WHEN I OPEN MY MOUTH

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Hopefully we all have someone we look up to, past or present.

Someone who is a model of what we strive to be, or wish to be.

Someone to look up to and copy, imitate or follow.

Those of us who are "Christians" look up to a number

of the heros of the faith.  Those we want to emulate.

Perhaps chief of these the apostle Paul.

In fact Paul himself said,

"I beg you then, to follow my example."

(1 Corinthians 4:16 GNB)

 and,

"Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ."

(1 Corinthians 11:1 GNB)

I know, that covers all of life.  But consider this 

one aspect of Paul's life.

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth,

words may be given me so that I will

fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."

(Ephesians 6:19 NIV)

or from the GNB.

"And pray also for me, that God will give me a 

message when I am ready to speak, so that I

may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret."

OUCH!

Did you catch that?

When Paul opens his mouth he wants it to be

God speaking.  Not Paul.

Enough said.

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HOW TO...

"If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus,

and believe in your heart that God

has raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

For with the heart man believes unto righteousness;

and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...

For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord

will be saved."

(Romans 10:9,10,13 AKJV)

GOD'S BEGGARS

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Yes, yes, yes.

From Genesis to Revelation

God asks his children to come to him about everything.

God almost begs us to ask him and depend on him.

We are instructed to ask, seek and knock.

He wants our life to be one of total dependance on him.

But in the process have we become habitual

perpetual beggars?

Have we become like those people you only 

see when they want something?

Does God only hear from us when we want something?

There is another side to the coin.

Consider.

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,

and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving

and declare his works with rejoicing."

(Psalms 107:21,22)

"... therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise

to God continually, that is,

the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

(Hebrews 13:15)

Of course we thank God for what he does for us.

God does something for us and we rejoice.

Like the lame man that was healed at the gate

beautiful.  He ran and leaped and praised God.

And when God does something to please us we 

 rejoice too.

But is that "sacrifice"?

NO.

It comes easy.  It is spontaneous.  It comes

naturally.    It comes without effort or cost.

That is not sacrifice.

Sacrifice is when it costs us something.

When it is an effort.  When it hurts.

How about:

When we do not get our way.

When the tears are flowing.

When the heart is broken.

When the body hurts.

?

Do we still praise and thank him?

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TODAY'S PROMISE

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"His anger lasts only a moment,

his goodness for a lifetime.

Tears may flow in the night,

but joy comes in the morning."

(Psalms 30:5 GNB)

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"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver

refined seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

LEARNING FROM A CHILD

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Last Saturday evening two of my great granddaughters

were helping me with the chores.

They are cousins, Jordin and Madison.

While we were feeding the rabbits one of the girls noticed

a stirring in the bushes across the fence.

"Oh! look grandpa, a puppy.

It's abandoned, can we keep it?"

I answered, "No, it is not abandoned.

It belongs to the neighbor."

[He had told me he was getting rid of the litter.]

Then the puppy was joined by a second puppy.

Which was joined by a third puppy.

And they were soon joined by a fourth puppy,

and momma.

"Grandpa, can we play with the puppies?"

I could not turn that simple request down.  

So parking myself under a shade tree to supervise,

the playing began.

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I thought they were never going to quit playing with the puppies

and I was getting hungry.  Then Madison, the younger one

perhaps 7 or 8 years old, stopped playing and headed for the house.

As she passed my outpost I talked with her for just a minute.

I sensed that she was one very determined young girl headed for the house.

WATCH OUT WORLD!

And at that point I was glad it was not my problem.

Some time latter, as I was still watching over Jordin playing

with the puppies,  Madison and her family drove past in

their car headed home.

Now I do not know what transpired in the house or their car.

But in about five minutes they came back.

Yep.  To get a puppy.  

Madison now has her puppy.

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If we are a child of God.  He encourages us to ask,

seek and knock.  Yes God knows what we want,

and what we need.

But He also teaches us that we "...should always 

pray and never become discouraged." (Luke 18:1 GNB)

In the parable of the widow and the unjust judge

he teaches us to be "persistent" in our praying.

"Now, will God not judge in favor of his own

people who cry to him day and night for help?"

(Luke 18:7 GNB)

Madison apparently knew how to get what she wanted

from her earthly parents.

Do we know how to persist with our heavenly father?

THE BEST SCHOOL

"The law of the LORD is perfect,

converting the soul:

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart:

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever:

the judgments of the LORD are

true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

yes, than much fine gold:

sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned:

and in keeping them there is great reward."

-Psalms 19:7-11 (AKJV)

TODAY'S PROMISE

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"The LORD is good;

he protects his people

 in times of trouble;

he takes care of those

 who turn to him."

Nahum 1:7 (GNB)

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"The promises of the LORD can be trusted;
they are as genuine as silver
refined seven times in the furnace."
Psalms 12:6 (GNB)

THE SONG OF THE TRAVELLER

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help.

My help comes from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer your foot to be moved:

he that keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper:

the LORD is your shade upon your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil:

he shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

from this time forth, and even for evermore."

 Psalms 121:1-8 I LOVE JESUS (UDKJV)

WHO IS THE PRODIGAL?

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Just like you, I have heard a lot of sermons on the "Prodigal Son".

But were they correct?

Remember, every one is not a child of God.

Even Jesus talking to the religious people of his 

day said they were children of the devil.

(John 8:44)

Now where in the story of the prodigal son do we find the

boy lost his sonship.  He was a son and the older brother was a son.

The difference was,

the younger brother wanted his inheritance, and wanted it NOW.

But the older brother was waiting for the proper time .

Does that not sound like a lot of the teaching and 

preaching we are hearing today.

God, give me my inheritance here and NOW on earth.

I'm a child of yours, give it to me NOW.

This parable has a message that the "Church" badly needs today.

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There came a day when it was all spent.

Nothing was left.  And he was in the pig pen.

But he was welcomed home because he was still a son.

Everything left now belonged to the older brother,

who would receive it in the proper time.

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Are we squandering our inheritance here on earth?

A lot of preaching today is telling us to ask for it -

NOW.

But the father, with open arms, is wanting us to return home

before we die in a far country.