Ephesians 3:12 NLT
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.
This takes me back to the sixties and the ending line of the introductory text of many Star Trek episodes, "To boldly go where no man has gone before". In the seventies the original episodes were aired every night and I remember watching them while eating dinner.
And here we are today gleaning truth after truth out of God's word daily. With the Holy Spirit to prompt us we boldly go into our Bible and He reveals new truth to us, or the same truth in a new way presented to take care of the issues we are facing.
It amazes me every time God does it. Words that were just words in a book to me many years ago before I became a believer, a born again Christian. Now those same meaningless words telling a historical story to many have become Words that change my life each time I read them.
And which version of His Word does that? I believe that the Holy Spirit knows which version I am reading and reveals what I need with that version. And I might be using a different version today than the one I used yesterday.
Some say the KJV is the only true translation. Others like the NKJV, the NIV, the NLT, the Amplified, or another of the many choices. Truth be told none of them are totally accurate as most were created from 1611 (KJV) onward. All from various original manuscripts written in Greek and Hebrew.
So what matters to me is not the translation but the revelation God through the Holy Spirit gives me when I read the one I picked up. Thank you Jesus for speaking to me in this way.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
Honor Him
Romans 14:8 NLT
If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Often we may think of honor in terms of honoring an agreement. Like agreeing to something and then living up to that agreement or honoring the agreement. But in this case the word honor brings to mind many other words like to esteem, respect, admire, defer to, look up to, appreciate, value, cherish, adore, reverence, revere, venerate, worship, etc.
We should be doing all those things. We respect Him. We appreciate Him.We value Him. We reverence Him. We worship Him. And it does not stop with our life here on earth. No, we continue to honor Him in the next life with Him.
It is not enough to merely honor God with our words. He desires honor that comes from our hearts. His Word say that "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me". And It tells us that when we delight in the Lord, seek Him in everything we do, and make choices that reflect the place He has in our hearts, we bring Him the greatest honor.
I was just telling someone the other day that we work very hard to prolong our life here on earth even though we know the better place is the next step in our journey. And that is life forevermore with Jesus in Paradise. But no matter where we are, here on earth or beyond we belong to the Lord and continue to honor Him.
If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Often we may think of honor in terms of honoring an agreement. Like agreeing to something and then living up to that agreement or honoring the agreement. But in this case the word honor brings to mind many other words like to esteem, respect, admire, defer to, look up to, appreciate, value, cherish, adore, reverence, revere, venerate, worship, etc.
We should be doing all those things. We respect Him. We appreciate Him.We value Him. We reverence Him. We worship Him. And it does not stop with our life here on earth. No, we continue to honor Him in the next life with Him.
It is not enough to merely honor God with our words. He desires honor that comes from our hearts. His Word say that "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me". And It tells us that when we delight in the Lord, seek Him in everything we do, and make choices that reflect the place He has in our hearts, we bring Him the greatest honor.
I was just telling someone the other day that we work very hard to prolong our life here on earth even though we know the better place is the next step in our journey. And that is life forevermore with Jesus in Paradise. But no matter where we are, here on earth or beyond we belong to the Lord and continue to honor Him.
Monday, August 11, 2014
You Are A Door
Galatians 2:20 NIV
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I heard a song in the car the other day by Jason Gray, With Every Act of Love, that speaks to the fact that we are a door that God uses.
The chorus reads like this:
God put a million, million doors in the world
For his love to walk through
One of those doors is you
Father God sent Jesus to walk the earth and reach His people. Jesus spoke to many, touched many, and healed them all. Then He was crucified for all our sins and went to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. But it did not end there. No, as He promised He asked the Father to send Holy Spirit to live in each of us who believe, each who follow Jesus.
Holy Spirit guides us and comforts us. Paul refers to Him as Christ within. And as we walk forth in His love it is Christ's words and touch that reach out to others. We are a door and allow Him to use it; allow os to be His hands and His mouth so they all may be reached and healed.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I heard a song in the car the other day by Jason Gray, With Every Act of Love, that speaks to the fact that we are a door that God uses.
The chorus reads like this:
God put a million, million doors in the world
For his love to walk through
One of those doors is you
Father God sent Jesus to walk the earth and reach His people. Jesus spoke to many, touched many, and healed them all. Then He was crucified for all our sins and went to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. But it did not end there. No, as He promised He asked the Father to send Holy Spirit to live in each of us who believe, each who follow Jesus.
Holy Spirit guides us and comforts us. Paul refers to Him as Christ within. And as we walk forth in His love it is Christ's words and touch that reach out to others. We are a door and allow Him to use it; allow os to be His hands and His mouth so they all may be reached and healed.
Monday, August 04, 2014
Just Do it
James 1:22 NIV
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
When we were learning to drive a car it did not matter how many hours we spent in the drivers education classes. We had to get behind the wheel and actually do it. We had to drive the car for real on the road.
No matter how much we study God's word, no matter how much we think we know, it useless until we do something with it.
The Bible is our how to book for life as a Christian here on earth. Some believers spend hours studying it. They go to Bible studies, read commentaries describing what they read, and listen to sermons to know more. To increase the knowledge they have about God's word.
But increased knowledge does not grow us. We grow as we do. When we live to act upon what He tells us as we read His word, God allows us to grow in Him through experiencing Him in our day to day life here on earth.
“Father God, help me to step out and do what your word tells me to do. In Jesus name I pray.”.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
When we were learning to drive a car it did not matter how many hours we spent in the drivers education classes. We had to get behind the wheel and actually do it. We had to drive the car for real on the road.
No matter how much we study God's word, no matter how much we think we know, it useless until we do something with it.
The Bible is our how to book for life as a Christian here on earth. Some believers spend hours studying it. They go to Bible studies, read commentaries describing what they read, and listen to sermons to know more. To increase the knowledge they have about God's word.
But increased knowledge does not grow us. We grow as we do. When we live to act upon what He tells us as we read His word, God allows us to grow in Him through experiencing Him in our day to day life here on earth.
“Father God, help me to step out and do what your word tells me to do. In Jesus name I pray.”.
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