Looking for the Lord?

If we can’t find the Lord, He is not lost – we are.

Psalms 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Seek the Lord by Returning to Him

Isaiah 55:6-7  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

A little house cleaning might help

Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

He may not be as far away as you think.

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Friends of God

Abraham was the friend of God by believing.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

There is a close friend.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Jesus said that he would be our friend.

John 15:13-14 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

John 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

What a Friend we have in Jesus!

Have it Your Way

God Gave Man the Ability to Choose.

Psalms 25:12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

The Lord Presents the Choices and Says You Must Choose.

Joshua 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

1 Kings 18:21  And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Wisdom Says to Make Choices according to the Fear (Reverence) of the Lord.

Proverbs 1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

What Choice will you make today?

Living on Purpose

Purpose of Heart

Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Solomon Built the Lord’s House on Purpose

1 Kings 5:5  And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

The Purpose of the Lord

Isaiah 14:26-27 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.  27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Paul’s Purpose

2 Timothy 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

Make Your Purpose His Purpose.

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Serve the Lord on Purpose!

The Corruption of Riches

The Desire for Riches Produces Evil

1 Timothy 6:9-10 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Possession of Riches can be Deceitful

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Can you Enter the Kingdom of God with Riches?

Matthew 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

There are Riches that Money Cannot Buy

Proverbs 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

Jesus Christ became Poor so that You Can Be Rich

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The Balance of Wealth

Proverbs 30:8-9  Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:  9  Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Be Rich Toward God!

Serving the Wounded

Jesus Showed How to Serve the Wounded

Mark 9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ impelled to Serve the Wounded

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Jesus Taught How to Serve the Wounded

Luke 10:30-35 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. … a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

What are some ways that Jesus taught to serve the wounded?

He had compassion on him.

He bound up his wounds (stopped the bleeding).

He poured healing on his wounds (gave healing ingredients).

He carried him away from harm and to a resting place.

He watched over him at the resting place.

He contributed resources to his benefit.

Then he said he would come back and check up on him.

Luke 10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Go, and do thou likewise!

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

Will you follow his steps?

Your Credit Score

How much debt do you have?

Jesus Christ taught the reciprocal formula of forgiveness.

Matt 6:9,12 After this manner therefore pray ye: … And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Luke 11: 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us… 

Mark 11:25-26 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

How much have we been forgiven?

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

What is expected of the forgiven?

Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Balancing our Debt

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

No Respecter of Persons

The Apostle Peter Learned that all Nationalities are Equal before God.

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

All Men need the Forgiveness of God.

Romans 3:22-23  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

God Commands All Men to Repent.

Acts 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

In Christ, All Humanity has Equal Value.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

The New Man, created in God’s Image, has a new Ethnicity.

Colossians 3:10-11 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

All of Humanity is of One Blood

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

The Saving Blood of Jesus Christ brings All Men Together.

Ephesians 2:13-14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Let all men come together in Jesus Christ!

Attack with your Spiritual Weapons

The Christian Fight is a Spiritual Battle with Spiritual Weapons

Our Weapons are not Carnal

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The Name of the Lord

1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’S, and he will give you into our hands.

The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17-18  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The Word of God

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Power from the Lord

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The Good Fight

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Fight for your faith and WIN!

Where are you Going?

Where is Everyone Going?

Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, …

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Moving Fast!

The Earth’s rotation at 34.5 degrees North latitude moves us about 860 m/h from West to East.

Earth’s orbit around the sun moves us about 66,650 m/h in a counterclockwise direction.

Sun with the earth in tow is moving toward the star Vega at the speed of 31,000 m/h.

Our Solar System is traveling 700,000 m/h around the Milky Way galaxy.

The Milky Way rotates at 560,000 m/h and around the Universe at about 1 million m/h.

Adding this movement up, we are moving around the universe at 2.5 million m/h.

The Trajectory of Life

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.