Monday, April 30, 2012

Are you bright?


Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;


1 Thessalonians 5:5
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: 
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.


When we became born again, born by the Spirit of God and not the will of the flesh, we became children of light. He called us out of darkness and into His marvelous Light.


We should be different from those who hide in the dark. Those given over to a life against the things of God. Just as light shatters the darkness, and the things that live in the darkness flee at the sight of the flame of His light, so should we be making a difference.


Will we be liked, popular? No. Jesus wasn't popular with the religious and powers of the elite. They feared Him and sought to kill Him. But as long as He was here on earth, He shone brightly. A beacon of hope to those who were perishing. A light for any who might desire to be saved.


Remember the little song - "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine."


How true and how needed in this darkening world. Shine brightly, recognizing that it is not your light but His that shines through you. Be not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 


Shine! Our hour is coming. He is coming. Throw off the grave clothes of darkness and walk in His light, following in the steps of Jesus.


Shine!

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Blessed


Genesis 1:27-28 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.28And God blessed them...

After creating Adam and Eve, the Lord blessed them.

To bless means - to make holy, watch over protectively, wish well on another.

Psalm 128:1
Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

If you want a blessing, read Revelation and listen and do as He says.

Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Bless one another. Let grace be upon your lips and alive in your hearts and you will be blessed.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Fear can be a good thing.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, 
upon them that hope in his mercy;


Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, 
and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Fear of the Lord? In this age of the marshmallow gospel, we aren't instructed on the fear of the Lord. But God is not one for mushy love. NO. He is serious. Sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for the sin of the world. Nothing mushy about it. Sin is nothing to laugh at, or mock at as so many of our TV shows are inclined to do. 

While driving, if you spot a police car at the side of the road, you slow down, whether you were speeding or not. You don't want to be caught breaking the law. You respect the law.

Fear of the Lord is much the same. God is whole and pure. Perfection. Of course we can not attain perfection except in Jesus, but we should respect the Lord enough to be conscious of His Presence and to do likewise.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 

In the times we are a living, there is much foolishness propagated by the educated elite of this world. Beware of their teachings, for they hate mankind while pretending they care. 

Instead, seek the Lord and His righteousness. Hunger for the wisdom that is from above. And Fear the Lord. Any doubts  - read the end of the Book of Revelation and see what wonders await the saints who believe.

Judgment will come. 
Fear God, hate evil, and rejoice that Jesus is coming!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Who will speak on your behalf?

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 


How amazing to know that the Lord makes intercession for us. Perfect prayer according to the very Will of God. Jesus, at the right hand of the Father, intercedes on our behalf. Blocking the accuser's attempts to destroy us. Blocking the accuser's condemning words with The Word. The Finished Word of God who took on our infirmities. Our Sin, that we might be whole and righteous through Him.

Whatever you are going through, KNOW that Jesus is standing in your behalf. 

He sent the Spirit to comfort and guide an teach us. And when we don't know how to pray

26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.


How amazing is our God! 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Do you Bristle?

Titus 3:2
To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, 
but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men


This little guy looks cute, but those bristles sting. Some people are like that. I have been like that. You know, you see something or someone says something you don't really like and the bristles come out. Ouch!

Not quite the idea the Lord had for us to walk in. IF we believe He is the Great I AM, fully capable to take care of us. Fully trustworthy. Our Good Shepherd. Then why do we bristle? Sometimes it can be righteous anger, but I don't think that comes with bristles. 

James 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Being bristly is a defense mechanism. Like the caterpillar in the picture, he's got the 'make my day' attitude. 'Go ahead and touch me'  and with a sneering laugh (not sure caterpillar's can sneer but..) he dares anyone to touch him. They'll pay.

Bristles keep others away. "Don't touch me." attitude. 

Let the love of God take away those bristles. Jesus came to set us free from the idea we are in this alone. We are not. He is with us, forever. Our strong fortress. Capable of caring for us. And desiring that we would be a testimony of His goodness and lead others to know Him.

Gentleness. 

Be gentle. Like a LAMB.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Beautiful but dead.

Matthew 23:27

 27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

While at the park last week, I saw this tree. It really stood out and is almost pretty. But it is dead. So too are we when we adhere to duty and tradition, forgetting about the life.

The Life that was shed for us. The precious blood of the spotless Lamb, more precious than silver an gold. The only sacrifice that saves us from our sin.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:   


The white of the dead tree does stand out, but interesting that it is surrounded by evergreens that stay green year round. Always alive, never succumbing to outside conditions. 


Be Evergreen!  Forever alive.  Remembering you were purchased by Jesus' blood, Redeemed with His Righteousness. Let His beauty shine through you from within. That others may see and live. 


A forest of dead trees is only good for the burning.


Live in Christ, partakers of His gift of eternal lifeand make a difference. 

Monday, April 23, 2012

Pardon, but your rules are showing.

Romans 14:17

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.



Romans 14 is about the controversy the early church had about eating meat served to idols and drinking. Silly, but oh don't we see ourselves. 
You should not do this or you should do that. Why are we so busy and concerned with what that one over there is doing when we can hardly control ourselves? 

John 21:22

22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, 
what is that to you? You follow Me!

I love this verse. Jesus cuts through the bickering spirit and tells Peter to follow Him. 

Isn't that what we are to be about? Follow Jesus. Seek Him and follow Him. If He tells you to stop eating meat - then stop eating meat. If he tells you to eat meat - then eat it.

Follow Him.

We want to resort to rules. Regulations that we can use as a yardstick to measure how good we are and bad someone else is. We fall into the trap far too easily. 

Matthew 15:9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Jesus left us with two commandments. All we need.

Matthew 22:37-39
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
 38This is the first and great commandment.
 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jesus only left us with two commandments. 


Today, walk down your path in His righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy spirit. For we do not have to rely on our rules, what we determine is right and good, but on Him. 

Psalm 23:3
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Friday, April 20, 2012

O death, where is thy sting?

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 


Consider the butterfly. Isn't it a piece of wondrous work? Starting out as a lowly caterpillar, going into a sleep and waking up with beautiful wings and the ability to fly. Amazing. What a testimony to a Creator. Who else could have thought up such a life of transformation?

And so is the life of a believer. Born into the fallen condition of Sin - the death Adam passed down to mankind from his act of disobedience. It only takes one infraction of the law to deny perfection. In a word, on our own  - we are doomed.

But God knew. The Creator gave us free will. And the chance to choose. And He gave the Promise to Adam and Eve and all their generations. Her seed would crush the enemy of mankind - Satan. 
And at the right time, He sent Jesus, God in the flesh, perfection from heaven, to pay the price that we might have His righteousness, His Victory - and not our own. 

Again our choice. Choose to live or die. 

And when we are born again, we come out of the grave of sin and death and into eternal life. We may not see it - but we are already 'butterflies' loosed from the sentence of death. Our bodies will die, like the caterpillars wormy body, and we will be with Him wrapped in His Glory and Robe of Righteousness. 

So this day, choose. Who wants to remain a worm? Choose life. Open your heart to the ONLY one who can save you. Jesus. Our Lord and Savior. Who took the sin of the world, that we might have eternal life.

The next time you see a butterfly flit by, rejoice. Thank the Creator that He is a transforming God. Not content to leave us, but One who desires His best for us.

Choose Jesus and be transformed.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Ahh ...


Psalm 23:2-4

 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
 3He restoreth my soul:...


Nothing like getting away, even for an afternoon. Jesus did. 

Luke 5:16
And he (Jesus) withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.


I figure if Jesus withdrew into the wilderness, how much more should we? Although I could have sat outside at home and enjoyed the day's beauty, I would still have been at home with all the need to, should do stuff. 


So I went to Cedar Hill State Park. Maybe thirty miles from my house, but another dimension away, a place to meet with the Lord. A place He lead me to. 


It did not take long before my soul was restored. Nothing earth shattering happened, no new revelations, just purposing to go out into the wilderness to be with Him was all it took. Walking in the glory of His handiwork, beautiful flowers, more butterflies than I could imagine, the  light breeze floating pleasing fragrance to me. In a word - wonderful.


Perhaps our souls languish in the mundane. Caught up in the whirlwind of this life, we let slip by the wonders of God. And in so doing, lose trust.


But in the presence of His glory, His creation, you can't help but get a glimpse of the Awesome Creator God. Who fashioned each flower just so, created butterflies to demonstrate transformation, cool waters reflecting the blue sky, plants and trees of such diverse shape and color. A fluorescent green beetle, a golden dragonfly. And joy! wondrous joy at being alive and knowing I am not alone, the Great I Am is watching over me. Leading me to still waters. 

And my soul said - ah and was refreshed.





Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Do you know the good Shepherd?

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.


John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.




The idea of a shepherd gives such a great picture of peace and trust. The sheep don't worry about a thing if they watch the Shepherd, follow His direction, and trust Him. 

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He gave His life that we might live. But not for a life lived in fear and worry. No. He came that we might have abundant life through Him. Trusting in Him.

As worries come to my mind, I hear in my spirit - The Lord is my shepherd. Truth. He knows what I need before I do. So, what is the deal? Why do worries have a hold over me? Where is my trust?

The answer may very well be in John 10:14. The last phrase of that verse stood out to me. ... and am known of mine.

Jesus knows us, but the abundant life will not come until we know Him. Spend time with Him. He is more than black and white words on a page. He is life. 

My goal today - get to know my good Shepherd a little better.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Have you had your daily Bread yet?

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven
and giveth life unto the world.


John 6:51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus gave us Himself. He withheld nothing from us that we might become born again into eternal life. He said that unless we ate of His flesh and drank His blood we would have no life.
 For His blood is shed that we might have life.
Partaking in His Sacrifice cleanses us from all unrighteousness that we might be saved. Not by our works but by His - the sinless Son of God. Jesus purchased us by His sacrifice, redeeming us from the devil and sin that we might have eternal life with the Father.

Eating a good breakfast might be a healthy thing to do, but partaking of the Bread of Life will carry you through whatever the day may bring.


Monday, April 16, 2012

Communion

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.


Ever have those empty times where any place your mind goes is a problem or a trouble? You wonder where the peace went? You've lost that 'lovin feeling' and even though you know God, you just can't seem to find Him. Left cold, you wonder what you need to do to get back.

Communion.

Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is built on faith not reason. We are born again by the Spirit not our flesh and blood. 'Not by might but by My Spirit sayeth the Lord'  

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


Pray in the spirit and the connection will be restored. Peace floods the soul when the flesh is put under the spirit. 


Mark 14:38
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. 
The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.


Pray in the Spirit. And see how good the Lord is. How praying in the spirit sets things in order. For we are not children of the flesh, but of the Promise. 


Ephesians 4:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;



Friday, April 13, 2012

Eternal Life

John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him (Jesus) should not perish, but have eternal life.


Eternal Life 
What is it? I've seen some people comment they wouldn't want to live forever. Without Jesus, they're right. But if you're born again, they are mistaken. So, what is the prize? The reason we desire Eternal Life? 

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, Son of God, raised by the carpenter Joseph, told us He goes to prepare a place for us. John 14: 1-3. ...In My Father's house are many mansions...  Sounds wonderful to me. 
In Revelation, we're told of crystal rivers, healing trees, the paradise of God. 

Consider the wonder of a beautiful sunset, the majestic beauty of a high peak reaching into the sky and clothed with a mantle of white snow. The awesome moment of birth of a new life. The stars in the night sky. All these but a mere taste of the awesome life in God.

Have you ever been at the bedside of a believer as they look over the edge of this life and their eyes shine with the glimpse of eternity with Him? Joy floods the room for the wonders that we will behold when we see Him. 

Ponder of the Goodness of God. His majesty. How awesome is our God. And realize that here in this life we can only see a dim shadow of the Glory to come. 

Strive for the prize and know that eternal life is worth everything. There is no comparison. Life with God in paradise where there is no more sickness or tears. And to be in His Presence. It just doesn't get better. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Rejoice in finding Jesus and be born again into the family of God. And know Eternal Life is worth it all. 

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Where are you going?

Deut 30:19
... I have set before you life and death ...


Make no mistake, our bodies will die and our soul, spirit - will go somewhere. But where? As we travel this life's journey, we would be wise to live this life with eternity in mind.


Good News - eternal life has been secured for any who believe on Jesus - that He paid the price for our sin, died, and rose again on the third day. He earned eternal life for us. The Gift of God that brings life.


Somewhat good news - it's our choice. You choose. To the right or to the left behind. But it is your choice.


Bad news - not good if you choose unwisely. There is hell and it's not here on earth. Torment. Eternal separation from God. 


Joshua 24:15
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Terminal

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.


We're all born terminal. Under the death sentence of Sin. A fallen world, a mere shadow of the Glory in which it was created. Scripture even says how all of creation groans for the redemption.

Good news - there is a cure. A 100% cure! 

John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The antidote to death - believe in Jesus - the only begotten Son of God. 

REJOICE!!!  No longer do we need to live under a death sentence. Through Jesus Christ we are now under an eternal life sentence.!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Live and in Color


I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


Covered with the RED blood of Christ, I am crucified with my Lord. Yet I live because the risen Lord lives in me.


True Blue Faith. The only way I can truly live. Faith pushes through the icy waters of fear and doubt, breaking the obstacles that stand in our way. 


But our Faith is not blind, no, it is the tried and true faith of the Son of God who died and rose again. His love carries me. Not my own flesh, but the crucified flesh of my Lord who knew even though he died, he would live again forevermore.


White - the blinding light of hope that shatters darkness. The Righteousness of Jesus who sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for us. Nothing we are going through escapes His notice or prayer. We are not alone.


So live big! Live in Color. Live by the Son of God who loves you and gave himself for you.


Live!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Zombie or Alive!

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.



Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.


If we are born again, we are dead to sin. And Alive in Christ. But the above verse indicates it is our choice. If we live unto unrighteousness - unto sin - we live like the dead. Zombies rubbing shoulders with the world not to change them but being kept from the life offered to us by Christ. 


Zombies don't make a difference to the good. They conform to the deadness of this world, seeking to corrupt any who are alive to their way of dead life. Could that be why so many churches don't make a difference in this world? They've become more zombie chamber than those rejoicing at the empty tomb and Alive in Christ?


Our lives are Christs. To live is to live for Him.









Saturday, April 7, 2012

Dark Days of the Tomb

Matthew 27:54 
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying,
 Truly this was the Son of God.


Maybe you're facing your own time of gloom with hard times and harder circumstances. You feel like you're in a sealed tomb and there is no conceivable way out. Darkness invades your soul and colors everything you think and see. Life hangs by a thread and even death appears as a welcome thought. 

Don't Give Up!

Sunday is on the way. Jesus bursting into life, throwing off the grave clothes of death to live forevermore. He defeated death. Took the keys of hell and death from our enemy, Satan. That any who believes on the Name of Jesus shall be saved.

Saved from the tomb of despair. Saved from the sins that  bound us to a life of death. Saved us from ourselves. Hosanna! The Lord has provided for our salvation. Jesus went to the cross in obedience unto death to pay for the sin of the world. Declared "It is finished." And just as the enemy thought he'd won, Jesus arose from the dead on the third day. Alive forevermore. 

While in the tomb, contemplate on life, where you've been, what you've done, repent of what needs repenting, confess your sins, pray, and look up. Listen carefully and maybe you'll hear the first sounds of the huge rock of despair being rolled away. Slow at first, faster, and faster until the Light breaks forth and the Love of God shatters the sin that bound you. and Jesus calls you into life  and you walk out of that tomb Alive forevermore.


Friday, April 6, 2012

Friday, A tree, The Son

Matthew 27:35

 And they crucified him, ...




The sinless, Son of God nailed to a tree. And we call it Good Friday.
The Spotless Lamb, the final sacrifice of atonement
Payment for the first man, Adam, who sinned and sentenced us all to die.
But the Promise! The only begotten Son of God died for all, paying the price
Because of Jesus sacrifice, we might be saved to eternal life.

Dark, Bloody, Pain, Anguish, The Father turns away, and it is Finished.
Believers wept, fled, sorrowed, and hoped.

Ah, it is a Good Friday but Sunday's Coming.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Rain

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: 
as showers that water the earth.


James 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

The Lord is coming, at the right time. Be patient. HE is coming. Returning for His Bride. Be ready. Watch and pray. Give testimony of His wondrous works. Give witness to a dying world that Jesus is the Hope. Through Him man might be saved. And in His Name only. 

IT is raining.