A GOOD WORD

James 3:8-10

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father;

 and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. 

My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

This verse is so powerful if we but put it into practice and ponder on its meaning.

Unfortunately how true it is. And it shouldn't be so.

How quick derogatory words fly out of our mouths at the least provocation.

And how seldom do words of kindness, encouragement, goodness, love and hope

Come forth.

So today

Beef up your vocabulary.

Find 10 good words you can say about or too others.

Even to those who we don't like.

Here are some of mine:

1. Good
2. Wonderful
3. Delight
4. Kind
5. Pleasant
6. My Pleasure
7. Honor
8. Encourage
9. I applaud your...
10. I appreciate 

Safe in the Arms

What better place to be? Wrapped in the Father's arms.

Safe and secure. 

Our Father in heaven wants to wrap His arms around us.

And HE does.

When we allow Him too.

Read the 23rd Psalm

And know that you are safe in His arms.

Psalm 23

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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

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

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Happy Trails

Psalm 25:4

Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

Each day is new. Each day is made for us.

Walk in the ways that He has made for you.

Look and listen for His Word

See what the Lord has done.

If the cares of life have dragged you down

Stop, Look and Listen.

Perhaps you have wandered from the paths of righteousness.

Perhaps you are missing what He has for you

For the Lord is good

And His desire is good toward you.

But there is an enemy and our own lust for the world

That take us down paths away from the Lord

Guard your steps.

And take a fresh breath. 

The day is new

Seek what He has for you

Be blessed and a blessing.

God is my Strength!

Psalm 18:32

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

How amazing is our God.

He gives us the strength to follow Him

And He makes the way perfect.

So, why do we feel so weak and lost?

God is the God of firsts.

First thing in the day go to Him

Let Him instruct you for the day.

Trust Him

And when you feel weak

Proclaim the truth

He is our strength.

Be Strong

In the Lord!

Justice

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Justice

God is Holy, Just, and Merciful.

Some ask how can bad things happen to good people.

IT is a result of the the first man's unwise choice.

To deny God's command

Adam brought death to 

all his children

to come.

Adam's choice 

God's justice

And in God's mercy

He sent His only begotten Son

Jesus

To pay for Adam's wrong choice

Jesus chose to give His life for us

But Jesus' death didn't end there

For he rose from the dead

Giving eternal life to all 

who believe on Him.

God is Just and Holy

and 

Merciful

Absolutely!

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; 

but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Today, many would say that truth is relative and there are no absolutes.

Well, that is absolutely not true.

The world we live in is full of examples.

2+2=4  not five, not three.

To say there are no absolutes is foolishness.

And if we are left up to the task of defining what truth is

then we are running on ignorance which leads to foolishness.

God is good. God is love.

Those are absolute truths.

How do I know?

They are in the Bible.

The Word of God is our guide. 

His Word does not change because of public opinion.

We can count on it, trust it, know it.

Man is absolutely lost and condemned from birth.

God did not leave us there though,

He provided a way back to fellowship with God.

Through belief in Jesus

we are born again and given eternal life.

That is the absolute truth.

Read the Word and find out the truth.

Framework

Genesis 1:5

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

 And the evening and the morning were the first day.

In the beginning, God set the framework of our days. 

From the evening and the morning, 

He named day. 

And from the beginning, the Lord numbered our days

knowing even the number of hairs on our heads.

What comfort to know that we are known by Him.

The Creator of all

Knows you!

How amazing is that. How wonderful and yet fearful that is

For He knows our coming and going.

There is no place to hide from Him

No deeds are hidden from Him

He knows

And because He knows us

He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth

to take the punishment of the Sin of the world upon

His sinless back and be nailed to a tree

Jesus took the curse to set us free.

You are known by Him

Your deeds are known by Him

By Him You are set free from the curse

If you believe.

Do you believe on Jesus?

Do you know that He is the sinless Son of God?

Have you been washed by His blood?

Seek Him while He  may be found.

There is a framework

A beginning and an end.

Seek the Lord now

While there is time

For the door is yet open

But only for a time.

There is a framework. 

Be Wise and seek the Lord.

Now.

Mindful

Matthew 16:23 (NKJV)

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Read this verse today. Not sure I ever noticed the part - you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.  The KJV uses the word savourist instead of mindful.

So, how highly do I value the things of God? That is the question. Where do I get my knowledge? Do I go to what I think is right or what God thinks?

I don't want to have my mind full of my ideas. I want the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16

For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

Peter didn't want to hear that Jesus would be killed and taken from them. A noble thought, but one that is not in line what must happen. I would have been right there with Peter. And then isn't it ironic that this man who stood valiantly declaring he wouldn't let it happen, turned from Jesus when he was taken and denied that he ever knew Jesus. Not once but three times.

Are we any different? I am not. Though my words may be noble and even sound right, I know that many times I am not mindful of the things of God. I am more mindful of the things of this world.

I look at my country. The great USA and see it is coming apart at the seems and headed for disaster. I rail, rant, and come against those in power. And when I do, I my mind is full of the things of this world. 

Do I not understand that God will have His way and it is always right? That perhaps my country must fall to rise again. That souls hang in the balance and maybe many will not turn unless thing happen. 

No, many times I have not been mindful of Christ. 

Time to walk in the Spirit and take on the mind of Christ. Emptying my mind of the way of the world, I come to the Lord, arms raised and ask forgiveness and His wisdom.

Be mindful of the things of God.

Love Commanded

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, 
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

I like that He commanded His love toward us.

Love is a force.

A strong power that overrides fear.

That saves those perishing

And brings them life.

Love didn't demand that we clean up first.

Love was commanded by God 

To rescue us.

Save us

But at the cost of Jesus' life.

Good News

Jesus rose from the dead

And we with Him.

No longer does death hold power over us

For we are saved 

We, through Christ, have eternal life.

By the Command of God's love toward us.

Rejoice!

Saved!

Romans 5:10 

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, 
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Saved! Salvation! 

What does that mean?

According to Merriam-Webster: 

Salvation is deliverance from the power and effects of sin.

Because of Jesus death,

and if we believe on Him,

we are made heirs to the kingdom with Christ.

Jesus is the first-born of the dead

We are his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus is Life

In Christ we live and have our being.

Psalm 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy;

at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

I love to go down paths to see where they might go. Especially the overgrown, unused paths. What secrets they hold, mysteries to be revealed, and joy of the unexpected wonders to find.

How about you? Are you on a highway choked with crowds? Or have you chosen a path of seclusion to meet the Lord? The Path Maker. The One who guides us on the paths we should go.

Choose the narrow way. You won't find many on it. BUT it has the promise of life.

Matthew 7:14

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Today, seek the narrow way. Cry out to the Lord and seek His direction and walk on the narrow path. Be ready for wonders, be ready for Him.

How Awesome is Our God!

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How amazing is our God! He not only created everything, 

seeing to every detail and making a delight the various flowers and animals. 

But He fashions us. 

Died for us,  

And

Not leaving us 

He rose from the dead

And is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Interceding for us.

Having won our salvation

taking the keys of hell and death from Satan

That we who believe might have eternal life with the Lord.

No other God has done this. They are either stone or wood

Dead gods from dead things

or they were mere men

who have returned to dust in graves.

NO

We serve the living the God

The author and finisher of our faith!

Our God is alive

and so are we in Him!

Our God is an Awesome God!!!