Genesis 1 For every day and everything God created He finishes by saying it was good ; every day that is except for day six. When He created man, He did not say that His newest creation was good , but blessed .  Blessed. Blessed, created in the image of God, and filled with the breath of God.   Actually, He does say that the entirety of His creation is very good (v.31) but only man was blessed in this passage.  Blessed indeed

"...when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:18)    Years ago I went on a fast, but did not tell my wife, but rather choosing to make it a secret from anyone. I just so happened that a day or two later that she desired on of her favorite quick-meals: bean burritos, extra cheese and no onions. Due to my fast, I ordered nothing. As we drove down the road she asked me the inevitable question, "Would like some of this burrito?" My answer was a simple "No thank you." This was repeated several times until she began to wave said burrito in front of my face, telling me just how marvelous it was. It was at this time that informed her that I was fasting, which caused her to feel quite guilty. Looking back at I can clearly tell you that it was funny then and even funnier now (at least to m...

" ...even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." - Rom 4:17 (NASB)    Typically speaking, when we think about creation, our minds immediately go to Genesis. There we read how the LORD spoke and the universe as we know it came into being. After six days God rested or ceased. But is this the end? Is it possible that He is still creating, even as you read this?     The verse above is speaking about Abraham and his faith. As he writes to the Roman believers Paul is presenting the concept that we are made right in God's sight by faith. (You'll have to read the entire chapter to get the context.) While he is doing so, he briefly touches on a powerful principle that we do not often think about. He writes that God calls into being that which does not exist . That's creating! Not reallocating what He has already created, but bringing not existence.    So what is God is bringing into existence?  W...

The following is from #1 of an 11 week series entitled: That's Not What the Bible Says "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able..." 1 For 10:13 (NASB)    Is it an encouraging thought that God knows your precise limit and that He never allows one ounce more than you can handle to come into your life? My mind conjures up an image of a man at the gym lifting weights with a trainer. The trainer never allows him to "max out", but always keeps him lifting weights that he knows are within the limits the man can handle. Except that's not how it works. Anyone who has ever lifted weights knows the goal is not to lift what you can, but what you cannot. Adding more weights little by little, challenges and stretches the limits of the body thereby increasing the mass of the muscles and ability of the body. In other words, the way to grow when working ou...

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp..." Exodus 14:1    Have you ever stopped and considered why God led the Israelites to freedom by taking them through the desert? Really, think about the process for a moment. He led them out of the slavery for a day or two, then told them to turn back towards the city of their captivity, next to the sea, and make camp. This lead to their being trapped. Then He led them to a place with with plenty of water, but it was undrinkable. Not too long after that, when all their food provisions were depleted, He led them to a place where there was no food or water for themselves or their livestock. Why would God be so cruel? Well, if you know the rest of the story, then you may already know the answer. They were never trapped, for God parted the waters, allowing them safe passage through the sea and drowning their enemies. The undrinkable water was made drinkable, and they were provided food ...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction... - 2 Corinthians 1:3-9    Affliction (pain and suffering) is an inevitable, unavoidable, and repeatable part of life. None of us are exempt. While  we would all like to avoid affliction, the truth is that pain and affliction  serve a greater purpose , whether it comes from our own choices, the ordinary course of life, an attack of spiritual forces, or from God Himself.  Richard Cecil is noted as saying, "God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope, and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction.” Even  though we cannot avoid affliction, we can use it for the glory of God. That’s right. Your pain can be used to glorify God. How do we do this?    First, we need to learn to receive God's comfort. Much like in life, some folks are better at letting ot...

"Indeed, has God said...", (Gen. 3:1, NASB).     It seems to me that one of the most effective tools Satan has in his arsenal is his ability to twist and misconstrue the Bible. A thorough reading will uncover that he often attempts to discredit and undermine the Word of God. And, since God's Word is our foundation for life and godliness, Satan compromises truth at its very.  Notice, Satan said to Eve,  "Indeed, has God said..." In contemporary language, "Did God really say that?     Satan is the master of taking God's truth and turning it into "if".  I would not go as far as saying that doubt is the exact opposite of faith (see Mk. 9: 14-27), but I am comfortable stating that when Satan can cause a child of God to take an "if" attitude towards the Bible, or even Jesus himself, then disaster is on the way. God's Word is God's Word , whether we believe it or not. Our unbelief does not change reality per se; it simpl...