* It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

2nd Corinthians 5:17-18a NLT

One of the guys at work - when you ask him how he's doing - always replies, "Man, it doesn't get any better than this..." Usually what he means is, "This is it, so you might as well learn to live with it." On days that have been particularly trying, that is not what I want to hear. Although this evening, I was reminded that I used to believe exactly that because I had no hope. I was a hopeless case.

I've walked down Memory Lane a few times in the last week or so. You see, I have no problem remembering what I was and where I was when God finally got my attention. I remember thinking back then that I deserved everything that happened in my life because of the choices I'd made along the way. I distinctly remember thinking that it would never get better because I didn't deserve better... and truly, I didn't... 

But thank God, it wasn't about me and what I did. It was - and is - all about Christ and what He did to pay for my life - and yours - on the Cross at Calvary. And that has removed the pain from those memories and left only the glow of God's goodness, His love, His mercy, and redemption to cover the multitude of my sins. Praise God, by His grace, I am able to look down that road through the filter of His forgiveness and love. 

Tonight, I was blessed to sit down to supper with 30 women - strong women of God - women that Titus speaks of in chapter 2. Laughing, talking, sharing, eating Tex-Mex...sitting with them, loving them, one with them. And I marvel at what God has done in each of the lives represented there. New creations, The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

It doesn't get any better than this. Only Heaven will be better...

Prayer:

Father,

          I pray the words of Leeland's song - It feels like there's not enough praise inside of me. With all these words, all my heart can sing is 'Holy! You are holy!' I want to walk worthy of the life You have given me. I want to reflect You, Father, and only You, because it doesn't get any better that that. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - * All of Them

All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and

all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea,

all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.

All of them ate the same spiritual food, and

all of them drank the same spiritual water.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

1st Corinthians 10:1b-5 NLT

God declared a new beginning for all of them, whether they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to be a part of the assembly and follow the Lord; God made no distinction among them. It no longer mattered to Him. Here's all you have to do... (read Exodus 12).

And then He gave them the same instructions. All of them were given the same opportunity. And again, He made the point of expressing that it made no difference if they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to follow His ways. Follow Me and live. Not one of them could say, "Well, You gave him more than you gave me..."  Not one...

Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. Will you?

You may say, Yeah, but that was back then and He provided their shelter and their food every day and they didn't have to earn a living and pay gas prices and... 

The great Equalizer is this, they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.  The same Christ who instructed us in Matthew 28:20, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world...

I ask again... Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. The question is, Will you?

Prayer:

Father,

         Help us to examine our own lives - face to face with You. Cause the compass of our hearts to be totally fixed on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's Coming

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 11:1-2 NLT

3 He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.

6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.  The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. 7 The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. 8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. 9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

10 In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.

13 Then at last the jealousy between Israel and Judah will end. They will not be rivals anymore. 14 They will join forces to swoop down on Philistia to the west. Together they will attack and plunder the nations to the east. They will occupy the lands of Edom and Moab, and Ammon will obey them. 15 The Lord will make a dry path through the gulf of the Red Sea. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates River, sending a mighty wind to divide it into seven streams so it can easily be crossed on foot. 16 He will make a highway for the remnant of his people, the remnant coming from Assyria, just as he did for Israel long ago when they returned from Egypt.

Prayer:

Father,

         Wake us from our slumbering minds, O God! Open our eyes and ears to see and hear You! Cause us to rise up, ready in You! In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

* What to Wear

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.
Romans 13:11-12a NLT

Do you ever go through times when your perfectly good clothes no longer seem perfectly good? Especially when there's a special occasion involved. What was your favorite suit or shirt just last week is now totally unacceptable, but you can't seem to find another one that you like. And along that same line of thinking, isn't it funny how your whole attitude changes when you put on something you know looks good or feels good, depending on the occasion? Or the best case scenario - when it looks AND feels good? Ohhhh, that's the best! Especially if you DO have a special event you're planning to attend.

I love invitations that include instruction regarding the expected attire. Those are lifesavers. You know exactly what you should wear, even if you don't currently have it. And generally, those invitations arrive in plenty enough time to make provision for attending. Have you ever NOT gone to an event because you didn't have the right thing to wear? Oh, you could have gone, but you just didn't have the desire to invest the time or money it would take to get what you needed for it. Or you didn't remember until the last minute and then it was too late. Ever done that?

Well, this is your reminder. The biggest event of your life is looming large. The invitation has already been extended - and it's THE event of your lifetime! If you miss this, you miss it all! The only catch is that we don't know the exact day or hour, so you can't wait till the last minute to plan, because we don't know when the last minute is! You need to invest the time NOW to insure your attendance. You can only get in if you know the right person. And you can't just know OF Him, you really have to KNOW Him and He has to KNOW you. Have you RSVP'd? Do you have the right thing to wear? The instructions regarding attire are very clear. No exceptions. Isaiah 61:10 NLT, I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.

How do we fit into the clothing He requires? Romans 13:12b-14 NLT, So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Are you ready? What are you wearing? Do you know what to wear? Have you taken the time to put on Christ? Are you dressed yet? Do you know how to get there?

Prayer;

Father,
           Our self-righteousness, our selfish choices, our ways are as filthy rags before You and won't get us into the wedding feast of Heaven. Cleanse us, Father, from all unrighteousness. Put Your robe of righteousness on us, Lord, so we don't miss it. We want to be ready when You sound the call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Keeping Score

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

1st John 3:16a NIV

I've lived long enough to know and understand the rules of good sportsmanship, but I'll just tell you... I don't like to lose. When I play, I play to win. I don't go into a game to lose. (I won't cheat to win, even though I'm tempted... but don't worry, I AM an overcomer. LOL)

Worse than that, as much I dislike losing, I absolutely HATE it if someone lets me win. Where's the challenge in that? In my opinion, a win I didn't earn is a bigger loss than actually losing. [And all the conservative (albeit competitive) crowd just became pentecostals and shouted, Amen!] But the challenge in all of that is Christ. I can't earn my salvation and yet, that's the biggest win of all.

Have you ever found yourself keeping score on your life? I have. If you know me personally, you've heard me say something like, "I should get points for not smacking that person (when I really want to...)" "I should get points for not saying ___________(something smart alecky, I'm sure)." "I want points for not ripping their wagging tongue right outta their mouth and hanging them with it."   

In all reality, it's keeping score on the sin in my life. The more I keep score, the more I realize, it's a heart issue. And then I think, if Jesus laid down His life for us and that's how we know what love is (according to our text for today), then, in return, I should lay down my life for Him, right? After all, He died to save me. I can stop doing this or stop doing that. I can read my Bible, go to church, etc. Yeah, I can lay my life down for Him.  Sounds good...okay...but it's not Scriptural. We're instructed to lay it down for others... 

The entire verse of 1st John 3:16 reads, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Mark 12:28-31 reads, One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."  John 15:13 tells us, Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 

You wanna keep score? yeah...me, neither...

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the Cross for the remission of our sins. Help us to grow in love and when we are faced with those opportunities to love the unloveable, please help us to see them for what they are. An opportunity to show Your love through us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Do What? When?!?

     One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

     “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

     Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

John 5:5b-9a NLT

     When my kids were little, they liked to watch Sesame Street, and one of their favorite things - besides Mr. Snuffleupagus - was the segment with the song where they would pull 4 things together and the kids chose which 3 things belonged together and which one didn't. Do you remember that? (Please, God, don't let that song stay in my head the rest of the day...) Well, let's think along those lines this morning. Let's look for the common thread in our text for today and the following three passages. See what you come up with... 

1. Matthew 4:18-22 NLT

     One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

     A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

2. Luke 5:18-25 NLT

     Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
     Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
     And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 

3. Luke 5:27-28 NLT

     Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

There may be other things you see, but for me, it was first Jesus said and then... Instantly - at once - immediately...

In Matthew 4, when Jesus called James and John - the sons of thunder - they left the only job they'd ever done, their only source of income, their choice of vocation, their comfort zone (because it's what they knew) and they immediately followed Him, leaving the boat and their father behind. Matthew (Levi) himself did the same thing - left everything...

People will say, You can't do that. That's what they told the man who'd been lying by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years!  Continuing in our text for today,  John 5 - verse 9b through verse 11 - But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”  But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”  

Those were the leaders who objected to what he was doing. Those who were the ones who had been in charge of making the rules in his life... You can't do that! What would you do?

If Jesus says it... What do you do? You obey. You don't think about it. You don't question it. You don't over-analyze it. You don't come up with all the reasons why it won't work, why you can't do it, why it won't happen for you. You make like Nike and just do it. 

Jesus came to save souls - our souls are our mind, our will and our emotions. If the head (the mind) says yes, make the body get up and follow (the will). The heart will have to go along, too (the emotions). 

That's called faith. Do what? Whatever He says. When? Instantly - at once - immediately...

Prayer:

Father,

       Let all that I am praise You, Lord; You forgive all my sins and heal all my diseases. May I never forget the good things You do for me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Common Sense vs Uncommon Faith

So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.

Acts 27:25 NLT

Paul was on a ship at sea, as a prisoner, in the middle of a storm with typhoon-strength winds. He had already warned the officers and crew once not to put out to sea, but they didn't listen. After all, both the owner and the captain saw it differently than Paul the prisoner. They were learned in the way of ships and seas. They were sailing men, (but not followers of Christ). Everything they knew - common sense dictated their course of action. What would you have done? Who would you have listened to?

Sometimes life, as we know it, is the same scenario. Common sense deciding our course of action, but uncommon faith diametrically opposed to that which is understood. Not only is it not common sense, it makes absolutely no sense! Why didn't Paul just speak to the wind to be still the way Christ did? Why didn't God just stop the storm? I don't know the answer to those questions, any more than I know why sometimes bad things happen to good people. 

What I DO know is God DOES have a plan. And while it may not make any sense at all to us, it does to God. And if we trust Him in it - if we take courage and believe God that it will be just as He said - we will have peace of mind and heart. Can we believe Him in the middle of our storm when the wind is raging and the seas are crashing and we're shipwrecked on the rocks? Common sense would tell us there's no way. We're gonna die. Uncommon faith declares, "...take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said."

Prayer:

Father,

         We may not always understand the whys and the wherefores, but we can know that Your Word is true. Your love is true and real. Your provision uncommon. Help us to always see - and believe - You.  Father, we want uncommon faith. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Our Reputation

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important…
Galatians 6:1-3 NLT

What’s our reputation say about us? Are we good at what we do? Are we accessible? Are we a team player or are we shooting for celebrity status? I just love how Paul cuts to the nuts and bolts of a matter, don’t you? It doesn’t matter how high up we go on the proverbial ladder, we are never to be farther above than what it takes to be able to extend our hand to help another believer.

That’s not to say that we are not supposed to continually “come up higher” – you certainly can’t get any higher than Christ Himself- and yet He was never so far that He couldn’t reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. He laid it all down so that He could reach us.

Philippians 2:1-8 tells us, Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

So… which reputation are we working on?

Prayer:

Father,
           Strengthen us to take the encouragement from belonging to Christ, the comfort from His love, the fellowship together in the Spirit and keep our hearts tender and compassionate. Lord, we want to follow You by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

What We Believe +

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1st Corinthians 4:20 NLT

A question has been raised concerning living what we believe vs. living what we've learned. Are they the same? If not, does it matter which one we live? Good questions...

I've pondered on it now for awhile and here's what I think. I think we live our lives based on what we believe - about ourselves, about others, and about God, (no matter what it is)... For instance, if we believe we CAN do something - we're right, we can! By the same token, if we believe we CAN'T do something - we're right again, we can't...

However, we do learn a lot of things. You can teach a child that hot will burn. But generally, they will still reach for the hot. It is imperative that we are careful about what we learn and how we learn it, because we must be on guard about what we come to believe. 

You see, if we truly believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly. If we don't believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly.

Let's not just talk it. Let's walk it, and live what we believe, and believe so we may live - truly live.

Prayer:

Father,

         Quicken Your Word in our hearts and minds. It is living and powerful and rightly divides between soul and spirit. Father, give us wisdom to know what to believe, preferably without getting burned. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHiTVuGaKM

* Slave Phrases

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

1st Corinthians 9:19  NLT

We've talked about first-time obedience and how we expect it from those around us. However, we don't give God first-time obedience. We call Him Master, Savior, Redeemer, Father, and yet sometimes, we don't do even His most basic instructions.

I truly believe the Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God. I believe that every word was intentionally included. Every story, every parable - I DON'T believe that God put fillers in there - it's all there for a reason and a purpose... just like us. I may love parts of it more than other parts, I may even have parts I don't like at all, but that doesn't make them any less true.

I never realized how many times the slave phrases reference us - you and me - Believers and followers of Christ. Sons and daughters of the Most High God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Slaves of God. Servants of Christ Jesus.

Okay, don't look at me in that tone of voice... the same man who instructed us to follow him as he followed Christ, also wrote this in Philippians 1:1, This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. And in Titus 1:1, This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

James wrote the same in James 1:1, This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. As did Peter in 2nd Peter 1:1, This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ... And so did Jude in Jude 1:1, This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

Slaves generally don't punch a time clock or get off at a certain time. However, I find myself trying to hoard my time at work - hating to be interrupted - and yet the nature of my job is to BE interrupted so I can help others. I only had an hour or so I could call my own...literal translation - an hour or so when it was all about ME and what I wanted to do without having to take anyone else into consideration. True definition - selfish. I really hate that. I don't want to be selfish - I don't like to even think of myself as being selfish, but the truth is I surely am... and that is definitely NOT being like Jesus who was totally selfLESS and humbled Himself unto death for me and for you.

When did I start thinking that I could take time off because I am tired of not doing what I want? Think of your loved ones who have not received Christ as their Savior or who are making bad decisions - ones that will pull them away from Christ. If you knew today was their last day on earth, or that Jesus was coming back tonight to take His bride, would you wanna watch that movie again - the one you've seen 6 times already or would you pray for all you are worth?  When we get tired, as we do and we will, we only need to go to our Master... In Matthew 11, Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Slaves don't generally get a day off. Work for the night is coming...

Prayer:

Father,

           Remove everything that keeps us from fulfilling Your purpose and plan in our lives. Help us to better see our place and part in Your scheme of things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Heavy is It? *

[Jesus speaking] Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near. Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand.
Luke 21:29-31 The Amplified Bible

Here we are the Wednesday before Easter. Did you know that in the Passion Week when Christ walked the earth, there is no record of His activity on Wednesday? Of course, He'd already had a very busy week.

Sunday was the triumphal entry into Jerusalem - what we know as Palm Sunday.

Monday, He cursed the fig tree and cleared the Temple!

Tuesday, they passed back by the now withered fig tree; the priests and rulers challenged Christ's authority in the Temple. He wrapped them up with their own words, then taught the Parables of Warning, publicly humiliated the Pharisees, and as His last act in the Temple, He taught His disciples and anyone listening the value of the widow's mites... Later that same evening (still Tuesday), He gave what is known as the Olivet Discourse, beginning with the prediction of the Temple's destruction. And that's where we pick up the Scripture in the Amplified Bible, leading to today's text.

And they asked Him, Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when this is about to occur? And He said, Be on your guard and be careful that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name [appropriating to themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me], saying, I am He! and, The time is at hand! Do not go out after them. And when you hear of wars and insurrections (disturbances, disorder, and confusion), do not become alarmed and panic-stricken and terrified; for all this must take place first, but the end will not [come] immediately. Then He told them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. [II Chron. 15:6; Isa. 19:2.] There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues: malignant and contagious or infectious epidemic diseases which are deadly and devastating); and there will be sights of terror and great signs from heaven. But previous to all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be led away before kings and governors for My name's sake. This will be a time (an opportunity) for you to bear testimony.

Resolve and settle it in your minds not to meditate and prepare beforehand how you are to make your defense and how you will answer. For I [Myself] will give you a mouth and such utterance and wisdom that all of your foes combined will be unable to stand against or refute. You will be delivered up and betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and [some] of you they will put to death. And you will be hated (despised) by everyone because [you bear] My name and for its sake. But not a hair of your head shall perish. [I Sam. 14:45.]

Skip on down a few verses.

...And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor).  Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near. And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near. Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Truly I tell you, this generation (those living at that definite period of time) will not perish and pass away until all has taken place. The sky and the earth (the universe, the world) will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
*****

We'll stop there. Some will say that's a heavy word - a great load to carry. True, true. It is. But we haven't made it to Friday yet...   I'm not trying to throw guilt on anyone, just trying to get us to think realistically and get past cute bunnies and colored eggs. How heavy do you think it was to carry the weight of all our sins on the Cross?

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes and our hearts to Your Truth and only Your Truth. Let us not be deceived by false witnesses and fakers. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Worse Than Not Knowing

Baffled by what I hear, undone by what I see. Absolutely stunned, horror-stricken, I had hoped for a relaxed evening, but it has turned into a nightmare.

Isaiah 21:3b-4 The Message

Isaiah asked God to let him see what was going to happen. Isaiah thought that in knowing, he could prophesy to the people and give hope. But when God granted Isaiah's request, the prophet was overwhelmed. I have lived as a Christian long enough that when I read this Scripture, I found myself praising God that sometimes the answer is 'No."

Looking back over my life, I can truly give thanks and worship a Holy God who lovingly refused to show me some things ahead of time. I wouldn't have been able to stand it had I known some of it ahead of time. It would have caused me to run in the opposite direction, but when thrust in the midst of it, I turned to the only One I could trust. And having lived through it, bearing the fruit of what satan meant for evil, God turned for my good, I am able to see and praise God for His guiding hand on me during those times. Would I have chosen it? No. Absolutely not, but on this side of it, I am eternally grateful for the lessons learned, the wisdom gained, and for the capacity to love to be enlarged.

Now, when I think back on all the times I begged God to show me what He was doing; what was going to happen, and He would not,  I'm so thankful He's God and I'm not, and He chose not to. What a loving Father, a protective, caring, loving Father. You see, there are things worse than not knowing. I don't have to know it all as long as I know the One does.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for revealing those things that need to be revealed. Thank You, Father, for every heads-up You provide.  And we pray, Father, as the psalmist prayed, Hear my cry, O God: Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me. A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Lord, keep us on a need-to-know basis as defined by You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Uncomfortably Complacent

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Revelation 2:2-4 NKJV

According to Scripture, God has loved us since before the foundations of the Earth. I have not loved Him that long. I loved Him when I was a child, but when I got old enough to think I could make my own decisions, I chose (at that time) to walk after the ways of the world. For over a decade, I was on a one-way street with no speed limits, heading straight for hell. "Do not pass Go. Do not collect two-hundred dollars."

It was when I was at my personal worst that God stepped into my path and offered me a way out...my Prince had come to save me and I couldn't get enough of Him! I was at church every time the doors were open and sometimes, even when they weren't. I just wanted to be there. I took notes every service and studied them and studied them and studied them some more because I wanted to know all I could about this God of the universe, Creator of Heaven and Earth, who loved ME enough to die for me - to pay the price for MY sins - to spare me the punishment for the evil choices I made.

That was a long time ago. Lately, it's almost been like some of the old married couples you've seen. They're comfortable in their relationship, but they're not "crazy in love" like they were when they were kids. She no longer hangs on his every word. He's not her "first love" anymore. Nowadays, he gets put on the back burner if one of the grandchildren or one of the ladies in her group needs something. She takes for granted that he's always going to be there.

There is a huge difference between comfortable and complacent. I've grown comfortable in my relationship with the Lord. I actually believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that He loves me - and that's good - but the truth is in the last few months, I had grown complacent in my relationship with Him. Oh, I wasn't out running around or getting drunk or doing stuff like that - but neither was I running to be with Him or drinking from the water of Life or listening for His voice. And I could feel the nudges... You don't spend time with Me. Come talk to Me. Don't push Me away. Don't ignore Me. I tried to make myself believe it was all okay because I wasn't running around or doing all those other things and I was at church and paid my tithes, and gave offerings, etc... but I forgot one VERY important thing.

This relationship has NEVER been about what I'VE done for Him.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving me more than enough to confront me and make me uncomfortable in my complacency. Forgive me, Lover of my soul, for putting anything alive or electronic ahead of You in my life. It is ONLY in You that I live and move and have my being. Let my only comfort be in You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* A Letter

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2nd Corinthians 3:5-6 NKJV

I have a hard time reading contracts. All the legalese drives me to distraction. To me, it's a perfect illustration of our text for today regarding the letter kills. I'm sure glad I don't do it on a full-time basis. I'm not saying contracts aren't important - they are for many reasons - but sometimes contracts or more precisely, contract disputes kill a "guaranteed" project. The client has the work they need done, and you are qualified and trained to do that work, and they want you to do the work, and you want to do their work. Sounds like a perfect solution, right? Unless you can't agree on the contract terms - all the what-ifs and contingencies, etc.

The legal eagles on both sides will argue the letter of the law, the literal letter - an S or not an S - sometimes to the death. But once in a while, there's a champion who can come in and breathe life back into the contract, based on the compatibility of needs with the ability to meet those needs - the spirit of it, if you will - and the champion convinces the two parts to drop the letter of the law (or at least provide a little grace for it.)

What's in one letter that would make that much difference? Well, I'll show you just a few sample pairings.

Change - Chance;   Aspiring - Aspirin:   Wise - Vise;  

And if you leave a letter out, it can be devastating.

Life - Lie;

And satan is banking on it; his lies are subtle. he knows the Word well enough to mess with it. Do you know it well enough to counter his lies with the life that's in the Word? Here, take a letter.

Prayer:

Father,
          Teach us to walk in Your Spirit so that we don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Help us to know when to fight to the death of something and when to pray for life to be breathed back in it. But Father, may it always be Your breath that brings it to life, and not our own. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Perfect Everything Tool +

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV

Every worker needs tools of some sort to perform the tasks for his or her job, and hopefully, he or she also has the knowledge to utilize the tools of the trade. For instance, a gem cutter who crafts and creates needs a lot of different tools to do his work. He also needs a comprehensive guide for knowledge about all facets of his work. 

Some of the knowledge a gem cutter needs to possess is about Cabochon Cutting, Facet Cutting, and Special Lapidary Technique. Doesn't sound like too much, does it? However, topics that a gem cutter needs to know about Cabochon Cutting include such things as Sawing, Diamond Saw Blades, Sawing Coolants, Sawing Large Specimens, Grinding Operation, Grinding Wheel Hints, Side Wheel Grinding, Grinding Wheel Bondings, Sanding Operation, Discs and Drums, Belt Sanders, Dopping the Gems, Polishing the Gem, Slow Speed Polishing, Theory of Polishing, Polishing Methods, Cabochon Bezel Angles, and Micron Sizes. That's just concerning Cabochon Cutting - it does not include Facet Cutting's Diamond Laps or Brilliant Cut Gems and the development of the brilliant cut, or the Rose Cut, or Quartz and Beryl Angles. My head is spinning and I haven't even mentioned any particulars concerning Lapidary Techniques. There is SO much that goes into cutting stones to create precious gems, I couldn't begin to do justice in providing a comprehensive list of tools or the knowledge required.

I am sure there must be times when gem cutters wish they had the perfect everything tool - similar to a Scout knife - you know, knife, screwdriver, can opener, scissors, corkscrew, etc. Especially in this day and age where everything we use in life is bigger and better and should be convenient. As a society, we crave convenience. Whatever it is, it has to be faster, super-powered, and ready at a moment's notice. 

However, no matter how or what you slice and dice, if you don't have instruction to operate the tool, it won't matter how many gadgets you've got. By the same token, if you have a lot of instruction, but no hands-on time with the tool to implement what you've learned, that won't work, either. 

Keep in mind, you don't have to have EVERY piece of equipment in your hand to get started. And you don't have to know everything before you begin to put into practice what you are learning. God knows it all but remember, He started us off with two tablets, then came tools and material... a hammer, two boards, a few spikes...

And as a result, the truly perfect everything tool was forged. An instruction manual that doubles as a weapon against the most evil of enemies  - A sword for all seasons. It is the original comprehensive help guide for FAQs. It has the answer for EVERYTHING. It's user-friendly, never crashes, and it never goes offline...  although it does make provision for user re-starts, when necessary. The Bible. The Word of God. The Word of Truth - for the worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Prayer:

Father,

         Hebrews 4:12 tell us the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Father, wash us with the water of Your Word so that we may be clean before You and be able to share the answers with those who have questions. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Power of One +

Ephesians 4:1-6 Paul speaking...

New Living Translation

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

New International Version

 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

New King James Version

 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The Message Bible

 In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Okay, so this Promise is a little different. I don't normally put 4 versions of the same text, but I believe this bears repeating. Paul is speaking to Christian believers in Ephesus. He is not talking to the unchurched or non-believers. He is talking to the Body of Christ - those who have asked Jesus into their hearts to change their lives. 

Do we get it?

One body
One Spirit
One hope
One Lord
One faith
One baptism
One God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Let's face it - the ONLY way we could all come together is through the Power of One.

Prayer:

Father,
            Let us embrace Your call to be patient with each other, to make every effort to keep ourselves united in Your Spirit and to bind ourselves together with Your peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

* Rest Area

Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1st Timothy 1:14-16 NLT

Have you ever been on a long road trip and so determined to get to where you are going that you didn't want to stop for a break? You know the trip is long, and it will be hard, and you've counted the cost, and know that you're gonna have to fight your way through to the end. You might pass every rest area in 3 different states before you decide that it's okay to stop for a quick moment. And then after you take the break, you feel so much better and wonder why you didn't stop before...

So often in our walk of faith, we're just like that. We're on this eternal trip - trying to make Heaven. And we become so focused on trying not to sin so we can get there that we wind up being hypnotized by the road. And after a while, the trip is so long and so hard that we dare not, care not to look where we're going or where we've been. We become so consumed with where we are and how to put one foot in front of the other, and yet we still want to minister to others about Christ and who and what He is and who and what they can be IN Him, and we forget this one incredible, awe-inspiring, all-consuming Truth - that God the Father sent His only begotten Son to pay the ransom for our sins.

He paid the price IN FULL and bought us back - lock, stock and barrel. There's nothing left owing. No one can come and repossess us for lack of payment or unfulfilled promise of payment or even for back taxes. We have been bought with a great price. Inflation, recession, market crashes, poor decisions by us or by those who we have no control over - nothing can affect or change that Truth. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...and He did exactly what He came to do.

Selah...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I think we just need to stop. Stop asking, stop begging, stop whining. Just stop. Stop long enough to reflect on the magnitude of what has ALREADY been done for us...and praise Him for it. Take a 10-minute break with me and just praise Him for what He's already done. This is a rest area...

Prayer:

Father,

         We come to You with praise and thanksgiving for all that You've already done for us. Your Son's life for ours is beyond our comprehension of love, but teach us to walk in it fully and to express it unconditionally toward those You have placed in our lives. Give us the opportunity to share Your Good News. Make the music of the salvation You purchased for us come alive in our hearts and souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen