Monday, December 30, 2013

Praying

Praying For You!

[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength...
Eph.1:17-19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f7tQRR-dXQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Friday, December 27, 2013

Downpayment

No Downpayment Required

If you have ever bought a house or you are in the market for a home you will understand the down payment concept.  It is cash upfront to secure the deal.  In respect to our relationship with God, the price was payed in full, the transaction completed and our inheritance legally recorded in the Lambs book of life.  All made possible by the all sufficient sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  No downpayment was needed but God in His mercy and goodness still left an enormous,  priceless downpayment that promises our completed redemption will one day be completed.  That downpayment is the Holy Spirit of God that indwells all who have been redeemed. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 AMP
In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit. That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it–to the praise of His glory.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Blessed

The Extent of Our Blessings

We would all have to say we are blessed.  In spite of our circumstances, troubles and difficulties; we are blessed.  The simple fact that we are alive today is sufficient.  I am writing this on a personl electronic device and you reading it in many locations simultaneously.   We are blessed.  Yesterday most of us ate till we could eat no more.  Most eveyone received at least one gift during the Christmas season.  We are blessed!  I also realize that there is sickness and even death taking place in some lives at the same time.  There are broken relationships and hurting familes with great disappointments.  But even in spite of all these things we are still blessed.  So for a moment look beyond the material world and lets examine our spiritual blessings.  One verse sums it up very clearly.   How big are our spiritual blessings?  Bigger than big!  Here it is...

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Not just a few things, EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING!  WE ARE BLESSED! 

Footnote:  contingent on your personal relationship with God through Christ alone.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Dont Lose Heart


Even when we are trying to do good, pressing forward for good causes, living with integrity, helping others, striving to live as God would have us live...its still easy to grow weary in doing good.  Its tiring, sometimes exhausting you even reach the point when you want to quit.  Emotions are frazzled, physically your worn out, you keep pressing on but your tongue is dragging the ground and another step in the right direrection seems impossible.  All the effort will soon be rewarded, dont lose heart!

Galatians 6:9
And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Carry The Load

Carry Someone's Load

We all have burdens to carry.  At times there are the burdens of life that are no fault of our own but because we live in a fallen world burdens come our way.  It may be the burden of sickness, death or even disappointment.   It may be the burden of a broken down car or washing machine.  It might be the burden of a child, family member or friend who is making poor choices.  Then there are those burdens we bring upon ourselves because of troublesome moral faults or deliberate actions of sin.  Regardless we are called to endure and carry each others burdens.  Suddenly we become very selfish and pious...I have my own burdens to worry about and besides they made their mess, they need to handle it.  We forget that sometimes life brings burdens beyond our control.   There is a difference between enabling and carrying anothers burdens and helping to restore them.  Scripture gives us clear instructions.   Don't enable others by just being sympathetic with poor choices.  On the other hand don't turn your back on a fallen comrade. 

Galatians 6:1-2
BRETHREN, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also. Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it].

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Fruit Business

Personal Orchard

Our lives produce something.  It pops out all over every day.  The question is what is my life producing.  A orange tree is supposed to produce oranges,  an apple tree apple, a peach tree a peach...you get the idea.  The name of the tree or plant tells us what we should expect when by virtue of the maturing process fruit is produced.  What is being produced from your personal orchard?  If we call ourselves Christians (Christ likeness) then the instruction manual says we should produce spiritual fruit.  Fruit which by the way is very sweet to those around us.  So...how goes your fruit business these days?

Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Unashamed

The Fellowship of the Unashamed
Romans 1:16

I am a part of the ‘Fellowship of the Unashamed.’ I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving and dwarfed goals!I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power.My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.I won’t give up, back up, let up or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up and stayed up for the cause of Christ.I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know and work until He comes.And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.
(Author Unknown)

Monday, December 2, 2013

What a Moment In Time

The Single Greatest Appointed Time.

There has been many  times in our lives that have been significant.  The day you were born, the day you spoke your first word, the day you took your first steps, when you said your ABC'S for the first time.  When you held his/her hand or that first kiss or when you said "I do", graduation day, seeing the ocean or some other magnificent created landscape for the first time.  The list goes on and on of significant appointed events in your life.  But there is an appointed event that outweighs them all....

Galatians 4:4-7 AMP
But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God's sons]. And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.

From a crown to a cradle to a cross at the appointed time for our benefit.