Deliverance

But at the same time, God rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a good man who was sick of all the immorality and wickedness around him. Yes, he was a righteous man who was distressed by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while punishing the wicked right up until the day of judgment. (2 Pet 2:7-9 NLT)

Is Being Good Enough?

As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked. "Only God is truly good. But as for your question, you know the commandments: 'Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not testify falsely. Do not cheat. Honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," the man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was a child." Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. "You lack only one thing," he told him. "Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:17-21NLT)

But God!

As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand. The people of the island saw it hanging there and said to each other, "A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live." But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. (Acts 28:3-6 NLT)

Stop Fooling Yourself

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (Psa 139:1-10 NIV)

Dedication

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Rom 16:3-7 NIV)

Temporal or Eternal

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For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. (1 Tim 4:8-10 NIV)

Are you willing to learn

So Jesus told them, "I'm not teaching my own ideas, but those of God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who present their own ideas are looking for praise for themselves, but those who seek to honor the one who sent them are good and genuine. (John 7:16-18 NLT)

Learn from your pass

• "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
  
  I want to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes over and over. I can learn from history and other people's mistakes, of course. However, if I am truly honest with myself and ask for God's help, I can also learn from my own.

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For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (1 Cor 10:1-6 NIV)

Prayer Faith Feelings

• Yesterday's message was about prayer, expectations, and not letting feelings override faith. Here is another perspective:
  
  You have a need. You pray, believe, do not doubt, and... nothing happens. No change. No relief. No solution. Zip. This is the point where some people say, "This faith stuff does not work!".
  
  I believe, like a rite of passage, everyone encounters that point on their journey to maturity. I've been there. I learned (the hard way) that God does answer every prayer--but not when or how I demand.

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Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:10-11 NIV

Faith vs Feelings

•  have been in ministry a long time, and I have seen people pray, but, judging by actions, not expect God to respond. While there is not time here to go in depth, I will say that for some, it was a conflict between feelings and a decision. How does that work?
  
  We may not feel confident, but that is distinct from a decision to trust God. Example: you may not always feel loving toward someone, but that does not mean that you do not love them. Bottom line: do not confuse your faith with your feelings.
  
  I pray that as you bring needs to God, you will KNOW that He will hear and respond. Beyond feel, beyond hope--KNOW, with full and complete expectation--that He will respond because you have made a decision to believe the One who always does what He promises.

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If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6 NLT)

Love one another

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For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (Eph 1:15-18 NIV)

Connection

• 
  I know it would be easy to read this and zip on along... but please do not. Take a few minutes and pray for us today, perhaps as you read this now. We have a connection via this message and you allow us to speak into your life through it--and that makes your prayers for us important. Thank you!

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I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Psa 81:10-14 NIV)

Exceptions to the rules

• It has been said that "rules are rules". And some people say: "If you question whether the rules are the rules, refer to the rule that says the rules are the rules." (I try to avoid those people...)
  
  We humans have never been good at following rules (e.g., Adam); it is our inconvenient heritage. We know this. God knows it too. 
  
  I am grateful that He made a way for us that, while not excusing our rule-breaking behavior (sin), gives us a way to be right with Him even when we fail to follow the rules.

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For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it. But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight--not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. (Rom 3:20-24 NLT)

Just ask

• Many would say they believe that God still does miracles, however, deep inside, few feel worthy of one or that their situation is "spiritual" enough to deserve His attention.
  
  Jesus' first miracle was for someone who ran out of wine for wedding guests. It is possible that negligence in planning was the fault--and that was not a spiritual problem. Yet, Jesus intervened, and the wedding went on uninterrupted.
  
  What about us and our everyday, "normal" problems--even the ones we create for ourselves? I believe He cares: the "Cana Wedding Incident" tells me He does.
  
  So, when I am running late and need a parking space, I ask Him for help. Therefore, I encourage you today: whatever your situation, whatever you need, do not be afraid or reluctant to ask.

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Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:7-11 NIV)

Balance

• When things are out-of-balance, problems eventually manifest. A friend once had a ceiling fan that was not balanced well. He intended to work on it when he had time; He thought it would be all right till then. He was wrong! While He slept one night, it came crashing down onto my bed!
  
  Our lives need balance. That involves what we spend our time doing, where we do it, and who we do it with. And I believe our life-balance begins with our relationship with God.
  
  Perhaps it's time to do a life-balance check, avert a potential crash? I do it often now. Think about it. 

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Tim 4:13-14 NIV)