I remember leaving college with little sense of direction. What path would I take? What job would I have? It was an exciting time and also a bit scary. Back then I wasn't very close to God. I wish I had known about Proverbs 16: 9 back then: "A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." He Leads Me When I'm Close The closer we are to our Good Shepherd the more directed our paths will be. He will not lead us down a dangerous path. If we are far off it will be harder to hear His voice. We have plans for our life but those plans will be directed by God Himself if we stay close to Him and listen. God Makes Us Lie Down in Green Pastures In Psalm 23, David tells us that God "makes" us lie down in green pastures. We may not always go the right direction in our life but God will create circumstances, God will speak to our hearts, if we listen, that will make us follow the path He has chosen for us. Our Shepherd At one time in our lives we went our own way. We ignored God. But as Peter says in I Peter 2:25 (b) we have now returned to the "Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." We thank God that He is our shepherd, because without a shepherd sheep will end up lost and dead. God is Directing Many examples in the Bible show us that when God directs our steps things don't go in a straight line. Our paths may seem strange, unfamiliar, even frightening but God is directing us to His will. Abram left Ur, not even knowing where he was going, but being obedient to God, he became Abraham the father of the Jewish people. Moses was raised in Pharoah's house but fled Egypt as a murderer and eventually became the great leader of his people to the promised land. Joseph was the beloved son of his father, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, who rose to become second only to Pharoah in Egypt. David was the young son of Jesse, a shepherd, who would eventually rise to become the great King of Israel. Mary, a young virgin, would become the mother of our Lord. What do these great examples show us? They show that when we are obedient to God, He will direct our path. In Psalm 37:23 David says the following: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way." Not An Easy Path As a Christian our way has never been promised to be an easy one. We may go through times of great hardship but from these times what do we learn? We learn to listen to our Lord, we learn to find our peace in Him, not the world. We learn that we are weak and that in our own strength can do nothing. We learn to trust. We learn obedience. Fear No Evil David says God leads him and restores him. David says he will "fear no evil for you are with me". The only thing someone should fear is not knowing God and heading down a path that leads to destruction. In Proverbs 14: 12 Solomon says that the way that seems right to man is the way that ends in death. Our Path Directed by Him As Christians our goal is to draw closer to God so that our paths will be directed by Him. David tells us how to do this in Psalm 119:11. He says to hide God's word in your heart so that you won't sin against Him. Study the Word Study the word of God. Remember it. Jesus Himself quoted scripture when He was tempted in the desert by Satan. In the New Testament, Timothy tells us much the same thing when he tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to be an unashamed, diligent worker who is approved to God. A worker who correctly understands the "word of truth." The King James version translates the word 'diligent' as 'study'. How do we know God better? By prayerfully studying His Word. In this way He speaks to us and guides us on our path. It may not be the path we would want to take, but it will be our best path because it is the path our Shepherd requires of us. I want to leave you today with a verse from a song by J.H. Gilmore called, "He Leadeth Me". He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate'er I do, where'er I be, still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me. Refrain: He leadeth me, he leadeth me; by his own hand he leadeth me: his faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:18, Paul says that he, Silvanus and Timothy wanted to come and visit the church at Thessalonica, but that "Satan hindered us". In other passages (Acts 16:6), Paul says that he couldn't visit certain places he wanted to go in Asia because it was not God's will. Paul was able to discern the difference between his desires not being the will of God and his desires being hindered by Satan. How Was Paul Hindered? The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how Satan hindered Paul and his companions from going to Thessalonica. We just know that he did. What does Satan hinder us from doing? What happens that hinders our spiritual growth or the growth of our church? Many times people can be influenced by Satan for his purposes. Our goal should be that we will not allow Satan to use us in a way that hinders those around us or hinders ourselves from accomplishing God's will. Satan's Influence Is Real First, we have to be very aware of the limitations of Satan. He is in no way as powerful as God. However, the Bible makes it clear that he is a real being with great influence in this present world. The church at Thessalonica was just beginning; it was a growing church. This is the very kind of church that Satan targets. Why would he target a dying church or a church that is not operating in the will of God? No, Satan targets churches where the Holy Spirit is active and living. Pride Hinders Us What would be an example of hindrances in a church? As always, one of the targets of Satan is pride (1 Timothy 3:6). The competition for influence, position, and power can quickly divide a growing church. The devil is subtle. We can become quite easily convinced that our need for these things comes from a true desire for what is best for our church. This competitive spirit often leaves those less powerful feeling as though they are not wanted or needed. Not Being Edifying Hinders Us Another way that Satan targets the church is through words that don't edify our brothers and sisters in Christ. To edify means to build up. Too often, we use words that tear down. Satan tempts us to share gossip, half truths, things we "think" someone meant. Did you know the Bible tells us not to share gossip even if we know it's true (Ephesians 4:29)? The old adage, "If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all" is absolutely true in the life of the church. Losing Focus Hinders Us The church can also be hindered by Satan by causing us to lose focus on what's really important. We often focus on money and forget the truly important thing - loving others. How should the church use its money? On what? Will we have enough? These often, seem like extremely pressing questions when what's really important is: are we taking care of the poor, are we truly generous to all, are we teaching God's word to our congregation. We can also lose focus when we seek our spiritual fulfillment in a religious book or an online sermon instead of gathering together with the people of God as we have been instructed to do. Discouragement Hinders Us Satan can and does often try to discourage us as a church. The early church endured persecution, rejection, and isolation but never gave up their hope that was in Christ. Today in American churches, we aren't seeing this type of persecution at the moment. But we see those saints in the church who shoulder so many burdens growing old and dying. We see faithful ones falling away. We see our young people abandoning their faith. It can seem overwhelming at times because we often think there are fewer and fewer who can carry the duties in the church. But this discouragement comes from the Devil, not God. God provides the strength to deal with the disappointments that come to us. Pray For Strength In Nehemiah chapter 6, we read about Nehemiah's reaction to some people who were trying to keep him from building a wall around Jerusalem, as God had instructed him to do. These enemies were trying to use fear tactics to stop him, to hinder him from accomplishing God's will. What did Nehemiah do? He stood up to them. He didn't allow them to get the upper hand. In Nehemiah 6:9, he prays to God to make him strong. We must be strong in the Lord. Our enemy, Satan, wants to hinder us as well. He wants to hinder our growth as a church, and he also wants to hinder the spiritual growth of individuals. Satan Hinders Us Individually Satan hinders us as believers, especially when we are trying to grow in holiness. Have you intended to read your Bible more, to pray more, to give more, to visit the sick more? If you have then you probably have experienced the hindrance of Satan. Just like he wants to distract the church, the Devil distracts us individually from our goal to grow to become more like Christ. Financial hardships suddenly come upon us. Interruptions come out of nowhere. Extreme sleepiness makes us forget to pray. The pressing needs of someone else distract us from our most important duties. The cares of the world hinder our growth in Christ. Satan Wants To Stop Progress In Barnes Notes on the Bible, he says this, "The hindrances which we meet with in our efforts to do good, when the providence of God seems to favor us, and his word and Spirit seem to call us to a particular duty, often look very much like the work of Satan. They are just such obstructions as a very wicked being would be glad to throw in our way." The word "hindered" that Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 2:18, in Greek literally means, "to cut a trench between one's self and an advancing foe, to prevent his progress". The enemy doesn't want us to progress. He wants to cut a trench in which we can stumble. We, however, have One who leads us. We are advancing the kingdom with the help of God, and Satan tries what he can to stop it, whether it be individually or in our church. God Keeps Us From Stumbling I want to leave you with words from Jude 1: 24-25, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen." He whom we serve, He whom we love, will keep us from stumbling!

You and I have a loving Father. One that we should tell the world about. The world doesn't know that Jesus came to adopt them into His family. The world doesn't know that Jesus came to be our brother and to make God our Abba, Father. The time is short for people to hear this message. God's Many Names God has many names in the Old Testament that witness to His might, His judgement and His character. Here are just a few of His names: El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) El Elyon (The Most High God) Adonai (Lord, Master) Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah) Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner) Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd) Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals) Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There) Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness) Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You) Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace) Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) In the Old Testament, God is also referred to several times as Father. In Isaiah 63:16 Isaiah says, "Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. " God Is Our Abba Father In the New Testament Jesus calls God, Father (Abba). Harper's Bible Dictionary (1985) explains: " He used not only the common Jewish ‘our [or your] Father’ (e.g., Matt. 5:45; 6:9) but also the intimate family word for ‘father’ in his native Aramaic language, abba, which was also appropriated in the later liturgical practice of the church (Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). Not only did the concept of God as ‘Father’ express the personal relationship to God affirmed by Jesus and the church (e.g., Matt. 11:25-27), but in that cultural setting the term included especially the connotations of obedience, agency, and inheritance. Those who address God as ‘Father’ acknowledge God as the one to whom absolute obedience is due (Matt. 7:21; 26:42) and themselves as the agents who represent God and through whom God works (Matt. 11:25-27; John 10:32) and as God’s heirs (Rom. 8:16-17)." The word "Abba" places emphasis on the personal relationship that Jesus had with His Father and that we now have with God through Jesus. We have become spiritual brothers who will live eternally with our Father God, our "Abba" father. Paul tells us that, as Christians, we all have the Holy Spirit in us which makes us all children of God and spiritual brothers to one another. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 The Best Of Fathers And what a Father we have been blessed with! Our Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves. He has set a path for our lives before we were even born, a path we shouldn't fear. He guides us and if we allow Him, He molds us into the person that we should become. He is the best of Fathers! As we are obedient to our earthly fathers, so we should be even more obedient to our Heavenly Father. All He asks from us, He asks out of love. Even if we don't understand, His ultimate goal for us is to mold us into the likeness of Christ. Abba Father Through Faith In Galatians 4:6, Paul says that because we are sons of God it is His Holy Spirit who causes us to cry out, "Abba Father". And how do we become sons of God? According to Galatians 3:26, it is through faith! Our faith has made us His sons and because we are His sons the Holy Spirit resides in us. So we aren't crying out "Abba Father" all on our own, it is the Holy Spirit who lives in us who does this. As Jesus and the Father were one so can we be one with our Lord. We Cry Out With Joy This "crying out" is not done in sorrow, no, it is done in joy! We cry out with joy that our God loves us, provides for us, and cares for us more than any earthly father ever could. What does your adoption by God mean to you? Have you ever really thought, really studied, about the relationship that God promises to give you. We are the children, through adoption, of the Creator of the Universe, the one who sent His only Son, slain before the foundation of the world, for us. He is our life giver. Only in Him can we know what life really can be. Awe Filled Children As the Lord has told us in Matthew 6:9, our Father's name is hallowed which means holy or sacred. We speak to our Father with humility and thanksgiving. We speak to Him as awe filled sons and daughters. Thanks be to God!

In Isaiah 63:16, Isaiah refers to God as our Father, our Redeemer from Everlasting. In the Old Testament, the meaning of redemption, meant that you were paid for with a price, usually by a kinsman, and delivered in this way from bondage. Bondage is a type of slavery. In the New Testament, the idea of being delivered from bondage, meant being delivered from the bondage of sin. We are called slaves to sin. Our Father Isaiah didn't know about Jesus, but the Holy Spirit revealed to Isaiah many things about the Messiah. As Jesus called God, "Our Father", so Isaiah refers to God in the same way. God is our loving, caring Father who sometimes, because He cares for us so deeply, disciplines us. God is our Redeemer in the sense that it is His will from "the foundations of the world" that His Son would be sent to save us and give us life everlasting. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain (Revelation 13:8). God's Son paid the ultimate price to redeem us from our sin. Kinship Redeemer The people of Israel would have understood that if God was their redeemer, then it made sense that He was their Father. In Leviticus 25: 48-51, we are told that a kinsman could pay the price of redemption for a family member to get them out of bondage. This imagery continues in the New Testament. There, Jesus calls God our Father and His. There, we are referred to as "brothers in Christ". We are said to be "adopted into His family." Philippians 4:19 says Christ has redeemed us because we are His. Obviously, this is the language of kinship. I Have Blotted Out Your Sin In Jeremiah 3:19, Jeremiah tells us, "‘You shall call Me, “My Father,” And not turn away from Me.’ Jeremiah is speaking of a future time when God's kingdom is restored, and Israel will see God fully and completely as their Father, just as Jesus saw Him. In Zechariah 1:3, the prophet tells Israel to turn to Him and if they do, He will turn to them. In Isaiah 44:22, God tells Israel, "to return to Me, for I have redeemed you." God says their transgressions, their sins, have been swept away like a thick cloud. McClaren's Exposition explains Isaiah 44:22 this way, " God does not say, ‘Come back and I will forgive’; He does not say, ‘Return and I will blot out’; but He says, ‘Return, for I have blotted out.’ Though accomplished, the forgiveness has to be appropriated by individual faith. The sins of the world have been borne, and borne away, by the Lamb of God..." Turn From Sin God is truly our Redeemer from Everlasting. In Ephesians 1:4, Paul tells us that God chose us in Christ "before the foundation of the world" to be holy and without blame before Him. In the Old Testament, God spoke to His people, Israel. They are His chosen people. If they turned from their sins then He would turn to them. Today, have we strayed from our faith in God and obedience to Him? Have we sinned against Him? It is not too late to turn from our sin. It isn't too late to repent. If we do, God is there, ready to receive us. He is ready to turn to us. Redeemed With Blood Instead of being redeemed with money, we have been redeemed with the "precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:17) This is a cost beyond our ability to comprehend. The God of the Universe sent His Son as a human being to live and die among us, to be raised to life to enable us to be redeemed and allow us to live with Him in Heaven. His death was for every man according to Hebrews 2:9. He was ransomed for all says 1 Timothy 2:5. Our Redeemer From Everlasting In 1 Corinthians 6:20 Paul reminds us that we were bought with a price. And what a price it was. Because of this, Paul says we should glorify God in our body and our spirit. Sometimes we take for granted this price that was paid. We forget what it took to redeem us. We forget with what love we are loved. Let us always keep before us that God is our Redeemer from Everlasting and praise His name because of it.

In the world we live in today we seem to have forgotten the sovereignty of God. God is not just the God of the unseen world but also the God of the physical world. Science explains things to us with no mention of God. Think of the rain. We see meteorologists explaining complex weather systems to us. They explain where and when it will rain but the root cause of where and whether it rains is unknown. You can go to the U.S. Geological Survey page on "What Causes Drought" and you will see that it defines drought but doesn't really tell you what causes it and why it eventually rains. Even the United Nations has no answer. According to their documents, "While it may be possible to indicate the immediate cause of a meteorological drought occurring in any particular location, it is often not possible to indicate the underlying cause." I live in a farming community. Rain is essential to our crops. What does the Bible say about rain and who controls it? The prophet Amos records the words of God towards the nation of Israel. Israel was in rebellion. They had forgotten their first love - God. In Amos 4: 7 God tells them this: “I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered." In I Kings 17:1 we read that the prophet Elijah proclaimed a drought to King Ahab that would last three and a half years. This drought was punishment for Ahab's support of the prophets of Baal. It is clear that God's patience only goes so far. When a people are in rebellion and refuse to repent, they face consequences. In Deuteronomy 11: 13-17 Moses explains to the Israelites what will happen to those who are obedient and to those who are not. "‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’ Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you." Again in Isaiah 5: 6 (b) God says "I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it.” Why? Because the House of Israel was in rebellion. Don't misunderstand. Not all droughts in the Bible are God's judgement. The following scriptures speak to this: Genesis 12:10; Genesis 26:1; Ruth 1:1 and Acts 11:28. We can't just assume that when a drought happens it is God's punishment. God also promises protection to those who are faithful to Him during these times. You can read about these promises in Job 5:20 and 22; Psalm 33: 18-19; Psalm 37: 18-19 and Proverbs 10: 3. In Zechariah 10:1 God says: "Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone." What would be the reason that God would withhold rain? As punishment for rebellion, but also to make us realize our dependency on Him. Our need for His grace. Zechariah tells us to 'ask' for rain thus acknowledging our dependence on God. (This verse is to be taken both literally -rain and spiritually- God's blessings.) In Leviticus 26: 4 God tells us, "then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.", and yet in our modern world His graciousness and provision seems to be neither recognized nor appreciated by most. In I Kings 18: 41, after Elijah destroyed the prophets of Baal, Elijah speaks to King Ahab, "Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” At this point it had still not rained. Indeed, there was not a cloud in the sky, but through faith Elijah knew that the drought was over, that God's wrath was finished and that blessings would be poured down from the heavens. In Genesis 41 we read the story of Joseph and how he told Pharaoh the meaning of his dream. Seven years of good harvests would come followed by seven years of famine. With this knowledge Egypt was able to store up grain for the coming drought and help feed the many surrounding nations. Where did this foreknowledge of abundance and famine come from? From God, who as Job 28: 26 (a) tells us, "made a law for the rain,". In Matthew 5: 45 (b) our Lord says that God, "sends rain on the just and on the unjust." God's blessings fall on us many times whether we are obedient or not. Why? Because in the previous verse Jesus tells us to, "bless those who curse you". Just so, God shows us His blessings, even though we are not always obedient to Him. Our God is patient and longsuffering. "And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth," Exodus 34: 6 So the next time you hear the sound of rain on your roof say a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord who provided it. And if, God forbid, you find yourself in the midst of a drought recognize the importance of returning to God in heartfelt repentance. The sound of abundance of rain, even if we can't see it just yet, is a wonderous blessing.

Deceive means to make someone believe something that is not true. The Bible describes Satan as the Great Deceiver. His one goal is to make people believe things that are not true about God. He wants to make us doubt God. The Great Deceiver God says He loves you.... Satan says God could never love you. God says He makes you worthy....Satan says you are worthless. God says sexual sin is wrong and bad for you....Satan says that sexual sin is fun, even good and no harm will come from it. God says to honor your parents....Satan says your parents aren't worthy of honor because they didn't love you well enough. God says to give to the poor....Satan says they are lazy and don't deserve help. God says to forgive your enemy....Satan says to get revenge on your enemy. God says not to talk about or slander others....Satan says to tell every bad thing you know about someone to your friends. God says not to envy....Satan makes you wonder why you aren't as "cool" as they are. God says to have no other god before Him....Satan says that money isn't a god it's just something you really need a lot of. God says not to lie....Satan, the Father of Lies, says a little lie won't hurt anything if it is said for the right reason. Our Lord says to the Pharisees in John 8:44: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." Who among us would willingly want to call the Devil their father? Who would want to admit that our desires would be to do the bidding of the Devil? These people have been deceived. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4: 3-4: "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." Paul refers to the Devil as the " god of this age ". It is the Devil who has blinded people to the truth of the Gospel. Only the Holy Spirit can convict them and bring them to the true knowledge of Christ. Listen To God The cleverness of the Devil is his ability to twist God's words. He is the great deceiver. In the very beginning, in the garden, he suggests to Eve that maybe God's intentions weren't really for her own good. (Genesis 3) First he suggests to Eve that God said something God didn't really say, "‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” he questions Eve. When she corrects the Devil's mistake, she adds something that God never said. She says that God told them ‘ You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. ’ She heard God but didn't listen to God because God never said not to touch it. Listening to God is so important, not just hearing. Then the Devil calls God a liar. He tells her, “You will not surely die." He even gives Eve a reason for the supposed lie, that God just didn't want her to have the knowledge of good and evil because then she would be like God. He plants the seed of doubt in her mind that God is truly loving. The Devil Appeals To The Flesh Notice that Eve then looks at the tree and begins to see its appeal to her flesh. First, she sees that it was " good for food ". However, she had many, many other trees to eat from but somehow, she convinced herself that she needed that one to eat. Then she sees that it was " pleasant to the eyes ", something so lovely and appealing surely couldn't be bad. The devil usually picks beautiful things to tempt us with. Finally, she sees that it was " desirable to make one wise ", so believing the lie of the devil, that she would be like God, sounded pretty good. She coveted wisdom. Not just anyone's wisdom, but God's wisdom. There is good reason for the warning in Proverbs 3: 7 that says this: " Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. " How To Avoid Temptation To avoid temptation what should Eve have done? First, she should rely on God for her food. There was no need to eat of the tree. She was surrounded by God's provision. Secondly, she lived in a place that was created for her by God, a place totally pleasant to the eyes. She should have been thankful for all that beauty. And thirdly, she needed to realize that she was the created, not the Creator. Isaiah has this to say: “ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! ” ( Isaiah 5:21 ). If Adam had been watching over her, as he should have been, she would not have been so easily tempted. The two together, encouraging each other as husband and wife should do, might have resisted the temptation. Adam didn't even protest what she did. He just took the fruit and ate it. Haven't we been tempted as she was? Haven't we been lured into believing God said something He didn't. Haven't we sometimes said, "God said....", when we don't know scriptures very well and He never really said it. Haven't we sometimes been attracted by beauty for the wrong reasons? Don't we have our own excuses? Don't we all want to be wise, but is it ours or God's wisdom we seek? The Devil "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8. Sin crouches at the door waiting for just the right moment to pounce. Let's try not to be on his menu. Let's listen to God. Let's know His word. Let's stay humble. Enjoy Devil is a Liar by Colton Dixon. Click here

Sin waits; it sits crouching at the door ready to pounce whenever the door is opened. The devil is quite patient. He can wait for just the right moment to tempt us when we are at our weakest. "And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door." Genesis 4:7(b) Cain And Abel The Bible tells of Cain and his brother Abel in Genesis 4: 1-15. Abel's gift of the first fruits of his sheep was accepted by God, while Cain's gift of fruits of the field was not. The Bible does not tell us specifically why Cain's gift wasn't accepted, but quite obviously Cain's heart was not in the right place. He was angered by God, by what he deemed to be God's favoritism, so much so that it could be seen in his face. God speaks to Cain and lets him know that if he does what is right his gift will be accepted, but if he does not, that sin "lies at the door". Indeed, sin lies in wait for us like a wild animal preparing to pounce. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." I Peter 5:8 Sadly, Cain ignores God's warning and harbors his anger so that he eventually, in his envy, kills his brother. He then lies to God. He tells Him he doesn't know where his brother is. Pride Cain's sin is pride - his feelings were hurt when Abel's gift was accepted and his was not. Cain's sin was envy - he was jealous that Abel had offered an acceptable sacrifice and found favor with God while he did not. Cain's sin was lying - when God confronts him, he has the effrontery to lie to God's face about where his brother is and what has happened to him. How many of us have experienced similar things or know of others who have? For example, someone else might have a nicer spouse than you, maybe you feel that your spouse should be nicer to you and treat you more like someone else's spouse does. Then you question. "Why did you let me marry this person in the first place, God?" Your pride is hurt. Aren't you a good person? Don't you deserve better? Then you feel jealous. Why can't you have a better spouse? Maybe you have a bad day at home, maybe you are alone with a colleague, maybe "sin is crouching at the door", maybe something happens. Then when God accuses you, through your guilty conscious or his Word, you blame God. "Oh God, I would not have sinned if I had had a better spouse. I would not have sinned if I had had the spouse I deserved," you tell God. "It's your fault God." "You caused this," you think to yourself. Jealousy Adultery and murder, those are big sins. What about other sin? Are we jealous because others have a more important position in the community or the church than ourselves. Jealousy comes from pride. Pride says "I" deserve recognition. Do we go further? Do we tell tales on those people who we are jealous of? Do we tear them down to build up ourselves? Cain Is Given A Chance God gives Cain a chance, "If you do well, will you not be accepted." But Cain ignores God. Like us, that "still, small voice" that tells us how we should act and how we should be, was drowned out by what he wanted. To make it even sadder, when God tells Cain his punishment, Cain complains. Even at this point he refuses to accept responsibility. He shows no remorse over his brother's murder. He only worries about himself. Cain has given himself over fully to sin. Cain's sin destroyed his family. He broke the hearts of his parents. His brother would never have a family or children of his own. How has our sin ruined us? Do we remain separated from God because we have not repented? Because we have not, "done well"? Two people came before God that day, Cain and Abel, one was accepted and one was not. Like the Pharisee and the tax collector, both came before God in the temple but one was accepted and one was not. (Luke 18:9-14) One recognized his sinfulness, one did not. Both were before God, but one was just a vain shadow of real repentance and one was the real thing. Sin Is Crouching At The Door The Devil is prowling to destroy us. But as I Corinthians 10:13 tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." Cain was offered a way of escape, "do well", but he chose not to listen. Sin waits to devour us just as it waited for Cain. Sin is crouching at the door. God may warn us through his Word, a sermon, a friend, even someone who is not a Christian, because He loves us so much. Ultimately though we have to choose whose servant we want to be, a servant of sin or a servant of God. Will we let ourselves be devoured? Will we fail God and all those around us, or will we look for that promised "way of escape"? God's Mercy God offers compassion and forgiveness. God offers boundless mercy. Call on Him. He will save you! He loves you so much his Son died for you "while you were yet sinners". (Romans 5:8) When we serve God, we may still sin, we may still make poor choices, we may still fall to temptation, but God offers us forgiveness when we repent and turn from our sin. "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8: 12 Thanks be to God! Enjoy this beautiful old hymn, "Love Lifted Me"

A retelling of John 21. The sun was coming up and we were tired. We had fished all night, the seven of us, and had come up empty handed. Hard to make a living when you have no catch. Looking back toward the shore I could see a figure standing looking in our direction. I couldn't tell who it was. Then the person shouted to us wanting to know if we had any food. Nope, we shouted back. Nothing to show for a whole night of fishing. Throw Out Your Nets Then the man said something kind of odd. He told us to throw our nets on the other side of the boat. What?? Nobody who knew anything about fishing would suggest something like that, but what did we have to lose. We decided to humor him, so we threw out the net, laughingly, until we felt a very hard tug on our net. It was fish and a lot of them! It's Jesus! It was John who realized it first. The man was our Lord! It was Jesus! Appearing to us again as he had before. Not until we caught the fish did we realize just who it was that was directing us where to place the net. As soon as John said something, Peter excitedly jumped into the water and swam ashore. The boat was too slow for him. Nets Overflowing The rest of us followed in the boat, dragging the net filled to the brim with fish. There, Jesus was standing by a fire He had made with freshly cooked fish and bread. Jesus, always the servant. Jesus, always doing more for others than for Himself. Breakfast smelled so good in the clean morning air. Jesus instructed us to bring Him some of the fish we had caught. Peter raced into the water and hauled that heavy net in by himself. Peter counted 153 fish. What a haul! Come And Have Breakfast Jesus then invited us to breakfast, sharing the fish and bread He had prepared. "Come and have breakfast, friends." How I had missed these moments with our teacher, Jesus. Three times now Jesus had showed Himself to us since His death and resurrection. But now he wanted to talk to Peter. He wanted to ask Peter some questions. Do You Love Me? Three times he asked Peter if he loved Him. Three times Peter said yes, but by the third time you could see that Peter's heart was aching at having to continue to reassure Jesus that, yes, he really loved Him. Each time Jesus's reply was similar and yet different. The first time Jesus replied, "Feed my lambs." The second time Jesus replied, "Tend my sheep." and the last time Jesus replied, "Feed my sheep." Asking Peter this question three times must have brought back to Peter the three times he had denied even knowing Christ. Peter, sadly, denied Jesus even after he had said that he loved Him more than any of the rest of us. How terrible Peter must have felt. Follow Me Peter understood that Jesus meant that the sheep were His people. Peter's job was to care for them, teach them and grow them up in the knowledge of Christ. Then Jesus went on to let Peter know that he would be faithful to Jesus from then on. Faithful to a death like Jesus's own, on a cross. Then Jesus spoke His last words to Peter, "Follow me." Now that Peter knew exactly what his fate would be, Jesus encouraged him. Jesus's first words to Peter had been "Follow me" and now they were His last to him. For John, Jesus would have a different fate, but for Peter, the road had been laid before Him. Peter took up his cross and never looked back. He was His master's faithful servant from that day forward. I will never forget that beautiful morning when we were met with a delicious breakfast served to us by the Son of the King, the Holy One of Israel who served us with His very life. I adore you O Lord and I praise you. For by Your Cross and Resurrection You have set us free.

As a child most of us have enjoyed climbing trees. I remember climbing an old pear tree in my grandmother's yard to reach the gnarly, not so ripe pears, that we absolutely loved as children. Trees are a symbol we can relate to. Most of us think they are beautiful and yet another sign of God's handiwork. The Trees Will Sing Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. I Chronicles 16:33 What a beautiful image that creates for me. Just imagine the trees singing in the presence of God. All creation testifies to the glory of God. We will do the same one day in Heaven. Trees In The Bible Trees have an important place in many stories in the Bible from the beginning to the end. From the tree in the Garden of Eden that Eve ate from in Genesis, to the tree that stands in Heaven, the Tree of Life, described in Revelation 22. The Purpose Of Trees Trees offer us shade, they offer us fruit, they provide heat in the form of firewood, they can be places of safety behind their sturdy trunks or in their leafy branches. Trees stand in the storm, they give the birds of the air and many other animals shelter, they are a place of refuge. I Shall Not Be Moved Many times the Bible compares us to trees. In Jeremiah 17: 7-8 God says “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit." When I was a child, we sang a wonderful song called "I Shall Not Be Moved". The first verse goes like this: When my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved, when my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved; like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved; like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved. (refrain) Like A Tree? Are we like trees? Do we bring forth good fruit? Do we stand immovable? Do we sing before the Lord? Do we gain our life from the living waters that is the message of salvation? In time of trouble and loss will we be free from anxiety knowing our roots are deep? No matter how bad things get will we continue yielding fruit? Deep Roots In our world today we need deep roots to withstand the evil we face daily. Deep roots nourished by prayer. We need the living waters of the Lord's word to sustain us. We need to sing the praises of our God. We need more than ever to bring forth good fruit - love, patience, joy and more. We need to be a refuge for those who don't know God. Someone they can turn to who can show them a better way. Blessed In Revelation 22:14 one of the last references to trees occurs. It says, "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." Let us pray that we are among the blessed!

The Bible has, surprisingly, a lot to say about being a fool. In the Old Testament we are told many things about what kind of person a fool is. They: Despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) Bring grief to their mother. (Proverbs 10:1) Utter slander. (Proverbs 10: 18) Are reckless and careless. (Proverbs 14: 16) Have a hasty temper. (Proverbs 14: 29) Despise their father's instructions. (Proverbs 15:5) Don't care about knowledge but just want to say what they think. (Proverbs 18:2) Have lips that invite a fight. (Proverbs 18: 6) Enjoy quarreling. (Proverbs 20:3) Say what they think, while a wise person holds back. (Proverbs 28:11) Say in their heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1) There is more, much more but the general theme is the same. They don't listen to others, they are quick tempered, they talk too much, they don't believe in God, they are angry, they don't like to be instructed or listen to people who know more than they do. Weakness Shames The World In the New Testament, Paul says in I Corinthians 1: 27 that God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He tells us that God chose weak thinks to shame the mighty. Indeed, through the power of the Holy Spirit working in poor, uneducated men, men that the world would have considered to be foolish; Christianity spread throughout the known world. Jesus showed the educated and powerful that, by dying willingly on a Roman cross, weakness would put the world to shame. God continues to use those who have no power in themselves to show the world the one true power - Christ our Lord. The Rich Fool In Luke 12: 13-21 we read the parable of the rich fool. He stores up more and more riches for himself only to die, lose his money, and be declared a fool. He was a fool because he did not use his riches to bless the lives of others. He only wanted more for himself. Foolish and Wise Virgins In Matthew 25: 1-13 our Lord has yet another parable about foolishness. The wise virgins took oil with their lamps to be prepared for their bridegroom coming in the night but the foolish virgins did not. While the foolish ones were away trying to buy oil at the last second, the bridegroom arrived, and since they were gone, they were not invited to the wedding. His point being that we must be ready at all times for His (our bridegroom's) return. To The Perishing The Cross Is Foolishness Writing in I Corinthians 1:18 Paul explains that to those who are perishing the cross is foolishness but for Christians it is quite the opposite. The cross is the power of God. For the lost the message of Jesus and the cross is ridiculous. They have no understanding and want none. They are complacent. But when we encounter God, and His Spirit fills us, we understand that the cross IS the power of God. Paul continues in I Corinthians 2: 14 to say this: "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Without God in your life all of this "Christianity stuff" seems like words on a page. Words written 2,000 years ago that don't apply to today. The words of a foolish group of people believing that a carpenter was God, sent to die and be resurrected for the sins of the world. Only through the Holy Spirit can these precious words of salvation be understood. All of our wise talk will convince no one of the truth of the cross. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. We Once Were Foolish Titus tells us in chapter 3 verse 3 that we were once foolish, before we became a Christian. Since we were once foolish, we are to be gentle, humble and peaceable when we talk with non-believers. We don't boast about being wise. Whatever we have become is only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. A Fool Or A Fool For Christ To be a fool for Christ is to willingly accept being made fun of, accept persecution, accept being called a fool and an idiot. To be a fool for Christ is to love others more than yourself, to forgive those who hate you, to do things that Christ calls us to do whether they seem to make sense to us or not, to reach out and touch others for God, but not in our own wisdom. "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 10 Why is Paul strong? Because he knows that in his weakness all he can rely on is God. So, it may seem foolish to the world to "take pleasure" in bad things, but when it is for the sake of Christ it will make us stronger than we can imagine. Let us embrace the cross, the very thing the world views as foolishness, so we can be made perfect in weakness.

Are we the followers of Christ? The living God? Yes, indeed we are! Should we be timid and afraid? Should we look to the things of the world for happiness? No! Should we seek after Jesus and Him only? Yes absolutely! Should we be silent? No! Should we be loving, humble, kind, generous, and forgiving? Yes! Are We Appeasers? The church today too often has become an appeaser. That is a word you don't hear much anymore. When you appease someone, you say what they want to hear so you make them happy. You don't create conflict. Why does Jesus say He brings a sword (Matthew 10: 34)? Because Jesus speaks words that are truly counter cultural. His words tell us to love those who hate us. His words tell us to forgive those who hurt us, over and over. His words tell us to not be like the world. His words tell us to speak truth in humility when no one else will. His word requires us to NOT be appeasers. What Does Jesus Promise Us? Does Jesus promise us wealth? No! Does Jesus promise us a care free life? No! What we see is a world where some missionaries are saved from certain death and yet some are martyred for Jesus's sake. What we see is a world where some die as infants and some live to an old age. What we see are places where people who love God live in abject poverty and some live a comfortable life. Why? Even Paul, at some times in his life he was saved from ship wrecks and imprisonment and at another time he was slaughtered for the cause of Christ. We have a purpose known to God. Living According to God's Purpose Most telling is something that was recorded about King David's death in Acts 13: 36, "Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed." So according to Acts, when David had served God's purpose he died. This doesn't mean that David couldn't have done greater deeds or continued doing good for God, what it does mean is that God's specific purpose for the life of his servant David was finished. A greater joy awaited David than he could ever imagine. On his death bed David told Solomon to walk in obedience to the Lord (I Kings 2: 2-4). What greater advice can we give our children? The Bigger Picture We don't often see the big picture that God sees. Will our healing bring others to Christ or will people seek Him when they see us die with faith? Will our ability to accept poverty lead others to Christ or will we make His word known more by our ability to give from our wealth? Will our suffering help us to see what Jesus endured for us? God only sees the bigger picture. A person I know had a child die and donated many organs to others. This child's death gave life to several children who would have died. Only God sees the big picture of life. Only God knows the "why". What Can We Offer? We often find ourselves in a place where we feel we have nothing to offer God. Can we still pray? Are we laying in a sick bed teaching others the lesson of true serving, true giving? Can we do the job that no one else wants to do? The job that is looked upon as unimportant but to God is just one of many roles necessary for the body of Christ to function. No part of the body is more important than another. Living God's Purpose We pray more than anything that like David our lives will serve God's purpose in our generation. Will we stand for Christ when no one else will? Pray that God gives us Holy Ghost strength to live out our lives in His service - no matter the cost. We are a holy nation chosen to declare the praises of the One who called us out of darkness (I Peter 2: 9)! Enjoy this hymn, God of Purpose by Metro Life Worship. For more on this topic go here.

I live in a farming community and my husband is a farmer. He has a particular way that he likes to see a field worked, particular equipment he likes to use and a particular schedule to get his fields prepared for planting. In I Corinthians 3: 9 Paul uses a metaphor comparing the church to a field. "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building." God's Field Paul discusses the fact that he and Apollos were both doing the job that God required them to do. They both prepared the field, the church, in their own way. They are nothing important. Only God, who uses them to do His will, matters. As Paul says, "God gives the increase." Christ is the Foundation As one farmer does things one way to produce a good crop and another farmer has a different way that also produces a good crop, so preachers and teachers come and go but the thing that matters is that Christ is the foundation of their teaching and preaching. We are not to align ourselves with a person, but with Christ. Act Like the Church We are not to align ourselves with a building but with the One who builds. We are the church, not our beautiful places of worship. When we act like the church, the true church grows. When we fail to act it does not. What good is a field if it produces nothing? What good is a building without a firm foundation? We Must Interact How do we "act like the church"? We throw around this expression a lot but what does it really mean? We are, as our Lord tells us, a light to the world. If we stay to ourselves all the time and never interact with others, how can we be a light? It is easy to say we don't have time to get involved with other people but that is our duty as children of God. We are to show the world hope when it seems hopeless, to love when it seems no one does and to care when others do nothing. Make a Difference Being the church doesn't require anything especially difficult. It just means not looking the other way when we see that we can make a difference. Does your neighbor's yard who has been out of town for a few days need some trash picked up? Does your elderly neighbor need to be checked on? Does someone need a shoulder to lean on, or a listening ear just so they know someone cares? Can you help in your community by volunteering in some way? Do we go the extra mile? Remember, we serve because He served. Take Your Opportunities We are all so busy these days it seems. It feels like we are too busy to attend to the needs of others, but that is how we are used as salt and light. Even the smallest things we can do can make a difference in the lives of those around us. And if we have the opportunity to share Christ with them while we do it, so much the better. For those who are disabled and elderly, you can offer your prayers. Nothing is more needed now than that. Why Are We In Church If we believe the church is failing people these days perhaps, we should look inward. How are we failing Christ by not showing His love to others? Do we demand that those who preach and teach place Christ above everything else? Are we in church for a performance, for a feel-good message, for what WE can get from it, or are we there to worship our wonderful, loving God? Sharing Ourselves Years ago my pastor used to say that we should give God our time, our talents and our treasures. What we have in this world was given to us by Him, so it is our duty to share those blessings with others. We may find ourselves easily sharing our time but hesitant to share our talents. We may find ourselves sharing our treasures but jealously guarding our time. God wants us to open our hearts fully and completely to Him, so that people around us see Him in everything we do. For more on what God expects of us click here. Enjoy the hymn - He Wants it All by Forever Jones- here.