Psalm 118:5-6 NLT
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
Every day we are exposed to people and most of them have their own agenda. As do we. They may appear to come alongside us in our walk, but they are really on their walk. And I am speaking of a worldly walk, not our walk with Jesus. However our walk here on earth is everything about our walk with Him as well.
In our culture we have learned that it is all about us. The world shows us how important it is for us to be happy above all else. And to get that happiness the world suggests things to buy, people to hang around with, beverages to enjoy, places to travel to, and more.
In our quest for this worldly happiness which only lasts until the next thing looks even better, we may even lapse into a fear of not having what everyone else is enjoying. Maybe we even purchase it with money we have not earned by slapping down a credit card. Then we live in fear of not being able to pay it back.
Jesus came to set us free of the need to look to the world for that happiness. He came to release of from all fear, to set the captives free. No longer do we have to be controlled by the desires of this world. And not matter what people try to get us to desire because of their perceived happiness, we know better. There is nothing people can do.
With Jesus we have all we need. Our only desire is to be where He has for us to be, when He wants us there, and to be available to do the work He sets before us. As we do that work and He works through us there is no greater joy, no greater happiness. Thank you Jesus!
Monday, January 19, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
Right With God
Acts 13:38-39 NLT
Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God-something the law of Moses could never do.
Most people in today's world are not trusting of everyone. They look for flaws and are slow to jump into relationships with others. Gone are the days of the interview leading right into a handshake and a job. Apply for a job today and they run a background check before making any decision on hiring. We can even log into sites on the Web and for as little as $1 find out everything about anybody!
Our relationship with Jesus has nothing to do with our past. We could have been the best person in the world or an evil drug pushing scumbag. When we ask Jesus into our heart ALL our past is washed away. Father God sees us as He sees His Son Jesus. For He is in us and we are in Him.
Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich. (Ephesians 1:7 NLV).
Sure our past still exists and anyone can check us out on the Web. But know this. All our sins, past, present, and future are covered by the blood of Jesus. His shed blood covers all our indiscretions. This does not mean we are to willfully sin, but when we do it too is covered.
Jesus forgives us, but to walk in that forgiveness we have to forgive ourselves. And Holy Spirit can help us with that. All we have to do is ask Him.
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT)
In Christ we are righteous. We are right with God.
Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God-something the law of Moses could never do.
Most people in today's world are not trusting of everyone. They look for flaws and are slow to jump into relationships with others. Gone are the days of the interview leading right into a handshake and a job. Apply for a job today and they run a background check before making any decision on hiring. We can even log into sites on the Web and for as little as $1 find out everything about anybody!
Our relationship with Jesus has nothing to do with our past. We could have been the best person in the world or an evil drug pushing scumbag. When we ask Jesus into our heart ALL our past is washed away. Father God sees us as He sees His Son Jesus. For He is in us and we are in Him.
Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich. (Ephesians 1:7 NLV).
Sure our past still exists and anyone can check us out on the Web. But know this. All our sins, past, present, and future are covered by the blood of Jesus. His shed blood covers all our indiscretions. This does not mean we are to willfully sin, but when we do it too is covered.
Jesus forgives us, but to walk in that forgiveness we have to forgive ourselves. And Holy Spirit can help us with that. All we have to do is ask Him.
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT)
In Christ we are righteous. We are right with God.
Monday, January 05, 2015
Burdens
Matthew 11:28 NLT
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
When I first heard this verse from a pastor many years ago all I could picture was a man with a large and heavy bag of his belongings strapped to his back, I did not relate burdens with the baggage we carry from our years of living in this world. I guess I was too young and did not have anything to relate it to at that time in my life.
We all had baggage when we asked Jesus into our heart. And we had the same baggage one minute afterwards. The baggage does not go away. We are forgiven of all our sin, past, present and future. And we live in Him. in Christ. And in Him we are righteous. In us, we still have our baggage to deal with.
As we make this transformation journey which started with that confession of faith, we shed our baggage one piece at a time. And each one goes off as we decide to let it go and ask Holy Spirit to help us be free from it.
For some it is obvious to others when some baggage has been cleared away. We are different. An obvious weight has been lifted off. But for others, the baggage was hidden and only we who had the hidden baggage can tell when we are free.
Less baggage means less flesh to deal with as we continue on in our walk to become totally in the spirit. It is a walk that takes a lifetime as a human to take. And even when our expiration date is reached, there will most likely still be baggage left. But then it does not matter because we will be all spirit with Him.
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
When I first heard this verse from a pastor many years ago all I could picture was a man with a large and heavy bag of his belongings strapped to his back, I did not relate burdens with the baggage we carry from our years of living in this world. I guess I was too young and did not have anything to relate it to at that time in my life.
We all had baggage when we asked Jesus into our heart. And we had the same baggage one minute afterwards. The baggage does not go away. We are forgiven of all our sin, past, present and future. And we live in Him. in Christ. And in Him we are righteous. In us, we still have our baggage to deal with.
As we make this transformation journey which started with that confession of faith, we shed our baggage one piece at a time. And each one goes off as we decide to let it go and ask Holy Spirit to help us be free from it.
For some it is obvious to others when some baggage has been cleared away. We are different. An obvious weight has been lifted off. But for others, the baggage was hidden and only we who had the hidden baggage can tell when we are free.
Less baggage means less flesh to deal with as we continue on in our walk to become totally in the spirit. It is a walk that takes a lifetime as a human to take. And even when our expiration date is reached, there will most likely still be baggage left. But then it does not matter because we will be all spirit with Him.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Needs
Luke 12:31 NLT
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
Remember all the things on our Christmas list? The children probably had every good thing they saw on television commercials on their lists. Even parents have a long list of needs. Few received all they had on their list even though they may have prayed for them as well.
You see, our needs list usually contains our wants and not those things we really need. I believe our Father God wants us to be happy, but that does not mean He will give us all we think will make us happy. Our happiness from receiving things is usually short lived.
Think back about all those things you really needed to have last Christmas. Now try to remember the last time you actually used them. Perhaps you do not even remember where they are. So much for really needing them.
I believe that Father God supplies all we need to live here on this earth in these earthly vessels. He heals us. He delivers us. He guides us down the path of righteousness. As we accept where we are, He moves us up to a better place. He supplies all we need to do what He has for us to accomplish our purpose while here on earth.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Plans
Psalm 119:35-37 NLT
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
From the time we are young children we are programmed in this culture to ways of making money. Money is related to the source of happiness. We make it and then buy things to make us happy. How do we know this? The ads on television tell us. And the shows and movies we watch depict people with things being happy.
But after we get that new thing and many find them under their Christmas tree, we are happy for a while and then want something else. Often the desire to get it is so great that we go into debt to purchase it and are paying for it long after our interest in it has gone on to something else. And that debt does not add to our happiness, it adds to our unhappiness.
Instead of living off the plans those in marketing make for us to follow, we need to look to our Father God. He knows the beginning and the end. He knew us before we were born and will be with us as believers after we are long gone from this earthly life. He knows what makes us happy and it is not what we are being told on the television.
Help us Lord. Help us to seek your face and your plans for our lives. Give us a desire to know your Word and to listen for Your voice each day. We want to follow the path you have for us, not our own plans. We want to seek You and not lean to our own understanding or earthly desires. In Jesus name we pray.
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
From the time we are young children we are programmed in this culture to ways of making money. Money is related to the source of happiness. We make it and then buy things to make us happy. How do we know this? The ads on television tell us. And the shows and movies we watch depict people with things being happy.
But after we get that new thing and many find them under their Christmas tree, we are happy for a while and then want something else. Often the desire to get it is so great that we go into debt to purchase it and are paying for it long after our interest in it has gone on to something else. And that debt does not add to our happiness, it adds to our unhappiness.
Instead of living off the plans those in marketing make for us to follow, we need to look to our Father God. He knows the beginning and the end. He knew us before we were born and will be with us as believers after we are long gone from this earthly life. He knows what makes us happy and it is not what we are being told on the television.
Help us Lord. Help us to seek your face and your plans for our lives. Give us a desire to know your Word and to listen for Your voice each day. We want to follow the path you have for us, not our own plans. We want to seek You and not lean to our own understanding or earthly desires. In Jesus name we pray.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Called to be Holy
2 Timothy 1:9 NLT
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time-to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
I cannot count how many times I have heard believers speak about not deserving God to do things for them. They seem to think they have to earn His grace; earn answers to prayer, and even earn a healing. That is not how it works.
None of us have ever done what would be needed to deserve being saved. And if we had to deserve His grace to stay saved, none would be able to do that either. That is why no one could be saved under the law for it was impossible for anyone to fulfill it.
According to the dictionary, Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward mankind. It cannot be bought or earned by works. It is a free gift of our Father God to a needy mankind. And Paul is telling us here that it has been God's plan all along. He knew the plan and Jesus was integral to that plan. His birth, death and resurrection gives us freedom and everlasting life. We live forever with Him.
God has called us to be holy as He is holy. And holy does not mean going around doing good things all the time. Holy means to be set apart for sacred use. And that is what we are to be, ready to be used by Him as He needs us.
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time-to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
I cannot count how many times I have heard believers speak about not deserving God to do things for them. They seem to think they have to earn His grace; earn answers to prayer, and even earn a healing. That is not how it works.
None of us have ever done what would be needed to deserve being saved. And if we had to deserve His grace to stay saved, none would be able to do that either. That is why no one could be saved under the law for it was impossible for anyone to fulfill it.
According to the dictionary, Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward mankind. It cannot be bought or earned by works. It is a free gift of our Father God to a needy mankind. And Paul is telling us here that it has been God's plan all along. He knew the plan and Jesus was integral to that plan. His birth, death and resurrection gives us freedom and everlasting life. We live forever with Him.
God has called us to be holy as He is holy. And holy does not mean going around doing good things all the time. Holy means to be set apart for sacred use. And that is what we are to be, ready to be used by Him as He needs us.
Monday, December 08, 2014
Harmony
Romans 15:5 NLT
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
The enemy does all he can to cause us to live in disharmony with friends and relatives. Some families are so far apart on issues of this world. Some are so angry with other family members that they have forgotten the meaning or reason for forgiveness. He who overcame this world has forgiven us. Why can't we forgive?
Without forgiveness how can there be harmony? And forgiveness has nothing to do with how we feel. It has to do with a choice we must make to forgive others. Ours is not to judge others for their actions. No, it is ours to forgive them no matter what we believe they have done. Once we have done that we can move forward in harmony.
God is patient with us. Think of all he has seen us go through and yet He has forgiven us all of it. And Jesus died on the cross just for you and I.
So help us, Father. Help us to forgive and to give to others the patience and encouragement you give to us. Help us to live in harmony with all your children. In Jesus name.
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
The enemy does all he can to cause us to live in disharmony with friends and relatives. Some families are so far apart on issues of this world. Some are so angry with other family members that they have forgotten the meaning or reason for forgiveness. He who overcame this world has forgiven us. Why can't we forgive?
Without forgiveness how can there be harmony? And forgiveness has nothing to do with how we feel. It has to do with a choice we must make to forgive others. Ours is not to judge others for their actions. No, it is ours to forgive them no matter what we believe they have done. Once we have done that we can move forward in harmony.
God is patient with us. Think of all he has seen us go through and yet He has forgiven us all of it. And Jesus died on the cross just for you and I.
So help us, Father. Help us to forgive and to give to others the patience and encouragement you give to us. Help us to live in harmony with all your children. In Jesus name.
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