesus has planned for the Kingdom and know those who are His. Nobody can say to Jesus "Let me serve You by doing this or that." To those whom He has not called He will say "Depart from Me. I never knew you." But to those whom He called, He will employ according to His will and there they will serve Him. He only uses those who are His disciples and who are complete in Him.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, I surrender my life according to Your will. Use me in whatever way You decide and there I will serve You. Amen.

The Liberty of Jesus

We, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are called to set men free so that they may be free indeed. Our mission in proclaiming the Good News, is not to make converts of our own self. No. We are called to have others align themselves with Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus tells us to yoke with Him. This means to be His co-worker in sharing the gospel, but He doesn't seek that we make our own way or yoke with another. He, Jesus, is the Good Shepherd. Those who are His know His voice and follow Him.

Daily Prayer: Lord, let us not take on the pattern of the Pharisees. They wanted to convert people to their idea of righteousness instead of Your perfect righteousness. Men want to feel as though they earned it and don't realize that if they do not yoke with You, their burden will be too heavy and they will surely fall. Therefore let us act wisely and place our self in the hands of our Good Shepherd. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

THE GOSPEL IS GOD'S IDEA AND IT IS GOOD NEWS

Salvation is from the Mind of God. It is His Idea for which He became passionate for. Jesus is the One who fulfills the Promise with His own Body. It is the Spirit who circulates the News to the nations.

Salvation is not an experience of our own, but it is the illumination of the fulfillment of the Promise of God which has taken place. Our knowledge and confidence in the Promise is not because we are holy, but because He is holy. It is God's idea that he totally executes to its completion from heaven for the benefit of those who love Him.

Daily Prayer: Father, break down the walls of those who fail to believe and therefore fail to love You. Use us as You will. Let us not hesitate to tell others the Good News, that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

In Our Prayer, We Must Come Under The Authority Of The Cross

For whose sake do we pray? Is it our own or what is in the best interests of others? Possibly neither of these are our grounds for approaching the Father. The Father saved us by the blood of the lamb, we should then enter under Christ's authority and not our own. For whom does the Father save people if not for Christ? We can be righteously wrong in our approach to the Father. We tend to believe that if "we" consider our petitition for another to be "in their best interests," that the Father should agree. Sometimes we fail to understand God's providence and His timing. It is as the Bible says "all things come together for good to those who are called by God and according to His purposes."

Daily Prayer: Father, forgive our shortsightedness. We often times mean well, but we forget You are God. How silly we can be when we in our limited sight pray as if you don't have infinite sight and wisdom. Let us learn to speak to You about ourselves and others rather than about us or others.
In Jesus' name I pray Amen.

In Order To Interceed For Others, The Intecessor Must Be Identified With The Purpose of God

When one interceeds for the benefit of another, the one praying is not praying for self-interests, but for the interests of others. Here discernment is important. God works wheather or not I interceed so I must be careful not to put my prayers in contrasts to the working of God. This is achieved by not relying on emotion or sympathy for others, but by coming to an understanding of the providence of God in what we pray for. Identification with God means you have considered His plan, His methods, and His motives. It is not about you or the one for whom you pray, but it is seeking God's council over the matter.

Daily Prayer: Father, perhaps it is wise to pray to You about others instead of for others. By doing so, it gives You the sway to show me how I ought to pray and what kind of prayer You will answer. Teach us to do this so that Your will be done. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

What Does It Look Like To Be A Called-Out Saint?

To be used of God looks much different that what most would expect. It is not having large crowds as with some of the mega-churches. It is not to be a compelling speaker. Doing the work of Christ is work that involves you doing the work and Christ getting the credit. A mother is a good example. The mother dresses her child properly and teaches them from home. When they go into the world, people look and say "Look at this one. They sure have their act together." It was the mother who taught, prepared, and sent her child out, but it wasn't she that people complimented, it was her child. In the same way, the laborer for Christ does His work so that others may say "Look what Christ has done for us." We are not intended to be the ones who are up front and recognized. Even the Holy Spirit seeks no glory of His own, even though He is God, but instead leads others to the Father and to the Son.

Daily Prayer: Lord, let us be wise enough not to commit the sin of Satan wanting to be like the Most High. Instead, let our labor be effective, but to bring others not to ourself, but to Christ. In Jesus name I pray Amen.