The cross of Christ creates a new people, a people unhindered by skin color or family feud. A new citizenry based, not on common ancestry or geography, but on a common Savior.
My friend Buckner Fanning experienced this firsthand. He was a marine in World War II, stationed in Nagasaki three weeks after the dropping of the atomic bomb. Can you imagine a young American soldier amid the rubble and wreckage of the demolished city? Radiation-burned victims wandering the streets. Atomic fallout showering on the city. Bodies burned to a casket black. Survivors shuffling through the streets, searching for family, food, and hope. The conquering soldier feeling not victory but grief for the suffering around him
Instead of anger and revenge, Buckner found an oasis of grace. While patrolling the narrow streets, he came upon a sign that bore an English phrase: Methodist Church. He noted the location and resolved to return the next Sunday morning.
When he did, he entered a partially collapsed structure. Windows, shattered. Walls, buckled. The young marine stepped through the rubble, unsure how he would be received. Fifteen or so Japanese were setting up chairs and removing debris. When the uniformed American entered their midst, they stopped and turned.
He knew only one word in Japanese. He heard it. Brother. "They welcomed me as a friend," Buckner relates, the power of the moment still resonating more than sixty years after the events. They offered him a seat. He opened his Bible and, not understanding the sermon, sat and observed. During communion the worshippers brought him the elements. In that quiet moment the enmity of their nations and the hurt of the war was set aside as one Christian served another the body and blood of Christ.
Another wall came a-tumblin' down.
What walls are in your world?
Brian Overcast is knocking down walls in Morelia, Mexico. As director of the NOÉ Center (New Opportunities in Education), Brian and his team address the illegal immigration problem from a unique angle. Staff members told me recently, "Mexicans don't want to cross the border. If they could stay home, they would. But they can't because they can't get jobs. So we teach them English. With English skills they can get accepted into one of Mexico's low-cost universities and find a career at home. Others see illegal immigrants; we see opportunities."
Another wall down.
We can't outlive our lives if we can't get beyond our biases. Who are your Samaritans? Ethiopian eunuchs? Whom have you been taught to distrust and avoid?
It's time to remove a few bricks.
Welcome the day God takes you to your Samaria-not so distant in miles but different in styles, tastes, tongues, and traditions.
And if you meet an Ethiopian eunuch, so different yet so sincere, don't refuse that person. Don't let class, race, gender, politics, geography, or culture hinder God's work.
Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. (Romans 15:7 NLT)
Lord, in how many ways does my foolish heart make false distinctions among your people? Reveal them to me. How often do I judge someone as unworthy of you by the way I treat him or her? Rebuke me in your love. Where can I blast a wall or remove a barrier that keeps your children apart from one another? Give me some dynamite and the skill and courage to use it for your glory. What can I do in my sphere of influence to bring the love of Christ to someone who may feel ostracized or estranged from you? Lend me divine insight, and bless me with the resolve to be your hands and feet. May I be a bridge and not a wall. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. ___________________________ From Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2010) Max Lucado
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
Acts 17:22-32 ----- As I was.... considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar...TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. ---Acts 17:23 - ~~~~ During the high schoolers' spring ministry trip to Jamaica, they visited a home for troubled teens who had run afoul of the law or whose families could not handle them.
This was not a comfortable situation for the kids from either culture. What would they say? How would they connect? It didn't take long to find out. Minutes after they arrived, a soccer match began as a number of the US students engaged some of the Jamaican teens in spirited competition.
The soccer match was a great icebreaker as the kids kicked the ball around and got to know each other. After the game, conversation was easier and friendships were established more quickly because of a common interest.
In Acts 17, the apostle Paul demonstrated how to 'blast another wall', and establish dialogue. He talked with the Athenians about something of common interest--worship. In a similar way, we can use sports talk with a co-worker or lawn conversation with a neighbor. The possiblilities are endless.
To reach out to people who need to hear about God's love, look for common language--and watch the 'walls come tumbling down'. ------ God's love can break down barriers and make walls tumble.
ODB/DB
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)
---- "Forgive and forget." We've all heard or used that saying. But it's much easier said than done, isn't it?
I recall a situation years ago when I was deeply offended and had a really hard time forgiving that offense against me. I felt that I simply didn't have the internal fortitude to forgive and forget how I had been wronged. It hurt too much. I prayed about it and asked for the strength to forgive.
Somewhere along the line it dawned on me that I have already received forgiveness in Christ myself. I realized what I needed to do was merely extend to my offender what had already been given to me: God's forgiveness. This wasn't something I had within myself alone, but I had received it in Christ. I needed only to share what was given to me and be relieved of the heavy load of resentment.
Though I thought I would never forget that incident, today I cannot seem to remember what the offense was! But I will always remember how God in Christ has forgiven me. ~~~~ Are you going through life carrying bitterness? Share the forgiveness you have been given in Christ and be relieved of the burden of a grudge.
Haven Today Ministries~
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
1 Peter 2:9-17 --- You are a...holy nation...that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness. --1 Peter 2:9 ~~~~~ My wife, Martie, and I have grown to love England--its history, culture, and people. One of our favorite activities when we visit is going to outdoor concerts (also known as proms) on the sloping lawns of ancient estates. "The Last Night of the Proms" event is the best, with fireworks and hundreds of nationals waving little British flags to rousing patriotic tunes.
We loved joining the celebration--until the summer our children came with us. When we started waving our flags with all the enthusiastic Brits, our kids were aghast. I can still hear them shouting over the music, "What are you doing?! You're Americans!"
God must often feel like that when we blend in and live like the "locals" around us. I can almost hear Him saying, "What are you doing living like that?! You belong to My nation!" Peter reminds us that we are different from the locals--we are a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). Being holy means that we are set apart for Jesus, becoming like Him, and reflecting His countercultural ways of living. It means that we are forgiving in the face of offenses; and merciful, gracious, and truthful. It means being just like Him.
So let's start waving the flag of holiness as members of the "Jesus nation"!--
O child of God, guard well your life From anything that stains the heart; Forsake those things that soil the mind-- Your Father wants you set apart. ---- Our loyalty to Jesus should be seen and heard in our lives. ~~
ODB/JS
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
Lovers of Self ~ ICR/HMM Definitely signs of the last days!!
"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." (2 Timothy 3:2) -
One of the dangerous teachings of the "New Age" movement which has spilled over into modern evangelicalism is the notion of "self-love." Many psychologists--even Christian professional counselors--are attributing society's ills, especially among young people, to the supposed lack of a "positive self-image" or "self-esteem" on the part of those exhibiting anti-social behavior. What they need, we are told, is to learn to love themselves more, to appreciate their own self-worth. The problem with this idea is that it is both unscriptural and unrealistic. People do not hate themselves. The Bible says that "no man ever yet hated his own flesh" (Ephesians 5:29).
Instead of learning to esteem ourselves, the Scripture commands us each to "esteem other better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3). Even the apostle Paul, near the end of his life, considered himself so unworthy that he called himself the chief of sinners (see 1 Timothy 1:15).
We are told by some Christian leaders that the measure of our great value in the sight of God is the fact that Christ paid such a high price--His own death--to redeem us. The fact is, however, that His death is not the measure of our great value, but of our terrible sinfulness. "Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6).
In fact, as in our text, the rise of this self-love idea is itself a sign of the last days, when men shall be "lovers of their own selves." It is the main characteristic of "New Age" humanism which is based squarely upon evolutionary pantheism.
Christ died for our sins because He loved us, not because He needed us. We should live for Him in thanksgiving for the "amazing grace, that saved a wretch like me!" -
Days of Praise/ ICR/ HMM JESUS IS LORD! HE DIED SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE FOR HIM! He is Creator the invisible God, the first born of all creation! Give Him praise everyday.
"The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword." (Ezekiel 32:21) -- The subject of hell is largely ignored today, even by evangelical teachers and pastors. This is a tragic mistake because multitudes are there already, and multitudes living today will soon be there. It is good to preach the love of God, but God also commands us: "Others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire" (Jude 23).
The Lord, through Ezekiel, has given us a graphic picture of those in earlier ages who are now in Hades, awaiting the final judgment. The great Pharaoh of Egypt, along with his countrymen, had practiced the Egyptian religion with all its complex concepts and rituals, but religion, in itself, will not keep one from hell. When Pharaoh died and had "gone down" to "hell" (actually, this word in the Old Testament is sheol, equivalent to the Greek Hades a great pit deep in the core of the earth), he found many there already from the centuries before him. Some specifically named (Ezekiel 32:22-30) are Asshur, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, and Zidon, each with their multitudes. Esau, Jacob's brother, was also there (same as Edom). These, significantly, come from all three original branches of Noah's family. All had come from a godly ancestor, but that did not save them. "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but . . . worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator" (Romans 1:21, 25).
All of these individuals whose final end is explained in Scripture verifies the warning of Christ: "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat" (Matthew 7:13). Only those who worship the true Creator, receiving Christ as personal Savior from sin, will be saved. - HMM/ICR
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 --- Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. --1 Corinthians 10:12 - -- IT has become so commonplace to hear of the misconduct of a respected public figure that even though we may be deeply disappointed, we are hardly surprised. But how should we respond to the news of a moral failure, whether by a prominent person or a friend? We might begin by looking at ourselves. A century ago, Oswald Chambers told his students at the Bible Training College in London, "Always remain alert to the fact that where one man has gone back is exactly where anyone may go back...Unguarded strength is double weakness."
Chambers' words echo Paul's warning to be aware of our own vulnerability when we see the sins of others. After reviewing the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:1-5), Paul urged his readers to learn from those sins so they wouldn't repeat them (vv.6-11). He focused not on past failings but on present pride when he wrote, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (v.12).
The head shaken in reproach is a common response to public sin. More helpful is the head that nods, "Yes, I am capable of that," then bows in prayer for the one who has fallen and the one who thinks he stands.
Blessed Savior, make me humble, Take away my sinful pride; In myself I'm sure to stumble, Help me stay close by Your side. -- "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." --Proverbs 16:18 -
ODB/DM
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
TEARING DOWN THE WALLS & RECEIVE GOD's BLESSING! By: Jack Graham -- "On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction..." So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city."
-- Joshua 6:15-20
The story of the people of Israel is a fascinating one. They spent centuries in bondage in Egypt but the Lord finally delivered them through his servant Moses. Then, after 40 years wandering in the desert, God gave them the responsibility of conquering the Promised Land.
God told Israel that he would give them victory over the pagan Canaanites as long as they trusted in him. One key city that had to be taken was Jericho, so God commanded them to march around the city seven times, shout, and the walls would come down. But this was very strange to the Israelites, so it took them a week to finally obey God's command to march around Jericho seven times!
You know, that reminds me of many Christians today. They've come out of Egypt, have been delivered and saved from the bondage of sin, but they have never entered into the joy and victory of a life lived in Christ.
Standing in front of some of you today is a great wall of Jericho. I don't know what that wall is, but it's something that says, "Keep out!" It may be a great crisis in your life, a hopeless situation, or a financial problem. Or it could be a personal problem like an unfulfilled dream or unconfessed sin.
Hebrews 11:30 says, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days." So when it comes to those walls that keep you from enjoying God's blessings, have faith that the God who tore down the walls of Jericho will tear down the walls in your life!
TRUST IN GOD TO TEAR DOWN THE WALLS THAT ARE HINDERING HIS BLESSINGS IN YOUR LIFE!
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
“If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?” (James 2:14)
James’ message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.
It’s not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James’ book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
1 Peter 4:7-11 --- Comfort each other and edify one another. --1 Thess. 5:11 - --- MY friend and I were traveling together, and she seemed a bit frazzled. When we got to the airport, she forgot to have her identification available and couldn't find her reservation confirmation number. The ticket agent waited patiently, smiled, and then helped her at the "self" check-in. After receiving her ticket, she asked, "Where do we go next?" The agent smiled, pointed at me, and said said to her, "Stay close to your friend."
That can be good advice for all of us when our lives get frazzled--stay close to your friends. Although Jesus is our best friend, we also need relationships with other believers to help us survive in this life.
In his first epistle, Peter was writing to believers who needed one another because they were suffering for their faith. In a few short sentences in chapter 4, Peter mentioned the need to receive and give "fervent love," prayer, and hospitality (vv.7-9). He also included the need for believers to use their spiritual gifts to minister to one another (v.10). In other passages, we're encouraged to comfort each other with the comfort we've been given by God (2 Cor. 1:3-4) and to build each other up in love (1 Thess. 5:11).
When life gets difficult, staying close to our Christian friends will help us to get through. ---- Staying close to godly friends helps us to stay close to God. ~~
ODB/AC
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
Blast a Few Walls/ You were made to make a difference..
As Scripture declares: The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Luke 10:2 Matthew 9:37
"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do." --(Ecclesiastes 9:7)
Do you ever long for a break so that you can come up for a breath of air? It's typical for many of us to lead lives that are simply too busy. We have careers that surround us with unsolvable problems, relationships that are draining, commitments that suffocate. And thus people at every turn are left restless and without peace or hope. Is that familiar to you or to someone you know?
The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes gives us practical words on coping with such life issues. Writing in his later years, Solomon tells us to take pleasure in what we are doing and enjoy life because it comes as a gift from the hand of God. He challenges us to live life one day at a time. Even with the limitations that confront us, we can enjoy the lasting goodness of God.
When you belong to Jesus and daily commit your way to Him, it matters not what tempest rises up against you; He will go through it with you. Solomon tells us to do the basics: eat and drink with a joyful heart. Focus on Him who gives you all good things. --- Meaning and fulfillment are found in Jesus Christ and the life he has purchased for you at the cross. --Haven Today -He's More than amazing! < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgL6_ylz8io&feature=colike>
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
"I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word." (John 17:6)
In the wonderful intercessory prayer of Christ for His disciples just before His death, there are several important references dealing with the relation of the Christian believer to the world around him. In the first place, according to our text, they have been called out of the world, and thus are not really a part of its system any more, once they belong to Christ.
Yet, they necessarily must still live in the world. "These are in the world. . . . I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil" (vv. 11, 15). They are not of the world, however, for they have been separated from the world, and unto Christ, whom the world continues to crucify daily. "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (v. 14). Like Christ, they are bound to be hated by the world.
Nevertheless, Christ has sent them into the world as His witnesses. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world . . . that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. . . . I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" (vv. 18, 21, 23).
And the most wonderful thing about all these relationships to the world we live in is that God planned them even before He created the world! "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (v. 24). HMM
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." --- Galatians 6:7
The minister may be the special favorite of some wealthy man, and he may be very liberal with him; this gratifies the minister, and he in turn lavishes praise upon the benevolence of his donor. His name may be exalted by appearing in print, and yet that liberal donor may be entirely unworthy of the credit given him.
His liberality did not arise from a deep, living principle to do good with his means, to advance the cause of God because he appreciated it, but from some selfish motive, a desire to be thought liberal. He may have given from impulse, and his liberality have no depth of principle. He may have been moved upon by listening to stirring truth, which for the time being loosed his purse strings; yet, after all, his liberality has no deeper motive. He gives by spasms; his purse opens spasmodically, and closes just as securely, spasmodically. He deserves no commendation, for he is in every sense of the word a stingy man; and unless thoroughly converted, purse and all, will hear the withering denunciation, "Go to, now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten."
Such will awake at last from a horrible self-deception. Those who praised their spasmodic liberalities, helped Satan to deceive them, and make them think that they were very liberal, very sacrificing, when they know not the first principles of liberality or self-sacrifice. -----
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-BIBLE MEDITATION: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thessalonians 4:16
-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: I believe there will be seven years of terrible tribulation. It will be a time of tyranny and persecution. It will be a time when all nature will be out of joint and when demon spirits will infest the world. It will be a time when the Anti-Christ will rule and reign.
But before the tribulation comes, the Church is going to be raptured out. You might find it interesting to note that the word "rapture" is not found in the Bible, but the word "caught up" is, and that's literally what the word "rapture" means. We will be "caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
-ACTION POINT: Do your loved ones know what the rapture means? Why not ask them what they think this next week and open the door for a candid discussion about the future? ---- --Adrian Rogers
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--How to Change a World in Chaos~~ "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." --Matthew 5:14
I think you'd agree with me when I say that our way of life is under unbelievable attack today. One of the biggest reasons for this is that the Western world is becoming increasingly secular and humanistic. And as we watch the news and see so much turmoil and unrest in the streets of some of the largest cities around the globe, we see firsthand the cold hard truth that life apart from God will always devolve into chaos.
The problem is that too many Christians today are playing it safe. They're standing in the shadows and keeping their mouths shut rather than courageously standing for Christ. And of all times, of all places, of all people, now is the time for men and women of faith to stand boldly.
I truly believe that our world today is not beyond hope. But as a believer in Christ, you must firmly declare that any real hope is only found in Jesus Christ. You must get past the world's way of thinking that to claim truth is "narrow-minded" or "intolerant."
If you had a magic pill that could cure any disease, would you bury it in your backyard? Jesus is the only answer for the world's ills. So stand firmly for Jesus and allow His light to shine through you and give hope to a world searching for hope!
-While the world spins in chaos, remember that the only hope is Jesus and allow His light to shine through you!
--Daily Word/JG
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
We give more applause to a brawny ball-carrier than we do to the God who made us. We sing more songs to the moon than to the Christ who saved us. And if He doesn’t give us what we want, we say He doesn’t exist. God has every reason to abandon us. I sure would. I’d wash my hands of the whole mess and start over. But does He?
You think you’ve committed an act that places you outside His love? You think He’d love you more if you hadn’t done it, right? You think He would love you more if you did more, right? Wrong. Wrong. God’s love sees your sin and loves you still. Do you need to repent? Yes. But do you repent for His sake or yours? Yours!
God’s love needs no bolstering. And He could not love you more than He does right now.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
-God Loves You Still/ ML
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-Remembering What We've Learned --- -BIBLE MEDITATION: "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." 2 Timothy 3:14
-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: In the last days Satan is going to come, and there are going to be more miracles than you have ever seen. Most of them will not be done by God but will be done by the power of darkness--the power of Satan. The Bible says that you can look for an explosion of the occult.
Thank God we don't have to face these days without hope. God tells us what we must do in His Word. We are to remember what we've learned and to take His promises to heart. This will not be a time to doubt Him but to trust Him with all that we are.
-ACTION POINT: How is your personal study time in God's Word going? Start this week to incorporate at least one hour of personal time in God's Word to study its promises, prophecies, and applications. --- Stay in the Word, Beware of the television ministries, Many occults are already lying on TV and Radio. Keep your eyes focused on JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith!
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." --Matthew 24:14
-One day in the presence of Mark Twain someone said, "This world is coming to an end." And with a gleam in his eye, Twain said, "Don't worry; we can get along quite well without it!"
As you and I look at our wrold today, we see that it is slowly sinking. And very often, like Twain, we wonder if we can just get along quite well without it. That's exactly why God has promised that a new world is coming, a better world, His Kingdom.
But while we can and should look forward to the day when Christ will return in power and glory and inaugurate this physical kingdom, we dare not neglect the advancement of the spiritual Kingdom, which comes about when people place their faith in Jesus Christ today.
Yes, God has assigned us a very important task--the task of taking the Good News of Christ throughout the whole world--which will happen before the end comes.
So as you look forward to Christ's return, do your part in proclaiming the Good News by sharing Christ with others where you are as well as praying, giving, and going to advance the Kingdom around the world!
--Do your part in advancing God's Kingdom by sharing Christ with others and participating in God's global purposes.
--Daily Word/JG
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:4-6
I was watching a fantastic documentary on Abraham Lincoln not long ago. I was amazed as I heard about how Lincoln faced such great sorrow at the death of his son while he was President of the United States. He mourned for months, even exhuming his son’s body so that he could look upon his face again.
But one day, Lincoln determined that he couldn’t continue to live in the past and the sorrows of his life. And when he came to this realization, he said, “We can choose in life to be happy or miserable. It is our own decision. I choose the former.”
Yes, we have the power to choose in life to be happy or miserable. To rejoice is a choice we make! And as believers, we must get out of the bondage of the brokenness of the past and find God’s healing in the strength and the power of His Spirit.
So how do we do that? We look at life through the perspective that today’s sufferings are temporary and are nothing compared to the blessings we’ll receive in eternity. That’s the only way we’ll get past our past and live with the joy and purpose God desires for us!
DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE IN LIGHT OF PAST PAIN. MAKE THE CHOICE TO REJOICE BY FOCUSING ON THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE YOURS IN CHRIST.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." ---Philippians 4:4-6
I was watching a fantastic documentary on Abraham Lincoln not long ago. I was amazed as I heard about how Lincoln faced such great sorrow at the death of his son while he was President of the United States. He mourned for months, even exhuming his son’s body so that he could look upon his face again.
But one day, Lincoln determined that he couldn’t continue to live in the past and the sorrows of his life. And when he came to this realization, he said, “We can choose in life to be happy or miserable. It is our own decision. I choose the former.”
Yes, we have the power to choose in life to be happy or miserable. To rejoice is a choice we make! And as believers, we must get out of the bondage of the brokenness of the past and find God’s healing in the strength and the power of His Spirit.
So how do we do that? We look at life through the perspective that today’s sufferings are temporary and are nothing compared to the blessings we’ll receive in eternity. That’s the only way we’ll get past our past and live with the joy and purpose God desires for us!
-DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE IN LIGHT OF PAST PAIN. MAKE THE CHOICE TO REJOICE BY FOCUSING ON THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE YOURS IN CHRIST.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--VICTORY IN THE BATTLES OF LIFE~~ --(1 Samuel 17:32-50) Recommended Reading-
-HAVE you ever failed at something simply because you did not plan it all the way through? Sadly, this is all too common among believers and non-believers alike.
If we want to achieve victory in our pursuits, we must be willing to plan. It's not always enough to see a matter through to completion; we must also demonstrate the wisdom to consider all steps leading up to the challenge and all potential results that might follow. Then we'll have a complete view and will begin to see the matter from the perspective of our heavenly Father.
When David confronted the Philistine warrior Goliath, he knew that he was entering into much more than simply a wartime dispute. He was keenly aware of the nature of the conflict--that is, God's reputation was at stake because all the other nations would be watching to see what happened. Failure at this important juncture would have shown the world that Israel's God wasn't all that powerful.
Not only did David understand the nature of the conflict; he walked into battle knowing the outcome. He'd been called to defeat Goliath and provide an unshakable testimony to the Almighty's power. And he was fully confident that God would enable him to do just that.
If your pursuits keep falling short, ask yourself, 'Am I looking at the whole issue, or have I lost perspective?' If your point of view is too limited, commit the matter to the Lord and allow Him to show you what He is able to do through your efforts. The Lord wants to use you, His people, to conquer great things for God's Kingdom. Are you willing to step out and be used by our Lord? He can work great things through you.
'The law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.' -- ABOUNDING sin is overcome by superabundant grace. No matter how much sin has accumulated in a person's life, God's grace found in Jesus Christ has the power to save, forgive, and blot out that sin. Once the believer has received the Lord's grace, he can then abound...
--In love toward others~~"The charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."
--In steadfast hope. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
--In bringing forth fruit."For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
--In thanksgiving. "Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."
--In God's work."Therefore..be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
--SCRIPTURES: --Romans 5:20; 15:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Philippians 1:9; 2 Peter 1:8; Colossians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:58 ~~ ----Your Grace Is Enough / By:; Matt Maher
--BIBLE MEDITATION: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: I read something that deeply touched my heart about a PGA golfer named DiVensenzo. As he was leaving a golf course with his winnings, a woman approached him and said, “I have a baby who is dying.” Moved with compassion, he endorsed the check and gave it to her saying, “Take this, and try to buy some happiness for yourself and your child.”
A week later he was in the clubhouse having lunch, and one of the PGA officials came up to him and said, “Did you know that the woman who approached you last week didn’t have a baby dying of an incurable disease!” And DiVensenzo said, “There’s no baby dying? That’s the best news I’ve heard all week!” What an attitude!
--ACTION POINT: Do you ever feel like people are going to take advantage of you? Be thankful today that God keeps the score. Do you ever feel the Lord is speaking to your heart, to give a 'gift', be it monetarial or make a purchase, yet you just 'weren't sure God was talking.' 'To obey is better than sacrifice', Samuel told Saul. Go ahead and help a brother or sister in Jesus Name. "The Lord loves a cheerful giver.' ~~
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--The Only Way to Hit the Spiritual Bull's Eye/ Stay on Target with Jesus!
--"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." ---Matthew 5:48
--Two old country boys were out in the woods one afternoon bragging about how good of a shot they were. One of them told the other, “I bet you I can hit a bull’s eye from 300 feet away with my rifle.” The other one told him, “Okay, you’re on.”
So he took out his rifle and pointed it at a tree about 300 feet away. In an instant, he pulled the trigger and shot a hole in the tree. Then, he took a piece of chalk, walked up to the tree, and drew a target with the bullet hole right in the center.
“Told ya!” he laughed.
I’ve met quite a few people who are a lot like that old country boy when it comes to moral performance. They shoot first, doing what they can, and then they draw their target by basing their morals and values on how they’ve already shot.
But as Christians, we have our target as far as morals and ethics are concerned: perfection. And when it comes to perfection, there’s not one of us who’s attained it. All of us have missed the mark in some way or another.
So instead of repainting the target, look to the One who can make you hit the bull’s-eye. Trust in Jesus that though you may fall short in your performance, He gives you His righteousness to put you on the mark of perfection!
---HIT THE SPIRITUAL BULL’S-EYE NOT THROUGH YOUR PERFORMANCE, BUT THROUGH THE PERFECTION GIVEN TO YOU THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS.~~=I Have Decided To Follow Jesus / Elevation Worship~ <http://youtu.be/T8xdzF8v2hM> --------
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--We are a Chosen Generation! Christ chose us before the foundation of the world. -WE ARE KINGDOM ROYALTY! --(1 Peter 2:9-10)
-"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." --(1 Peter 2:9)
-PETER, himself a Jew, knew that his people were "chosen." But what about the Gentile believers in whom Peter wrote? He insisted they were equally chosen. Peter was absolutely convinced that every person in the kingdom of God is 'chosen by God Almighty', whether Jew or Gentile, free or slave, educated or uneducated.
Praise God that He shattered all the prejudices and sins in me (us). We are learning the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is for redeemed sinners of all cultures of the entire world. ~~ ---- -Live today as an heir of the Heavenly Kingdom-- If you are in Christ, then you are Kingdom Royalty! Praise God!
-Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” --John 14:6 ------- --At one point or another, every person has to come to grips with the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” And today I want to help you answer that question in your own heart and life.
It’s true that the miracles of Jesus identify Him as God. They give Him credibility that He was who He said He was. But Jesus didn’t perform them as publicity stunts. He performed them to show you and me something about who He was and what His supernatural power can accomplish in our lives.
Maybe today, you can relate to the disappointment of the couple in the Bible who ran out of wine at the wedding in Canaan (John 2:1-12). By turning water into wine, Jesus was saying to them… and He’s saying to you today, “I am the answer for life’s disappointments… I can turn your disappointments into joy.”
Or perhaps today you’re in need… like the thousands of people Jesus fed with two fish and five loaves of bread (John 6:1-15). In feeding them, Jesus showed them… and He’s showing you today… that He is the answer to your needs and your desires.
And lastly, maybe today you’re going through a dark time of life… and you’d admit that you’re fearful of what the future holds. If so, think about when Jesus walked on the water in the middle of the night (John 6:16-21). By doing this, Jesus showed Peter… just like He shows you and me… that He is the answer in the dark times of life.
The point of the miracles of Jesus Christ for you is this: Whatever you’re going through today, He is your answer… just as we see in today’s verse.
It’s my prayer that you will look to Jesus as the answer to whatever you are facing today! His power to change your life and answer prayers is a miracle you can experience this very day.
--JESUS PERFORMED MIRACLES THEN AND HE DOES SO NOW. --PP/JG
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-“But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:17)
Many Christians today decry the use of apologetics or evidences in Christian witnessing, feeling it is somehow dishonoring to the Lord or to the Scriptures to try to defend them.
But as our text indicates, the apostle Paul did not agree with this. The gospel does need defending, and he was set for its defense against the attacks of its adversaries. He also told his disciples that “in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace” (Philippians 1:7).
The Greek word translated “defense” is 'apologia', from which we derive our English word “apologetics.” It is a legal term, meaning the case made by a defense attorney on behalf of a defendant under attack by a prosecutor. Thus, the apostle is saying: “I am set to give an apologetic for the gospel—a logical, systematic [scientific, if necessary] defense of the gospel against all the attacks of its adversaries.”
Since we are “partakers” with him in this defense, we also need to be set for its defense. We must “be ready always to give an answer [same word, apologia] to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15). Any Christian who shares his faith with the unsaved has encountered many who cannot believe the simple plan of salvation until his questions are answered. We must be familiar with the “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3) of the deity of Christ and His power to save, both as omnipotent Creator and sin-bearing Savior.
We must “search the scriptures daily” and also study the “witness” He has given in the creation (Acts 17:11; 14:17) if we are to do this effectively, bringing forth fruit that will “remain” (John 15:16) instead of fruit that has withered away, “because it had no root” (Mark 4:6).
The Gospel is under vicious attack today, so may God help us to be among its victorious defenders. --ICR/ HMM -"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." --(1 Peter 4:12,13)~~ -------<https://youtu.be/501PP_2wlFY>
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--Storms are coming your way. Winds will howl and you will have a choice. Will you hear Christ or the crisis? Heed the promises of Scripture or the noise of the storm? Wilderness people trust Scripture just enough to escape Egypt. Promised Land dwellers, on the other hand, make the Bible their go-to book for life.
This week make Joshua 1:9 your go-to verse for life. God said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” --Grace Days / ML-/ (AMAZING GRACE (My Chains are Gone)[Be sure to listen to the lovely song] <https://youtu.be/turCUUFAi-E>
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
“Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” --(1 Peter 2:24)
When Jesus was crucified, they “pierced [His] hands and [His] feet” (Psalm 22:16) and “pierced his side” with a spear (John 19:34). After His resurrection, His disciples would view these five wounds (Luke 24:39; John 20:27). It was from these wounds that His blood flowed, “and without shedding of blood [there] is no remission” of sins. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:22, 28). Our text for today declares that it was His “stripes,” literally “wounds,” which heal us of our deadly sin sickness. His death provides life and health and righteousness.
If “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16), surely the pleadings of Christ, a perfectly righteous man, are of infinite strength. “Neither pray I for these alone [i.e., His disciples], but for them also which shall believe on me through their word . . . [that they] be with me where I am” (John 17:20, 24)..
As a truly repentant sinner comes in faith to God seeking forgiveness for his sins, Christ pleads “Forgive him, oh, forgive.” “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
--The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and godly decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can instead make choices that appeal to the flesh.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; Gen. 3:3, Gen. 3:6). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes— flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: It was good for food, delightful to look at, and desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth filled with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
** Meanwhile, Satan works hard to corrupt healthy desires. He abhors seeing people’s appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that—in the proper context—the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God’s boundaries instead. That’s how we get His very best. **IN TOUCH**~
** We must always remember, Hell cannot stand against the sacrificial Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Keep on praising Jesus Christ. No demon can stand in the presence of our Jehovah Yahweh =YHWH. 'All the earth declares, 'Glory in the Highest'/(Chris Tomlin). --IN TOUCH~~--<https://youtu.be/sIwZ_UzddAs> ---------
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
