SMILE

SOMETHING NEW :

Luke 5:36-37, "And he spake a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish."

These two parables are in response to the scribes' and Pharisees' criticism (v. 30) and the question from John's disciples about why Jesus didn't act according to their religious traditions and expectations (Mt. 9:14; Mk. 2:18). The gist of these parables was to show that Jesus came to do a new thing that would not mix with the old covenant ways that were familiar to people (Isa. 43:18-19; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:7-13).

A new cloth sown on an old garment in Jesus' day would shrink the first time it was washed. Then it would tear away from the old garment that had already shrunk, making the hole worse. This illustrates that Jesus did not come to patch up the old Mosaic covenant, but to replace it (Heb. 7:18-19).

Also, new wine (not yet fermented) had to be put into new or reconditioned wineskins to allow for the expansion of gases within the skin as the result of the fermentation process. Otherwise, an old wineskin that had already been stretched by use would simply burst and all the wine would run out. The Old Testament laws could never stretch enough to accommodate the New Testament truths of mercy and grace (Heb. 10:1-10). Jesus set us free from the judgment of the Old Testament laws (Rom. 6:14; 7:1-4; 8:2; 10:3-4; Gal. 3:12-14, 23-24; 5:4; Phil. 3:9).

These religious scribes and Pharisees (Lk. 5:30) were making the terrible mistake of trusting in their own efforts to produce their right standing (righteousness) with God. Jesus did not come to accept our sacrificial acts, but to make Himself a sacrifice for our sins. He did all this to give us new life in Him. Thank Him for His grace today.

WHEN GOD BUILDS YOUR HOUSE ….

Scripture tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. In other words, our own plans, our own ways apart from God will crumble. But when you do things God’s way according to His Word, that’s when your building will be secure.

I want God to build my house, don’t you? I want Him to be the center of my family. It starts by taking the promises in the Bible, getting hold of them, and believing them and applying them to every area of life. The Bible tells us that the promises are for you and your family. His promises are for all of your relationships. But, you have to grab hold of them by faith and put them into practice. If we don’t know His Word, how can we know His plan?

You might be thinking, “Well, I go to church but my husband doesn’t.” Or, “My child is away from God right now.” Well, I have good news for you. It says in Acts 2:39 that “the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.” Are some people in your family “far off?” Are there some dreams for your family that are “far off?” God says there is nothing far off that His word can’t bring close. This is where we have to trust that God is at work even when we can’t see it. Our hands may be tied, but His hands are never tied!

I’m telling you—your declaration of faith can turn things around. Where there is darkness, there can be light. Where you can’t see, you can begin to see. God told the children of Israel, “I’m going to take you out of captivity and lead you into the Promised Land.” Do you know what they had to do? They had to take hold of the promise by faith. When they grumbled and complained and built their own shrines, it was vain and got them nowhere. But when they declared God’s words, when they agreed with His promises, that’s when He “built their house,” and they entered into the Promised Land.

If you’ve been building your own house by grumbling and complaining or trying things in your own strength, today is the day to let all of that go. Choose to speak words of faith over your home and your relationships. Pray for your family. Trust that He is working behind the scenes. Let God build your house because when He builds it, nothing will be able to tear it down!

“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1, NIV)

STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL'S STRATEGIES!

Leave no room or foothold for the devil give no opportunity to him. – Ephesians 4:27

If you give the devil place, he will take it. You have to stay alert and keep your shield of faith high because if you don't, he'll turn around and steal back from you the ground you just took.

There have been people who have received their healing and have fallen back into their old thinking patterns of sickness. They let their faith down and gave the devil an opening. When he came along with an old symptom, they weren't ready for him. They fell victim to his counterattack.

You can stand successfully against the devil's strategies! But before you do, you're going to have to make three quality decisions.

First, you must make the Word of God the final authority in your life. Line up your thinking with whatever the Word says.

Next, you must decide to live your life by faith in what God has said. The Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

Finally, you must decide to live by the love of God because faith works by love. Without love, your faith won't function. Without the Word, you can't have faith. So don't try to make one of these decisions without the other two. You need to make all three of them. This lifestyle of the Word, faith and love keeps you in a place of resistance to the devil!

I suggest you get alone with God and pray:

In the Name of Jesus, I commit myself from this day forward to live by the Word of God, to live by my faith, and to live by the love of God.

Decide today to give the devil no place!

HEAVEN REJOICES!

There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. —Luke 15:10

Joann had been raised in a Christian home. But when she went to college, she began to question her beliefs and walked away from God. After graduation, she traveled to a number of countries, always looking for happiness but never feeling satisfied. While experiencing some difficulties, she recognized that God was pursuing her and that she needed Him.

From Germany, Joann called her parents in the US and said, “I have given my life to Christ, and He’s changing me! I’m sorry for the worry I have caused you.” Her parents were so excited that they called her brothers and sisters-in-law to come over immediately. They wanted to tell them the exciting news in person. “Your sister has received Christ!” they said, rejoicing through tears.

The woman in Luke 15 who found her lost coin called her friends and neighbors together to rejoice with her (v.9). Jesus told this story, and others about a lost sheep and a lost son, to the religious people of His day to show how He came to earth to pursue lost sinners. When we accept God’s gift of salvation, there is rejoicing both on earth and in heaven. Jesus said, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (v.10). How wonderful that Jesus has reached down to us and heaven rejoices when we respond!

I was lost but Jesus found me—
Found the sheep that went astray,
Threw His loving arms around me,
Drew me back into His way.

Angels rejoice when we repent.

SOWING GOOD SEEDS :

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” - (Galatians 6:7–8, NIV)

Whether you realize it or not, everything you are experiencing in your life today is a direct result of the seeds you’ve sown in your past. Today, you are planting seeds for the harvest in your future. Just as the farmer expects a crop from the seeds he sows, we can expect a harvest from the seeds we’ve sown, good or bad. That’s why we have to be deliberate about the seeds we are sowing. We have to wake up every day and set our minds on God’s Word and choose to speak His truth over our lives. We have to constantly evaluate our actions to make sure we are depositing good seeds so we can reap a good harvest in the future.

Why don’t you take some time right now to ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind? See if there are any negative seeds that you’ve sown in the past that need to be uprooted. Be deliberate about planting the Word of God in the soil of your heart. Sow good seeds into your future so you can reap the harvest of blessing God has designed for you!

HEARING FROM GOD :

'...Search, and you will find...' Matthew 7:7 NCV

To hear from God you need:

(1) A regular time and place. Some prefer morning. '...In the morning my prayer comes before You.' (Psalm 88:13 NIV) Others prefer evening. 'Let my ...praise [be] like the evening sacrifice.' (Psalm 141:2 NCV) Others prefer encounters throughout the day. 'Evening, morning and noon I cry out...' (Psalm 55:17 NIV) Just find a time and place that's right for you. 'How much time should I take?' As much as you need. Your time with God should last long enough for you to say what you want, and for God to say what He wants.

(2) An open Bible. Before reading the Bible, pray. Don't go to Scripture looking for your own idea, go searching for God's. '...Hunt for it like hidden treasure. Then you will understand...and you will find that you know God.' (Proverbs 2:4-5 NCV) God seems to send us messages as He did manna: one day's portion at a time. He gives us: '...A command here, a command there. A rule here, a rule there. A little lesson here, a little lesson there.' (Isaiah 28:13 NCV) Choose depth over length. Read until a verse 'hits' you, then stop and meditate on it. Understanding comes a little at a time, over a lifetime.

(3) A listening heart. James writes, 'The man who looks into the perfect mirror of God's law...and makes a habit of so doing, is not the man who sees and forgets. He puts that law into practice and he wins true happiness.' (James 1:25PHPS) We know we are listening to God when what we read in the Bible is what others see in our lives.

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES :

“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you” - (2 Corinthians 9:10, NLT)

When Jesus sent His disciples out to heal the sick, meet their needs, and share the Gospel, He told them, “Give as freely as you have received” (Matthew 10:8). In other’s words, God has given you everything you need to do what He’s called you to do in this life. He has equipped you to be successful and has empowered you to overcome in this life. He’s given you seed to sow in order to have an abundant harvest in your future. You have what it takes!

God has placed seed in your hand today, but in order for that seed to produce, it has to be planted. It has to be watered. It has to be fertilized. Today, ask God to show you where to plant your seed. Make sure you are sowing in the right ground and tending to the seed He has given you. Remember, God has a good plan for your future. He has plans to bless you and increase you. Today, you have what it takes to move forward and receive the blessing He has prepared for you!