Jeremiah Ironman

You never know when God is going to bless you!

2011-03-15T06:29:00.003-04:00

Good things happen when you least expect them to !!!

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day,
I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God.
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.
I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak...
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood.
I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for those that don't believe.
But I thank You that I believe that God changes people and God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes; that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it
in Jesus 'name.Amen!
God I love you and I need you,
Come into my heart, please!

The Branch and the Vine

2010-06-02T09:00:00.002-04:00

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in the vine.

John 15:4

God wants to be as close to us as a branch is to a vine. One is an extension of the other. It's impossible to tell where one starts and the other ends. The branch isn't connected only at the moment of bearing fruit. The gardener doesn't keep the branches in a box and then, on the day he wants grapes, glue them to the vine. No, the branch constantly draws nutrition from the vine.…

God also uses the temple to depict the intimacy he desires. "Don't you know," Paul writes, "that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?" (1 Cor. 6:19 tev). Think with me about the temple for a moment.… God didn't come and go, appear and disappear. He was a permanent presence, always available.

What incredibly good news for us! We are NEVER away from God!

Just Like Jesu

Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 175

God's Favorite Word

2010-06-01T08:37:00.002-04:00

Jesus said, "Come follow me." Matthew 4:19
God is an inviting God. He invited Mary to birth his Son, the disciples to fish for men, the adulteress woman to start over, and Thomas to touch his wounds. God is the King who prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in.
In fact, it seems his favorite word is come.
"Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow."
"All you who are thirsty, come and drink."
"Come to me all, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest." …
God is a God who invites. God is a God who calls.

And the Angels Were Silent
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 174

Play Sublimely

2010-05-31T15:25:00.002-04:00

I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way.

Psalm 139:14

Antonio Stradivari was a seventeenth-century violin maker whose name in its Latin form, Stradivarius, has become synonymous with excellence. He once said that to make a violin less than his best would be to rob God, who could not make Antonio Stradivari's violins without Antonio.

He was right. God could not make Stradivarius violins without Antonio Stradivari. Certain gifts were given to that craftsman that no other violin maker possessed.

In the same vein, there are certain things you can do that no one else can. Perhaps it is parenting, or constructing houses, or encouraging the discouraged. There are things that only you can do, and you are alive to do them. In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe it to God to play them both sublimely.

The Applause of Heaven

Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 172

Beyond Our Faults

2010-05-30T07:32:00.002-04:00

He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick. Matthew 14:14

Matthew writes that Jesus "healed their sick." Not some of their sick. Not the righteous among the sick. Not the deserving among the sick. But "the sick."
Surely, among the many thousands, there were a few people unworthy of good health. The same divinity that gave Jesus the power to heal also gave him the power to perceive.… I wonder if Jesus was tempted to say to the bigot, "Get out of here, buddy, and take your arrogance with you."
And he could see not only their past, he could see their future.
Undoubtedly, there were those in the multitude who would use their newfound health to hurt others. Jesus released tongues that would someday curse. He gave sight to eyes that would lust. He healed hands that would kill.…
Each time Jesus healed, he had to overlook the future and the past.
Something, by the way, that he still does.

In the Eye of the Storm
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 171

Love Hates Evil

2010-05-29T07:25:00.002-04:00

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 rsv
Does hell serve a purpose? … Remove it from the Bible and, at the same time, remove any notion of a just God and a trustworthy Scripture.…
If there is no hell, God is not just. If there is no punishment of sin, heaven is apathetic toward the rapists and pillagers and mass murderers of society. If there is no hell, God is blind toward the victims and has turned his back on those who pray for relief. If there is no wrath toward evil, then God is not love, for love hates that which is evil.
To say there is no hell is also to say God is a liar and his Scripture untrue. The Bible repeatedly and stoutly affirms the dualistic outcome of history. Some will be saved. Some will be lost.

When Christ Comes
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 170

A Work In Progress

2010-05-29T07:23:00.002-04:00

Jesus will keep you strong until the end so that there will be no wrong in you on the day our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.1 Corinthians 1:8

God is not finished with you yet. Oh, you may think he is. You may think you've peaked. You may think he's got someone else to do the job.
If so, think again.
"God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again" (Phil. 1:6).
Did you see what God is doing? A good work in you.
Did you see when he will be finished? When Jesus comes again.
May I spell out the message? God ain't finished with you yet.

When God Whispers Your Name
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 169

Intimacy With The Almighty

2010-05-27T05:24:00.002-04:00

As a deer thirsts for streams of water, so I thirst for you, God. Psalm 42:1
Jesus didn't act unless he saw his father act. He didn't judge until he heard his father judge. No act or deed occurred without his father's guidance.…
Because Jesus could hear what others couldn't, he acted differently than they did. Remember when everyone was troubled about the man born blind? Jesus wasn't. Somehow he knew that the blindness would reveal God's power (John 9:3). Remember when everyone was distraught about Lazarus's illness? Jesus wasn't.… It was as if Jesus could hear what no one else could.… Jesus had unbroken communion with his father.
Do you suppose the Father desires the same for us? Absolutely! … God desires the same abiding intimacy with you that he had with his son.

Just Like Jesus
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 168

God Still Comes

2010-05-26T06:30:00.002-04:00

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. Psalm 34:18
"Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us," Paul penned. "The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope" (Rom. 15:4).
These are not just Sunday school stories. Not romantic fables.… They are historical moments in which a real God met real pain so we could answer the question, "Where is God when I hurt?"
How does God react to dashed hopes? Read the story of Jairus. How does the Father feel about those who are ill? Stand with him at the pool of Bethesda. Do you long for God to speak to your lonely heart? Then listen as he speaks to the Emmaus-bound disciples.…
He's not doing it just for them. He's doing it for me. He's doing it for you.…
The God who spoke still speaks.… The God who came still comes. He comes into our world. He comes into your world. He comes to do what you can't.

He Still Moves Stones
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year.
Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 167

Finding Courage In Grace

2010-05-25T06:24:00.001-04:00

I was given mercy so that in me, the worst of all sinners, Christ Jesus could show that he has patience without limit. 1 Timothy 1:16

During the early days of the Civil War a Union soldier was arrested on charges of desertion. Unable to prove his innocence, he was condemned and sentenced to die a deserter's death. His appeal found its way to the desk of Abraham Lincoln. The president felt mercy for the soldier and signed a pardon. The soldier returned to service, fought the entirety of the war, and was killed in the last battle. Found within his breast pocket was the signed letter of the president.
Close to the heart of the soldier were his leader's words of pardon. He found courage in grace. I wonder how many thousands more have found courage in the emblazoned cross of their heavenly king.

In the Grip of Grace
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 166

Sorrow For Sin

2010-05-24T06:21:00.001-04:00

If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right.

1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins …" The biggest word in Scriptures just might be that two letter one, if. For confessing sins—admitting failure—is exactly what prisoners of pride refuse to do.

"Me a sinner? Oh sure, I get rowdy every so often, but I'm a pretty good ol' boy."

"Listen, I'm just as good as the next guy. I pay my taxes.…"

Justification. Rationalization. Comparison.… They sound good. They sound familiar. They even sound American. But in the kingdom, they sound hollow.…

When you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option, … then cast all your cares on him for he is waiting.

The Applause of Heaven

Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 165

Keep Unity

2010-05-23T06:16:00.001-04:00

May the Lord lead your hearts into God's love and Christ's patience.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

"All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other" (John 13:35). Stop and think about this verse for a minute. Could it be that unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ?
If unity is the key to evangelism, shouldn't it have precedence in our prayers? Should we, as Paul said, "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3 niv)? If unity matters to God, then shouldn't unity matter to us? If unity is a priority in heaven, then shouldn't it be a priority on earth?
Nowhere, by the way, are we told to build unity. We are told simply to keep unity. From God's perspective there is but "one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:16). Unity does not need to be created; it simply needs to be protected.
How do we do that? … Does that mean we compromise our convictions? No. Does that mean we abandon the truths we cherish? No. But it does mean we look long and hard at the attitudes we carry.

In the Grip of Grace
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 164

The Brief Journey of Life

2010-05-22T03:09:00.001-04:00

Our days on earth are like a shadow.

1 Chronicles 29:15 niv

He who "lives forever" has placed himself at the head of a band of pilgrims who mutter, "How long, O Lord? How long?" (Psalm 89:46 niv).

"How long must I endure this sickness?"

"How long must I endure this spouse?"

"How long must I endure this paycheck?"

Do you really want God to answer? He could, you know. He could answer in terms of the here and now with time increments we know. "Two more years on the illness." "The rest of your life in the marriage." "Ten more years for the bills."
But he seldom does that. He usually opts to measure the here and now against the there and then. And when you compare this life to that life, this life ain't long.

In the Eye of the Storm
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 163

God Knows You By Name

2010-05-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

I have written your name on my hand.

Isaiah 49:16

Quite a thought, isn't it? Your name on God's hand. Your name on God's lips. Maybe you've seen your name in some special places. On an award or diploma.… But to think that your name is on God's hand and on God's lips … my, could it be?
Or perhaps you have never seen your name honored. And you can't remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. If so, it may be more difficult for you to believe that God knows your name.
But he does. Written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by his lips. Your name.

When God Whispers Your Name
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 162

God Is Angry At Evil

2010-05-20T06:12:00.001-04:00

So put all evil things out of your life.… These things make God angry.

Colossians 3:5–6

Many don't understand God's anger because they confuse the wrath of God with the wrath of man. The two have little in common. Human anger is typically self-driven and prone to explosions of temper and violent deeds. We get ticked off because we've been overlooked, neglected, or cheated. This is the anger of man. It is not, however, the anger of God.
God doesn't get angry because he doesn't get his way. He gets angry because disobedience always results in self-destruction. What kind of father sits by and watches his child hurt himself?

In the Grip of Grace
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 161

Within Reach of Your Prayers

2010-05-19T06:43:00.001-04:00

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31 niv

The question is not simply, "Who can be against us?" You could answer that one. Who is against you? Disease, inflation, corruption, exhaustion. Calamities confront, and fears imprison. Were Paul's question, "Who can be against us?" we could list our foes much easier than we could fight them. But that is not the question. The question is, If GOD IS FOR US, who can be against us?
God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your teachers may have neglected you, your siblings may be ashamed of you; but within reach of your prayers is the maker of the oceans. God!

In the Grip of Grace
Lucado, Max ; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment : Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn. : J. Countryman, 2000, S. 160

Found, Called And Adopted

2010-05-18T08:42:00.000-04:00

It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick.… I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners. Matthew 9:12–13

God didn’t look at our frazzled lives and say, “I’ll die for you when you deserve it.”
No, despite our sin, in the face of our rebellion, he chose to adopt us. And for God, there’s no going back. His grace is a come-as-you-are promise from a one-of-a-kind King. You’ve been found, called, and adopted; so trust your Father and claim this verse as your own: “God showed his love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8). And you never again have to wonder who your father is—you’ve been adopted by God and are therefore an “heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:7).
Max Lucado - In the Grip of Grace