More Notes From "The Word in Real Time"

The Christian walk isn't about what people see; it's about what they feel from our spirit. We go through life wondering if we make a difference. When Christ is in you and if His blood flows through you, you can't help but make a difference. When people say they see something special in you, they aren't talking about you. They're talking about the Father reflected through your life -- the hope of glory.

He wants us to grow through His nature as we permit Him to nurture us through His word and His body. It is then, and only then, that we will bear fruit.

We like to be in control of our lives. No one chooses to look stupid, say something embarrassing, or act inappropriately. But, we do. And when we do, we have to swallow our pride, admit our mistake, and then move on with life.....God has a plan in every detail of your life.

So many things and people and situations tug and pull and jerk on our fragmented lives that quickly we find ourselved engulfed in an ocean of the urgent. A million things clamor for our attention and time; everyone and everything is the most important issue of the moment. Sorting through all these pressures without allowing someone else's crisis to control our own lives takes skill, concentration, and teeth-grinding determination....We get so impatient for God to work that one by one, we take matters out of His hands and attempt to manipulate and control them ourselves. There are consequences to this behavior....The more urgent a situation, the more it needs God's complete attention and timing. Don't permit your sense of urgency to get in the way of God's time, His plan, and His perfect will. Relax; God's in total control.

One of life's earliest lessons is the knowledge that there are predictable consequences to nearly everything we do and say....Most of us are hard-headed learners; we learn through the school of hard knocks--mostly as a result of our own doubt or disbelief.

Don't let life or circumstances intimidate you or short circuit the ultimate impact of your life.

Are you handicapped by a past failure? Here's good news: Your inheritance is ear-marked just for you. The King is looking for you and has your place in His palace ready. He loves you...We're stunned that He should want us in His house and in His family, but He does. He's not looking for servants; He's looking for family, and you are family. Your place at the table is set.

Each of us has defining life moments that reveal our character. Temptation doesn't come from God, but He can help even the weakest man and empower him to resist temptation.

Many things and people in our lives are clamoring and demanding our attention and affections. Don't be tricked and don't be fooled. God is not pleased, nor will He tolerate this forever. He is to be our first and only true love--the center of our affections. Don't let anyone or anything steal your heart.

The Christian world has long been compared to a kingdom, and we have a king. He is one with whom we have easy access, and His availability is constant and non-preferential. It's not necessary to make reservations and stand in line to meet Him, shake His hand, or get His autograph. We can move boldly and regularly into His presence for a personal audience....He judges righteously and protects the afflicted. He will last as long as any stars or planets--and even longer. He rules the entire world, from sea to shining sea...All kings from all nations will eventually honor Him. His hand will welcome some while it banishes others. When the needy cry out to Him, He always answers, for He is the God who takes pity on the weak, and He delivers the oppressed. Everyone is precious to Him...He is greater than the great; stronger than the strong, more faithful than the seasons. He's from everlasting to everlasting. He is always there, regardless.

It hurts deeply to lose someone we love--especially when it's a senseless loss...Each of us has disappointed the Father, and yet He loves all His kids. God still yearns to restore relationship between Himself and His children whatever they have done.

Respect the individual, understand what he or she already knows, and build on that. That's good teaching and effective soul-winning.

Giving and generosity can be identical or they can be diametrically opposed -- it's a heart issue. You can give without a generous heart, but a generous heart is always a giving one...A gift is something that costs--either in dollars, time, or talent....God required that our gifts cost us something. When we willingly relinquish something near or dear to us, God accepts our gift as from a generous heart.

Favoritism is not of God. There can be a place in our fellowship for anyone and everyone who chooses to worship and be a part.

Ours is a message of love and encouragement and uplift. That's what the world is seeking. Give a word of encouragement today.

It's so easy to get bogged down in life's clouds and think that we will never see the sun again. When we persevere despite the odds, He is there.

Whatever the cause, and whether it is our fault or not; life knocks us around and bruises us a bit.

As Christians we still experience situations where we feel bound, persecuted, and beaten down. When you are in the center of His will, there is never anything to really fear. When we least expect it and in ways that baffle common sense or logic, He still loosens people's chains and opens prison doors, setting captives free. Perhaps you're not physically chained, but you may be captive to a habit or circumstance that is unbeatable. Never fear.

Even worthwhile things that interfere with us and our relationship with Him come into play as He evaluates and weighs each and every deed and thought. What are you worshipping?

He comes...in a quiet whisper. Don't be discouraged. Listen to the quiet; you'll hear Him in the stillness of your heart. Listen for His gentle, quiet voice.

Parting is indeed "sweet sorrow." We really never know if or when we will see each other again....As dramatic as the words "I shall return" are, they often don't come to pass....I believe there are two major lessons in this brief statement. We may never ever see a person again once we leave them; and secondly, even though we might see a particular individual again, it's possible that in leaving a certain place, we will never pass that way again...Make each and every parting as though it were your last, for indeed all of our lives are "in God's will."

As mature Christians and adults we can learn to think for ourselves. So much trouble, both in our personal lives and in our churches, could be averted if we asked the Holy Spirit to give us the spirit of discernment to be able to tell what the "real" motives are in a situation. Listen to the Spirit--not the noise.

Are you so low that you feel like there's nothing left but a tiny bit of God? He's available; He just needs vessels.

There's healing and health that follows the humble heart.

Christ has paid the price for our heavenly citizenship. It's done. When we accept Him as our personal Savior, we are born into the Kingdom.

Opportunities to be true and consistent are present each and every day. We must be ready for the task, because it may not come again. The last minute is usually too late.

A word to the wise...you will be blessed when you trust the Lord...others are open to your teaching when your method is pleasant...kind words are sweet to the body and soul of the listener.

Imitation is one of the best methods of learning.

God's ways are mysterious and beyond human understanding...As Christians, we have the blessed comfort of knowing that wherever we go or whatever happens, the Lord goes with us and before us.

When one is privy to knowledge, no excuse is acceptable in explaining away disobedience or avoidance or responsibility.

God's mercy is abundant. He longs for us to return to Him. Are you mad because someone in your life didn't get what you knew he or she deserved? Give it up. You're not getting what you deserve either.

Good credit is important--financially, ethically, and morally. It's simply something you never want to lose. Other things are negotiable, but reputation and character are not for sale.

We never know from day to day what we're going to face...We just hope to make it through today and maybe tomorrow...This earth with its trials and disappointments, it's sadness, and even its happy times is NOT all there is...Nothing--absolutely nothing--you can see or do can even hold a candle to heaven.

We don't deserve His mercy, but we're His kids, and He loves us. His heart is moved by compassion, and He forgives the unforgivable.

All your achievements, victories, and successes can be obliterated with one act of careless, selfish sinning...He wants you back, and He's willing to pay the going rate regardless of your sins.

You can say anything until you're blue in the face, but until you believe and act accordingly, you're speaking hollow words...Salvation begins with confession and comes to maturity through your belief that He will do what He promises. Say it. Believe it. Act accordingly.

There's something intrinsic in all of us that wants more. When it comes to possessions, land, and money, that longing can be a person's detriment. Spiritually, it can be the most dazzling event of your life....He wants to bless you in a big way.

Stop and think about it: All the good that's happened to you; all the difficult situations in which He's been right beside you; all the joy and blessings of nature. They all come from Him. He is worthy; He deserves our praise and our adoration and our celebration. He is truly greater than the greatest. He is more worthy than the godliest person you know. His splendor and majesty are spelled out daily through the beauty of His world.

Every step you take, He is right there with you -- He's faithful. He will never abandon you. You may feel as though you're on the back stretch all alone. Not so. He is there, and He will be with you when you cross the finish line.

God is the one who generates growth and maturity in Him.

All our plans are nothing unless the Lord is in them...The deepest desire of any man is to have unfailing love.

When it's all said and done, "stuff" is irrelevant. What counts big time are character and uprightness and living a consistent life in front of our kids...When God is with you, and when you are following His laws -- the straight and narrow -- you have nothing to fear. His laws are true, and He is faithful.

God has a time a place prearranged for every detail of your life, and it's always perfect....Enjoy your life; He designed it specifically with you in mind.

Once we come to Christ, we continue being the same person, yet transformed by His spirit...Changing a vocation doesn't make a person a Christian; He changes our hearts, and then we answer when He calls.

The Christian life can be fun. Yes, there's work to be done, but it can be done in such a way that we enjoy it and others enjoy being around us at the same time.

Truly, the only safe place for anyone is in the heart of another. Give and it shall be given unto you.

We begin life with high aspirations, goals, and ambitions, but somewhere along the way, living interrupts our plans. Stuff happens that we neither planned not anticipated--divorce and death and disappointment. Middle age approaches and passes us by. We wonder what happened; we feel adrift in the vast ocean of life. The plans of our youth seem as distant as the far away shoreline.

Do you want to hear from heaven?...Do you want your sin forgiven?...Here's God's formula for that type of "success" in your life: (1)We must earnestly call on Him. That doesn't mean a simple little "now I lay me down to sleep" prayer. No, it connotes intercession and pleading our case before His face. (2)We must humble ourselves when we pray...And (3)We must quit our wicked ways.

Everyone is important.

God created each on of us unique and special and different...There's not a single one of us who doesn't have a past. We err; we sin; we make huge mistakes.

Success comes by and through God.

A fully devoted follower of Christ feels such thankfulness and overwhelming lack of unworthiness for God's love that from a heart of love, he spontaneously gives to others.....You can never give too much.

It's not what we have or how much we give; rather it's our willingness to give from our means that turns spiritual responsibility into an unspeakable privilege.

Christ is the only safe standard with which to compare and contrast our lives. His standard is higher than any person you'll ever meet; He will always be consistent; He will never have a lapse and let you down or disappoint you.

But His grace--oh, His grace. It is sufficient to compensate for all our weaknesses. Where you are weak; He is strong. When you are tempted; He's your conscience. When you're discouraged; He's there to lift you up. When you're abandoned; He's a friend that "sticks closer than a brother." He wants to compensate -- pick up the slack -- for your deficiencies and weaknesses, but it can only happen as you surrender and apply His grace to your life.

Life is tough and sometimes it seems unbearable. Things happen that nearly flatten us both physically and emotionally. His love is in and over and through it all. And it lasts. When all your gadgets are broken; when your friends turn their backs on you; when disappointment overwhelms you; His love endures. He longs to hear you shout from the highest mountain and the lowest valley of your live.

Every day we are being beckoned and motioned and pulled to follow this way and that. Some of the voices calling us aren't legitimate -- merely a mock-up of the real thing...God's voice is real. He's always there speaking through the noise and confusion and din of life...You can't get away from Him. His voice is not loud and it isn't demanding; it's still and small. Yet, His voice is consistent.

When I die to my ambitions and my selfish pride, then there is an empty place in my heart for Him to take up residence.

Family and friends and memories -- those are the things we cherish in our golden years..."True riches and money are not the same."

"Daddy" implies a relationship that runs deep. It's a carry-over from childhood that we take with us even when our fathers are gone. "Daddy" is one of the first words we learn; we know it all our lives....I love you, Daddy.

Kidding or not, careless words aren't easily forgotten by the one spoken to or the one spoken about....God is not a heavenly scorekeeper, but all our acts and actions and thoughts matter both to Him and to our witness....All the "things" you do that you think count for God and make you look good in front of others are worthless until and unless they are expressions of your love through your faith in Him. Your actions, words, and thoughts always count.

We are immensely significant to God; we really matter to Him....God loves you more. There is no comparison between our earthly love and how much He loves His children or to what lengths He will go to save one of us. He longs to fulfill our needs and comfort us in our despair...God won't forget you...My name is a part of Him; wherever He goes, my name goes with Him.

Before the world was even created, God chose you as His adopted son or daughter. He has been arranging your adoption for years; He'll travel to the farthest corners of the earth to bring you back into His home. All His assets and riches and resources are totally at your disposal...You're adopted into one amazing family.

He longs to pardon us abundantly. Yet, we must come to Him as a repentant sinner -- repenting not just of our evil ways but of our evil thoughts. He won't force Himself on us or break our will....His pardon is abundant; it's free; it's unmerited; it's more than enough.

He is bigger than your biggest problem. He has more love than you need -- even for the vilest people in your life. His healing surpasses the knowledge in all the medical schools of the country....He is more than more.

Who can really gauge "worthiness?" It's subjective and intangible. Everyone has his or her own opinion on whether another is worthy or unworthy. When it comes to living the Christian life, however, all who seriously consider the price paid for our salvation are plagued with personal feelings of "unworthiness." We don't deserve His love and forgiveness; it's truly humbling to know that Christ physically died for our salvation. In a word, it's overwhelming.

Anger does destructive things to lives and relationships.

He promises to forget all the bad stuff; it won't even be a fleeting memory to Him.

As difficult or heartbreaking or disappointing as your life may be at times, you can know -- that means have full knowledge -- that there is something better.

God created man as a "free moral agent" and gave him the right to make his own choices. Unfortunately, some of our choices are poor -- and they produce suffering and pain. Other forms of suffering, though, are not designed or orchestrated by us in any way. We are helpless to control or resist senseless disasters, thorns in the flesh, rejection and abuse, other peoples' sins, and life's seasons. They enter our lives with astounding predictability and sure fire destructability.

Jesus is all that is enough. He is all we need. He is sufficient.

Perspective is the central element of life in Him...The beauty is that He is with us in all life's situations and circumstances -- routine or difficult.

Each day is a blessing in which we have occasion to rejoice....Rejoicing and being glad aren't conditional responses; they are purposeful decisions of the will that we have the privilege to act on if we so choose.

When we were at our lowest, God picked us up and remade us....Our lives are totally and completely under His control -- good times and bad. They're under His control when people deliberately do us wrong and dismiss us with a shrug...When you are completely broken, you are in His hands.

There's an innate characteristic in mankind that desires to have someone stand with him. With few exceptions, we are social creatures; we long -- even yearn -- for approval, acceptance, and support....It's an inexpressible comfort to have someone stand with you -- not just in the good times, but when your plans are thwarted.

When another has plans for you, that comment conveys trust. We accept the fact that someone we love and/or respect believes and trusts in us. We're excited to hear the plans, and we want more than anything to please the one who is including us in his or her big plans...When you seek Him earnestly, you will discover Him; in so doing, He will reveal His plan for you.

When I'm tempted to wander, please nudge my thoughts and my heart back to your laws and away from my selfish agendas. God, often I'm tempted to look at things that are inconsequential and unimportant. This could be my destruction. Save me Lord by helping me redirect my thoughts and attention toward what is pure and what is lovely...In Your mercy, would You take away the humiliation of my sins that I dread to even remember?

Actions really do speak louder than words.

Are you stuck and feel like God has forgotten you? Are you disappointed with God and wonder what He's doing with your life? Leave your situation to Him. Deliverance may come from the most implausible source. Let God work in your life in His way.

Many Americans -- sadly many Christians -- find themselves over their heads financially because they purchased items they could not afford...We literally rob ourselves of the joy of life because of a heavy burden of debt...When we contritely return to Him, He will replenish all the years of loss.

When God is in an event, you won't have "funny feelings" or doubts about it; He will give you full assurance of His will and His way.

God is always searching for men and women who are willing to step forward for His cause. At times men have answered: Abraham and Moses and the Apostles to mention a few. All these willingly laid down their futures to follow God and defend His name. At other times, God has called and no one has answered....The world is as wicked and evil today as it was hundreds of years ago. God is still looking for men and women who will take a stand and bridge the gap between evil and righteousness.

Life can be stark at times, but true love will endure....It's impossible to love God and continue loving worldly things.

God knows your heart and its motives....You can be assured in His love. Stop beating yourself up spiritually; enjoy living for Him.

Christmas isn't all about gifts and it's not all about decorations; and it's not all about fancy food.

It may take some time, but sooner or later your actions and your words will return to haunt or bless you.

God has been around since creation and nothing has missed His omniscient eye. He has seen and observed every deed -- good or bad -- perpetrated by every person ever born. When we confess our sins, He writes that in the book and erases the record of our evil past.....We cannot suffer over confessed sins that God has forgiven and forgotten. When you confess your sins, He blots our your wicked past; He turns a page in the Book of Life, and "all things become new."