Give God the credit. (Daniel 2:27-30)

Daniel 2:27-30

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

²⁷ Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. ²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.
²⁹ “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen. ³⁰ And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.





Before Daniel told the king anything else, he gave credit to God, explaining that he did not know the dream through his own wisdom but only because God revealed it. How easily we take credit for what God does through us! This robs God of the honor that He alone deserves. Instead, we should be like Daniel and point people to God so that we give Him the glory.


 
Joe

Happy New Year ! Remember to give God the credit in 2014.


















 

Think through your convictions. (Daniel 1:8)

Daniel 1:8

New International Version (NIV)



 

⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.



 
It is easier to resist temptation if you have thought through your convictions well before the temptation arrives. Daniel and his friends made their decision to be faithful to the laws of God before they were faced with the king's delicacies, so they did not hesitate to stick with their convictions. We will get into trouble if we have not previously decided where to draw the line. Before such situations arise, decide on your commitments. Then when temptation comes, you will be ready to say no.




 
Joe

















 

Muddy Waters (Ezekiel 34:18-20)

Ezekiel 34:18-20

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)


 

¹⁸ You already eat in the best grasslands. Must you also stomp all over the other fields? You already drink clear water. Must you also make the rest of the water muddy with your feet? ¹⁹ Must my flock have to eat the grass you have stomped on? Must they drink the water you have made muddy?”
²⁰ So the Lord and King speaks to them. He says, “I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.


 
A bad shepherd is not only selfish, but destructive. A minister (pastor, teacher) who muddies the waters for others by raising unnecessary doubts, teaching false ideas, and acting sinfully is destroying his flock's spiritual nourishment.




 
Joe















 

Christian leaders heed this warning! (Ezekiel 34:9-10)

Ezekiel 34:9-10

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁹ Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.





Those shepherds who failed their flock would be removed from office and held responsible for what happened to the people they were supposed to lead. Christian leaders must heed this warning and care for their flock, or total failure and judgment will be the result. True leadership focuses on helping others, not just on getting ahead.






 
Joe





















 

Is church entertainment for you? (Ezekiel 33:32)

Ezekiel 33:32

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)



 

³² You are nothing more to them than someone who sings love songs. They say you have a beautiful voice. They think you play an instrument well. They listen to what you say. But they do not put it into practice.




 
The people were coming to see Ezekiel in order to be entertained. They weren't interested in hearing a message from the Lord and then putting it into practice. Many people see church as entertainment. They enjoy the music, the people, and the activities, but they don't take the message to heart. They don't seek to be challenged or to serve. Have you reduced church services to the level of entertainment, or does your worship truly have an impact on your life? Listen to God's words and then obey - apply His words and put them into practice in your life.



 
Joe

























 

Do you really love God? (Ezekiel 33:31)

Ezekiel 33:31

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

³¹ So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.


 
In your heart, do you really love God? These people gave the appearance of following God, but they loved money more. Many today also give the outward impression of being religious while remaining inwardly greedy. Jesus warned that we cannot love God and money at the same time (see Matthew 6:24 below). It's easy to say "I surrender all" when we don't have much. It's when we start gaining some money that it becomes difficult to avoid loving it.
 

Matthew 6:24

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.


 
Joe





 

God wants wholehearted love and obedience. (Ezekiel 33:13)

Ezekiel 33:13

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹³ If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.



 
Past good deeds will not save a person who decides to turn to a life of sin. Some people think they have done enough good deeds to overshadow the sins they don't want to give up. But its useless to try to be good in some areas so you can be deliberately bad in others. God wants wholehearted love and obedience.



 
Joe














 

Jesus is fully God and fully human. (Matthew 1:20-23)

Matthew 1:20-23

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”




The angel declared to Joseph that Mary's child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be a son. This reveals an important truth about Jesus - He is both God and human. The infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so He could live and die for the salvation of all who believe in Him.


 Merry Christmas !

Joe

















 

"Secret" sins are not secret to God. ( Ezekiel 11:5)

Ezekiel 11:5

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁵ Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.




 
God knew everything about the Israelites, even their thoughts. He also knows everything about us, even the sins we try to hide. Instead of worrying about people noticing how we look or what we do, we should care about what God thinks, because He sees everything. Trying to hide our thoughts and actions from God is futile. "Secret" sins are never secret from God. The only effective way to deal with sin is to confess it and ask God to help us overcome it.




 
Joe
























 

Do not abuse God's gifts. (Ezekiel 7:20)

Ezekiel 7:20

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)





 

²⁰ My people were so proud of their beautiful jewelry. They used it to make statues of their evil gods. I hate those gods. So I will turn their statues into an “unclean” thing for them.




 
God gave the people silver and gold, but they used the silver and gold to make idols. The resources God gives us should be used to do His work and carry out His will, but too often we use them to satisfy our own desires. When we abuse God's gifts or use resources selfishly, we miss the real purpose God had in mind. This is as shortsighted as idolatry.




 
Joe
















 

Let God's Words sink into your heart! (Ezekiel 3:10-11)

Ezekiel 3:10-11

 
 
New Living Translation (NLT)
 
 

¹⁰ Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. ¹¹ Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”
 
 
Ezekiel needed to take God's words to heart before preaching them to others. God's message must sink deep into your heart and show in your actions before you can effectively help others understand and apply the Gospel.
 
 
Joe
















 

Sometimes we have to share our faith with unkind people (Ezekiel 2:6-8)

Ezekiel 2:6-8

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁶ “Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. ⁷ You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious! ⁸ Son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not join them in their rebellion. Open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”





God gave Ezekiel the difficult responsibility of presenting His message to ungrateful and abusive people. Sometimes we must be an example to or share our faith with unkind people. The Lord told Ezekiel not to be afraid and rebel, but to speak His words, whether or not the people would listen. He also wants us to tell the Good News, whether it is convenient or not (see 2 Timothy 4:2 below).


 

2 Timothy 4:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

² Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.


 
Joe
















 

We must learn from God's discipline. (Lamentations 3:39-42)

Lamentations 3:39-42

Living Bible (TLB)


 

³⁹ Why then should we, mere humans as we are, murmur and complain when punished for our sins? ⁴⁰ Let us examine ourselves instead, and let us repent and turn again to the Lord. ⁴¹ Let us lift our hearts and hands to him in heaven, ⁴² for we have sinned; we have rebelled against the Lord, and he has not forgotten it.




Parents discipline children to produce right behavior. God disciplined Judah to produce right living and genuine worship. We must not complain about discipline but learn from it, trusting God and being willing to change. We must allow God's correction to bring about the kind of behavior in our lives that pleases Him.



 
Joe



















 

Do you reject God in your daily life? (Lamentations 2:7)

Lamentations 2:7

The Message (MSG)


 

⁷ God abandoned his altar, walked away from his holy Temple
    and turned the fortifications over to the enemy.
    As they cheered in God’s Temple, you’d have thought it was a feast day!




Our place of worship is not as important to God as our pattern of worship. A church building may be beautiful, but if its people don't sincerely follow God, the church will decay from within. The people of Judah, despite their beautiful temple, had rejected in their daily lives what they proclaimed in their worship rituals. Thus their worship had turned into a mocking lie. When you worship, are you saying words you don't really mean? Do you pray for help you don't really believe will come? Do you express love for God you don't really have? Earnestly seek God and catch a fresh vision of His love and care. Then worship Him wholeheartedly.





Joe













 

True freedom comes from obeying God. (Lamentations 1:14)

Lamentations 1:14

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁴ “He wove my sins into ropes
    to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.
The Lord sapped my strength and turned me over to my enemies;
    I am helpless in their hands.




At first, sin seems to offer freedom. But the liberty to do anything we want gradually becomes a desire to do everything. Then we become captive to sin, bound by its "yoke." Freedom from sin's captivity comes only from God. He gives us freedom, not to do anything we want, but to do what He knows is best for us. Strange as it may seem, true freedom comes in obeying God - following His guidance so that we can receive His best.



Joe


















 

Your past is your school of experience. (Jeremiah 44:9-10)

Jeremiah 44:9-10

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁹ Have you forgotten the sins of your ancestors, the sins of the kings and queens of Judah, and the sins you and your wives committed in Judah and Jerusalem? ¹⁰ To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you.




When we forget a lesson or refuse to learn it, we risk repeating our mistakes, The people of Judah struggled with this; to forget their former sins was to repeat them. To fail to learn from failures is to assure future failure. Your past is your school of experience. Let your past mistakes point you to God's way.




 
Joe

















 

God can cure the disease of sin. (Jeremiah 30:12,13, & 17)

Jeremiah 30:12,13, & 17

New International Version (NIV)



 

¹² “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.

¹³ There is no one to plead your cause,
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing for you...

¹⁷ But I will restore you to health
    and heal your wounds,’
declares the Lord...



 
The medical language here conveys the idea that sin is terminal. Sinful people cannot be cured by being good or being religious. Beware of putting your confidence in useless cures while your sin spreads and causes you pain. God alone can cure the disease of sin, but you must be willing to let Him do it.




 
Joe

















 

Do you view God this way? (Jeremiah 16:19)

Jeremiah 16:19

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁹ Lord, my strength and my fortress,
    my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come
    from the ends of the earth ...



In this prayer, Jeremiah approached God with three descriptive names: strength, fortress, and refuge. Each name gives a slightly different glimpse of how Jeremiah experienced God's presence, and each is a picture of security and protection. Let God be your Strength when you feel weak, your Fortress when enemies come against you, and your Refuge when you need to retreat from life's pressures.



Joe















 

Where do you place your trust? (Jeremiah 10:8)

Jeremiah 10:8

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁸ People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.
    The things they worship are made of wood!




Those who put their trust in a chunk of wood, even though it is carved well and clothed beautifully, are foolish. The simplest person who worships God is wiser than the wisest person who worships a worthless substitute, because this person has discerned who God really is. In what or whom do you place your trust?



Joe























 

Sin is never removed by denying its existence. (Jeremiah 6:14)

Jeremiah 6:14

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁴ They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.



"Ignore it and maybe it will go away!" Sound familiar? This was Israel's response to Jeremiah's warnings. They kept listening to predictions of peace because they did not like Jeremiah's condemnation of their sin. But denying the truth never changes it; what God says always happens. Sin is never removed by denying its existence. We must confess to God that we have sinned and ask Him to forgive us.



 
Joe




















 

Are your eyes and ears open? (Jeremiah 5:21)

Jeremiah 5:21

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²¹ Listen, you foolish and senseless people,
    with eyes that do not see
    and ears that do not hear.



Have you ever spoken to someone, only to realize that the person hasn't heard a word you were saying? Jeremiah told the people that their eyes and ears did them no good because they refused to see or hear God's message. The people of Israel and Judah were foolishly deaf when God promised blessings for obedience and destruction for disobedience. When God speaks through His Word or His messengers, we harm ourselves if we fail to listen. God's message will never change us unless we listen to it.




Joe




















 

Do you go to God with your problems? (Jeremiah 2:36)

Jeremiah 2:36

New International Version



 

³⁶ Why do you go about so much,
    changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
    as you were by Assyria.





God is not against alliances or working partnerships, but He is against people trusting others for the help that should come from Him. This was the problem in Jeremiah's time. After the days of David and Solomon, Israel fell apart because the leaders turned to other nations and gods instead of the true God.


Do you go to men with your problems (or to seek advise), or do you go to God ?



 
Joe

























 

Are you forgetting God? (Jeremiah 2:31-32)

Jeremiah 2:31-32

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

³¹ “O my people, listen to the words of the Lord!
    Have I been like a desert to Israel?
    Have I been to them a land of darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God!
    We don’t need him anymore!’
³² Does a young woman forget her jewelry?
    Does a bride hide her wedding dress?
Yet for years on end
    my people have forgotten me.



Forgetting can be dangerous, whether it is intentional or an oversight. Israel forgot God by focusing its affections on the allurements of the world. The more we focus on the pleasures of the world, the easier it becomes to forget God's care, His love, His dependability and most of all, God himself. Have you been forgetting God lately?





Joe



















 

Don't avoid something you know you should do . (Jeremiah 1:6-8)

Jeremiah 1:6-8

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁶ “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
⁷ The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. ⁸ And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”



 
Often people struggle with new challenges because they lack self-confidence. feeling that they have inadequate ability, training, or experience. Jeremiah thought He was "only a child" - too young and inexperienced to be God's spokesman to the world. But God promised to be with him. We should not allow feelings of inadequacy to keep us from obeying God's call. He will always be with us. When you find yourself avoiding something you know you should do, be careful not to use lack of self-confidence as an excuse. If God gives you a job to do, He will provide all you need to do it.




 
Joe 


















 

God knew you before you were born. (Jeremiah 1:5)

Jeremiah 1:5

The Message (MSG)


 

⁵ “Before I shaped you in the womb,
    I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
    I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
    that’s what I had in mind for you.”




God knew you as He knew Jeremiah. long before you were born or even conceived. He thought about you and planned for you. When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of you as valuable and that He has a purpose in mind for you.



Joe




















 

Apply God's Word (Isaiah 58:6-12)

Isaiah 58:6-12

New International Version (NIV)



 

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.



 
We cannot be saved by deeds of service without faith in Christ, but our faith lacks sincerity if it doesn't reach out to others. Fasting can be beneficial spiritually and physically, but at it's best fasting helps the person doing it. God says He wants our service to go beyond our own personal growth to acts of kindness, charity, justice, and generosity. True fasting is more than what we don't eat; it is pleasing God by applying His Word to our society.





Joe


























 

Don't try to fit God into your mold. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Isaiah 55:8-9

New International Version (NIV)


 

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.


 
The people of Israel were foolish to act as if they knew what God was thinking and planning. His knowledge and wisdom are far greater than man's. We are foolish to try to fit God into our mold - to make His plans and purposes conform to ours. Instead, we must strive to fit into His plans.



 
Joe


















 

Do you have Beautiful Feet ? (Isaiah 52:7)

Isaiah 52:7

New International Version (NIV)



 

⁷ How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!”




God says that the feet of those who bring good news are "beautiful." It is a wonderful privilege to be able to share God's Good News with others, His news of redemption, salvation, and peace. To whom do you need to give the Good News?





Joe






















 

Happy 30th Birthday Amanda (Isaiah 42:3)

Isaiah 42:3

 

 A bruised reed he will not break.

 

 

 

When you feel broken and bruised, God won't step on you or toss you aside, but He will gently pick you up.

 

 

 

 

Dear Amanda,

 

 

You were that bruised reed as you struggled in your teenage years. God picked you up and took you home so young at 19.

 

 

I often wonder if God chose to heal you, what your life would be like...

 

 

Would you have a magical time at your prom?

 

 

Would I have had the opportunity to teach you how to drive?

 

 

Would you of met the man of your dreams?

 

 

Would you be married?

 

 

Would you be dropping your kids here for Mom and I to babysit?

 

 

Today is your 30th birthday. I just want you to know that I love you and miss you.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday...

 

Love,

 

Dad