life is a series of alternations…

james 5.13 (msg) starts out with , are you hurting? pray.  then it says, do you feel great? sing.

have you noticed that life is a series of alternations between high and low, feast to famine, problem to joy? 

one of the job qualifications of being a pastor is that you have to be willing to shift gears pretty quickly.  a lot of people are up and a lot of people are down.  recognize those situations in life  when you’re down and when you’re down you pray.  then when you’re happy, when you feel great, live it to the hilt.

the bible says, i was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD.  not sad, mad or bummed out.  so when you’re happy, you sing.  it’s a celebration, a day of joy.  james says it’s valid to be happy. 

“praise” is used 550 times in the bible.  it is to be the lifestyle of the CHRISTian – to be happy. 

just a thought from the front porch…

it creates incredible energy…

one of the great promises you want to hold on to when you’re overwhelmed is isaiah 4.2 (tev), when you pass through deep waters, I will be with you.  your troubles will not overwhelm you.  when you pass through the fire you will not be burned.  the hard trials that come will not hurt you.  in your own strength you may drown, when that flood comes.  but not in GOD’s strength.

where do you get that kind of strength?  where do you find strength when you’re overwhelmed?

well for one, you find it by praising GOD for HIS goodness.  there is enormous power in praise.  it creates incredible energy.  get your eyes off the problem and on to the solution.  off the circumstance and on to the SAVIOR.

try this.  it works, when you’re overwhelmed.  in the middle of an overwhelming feeling, stop and praise GOD for HIS goodness to you.

mary, JESUS mother did that.  in luke  1.46-47 (nlt) she said, oh, how i praise the LORD.  how i rejoice in GOD my SAVIOR.

just a thought from the front porch…

power in thanking, praising, expecting…

look at the effect of praise.  2 chronicles 20.22 (tlb), at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the LORD caused the armies of ammon and moab and mount seir to begin fighting among themselves.  they destroyed each other. 

there is power in thanking.  there is power in praising.  there is power in expecting.  GOD confused the enemy and they started fighting each other and killing themselves.  they turned on each other and destroyed themselves while the israelites looked on.  they were thanking GOD in advance.

here’s the question: you know that insurmountable problem in your life?  the one that the odds are stacked against you?  when are you going to start thanking GOD for taking care of it?  after it’s all solved?  that’s gratitude.  how about now? while you’re in the problem, while you see it coming at you, thanking GOD now.  that is faith.  thanking GOD in advance.

look at the results.  verses 25 & 26 (tlb)), so jehoshaphat and his men went off to carry off the plunder and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and articles of value – much more than they could carry away.  [there were so many spoils of war they couldn’t carry it away.  GOD wants to bless your life so much more than you can even handle] there was so much plunder that it took them three days to collect it.  and on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of beracah where they praised the LORD and this is why it’s called the valley of beracah to this day. 

“beracah” is the hebrew word for praise and this is where GOD wants you to live.  in the valley of blessing.  it means blessing and praise.  GOD wants to bless your life.  and HE wants you to live in that valley of blessing, in that valley of praise. 

how do you get there?  thanking GOD in advance.

verses 29-30 (nlt), when the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of israel, the fear of GOD came over them.  so jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for GOD had given him rest on every side. 

wouldn’t you like that to be true in your life?  living in rest and have peace on every side – the family side, the career side, the financial side, the social side, the physical side, the sexual side – you have peace on every side? 

when you allow GOD to solve your problems, it also becomes a testimony to unbelievers and the world takes notice when the CHRISTian lives by faith.  and GOD loves to demonstrate HIS power in those who will just believe HIM and expect HIM to work in their lives.

are you facing a difficult circumstance this week?  you feel like the odds are against you?  you think that problem is overwhelming?  what do you do?  you turn to GOD.  JEHOVAH NISSI, the GOD who defends you.

just a thought from the front porch…

just invite and thank HIM...

GOD is present whether you're aware of it or not. HE wants you to know HIM. HE wants you to feel HIS love. it's nothing spooky or scary or mystical that i’m talking about here. it's just a part of life that maybe you haven't been aware of.

HE has been around your life since you were born. HE's always been around you. it's a fact of life that you need to tune in to. just say in your heart, “GOD, i'd like to know YOUr presence in my life.” then just be quiet. take a deep breath and relax. tell GOD what's on your mind. aches? pains? feel good, worried, tired? tell HIM what's on your mind right there where you are.

if you've never done so would you invite JESUS CHRIST to come into your life. because GOD is a SPIRIT HE can move in you. radio waves go through your life all the time. GOD can come into your life. JESUS said in revelation 3.20 (niv), behold, i stand at the door and knock. JESUS says, “I'm knocking at the door of your life. if you'll open it up I will come into your life and live with you and you with ME.

say, “JESUS CHRIST, come into my life right now.” then thank HIM in your heart. thank HIM for all the things HE's done for you. that's praise. think of two or three specific things that you thank GOD for. thank HIM that HE's going to be with you all this week. thank HIM that when you're lonely HE wants to be your companion; that HE's there with you. HE'll cheer you up. thank HIM that HE's promised that when you go through deep waters HE's going to be with you and you're not going to drown. HE will give you confidence and stability and not forsake you. thank HIM that HE can calm you down when everything is uptight at home or the office or on the work site. thank HIM that when you face temptation this week, HE's going to help you out and there will be a way of escape. if you're discouraged and brokenhearted, GOD is with you. HE loves you and HE's going to see you through this time in your life. thank HIM for that.

FATHER, i thank YOU for YOUr word and that it is relevant. thank YOU that YOU are with us. help us this week to sense YOUr presence and realize that there is no point we will be that we cannot say “the LORD is in this place.” thank you for the confidence and the comfort that gives us. in JESUS' NAME. amen.

just a thought from the front porch…

GOD is with you...

another secret in practicing the presence of GOD is to develop the habit of praise.

praise simply means to thank GOD for who HE is and what HE's done for you. psalm 100.4 (niv), enter HIS gates with thanksgiving, enter HIS courts with praise.

we move into an awareness of GOD's presence. nothing will help you become aware of GOD and HIS presence in your life faster than developing the habit of praise. nothing helps you tune in to HIM than beginning to praise GOD. GOD is always around us. HE's always present. but sometimes we sense HIS presence more than at other times. HE's equally present no matter where you are – office or wherever, when you're tired or happy – HE's always present. but sometimes we sense HIS presence more.

we talk about entering his presence through praise. that simply means “tune in!” since GOD is everywhere you can praise HIM everywhere. you can worship GOD in your car driving down the road, singing some of the songs you sing in church. you can sense GOD's presence. do the same things you do on sunday morning. you will have the same experience of feeling close to GOD during the week that you do when you're together on sunday morning. GOD is everywhere so you can praise HIM everywhere.

a whole new life is about to open up to you if you will grasp the simple truth that i have shared with you this past week. if you will become aware that GOD is always with you it is going to change your life. it will cheer you up, it will calm you down, it will help you out, and it will see you through when you become aware of that. no matter where you find yourself this week, GOD will be there, in advance, with you when you get there – school, vacation, traffic jam, flying 35,000 feet high – GOD is everywhere. HE's in the jail, in the bar – everywhere.

some of you are going to do business this week and find yourself in a room with people who make no pretence of being a believer. they may even be anti-GOD. it's a cut-throat business and they're trying to compete for business. just stop, set down, and say, “the LORD is in this place.” because HE is. HE's there.

to those of you who are tired or discouraged or frustrated, hurting, afraid, worried, sick, depressed i want to say to you: GOD is with you.

just a thought from the front porch…