8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters.Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. 1 Peter 3:8-9

Prayer: LORD, some days it is a challenge to live in harmony with myself, much less with anyone else! I know I should exemplify Your character in the way I interact with others, but I let my "self" get in the way. Help me grow more mature in our relationship. Then, as I live in harmony with You first, I will better be able to live in harmony with myself and others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God Listens

You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter his presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God—and he listens. He listens to the painful plea of the elderly in the rest home. He listens to the gruff confession of the death-row inmate. When the alcoholic begs for mercy, when the spouse seeks guidance, when the businessman steps off the street into the chapel, God listens.

Intently. Carefully. The prayers are honored as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord. “The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand to God.” Incredible. Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God.

Then, the angel “filled the incense pan with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth” (Rev. 8:5). One call and Heaven’s fleet appears. Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven, and “God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.”

You are the someone of God’s kingdom. You have access to God’s furnace. Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!

When you speak, Jesus hears.
And when Jesus hears, thunder falls.
And when thunder falls, the world is changed.
All because someone prayed.

prayer

God, Help me trust You to do what You have already done. You have made
ways for me when there were no ways. You have defeated enemies that
were unconquerable. You have stood for me when I couldn't stand for
myself. You have loved me and believed in me when I didn't love or
believe in myself. And You will always do those things. Help me
believe in You like You believe in me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

From Paul

I wrote a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be in
charge, will not recognize our authority. (3 Jn 1:9 ISV)

Prayer: LORD, some people love to be in charge and enjoy having
authority over others. When I encounter such a one, help me avoid
being drawn into a conflict with them. I need Your acceptance, but
the acceptance of others is optional. If someone rejects me, help me
just move on and allow you deal with them as You see fit. In Jesus'
name, Amen.

10 Ways to Tell You're Slipping

It's surprising how God's people awaken one day and suddenly realize they have fallen away from the closeness they used to enjoy with the Lord. The signs have been there all along, but they were not paying attention.

Here are some tests for spotting signs of slippage in our walk with the Lord, evidence that we're losing the intimacy with Him that should mean so much in our personal life.

10. You know you're slipping when the big thing you look forward to on a Sunday is a football game.

9. You know you're slipping when reading the Bible no longer excites you, angers you, or challenges you.

8. You know you're slipping when you finally get up off the couch and get involved in some ministry the Lord has been laying on your heart and the first thing you do is start criticizing all the other couch potatoes who are only doing the same thing you have been doing all this time.

7. You know you're slipping when, after slacking off in your tithing over the past year, instead of feeling guilty, you find yourself criticizing the regular tithers for their self-righteous and legalistic attitudes.

6. You know you're slipping when you can read the Ten Commandments and give yourself a passing grade on all of them.

5. You know you're slipping when you can go a whole day without praying and it not bother you one bit.

4. You know you're slipping when you can have a dirty thought and justify it as "what normal humans do."

3. You know you're slipping when you feel a nudging from the Holy Spirit to speak to that person or give to this one or make a phone call to another and you squelch it.

2. You know you're slipping when you decide to reward yourself for doing well by skipping your Bible reading and prayer for that day.

1. You know you're really, really slipping when the problem of slipping doesn't cause you great concern.

min-message from April 12. 2011

Let a man go to a psychiatrist and what does he become? An adjusted sinner.

Let a man go to a physician and what does he become? A healthy sinner.


Let a man achieve wealth and what does he become? A wealthy sinner.

Let a man join a church, sign a card, and turn over a new leaf and what does he become? A religious sinner.

But let him go in sincere repentance and faith to the foot of Calvary's cross, and what does he become? A new creature in Jesus Christ, forgiven, reconciled, with meaning and purpose in his life and on the way to marvelous fulfillment in God's will.

Facing Decisions

Prayer: LORD, when I am facing important decisions or tasks, help me
remember to pray first. And in the absence of specific direction
from You, help me use sound judgment and wisdom. I trust You to
correct my path if I am taking a wrong turn. Thank You for putting
me in the right place, at the right time, in front of the right
people. In Jesus' name, Amen.