There Are Ways Of Covering Sin.

                                             When The Door Slams

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.                  Proverbs 28:13-14 NIV       

            There are two ways of covering sin. The first is by our own effort, which, in our society, is called a cover-up. Every political junkie knows that politicians get into more trouble covering up their crimes rather than not committing them to begin with, and the same is true for us. If you have a secret habit, a guilty conscience, or a moral failure, Proverbs 28:13 is warning. Do not try to cover it up or explain it away. 

            There's another way of covering our sin, and that's by confessing it. Psalm 32:1 says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Isaiah said, "The iniquity of Jacob will be covered....For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 27:9; 61:10). 

            Think about this: It is not a sin to be tempted, for everyone is tempted. The devil will tempt you, but he can tempt you only as far as God permits-and God always provides a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). The sin is in yielding to temptation, instead of seeking God's power to escape. 

            When you face temptation, follow Jesus' example. Satan will say, "for a moment's bowing of your head to me, the money, the fame, the business, the success and power, will be yours." But do what Jesus did. Jesus didn't argue with Satan; Jesus didn't debate with him; Jesus didn't rationalize. Instead He replied, "It is written...." Jesus responded to the enemy's temptation with the simple but strong truth of God's Word, Scripture. 

            Hidden sin yields the crop of guilt, but confession brings release and peace. Is there something in your life that needs to be covered? Don't try to hide it. Confess it, and let the blood of Jesus Christ cover your guilt with the flow of the Holy Spirit. 

            Intercession: O LORD, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness with those who love Him and with those who obey His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity; we have been wicked and have rebelled, even turning away from Your commandments and from Your judgments. To the LORD our God belong mercy and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God to walk in His laws which He set before us through His servants the prophets (Daniel 9:4-5,9-10).

 Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.                                

The Truth Of Christmas Is Christ

                                     When The Door Slams        

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.                 John 1:14 NKJV 

            When Daniel was captive in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar the king had a dream. He demanded that the wise men of his court not only tell him the interpretation of the dream but the dream itself! How else would he know if they truly had access to "the divine"? His courtiers recoiled at the very idea: "It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh" (Daniel 2:11). 

            Therein lies the human dilemma: We are "here," and God is "there." While God dwelt with man in the Holy of Holies, He was not "with flesh." It was not until the first Christmas that God "became flesh and dwelt among us" so that we might know Him and behold God's glory (John 1:14). At the first Christmas, the gap between God and man was bridged in a way never before imagined in history-God becoming a man! Jesus of Nazareth came to live a life acceptable unto God so that we could be forgiven for our unacceptable (sinful) lives. 

            In a sense, of course, Christmas is about us. God loved us, became flesh for us, died to forgive our sins, and rose to give us everlasting life. Christmas is the celebration of what Jesus did for us. But in return, we should make it all about Him: loving Him, serving Him, praising Him, and emulating His attitude of humility. 

            He humbled Himself to become human; in turn, Joseph and Mary put His interests before their own. The shepherds, too, put Him first. They left their flocks and bowed before Him. The Magi worshiped Him and presented Him with their gifts. In the temple, the aged Anna and the venerable Simeon praised God because of Him. They gladly let Him be the central focus.

            Think about this: As you celebrate Christmas this year, don't lose sight of what Christmas means: God became a man and dwelt among us. Not just in spirit, but in bodily form so that humanity and deity might be reunited forever through faith in Him. 

            Let's have ourselves a humble Christmas. Turn your thoughts toward Him and others. What a great time to rededicate the remainder of your days on earth to serving Christ with a humility that transcends the holidays.

            Intercession: But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12).                              

  Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                Never Rest Ministries 

Temptation Can Come In An Attractive Package

                                             When The Door Slams

So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the messiah is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in  God. When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.                                                                                            Colossians 3:1-4 HCSB   

            Just...thinking about religion is not the same as making a Christian impact on our culture. Pollsters tell us that fifty million Americans say they are born again. No doubt about it, religion is up. But so are practices unremittingly opposed to the truth of Christianity: one out of every two marriages is shattered by divorce; one of three pregnancies ends in abortion. Homosexuality is no longer considered deviant or depraved behavior; it is an alternative lifestyle.

            Politicians and religious leaders said they will make American great again, but crime continues to soar: in "Christian" America there are two hundred times more burglaries than in "pagan" Japan...If there are so many Christians in the U.S., why we are not affecting our world?  

            I believe it is because Christianity has begun to lose its punch over the past forty to fifty years; it is that more and more Christians (it seems to me) now opt for a lower standard when confronted with choice of living in moral purity as set forth in the Scriptures or compromising (then rationalizing away the guilt). Well, just look around. You decide. 

            The battle of choices is certainly not new..."Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please" (Galatians 5:17). 

            Think about this: Some things that appear quite harmless can entangle and hurt us. Most of us know what it is like to get involved innocently in a relationship or a pastime only to eventually find that we were caught up in something hurtful from which we could not break away. Temptation can come in an attractive package. 

            This statement perfectly describes the tempter. Sometimes people have the mistaken idea that Satan wants to give weak minded people pleasure. Satan no more wants to give us pleasure than a foolish person wants to grow in wisdom. Satan hates us and wants to inflict as much suffering into our lives as he possibly can. Satan offers the pleasure of sin only to inflict suffering later and to make that suffering permanent.

            In many ways, that is what temptation does to us. The more the enemy of our souls tries to yank away our faith, the tighter we squeeze it to our heart. God allows temptation so that we will cling more fiercely to Him. 

            Related Bible Texts: Pleasure, Satan, Sin, Sowing and Reaping: Matt. 4:1-11;                                John 10:10; Gal. 6:7-8; Heb. 11:25  

            Affirmation: He said to mankind, "The fear of the LORD is this: wisdom. And to turn  from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). Who is the man who fear the LORD? He will show him the way he should choose (Psalm 25:12). How happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways (Psalm 128:1). The LORD values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love (Psalm 147:11).                   

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His Forgiveness

                                                       Never Rest Ministries 

Bitterness, Family, Grace, Mercy, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse

                                           When The Door Slams

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.         (Matthew 18:21-22 NIV) 

            A woman I met at the Los Angeles Mission told me how she was sexually abused as a small child by her father. She grew up, overcame the emotional damage that had been done, and eventually married a missionary. Years later, after her children were fully grown, she received a letter from her father telling her he had became a Christian and has asked God for forgiveness and received it. He had, moreover, realized he had sinned dreadfully against her, and was writing to ask for her pardon.

            Feelings she didn't know were there suddenly surfaced. It wasn't fair! He should pay for what he had done, she thought bitterly. It was all too easy. And now he was going to be part of the family! She was sure her home church was busy killing the fattened calf for him and that she would be invited to the party! She was angry, resentful. . . . 

            Then she had a dream. She saw her father standing on an empty stage. Above him appeared the hands of God holding a white robe of righteousness. She recognized it at once, for she was wearing one just like it! As the robe began to descend toward her father, she woke up crying out, "No! It isn't fair! What about me?"

            The only way she could finally rejoice, as our heavenly Father pleaded with her to do, was to realize that her earthy father was now wearing the same robe that she was. They were the same in God's sight. It had cost His Son's life to provide both those robes. As she began to see clearly her father clothed with the garments of the Lord God grace. She was able to begin to praise the LORD.

            Think about this: The same grace of God that protects and heals us also calls us to forgive those who hurt us the most.

            Affirmation: The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11 NIV).      

Related Bible Texts: Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 15:11-32

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                        Never Rest Ministries 

People God Used In A Significant Way Went Through Periods Of Waiting

                                              When The Door Slams

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.              Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV   

            We say that time heals everything because time often dims our memory. This is why parents and trainers know that important principles need to be taught and repeated often. If people were computers, a concept could be entered once and saved, but people forget.

            To the extent we embrace that mentality, we lose touch with one of God's greatest character-building tools: waiting on Him. Most of the people God used in a significant way went through periods of waiting. The Old Testament has many references to waiting on the Lord, especially during trials. 

            Waiting on the Lord in marriage may be one of the most challenging test. If we think our spouses need to change, we are tempted to want that change now. The alternative is to commit that need to the Lord and wait upon Him. It sometimes escapes us that the waiting might be for our benefit; God's best work may be in us, not our spouses. 

            Think about this: Throughout Scripture, the people of God are reminded, "Do not be afraid." When we come face-to-face with God and His glory: "Do not be afraid." When Peter walks on water: "Do not be afraid." When loved one die: "Do not be afraid." When all you have is five loaves and two fish: "Do not be afraid." 

            This simple phrase is God's comfort and invitation to us. We may not have the confidence, skills, or resources needed for our situation, but God does. Jesus invites us to rest, knowing He is God. His peace is ever present. He delights in our requests for more of Him. It is not about ignoring feelings of fear, but about focusing on God's love, power, and provision. As we do, our faith grows as we see God working in the midst of our circumstances. It is worth repeating: "I can wait-on the Lords." "Do not be afraid." 

            Affirmation: "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:27-31 NKJV).   

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness  

                                                     Never Rest Ministries                                   

Weak Minded Christians Sabotage Their Own Future

                                     When The Door Slams

"For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.                   Matthew 6:14-15 AMP                         

            The doorway that opens to a life of love and joy is forgiveness. Your ability to freely forgive other people, and to let the hurt go, is the true mark of integrity, character and a fully developed personality. You can clear your mind and heart of the negativity you have built up over time with one decisive action: You can issue a blanket pardon to everyone for everything that they have done to hurt you in any way. 

            Many people cling to their resentments because they feel that they have paid so dearly for them that they cannot possibly give them up. Sometimes people's entire lives are built around their past hurts and suffering. They have little else to talk about, and they dwell on their negative experiences continually. 

            Eventually, these people make themselves physically and mentally ill. Their repressed anger and negativity sooner or later erupt and spoil any new relationships that they try to build. They sabotage their own futures. And, in every case, there is only one solution and that is to give it to the Lord God and let it go.

           Think about this: Forgiving another person is a perfectly "selfish" act. You do it so that you can be free. You forgive so that you can experience the happiness and joy for which you were created...If you find that you still cannot bring yourself to do a kindness for the other person, this should tell you something about your true feelings as a Christian. This inability to forgive might be holding you back from loving yourself and other people. You might have your own foot on the brakes of your own future.

            Renewal: Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail] (1 Corinthians 13:4-6 AMP).     

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

                                                Never Rest Ministries             

                

The Key Word Is Acknowledge

                                     When The Door Slams

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a lair and his word is not in us.                        1 John 1:9-10 NIV  

            Confession of sin is multifaceted, but there is a core principle. It is not sorrow, guilt, or shame. It is agreement. The Greek translation for "confess" is made of two words: homos, meaning "same," and lego, meaning "say or speak." So to confess means "to say the same thing as." As who? As God! We don't inform God of our sins by confessing them. He already knows what we have done. Our greatest need is to humbly agree with Him: "Father, You call what I did 'sin' and I agree with You." 

            Consider these words from the General Confession in the Book of Common Prayer: "Almighty God, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness. The key word there is acknowledge. It suggests that we are simply agreeing with God about our "sins and wickedness." We are not hiding our sins or hiding from God. We enter God's presence ready to acknowledge (agree with) what God already knows. Such acknowledgement means we humbly accept God's definition of our actions. We don't try to call our sins "mistakes."

            Think about this: We have all had this experience. After investing hours or days searching for a solution to a problem, we finally discover that an expert could have helped us quickly and easily if we had only asked. James reminded his readers to accomplish their goals  turn to God first. In fact, we say, "All you have to do is ask," come from the word of James:

         "You do not have because you do not ask." Instead of seeing God as our first choice, we often make Him our last resort. And we wonder why we don't have the comfort, guidance, or provision we so desperately need and seek.

           If you have sins start today by confessing and agreeing with God. Only what is rightly confessed can be rightly forgiven. You need to make God your first choice. He is our Holy Father who loves to meet His children's needs-if they will just ask.

           Confession: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want. so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:1-4 NIV).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.                        

                                              Never Rest Ministries

When The Guilt Of Sin Is Removed

                                     When The Door Slams

I acknowledged my sin to You, And I did not hide my wickedness; I said, "I will confess [all my transgressions to the LORD", And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [for forgiveness] in a time when You [are near and] may be found; Surely when the great waters [of trial and distressing times] overflow they will not reach [the spirit in] him. You are my hiding place; You, LORD, protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance.      (Psalm 32:5-7 AMP)  

               All of us can testify to the "before and after" of relief from physical pain. It might happen quickly-an aspirin and a good night's sleep relieves a headache-or it might be a long-term process-a painful broken bone gradually heals. However long the transition takes, we knows how good it feels to be relieved of pain.

            Guilt can be as painful spiritually as an ailment can be physically. The guilt of sin, whether by omission or commission, can be removed. And when guilt is removed, the accompanying pain of fear, stress, despair, or shame is removed as well. The psalmist David described the pain of his unconfessed sin (Psalm 32:3-4) and implied the removal of that pain when he "[confessed his] transgressions to the LORD" (verse 5).

            We don't know if this psalm was written in the aftermath of his adultery and conspiracy to murder (2 Samuel 11-12); but if it was, he had lived almost a year with the pain of his guilt. He saw confession to God as the path to the restoration of his joy (Psalm 51:12). 

            Think about this: A young man was in an outpatient drug rehab program, meeting with a counselor weekly. Some weeks he had to report that he had succumbed to drug use since their last meeting. "Do you want to get off drugs?" his counselor would ask. Hearing yes as an answer, the counselor would respond, "Then I will be here for you until you succeed." When he asked why you didn't give up on me, the counselor would reply, "My job doesn't depend on your faithfulness. It's my job to be faithful regardless." 

            "God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord " (1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV). Let God's faithfulness to you be an inspiration for your own faithfulness to Him. If you are living with an unconfessed sin, ask God to cleanse you and deliver you from pain to relief (1 John 1:9). 

            Intercession: LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Here we are before You with our guilt, though no one can stand in Your presence because of this (Ezra 9:15 HCSB).  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

                                                Never Rest Ministries  

     

                

                  

                          

Which Pain Is Worse, Physical Or Emotional

                                             When The Door Slams

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.                                    Psalm 61:1-4 NIV

             We can sometimes succeed at pushing physical pain right out of our thoughts by crowding our time and attention with other matters. But inside suffering...ah, that is a different matter. Mental anguish, resentment, bitterness, disappointment, or even dryness of soul can hound us. And it is not so easy to put those feeling behind.

            Those sorts of hurts and pains of the heart and mind and spirit create an emptiness, and seem to put us in a spiritual vacuum. We can describe physical pain to a doctor or nurse, but inside pain can only be known-really known-by God.

            Think about this: I think God permits this kind of inner anguish for a good reason. Physical hurt is almost outside of us, sometimes we can drive it from our thoughts. But inside pain is within our thoughts, and action that will forces us to cope with the problem. God may allow it because He knows this kind of suffering can be more purifying than any other kind of pain. Today we are forced to face it and deal with the situation at hand. 

            Let this time be significant. Let these days be an event, a milestone you can point to and say, "That was the day I let the Lord God of my life turn my sorrow into joy...Just as pain and sorrow brought us to tears of remorse and regret...Just as certain painful events can cause our lives to come to a full stop, God calls us now to a new start.  

 Confession: For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast (Proverbs 5: 21-22 NIV). Renewal: For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9-14 NIV).    

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.   

                                                Never Rest Ministries                     

Every Good Shepherd Wants The Best For His Sheep

                                     When The Door Slams

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He let me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet water. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.                                   Psalm 23:1-6 HCSB 

            Has there ever been a more turbulent era in American history? The two political parties seem hopelessly divided, our role in the flammable Middle East seems indefinable, the value of the unborn and marriage drift further from God's ideal, and our fiscal indebtedness grows by the hour. Yet God remains uninvited into our situation. A nation that proclaims "In God We Trust" seems to put trust in everything but Him. 

            The Old Testament prophets warned about trusting in man and man's methods instead of in God. When Israel was tempted to appeal to Egypt for help against her enemies, the prophet Isaiah warned the leaders, "Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit" (Isaiah 31:1-3). Could there be any plainer distinction? When man finds himself in desperate situations, why would he call on others who are no greater than himself? Should we not call on the One who is God rather than relying on the abilities of man? 

            Think about this: When we consider how to stay calm and peaceful in our chaotic world, we might think of David, the psalmist and king of Israel. He didn't write Psalm 23 as a peaceful picture of his life. After all, this was a man who had faced a giant, done battle with the Philistines, dodged the spear and sword of Saul, been betrayed by his own son, and brought serious trouble upon his own head by his own sinful actions. David led anything but a peaceful life.

            The key to reconciling Psalm 23 with David's tumultuous life-and ours-is in the words he chose. To be led into green pastures suggests that some pastures aren't always so green. To reference still waters is to say that sometimes the waters of life are not so still. To describe his soul as being restored implies that his soul needed restoring, that it had been in turmoil and needed quieting. Every shepherd wants the best for his sheep, but the best isn't always available. When life is challenging, our good Shepherd can be counted on to lead us into a place and time of restoration and healing. When you find yourself in a spiritual jam, don't rely on your own devices. Remember the name of the Lord our God-and trust in Him!

            Renewal: Now I know that the LORD gives victory to His anointed; He will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories from His right hand. Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of Yahweh our God (Psalm 2o:6-7 ).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                Never Rest Ministries

                            

We Are At War With God Until We Are Justified

                                    When The Door Slams

Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.                   Romans 14:16-19 NIV  

            The struggle we have with a holy God is rooted in the conflict between God's righteousness and our unrighteousness. He is just and we are unjust. This tension creates fear, hostility, and anger within us toward God. The unjust person does not desire the company of a just judge. We become fugitives fleeing from the presence of The One whose glory can blind us and whose justice can condemn us. We are at war with Him unless or until we are justified. And only than a person can be comfortable in the presence of a holy God. 

            The Apostle Paul sets forth immediate benefits-fruits of justification. In...Romans he explains what happens to us when we are justified, when we are covered by the righteousness of Christ, that is by faith: "Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we are sharing in God's glory" (read Romans 5:1-2 NIV)

            Peace can be experienced only when we have received divine pardon-when we have been reconciled to God and when we have harmony within, with our fellow man and especially with God....Christ has made peace with God for us and is Himself our peace. If by faith we accept Him, we are justified by God and can realize the inner serenity that can come to man through no other means.

            Think about this: I know men who are searching for peace. Every time they get close to finding peace, found only in Christ, Satan leads them away. Blinds them. He throws up a smoke screen. He bluffs them. Lies to them. "They don't know how to live in peace," (read Romans 3:10-18 NIV). As we look around, we find that there is little personal peace, domestic, social, economic and no political peace anywhere. Why? Because we all have the seeds of suspicion and violence, hatred and destruction within us. But true believers of Christ have found peace forever! True Christians have found the secret of life.  

            Renewal: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:15-17 NIV). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness 

                                            Never Rest Ministries                                

               

We Need A Single-Minded Desire To Know God

                                             When The Door Slams

So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.                     Matthew 6:31-34 HCSB         

            We are to press into the Kingdom of God, to storm it if we must, to seize the opportunity to know God. This quest is not casual. The pursuit is not cavalier. We are to be driven by a holy passion. A passion is a strong feeling, an emotion that is packed with intensity. At times it carries a sense of urgency.

            Not all passions are holy. As fallen human beings we are often trapped in unholy passions. Our feelings are mixed. Then the Holy Spirit quickens us to a new life with new passions. But many of the old passions remain. We struggle with our feelings. Our affection for the things of God is locked in mortal combat with earthy concerns.

            If we are to progress in godliness we need to fan the flames of a holy passion. We need a single-minded desire to know God. We follow Jesus who went before us. He was moved by a single passion to do the will of His Father. His meat and drink were to do His Father's will. Zeal for His Father's house consumed Him. He was a man of holy destiny with a face set as a flint. 

            Think about this: Jesus knew the Father. His knowledge of God was so deep, so profound that His entire earthly life reflected a single holy passion. Jesus revealed the Father to us and called us--to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  

            Affirmation: "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again. But as I told you, you've seen Me, and yet you do not believe. Everyone the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:35-40 HCSB).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.       

                                              Never Rest Ministries 

There Is No Believing Without Some Doubting

                                             When The Door Slams

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."                                                                    Mark 11:22-25 NIV  

            In the Scriptures....we find a realistic yet healthy view of doubt as definitely serious but not terminal. Understood properly, this biblical view sees the role of doubt as constructive to belief. "I believe in doubt" is, therefore, far more than a roundabout way of saying that there is not believing without doubting so that "even in doubting, I believe." 

            A bold Christian affirmation is that, because faith in Christ is true and fears no question or challenge, doubt can be a stepping stone to a tougher, deeper faith. In this sense, as George MacDonald asserted, doubts are ""messengers of the Living One to the honest."

            Followers of Christ are not simply fair-weather believers. They are realistically committed to truth, people who "think in believing and believe in thinking" as Augustine expressed it. They are, therefore, like experienced pilots who can fly in bad weather as easily as in good, by night as well as by day, and upside down as well as right side up. 

            Faith's rainy days will come and go and dark nights of the soul may threaten to overwhelm, but safe flying is possible for those who have a solid grasp of the instruments (God's truth and promises) and a canny realism about the storm and stress of doubt.

            Think about this: It has been my privilege to talk to hundreds of individuals who have experienced different kinds of doubt and differing levels of pain and confusion. No one who understands the pain and perils of doubt can be thoughtless about it. Loss of trust in God is truly life's ultimate loss. But such is the nature of faith in God through Christ, affirmed by countless Christians throughout history, that there can be a constructive side of doubt. 

            True, there is no believing without some doubting. But since belief strengthens as the Christian understands and resolves doubt, we can say that, if we doubt in believing, we nevertheless also believe in doubting. 

Affirmation: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understand; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8 NIV).  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

                                                    Never Rest Ministries 

                       

                   

The Gospel Is Not Theology. It Is A Person.

                                              When The Door Slams

But to each one us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people. (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.        Ephesians 4:7-13 NIV  

            For the New Testament Christians, witness was not a sales pitch. They simply shared, each in his own way, what they had received. Theirs was not a formally prepared, carefully worked-out presentation with a gimmick to manipulate conversation, and a "closer" for an on the-spot decision...but the spontaneous, effervescent enthusiasm of those who had met the most fascinating Person who ever lived.

            The gospel is not theology. It's a Person. Theology doesn't save. Jesus Christ saves. The first-century disciples were totally involved with a Person. They were followers of Jesus. They were learners of Jesus. They were committed to Jesus. They were filled with Jesus. 

            They had encountered Jesus Christ and simply could not be concealed. They witnessed not because they had to, but because they could not help it. The simplest Christian does it effortlessly when he tells a friend what Christ means to him. "When the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will be my witnesses...." (Acts 1:8 NIV).  

            Think about this: But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Sprit. Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. 

            Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt. Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, Help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren't pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners (Jude 20-23 TLB). 

            Affirmation: And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey Christ's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave lives in us (1 John 3:23-24 NLT).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search you heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                Never Rest Ministries

     

              

                       

Happy Is The One Who Finds Wisdom

                                     When The Door Slams

This is what the LORD says: "Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I the LORD, have spoken!                 Jeremiah 23-24 NLT  

              Here's what you must do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role- play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.

            The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are ignorant. They are full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Heavenly Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need. 

            For when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it. 

            But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and that way. If you don't ask with faith, don't expect the LORD to give you any solid answer. 

            Think about this: What adjustments do you need to make in your thinking in order to truly believe God will give you a solid answer?   

Petition: So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understand our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same tastings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. there we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

                                            Never Rest Ministries

                    

Lifestyle The Ways Of God And The Ways Of Satan

                                     When The Door Slams 

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT). 

            In times like ours, it is more than ever so necessary for the individual to train himself, or be trained, according to objective norms of good, and learn to distinguish these from the purely pragmatic norms current in his society. He will come to know the difference between the "ways of the Lord God and the ways of Satan." We cannot trust our society to tell us this difference.        

            Everything is confused, and the men of our time blindly follow now the Lord God and now Satan, blown this way and that way by every changing wind of urgency and opportunity, judging only by what seem to them to be the immediate consequences. We must recover our inner faith not only in God but in the good, in reality, and in the power of the good to take care of itself and us as well, if only we attend to it, observe, listen, choose, and obey.  

            The Lord God wills that we act humanly, therefore intelligently. The Lord God wills that we act for His sake, for of the truth, not out of concern for immediate material interest: therefore He wills that we act in a "detached manner." Detachment is not pure indifference, but ...a concentration of attention on the subject of the act itself, not on the results or the consequences. We are not responsible for more than our own action, but for this we should take complete responsibility ...

            Think about this: We have only to judge whether the act is right, just, and accords with truth and love here and now, because we "believe in the good" and are therefore convinced that, whatever consequences may follow, they will certainly be good ones, beneficial to ourselves and to society. 

Petition: 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        (1 John 2"15-17 NLT).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.              

                                                    Never Rest Ministries               

God's Grace Is Sufficient For All

                                             When The Door Slams 

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.                           Psalm 34:17-22 NIV.  

            This is how we know what real love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16).  Throughout His earthly life, Jesus was constantly exposed to personal violence. At the beginning of His ministry, His own townsfolk: They got up, drove him out of town , and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was build, in order to throw him off the cliff (Luke 4:29). 

            The religious and political leaders often conspired to seize and kill Him. At length He was arrested and brought to trial before Pilate and Herod. Even though He was guiltless of the accusations, He was denounced as an enemy of God and man, and not worthy to live.

            The sufferings of Jesus also included the fierce temptations of the devil: "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1).

            Remember, too, Jesus knew in advance what was coming, and this enhanced His suffering. Jesus knew the contents of the cup He had to drink; He know the path of suffering He should tread. Jesus could distinctly foresee the baptism of blood that awaited Him. Jesus spoke plainly to His disciples of His coming death by crucifixion.

           Jesus, came to suffer for our sins. As a result of His suffering, our redemption was secured. Christ living in us will enable us to live above our circumstances, however painful they are. Perhaps you who read these words find yourself almost crushed by the circumstances which you are now facing. You may wonder how much more of this suffering can you stand. Don't give in to the enemy! God's grace is sufficient for you and will enable you to rise above your trials.  

            Think about this: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or violent death?...But in all these things we have full victory from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our LORD.

            Renewal: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark word and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesian 6:12-13).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                Never Rest Ministries