The Lord's House Community Church

 

 

 

 

And He shall direct your paths.   

 

 

The story goes that before the launch of GPS several friends were driving on a long road trip. As they approached the last stretch of the trip, the navigator checked the road atlas (map) and found an uncertain shortcut through a mountain that had a two-lane road with no street lights. The estimated shortcut would shave almost an hour off the trip. So they exited the interstate, drove to the mountain road and began their ascent up the dark mountain road. They were making great time using the shortcut and suddenly there appeared signs for the entrance of a state park and a ranger’s station. As their car slowed to stop at the park ranger’s gate, the driver asked the ranger to raise the gate and for permission to drive through the park to continue their destination. The ranger replied “you can’t get there from here”…”you will have to turn around and go back to the interstate and follow that route to your destination”. By choosing a short-cut to save time rather than the proven route, the friends reached a dead-end and had to return to the original route that would lead them to their destination.  

 

Trust God to lead and guide you in every aspect of your life and don’t take shortcuts. Taking shortcuts can appear to provide an easier way and a shorter path but ultimately lead to dead-ends. Every day you face decisions and choices in life. Every decision has an outcome and every choice has a consequence. Some are significant and some less significant. Collectively, all of your decisions push you in a direction and ultimately determine your destiny. But what is the basis for your decisions and how can you know if your choices are aligned with God’s plan for your life. It all comes down your willingness to trust God with your life and follow His guidance by faith. It is a dangerous thing to take your life into your own hands and leave God out. Trusting in God is having assurance and absolute confidence that He will lead and guide you even through difficult and dark places in life. When you trust God and follow His direction, no shortcuts are needed.  

 

 

 

 

 

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.   

 

Thought for Today:   Are you willing to discipline yourself to follow Jesus?   People who accomplish great things in life often attribute their success to daily disciplines that they have practiced daily for many years. They describe their daily life by describing disciplines such as: spending time in prayer, setting daily goals, being organized, helping others, treating others with respect and kindness, being on time, spending time reading, preparing for assignments and learning something new every day. These are all great and noble disciplines that we should aspire to gain and practice to become better people and accomplish more in life. However, I believe that our greatest goal each day is to follow Jesus more closely and really know Him. Why? Because He is the one who gave His life and shed His blood to save us from our sins.  Therefore, we owe our lives to Him. Nothing that we achieve or accomplish in this life means anything if we do not know and serve Him. He is our Savior, our Lord and our Redeemer!  

 

1. Deny yourself! Deny your flesh and selfish desires. Give up your agenda and seek to follow the plan Jesus has for you.
2. Take up your cross daily – think about the fact that Christ died on that cruel cross for your salvation, therefore, be willing to take up your cross every day for His sake.
3. Follow Him! Discipline yourself to follow Jesus no matter what it costs you! Do not follow other voices. Listen and follow only His voice. He will lead you to ‘life more abundantly’.

 

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  

 

Thought for Today:   What does joy mean to you and what role does the second fruit of the Spirit play in your daily walk with God? Some people think of joy as an emotion that is activated by their feelings. Others equate joy with happiness. Numerous scriptures in the Bible describe joy as a virtue that God gives to His people. The joy that God provides is gladness, contentment, rejoicing and peace that is anchored in your faith in Him alone. This joy cannot be found in people, work, money, possessions or even in church attendance. It is found only in your personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Following a period of despair in my life, I experienced the restoration of joy and I  testify to you that “joy comes in the morning!”  

 

Yes, the Lord did it! He restored my joy! The word tells us “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b). There is a strength that grows in your soul when you choose to receive the joy of the Lord. God’s great joy defeats sadness, sorry, despair, despondence and even depression. So even in the midst of the storms and stresses of life, you can anchor your faith in God and experience the joy of the Lord. He will fill you with His joy in you and that joy will give you the strength to move forward.  

 

 

How will you know that you have His joy? When troubles come, rather than drowning in them, you will rise above them by singing a song of joy. And the joy of the Lord will lift your spirit, restore your soul and He will be your strength.  

 

 

 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”  

 

Character counts! Your character is critically important in every aspect of your life and witness as a Christian. When applying for a job, applying for admission to a college, applying for a security clearance and other endeavors you must have people who will attest to your good character. When you accept Jesus as your Savior and believe on His name, He begins a process of changing your character and nature to be like His. He literally infuses you with His nature so that people begin to take notice of His character in you. This inner process is called regeneration or spiritual transformation. He wants to change your thoughts and attitudes to be like His. He wants the fruit of the Spirit to be in evidence in your life.  

 

John 1 describes Jesus calling Philip as His disciple and in Philip’s excitement of meeting the Savior, he calls his friend Nathanael to introduce him to Jesus. Jesus immediately noticed Nathanael approaching Him and speaks about his excellent character saying: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Shocked and amazed at the recognition from the Savior, Nathanael responded to Jesus by asking Him: “How do You know me?” Jesus responded: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”   At a distance, Jesus took notice of Nathanael because of the purity of his character and nature. Never having met him until that encounter, Jesus discerned that there was no deceit in his heart. Jesus had given Nathanael an eternal character reference!

 

Would Jesus give you His character reference? Are you living a life of Christ-like character? Does your character reflect Christ even when you face adversity? Are you guarding your heart against evil? Make a decision to confess, repent of your sins and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your character to be more like Christ’s.  

 

 

Scripture: Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  

 

This is our time and season for transformation! We begin the year with 21 days of prayer and fasting to surrender to God and allow Him to take control of our lives. It is during this time that we ‘consecrate’ ourselves which means ‘to be set apart’ for God’s use.  Consecration requires a renewed mind. As the year gains momentum, we seek God’s face, deny our flesh and feed our spirit. God desires draw you closer to Him in order to speak to your heart and mind. He wants to tune your spirit in His presence, renew your mind, tune your ears to His voice and tune your eyes to His movement. He desires to prepare you to do His good, acceptable and perfect will.  

 

However, to truly be transformed by this time of self-denial, our prayer and fasting must please God. The Lord God must be pleased by our time with Him. It is critically important that we confess and repent of all sin and have a right spirit in the presence of God. For that to occur, we must mean business with God and set aside intentional time daily to worship, pray, fast and study of His Word. Be intentional! Be transformed! Hear God’s voice as you start the year.  

 

 

 

 

Ephesians 4:7-8 “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”  

 

Receiving a gifts is a beautiful thing! Whether expected or unexpected, most of us enjoy being recipients of gifts that someone took the time to purchase and give to us. Online shopping has made the process of gift giving more convenient and faster. We all know that Amazon.com is the largest online retailer and many of us shop using their many online portals. The purchasing process can be challenging at times, but there is one message that makes its all worth it: ‘your gifts have arrived’.  

 

The Apostle Paul informed the Ephesians of the arrival of spiritual gifts through Christ’s sacrifice in Ephesians 4:7-8. He wrote that each believer has been given the priceless gift of grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. This glorious gift of grace is God’s unconditional love for us that none of us deserve. It is God’s unmerited favor that He pours out upon a person who confesses Jesus Christ as Savior. So this gift of grace is given to us freely and generously by God Himself in accordance with the measure of Christ’s gift. Paul also stated that when Christ ascended, He gave (spiritual) gifts to men. These gifts were given to enable ‘the saints’ (you and I) to do the work of ministry in the body of Christ.    

 

This message serves as notice that ‘your gifts have arrived’. Have you received them? God has given you Jesus Christ, His indescribable gift! Through Christ you have received grace (unmerited favor) and one or more spiritual gifts. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and reveal your spiritual gifts so that you increase your service to the body of Christ.  

 

Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (NIV)

 

 

Agreement occurs when two or more people or groups come into harmony concerning a matter. The central idea of agreement is people coming together and identifying common concerns or requests. Agreement binds those involved to unite emotionally and spiritually to move something forward. Most people believe that it takes a large group of people to accomplish God’s purposes. But Jesus made it clear that ‘it only takes two’. He declared: “if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven”. He spoke concerning the clout that believers have with God when they come in to agreement. He says “if” just two believers agree (in unity) in the request they ask of God in prayer, He will do it for them! He further declares that when just two or three of us come together, in His name, He would meet them there and be in their presence. When we do this, we literally bring the power of heaven to bear upon our requests before God and He will do what we ask according to His will. How powerful is that!

 

Understanding and operating in the power of agreement will change your walk with God.

 

It’s Time to Pray: Lord Jesus, help me to learn to come into agreement with likeminded believers concerning my concerns and request in prayer. Help me to understand and live in the power of agreement so that Your will and purposes are fulfilled in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen!

 

 

 

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 

Hebrews 4:15 “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”

 

 

 

 It’s Time to Pray: Lord Jesus, sometimes my load is heavy and my heart is burdened with the struggles in my life. Teach me to anchor my faith in you and to learn to bring them to you and trust you to bear them for me and ‘lighten my load’.  Amen!

 

 

 

Are you willing to go ‘all the way’ with Jesus and to complete the assignments that He gives to you? Have you decided that you will follow Him, live for Him and obey Him ‘all the way’ to eternal life? This is a very important decision because it impacts the choices you will make in days ahead. Making the decision to go ‘all the way’ is a ‘whatever it takes’ commitment to Jesus Christ. The song that captures this thought is:

 

 

There will be times in this life where you will be tested, tempted, tried and tormented. Yes, you and I will suffer tribulations that will test your very soul and resolve to go ‘all the way’ with Jesus. But when these times come, anchor your faith in Him alone and remember that He went ‘all the way’ to the cross just for you. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He anguished as His disciples slept as: He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)  

 

 and died which washed away your sins and mine. His love went ‘all the way’ to save you from your sins, to give you everlasting life and even life more abundantly in this life. Make your decision to go ‘all the way’ with Jesus and with His strength, you will make it.