What will you do with the next 61 days?

On November 1, there will be 61 days left in the year.

There is another 61 for you to consider … Isaiah 61.

The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of his splendor. 

During the next 61 days, live with that promise.
During the next 61 days, reach out to others with that heart.
For the next 61 days go into the world and heal the brokenhearted, preach the good news to the poor and proclaim freedom to the captives.
Go, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Jesus Saves

In downtown Los Angeles, on Hope Street, stood The Church of the Open Door. It stood there for seventy years until it was demolished in the late 80’s after some severe earthquake damage. R.A Torrey founded it. Louis T. Talbot and J. Vernon McGee were senior pastors there. It was in the heart of the city. Some even said it was the soul of the city. What I remember was the sign on the top of the building. In big, bold, red neon, the sign declared JESUS SAVES.

Over the years, big glass skyscrapers were built all around that church. At night, you could see the reflection of that sign from several vantage points due to the reflections of the many glass walls surrounding the church. It was simply amazing. In my early days as a new Christian, I would listen to J. Vernon McGee preach. I heard sound doctrine, solid gospel and honest conviction.

Last week I heard a message from another radio pastor who has gone on to be with the Lord. Adrian Rogers. He was saying something I had not heard anyone say before.

“Oh yes, Jesus saves”, he said. “It is what he does. He saves sinners like you and me”, he went on. I’ve heard that and know that. I’ve been saved by the blood of Jesus.

What was different was this … He said “many people declare that they have been saved by Jesus. The problem is they have not made Jesus the Lord of their life. Lord is WHO He is and saving is WHAT He does.

The question Pastor Rogers put plainly was this … Is Jesus Lord of your life? If not, why not? Is He Lord of your marriage and job and children and finances or is He recognized as simply the one who saved a wretch.

I’ve been chewing on that thought for a few days now. The conviction of the Spirit has been gnawing at my heart.

Thank you father for sending your Son to save a wretch like me. All I am and all I have are yours, Jesus. Forgive me for the things I have done and left undone without you being considered Lord of my life. Be the Lord of my Life each day and each moment and each breath. Thank you Jesus for who you are ... King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen and Amen.

God's Provision

This morning I was reading in Exodus again. This time I was in Chapter 16. It didn’t take long for the Israelites to go from the Song of Moses – praising God – to the grumbling hoard in the middle of nowhere.

They grumbled about bitter water and God provided sweet water. They grumbled about food and God provided heavenly nourishment. They grumbled about amount of water and God provided abundant water.

Amazing grace.

Think about it for a moment. How much manna per day? Two and a half million people were given an omer (roughly two quarts per person) of manna per day. That’s five million quarts or over 208 thousand bushels of food PER DAY. Talk about the abundant blessing of God’s provision and it wasn’t for a day or a week. It was for 12,500 days!

They even got tired of manna and grumbled about eating meat and God provided quail.

WOW.

Thank you Lord for your provision.

Help me Lord not to take your provision for granted.

Open my eyes to see your hand in everything you provide.

Soften my heart to not be hardened with feelings of entitlements but songs of praise.

Give me grace to do what you have called me to do this day with gratitude and thanksgiving.

In Jesus Name I pray.

Amen