Believe it or not, I don’t always obey God!  Sometimes I don’t obey because He tells me to do something I don’t want to do.  I don’t obey because I’m stubborn! I don’t obey because I’m selfish! I don’t obey because I’m scared and I  have a lack of faith in Him! You might say, “I’ve been there and done that!”

I think about old Peter. He always had his foot in his mouth. The Bible says that Peter and the other disciples were in a boat and a storm came upon them. During that time Jesus came walking on the water and the disciples saw him and they were afraid. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid for it is I!”

Peter said, “If it’s you, bid me come to you!” Jesus said, “Come!” Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. He began to sink because he took his eyes off the Lord. He cried out, “Save me!” Jesus reached  down and pulled him up out of the water!

Peter has been slammed by many because of this. I don’t slam him, I admire for him. You see, out of the 12 he was the one that climbed out of the boat. The others sat there like a bunch of sissy’s and did nothing and I believe it’s because of fear. We don’t do things for God because the things he ask us to do scares us, which reveals our lack of faith in him! Today, get out of the boat and let God have his way in your life!

Matthew 21:15, And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased. (This is absolutely amazing!)

Men, women, boys and girls were turning to Jesus for salvation and they were worshipping Him and many religious rulers saw what was happening. You would think this would please them but it did not, it ticked them off!

I see this even in today’s time. You go to a church service and the spirit of God moves and people walk the aisle getting right with the Lord and others receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. After the service you’ll hear some rejoicing and others standing there in disbelief.

They’ll even complain about how long the invitation was even though the Spirit of God was at work. If you’re in a church where the Holy Spirit  is at work  and souls are being saved and lives are being changed please don’t complain. Fall to your knees and praise God for His goodness!

I wonder why Christians don’t read God’s Word daily. To answer that question I went to an expert on the subject and that is Me. For many years I’d get up, go to church, teach and preach and never have a consistent Quiet Time. By the grace of God, He used me anyway!

Praise God, I no longer do that! I haven’t missed having my QT in over 2 years and 7 months. Back to the question as to why Christians don’t have their Quiet Time? Laziness, They Get Busy, or They Don’t Give A Fat Rat!

I truly believe why most Christians don’t have Quiet Times is because God’s Word shows them who they are and what they are. You see, we want to be padded on the back and told that we’re good boys and girls. God’s Word shows us the kind of rascals we really are, and we don’t want nothin to do with that.

You must understand like I did. God can’t help us or change us until we realize what we are and confess it. Then He can take a lump of clay and mold it and make it into what He wants it to be! If ya wanna be like Jesus ya gotta spend time with Him!

Philippians 3:14, Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The problem with most Christians today is that too few are even trying to win anything. We must recognize that salvation is a free gift offered by God, but we also need to realize that we must get on the race course in order to receive a reward when we get to heaven.

Remember, your reward in heaven is determined by what you are doing down here on earth for Him!

Matthew 20:20, Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him.

It’s true, this family came to worship Jesus, but they came worshipping with a selfish motive. They didn’t come worshipping Him because of who He was, they came worshipping Him because they wanted something.

Matthew 20:21, And He said unto her. What do you want? She said unto Him, “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in your kingdom.

Let’s not get down on this lady to much. Isn’t this the reason we go to God and worship Him at times? Sometimes the Lord never hears from us until we get our tails tied in a knot and then we go to Him for help! The Lord is worthy to be praised at all times, not just when we need Him!

Matthew 20:18-19, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed  unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again.

Our Lord couldn’t spell it out any plainer than this. This is the 4th time He’s told His disciples what’s going to happen to Him and they still don’t get it!

Let’s think about the significance of what He’s said. Jesus went their deliberately to die for me and you! That was God’s plan from  the beginning and this Is Something To Think About!  Today, I deliberately plan to serve Him! How about you?

Grab your Bible and read Matthew 20:1-16!

God is not going to reward you for the amount of work you have done. He will reward you according to your faithfulness to the job which He’s called you to do!

Matthew 19:16-17 says, And, behold one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

The rich young ruler was willing to admit that Jesus was a good man like so many people do in this day and time but that will not get a person into heaven.

Jesus asked him a question, “Why do you call me good? There is none good but one, that is, God!” Even Jesus, the Son of God directed everything back to the Father.  We need to understand that what we have, the health, the wealth, the talents, our kids all come  from above. Today, instead of bragging about what you’ve accomplished, let’s take time to brag on the one who created us and all things. Let’s brag on God!

This week I’ve been at First Baptist Church in Beaver, Oklahoma holding revival services. Our Lord did some wonderful things while I was there. God used the people at FBC to bless me physically, mentally and spiritually. I know they are folk who have their problems like everyone else, but I truly believe they love our Lord!

By weeks end they were picking on me liked I’d been a member there for years. Not many people think there’s much to be offered out in the Panhandle but that’s not true, there’s First Baptist in Beaver, Oklahoma!

Seventy two people walked the aisle making some type of decision for Jesus and I do believe over ten of those were professions of faith! If this doesn’t light your shucks, you’re woods all wet!

I don’t know how many of you who read this will be from FBC in Beaver, but I want to thank you for the love you showed me during the week I was with you. Continue to love each other in the Lord as God uses you to reach your community for Him. Be blessed!

Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Because God has forgiven us, we are to forgive each other. If God forgave our sins in the same way we forgive others, none of us would be forgiven. But after we have become children o God, because we have been forgiven, we are to forgive!