Deed in Hand

                                               

 

                                               '..It is finished..'  

Jesus holds the title deed to every soul on Planet Earth.....

He purchased all of them with His blood.

 

 

scripture is from John 19:30

Balancing the Steps

                                                           The Lord says..........

"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life, I will advise you and watch over you."  Psalm 32:8

Will you let Him?

During my morning walks along the trails of the San Gabriel River, I encounter many people.  One day I saw a couple walking on cinderblocks, built into a part of the path's side to slow down any potential river overflow.

I knew at once that this man and woman were walking on these cinderblocks to practice balance control, and I decided that I would incorporate this into my own daily walk routine.

After I had done this for several days I began to notice the following things:

If I lost concentration of what I was doing and began to think of something else, I lost my balance and fell.

If I gave attention to either side, I lost my balance and fell.

If I looked too far ahead of the cinder-block I was stepping on, I lost my balance and fell.

If I glanced backward, I lost my balance and fell.

If I stopped in the middle of the cinder-block I was on, I lost my balance and fell.

I finally realized that if I just kept moving along the cinder-blocks, with an intent focus of the step I was on, I was able to maintain my balance.

Isn't this so very similar to a Christian's daily spiritual walk with Jesus?  

Of course instead of giving focus to man-made blocks, believers are supposed to give undivided attention to their Heavenly Lord.

In order to maintain secureness of the present moment, it is necessary to keep trust focused on your Creator's unwavering love for you.       

"I cried out, "I am slipping" but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me."      Psalm 94:18

If undue attention is given to circumstances around us, our footing becomes unstable.  Fearful speculation about what lies ahead, excess thought given to past errors, or worrying about present problems inevitably means a fall off the path leading to our destiny.

Stay in the moment--remember that Jesus tends to only give little glimpses of our journey, so do not lose balance if things are not going according to your plan. 

 When we start to doubt Jesus' ability to guide, and begin to say, "Does God really know what is happening here?  Will God be able to handle this issue?", we are actually losing sight of who He is as The Sovereign Lord God.  

If Jesus is your Lord, then know without a doubt that He is well aware of what you are experiencing now, and what you will encounter later.  Be assured that He has already made the perfect arrangements to take care of you, so.....

enjoy your journey with Him.  The present situations are the very opportunities that allow your faith in Jesus' love to write a divine production for your life.

 

 

 

 

 

Christian Fireflies

...Become blameless and harmless children of God, without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world....Philippians 2:15

I was sitting in the backyard early last evening watching deer and hummingbirds.  As the darkness of night set in, I couldn't help but notice how fireflies suddenly dominated the entire scene. 

 I was awed and inspired by their beauty.  A calming and healing effect came over my total being as I watched these tiny creatures in action. 

There were hundreds of them flitting around, and I never knew where one would turn up next.  The amazing thing was how they stood out in such contrast to the dark of the night.  No matter where the light came on,  my attention was automatically drawn to that location.

I started thinking that Jesus' followers are supposed to stand out in this dark world just like the fireflies stood out against the darkness of night.

People are hurting, people are lonely, people are sick,  people are dying---they desperately need to see Jesus in action. 

If you belong to Jesus, then you are a light.  Jesus told His followers, "You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14,16

Ok, so how can we be Christian fireflies?

It isn't some complicated thing.  It is simple, really.  WWJD--What would Jesus do,

or say?

Every time our love contrasts against hate, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time our faith contrasts against fear, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time our gently soothing words contrasts against harsh angry words, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time truth contrasts against a lie, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time joy contrasts against gloom, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time peace contrasts against agitation, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time patience contrasts against irritation, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time healing contrasts against sickness, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Every time blessing contrasts against cursing, the world is experiencing Jesus.

Get the point?

If such a miniscule creature as the firefly can light up total darkness so that it draws attention, just think how powerful your positive words, heartfelt gestures, or sincere smiles can be to the dark world around.

I have no doubt that you will have an opportunity to be a Christian firefly today. 

 

Honesty Comes Supernaturally

          "I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord...of justice and might."  Micah 3:8

Every person who truly follows Jesus has what is needed to walk with integrity on Planet Earth.

What do they have?

All real Christians have the Holy Spirit of God living inside to guide their steps.

Do challenges come that try to interfere with God's desire for us? 

Yes.  In fact, I dealt with one recently.

Earlier this week I bought some goat cheese and a fruit/nut mix at the grocery store.  These items should have cost $14, but the cashier only charged me $8.  I paid, knowing full well that this did not seem right, but I did not bother to say anything, nor did I look at the receipt when it was handed to me.

I left the store and tried to suppress any guilt by rationalizing, "I guess one of the items must have been on special--besides, I am in a hurry right now"; however, Jesus was not impressed with these rationalizations used to justify my actions, so.....

over the next couple of days Holy Spirit kept speaking to me about this incident, reminding me that I needed to take a look at that receipt.

When I did finally view the receipt, I saw that I had not been charged for the fruit/nut mix.

Why had Holy Spirit kept bringing this matter to my mind?  Because our God desires complete honesty from His people. 

"Ok, on my next trip to the store I will go to customer service and tell them I wasn't charged for this item."

The next time I went grocery shopping, I went over to customer service and told the woman what happened.  She looked directly at me with a puzzled expression on her face, and then she glanced over at another close-by employee as if to say, "Can you believe it? This woman is crazy, she wants to pay for an item that was not on her receipt.  The store would never have known."

I'm not sure if those were her actual thoughts, but what I am sure of is this---No, the store might have never known, but my Lord Jesus knew all about it, and He wanted me to make things right.

Would Jesus be that strict? 

Actually, yes--He wants His followers to walk with complete integrity at all times.

                    "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord."  Proverbs 11:1

I got another bag of the same type fruit/nut mix from the shelf so the woman in customer service would know what amount to charge me. 

She smiled and said, "Thank you, a lot of people would not have done this".

 I told the woman, "In times past I wouldn't have been honest, but now I am a follower of Jesus, and this is what He requires of me."

So.....

Thanks to Holy Spirit this story has a good ending.  I left the store feeling great because I did the right thing.  I had defeated that fleshy pull to ignore a wrong, and I had turned this situation into a great opportunity to witness about our awesome Creator God.

Praises to The wonderful Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus!

 

 

Mislabeled as Food

                       "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." Hosea 4:6  

We live in a society that is literally starving.

There is a hunger inside each person crying out to be filled with pure food.

These days perfect food for the body, soul, and spirit is being contaminated by humans and marketed as something desirable.  Even though real nourishment is readily available, a vast majority of people are not partaking of it. 

Why?

The trend seems to be gobbling up "food" that is fast and easily available, without bothering to research what is actually being eaten. 

It takes a little time and effort to seek out the facts about what we are being fed, but it is well worth the effort because.....

knowing the results can lead to life----------or----------they can lead to death.

Reading labels of packaged food often reveals the following harmful ingredients: artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, artificial colors, hydrogenated fat, and an enormity of artificial and natural sweeteners.

These products might look and taste good to people because the senses have been dulled from so much exposure to these unnecessary additions to the food.  It seems right to eat this junk because people have been bombarded by advertisers saying "you need this--it will satisfy you",  "you must have this attractive product today", however.....

research reveals that these artificial man-made inclusions to food prove toxic to our bodies over time.

Don't go by the deceptively enticing pictures, or the large alluring messages on the front label, but instead read the tiny print on the back to discover the truth about what is being sold.

Our Creator God made live, health-promoting food for our bodies---beautiful and delicious vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.  When you eat these real and perfect foods on a regular basis, the contaminated foods begin to taste really bad--the flavor will be noticeably "off".

Spiritual food is absolutely no different.

The same Creator God who put those living fruits and vegetables on Earth to feed our body also gave us His living Word to nourish our spirit.

Unfortunately, many people do not take the time to read the Bible anymore than they take time to read the small print on labels.

Many teachings today are as man-contaminated as food products are.  Some so-called preachers are filling people up with an inferior fake product.  These artificial messages are so polished by "fancy advertising" that people are buying them in place of the real thing.

Any preacher or spiritual guru can dress up fancily and speak out from their latest book, their TV program, or from behind a pulpit in the local congregation.  This allows them to recite something that they want to sell, and often what is being peddled is their personal view.  When the perfect Word of God is infused with man's own thoughts, it makes the message unhealthy for the soul. 

Unless the message lines up with pure Biblical Truth it should be discarded, but a person can't really know if the "ingredients" used in the sermon or teaching are harmful until time has been taken to study the Word of Truth. The only way to know Truth is to educate yourself in the Bible to the point that you can literally "taste" the wrongness of those fake messages.

"Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  Hebrews 5:14.

You have choices of what you put into the body, soul, and spirit.  Why, oh why would you want to promote dis-ease by ingesting man-made inferior substances when you could choose the wonderful life-giving body, soul, and spirit nutrition that your Creator intended?

                                               ".....Choose Life....." Deuteronomy 30:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside the Lines

Jesus tells His followers:

"Do not worry about things, saying "What will we eat?" "What will we drink?" "What will we wear?" These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else---live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."  Matthew 6:31-34

Does doubt ever try to creep into my thoughts?

Unfortunately, yes.

I texted a friend a few days ago to give encouragement.  I reminded him of the above Bible verses from the book of Matthew telling us not to concern ourselves with daily earthly needs, that our heavenly Father knows all about them.

Later in the day I seemed to forget that those verses applied to the circumstances in my own life.  As I looked at the receipt from my car's oil-change, it revealed need of brake, hose, tire, and front-end attention. 

 I  literally felt the fear begin to well up inside as I reflected on the low balance of my bank account.  "No, I do not need this frustration right now!"

I then looked up, and immediately saw a sign on the wall that encouraged coloring outside the lines. 

Of course!  Why was I beginning to fret?

My heavenly Father does not have to stay within the lines of my rationalization.  He paints lovely pictures for my life that are not dictated from barriers imposed by my fear. 

Do I believe Jesus is the all-powerful Son of God?  Absolutely!

Is Jesus  my personal Lord?  Yes!

How many times has my Lord come through for me, providing for my needs?  Literally hundreds, probably more like thousands of times.

Is anything too hard for Jesus?  No.

Will He help with the repairs of the car?  Yes, I trust my Lord to help me with every issue on Planet Earth.  All I have to do is maintain the childlike faith to believe Him.

I do not have to know how He will do it, I only have to trust it will be done.......

Thank You, Father--in Jesus' Name.,

Amen!

 

 

 

 

Daily Inspection

He who believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water..John 7:38.

Picture how a submarine glides smoothly through the water.  But what would happen if one of its seams developed a small separation due to the constant pressure of that surrounding water?  Even though this opening would most likely be so tiny that it would be imperceptible to the human eye, this vessel would slowly begin to take on the water from the outside.  Nobody would even be aware until it was too late, and.....the sub began to sink.

If you truly belong to Jesus, then your heart is similar to this submarine under water.  But instead of water, it is the world's traits that continually surround you. 

Satan would like to infiltrate your heart with his pride, hate, fear, lust, greed, condemnation--- every ugly fleshy thing.  These common worldly traits are constantly pushing against you in a insidious effort to penetrate your heart, and take you down.

Our enemy's subtle tactics are often not noticed because these offensive attitudes are so widely accepted in our culture, however..... 

Satan's ways are repulsive inspirations that do great harm! 

Be alert!  Even though these traits are not intended for a Christian, these negative qualities can begin to sabotage the heart of the most avid Christ-follower. 

Surrounded by attitudes that are not authored by our Creator, it is up to you as the Christian to be watchful for the attempted illegal entry of Satan's foreign matter to your heart.

Beware, Satan's ways are cunning, so......how do you keep his worldly ways out?

You have to stay on guard.  You must maintain a regular, daily inspection to see if your heart is lining up with the love-heart of your Lord Jesus.

How do you do this?

Daily reading of the Word of God will point out all foreign and poisonous attitudes trying to infiltrate your heart and mind.  Listen very closely to the guiding of the Holy Spirit of Jesus and He will help you eliminate these toxicities.

Remember.....

Our enemy Satan's ways are all ugly---toxic/death-promoting/cursing/condemning/judgemental.

Our Lord Jesus' ways are all beautiful---healthy/life-giving/blessing/encouraging/comforting.

Be committed to not allow the foreign "water" of the enemy contaminate the living water of Jesus inside your heart. 

 

 

 

 

Creations of Habit

If you are united with the Anointed One, you are a new creation.  The old life is gone...a new life has begun! 2 Cor. 5:17.

When I got out of prison I was required to put an alcohol-detecting device on my car.  This is a piece of equipment that has to blown into before the car will start.

I was mandated to have this device on my car the 4 years I was on parole.  Each day, I would get into my car, turn the key part-way in the ignition, and the machine would start to beep.  I could then blew into this contraption so that my car would start. 

It was only after its removal that I begin seeing how conditioned I was to this acquired habit.  Several days after the removal of the device I can remember sitting inside my car waiting for the beep so that I could blow into that machine.  I sat there and laughed out loud.....all I had to do now was turn the key fully to start the car.

Yea, what freedom it was to.....just get in the car and drive.

I was thinking about the freedom a reborn child of God has.  We should be totally joyful that we have been set free by Jesus. 

We now possess the Key.....

Reborn children of God are supposed to---just get into life and love.

Jesus died so that we wouldn't have to be bound up by things learned from the past---fear, frustration, retaliation, pride, greed, lust, etc.  When we belong to Him..the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit..Romans 5:5.

Don't complicate it.

His way is simple.

The world needs their Creator.  Jesus told us we are to "be" witnesses for Him all over the earth..Acts 1:8.

                                            God is love...1 John 4:8

He told us to love each other deeply and fully, remembering the ways He has loved us, and to demonstrate our love for others in those same ways.  John 13:34........

We are not supposed to sit and wait for vessels to give us alerts to blow breath into them---  we should make it a habit to just get into life each day and turn on the key of love.

 

Fe' Come Closer

                 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...James 4:8

I have been observing my cat Fe' for a few years now.  Fe' is the Spanish word for faith.

This pretty black cat came to me as part of an entire family six years ago.  In time, her mom and three litter mates disappeared.....

Now it is just me and Fe'.

I know Fe' is aware that I am the one who takes care of her.  She has never lacked for anything since arriving at my doorstep.....I love Fe'.

Many times each day Fe' comes over and wants me to pet her.  There are times when Fe' lets me pick her up, but it seems that just as often, when I bend toward her she moves away from my reach.  Fe' comes close for affection, then retreats.  As this happens over and over, I get a little frustrated by her actions because I am not able to love on her the way I would like to.

There is no consistency of complete trust in the one who takes care of her.

I realize these actions stem from Fe's early beginning on Planet Earth.  I'm sure she questioned why her entire family deserted her.  I'm sure she thought they didn't love her.  I'm sure she was lonely for them.  I'm sure she questioned why the world was so mean, so.....

Now Fe' has a difficult time totally relaxing in who I am for her.  Maybe she thinks she shouldn't get too close because I might let her down also. 

It seems to me that Fe' would always want to be right in the middle of my lap---the person who welcomed her with love.

Makes me think that Jesus probably feels that way with some of us.  It looks like any person who has been rescued by Him should have complete trust in His love.

There should never be a pulling away from Him.  Instead, we should always be running toward Jesus, wanting to sit in the lap of the One who rescued us.

Just as I am not able to reach out and touch Fe' when she backs away from me, Jesus is not able to bless us as much as He would like when we pull away from Him.

Many things can pull us away from Jesus..... 

What goes on in your thoughts? 

What are you giving attention to? 

Are you concerned with.....Past earthly issues?  Present earthly issues?  Future earthly issues? 

Earthly things will surely dominate your attention, and weaken your faith.....if you allow them to. 

You are supposed to cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you...1 Peter 5:7.

Run to your Savior with all your worries.  Don't let earthly concerns pull you away from intimacy with Him.

Jesus can only pick you up and hold you close when you run to Him and allow Him to do what He does best as your personal Lord God. 

Remember..........

Jesus loves you so much that He actually died---just for you!

 

Just Bloom

             Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God, but this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing..2 Corinthians 2:15

While driving past a field the other day, I noticed a single yellow flower growing among the grass.  There must have been millions of blades of grass, and yet my attention was drawn to this single flower.

Why did this flower command attention?

Because......it was distinct.

If you are a true follower of Jesus, you will stand out among the world's views and actions.  You won't look like the world, talk like the world, think like the world, or function like the world.

Jesus is the embodiment of Truth.

If Jesus is your Lord, do not be surprised by others' reactions as you represent Truth.  Even those very close to you may not understand your stance on certain issues.. 

When Jesus' own family heard about this craziness, they went to drag Him out of that place. They were saying "He's out of His mind!" Mark 3:21.

If you are a disciple of Jesus, you should not to be discouraged or afraid when there is persecution for being different.......Jesus wasn't. 

Bottom line is that the world needs to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell Truth in action.

Remember.....Truth always leaves the scent of love in the atmosphere.

                                Keep blooming Truth, for Jesus' sake!

 

 

Truth in Action

Jesus said..."I am Truth"  John 14:6

Jesus said..."You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to My teaching.  Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free."  John 8:32

Truth is the Word of God.......Jesus is the Word of God

Truth is eternal.......Jesus is eternal

Truth is life.......Jesus is life

Truth is constant.......Jesus is constant

Truth always loves.......Jesus always loves

Truth heals your spirit.......Jesus heals your spirit

Truth heals your soul (mind, will, emotions).......Jesus heals your mind, will, & emotions

Truth heals your body (sickness, disease, anxiety).......Jesus heals your body

Truth is faithful.......Jesus is faithful

Truth never fails.......Jesus never fails

Truth is wisdom.......Jesus is wisdom

Truth always forgives.......Jesus always forgives

Truth is just.......Jesus is just

Truth convicts evil.......Jesus convicts evil

Truth redeems people from darkness.......Jesus redeems you from darkness

Truth delivers people from bondage.......Jesus delivers you from bondage

Truth makes you free.......Jesus makes you free

                   If the Son sets you free, you will really be free. John 8:36

                                                   

 

What is Truth?

           Jesus said....I am Truth.. John 14:6

 

                 

                                                   

 

Beautiful Flower? Deadly Seed!

They band together and roam from house to house, gossiping about and meddling into other people's business; they talk about all sorts of things that should never be spoken of..1 Timothy 5:13

Nature is an amazing teacher.  What happens in the physical world is often a potential spiritual lesson.

I have been walking my friend's dog Sparky along a nature trail the past three weeks.  Each day I see thousands of tiny white flowering plants.  They appear very lovely to the eyes.....they seem harmless.

I have observed these plants before.  In a matter of time, these lovely minuscule flowers begin to turn very dark, and they eventually form ugly black sticky seeds.

As people and animals walk past, these seeds seem to jump out and attach to the innocent victims' clothes and fur.  They are then carried and dropped in other places.  Taking root, they continue to spread in an effort to conquer new territory.

There is nothing good about these plants......they turn ugly, and they spread.

It is interesting how these plants demonstrate gossipy people who slander others with words.  They may start out using pretty and flattering words that gain entrance into a person's life, but their words turn into harmful attempts to sabotage that very same person.

Why would anyone spread destructive gossip?  It is most likely because they are completely insecure.  Insecurity promotes an urgent act to tear someone else down in order to feel good about themselves.  Insecurity tries to get the other person on its side.  Insecurity just likes to hear itself ramble on and on.

Only God can truly know the specific motives behind any individual who practices malicious gossip.  I only know that this type of behavior does not come from a beautiful and loving heart that is right with Jesus.

I realize we all have the potential to slip up and get fleshy.  Most of us can occasionally use words or actions that do not measure up with the loving behavior that Jesus always desires, but.....a major warning should sound about a person that maintains repeated consistency in this type of slanderous activity.

When someone says to you, "I am only telling you this because I care about this person"......you should be on alert that gossip might be about to ensue.

Listen to Holy Spirit's voice.  He will direct you to discard all seeds of gossip before they begin to turn dark and try to attach themselves.  Gossip does not come from our Jesus.

The Lord said, "..why were you not afraid to speak against My servant..?" Numbers 12:8.

 Do not give life to the hateful seeds of gossip by planting them somewhere else.  Cast those ugly seeds to the ground.  Be the one to step on and crush their hurtful potential.

Studying the Bible will train you to discern false and hurtful motives in a person's words.  The Word of God will also teach you how to nullify gossip's "evil attempt" by speaking life words of blessing and love.

                 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21.

 

 

 

 

God Provides

Know this: my God will fill every need you have according to His glorious riches in Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. (Philippians 4:19)

The last blog I wrote (Word Snatcher) was about watching a bird fly by with a twig in its beak; I supposed it was for a nest. The bird became fearful when it was confronted by an enemy (my cat Fe'), and in a panic let the provision drop to the ground. 

I related this to how our enemy, the devil, tries to steal God's Covenant Word of divine care from His children by frightening them about circumstances. 

Know this....circumstances do not change the ability of our God to provide for His children's needs.

Almost one year after watching that bird drop its provision I was sitting in the backyard of a friend.  It was springtime, and I watched as a male bird flew over to a small birdhouse with something in its mouth (perhaps it was a worm, or maybe it was a twig for a nest).

A female bird's head appeared from inside the birdhouse and took whatever it was from the male's mouth.  She then disappeared back inside the house to either eat the worm, or add the twig to the nest inside.

It was so beautiful to watch the female accept the provision from her mate without hesitation.  She simply trusted that what he had for her was good, then she opened her mouth and received it.

What a wonderful picture of how we are to trust our God (if Jesus is our Lord).  With childlike faith, we believe that our Heavenly Father knows what we need.  It doesn't matter if the provision is for healing, financial, or spiritual needs.....we can be absolutely sure that He will be faithful to get it to us at exactly the right time. 

We do not doubt His care for us......we simply open our hearts to receive the needed provision from Him.

The covenant of God's love for us is detailed in the Bible's new testament.  It is guaranteed by the signature of Jesus our God, using His blood as the ink.

So do not consume yourself with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?, What will we do?.....your Heavenly Father knows exactly what you need.....(Matthew 6:31-32, "What will we do?" is added by me).

 

 

 

 

Word Snatcher

                           ...the devil comes and steals the word..Luke 8:12

I began writing a journal while I was inside a Texas prison (2009-10), and I continue to document occurrences in my life to this day. 

I was reading in a 2014 journal about losing my house in a public auction.  I wrote about while exercising on my treadmill, I was thinking that in less than two weeks I would be in another location......"I lost my beautiful home, I have to move out!"  I would be leaving behind years of memories inside this house, as well as having to get rid of a 14 year collection of things.  Ugh!

Fear began trying to gain entrance into my heart.  Fear wanted me to forget all that God had done in my life.  Fear wanted to make me forget who my Creator is.  Fear wanted to replace   God's promises of who He is, with doubt, unbelief, and discouragement.

I was looking out the window as I thought about all this, and I noticed a bird fly by with something in its mouth.  It was springtime, and so I assumed it was a twig to add to its nest.  All of the sudden the bird disappeared.  I got off the treadmill and went outside to see what happened to it.  In horror I saw that my cat, Fe', had the bird in her mouth.

I got Fe' to let go of the bird, but the bird panicked in fear and dropped the twig from its beak. The twig laid useless on the ground, never to be a part of building this bird's nest.

This got me to thinking about the devil's tactics of stealing God's Word from people.  I saw how satan likes to sneak up and cause fear so that we let go of God's promises from our hearts.

Quick to pounce on his prey, the devil would like to steal all promises given to us by our Creator.  Satan would like for us to foolishly try to accomplish everything in our own strength.

What a liar!

God has given us His promise that He will care for us.  Our Creator made an eternal covenant with us, and it was signed by the blood of Jesus.  This is how much He loves us. 

Salvation is offered through Jesus, and this includes His provision, His healing, His peace.  These are the primary things people are striving for, and yet....God has already given them to us through Jesus.

These promises are for now, while we are on Planet Earth.

Our enemy, the devil, would like for us to let those promises drop to the ground and lie dormant.  He would like for us to go about life on Earth in despondency, with hearts that are frustrated by the failure of trying to meet our own needs.

Do not let the enemy steal what Jesus came to Earth to give you.  Hold on to the promises inside the Bible.  Be assured that as you allow Jesus to be Lord, He will direct you.  His guidance will provide everything you need for an abundant life on Earth. 

The following are words of Jesus:

The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy.  I came so that you could have life--indeed, so that you can live life to the fullest.  John 10:10.

 

 

Little by Little

                   ...love one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins..1 Peter 4:8     

There is a story about a frog jumping into a pot of water because he was tired and thirsty; the water looked inviting and refreshing.  At first the water felt good because it was lukewarm to the frog's flesh, but little by little the temperature of the water got turned up.  However, the frog did not notice that the water was becoming hotter, until it was too late......the frog didn't make it.

What if someone had seen that the water was getting very hot, but just stood by saying, "Oh my, that frog is going to die if it doesn't get out of that pot."  This observation, without action, would not have saved the frog.

What if someone had noticed the flame getting higher, and had taken the time to try and rescue the frog?  He might have lived.

Wouldn't you have tried to do something to help the frog live?

The world around is getting darker.  Many people, like the frog, do not realize the darkness because they have become so accustomed to the sin in this culture.  It appears normal, almost inviting.  For centuries it has been building up little by little.  

Some people do realize that things are getting out of control, and are quick to talk about the latest news report...."Isn't it awful?"  "Well I never!"  "I can't believe what is going on in the world!"  This judgemental, non-active observation is not benefiting anyone.

The sad fact is, that even among these complaints, many people (including church goers) finally become complacent and begin going along with whatever society deems appropriate, "Oh well, it is the twenty-first century, things are just different now.  There is nothing we can do." 

A true Christian knows that this is not true.  There is something we can actively do.  So, how do we go about proclaiming God's intent for humanity?

First of all, people in the world need to know their Maker so they can even recognize sin, and they need to know Jesus is always there to help them with it. 

They need to understand that He is a God of love, and that He wants the very best for His human creations.  They need to realize that our Creator made things to be a certain way because He knows that sin will kill His humans.  They need to grasp onto the fact that His wisdom of orderly design is perfect.  They need to know that God's design of creation is the exact way it is, so that we can experience an abundant life.

Pastors should be standing behind pulpits and speaking this Truth.  As Christians, we can talk about God's way to people that we encounter on a daily basis.  Letters can be written to people in Congress, or peaceful demonstrations can be held to stand up for Biblical Truth.  Articles, stories, and books can be written, or media discussions can be posted about God's Truth........Yes, all of these are good.

I think that one of the most effective ways to demonstrate our Lord's way is by living it out in our own lives.  People definitely observe our words and actions.

OR.....

You can sit around criticizing, judging, and complaining about the current situations to each other.  I know this is an "Ouch" to some of you, but come on, this is not helpful to anyone!

So....in your own creative way, start showing the goodness of our living Jesus to the hurting world before you. 

REMEMBER.....

Standing up FOR Biblical Truth in a gentle loving way is far more powerful than speaking aggressively against the current morality issues that oppose God's will. 

.....where sin abounds, grace abounds much more..Romans 5:20.