Psalm 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”


Roman 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."


We read these two scriptures but we do not always see this evidence in the lives of people. People don’t always live with the understanding that they were created for greatness. They do not see that all that they face in life, no matter how bad, does not have to stop them from reaching the purpose set before them, if only they trust God.

We know this is true if we listen to the news and the media today. We hear some disheartening things about the world we live in, and especially our youth. Let me give you some of the statistics of what’s happening in our world:

· There were 2.6 million new marijuana users in 2003. That was an average of 7,000 new users each day. 69% of these new users were under 18. That is 4,830 teens (and of those 52% are girls). If these trends are still true today, then that means 2,560 teen girls and 2,270 teen boys will start smoking marijuana this very day.


· Stats show that 80% of teens are involved in some type of music piracy within a six-month period of time and of this number a large percentage say they are born again believers or attend church.


· Statistics show that every day 1,000 new teens start to drink. If these numbers are still true today, then 1,000 teens will have their first drink this Sunday.


· 5.1 million teens say they binge drink.


· Statistics show that nearly ½ of all teens say they have had sex by their 18th birthday. Their hope was for the romantic feelings they saw in movies and the media. However, the reality of it set in and of that total, 61% of girls said they wish they had waited, and 40% of boys said the same.


· 1n the year 2000, there were 14.5 abortions per 1,000 teen females (ages 15-17)


These are only a few of the statistics of things happening in our world. When you hear this statistics, it might make you feel things are hopeless. What has happened in the world (especially in the Christian world) is we have heard these types of statistics about our youth and we have written them off. We have decided that many of these things are simply going to be, so why fight them. Our youth have been called such names as generation X as if they have no identity. But did you know something important about statistics? Statistics are numbers that report information that has happened and can only “Project” what might happen.

In other words, these numbers are not a truth until it has happened. I’m here to tell you this; it is not God’s plan for you to be just another negative statistic. He has not planned it in his heart that our youth will become only stats of hurt, disappointment and sinful life styles. In fact the scripture that was read said you were fearfully and wonderfully made.

What does that mean? When something is fearfully made it means extreme care has been used to get that thing just as the creator wants it. It has not been done haphazardly. To be wonderfully made means God took delight in how he made you. You are marvelously made, done up with the brilliancy of God and with his magnificence. So you and I were made with extreme care and when God looked at his finished work he delighted in it and thought his work was marvelous, brilliant and magnificent. And anything God took such time with, surely he has a plan for. God had a plan for you when he formed you in the womb of your mother.

Now you may be saying, but if you look at my life now, this could not be true. I understood to well what that feels like not see the true purpose of your life, for this was me. I did not have hope in my life and I could not see any good coming from me until God turned me around.

Yet, I have an important fact to tell you no matter what life looks like; you were not created by God to be just another statistic. You were created for greatness. God created you; you were fearfully and wonderfully made. Because of that, he takes all the good and the bad situations that we face in life and he uses them to make us into what he has called us to be. He takes the bitter situations in our lives and uses them. I’m a cookie baker. I love to bake chocolate chip cookies. One of the ingredients is salt. You would think why do you put salt in something you want to make sweet? Well the salt enhances the sweetness of the cookie. Try leaving it out and the cookie is bland. That is what God does with the salty, bitter things in our lives. He uses it to enhance the sweetness. I leave you with this one thing. You are not just another negative statistic. God created you for a purpose. The question to you tonight is this, do you want what God has in store for you or do you want to become just another negative statistic?

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MONDAY
Greater love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. - John 15:13


Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepest not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. - John 14:23


Love, what’s the big deal? My life for yours. I have been listening to some songs by an artist and he sings a lot about love in relationships with others and with God. I asked myself this questions, what’s the big deal about love and why is it so important for us to really understand what love is and what love is not? If you look up the word love it has many meanings. One meaning is to have a deep, tender feeling of affection towards a person. It also means to have an intense desire and attraction towards a person. While there are many meanings in our dictionary, I believe if we read the word of God we get a better understanding of what God wants us to understand about love.

The greatest love there is first comes down to us from God. God showed the greatest love when he sacrificed his son so that you and I could have access to his provisions. This love was given even when we did not deserve it. It was extended to us when we were mean, lost and quite ugly in our sin. This love saw past what we were not to what we could become. This love was not deserved, but was extended so that we could become what we should be. This love is available to us if we accept it. Then we are expected to reciprocate our love back to God. We do so by following what he requires of us. This is something I don’t think we look at often. God’s love is not one-sided.

He loves us but he does require that his love be acted upon. He requires our life for his son. He gave his son’s life for you and I and he expects us to then give him ourselves. This is how we express our love for him. Love is a big deal to God. He does not merely talk about love but his love is one that is acted on. His love is one that is giving and it gives with the intention of bringing out the best in the receiver. That is what our love should look like. When we love our husbands or wives, we should love them with a love that builds them up, that seeks their best and not a selfishness that seeks only what one can get. When we love our children it should be one that things about their needs and not only our own. When we love others (believers or not) we should do so with intention and purpose and that being to build them up.


Worldly love, fleshly love is self-seeking. I don’t even like to use the word love when describing what takes place in the world arena. In and out of relationships looking for love, but with a selfish agenda of looking for what will make you feel good, not caring how others are hurt or affected. I have difficulty looking at that as love. Loving parents as long as they can give you something, but when they don’t have anything else to give, your love stops. That isn’t love. God showed us true love. It gives itself for others. True love is willing to lay down its own agenda so that others can be lifted up.


I pray today that we ask God to show us what is his truth about love. How are we to love? How are we to show it so that others will see who we belong to and who dwells within our hearts? Today, Lord help us to love as you did, by being willing to be a living sacrifice for you.


TUESDAY
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – 1 John 2:15

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. – 1 John 4:21


Love, what’s the big deal? Love, the right priority. Yesterday we established the fact that the love I am speaking of comes from and is set in motion by God. From the love God gives us should spring forth all the love we have, from the love of our spouse, to our children to our neighbors and ends with ourselves.

God’s word now gives us some guidelines on how he expects us to exhibit true love. I’ll continue to call it true love, because there is a false love, a counterfeit love that this world wants to establish as real, yet it does not line up with God’s words regarding love. This is what God is trying to protect us from so that we will not become confused and therefore cause harm to our selves or others.

We are first warned that we cannot love (show devotion or great affection) for the things in the world. If we do we have set ourselves apart from the Father. If your affections and devotion are for the things, the pleasures of this world you cannot claim to have the love of the Father in you, otherwise you are only fooling yourself. The reason why you cannot claim the love of the Father is because his love compels you to give of yourself, to think of others and to do that which is pleasing to him. If what you are doing does not compel you to think about others feelings, or if it makes you focus solely on your own pleasures and desires and not on God, then it is not love he gives.

The second message is that if we do love God then we must love our brothers. There is no out clause. It doesn’t say you can love them as long as you get along together. Or you love them as long as it is beneficial to you. You are simply told to love them and that means no matter what.

So the question is how do you know if you are walking in this way? If you find it difficult to do those things that are right because you are torn up inside about releasing the “pleasures of this world” then maybe you need to check where your devotions are. Is it more important to gain status or position such that you have no problem missing church or limiting your praying time or eliminating your read of the Bible because something has to give way to that pursuit? Is there something you have planned for yourself that is so important that you are willing to let everything else go because of it? Even if it means hurting others? What’s the big deal about love? Love is a big deal because it is through love that lives are changed, hearts are healed, relationships are put back right and sins are forgiven. It was the love of the Father for you and I that change the course of our lives heading for destruction.

I pray for us today, is there something in me that is keeping me attached to the things of this world? Is there something I am having difficulty letting go of? Then I ask God that you help me so that I can give my complete devotion and affection to you. Help me to love you and when I do, I will follow your commandments and be an avenue of help to my brothers and sisters. Help me Lord as I yield my complete self unto you. This day Lord, I say thank you for loving me when I was unlovable. Thank you for loving me when I choose other things instead of you, now today I give you my all. Thank you for loving me into your kingdom, into your presence. Help me to love others into your kingdom and into your presence.



WEDNESDAY
The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. – Psalm 145:20


Love, what’s the big deal? My safety. I have had the opportunity to pray with several people regarding the things that Satan is trying to do in their lives through the hands of others. It sometimes saddens your heart to hear the things that people will do to others, but you come away with the understanding that this is how evil works.


Sometimes it is hard to understand why as a child of God you go through so much difficulty yet others seem to prosper and go unchallenged or unaffected by the wickedness they do. I have come to the place that I understand what may seem like an individual is getting away with evil, is not the truth.


God is a just God and in his time he will deal with each persons actions. What we must do as children of God is trust in his way and in his timing. We can also rely on his promises. We have some benefits for loving God. One of the benefits is he promises to preserve us. That means several things. He promises to defend us. He will defend us against the attacks of the enemy against us. He will save us from not only the wickedness in this world, but even from ourselves. He also promises to maintain us. That means he will keep us from falling when we are faced with the attacks against us.

The God that saves us is also the God that can keep us. We do not have to continue in sin because the power of God through Christ Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient to keep us safe in our walk on this earth. He also promises to put in safeguards for us. That is what his word does, it safeguards you and I from our self and from the tricks of the enemy.

So you and I don’t have to worry about what the wicked do, because God says those he will handle. He will destroy those that refuse to obey him and follow after his ways. We must also realize that God in his mercy allows these individuals an opportunity to come to him. He gives to our enemies the same opportunity that he gave to us, when we were his enemy.


So today, the big deal about love is God promises to take care of us through whatever situation we find our selves in. He promises to save us, to defend us against the onslaught of attack, he will maintain us in a right relationship with him and he safeguards us from the tricks of the enemy by giving us his word and his Spirit. So today we give our love to God but he gives us so much more in return. Lord help us today to accept this love you offer to us with a gracious heart. Help us to walk in your ways, even when it seems all around us is prospering, but yet we struggle. For in God’s time and in God’s way, he will bring all things to pass. Just continue to trust him, for he is faithful and he never fails.


THURSDAY
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O Virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. – Jeremiah 31:3-4


Love, what’s the big deal? Everlasting love. There was a song or movie, I guess I’m old I can’t remember which one, that had the name, everlasting love. Yet it did not really speak about a love that could last forever, through everything and face every adverse situation. God however, shows us what it means to be loved with an everlasting love.


This is the message he gave to the prophet Jeremiah as he spoke to the every turning, every sinning people of God. Jeremiah preached the same message to the people of God over 20 plus years. Can you image having to try and tell your children the same thing for twenty years? You would give up and tell those rebellious people to get out of your sight and out of your house. Yet here God is giving them a promise of restoration, even after they continue to reject his love.


Do you notice what he calls them? He says “O virgin of Israel”. Do you think that is strange when previously they have been called wicked, adulterous people following after other gods? Why then does he call them this? I believe God is giving them a promise of the state he will restore them to, one of purity. They have lost that state of being holy and set apart because of their sinning and going after lesser things. Yet God says he love them with an everlasting love (eternal, never-ending, perpetual, endless, ceaseless). God gives them this promise because his love never ends and he wants to restore them if they turn from their wickedness back to a right relationship. He will restore them to a state of “spiritual virginity”. He will cleanse them of the sins of their adultery and bring them back to a state of being set aside, holy unto him, his bride, and his precious one.


WHAT A LOVE! Is there something in your life that no matter how much you try, you cannot change? Is there someone that has been seeking lesser things and in the process failed to walk before the Lord has he has called you to? Have you believed the illusion that Satan brings to your mind that the life you “see” is all there is? Have you then decided to seek something to fill the void? Have you been seeking for love yet looking in all the wrong places, in all the wrong things? Things that numb your mind or your soul? Then I come to tell you there is an everlasting love that can fill that void with completely. What if you feel you are in a place where you are being punished for your sins, did you know God has a promise for you? He gives you this promise that he gave to the sinful children of Israel even when they too would suffer for their sins; “I love you with an everlasting Love”.


That love says, come back to me and I will remove all the sin from you life. Come back to me and I will restore our relationship to a place of wholeness. Accept my love and I will remove the spiritual sickness and restore you and I will never remember that sin again. I will call you “O Virgin”, O one that is pure before me. One that I will restore merriment to your heart so that you can dance before me in joy.

I pray for us today that we rejoice in knowing that we have a God that loves us with an everlasting love. His love is waiting and available to all that seek him. He is merciful to forgive us and will restore us to a right, and holy place before him. He promises to change us from that sinful state we may find ourselves in to one of honor. All he asks of us is that we accept his love and return his love to him. He will even help us to love him in the right way. You and I cannot even express true love until we first receive it from him storehouse of treasures. Ask him how to love and accept his, and watch him show you how to love.


FRIDAY

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. - Ephesian 3:17-18


Love, what’s the big deal? Love brings understanding. So what is the big deal about love? The greatest gift we can ever receive is the love of God as exhibited through the supreme sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ. We all have somewhat of an understanding about love. We love our parents, our children or our spouses. This is even understood by the unsaved individuals. Yet, for those that belong to Christ, there comes a greater understanding regarding love.

That understanding comes because of the wisdom that God grants to us as we follow after him and express our love to him in our obedience. Christ dwells inside our hearts by us placing faith in God. That faith is the first key to opening our understanding of this great love. This key opens up the door to our understanding the greatness (to the best of our human ability) of God like we never could without our acceptance of his love in our lives as expressed in our salvation experience.


We begin to understand this love that Christ gives us and it passes all understanding on the human level. How could someone love us so much that they would give their life for us, even when the chance of us rejecting it was present? How can someone love us continually when we do not always show that love in return? God’s love for us is freely given. The horror is that God does not remove his love from us, but we reject it. Can you image a place where there is no love? A place where there is no joy or peace? A place where even the simplest of pleasures are not? A place where you will remember all the gifts you could have had from God, but now you can no longer receive them and the chance to ask for them is gone? Can you image a place where you will be forever regretful because you rejected God’s love? Can you image being given a full glimpse of God’s greatness to have it removed from you, but that your mind would forever remember what you could have had, but rejected. There is a place just like that, hell.

The wonderful thing is we do not ever have to experience such a place because the love of God is so great he continues to woo us to come to him and to be completely his. Let us heed him while he calls us. He wants to open to you and I the riches from his storehouse. I pray for us today that we would understand God’s love is a big deal. His desire for us to show our love for him in our yielding is a big deal. His desire for us to express our love towards each other is a big deal because it reflects him in our lives. This love of God is a big deal. The big deal is, we receive from the storehouse of God now and then we receive the rewards in eternity that is a big deal.


When you go to worship this weekend, go seeking God to help you walk closer to him so that you can be a walking expression of godly love. Go thanking him for opening your understanding to the depths of this love and how wide it goes and how much it covers. God thanking him for loving you when you were not quite loveable. Oh what a wonderful gift to have, the love of the Father.

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Read the scripture and see if you can answer the questions for yourself. The words in quotes is the title I gave to each of these scriptures for a lesson for the youth. I hope that the questions help you in your walk.

1. “God knows your thoughts, what are you thinking?” Proverb 4:23
QUESTION: What are you being kept from in this passage?


2. “Words, does your help or hurt?” Matthew 12:37
QUESTION: this is Jesus, who is criticizing Him and why?



3. “Prayers answered, Hannah’s story.” I Samuel 1:17
QUESTION: What did she ask for and how soon did it happen?

What 3 things did she bring to the Lord’s house?


4. “Christ is risen” Mark 16:6-7
QUESTION: Who was speaking?

How many times did He revisit people?

Who did He visit and what was the response?


5. “What seeds are you sowing for Christ?” Matthew 13
QUESTION: What are the seeds?


6. “Serving others while serving Christ?” Galatians 6:10
QUESTION: What is the benefit of serving?



7. “Who do you belong to? I Corinthians 6:20
QUESTION: What two things are you glorifying God in?



8. “Be thankful in ALL things” I Thess 5:18
QUESTION: Who is this concerning?

Does this include the good things?



9. “God’s true gift.” John 3:16, John 1:12 & Galatians 1:4
QUESTION: What three special things are given in these passages?



10. Who is the Holy Spirit: John 16:13 (Known also as the Holy Ghost, Divine Spirit of God, Voice of God, Comforter)


11. What does He do? (When we receive Him)

a. Acts 15:8, 9

b. Romans 5:1-5

c. Acts 1:8



12. What does He do? (After we receive Him)

a. John 16:13,14-26, I Corinthians 2:7-14

b. I Corinthians 12:8-11


13. Who does the Spirit dwell in?

a. I Corinthian 3:16,17
b. Acts 5:32

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But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:16-18


He is Risen, What Next? We can reflect Jesus. Easter or Resurrection Sunday has come and gone, but does that mean we should lose the focus we gained during this time? I believe the answer to that is no. In fact, we should begin to ask the next question, what is next for us to do? This isn’t just a question for the unsaved that have now accepted Christ, but also for the one that already believes. We should continually ask, what next Lord?

In this scripture, the New Covenant is being spoken about. Paul speaks about Moses and how he wore the veil over his face because the people could not look upon the glory of God on his face. The comparison is we do not have to place a veil on our faces, we can allow the Spirit of God to reflect through us and have the freedom of reflecting Jesus.

The glory that shown upon Moses faces faded, but this does not have to be what transpires with the believer today. We can reflect the Spirit, which is the Lord’s Spirit, and continually be transformed into his likeness with an ever-increasing glory. In other words, as we release more of ourselves into the hand of God, the more we will reflect his Son (Sanctification).

We can be changed to show the world the beauty of the Lord. We are not able to do this without the risen Christ. So what’s next? The next thing for us to day is to release ourselves into the hand of God so that He can receive glory from our lives as we walk before him and before men.

I pray for us today that we reflect on what the Lord has spoken to our hearts during this past Holy Week and then move into action on what he has shown us. Has he shown you he desires more worship? Then worship. Has he shown you he wants more commitment? Then commit, yield. Has he shown you that there are some things in your life that need to be nailed to the cross, put to death so that the new purpose in your life can be resurrected? Then nail those things to the cross and move forward in His purpose. Today, is our call to action, what will you do, what is next for you?



For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:14-15


He is Risen, What Next? We can forgive the unforgivable. Sometimes it seems impossible to forgive the mean and hurtful things people say and do to you. This is especially true when those hurting you say they belong to Christ. It is hard to reconcile the things people assume and then speak as if it is truth. I must be honest; this was an area that was very difficult for me. I could not understand the saints saying the mean things they did to me.


I could not understand the hurtful words that come from their mouths, instead of the words that should encourage. I could not understand how do we claim to be Christians and do such mean things. Sometimes the hurt and struggle does not come from outside the church, sometimes the struggle comes right in the midst of the place that should be a place of worship.

Well what does that mean? It means that regardless of what others do, we must be like Christ. It means that when some one lies on us, we must continue to be like Christ. It means that when others would say mean hurtful words, we must continue to be like Christ.

This is not something we can do in our own ability. I could not forgive those that hurt me, lied on me and misused me in my own ability. It took the risen Christ living in me to enable me to do so. It takes the Holy Spirit helping me to be able to forgive the unforgivable. To be able to forgive means you do it, even when the other party may never say a thing, or acknowledge their need for forgiveness.

I pray for us this week that we seek God to help us forgive those that have hurt us, talked about us, lied on us and mistreated us. Help us to show love even though others may not be showing it in return. Jesus showed loved to an angry mob as he hung on the cross. He could have rightly called angels from heaven to stop what was happening, but he knew that it was all to fulfill God’s plan. We must look at the mistreatment of others and ask the same question, what is best for me? Is it best that I move from this area, or is it best that I allow you to bring me through? You’ll find out that God many times wants us to go through because he is using these times to bring about something in us. So let us turn to God when people mistreat us, or do us wrong. If we are not willing to forgive what others have done to us, we then cannot expect God to forgive our sins. For our sins against God are far greater than anything anyone else could do against us.

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your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. – Psalm 139:16-18



Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8


What are your thoughts? Righteous Thinking. What if your thinking is what we call “stinking thinking” (wrong thinking or thinking that see only defeat)? How do you change your thinking to the right way of thinking? You begin that process by focusing on the Lord. The psalmist remarks about the things of God. He says you saw me when I was unformed and at that time you ordained a purpose for me.

The psalmist then rejoices at the wonder of the thoughts of God. He writes your thoughts are precious to me. When God’s thoughts are precious to us, then we begin the process of seeking to change ours to be more like his. We ask God to change our thoughts from the old way we thought, to begin to think his thoughts and to understand his ways. We understand that God’s thoughts are vast and we cannot completely understand them all.

Yet, the psalmists is reminded that even if I were to try and count your thoughts I cannot, but I still know this important thought, I am still with you. This is what I call righteous thinking. When we turn from looking at our problems and begin to look at the one that solves all problems we begin to have righteous thinking.

We can begin at this point (and only at this point) to think of things that are right, pure, lovely and admirable. This is possible because the focus has turned to the God of the universe and we are reminded of his vastness. We are reminded of the works of the master’s hands. Righteous thinking means that we have the focus on the right things. The beauty and the sweet smell of being in the presence of God dispel the stench of the thoughts that the devil tries to bring to us. Thinking righteous thoughts begins us to thinking ourselves as victors where as stinking thinking makes us see ourselves as victims. Righteous thinking helps us to see ourselves as mighty warriors where as stinking thinking makes us see ourselves as captive slaves.

I pray for us today that we seek righteous thinking. God help us this day to begin to meditate on your attributes. As we begin to think on these things, that are both lovely and pure and righteous, we will begin the process of turning our thoughts from defeated to delivered. Help us to think your thoughts today. Challenge yourself this week, how can you change your thoughts each day?

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David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied…As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. – 1 Samuel 17:45, 48-50


Unusual Assignments. Our smallest things in the hand of God can win the battle. We have probably read ourselves or have heard about David and Goliath many times. David was a young boy that was not afraid of the giant situation standing before him. The army would go to the battle, but when the giant would come and challenge them, they would run. And that is how we are at times, we go to church and get in our positions but as soon as a big situation comes, we run and hide because we don’t think we can overcome it.


David knew that God was bigger than this giant and he was ready to take this unusual assignment. It was unusual because he would send a boy to do a warriors job? Who would, God would. God will send us into situations that sometimes others looking at us would say we are not ready to handle. But God knows differently because he knows he is going to use our smallest of weapons to define the enemy. He can use them, because we “quickly” go to where the situation is instead of running from it. That is what David did. He ran quickly to the battle line with only a sling and a few rocks. Unusual weapon. But then we serve an unusual God that can do unusual things.


If we give even our smallest of gifts and talents to God, he will use them and when he does he may even use them to advance the battle for others. The army would not have gone forward, until someone stepped up and took care of Goliath. God used David to rally others to battle.

So I pray for us today, so that we will not think we do not have enough for God to use. He is only seeking us to be willing. When we are, he will do the rest. So I pray that we would quickly run to our post in the Lord’s army. And when we do, God will take our all and use it to win the battles.

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Our word of the month is ambassador. An ambassador is a diplomatic official of the highest rank appointed and accredited as a representative or messenger heading his or her country’s permanent mission. (A diplomat is a messenger, appointed means to be chosen and accredited means to authorize or approve.)


Ambassadors are responsible for linking their country to other countries by communicating a country’s position on the most important matters. For this reason the President or ruler usually appoints the ambassador to be sure that this very critical function is carried out successfully. Similarly, the body of Christ has ambassadors placed in this very critical position by Christ. Jesus personally appoints his ambassadors through the Holy Spirit as people are saved by grace through faith in Him. Ambassadors for Christ are the link between God’s Kingdom and this world.

God’s permanent mission is outlined in Mark 16:15-16 by the words of Christ when he states. “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”


2nd Corinthians 5:20 states, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” and God expects us to be good representatives wherever we are be it home, school, neighborhood, work or church. As ambassadors for Christ we are called to be his representative to the lost world that does not know him. We are to talk about him, live for him and show others who he is.


How can you show someone this week that you are an ambassador for Christ?

How can you link someone to Christ?

How do others know you are an ambassador for Christ?

Is there something you need to do to ensure others see you as an ambassador for Christ?

Prayer: Lord help me to do your work. When I do as you instruct, I can help others see who you are.  When I go to different places, I should be your ambassador and help others have the opportunity to be connected to your power. Help me by your ambassador to those you allow me to meet.

(Written by Min. James S. Williams)

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Okay, it's test time again! This is part two of the quiz to see how much Bible fact you know.  Test yourself and see how well you can do. The answers are at the end of the test, but wait until you take them all and see how you did.

1. Who danced for king Herod and asked for the head of John the Baptist?
A. The daughter of Herodias, Salome  
B. Rebecca   
C. Delilah


2. What Man in the Bible never died but was taken to be with God?
A. Jesus  
B. Enoch  
C. Elijah 
D. a and b    
E. all the above 
F. b and c

3. What two Bible cities were destroyed for their wickedness?
A. Sodom and Gomorrah    B. Nineveh and Jerusalem

4. Who was David's father?
A. Samuel    B. Abraham   C. Jesse

5. What disciple was chosen to take Judas' place?
A. Matthias  B. Paul   C. Mark

6. Who was the priest that brought up Samuel?
A. Isaiah   B. Jeremiah  C. Eli

7. Where Did Mary, Martha and Lazarus Live?
A. Galilee   B. Bethany   C. Rome

8. What is the last book of the Old Testament?
A. Revelation   B. Malachi  C. Genesis

9. ABout how old was Jesus when he started his earthly ministry?
A. 15   B. 26    C. 30

10. Who were the two men who spied out the promise land and brought back a favorable report to Moses?
A. Caleb and Joshua    B. Paul and Silas   C. Peter and John


Answers
1. A
2. F
3. A
4. C
5. A
6. C
7. B
8. B
9. C
10. A

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Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria." – Isaiah 7:13-17




The Message. The Prophet Isaiah – God Promises. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the promise of a coming messiah to the people of Israel. Isaiah says to the people that God would give them a sign of his promise of protection. That sign would be a virgin would be with child and call his name Immanuel. The promise was a sign also regarding the breaking of the control of the two kings that were bothersome to the Israel.

However, the people did not truly understand the words of the prophet, Isaiah. We know that because when Jesus did come, they were looking for a different kind of savior, messiah. They were looking for a savior that would fulfill the later part of what Isaiah spoke. They were looking for someone to break the hold of other kingdoms over them. They were looking for a savior that would come in and set up an earthly kingdom, with physical strength and might. The people’s misunderstanding of the words of the prophet does not change the words of the prophet. Isaiah’s words were true because they were the words of God. And God always fulfills his own word.


What is the lesson for us, the message in this scripture? We must listen carefully to the words of the Lord however he sends them. If he sends the message by a person, or if it comes from the very scriptures of the Holy Bible, it must be heeded. We must listen carefully to them so that we understand what God is saying. We don’t want to be like the people of Isaiah’s time and misinterpret the message and lose out on the promise. Many rejected Jesus because he was not the messiah they were looking for.


Let us not reject the truth about Jesus because he is not what we think. Let us not reject the promises of God when he sends word to us of what he is offering to us. Let us respond to the message, to the call.

I pray for us today that we would heed to the message of God so that we can hear the truth of what he is telling us. Help us Lord to hear clearly what you are speaking in your word and through your servants. Help us not to reject Jesus, because to do so, we reject your promise of our safety, our deliverance and our soul’s safety. God is speaking, are you listening?

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(From the archives 2004)

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. Proverbs 12:1-2



The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. Proverbs 12:5-6


The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him. Proverbs 12:13-14


The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. Proverbs 12:19-22


This entire chapter 12 of Proverbs is comparing two types of people. The first is a righteous man (or woman). Let's list the characteristics of the righteous person.


1. Loves instruction - Means that not only will you take instruction but you have a great desire to have instruction, even if it hurts to take it. Because you know that the reward for taking instruction is, knowledge from God about Godly things.


2. Right thinking - Means that you are conforming your thoughts to be Godly. What would God have you to do in any given situation? Because the reward for right thinking, is Godly living or holy living.


3. Speak words of deliverance - Means that the word from your mouth are to encourage, to correct when correction is needed, to speak truth at all times. Because as you do this, you will help those that need deliverance from sin or what keeps them down. And your reward is that you bring about the work of God in your life.


4. Delivered from trouble - This means that as you follow God, He will deliver you from the snares and traps that the enemy tries to set for you. And your reward is being in the safety of God.


5. Your words of truth shall last - When you speak the truth of God, it will not go to nothing. For God's truth is eternal. Your reward is that you can be established in God's word.


6. No evil shall happen to the Just - God will reward you with His peace and His joy, to those that follow Him. The just are a delight (pleasure) to the Lord. He is the protector of those that obey Him. Your reward is you can be secure in God's power and in His will.



Now the other person listed in this chapter is the wicked man. Let's see what happens to him.



1.Wicked are comdemned - When a person refuses to except God's instruction, he is refusing to follow after the things of God and his lot for this action is condemation. That also means even as you walk this life, your action will not be blessed by God. So you are condemned here in this earth, as well as condemned eternally.


2. You are deceitful - If your thoughts and actions are pure and truthful, you are being deceitful. You are planning ways to trick or misprepresent something. Scripture says that you are lying in wait to take blood. Well even if you are not killing in the flesh, you can be killing the spirit, or killing the name. This will bring to you, God's disapproval. For He knows what you are doing and He knows the heart of man.


3. You are caught in your lies - Scripture tells us that those that deceive or lie, will be caught in their own lies. Yes a person may go a long time and not be known, but God knows from the very moment that the thought is formed in your mind. You will receive for this action, God's judgement. For God is all knowing and all seeing. He knows all that we think or do. And God's truth will shine light on the lies of the lips.


4. You will be filled with mischief - As I read this scripture it struck me two ways. First the wicked will have in their hearts mischief (conduct that annoys or vexes, trouble, damage, harm). They will do things that destroy, bring about trouble, annoy people, or as the older generation said, vex people. Damage relationships and harm people. So the scripture says they are filled. The other thought that crossed my mind is that just as the righteous is filled with peace and joy because of obeying, then the wicked is filled with trouble in their own lives, they are damaging themselves and their relationships with others, the are doing harm to themselves spiritually and vexing their own spirit. So the resolute of this behavior is no peace or joy in their lives. They are filled with worry, and trouble.



So what is this scripture telling us. That their is no behavior that goes unnoticed by God. He rewards those that are faithful to Him, and he punishes those that disobey Him. He gives us warning and if we make the decision not to follow, then we choose what we will receive, punishment or promises.


So today, let's check ourselves and make sure we are on the right side of this Proverb so that we can receive God's promises and not God's punishments.

Praying for us to live righteous, holy lives.

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