I remember the story of a man with large, empty fish aquarium. The man had some large rocks, smaller pebbles, and some very fine sand to fill this aquarium. In order to get fit everything into the aquarium, the larger rocks had to go in first, followed by the smaller pebbles, and finally the sand. The point of the story is that we need to focus on the big, important things in our lives. Jesus will becomes the biggest rock in your life, if you let Him! It is imperative that you place Him first in everything. There are Christians who fail to do this everyday! They pay dearly for it. How do they pay? Ask them about their marriages, their children, their jobs, their lives, and the troubles that fill up their lives like sand.
If you have been mad at God for a long time, ask yourself "why"? Whatever happened or did not happen, did God really cause it? God so loved this world that He sent His only begotten son, Jesus, to die on a cross, so that we might be reconciled to Him. Is this the kind of God who puts sickness on a child? Why would God do that? The Bible tells us in Matthew 7: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” How much more does our Heavenly Father know how to give than our earthly parents? When God gave us His son Jesus, there was nothing else comparable with that gift.
God is telling us to trust in Him and he will protect us. God will deal with all of your enemies, if you let Him. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you! When we forgive and pray for our enemies, we are clean, we are set free, and we have God's forgiveness. God said He would forgive us as we forgive others. Forgiveness, prayer, and love for our enemies are radical ways of living!
Prayer and fasting will produce incredible results in your life. It will produce incredible results for this nation, for your city, for your friends, and for your family. Fasting is a restriction of food for a spiritual purpose; however, there are many ways of restricting food and several books on the subject. God will lead you to the one that is appropriate for you. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from fasting, then I am sure God will show you an alternative if you seek Him.
What is the greatest fear of most people? Death. What if I told you that you no longer have to fear death? Does it sound to good to be true? What else do I have to sell you maybe some desert land and call it ocean front. I tell you truly that you do not have to fear death or anything else. Jesus through death destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Jesus delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. The Bible tells us, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God". The Bible continues, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father"
Jesus encountered a woman of Samaria to draw water from Jacob's well. Jesus said to her, "give me drink". The woman found that an unusual request because Jesus was a Jew and Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. As the conversation unfolded, Jesus began to tell the woman her life story. Jesus knew of her ex husbands and that she was currently living with a man. The conversation turned "religious" and the woman brought up where different people worshiped. Jesus revealed Himself, as Messiah, and let the woman know that His Father was a Spirit and in the future true believers would worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
Is your walk with Jesus vital? Were you more excited about Him and His word in the past? Perhaps you have grown weary in well doing? Perhaps the business of life has captured your attention and you have departed from the "better part"? Martha was caught up in doing good things that needed to be done. People need to eat and the day Jesus visited there was certainly a crowd to feed. Martha saw Mary as wasting her time instead of helping. Mary was at the feet of Jesus listening intently to every word he uttered. Mary knew that life was in Jesus words. In fact, everything was in His words.
Imagine you are alive in 1941 and Japan attacks your nation. Imagine the different emotions you must be feeling: anxiety, doubt and most certainly fear. At that time the war had been proceeding in Europe and America was watching. Many people did not want to join the war: they were called isolationists. After the attack on Pearl Harbor we were drawn into the battle. President Roosevelt gave a speech to the American public and told them that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. How true those words were and are today. We are blinded with a media assault of nothing but fear. We have certain church leaders whose central message is fear. Hollywood likes to join in as well as professors claiming destruction is at our doorstep.
Imagine for a moment you are a prosecutor and a woman has just been brought before the people who had been caught in the act of adultery breaking the Law of Moses. You may think to yourself, how can I lose this one to the public defender? The punishment for the crime of adultery is stoning. There are people and plenty of stones to throw. Then imagine the religious leaders want to test this radical named Jesus, and they ask Him what should be done with this woman. Jesus does not respond quickly as is His custom, but rather begins to write on the ground. Again the accusers want an answer. Jesus sees this woman with great compassion. Jesus knows the law and what it requires death by stoning. Jesus also makes a statement at another time that He did not come to destroy the law but rather to fulfill it.

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