The Battle is the Lord's

   Sometimes the strongest people are those who love beyond all measure, cry when no one sees and fight battles only God knows 
about (in their mind).

   Blessed are the poor in spirit (those who are without faith in Jesus Christ or those who are believers in Him, who are beaten down by the devil OR who realize they can't do ANYTHING right without the Lord.)

   Psalm 109:31 "For Jesus will stand at the right hand of THE POOR (in spirit) to save him from those who (fail to see Jesus in them) [and who] condemn them."
"This poor man cried and the Lord heard him."
"Help me O Lord my God: save me by Your mercy."
"That they may know that this is Your hand that You Lord have done (for me and in me)."

   Too often in Christian's lives, they are still dealing with habits, wrong ideas and attitudes that cause them to err, to sin.
                   But remember God's Word to you; 
   "Psalm 93:18 "When I said, my foot is slipping, Your mercy and Loving-kindness, O Lord, held me up (kept me from stumbling, and falling into sin.)
   Also remember "The battle is the Lord's, not yours."
[He fights the battles IN YOUR MIND - By His Word, as well as defeating the devil and his demons that fight you in this world.]

   Jesus wants to be your ALL IN ALL here. He said, "HE increases the power of the weak. They WILL RENEW their strength as they call upon Him. 
Paul said "In weakness, we are made strong." "Let the weak SAY 'I am strong'."

   To be tempted is a trial of your faith so don't despise yourself because of how guilty you feel for what you're going through.
   Instead, remember you have the Strong One IN YOU Who comes in His mercy and Loving-kindness. He picks you up, cleans you off, forgives your iniquity, draws you near, hugs you close, whispering in the ear of your heart,  "I love you, my son. I am able to KEEP YOU in ALL your ways as you trust Me more and more.

   After all, I AM Jehovah, Yahweh, The Everlasting Father. I AM omniscient (All knowing), omnipresent (Everywhere at once), omnipotent, (Almighty), the Prince of Peace."

   The Lord will PERFECT that which concerns you and leave nothing undone.
Jesus said, "You are COMPLETE (Perfected) IN ME. I am the head of My body, the church."

   "Even youths grow weary and young men stumble and fall. 
I (The Lord) WILL uphold you with My Righteous Right hand."

   Believers in Christ, you are being renewed by the Holy Spirit, day after day whether you feel it or not.
   However, lack of prayer, Bible study and doing what you know is wrong will hinder God's Spirit in His work in you.

   Repent and return to your first love, Jesus, with all your heart.
His kingdom, His open arms and your incredible future await you. 

                           The Innkeeper
                                            By Harvey Glass


 I keep the Inn. That's what I do.
 For those who rest, just passing through.

 My wife and I, someone must,
care for those who walk through dust.

My Inn was full, I know not why,
God chose that night to light the sky,
and bring a babe of such renown,
So near, right here, in Bethlehem town.

I remember now, her face it shined.
He called her Mary and she with child.
All Inns the same, no respite there.
I alone must show I care.

What to do! What must I do?
I cannot send them cold away.
I have but this that I can give,
a stable, a manger, some warm dry hay.

If only I had known,
A King was He, the angels did proclaim.
A star so bright, shepherds and wise men 
on camels came.

My heart was heavy. I hung my head in shame.
No room had I, save stable fare, 
I'll never be the same.

But what is this? I cannot tell.
This touch of love within my heart. 
These words of peace, "All is well."

(God speaks)
 "Innkeeper, my dear man,
 I chose your stable, ere time began,
 to bring to earth, Christ the Lord,
 the Son of man.

 I chose you, your stable
 this time and place,
 to birth My Son by My grace."

 Jesus, Savior His name shall be,
 for He has come to make man free.

The Oil of Joy

   Frank  Sinatra once sang a cute song about an ant. 

Some of the words were, best I can recall;

   "Everyone knows an ant can't, fell a rubber tree plant.
But he had high hopes, he had high hopes. He had high apple pie in the sky hopes. 
   So if you're feelin' low, don't know where to go, just remember an ant can't, fell a rubber tree plant.
   But don't be givin' in, one day you will win, just remember that ant,
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant."

   The Word says to us "Don't be weary in well doing, for in due season, you will reap if you faint not."

   We have need of patience, not ours but the Lord's. It's His life, His character, His endurance that far surpasses ours that we need.
Hebrews 12:1-4 gives us a glimpse of the incredible suffering that Jesus endured for us so He could endow us with HIS PATIENCE and ENDURANCE. 

  "Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
vs. 2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him ENDURED THE CROSS (where all hell came against Him), despising the shame, and is (now for us) set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
vs. 3 For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds (at your pitifully few troubles compared to His)
vs. 4 (Amplified) You have not struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your own blood."

   We all know the old adages, "Keep on keeping on. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Never quit. When life throws you lemons, make lemonade."
   I happen to like the new ones (that never grow old).
"God will strengthen you, yes He will help you." "God will strengthen His people." "The Lord is an ever present help in time of trouble." "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

   By faith, we ARE more than overcomers (over sin, satan, sickness, sadness, and all evil). 
   The Glory of the Lord is our inheritance and God is about to be glorified through His believers  as never before. 

   God is about to turn our sackcloth (our fear, weakness and doubt) into joy [the oil of joy for mourning]. "Rejoice I will always be with you." "Now thanks be to God which ALWAYS causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus."

   God said "The Joy of the Lord IS my strength."
Believe it and receive it by faith.


  

   

It Matters How We Perceive

   On the way to church I remarked "It's gloomy weather we're having; dark, wet cold and rainy." 
   My wife's reply was (being a faith filled woman of God) "It's not gloomy!"
   I said, "Well, I'm only stating facts, this weather is not bright and sunny and tends to make people feel down and depressed a little."

   She stated, "I don't see it as gloomy. I love the different seasons.
Fall and Winter are the way the earth renews itself."
   
   I said, "Well, I can see I need to view this from a spiritual perspective. Because Jesus is The Light of the World, and He is in my heart. I should not let this weather control my emotions.
  
 The fact is the sun always shines above the clouds and I am not to let the surrounding circumstances dictate the way I feel.
   BECAUSE God's Word says 'Set your affections on things above and not beneath." It also says, "Rejoice continually, in all things give thanks to God (that He rules in my heart and mind-not my circumstances).
   Then I remembered Malachi 4:2 "But unto you that fear My name
shall the SUN of Righteousness (Jesus) arise with healing in His wings..." 

   When things seem to be dark looking, the Word of God is "A lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path." 
   We can see where we are and where we are going however God is "The Lifter of my head" and whomever God lifts up, He will never let down. 
   God's best for us is to keep our focus on Jesus Who IS THE WORD OF GOD. He tells us to not fear ANY evil, that He will fight our battles for us and soon crush satan under our feet.
   God in His great Love for us says "He forgives ALL our sins, and heals ALL our diseases."Psalm 103:3
   He also promised He would NEVER leave us nor forsake us.
So since "Greater is God Who is in me than the devil who's in the world" why should I ever let anything get me down?

R. U. A Grinch?

   R. U. A Grinch?

              Grinches hold grudges, people of God should not! 

   If you are walking about not speaking friendly to others and only speaking when you are spoken to, you more than likely have a grudge.

   And since you have a grudge against one or more persons,
and you are out of fellowship with them (Oh you might be faking that you agree with them) UNDERSTAND - YOU ARE ALSO OUT  OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

   It's one thing to agree to disagree and walk in love and entirely another to disagree and fake that you are in fellowship.
That's you being deceived and trying to deceive. That's wrong and ungodly. 

   God says "If you come to praise Me, and you have ANYTHING against your brother, lay your gift of praise down and go and be reconciled with your brother, then come back and praise Me."
   If you know (YOU HAVE A GRUDGE AND) 'IT'S NOT THE LOVE OF GOD THAT FLOWS ONE TO ANOTHER' then it's called sin. We are to forgive all those who trespass against us.
   
   The love of God is only real when it follows the cross, up and down (God to man) and across (out to man).

   Since God is Love, He responds to those who humble themselves and lay down their opinions and hurts (those who are seeking God).
   
   He will then restore what the enemy has stolen.

When fellowship breaks down, there is a gap in the wall, where the enemy could get in to destroy unity. 
   Repair that breach QUICKLY  and don't let the Love of God Languish (sour on the vine). His Love must always FLOW. Be His divine vessel through which He pours out His Love continually!

   God IS Love. He SO LOVED us, He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son to save us. That act of love cost God the One He held most dear, Jesus.  It didn't cost God anything to create all creation. 
   That's why God loved man more than He did all creation. It's the goodness of God(His love) that leads man to repentance. He First loved us. This makes man more valuable to Him than all the rest of creation.