Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Return of the King

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


What an awesome event to think about. To see Jesus in His glory and 
to change in the twinkling of an eye.
WOW!

HE is coming!

Be ready!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

In God

In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust;
 I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.


In God.
You are safe. 
No other place for your trust
Eternal.

I believe that most of our fears, anxiety, doubts come from the fact we forget that we are eternal in Christ. In God. Nothing will take us from His hand. 
And we have eternity. No limits to His goodness.

But in this world, those who do not know Him, and even we as we confine ourselves to the flesh, walk in lack. Can't have. Limited sight, limited hopes, limited.
There isn't enough favor to go around, so the flesh clamors for its fair share. Because in the flesh, who else will help? In the flesh, it's a dog eat dog world. 

But for those of us in Christ, we are not of this world. We are instructed to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. 

In Christ
We have abundance.
Eternity with God is ours, now.
If the world steals from us, the Lord restores.
Abundance.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Dreams do happen!

Introducing my first published book!


You might wonder I would put a picture and talk about my first published book. 
Dreams realized do come from God.
He first puts the desire inside us. 
Leads and guides us through the process,
Encourages us to run the race He has set before us.
And if we persevere, trust in Him, and step out.
They happen.

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Filled with the Spirit

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;


Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. Today is Memorial Day in the USA.

Jesus last words 
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Just as soldiers do not go into battle without the power of the military behind them. So to did Jesus tell His disciples to wait for the Power from Him before they went out.


Have you got the Power? It is available to all who believe on Jesus.
Ask Him and He will give it to you.


Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you. And keep asking.
Daily we need the infilling.
We can not do the thins of God without the power of the Holy Spirit.


For it is God working through us that will brings souls into the kingdom, heal the sick, raise the dead, set free the captives, deliver the oppressed.


Without the Holy Spirit, we are as a soldier without provision.


ASK and keep asking.

Friday, May 25, 2012

First Things

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name;
 worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.


Worship the Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul.
That is the first thing. 
God.

The first man and woman, walked with God in the cool of the day. The first part of the day.
First Thing. 
God.

There is a great push in Christian circles that says 'It's all about people.'
Hmmm
First Thing,
God.

The first commandment - Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
First Thing
God.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Honor

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
 in honour preferring one another;


In the Greek, the word for honor in this verse is timÄ“. 
I find that fascinating. Made me look at the verse and say give one another time.
You know the saying - "I wouldn't give them the time of day."  
That is not giving honor.

Actually, in the Greek the word means to value by the price.

SO, if Jesus died for all, what price is that? I would say priceless.
When you look at a person, see them thru the prism of honor and realize
the price that was paid for that soul. See them as the most precious of jewels.
And that is not dependent on how they act. For they may still be a 
diamond in the rough. But see them by the action of our Father
in Heaven, who saw fit to ransom us from sin and the devil
by the precious priceless blood of the Lamb of God.

Today, give those you meet the Time of day and 
value them as one who is priceless.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Great Commandment


Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
 and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.



What would Jesus do? Remember that? 

In the above verses, we find out. Not all that difficult to remember. But as in most things, the knowing and the doing are two different issues.

IF you are wondering what to do, check your heart. Where is it? What is your passion? Does God figure in to anything you are about?

Life is a journey to discover that we are God's and to love Him completely. 

Until we do that, we can't succeed in the second commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. Knowing God, loving God, living for God, 
changes our perspective in all aspects of our lives.

IF you know that God is for you, your Heavenly Father who watches over you,
then you will live and react differently to the circumstances of this life. Fear will lose its hold over you, no longer will greed and lack rule your hearts, and hate and envy
will lose their power.

It's not complicated. Not hard to remember. 

Set your hearts and minds to God. Love and worship Him.
Let the Lord rule over your heart.



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Liberty

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 


I love the word liberty. When I think of the word, I see patriots, men and women of vision who don't settle for mediocrity and push against tyranny for the betterment of all.

So what is God saying about liberty?

First of all, we only have liberty because Jesus has set us free from the tyranny of sin and death. The problem is many of us never move past enjoying the liberty in the flesh and going onto serving one another. 

Because Jesus paid the price, we are free to be what God created us to be. No longer do you need to be a people pleaser. You are free in Christ to trust Him as your Savior. Provider, Healer.

One sign says - Live free or die

There is truth in that. 

Live free in Christ, throwing off the shackles of sin, and freely love one another.

Live Free - knowing that the price has been paid.
Live Free - knowing that He is our Shepherd who watches over us
Live Free - knowing that God is our provider and protector

Love freely - knowing that you hold the light of the world in your heart
Love freely - knowing that as you bless you are blessed
Love freely - knowing you are loved

Liberty for all in Christ!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Time Dimension

To every thing there is a season, 
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:


Time. What a unique creation by God for earth. In eternity, eternal life, I doubt there is any need for time. No need to mark the days or years. Eternity is a hard concept to grasp. 

Have you ever noticed how some things can seem like the happened only yesterday and years ago in the same thought? I believe it is because we were created with eternity in mind. 

Even here on earth, friends who haven't seen each other in decades can take right back up as if they never missed a day. Again, I believe it is because we are eternal.

In this crazy, wild world we live in, many of us forget the eternal question - what happens after this life? 

That is the question we need to be concerned with. Nations will rise and fall, but you are eternal. Where do you go after this life? The question begs for an answer. Our hearts are set with an eternity in mind and a quest to discover the answer. 

No,this is not all there is. There is so much more. Look beyond the next day, year, decade, lifetime. What do you see? 

A life of joy and peace with your Heavenly Father and the saints, or a life without God? They are the only choices. 

Seek Him while He may be found. Believe on His Son, Jesus, and be assured that you will be with Him in paradise at the appropriate time. There is but one way to the Father and that is through Jesus.

The clock on this life is running. It will not stop until that appointed time for your eternal destiny. 

Choose wisely.

Friday, May 18, 2012

The Power of God

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err,
 not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

The Power of God. HE created all things out of nothing but His Word. All powerful, all knowing, ever present. Many today mock God, but it will not always be so. For He will not be mocked. There will be a day of judgment. A day of reckoning. 

How amazing that our all powerful God of judgment is also Love. Only He is capable of growing tender flowers while also having the power to melt mountains.

He is Perfect. We are not. And this is for the wise to understand. There is no way that we can get to the Father except through His Son, Jesus. Through the Power of God.

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

Rejoice that He is good, that He is able to save us, and He loves us. 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Amazing God


O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 


God is amazing. Awesome!  
When we forget that we stumble.
He knows our coming and going. He knows us. 
How comforting to know that we are in His hands.
And at the same time, if you are not walking in His way, how frightening.
As they say, be afraid, very afraid. For God will not be mocked. There is judgment.
I love that we do not understand God. Can't put Him under a microscope.
That He is beyond the imagination of man, yet longs to fellowship
With us. Longs for us to come to Him and call Him Abba
Our Father which art in Heaven
Hallowed by Thy Name
Amen! 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

He loves you.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 


Sometimes in all our religious thinking of worshiping a God that is to be feared in reverent awe, 
we forget his joy over us. 

In Genesis, whatever He created, including man, He declared it was good. The Gospel is proof of God's love for us. He didn't leave us in the dirt, mired with sin, but came down in the flesh, Jesus, and died for us. He loves us that much. Amazing.

So today, go out and know that He loves you. Listen carefully and you may hear Him singing over you. His joy over His creation. Feel His smile on you.

God is good. God is love. And He loves you.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Grace

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.


Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.


Romans 5:21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.


Grace. God's gift through His Son, Jesus, that we might have eternal life through Him. Not of our doing, no one can boast that they have earned their way into eternal life. 


But the gift of God. His favor. Grace. Walk in His grace. Recognize the goodness of God. His hand upon you. 


The world pummels with wants and lack, instead look through grace-filled eyes and see all that He has done and promises. Give grace to those who are clueless, realizing that your Father in heaven watches over you.

Grace. So important that it is in the last verse of the Bible.

Revelation 22:21
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Choose Wisely


For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
 and lose his own soul?


38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of
 his Father with the holy angels.

How often we are entrapped by our own words and wants. But how freeing if we speak and make decisions in light of these two verses.

The world dangles it's shiny baubles in front of us. Like little children, we are tempted to reach out and go after the tinsel forgetting the Present God gave to us. And the truth, if we have Jesus, and are born again into His kingdom, we have all we will ever need.

Life on this planet is temporary. Life in the Spirit is eternal. Choose wisely.

As the history of this world comes closer to completion, realize that the enemy is also becoming more desperate. The Politically Correct police are already out to silence those who dare to say the name of our Lord, Jesus. 

From Valedictorian addresses, to city council meetings, to political speeches, the name that is above all names will be edited out. But I encourage you to stand and proclaim the word of our Lord. 

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.




Friday, May 11, 2012

Tenderhearted

Ephesians 4:32

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Tenderhearted. What a loving word that touches off pictures of a mother's love. The word tender originates from a word meaning - slight or thin. I would think that is referring to the walls around a person's heart. 

What is your heart like? Are the shields up and anger shoves any thought of tenderness away? And you can feel it in your gut to say nuke them all. Yikes! 

Or are you the one with the aching heart full of guilt, shame, or pain? There is no room for tenderness toward others as your heart is full of ache for yourself only.

For me, I can always measure where I am with the Lord by my tenderness barometer. I tend toward the first example. So if in my midst I feel a fist and 'make my day' attitude' - ugh. The shields are up and the weapons loaded. Not good. Tells me I am relying on my strength and wisdom not God's.

Time to seek the Lord. Let His love dissolve the earthly, fleshly walls I have allowed to be erected around my heart. 

Father, fill my heart and soul with Your Love. Let me see others through Your eyes tempered with mercy and grace. Reset my heart, make it tender so that I may forgive and love others.

IT is all about You, Lord.
Let my heart remember that and be tender toward a hurt and dying world. 

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Worry - thoughts gone wrong!

Matthew 6


30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.



Thoughts, thinking, pondering. In verse 31, the KJV says take no thought, we call that worry.
The word worry comes from the word meaning to strangle or constrict. Torment. And that is what worry does - torments. Know the phrase - worried sick, I think there is probably more truth in that than we want to realize. Worry will make you sick.

Worry burdens you down with burdens you are not meant to carry. Worry is the enemy of faith. 
Worry powers doubt.

I like the KJV version of worry - take no thought.  How simple. Don't pick up that thought. Drop it like the stinging serpent it is. 

BUT - what about the real things we worry about? our family, health, finances, wars, nations falling?

The antidote to worry is faith. 

IF you are worried about something - search the Bible for verses that address your trouble. Seek the Lord, and His righteousness. 

And then Trust the Lord. Raise your shield of Faith, and Stand. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Majesty

Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.


I love to think on my God and how awesome and majestic He is. It is comforting to me to know that HE is above all things. That I can not fully understand and know Him. But He does fully know me. And Loves Me with a Love beyond understanding. A love that sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for me. To pay for any all I have done wrong, and I am forgiven.

The line in C S Lewis' book - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe -- The little girl is talking about the Lion who represented Jesus. And she asks,  "Is he safe?" And the answer is No, but he is good.

I love that. A God bigger than anything I can ever know. All powerful, knowing, Full of mercy and Justice. And He is not safe. Not to be toyed with or mocked. Not to be taken lightly. But knowing that though He can make the mountains melt at His word, HE is good.

Today, consider the Awesome, Majestic God and in awe realize He knows you and provides for you and loves you. 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

You are a witness.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 


As long as we are in this world, the Lord will use us to be His witness to those who are perishing. How do we witness? Stand on a street corner waving the Bible around and shouting? Quote the KJV to everyone we see? 

Ah, maybe, if the Lord has called you as an Evangelist. 

But all of us are called to be His witnesses. What has the Lord done in your life? Start there. 

In the verses above, the one that speaks to me is to 'Let your speech be always with grace," Grace.
Grace is humble wisdom, compassion linked with knowledge that your words shine life instead of club someone over the head with righteousness. Grace first and then seasoned with salt. The Truth.

Be ready to answer. Be watchful for those that the Lord puts in your path. And redeem the time with His timely word of life for those who are hurting,

Be Ready!

Monday, May 7, 2012

What is the Will of God?

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 


How often do you hear your brothers and sisters in Christ ponder on what the will of God is for their lives? I know I have said/asked it. And while there is the personal life Will of God for each of us - the race we are to run and set for us only. There are general words for those in Christ.

So if you are struggling to find out what it is you are supposed to be doing. Start here. Actually, all of chapter 5 in 1 Thessalonians applies. But for most of us, three things to look at are plenty. 

Rejoice evermore. Regardless of how we feel or the circumstances we face, the bottom line is that in Christ we overcome. Victory is ours. God loves us and has welcomed us into the family of God through the blood of Jesus and no one or anything can take us out of His hand. We are victors. Shout at the top of your lungs that God is good. Grab hold of the wonder that He has performed in us and that we are born again into everlasting life with Him. REJOICE!

Pray without Ceasing. Let your spirit loose to pray at all times. Look around and pray. Knowing that HE hears and cares. That  your words do reach His ears and are heard. That His word will go forth and accomplish what He sets forth. Pray and know that your Father in Heaven answers.

Give Thanks. This is one of those easy things to do that we often forget. Look around, everyone can find something to be thankful for. Look with grateful, grace-filled eyes at the world around you. Think on what the Lord has done in your life and give Him thanks. Make a list and turn your day around. The world tells you to look at what you lack. God says be thankful in all things. This is one thing that can turn your day and attitude around.

So start with these three. The Will of God according to the Bible. Not the entirety of His Will for sure, but a good starting place. Grab a journal, jot down a few lines for each of the three points and rejoice that you are accomplishing some of God's will for  your life. The rest will follow. As you deepen your walk with Him, He will tell you specifics. But you have to start somewhere.

Rejoice in the Journey.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Friday Challenge


Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.


It is amazing what difference one's perspective can make. Your mood follows your mind and eyes. So to make this a meaningful weekend. Let's follow the Philippians prescription for a good day.

Set  your mind on these things:
  1. What is true?
  2. Honest
  3. Just
  4. Pure
  5. Lovely
  6. A Good Report
  7. Virtue
  8. Praise
Think on these things. 
I might add  what do you have to be thankful for?

The Challenge - on a notebook, or your cell phone, look around and see what you can write down that fits in these categories. Rejoice when you find them. It might be a field of beautiful wild flowers. A mockingbird singing and blessing you with its song. A white puffy cloud in a bright blue sky. Gentle rain. A person's smile. Your smile to someone who needed it. A kind word, deed. 

Look for what is good and rejoice in the Lord. 

And then see just what kind of day you had. 

Take the challenge!

Psalm 32:11
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

When the Going Gets Tough, the Righteous ...


Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;


You've watched the news. The forecast for humanity is not looking good. Not by worldly standards anyway. Monstrous debt threatens to consume the livelihood of many, even nations. Wars, rumors of war, pestilence, famine. Drought and volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes. 

Besides turning off the news, what can you do?

As a Christian, we acknowledge that this is not our home. Destined for heaven, we have a better life waiting for us. BUT in the mean time, what do we do?

We are the light of the world. We hold the hope of Glory inside us. We have the Promise, Jesus the Messiah, in our hearts. We do not lose. Victory is ours.

So in these times of turmoil, REJOICE! 

Be Patient

And Pray



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Ask Me.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.


The other day I was walking down a path, staring at the ground I thought how I would like to have enough money to just go and buy what I wanted. 

In my spirit, I felt the Lord hug me and heard him say "Honey, what is it you want?"

So sweet was His word to me, like a Father with his little daughter. But when I thought, nothing came to my mind. I really didn't need anything, really didn't want anything.  

I know, I've been around this mountain before. But this time it really sank in. The Lord is my Shepherd. He desires to give me all I would want or need. And they will only be good gifts. It is my continual lesson on learning to trust in Him. 

Psalm 37:4

 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: 
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

This is my life verse, the one He gave me. And I have to say I do have the desires of my heart. The Lord is good and trustworthy.

SO I have everything I need. When I do have a desire, I'll take it to my Father in heaven. If it's good for me, i will have it. I have no doubts about that. 

The Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not want.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

How to please God.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” 



In this age of the social gospel,we are told to please we must feed the world, right? How do we know when we please God? Is it after we've fed a hundred, two hundred? 

Praise the Lord, He gave us a pure gospel. Not a conditional list of works we must perform. No. God sent Jesus that whoever believe on Him would have eternal life. 

To please God, you gotta have faith. That unseen substance where you know. You know God is the Creator. God sent His Son, Jesus, to provide a way back for the sons and daughters of Adam into fellowship with the Lord of Lords. 

You'll not get there by doing good things. 

But when you come to Him and fellowship with the Lord, He will lead you into good works. But the reward comes from seeking Him. Diligently seeking Him. For we are here to praise and worship Him. For no other is worthy of praise. 

Hunger to know Him. To seek Him. And you will be rewarded.

Walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. Even 'good works' are but filthy rags when done in the flesh. 

Have faith and know that He will reward  you as you seek Him with your whole heart, mind, and soul.

Seek God not the ways or wisdom of man.