TOTALLY SECURE

            We are Secure in the Saviour’s hand!

Romans 8:35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

            Have you ever used Super Glue? I remember one of the first commercials I saw of it. A guy had a hard hat on and they glued it to a metal beam. Then the guy hung from the beam with his boots dangling in the air. It was a great commercial because it got people to buy the product but I have never had it do much holding for me. Each time I have used it, it didn’t hold at all.

            I’m glad this morning that I don’t ever have to worry about not being secure in my salvation! I didn’t do anything to earn it and I don’t have to do anything to keep it! He freely gives it to everyone who repents of their sins and believes in His finished work on Calvary’s tree!

            Do you have the security of your salvation? Or are you still trying to work for it? Take God at His Word and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved because nothing can separate you from the love of God! Romans 8:38-For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.           

ARE YOU CONTENT?

Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another.

Hebrews 13:5-Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Isn’t it amazing, grown adults are still fighting over who has the biggest and best stuff! It would seem that by the time one graduates college, falls in love, and gets married that they would be over their petty little games. But no-- their toys are just more expensive now. Instead of a new-to-you truck, you got to have a brand new one. You ain’t settled with the cottage below, you have to have that mansion on the hilltop -- NOW!

Being content is a life lesson that I am sure all of us can improve on. Our culture in America promotes a discontentment from the time we are born until the time we die. Kids in the checkout line at Walmart-- “Have to have a piece of gum”. Women see a sale on shoes—“Have to have a new pair”. Men are not satisfied with the woman God gave them—“Have to have someone new”. So how do we overcome the temptations that this world offers? The same way Jesus did- with the Word! Three times Jesus said to the devil, “It is written...” I believe that’s the only way we will overcome temptations as well! 

JESUS LOVES ME

            Dandelions do not determine God’s love in our life!

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9

            I don’t know if kids still do this or not but when I was growing up we would pick the petals off dandelions to determine if someone loved us or not. She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not. Until we got to the last few petals and either we stopped because we saw the outcome coming or we manipulated the petal count to our favor. That’s no way of determining love!

            I am so thankful for the Word of God. I am thankful we have God’s Word that we don’t have to pluck the petals off of a dandelion! We don’t have to question, guess, or go to some psychic. We have concrete assurance that God loves us in His Word. For He has said, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

If you’re doubting God’s love toward you, just look to the Cross of Calvary! He gave His all for He loves you!

HOW ABOUT A BUDGET?

When we budget our (time, talents, and treasures) we can give more.

A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. Proverbs 28:20

I often wonder about the man or woman who sets a priority on making a buck rather than making it to church. I believe they have their desires set in the wrong place, mainly on their bank account, material wealth, or pride in having a wallet full of cash to show friends.

Christian, I am often reminded of Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” You want to be able to send your kids to college, budget your tithe first and God will provide. You want to be debt free, budget your talents for God first and He will supply! You want to have the abundant life of peace; seek God first budgeting your time, talents, and treasures all for Him! If you do, you’ll have more to give to your kids, to the poor, to the Lord!

GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO COME BY!

No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth. -Anonymous

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

This past weekend I was privileged to doing a reading at a friend’s wedding. The reading, in and of itself was great, but if any of you know me then you know I had to put a personal touch on it. As I was sitting there preparing for what I was going to say, I looked around and thought about the friends that had come out to support both the bride and the groom. The Lord brought to remembrance an old saying, “If a man has one true friend he is truly blessed.” I had the bride and groom look at the wedding attendants and said, “You truly are a blessed couple.”

While we can be thankful for the earthly friendships we have made over the years, nothing compares to the friendship we have in the Lord Jesus. When an earthly friend cannot be with you all the time, Jesus is with you always! When an earthly friend lets you down, Jesus will lift you up! When an earthly friend stabs you in the back, Jesus will heal the wound with the forgiveness He has given you. But the greatest thing about the Lord is…He came to us!

Friend, there is no other friend like the Lord Jesus! He is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother!