Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing

John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. This particular verse is talking about adding to the kingdom but it really applies to anything we do, for God is our only power. Lord, we need never to forget that You have the power! Lord, we want to honor you with everything we do. Lord, call the lost around us so that we may tell them of Your glorious love. Open eyes to receive the truth of Your Word. Amen 

Today I read the bible truth about David and Goliath. I stand amazed at the power of the Lord, how He sent a young man not a warrior to defeat a giant with a slingshot and a stone. Seasoned warriors were terrified by the taunts from the giant but a soft spoken youth was not because he knew he had God on his side and apart from God we can do nothing! That includes witnessing to the lost, slaying giants or not sinning! 

1Samuel 17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 1 Samuel 17:38-50 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand."When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.

Sovereign God Uses Evil Spirits for His Purpose

1 Sam.16:14-23 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.  And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.  Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well." So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me." One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him."  Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep." And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight." And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
Wow, as many times as I have read this bible truth, I have never really grasped this verse about God allowing a harmful spirit to torment King Saul. I mean, I knew he was tormented but I did not catch the God allowing part! I had to read verse fourteen, three times!!
It is true, God gives you deeper meanings on the same verse at different times.
As Saul began to loose his throne, God was already preparing David to be the next king. Sovereign God allowed Saul to be tormented as He empowered David for His purpose.
I know from reading the book of Job that God allows the devil to attack for His purpose.
Occasions where God turned people over to demons or the devil for judgment:
Acts 5:1-3 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
1 Cor.5:1-7  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
1 Tim.1:18-20 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
God also uses demons and the devil to strengthen the saints:
Job 1:1-2 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
Matt.4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
2 Cor.12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The Lord God, had entrusted all judgment to His Son, Jesus. Let the power of Christ rest on you. Ask for His mercy and forgiveness for Christ is our salvation. He intercedes for us if we acknowledge Him before men.
Lord, we know without a doubt that we deserve hell but by Your Grace we have been set free from the sin and hell. Only by Your power, by Your death , and by Your Resurrection. Amen 
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The Judgement

Ps.143:1-2 Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
God is good, we are not! There is none righteous, not one! Jesus will judge us! We will be held accountable to God!
Romans 3:12-20 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood;  in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known."  "There is no fear of God before their eyes."  Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son
John 5:27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Rev.20:13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Jude 1:15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
Lord, we are desperate for Your forgiveness. In Jesus name show us mercy. Lord, there are those who are perishing, open their eyes. Give us boldness to share the hope of the gospel. Amen

Seek and Trust

As I sit here listening to the tornado sirens screech, the rain pounding on my metal roof, the rushing wind and the loud floor-shaking thunder, I have utter peace. I know I am in the Lord's care and nothing will harm me unless it is His will. When you learn that He is in control of your life and death, you know you must trust in Him. It has not always been that way, only as I have learned to trust Him through His Word and realized, I am not in control, God is! All the uncertainties of this world fade as I seek His face. Ps.63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Is.26:9 My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Ps.119:41-42 Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. John 14:1 NIV "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
Precious Lord, I am a sinner saved by grace. Forgive me for the foolish things I do and say. Thank You for Jesus. Lord, open eyes to Your truth. Amen

God's Country

All my life I have heard this saying, this is "God's Country". I just returned home from vacation in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It is very beautiful and you will surely know that there is a God, when you see His marvelous creation, the Smokies. The Supreme Spirit, God, of which there is no equal, created the universe!
Gen.1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Ps. 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
God created man: Gen.1:26-27 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
There is only one God: James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!
One way to God: 1 Tim.2:5-6 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
God's word is alive: Heb.4:12 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Man can not deny God because of Earthly creation: Romans 1:19-20 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Look around you, can man create a sky, a star, a galaxy of planets, or a living cell to produce life? God is Creator, man is NOT! Heb.11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Lord, forgive man's impertinence! That man envisions himself as Your equal is a very wicked thought. All knowledge is from You God and man is indeed foolish when he thinks he has done anything apart from Your power and Your grace! Father, forgive us our foolish deeds and thoughts. Let us be ever mindful that grace is a gift from You and Your son Jesus. Your Word is a blessing to us! Amen

The Sweet Song of Praise

As I sit here this morning, I can hear the birds singing outside my window. Their sweet song of praise to the Lord fills my ears and makes my heart feel all is well for those who rest in the Lord's care. Thanks You Lord, your Grace is truly sufficient for me! As you age, your body begins to ache, especially at night when you try to sleep. When sleep is allusive I like to pray. His Words ring in my ears and are as comforting as a warm blanket.
Ps.150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!
Hen. 13:15  Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
I love the bible truth about Paul and the thorn in his side. 2 Cor.12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Cor.12:1-8 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
God deserves our praise. Even the animals sing His praise for He is our Creator and God of the universe. He sent His only Son to save sinful wicked man. Trust in the sufficiency of Christ today! Your eternity is resting on your willingness to repent and trust Christ for salvation. Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Lord, You are sovereign God. There is no other! While we have breath, we will praise You and in death we will still praise You as our soul departs this frail home. Open the blind eyes of the lost ones so they can taste Your glorious gift of salvation. Amen

The Four Gospels/ A Complete Testimony About Jesus

Why four Gospels? Lets explore that question! Each Gospel was intended to enlighten different audiences. The Gospels were written by different authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit. They all have a unique message, presented from a different perspective. Each one is suited to the intended audience. They have powerful answers to questions about who Jesus is! Taken together, the Gospels form a complete testimony about Jesus. I would like to thank John MacArthur for his wonderful teaching. His books are valuable teaching tools for diving deeper into God's Word.
The Gospel of Matthew was written for the Jews. It states the truth of Jesus being the Messiah/King who fulfils Old Testament prophecy and expectations. Matt.1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matt.16:16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt.20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
The Gospel of Mark was written for the Romans/Gentiles. It states that Jesus is the Son of God. Mark demonstrates the humanity of Jesus and His servant heart. Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 8:27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
The Gospel of Luke was written for the Hellenists. It's truth states that Jesus is the perfect Son of Man who came to save and minister to all people through the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer. Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
The Gospel of John was written for the Greeks. It's truth states that Jesus is the fully divine Son of God in whom we should believe to receive eternal life, the I Am of God! John 20:31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
I Am: John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Lord God, only You can change a heart. I pray for repentance to come to the lost through the teaching of Your precious Word. I am unworthy Lord to carry Your message, but by Your power and through Your forgiveness I am able. Amen