In the beginning, GOD...

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Romans 1:19-20

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

You Are Not Alone

You are not alone!

Don't you feel like it sometimes, though? You are trying to serve the Lord and do what He wants you to do and it seems like you are the only one. Next time you feel like that think about Elijah. Remember him? He was battling wicked Ahab and Jezebel. Even though God had demonstrated His awesome power and had never failed to provide for Elijah, Elijah was tired and worn out and just plain felt all alone.

1 Kings 19:9-14

“What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

What was the Lord's response? 1 Kings 19:18  "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Romans 8:38-39

 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love the world or love God?

   

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (NLT)

Why am I here?

Do you ever wonder why you are here or why now? I think we all do at some point in our lives. I put up my new wall calendar yesterday and the cardboard insert caught my attention. The calendar is made by DaySpring and the insert contains this message by DaySpring co-founder, Roy Lessin.

Just think, 

you're here not by chance, 

but by God's choosing.

His hand formed you

and made you

the person you are.

He compares you to no one else--

you are one of a kind.

You lack nothing 

that His grace can't give you.

He has allowed you to be here

at this time in history

to fulfill His special purpose

for this generation.

Does that make you feel special, loved and appreciated? I hope so because you are!

Fresh Start

Tomorrow is the first day of a brand new year. If you've got regrets, be encouraged! You can start over! 

Philippians 3:13-14

My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

1 J0hn 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Psalm 139:13-18

                                                    For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

    when I was made in the secret place,

    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

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, 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.

Give Thanks

Psalm 107:1

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.