THE WATERFALL OF GRACE

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 THE MESSAGE  No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.  All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it. All of us have been tempted to lose hope and give up. But we always have a choice: focus on God and stay in faith, or focus on the problem and give up. Problems -- no matter how huge they seem to us -- are no problem to God. Nothing is too hard, or complicated, for God to solve. But God wants us to trust Him. So what should you do when you are being tempted and feel like giving in and giving up? Refuse! Just keep your focus on the Lord and rejoice in His faithfulness. Remember that God cannot lie, and will never fail. God will see you through. HEBREWS 10:23 NKJ 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. When the devil...

MATTHEW 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  Christians often struggle in their walk with the Lord, but it should not be so. Have you ever thought, "It's so hard to be a Christian!"? I have. At one time I believed it was so difficult being a Christian that I had no motivation to tell others about the Lord. Living for Jesus just seemed too hard for normal people. How wrong and deceived I was! Never forget that the message about Jesus Christ is the gospel -- which means good news! If you are having a hard struggle, it's not because of what the Lord is requiring of you. The problem lies with yourself -- in ignorance, pride, or unbelief, which the Lord will help you overcome. Walking with the Lord is meant to be a joy, not a burden. Yes, there are trials and difficulties. But the Lord always helps us and delivers us. (Even if it results in martyrdom, we will be delivered!) Therefore, we can always trust in the Lord and rejoice in Him. When...

PROVERBS 18:20 A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth, and from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:20 says what your lips produce will fill your life. Your lips produce -- words. Words determine the course and the outcome of your life. You now have, and will continue to have, the fruit your tongue produces. To change your life you need to change your words. JAMES 3:2,8  2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  To change the words you speak you need God's help. As Jesus said, out of the abundance of your heart your mouth will speak. So, you need a new heart and you need it filled with God's Word. Only in that way can your tongue be brought under compl...

ROMANS 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God has proven His love for you. HE GAVE HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOU! So don't doubt it. What proves that God loves you more than you love yourself? He died in your place -- suffering the punishment for sin that you deserved, so you could go free. God was more willing to suffer Himself than to see you suffer. Of course, the devil constantly tries to get you to doubt that God loves you. That's why you must rely on what the Bible says -- not what your feelings or circumstances may tell you. You may think you don't love yourself -- maybe you think you hate yourself. Even if you don't think too highly of what you have done, you still love yourself in the sense that you desire the best for yourself. You don't desire pain or loss. So it is with God -- He desires good for you -- even more than you do. And He demonstrated at Calvary that He would put...

1 JOHN 3:2  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. God's plan is to change you. He will not quit until you are like Jesus Christ. ROMANS 8:29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. God has already made the decision. You WILL be like Jesus! (It may take awhile -- but God has plenty of time.) Surely this doesn't mean an identical physical appearance, but perfection. Perfection morally, spiritually -- and yes, even physically and mentally. So don't be discouraged with where you are now. God is still at work and He is no quitter. PHILIPPIANS 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; How is God doing this? Primarily through His Word. So, stay in t...

Matthew 6: 5-7 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Prayer is communication with God. Talking with Almighty God is the greatest privilege you have. God desires a growing relationship with you. Communication is essential for a relationship to develop.  Involve God in every part of your life: every decision and every action. In that sense you should pray without ceasing -- always being in communication with God. However, we need ...

 II Corinthians 9:12-13 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. Paul is writing to encourage the Corinthian church in their giving. While we oftentimes skirt around the issue of giving in the church, God's Word never avoids this most important act of faith. Paul says that when we give for God's work, the needs of people are met and our giving is a very real expression of our thanks to God. When we give, we are acknowledging that God owns everything and that everything we have doesn't belong to us in the first place. Giving is an expression of thanksgiving to our Provider. Then Paul says something profoundly significant about giving. Gene...

This is what you should say to your circumstances when they don't line up with God's Word: Temporary!  2 CORINTHIANS 4:18  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. You may not realize it -- but problems often "speak" to you. They say things like, "You can't get rid of me. I'll be with you as long as you live." "Your parents died from this and you will, too." "Your family was poor and you'll always be poor. You'll never have abundance. You'll never get out of debt." Actually, it's the demonic forces behind the problems that speak to our minds -- trying to keep us in doubt and unbelief. We must resist those thoughts -- and the first step is to talk back! We should speak to thoughts of doubt and unbelief that are contrary to what God has said in His Word -- for His Word is truth. Don't be passive. Resist! James ...

Revelation 5:1-14 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.  Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.  The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, t...

SAVED. BORN AGAIN. REDEEMED. How can a skeptical, intellegent, stubborn and closed minded (if you know me you'll agree) logic and science lover, like me, buy into some nonsense of miracles and raising from the dead? A tempting serpent, a zooful of animals floating in a giant flood, parting the sea..etc. How can I believe a holy book that's been obviously written and translated by man and said to be God inspired? How can I believe in eternal life and the only way to it is through this Jesus guy? How can I believe in a church with what I see on TV...hellfire, brimstone and send us a check? Or mega churches, that look like shopping malls, bringing in billions of dollars and paying pastors millions? How could I ever swallow this stuff? Well, for me, I came to a point in my life where I felt my existence was useless, happiness was an elusive and pointless endeavor, and if I believed in a soul it was like a hollow rotting log. I was spent. No will to live on. I hated myself a...

James 4:6-10  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. True Christianity is not a religion based on rules and rituals, but a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Many people reduce Christianity down to attending church meetings and trying not to commit a list of certain sins. But being a Christian is being united with Jesus, a member of His body, with His life in your heart. Jesus should be your focus -- not religious activity -- but the person of Jesus, the Lord and Christ. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9  God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son J...

HEBREWS 6:12 NKJ 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  Patience is not just putting up with things. Patience means to continue, to persevere, to stay steady, to maintain your course, to not grow weary in doing good and quit. Patience is a fruit of the spirit, so to walk in Bible patience you must keep your spiritual life strong, by feeding on the Word and fellowshiping with God. 1 Peter 2:19-25 MSG The Kind of Life He Lived 18-20 You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. What counts is that you put up with it for God’s sake when you’re treated badly for no good reason. There’s no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God. 21-25 This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life...

 MATTHEW 9:29  Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." God responds to faith. God blesses people who have faith. Don't you appreciate people who have faith in you? Well, God appreciates people who have faith in Him. But His reason is not selfish -- as ours may be. God knows His ways are right and bring blessing, while protecting people from harm. So, when we have faith in God, we will follow His instructions, and the world will be a better place. When everyone has faith in God, and follows His way of love, the world will be a perfect place. MATTHEW 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.  Many people don't understand God because they think He should respond to need, instead of responding to faith. God doesn't do that because it doesn't work. Meeting human need without them having fait...