"Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion on us, and He will subdue our iniquities. Yes, You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."Micah 7:18-19

We as believers in Jesus, know that true forgiveness doesn't come by doing works, keeping traditions and taking part in beautiful ceremonies. Reconciliation with God comes by truly giving up our lives for His purposes and receiving atonement for our sin through Jesus the Messiah, as the Hebrew scriptures clearly show. We all struggle with sin. Let's take this opportunity to cast it today! Cast it away! The Scripture says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and remove those sins as far as the east is from the west! Brothers & Sisters, let's not be burdened any longer with sin -- confess it and be cleansed! The Lord is in the business of restoration -- let's give Him our lives once again. And let’s pray for God to do a work among the Jewish people. That they would see the truth of their blessed Messiah! CAST YOUR BREAD UPON THE WATERS!

"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips…The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, and each is tested by the praise accorded him.”Proverbs 27:2, 21

It’s natural to want to receive praise. Praise gives us confidence and helps us know if others are pleased with us or disappointed. Praise can encourage us and give us a sense of fulfillment and purpose. But praise also can be a kind of poison. The Bible warns us not to praise ourselves but to let our work speak for itself. We should focus on doing everything as unto the Lord, making sure He is pleased with our attitude, our work, and every other area of our lives. The Bible also warns that we will be tested by the praise we receive. When people compliment us or praise our work, we are tested in the same way metals are heated and tested in a crucible. Unless we are grounded in humility, receiving praise can cause us to lose perspective, becoming proud and overconfident. Yet receiving praise provides us with an opportunity to see our real character and motivation. It shows us whether our goal is to get attention or to serve God. We see Jesus’ attitude toward praise when He came to Jerusalem during the Passover. Intrigued by the signs He had done, “many believed in His name.” But Jesus understood the real nature of this praise. He “was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men.” And He “knew what was in man” (John 2:23-25). He had another opportunity riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). But within days, the crowds would cry out for Him to be crucified. Brothers & Sisters in your life, remember that people can be fickle. Don’t live for their praise but focus on serving God, doing everything with excellence unto Him. Be His servant, seeking to please Him in everything you do.

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.”Galatians 5:16-17

The Bible makes it clear that we have two natures: flesh and spirit. These two natures express themselves in different ways. First, the deeds of the flesh are “evident.” The Greek word here suggests that they can be seen openly. They are so “bright” that they seem to shine. They are “obvious”. We see this nature expressed through our “deeds.” This means anything that results from our labors. Controlled by the flesh, we think about the flesh and things that can be seen—the pleasures and rewards of the world. But, Paul warned, if we focus on doing these things, we “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Why? Because His Kingdom cannot be earned. It is not a business where results are measured in human effort. This Kingdom can be only inherited. The Bible tells us that everything about the Holy Spirit is different. In God’s Kingdom, our focus is not on human effort but on allowing the Spirit to flow through our lives. To realize that His fruit is a natural byproduct of His presence. And His presence cannot be forced or regulated. Our flesh may want to focus on doing “good things.” But God wants us to walk and be led by the Spirit. This means not focusing on what we do, but on the Holy Spirit’s presence. This also means recognizing that we “belong to Christ Jesus,” recognizing that we have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Brothers & Sisters in your life, remember that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50). Seek to live by the Spirit. Allow Him to change you, and let His fruit be expressed through you.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Every day roughly 150,000 around the world die. Death has a way of raising our spiritual temperature and quickening us to re-evaluate life...especially to ask, "Am I doing all that I can do?" Have you ever heard of how the Nobel Peace Prize originated? Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, awoke one morning in 1888, shocked to discover his own obituary in the morning news. The newspaper had mistakenly printed the story about Alfred, instead of his brother, who had just passed away. As he read his own epitaph, the story of the "Dynamite King", the great industrialist who made an immense fortune from explosives -- Alfred Nobel was rudely awakened to the fact that the world viewed him as a merchant of death! The mistake was not wasted on him. Rather, it served as his wake up call! As he read his obituary with horror, Alfred resolved to make clear to the world his understanding of the true meaning and purpose of his life. So he used his immense fortune to create a foundation which would promote and embody his ideal for world peace...and he is now remembered, not as the "Dynamite King", but the creator of what we know now as the "Nobel Peace Prize." Brothers & Sisters, let's allow this little message to be our wake up call. Let's re-evaluate our lives, look within...and ask ourselves, "Are we truly doing all that we can be doing for the Lord?" Because when this life is finally past, and our deeds are all recorded in the "Books", only what was done with and for the Lord, will last...forever! YOU CAN'T ESCAPE IT!

“Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”1 Kings 11:11

During Solomon’s reign, no other nation in the world served God. The Lord had called the Israelites to be His people. He had given them His commandments, and their history was dominated by His presence. We might have expected God to conclude that, even when Israel sinned, it still was “better” than any other nation. And when their leader Solomon sinned, we might assume he still was more Godly than leaders in other nations. Surely, we might think, God wouldn’t send judgment. But this is not how God viewed Israel or Solomon. His Word had set specific standards by which they were to live. This was the basis of how they would be judged—not in comparison to other nations, but in comparison to His standards. They had sinned and would face the consequences. This is the model for how God judges our lives as well. As individuals, we might think that, even with our flaws, we still are “good enough.” Even when we violate His Word, we still might feel we’re “good people” who don’t deserve God’s judgment. As He looks at our nation, we might assume He considers us better than other nations and that, even with our flaws, we still are righteous enough. But just as in Solomon’s time, God reminds us that He judges us according to the standards He’s set and the commands He’s given to us. Brothers & Sisters today, make sure you are living according to God’s Word and not according to the opinions of other people or the standards encouraged by the world. Remember: God has given us His standards. Pray for your country and its leaders. Pray that your nation would stand for righteousness!

"I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done."Psalms 118:17

A farmer and his friend went duck hunting. Eventually, they got to talking about the things of God, as they always would. "You're always talking about these battles you have with the devil," the farmer's friend said to him. "It's so silly – I mean, I'm not even a Christian and I've never experienced anything like that." "Yes my friend," the wise farmer answered, "but if you shot two ducks -- one was wounded and one was dead -- which would you go after first?" "Well," he said, "I guess I'd go after the wounded duck – I can always get the dead one later." "Mmm-hmm," said the farmer, "The devil knows you're a dead duck." For those of us who are walking with the Lord today, be encouraged! Our enemy knows that we have potential to do great things for God, and out of fear, he'll try anything to take us out. This is so very evident by the constant battle we all face. Brothers & Sisters, let's stand strong against the devil today! And rise up to the Lord's calling upon our lives! We will fight and we will WIN! Because if God is for us, who can be against us? ARE YOU A DEAD DUCK?

“The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”Revelation 20:10

As we look at situations around the world, it can appear that Satan is winning. Everywhere we turn, we see sin and spiritual darkness, immorality and wickedness, turmoil and uncertainty, violence and war, broken homes and shattered marriages. Sometimes Christians seem defeated and discouraged, divided and outnumbered. Nevertheless, the Bible tells us Satan already is a defeated foe. In fact, the Bible says, “the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time” (Revelation 12:12). Knowing that his time is short, the devil is throwing himself into fierce spiritual warfare. Satan fights with intensity, attacking anyone who is vulnerable. He seeks to manipulate the media with his twisted images and messages. He encourages the development of TV programs, websites, books, and films filled with lies and spiritual darkness. The ideas he promotes may sound true, but they lead us away from God. He fosters marriage breakups and causes children to rebel against their parents. He tempts us and lures us into sin. Remember: You will be attacked. And the attacks might come in ways that surprise you. Often they come during moments when you’re vulnerable, and they target areas where you’re weak. Be on guard! Don’t take your enemy lightly! Brothers & Sisters fill your life with God’s Word…today and every day. Pray in the Spirit. Seek to stay faithful to God’s call on your life. Avoid places, ideas, and people that tempt you to sin. Instead, commit your time, talent, and treasure to serving God and furthering His Kingdom.