Have you ever asked yourself this question, “I wonder if old so in so is saved or not?” Well, old so in so may be asking themselves that same question about you and me!

How can you determine if a man, woman, boy or girl knows the Lord? I don’t have that answer but God’s Word does!

John 10:27, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me!

His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. The brand of ownership on God’s sheep is obedience. If you want to know if a person is saved or not, see if they’re being obedient to the Lord.

I have a friend who lives in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma and when he prays he’ll pray something like this. “Lord, I want you to show me Jesus!” I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen Jesus and if I did it would probably scare the pants off me!

One day we’ll see Jesus and that day will come when we enter heaven. For now, the important thing is not for us to see Jesus but to believe in Him!

You might say I believe in Him and I put my trust in Him when I was saved! That’s great, that’s marvelous, but do you believe in Him daily! Do you believe in Him when you’re sick and there’s no money in the bank account? Do you believe in Him when a loved one has past away or they’ve been diagnosed with cancer?

You see, it’s easy to say we believe, but when the rubber hits the road do we really believe and trust Him! You can trust Him today! He knows everything about you and what you’re going through! Give Him your worries and fears! When you do, He’ll give you a peace that passes all understanding!

Once upon a time many years ago there was a couple named Mike and Nancy. Nancy was pregnant and at the beginning of the pregnancy they were told that something was wrong with their child. They were told that the child would never make it and the doctors suggested an abortion.

This fine couple decided not to have an abortion! Nancy carried the baby until he was born! When the baby came he looked normal but his little brain had not developed! I held that baby and I sat there in the hospital as that little boy died and went to heaven!

All during that time I never heard either one of the parents ask God why? God allows things to happen for a reason. There was a blind man in the bible that Jesus healed and His disciples thought he was blind because of his sin or his parents sin. Jesus told them that wasn’t the case!

God has his own reasons for permitting sickness, disease, suffering and trouble. God has his way, and he doesn’t propose to tell us his reasons. What he does do is ask us to walk with him by faith through the dark times of our lives!

What does it take to be a successful pastor? Some think a successful pastor is the one who pastor’s a huge church, makes a big salary, drives a nice car, and lives in a nice house on top of the hill!

I know pastors like that and many of them are downright unhappy! A successful pastor shares the Word of God with people throughout the week and with his congregation on Sundays.

I pity the pastor who never preaches about sin in his church because he’s afraid it’s going to offend someone! There’s to many sermons being preached on the importance of feeling good! Shoot, I feel good because I know Jesus and I realize what He’s done for a wretch like me!

A successful pastor or person shares God’s Word with others. Some of those you share with will be saved and some will not! You are equally successful when you do not win someone to Jesus as when you do! It is your responsibility to share, it’s the Holy Spirits responsibility to open their eyes!

2 Corinthians 2:15-16, For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life!

It amazes me how God reveals Himself to us! He uses simple things like bread, light and water to symbolize Himself!

He uses the ordinary to speak of the extraordinary, the physical to speak of the spiritual, the temporal to speak of the eternal, the here-and-now to speak of the hereafter, the earthly to speak of the heavenly, the limited to speak of the unlimited, and the finite to speak of the infinite.

He is the bread, light and water, He is life! God is self-existing but we need to understand that He’ll meet everyone of your needs!

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life! I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and life, I am the way, the truth, and the life, I am the vine, you are the branches!

Jesus is everything you’ll ever need! Let’s praise Him today and everyday in 2012 for His loving kindness, mercy, grace and provision!