Rahab (3)

'...You were redeemed from the empty way of life...with the precious blood of Christ...' 1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV

Good Morning,
Sitting here in my office thinking and praying this morning about many things. If you have a moment please remember Danny N. in your prayers as he is having surgery. Also Deryl J. as he needs God help in a personal matter and Alden A. as he recovers from cancer. I don't often ask you to pray specificly but today I am because it is very important. What we trust in and whom we believe in sets our life in motion. It's like Rahab; what she trusted in, stood, when what everybody else trusted in, fell. What did Rahab trust in? Her morality? No, the Bible says she was a harlot. Her nationality? No, she was a Gentile, and therefore excluded from the blessings of Abraham. So what did she trust in? A scarlet cord! What a beautiful picture of the power and protection afforded us by Christ's shed blood. 'You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.' Notice what the blood of Jesus has rescued you from: 'The empty way of life.' Do you remember when you had no interest in church because your soul was at war with God; the God who brokered peace between you and Himself? 'And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.' (Colossians 1:21 NKJV) How did it happen? '...Having made peace through the blood of His cross.' (Colossians 1:20 NKJV) You say, 'But I still fall far short of God's standards.' We all do. And God has made provision for that: 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' (1 John 1:9 NKJV) When Joshua's troops saw the scarlet cord flying from the window of Rahab's home it meant she was accepted by God. And Christ's blood does that for you. We are redeemed and should live like we are. Saint stand up right now recieve what God has for you today. Be blessed...you are loved!

Rahab (2)

'I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good...' Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Good Morning,

What a wonderful day it's going to be. So many opportunities to be who God has created you to be. Have you ever been in this situation? Look at Rahab; (while everybody else was preparing to fight, she was preparing to surrender.) Somehow Rahab had heard about the things God had done for Israel; how He'd turned the Red Sea to a red carpet, converted rocks into drinking fountains, made breakfast for them every morning in the wilderness and dried up the waters of the Jordan River. Rahab may not have been wise when it came to her body but she was wiser than everybody else in town when it came to her soul. She wasn't about to fight God, for she knew it's a fight you can't win. For her the path to victory was surrender! And that is the right path for you too. If only you'll stop trying to 'run the show' and turn your life over to Christ, He will take you to places of blessing you've always dreamed of, longed for, but didn't know how to get to. God had a great future for Rahab. He planned to make her a progenitor to King David, and also our blessed Lord Jesus. How's that for recycling? And God, who loves both the rich and the down-'n'-out, will do the same for you regardless of the spiritual condition you may be in today. Read this: 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me...I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.' (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT) It's incredible how much our God loves us and desires to take of us. You just have to trust...you are loved!

Rahab (1)

'By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish...' Hebrews 11:31 NKJV

Good Morning,
Is it me or should it be warmer than it is. I drove up to the church this morning and saw snow on the roof of the church. I had to stop and give thanks for all things in all circumstances to God. Even for snow. For the next few days let's look at the story of Rahab the harlot. She lived in a doomed civilization. God told Abraham, 'I give to you and your descendants...all the land of Canaan...' (Genesis 17:8 NKJV) Since Rahab lived on the 'wall' of Jericho, in a sense she lived on the 'brink of doom'. So do we. Today leaders scramble to stop the spread of nuclear weapons (Iran) because in the wrong hands they have the power to destroy the world. The Bible speaks of a rider on a red horse with a weapon of such destructive potential, it could remove peace from the earth (Revelation 6:4). Could that be a nuclear device? Peter writes: 'But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the Heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the Day of God...?' (2 Peter 3:10-12 NKJV) Should we be frightened? No, the death throes of this old order are just the birth pangs of a new one. 'Nevertheless, according to His promise, we look for new Heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless.' (2 Peter 3:13-14 NKJV) What God has in store for His redeemed people is awesome! You are redeemed by the blood of Jesus...love it, live it, pass it on...you are loved!

Suffering Because of...

''If anyone suffers...'' 1 Peter 4:16
Good Morning, Just a reminder that tomorrow @8am @CFW is our Men's Connection Breakfast. Men we will continue the DVD series on the Holy Spirit. Ladies pass the word on to your husbands, please. The Bible says, 'Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God...' (vv.15-17 NKJV). When satan attacks you for doing God's will, it's both a compliment and a sign of respect. Clearly, you're a high-value target and you represent a threat to his kingdom. But when you suffer as a result of your own foolishness, there's only one thing to do: acknowledge it and repent. Don't say you're being attacked for being a Christian when you're really being attacked for being a 'busybody.' Note the words 'murderer' and 'busybody,' and make the connection! When you speak evil of someone and are persecuted for it, you're not suffering for the Lord, you're suffering the consequences of your own behavior. So what should you do? Go back and deal with it; say, 'I was wrong.' Don't try to act 'spiritual' and say, 'Well, I just don't understand why they don't like me.' Yes, you do! You can't do what's wrong, try to vindicate yourself and then claim God's promises. It doesn't work that way. 'The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.' It begins with you. God says, 'If you fix this yourself, I won't have to fix you. I only fix people who refuse to fix themselves.' Don't wait for consequences to bring you to your knees. You are Loved...

Step Out in Faith and Do It!

'We walk by faith, not by sight.' 2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV

What a great week as God has encouraged us to step out in faith almost everyday. It's hard sometimes in our walk of faith and It's not that you don't know this, but if your like me you just keep forgetting it and need to be reminded of it: God can use you! Yes, the same God who worked through Moses and Esther, Deborah and Paul, works today through imperfect people like you and me. He can give you victory in the place of defeat and turn last year's humiliation into this year's celebration. All the great achievers in the Bible had one thing in common: they were just ordinary people who took risks in obedience to God, believed Him and ended up doing amazing things. Can you imagine trying to fill Moses' shoes? God had used him to dry up the Red Sea, wipe out the Egyptian army, receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai and feed millions of Israelites every day in the wilderness. How would you like to follow someone like that? The thought of it must have shaken Joshua to his core. But God reassured him: 'No man shall be able to stand before you...as I was with Moses, so I will be with you...' (Joshua 1:5 NKJV) Once he heard those words he had the confidence needed to pick up where Moses left off. The Bible says, 'We walk by faith, not by sight.' The devil doesn't mind you speaking words of faith as long as you don't take steps of faith. So trust God. When He says something to you it's always for a good reason. When He tells you to do something, He will give you the strength and resources to do it. What's God asking you to do? Step out in faith and do it!

Your Habits Determine Your Future

'...Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed...' Daniel 6:10 NIV

Ever thought about your habits? I have. Last year Amy and I decided that we had to form the habit of exercise. That habit of going to the gym almost everyday of the week is paying off. But your habits can either work for you or against you. Take any habit you practice, multiply it by 365 days, then multiply it by seventy or eighty years and you can write your own obituary. Simply stated: great people have great habits. One billionaire says, 'I arrive at my office at seven a.m. It is a habit.' A best-selling author says, 'I get up at the same time every day. I start writing at eight a.m. and quit at four each afternoon. I do it every day. It is a habit.' Jesus had habits. 'And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His [habit] was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day...' (Luke 4:16 KJV) Daniel prayed three times a day. His prayer life was so predictable that his enemies used it to trap him. When measured by the same standard, how is your prayer life? It's said that if you can do something consistently for twenty-one days you have proven that you can do it for twenty-one years. Will you slip at times? Sure, you're only human. But once you have tasted success it's hard to be satisfied with less. Jesus said, 'If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.' (John 8:31 NAS) Note the word 'continue'-it's the secret of true greatness. Your success can be found in your daily routine. If you're serious about changing your life you must stop practicing bad habits and start instituting good ones. You are loved....

You've Got to Pay Full Price

'I insist on paying the full price...' 1 Chronicles 21:24 NIV

Sitting here in the office today staring at my cup of coffee listening to worship music and praying. It seems like satan is trying to unleash everything against me this week; and as I pray and renew my spirit a old story comes to mind. The story's told of a small-town barber who was doing well until a big hair salon moved in across the street. They blitzed the area with signs: 'EVERYTHING FOR A DOLLAR. Dollar haircuts! Dollar perms! Everything for a dollar!' In despair he hired an advertising expert, who called a billboard company and told them to put up a big sign on top of the barber's shop. 'And what do you want us to put on the sign?' they asked. The expert replied, 'In big, bold letters put the words: 'WE FIX DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!' David said in 1 Chronicles 21:24, 'I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord...a burnt offering that costs me nothing.' In order to fulfill your God-given destiny in life, you've got to pay full price. You must not stop in this walk of faith when things get tough. Instead stand up in faith and believe God and pay full price by being and doing everything your God is asking of you. If you do it will change you forever....you are loved!