Daily Devotional for Monday December 23, 2013

Choose Now Who You Will Serve

(1 Kings 18:16-39)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, I am trying to teach my teenage son about morals. He asked me: Where in the bible does it say that it is a sin to have sex before marriage? Please help because I don't know.

ANSWER: It is called FORNICATION. Sex outside of your marriage is a sin called adultery. Sex when you are single, not married, is called fornication. Both are sexual sins as God clearly states in the Bible.

At the time this Biblical account was happening, there was a famine in the land. People were starving, looking everywhere for food. I want you to know that we have a famine in our land today, only it is a spiritual famine. People are starving for the truth and looking everywhere for answers to deal with day-to-day life.

During Elijah's time, God's people were being blamed for many of the problems the people of that day were facing much like in our society Christians are fair targets for any kind of criticism. In this politically-correct time, it seems the only group you can get away with publicly condemning are those who profess Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The truth is, in Elijah's day, and in the age we live, it is God's people who keep society from completely melting down. We are the spiritual glue that holds society together. We would be living in total chaos without people who loved and served God.

Just as Elijah challenged the people to choose which God they would serve, we have that same decision to make today. The choice in this passage of the Bible was between the false prophets of Baal and the God of Israel.

Our decision today is the same. We can choose to serve the false prophets of this world or the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ. Let me warn you, this is not a game, it is a real life decision that determines where we spend eternity. The sacrifice is not a bull, but our very lives.

The false prophets of this world claim they have the answers. They have the answers in the psychic hotlines. They have the answers in alcohol and drugs. They have the answers in money and material possessions. They have the answers in illicit sex with many partners. They have the answers in empty rituals, in idols. The only problem is, when you need them . . . there is no response. In times of trouble, these false prophets of this world are nowhere to be found.

Jesus Christ claims to be the way, the truth, the life. He claims to be God. JESUS PROVED HIS CLAIMS. THEY WERE VALIDATED BY GOD ALMIGHTY WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD ON THAT GLORIOUS SUNDAY MORNING!!!! When He rose from the dead, all He said and taught was validated.

He promised never to leave us nor forsake us and that promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower believers. Millions of lives in the last 2,000 years have been transformed through a personal faith in Christ. Jesus is alive today and at the right hand of God interceding for those who believe in Him!

I love you and care about you so much! Elijah challenged the people, ?Choose today who is going to be God of your life and follow him.? Jesus told us, ?No man can serve two masters.? There was only one winner that day on Mt. Carmel. The false prophets of Baal failed to produce their god, however, the God of Elijah, the God of you and me, answered by fire that day and is still answering the cries from His children today.

I will be praying today that you will make the only choice there is . . . Jesus Chris . . . .the Son of the living God!!!

***DECEMBER FINANCIAL UPDATE: We are down to $38,000 to cover all of our basic December operations. Please pray about what you can do in this final week to insure we end the year with all of our basic operational expenses covered

Also, I have been on my knees in prayer for 2 weeks for ONE PERSON who God has blessed and can help me with a special one-time, year-end gift of $25,160 to pre-pay the first 4 weeks of airtime in the greater Chicagoland area, reaching an audience of 10 million people "live" for 2 hours, 5 nights a week starting Monday Jan 6th. The deal is done, contract in place, we simply need to give them this initial payment! IF YOU CAN HELP ME, EMAIL ME AT: bkeller@liveprayer.com That is $63,160 we need over the next week to end 2013 with all of our basic operations paid Please pray today about what God is calling you to do to help me. If you were praying about making a special year-end gift to Liveprayer, for some it could help on your 2013 taxes, pray about sending that gift ASAP since it is greatly needed at this time!

--->To send a gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail it to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33709. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

Thank you and God bless you as we stand for HIM!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator. To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to: http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm

***I am excited to let you know that the Liveprayer Daily Devotional is now available via AUDIO each day. Simply go to http://www.liveprayer.com/Audio.cfm Also, you can now listen to the Daily Devotional by phone by calling, 1-727-342-5673.

***TO GIVE A GIFT TO LIVEPRAYER, you can use your major credit card on our secure server at: www.liveprayer.com under the DONATION link, you can give using your PayPal account using my email address: bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail your gift to:

Liveprayer 6660 46th Ave. North St. Petersburg, Fl 33709

All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.