Thought For Today May 19
 Thorns in the flesh!
By: Robert A, Searles

    When God delivered Israel into the land of their possessions, he made a covenant with them. He swore to them that he would never break his part of the covenant, and he expected them not to break theirs.  

 "And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars; but ye have not obeyed my voice; why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you." Judges 2: 2. 3.

    We who call ourselves Christians, and the sanctified children of God, are not to be a part of, nor go along with the pagan ways of the world or the world's way of thinking and philosophy. Our fellowship and conformity with the world's philosophy will be as thorns in our flesh.

    All the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and the elders that outlived Joshua, but after Joshua and the elders of Israel had died, another generation arose which knew not the things of the Lord.

"And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation, after them which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger." Judges 2:10,11,12.

    Several generations have come and gone since the founding of America which have not known God, nor considered his works. This is the fault of previous generations of Christians who have not properly taught their children the proper knowledge, or respect for God and his works.
Too many of us Christians are forsaking the ways of God, and following the God of the society in which we live. We are setting poor examples for future generations, consequently, each new generation has lesser knowledge and respect for the God of our fathers. Wealth and material things have become our object of worship.

  "And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies." Judges 2:14.

    I believe that the anger of the Lord is hot against America today for neglecting him and his worship; for adultery; for abortions - the murder of new born babies, and all kinds of sexual promiscuity and perversion. Will he deliver us into the hands of spoilers or the terrorist?

    "Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so." Judges 2: 16,17.  

God raises up preachers and evangelist and soul winners today in America to warn us; but for the most part we do not listen. We go a whoring after the things of the world. What a shame for us as Christians to do this sort of thing.

 If  we want to survive as a nation under God, and be blessed by God, and continue to be the "head and not the tail" among the nations of the world, then we who are the called of God, must rise up together, and "take our head out of the sand"  so to speak, and draw near unto God and support the  "judges" and leaders whom God has raised up to put the bible back in the schools, respect all human life from conception to old age and natural death, and pay honor to our flag; our national anthem ; and to  all our national heroes, May God's blessing be on America,  https://telehelppublications.blogspot.com

Thought  For Today - May 18
Made Rich in Christ!
By: Robert A. Searles

    We, who are Christians, as the redeemed children of God, have a wonderful position in Christ's kingdom. We are sanctified in Christ, called to be saints. We are already the children of God. Our problem is that we do not always live up to the quality of our calling as the children of a king.

"I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1: 4-9.

    God never fails us; he always keeps his promises.
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 Thought For Today - May 16
  Praise!
 By: Robert A. Searles

    God is well pleased with his children when they open their mouths in praise to him. What could be more fitting for the children of the heavenly father than to salute and greet one another with praises to God, along with a pleasant good morning? Of course, in order for this praise to be pleasing to God, it must truly come from our hearts, and not just from our lips. God is worthy of our praise.

  "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God: him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen." Deuteronomy 10: 20, 21


    God has done some great and wonderful things for us. He gave his son, he shed divine blood to pay our sin debt. He forgave our sins and reconciled us to himself when we were lost and without hope. He hears our prayers, he gives us our daily bread, and supplies all our needs according to his riches in heaven. When we praise him with our lips, originating in our heart from a true sense of gratitude, we are declaring to the listening ear, the greatness and glory and worthiness of God. 

 "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Exodus 15:11.

    We ought always to be praising the Lord with our lips as well as with our lifestyle. What good is secret praise? Secret praise or unspoken words of gratitude are never heard, and how can they be enlightening or edifying to anyone else, that they might know how great we know our God to be?

"Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel." Judges 5: 3. 

 "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high." Psalm 7: 17. 

 "My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him." Psalm 22: 25.

    My praise in the great congregation means that we praise him publicly, among all people, let them know that you are praising God. When you greet someone with praises to the Lord, you are saying to that person that you acknowledge God to be the source of all your benefits. This is pleasing to the Lord.

"Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. O Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth." Psalm33: 1-4.

God has said that whoso offereth praise gloryfieth me. 

    When we glorify God, we receive strength and power for our own lives. Praising God is being obedient to God. Obedience brings God's good favor and blessing. 

 "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." Psalm 50: 23.

Shall we covenant ,or agree with God, that - "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." Psalm 34: 1-3.


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Thought For Today - May 15
Plead My Cause O Lord!
By: Robert A. Searles

    "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself :into that very destruction let him fall. and my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation." Psalm 35: 1-9.

    When we become Christians by being born again into God's family, we immediately enter a spiritual combat zone. We face enemies that we never had to face before, enemies whose commander in chief is Satan. We must constantly draw from God our father, strength and help to fight our enemies. Christ our captain will lead us to victory if we dedicate ourselves to him and thank him.

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Thought For Today - May 14
 Oh! To Be Godly!
By: Robert A. Searles

    "But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him." Psalm 4: 3.

    What does it mean to be godly? To be godly means to be somewhat like God, to take on some of the characteristics of God. In the beginning God made man in his image, to be like him, but because of sin, man fell, and has come short of the likeness of God. But through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, man has been redeemed and reconciled to God on an individual basis, providing that the individual will accept it as a free gift from God.

 "As many as received him, to them gave he power ( or authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" John 1: 12.  As a child of God, we are in the family of God and godly.

    When we are born again into the family of God and become godly, then the Lord sets us apart from every other creature. God puts upon us his shield of love and protection, and we find ourselves in the favor of God. God gives us special work and tasks to perform for his glory. He cleanses us on the inside, and makes us a fit house or vessel in which he can live and work.  Since we who are godly are set apart ,and in favor with God ,and under his shield of love and protection, and since we are his special workmen, assigned a special job for his glory, God will give us extra special attention when we call unto him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation....", 2 Peter 2: 9.

    Knowing that by grace we are saved through faith ,and having put on godliness by God's grace, and knowing that we are God's special vessels for his honor, we ought to stand in awe and sin not. We ought to come before God with such reverence and respect that in his presence we would be speechless and spellbound to behold his glory, if it were not for the fact that he gives the privilege to come boldly before the throne of grace. When we stand before God, we ought to take off our shoes, as it were, because the place where we stand is holy ground. 

The family dinning room becomes holy ground when the family is gathered to enjoy God's bountiful blessing when we meet with God there, and the table becomes a sacred altar when we offer our gratitude and offer ourselves before God. Our bed becomes a holy place when we lie upon it and commune with God from our hearts in the long night hours.

    Because we have become the children of God, and made godly in him; and because we are set apart to receive his special favor; and because we are recipients of his great love and salvation; and because we are called out of the world to perform special tasks for him; we ought to be more than anxious to offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and die daily to ourselves, and abandon ourselves completely to God, and put our trust in him.  

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51: 17.

  "By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." "But to do well and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Heb 13: 15, 16.

    We should be continually praising God with our lips. Open wide your mouth and let the words flow out loud and clear from your heart: blessed be the name of the Lord; praise God from whom all blessing flow; glory to God in the highest. This is a sacrifice that God is pleased with-then, it follows with good works and service.

    "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service." Rom 12:1 

 If we have given our bodies over to God as a living sacrifice, then we should have no problem opening wide our mouths in praise of God and in following it up with good works.

    "And the scribe said unto him, well, master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul and with all strength and to love his neighbor as himself is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." Mark 12: 32, 33.

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Thought for Today - May 13
 Consider the Goodness of God!
By: Robert A. Searles

    Consider the goodness of God. Think of the goodness of God toward you as an individual, and then think of the goodness of God to your family. 

    But for the goodness and grace of God, where would we be? John Bunyan looked at a drunken bum lying in the gutter and he made the statement: "But for the grace of God, there go I". 

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2: 8,9.

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

    Because of the goodness of God and his love for us, we are rescued from the bondage of Satan and set free as the redeemed children of God. Because of the goodness of God, we no longer have to be slaves to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Because of the goodness of God, we can know love, joy, peace, and freedom from guilt and fear. We can enjoy the things that God has given us to enjoy. Because of the goodness and grace of God we have health and strength and are able to live normal lives. We see the goodness of God in all creation. We see the goodness of God in God's faithfulness. 

 " .......and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.   and the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generations." Exodus 34:4, 5-7.

    "He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap; he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33: 5-9

    "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness." Psalm 65:11.

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Romans 2:4.

    The goodness of God demands nothing less than our gratitude, our love, and dedication to God's service ,and obedience to him. If we give God less - then, we are despising his goodness.

"Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but toward thee ,goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou shalt be cut off." Romans 11:22.

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  Thought For Today - September 16
  Is God Real to You?
 By: Robert A Searles

    Is God real in your life? What,  or who do you really think God is? Is God an intricate part of you as an individual? Is God as much a part of you as your breathing, or your heartbeat , or your walking and moving about? Is God just an ideal; a good idea? Is God just a philosophy of life that we pick from a book? Is God just a psychological means of control to keep us from doing immoral things? Is God just a good thought that we think about for a few moments each day, and then close the book and put it on the shelf for another day, or until something bad or unpleasant happens to us for which we have no answer, and we recognize that we need wisdom beyond ourselves? What and who is God to you as an individual?

God's word teaches us that God is a spirit, a supernatural invisible spirit. They that worship God must worship him in spirit. God's word teaches us that the supernatural invisible spirit of God manifested himself in the person and body of Jesus of Nazareth while he was on earth. Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection, and sent the Holy Spirit to literally live in our bodies. If we choose and desire to have it so, God the Holy Spirit will clean our house and literally , as a matter of fact, actually take up residence in our bodies. At this point it is God himself living in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. If we choose to have it so, it will be God himself in us creating our wants and desires, and it will be God himself in us controlling our thoughts and the very movements of our bodies. 

If God is really living in us, we don't really have to set up a lot of rules and regulations for ourselves, because it will be God himself that will be in control. We have to grasp the principle that we were made and designed to be the house and temple of God, the place where God lives, and walks, and has his being. Of course, before God can live in us, we must be changed, we must be born again through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we must willingly yield ourselves and open the door so that the Holy Spirit can move in and take charge.

    Where do you go for counsel? Do you look to people, someone whom you admire for their great intellectual capacities, or do you look within yourselves, to the Holy Spirit of God who dwells and lives in each one of his born again children? 

 
 "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that covereth with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin; that walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt." Isaiah 30: 1,2.

    Did it ever occur to you that if you look to a person for counsel, even though that person may be a child of God, and even though that person may be much admired for his outward appearance and apparent service to the Lord, he may not be completely yielded himself to the spirit of God, and so be limited as to the wisdom he has from God? God wants us to look to no person for counsel. He wants us to come directly to the throne of grace.

    Do we pitch our tents, as Lot did, so that we can look toward Sodom? Have we separated ourselves unto God, just enough, so that if we wanted to, it would not be too difficult to take a walk down into Egypt, as it were, which is typical of the world of sin and bondage from which we came. Are we prone to trust in the shadow of Egypt? Do we say that we love and trust God, but after all when we get hungry we must run after the things of the world to get satisfied?

    When we trust in men, and in the world system, and have no real vital relationship with the living God who wants to live and walk and abide in us, then no wonder we have no power, and are frustrated and confused/

 "Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion." Isaiah 30: 3.

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