All of our worldly houses, lands, and riches perish at the grave.
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for He shall receive me. Selah.
Job 19:25-26 For I know that my redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.
The body shall return to dust, but the spirit will return to God. One day the trumpet shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise forth from the grave. We will meet Jesus in the air. Everyone of us had better prepare to meet God.
What is it like standing alone in the presence of God? Nothing can be concealed from His eyes. Our hope is that He will see red.
1 John 1:7 . . . and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins.And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Have you asked Jesus to come into your heart and cleanse your sins?
One evening at a mission in a poverty-stricken area a man at the door said, "I would come in, but my coat is in rags." The answer came back, "That is no matter, there's a man inside without a coat at all."
We might be tempted to think that God restricts Himself to associate only with those who meet His standard, who somehow merit His attention. But God is no respecter of persons. When we are partial, we are most unlike God.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are. That no flesh should glory in His presence.
It is not about us. It is about God.
Training a child to walk the straight and narrow is not complicated if parents lead the way by example. And then we trust.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Today there are less black and white and more grey areas in our lives. Children need a moral compass.
AS PARENTS, we must be spiritual in the lives of our children. We must keep our hearts in tune with His will, in line with His Word, and empowered by His Spirit.
AS PARENTS, we must be consistent in the lives of our children. They don't need another friend, but parents who love them enough to say the things they don't want to hear, to make them do the things they don't want to do.
AS PARENTS, we must make decisions based upon the truth of God's Holy Word. Our children need our judgements.
How many times do we get all worked up over what might happen, what could happen, and it never happens? When fear dominates us, faith must flee. After exhausting all other options, many people pray.
LAST RESORT PRAYER GUIDE:
PRAISE GOD. Acknowledge His goodness, His greatness, and His past faithfulness. God knows about the mess we are in. He cares.
CONFESS our selfish motives and agendas. When we confess our sin and unworthiness, it frees God to move and act in our behalf.
BE THANKFUL. Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
STATE YOUR PETITION: "Lord, help." God longs for us to seek Him and bring our petitions to Him. We should study and claim His promises.
Is prayer the last resort in your life? Where is your faith?
The greatest joy and peace in our lives is when we are living in total obedience and submission to God. When we are walking with God, it enables Him to give us His best. Psalms 37 tells us how to receive all that God has for us.
Psalms 37:3-5 TRUST IN THE LORD, and DO GOOD; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
DELIGHT THYSELF IN THE LORD, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
COMMIT THY WAY unto The Lord, TRUST also in Him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Trusting, obeying, delighting in Him, and committing your ways to The Lord comes through an intimate relationship with Him -- daily meditating in His word, praying and praising.
