Day 34 of 35 - Established With Grace

Hebrews 13:9
Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Going to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to ascertain the correct definition of 'established', we see: confirm and stabilitate. This word 'stabilitate' takes us to the definition above it which is stable, steadfast, firm, of force, sure. These definitions bring us to yet another section which describes stable as ' from the foot', a pace (base).

Knowing our basic anatomy, we see that our feet hold us up. They are the base of our physical structure, being the foundation, because the feet are the base, the foundation of our stability. Though everything we do begins in the brain, which tells all members of the body how to function, it is our feet which keep us mobile and upright.

The grace of God is our foundation for living. There are 167 references to 'grace' in the KJV Bible. This version is my favorite; not just because it is loved by my grandparents and great-grands, but because it is loved by me. This is the translation which God has chosen to reveal Himself to me. You need to ask God to direct you to the translation of the Bible which you will be needing. I like the Amplified Bible, too. It reads as if you were studying the concordance simultaneously in the verses.

Grace as defined in and under The Old Testament of God means: graciousness; kindness; favor, pleasant, precious, well-favored. This brings us to: to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, to bestow; be merciful, show mercy upon; deal, give, grant. In The New Testament of God, grace is defined, for the most part, as: graciousness of manner or acting gracious (to grant to another); the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; gratitude: acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, liberal joy, pleasure, thanks.

Both 'favor' and 'graciousness' show up in both sections of our Bibles, The Old and The New Testaments. It is significant that the grace granted to the men and women who obeyed God and followed God's Way in The Old Testament, is the same grace we know today, for we who are alive at this point in time are still living in and under The New Testament; for the Book of Revelation has not yet taken place in history. Were that to be so, this blog would not need to be written.

For the heart to be established with grace, it must first submit itself to God.

God is not looking for flowery words and self-serving minds.

He already knows what is in your heart and

He wants to hear your voice, your prayers,

in your own way of thinking.

Be honest; liars will not be heard.

Grace is multiplied to us by the hand of God.

He looks upon us and answers our prayers,

when we come to Him with humble hearts.

Hearts full of shame and repentance,

seeking forgiveness and grace

to wash away our sins and our shame.

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

 

Though Grace is available only through the favor of God by His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, Grace takes on many qualities and has qualities in and of itself.

 

GRACE

1. Grace is sought after and found of those who seek it. ~ Many, many Scriptures, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation.

2. Grace is shown. ~ Ezra 9:8

3. Grace can be poured out, stood in. Psalm 45: 2 (poured); Romans 5:2(stand)

4. Grace comes by Jesus Christ. ~ John 1:17

5. Grace is an ornament. ~ Proverbs 1:9; 4:9

6. Grace is a gift and is given. ~ Many Scriptures

7. We are justified freely by His Grace. ~ Romans 3:24

8. Grace is bestowed. ~ 2 Corinthians 8:1

9. Grace abounds by God. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:15

10. God's Grace is sufficient. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

11. God's Grace is extended by us to others.

12. We are called into the Grace of Christ by Christ. ~ Galatians 1:6

13. Grace is recognizable by everyone who has received it. ~ Galatians 2:9

14. There are riches in Grace. ~ Ephesians 1:7

15. Grace is dispensed by God to all who will receive it. ~ Ephesians 3:2

16. Everyone is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:7

17. Grace is ministered to people who hear us speak, when we speak that which edifies, builds up/encourages, the hearers. ~ Ephesians 4:29

18. We sing with Grace in our hearts. ~ Colossians 3:16

19. We are partakers of Grace. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:30 and Philippians 1:7

20. We are to always speak with Grace ~ Colossians 4:6

21. We receive everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace, by our Lord Jesus Christ and God, our Father. ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16

22. Grace is exceedingly abundant with Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Timothy 1:14

23. We are strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. ~ 2 Timothy 2:1

24. The Grace of God brings salvation. ~ Titus 2;11

25. We are justified by His Grace. ~ Titus 3:7

26. We boldly come to the throne of Grace to obtain Mercy and find Grace in time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:16

27. The heart is established with Grace, and it is a good thing. ~ Hebrews 13:9

28. Grace is given to the humble. ~ James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5

29. Grace is brought to us, when Jesus Christ is revealed to us. ~ 1 Peter 1:13

31. The loving and faithful husband and wife are heirs together of the Grace of life. ~ 1 Peter 3:7

32. Every one who receives the gift of Grace is to minister that gift to each other, thereby revealing that we are good stewards of the manifold (varying, forms of, multiple, diverse, complex) Grace of God. ~ 1 Peter 4:10

33. God is The God of All Grace. ~ 1 Peter 5:10

34. We grow in Grace. ~ 2 Peter 3:18

35. GRACE is the Promise of God revealed through and in His Son Jesus Christ.

G.R.A.C.E.

God's
Riches

At
Christ's
Expense

In this Grace, and on this Grace, and with this Grace, my heart is established, strengthened, fortified. My faith is strong and will not bend, neither will it break. And though my heart may break many times, it is the strength and grace of God that holds it together, holding me in His arms and carrying me through yet another battle, another storm; up another step. My heart is in His heart and His heart is in mine. Christ is in me, I am in Christ, Christ is in God. My heart is established with Grace.

Grace Alone

My Life Is In You, Lord

 

 

 

 

Day 33 of 35 - Making Melody

Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with The Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to The Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and The Father in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:18-21

I sing because that is my gift in The Holy Spirit. I cannot read music, nor do I know how to score what I have written. But I can sing it. I write what God tells me to write. And I sing under the anointing or I do not sing at all. This is my gift. And I am using it to God's glory and not my own.

I do not earn money with or from my gift. As it is a gift given to me for God's glory, then it must needs be given a gift to God's glory. I sing God's praises. I worship God with my writing and my voice and my singing. I am very thankful for what God is doing in my life; where He places me, what He leads me through and where He is bringing me. While God has a plan for my life, He does not have to tell me every little detail of the journey.

It is enough that He has given me a measure of faith. It is my responsibility to exercise that faith that it may grow into a thing of beauty, which pleases God. Though I have had some instruction in writing, the best words I ever heard were, "Write from your heart." And I do.

I love to sing for God. He sings over me. He listens to my songs. He gives me inspiration everywhere. To say you are not inspired is to close your eyes to the beauty around you; or the darkness that is apart from you, because you and I are filled with the Light of Christ. Once we lived in sin, but no longer. For the blood of Christ has been painted across the sins of our hearts with His death on the cross. Our eternal life is given us when He stepped across the threshhold of the tomb into the garden.

When the stone rolled away, there was a mighty shaking and a burst of light. Jesus says to us that while He was here, He was the light of the world. But when He left, we who believed on Him became the light in His stead. And so this light shines from within the hearts of every believer. It prevents the darkness from overtaking the soul. But only as long as the heart of the believer is focused on Christ and obeys The Word of God.

I sing because I can't help myself. It is as easy as breathing. Most of the time we are not aware of our breathing status until we have difficulty catching our breath. Singing in The Spirit is like that, too. Unless, The Spirit has been hindered because of something we have done to prevent Him from working in our hearts and minds and spirits, He will flow through us like water out of a rock, a waterfall if you will.

For that is one of the images I received when I was filled to overflowing with The Holy Spirit of God. The other is a blue volcano, but instead of lava pouring out of my mountaintop, it is music: chords, notes, clefs; flats, majors, minors. Out of the side of this mountain was a waterfall, falling into a sheltered body of water below it. If I could show you this vision, I would. But drawing is not one of my gifts. As far as I know any way. Once the tremors in my hands became noticeable, even writing with a pen or pencil has become difficult. But I am getting stronger. Because I am healed in Jesus' Name. And in Jesus' Name is ALL POWER. By the stripes across His back we receive ALL HEALING, both spiritual and physical.

I sing because I love Him. I sing because He loves me. He sings to me through The Holy Spirit and you get to read the lyrics. If you go to church with me, then at times you also get to hear the music.









 

Day 32 of 35 - Written in My Heart

 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel

after those days, saith The Lord;

I will put My Laws into their mind,

and write them on their hearts:

and I will be to them a God,

and they shall be to Me a people.

Hebrews 8:10

 

 

 

      Ever read the book or see the movie Fahrenhiet 451. It is about a culture that took book-banning to the extreme: they burned what they did not approve of. So people who wanted these books memorialized and kept for future generations memorized the book of their choice. One man memorized The Bible; not just parts of  it, the whole Bible.

     That dedication and commitment is what we should have. But we need the love of God in us to even begin to put The Word of God in us. When we repent of our sins and receive forgiveness from the hand of God, it is God's love which places The Word of God in us and on us. It is our love for God that causes us to want to obey Him, so joyfully we love Him in return and begin to place parts of His Word within us. Whether we are very young when we come to Christ, or middle-aged and then some, one of the first verses any of us learn is John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have ever lasting life."

    Faith is believing something to be so even if your eyes have never seen it. Hebrews 11 is The Faith Hall of Fame, describing people from The Old Testament who believed, who acted by faith, in God's Word and Promises for their lives and their life after death.

 

 

     Faith is a seed planted in our hearts by our belief in God. A seed is small size-wise, but through perseverance and determination, the seed pushes through the outer lining and into the sweet black dirt into which it has been placed. Seeking nutrients and stability, the seed begins to send out roots under the dirt and a stem or sapling above the dirt, overcoming death from above and underneath; for predators live both underground and above ground. The seed which survives both is able to grow into a beautiful flower, a shaft of grain, a tree. For whatever the seed is, that is what it matures into. An oak does not come from a pine cone. That is foolishness.

    In order for our measure of faith to grow into a mature faith, we too must overcome many obstacles to our growth: temptations to sin(Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:14, 6:12), for one. We must place our faith in God's Word, that it might take root and receive the nutrients which will cause it to grow (Colossians 1:23 - faith is grounded and settled).  Colossians is a good Book to read when comparing our faith to a seed that needs to grow.

      Colossians 3:1-4 tells of the seed's desire to seek out the sun (SON). Verses 5 thru 9 is what we leave behind underground, for we have, and continue to, overcome those sins which would destroy our growth and hinder our faith. Our seed of faith has pushed through these things and become more than a seed (verse 10). We are a new creation now and we are to put on, clothe ourselves with, hearts of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsufferings (much patience); forbear (put up with) one another, forgive (without number) one another, charity (agape love, a love that has no strings attached nor does it require a return of love. The Peace of God is to Rule in our hearts now.

      No longer do we have a seed of faith within us, now we are grown into a forest, a field, a garden; we are not one seed, singular in our faith. We are many seeds brought together, grown together in God's Word, becoming not a single flower or tree, but many together, causing us to be called Trees of Righteousness. For we are God's planting, the planting of The Lord ~ Isaiah 61:3.

      And all because God planted a seed of faith within us, when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. He Who Redeemed us from sin and death, has grown within our hearts and lives, transforming us through the power of God's Holy Spirit who guides us in all of God's Ways, God's Word and God's Will.

      Seeds Of Faith

 

Thank You God for writing Your Laws in my heart and my mind.

Thank You God for growing me in Your Word,

Transforming me within Your Will,

Leading me on Your Way.

Thank You God for every thing

You do in my life.

Not only are You a great God,

You are The ONLY GOD.

And I love You.

 

Day 31 of 35-Sanctify Your Hearts

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify The Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear...

Sanctify: consecrate; purify or make pure; be holy; physically pure, morally blameless; innocent; modest, chaste.

When studying the Bible, one word's definition will usually lead you to yet another word's definition, giving you a whole and complete vision of the original word. As in this case, where 'sanctify' means 'to consecrate, to purify, to be holy' such terms also have their meanings. Purify means to 'make pure'. Consecrate means to 'make holy'.

While the sins of our past have had consequences in our present regarding our bodies, such as various diseases and ongoing ailments, we can understand here that when God heals us according to His will, He heals us perfectly. I have had asthma since I was 14. Pneumonia put me in the hospital twice in a breathing tent. This lung disease leaves scarring on the lungs. I don't have any.

Three months ago I was informed I had the beginnings of emphysema. The person who told me that was wrong. The doctor who looked at the x-rays had said 'maybe she might have emphysema'. The nurse took that to mean I did have it and called me to tell me so; telling me nothing else. But that doctor and the subsequent lung specialist I had to see because of the misinformation I received both informed me that there not only was no emphysema, there was no scarring of any kind on my lungs. Perfectly healthy. Oxygen levels normal. God is healing me 100%. I am not being healed to my original health; I am healed to God's design of perfect health.

My heart is healthy. Tests have concluded that I have very healthy heart and that my circulation is fine. It appears that though I am a tad overweight, I am losing weight. And that, too, I can thank God for. Because I asked Him to help me lose weight, He is. I lost 40 pounds between August and December of last year. I couldn't have done that by myself. I prayed it off. And I remained faithful in my heart and in my service to my God. But I had to go through all that in order that my faith in the power of God would not only be strengthened for myself, but that the testimony of my endurance might encourage others. God is my healer.

Knowing what type of things I was into in my past before I came to Jesus and accepted Him into my life, I should tell you that it is only by God's grace that I am here at all. I believe I have a healthy heart because I have submitted my heart to God's will and way and Word fully. Do not be ashamed of what God is doing in your life; nor how He is changing your way of life. If all of God's people would testify of what God is doing in their lives and how He heals the mind and the body, then the doctors would not assume that we are crazy. They would know that God takes care of His own. Perhaps our witness on behalf of what our God is doing in us and through us would draw medical personnel to Him instead of away from Him.

I believe I have a healthy set of lungs because I surrendered my voice to God. And I told Him that my voice would be His, that I would sing only under the anointing or not at all. And I do. But my voice relies on my lungs, my heart, my oxygen levels, my energy levels and my throat. So now that I know three of these are perfect, I will wait on God's timing for my energy level to increase and my sore throat to go away permanently. For the osteoporosis in my bones to be restored. For my central nervous system to be more than restored: brought to 100% healed, also.

However, my sore throat could be related to the acid reflux in my stomach. I just have to watch what I eat and not eat those things which could be harmful to me in that way. I am currently not on any medication for it though I have been in the past. Never diagnose yourself even if you are a doctor. But don't put your trust in your doctors only; put yourself in God's hands. Thank Him everyday and praise Him for every thing. Praise God through every situation, trial and test. For He has said He would never leave us who believe; He is always near.

I cannot tell you why some get healed instantly. Nor can I say why some never get healed in their lifetimes. It is not a lack of faith on the believer's part that prevents a healing of any kind. All believers are given a measure of faith when they are come into God's grace. God's Word says if we had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains. So, don't think yourself any better than Jesus' early disciples when it comes to the amount of faith anyone has for anything to be accomplished. It is God's decision when and how a person is healed. And we need to be wise in God's Word, His Ways and His Will. It is not God's will that death came into the world. Death is here because sin is here. So God needed to make a way to get us back into a restored relationship with Him; and the Way is Jesus.

I am not talking here about a trade-off. You cannot trade with God or make deals with God only on your understanding of your facts and small knowledge. God is the God of Every Thing. Even I am still learning. Every day I learn something new about my God. And it causes me to love Him even more. God wants you, all of you, every part of you. He wants you to know Him in this way also. But without you making the decision to know Him personally, this will not happen. You must make a decision for Christ to be in your life first.

I have spoken many times on this and I will not stop speaking the gospel until it is my turn to go home to be with God and God's family for ever. This is my mission: to reach the lost, to preach the gospel of salvation to all, to worship God and lead you to Him. Your part in all of this depends on which side of Christianity you are. Christians will pray for each other, so I covet your prayers for me as much as you covet mine for you. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior by repenting of all your sins and wicked ways, then you are not a Christian.

1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of The Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of The Lord is against them that do evil.” God hears the prayers of the righteous, those who have been born again into the kingdom of God through repentant hearts. He watches over His people and answers their prayers. Prayer for each other is not optional; it is mandatory. Prayer with God is also not optional; it, too, is mandatory. There is no other way to have God hear your prayers and watch over your life except by accepting and believing in Jesus Christ.

God has a zero tolerance policy for sin. No matter what we paint the sin to be to justify it in this world or any other, sin is sin. A pretty face without a pretty heart is just a whore. And when people chase after and indulge in things that are not acceptable by God, then God says they have gone whoring after other gods, worshiping idols and getting caught up in rituals and feasts which have nothing to do with Him. God wants His people to be holy. “For without holiness no one can see The Lord.”Hebrews 12:14 “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 and Leviticus 20:7.

“Give unto The Lord the glory due unto His Name; worship God in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2. - “Give unto The Lord the glory (honor) due His Name: bring an offering, and come into His courts. O worship The Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear Him, all the earth.” Psalm 96:8,9. God wants His people to be holy, so He sanctifies them. He makes us clean, He purifies us as silver and gold are purified: through the fires. We cannot be holy without first being made right with God according to God's Word.

We sing a song in church:

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

Pure and holy, tried and true;

With thanksgiving

I'll be a living

Sanctuary for You.

God prepares us to be His sanctuary. He prepares our hearts to receive Him. But seldom is there enough room for the glory of God to enter into. So, we ask Him to search our hearts and remove any thing that does not belong there, so as to make more room for our God. The temple of the Old Testament in Moses' time was filled with the glory of God. But there was so much of God to fill the temple, that there was no room for any people to be in there with Him. As such, we are to be so filled with the glory of God, our hearts being His sanctuary now, that there is no room for us.

Lord, fill me with Your glory. Make my heart Yours. Remove any unrighteousness from within me and fill me more of Yourself. In Jesus' Name, The Name by which all must be saved, this I ask. Amen.

Day 30 of 35_Nearer My God to Thee

Hebrews 10:19-25
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;
And having a high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one antoher to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more so, as you see the approaching.

 


I have been told there is an app for church. Let me tell you here and now that God already had an app for attending church long before technology did.

Day 29 of 35-Not Ashamed

1 Thessalonians 2:3,4

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guild:

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tries our hearts.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Holy Spirit-filled Christian who preaches the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is considered a hate-monger in today's lifestyles. We preach a gospel of love; a love so astounding many reject it, because it just does not seem logical that anyone's king would sacrifice himself for the people he rules over. It just isn't done in this world. This worlds kings and leaders sends its own people into conflict, knowing there are more people to replace the ones who die or become too injured to serve.

But we are not of this world; we who believe are of the world to come, and as such we will become rulers of nations in that world. But before that happens, this had to happen:

John 3:14-18 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

He that believe on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.”

This is our King. In His years of ministry He not only fed thousands from little, and healed the many ill, raised the dead: He forgave sins. Blasphemy! Only God has the power to forgive sin. And while a few recognized and believed in Him as God's Son, many did not. It was the many that sought to kill Him; twice they attempted to stone Him, but it was not His time yet. His time of death was on the cross, after being brutally tortured and publicly humiliated. And the ones who sought His death? He forgave them, and He asked His Father, Almighty God, to forgive them also. Even in death, the King of kings was giving us an example to follow: forgive those who persecute you.

Our King preached the gospel of salvation while He walked this earth. Now He waits for God to tell Him when to come and get His people. Now He waits for His people's time to be at an end. He waits for the gospel to be preached throughout all the ends of the earth. Now He intercedes with His Father on our behalf. Now He prepares a place for us after we are done with our work here.

By studying the words and works of our King, we see and learn how to be just like Him in ministry, in life. We study to show ourselves approved by Him. We preach out of love for Him and in Him, with joy and patience. We pray in His Name for God's will to be done. We seek them who are lost in the dark, bringing them to the light of His love and His glory, that they too might see Jesus for who He really is: The Only Begotten Son of God, the King of kings, the Prince of Peace, the mighty Lord of battle...and many many more Names and titles God has bestowed upon Him.

 

Names of God

We are not ashamed to share our the message of our King with you. He was not ashamed to die for us, we will not be ashamed to die for Him, either. Nor are we ashamed to live for Him. 'Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do.' A beautiful song written to God's people for God's glory. Everything we do, we do in His Name. For it is Christ who lives in us and we in Him. As such, we are compelled by The Holy Spirit to preach the gospel, to share our Jesus, our King and Friend, our Savior and Redeemer, with everyone who will listen.

Living For Jesus

We are not ashamed to live our lives according to His standards. When we say we walk in His Word, we are saying we know His Word and take our steps accordingly. When we say we stand on His Word, we are saying we will not back down from what we believe, from the Truth of the Word of God.

It is Christ we preach and not ourselves. It is not my word I expect you to believe, it is God's Word I hope you will believe. That your soul would be saved from eternal condemnation and damnation; from everlasting separation from God, never having another chance to receive His pardon through His Son's death and resurrection. That your soul would be reborn by your faith in God, by believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins; that He walked out of the grave and into His Father's arms, until such time as He is allowed to return.

It is Jesus we preach and not ourselves. It is not me, it is not my family; though they and I might be witnesses of His grace. That our testimony, our faith that is built going through trials and tests, would draw you to Him. Surely many of you wonder how we can smile when there appears to be nothing to be smiley about. You ask us and we tell you; some believe and some do not. Yet, it is our earnest desire that all believe on the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

It is the hearts of the believers that aligns itself with God's heart for the unbelievers: that all would be saved and none would be (for ever) lost. After death, there is no way you can seek God, t here is no way you can even begin to reach God. When you die in your sins, there is no coming back. While you may have regrets, or wish that your family would follow after Christ, though it is too late for you, your wishes may not be granted.

Luke 16:19-31 tells us of the beggar and the rich man. In life the beggar sat outside the rich man's house, yet was never seen by the rich man. But he was seen by God's servants, who led him to God. But then he died. Soon after the rich man died. Because Christ had not accomplished God's full will yet, those who died and went to Paradise could be seen by those who died and went to hell. The rich man could see the beggar sitting near Abraham.

Instead of wanting what the beggar had, he wanted the poor man to cool his burning throat with a fingertip of cool water. In death he was just as selfish as he was in life. When he was told this was impossible, he wanted Abraham to send the beggar back to the rich man's family and tell them of their coming destination. But if the rich man did not see him, it was a given that his family would not either. He was told by Abraham that if his family refuses to hear Moses and the prophets, then they would not believe the words of any who rose from the dead.

Do not let it be too late for you. Who you are in life and what you believe and how you behave is what you take with you when you die. If you die in your sins, you die alone. But if you die in Jesus, you die reaching for His extended hand, to be held in His arms; you don't die alone, you take your last breath in this world and your next in the world to come.

I am not ashamed of what and who I believe. I am not ashamed of the gospel of salvation, for it is the power of God unto salvation. This pleases God. And I am content.

We Are Not Ashamed



Every Road

Every road has a beginning and every road has an end.

The journey you are on is not endless.

One day pain will cease, sorrows will fade

and grief will turn into dancing.

One day I will meet Jesus

face to face

instead of just

heart to heart.

Every road has a pathway wherein the vehicle stays.
It wanders neither to the left nor to the right.
The vehicle carries passengers
who travel from one end of the road to the other.

Every road is drivable, but not every road is paved.
Some are dirt roads, some are rocky.
Some roads have potholes, some have dead things on them.
But every road is traveled.

Every road leads to somewhere.
Not every destination is known.
Not every journey's end is nice.
We need to be careful which road we travel.
And which destination is ours.

Every road is measured and noted.
Every road can carry at least one person.
Some are able to carry crowds; avoid those.
Some roads can only be ridden on single file.
Or side by side; take those roads.

Every road has a name.
Every road is defined by its name.
Onward and Upward inspire and encourage.
Graveside and Cemetary bring you down.

Some roads wind up steep mountainsides
reaching elevated destinations.
Some roads traverse arid deserts
finding oases or mirages.
Some roads criss-cross
and loop-the-loop,
making you dizzy and out of focus.
And then you wobble as you try to walk upright.

Every road has someone walking it.
Or over it. Some even try to walk around it
or avoid it altogether.
Some move slowly. Some race.
All achieve their goal:
Reaching the end of the road.

Some are thrilled to finally be there.
Some are terrified to be there.
Some cry. Some smile.
Some groan. Some hug.
Some get to see Jesus.
Some don't.

Which road are you traveling?
Are you sure?

Jeremiah 6:16 "...ask for the old paths....and walk therein...."
John 14:6 "Jesus says to him, I am The Way....."


Sharon's Song
August 2009
written for my friend, Sister Sharon Littleton

I sing the old songs
and I walk the old paths
cause I know The Word of The Lord.
Songs of repentance
and Songs of redemption
Songs of Spirit and Sword.

Victory in Jesus, The Old Rugged Cross
Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb;
Living For Jesus, One Day At A Time;
I'm singing Just As I am.

Don't be offended
If I can't remember
Faces, names and dates.
I'm in the presence
Of my Jehovah,
I'm in the presence of God.

Victory in Jesus, The Old Rugged Cross
Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb;
Living for Jesus, One Day At A Time;
I'm singing Just As I Am.







 

Day 28 of 35-Living Rich

COLOSSIANS 3:16
Let The Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to The Lord.

Day 3 of 35-Hid In My Heart

January 24 Valentine

Psalm 119:11
Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

Psalm 91:1 says to us who believe that we dwell in 'the secret place of The Most High'. Where do you suppose that is? Wouldn't the secret place be the heart? For the heart of all is unseen by every one but God. God looks on the heart and knows who is with Him and who is not.

When we read the Bible and study God's Word to know God better, we learn to keep His Words in our heart; that when The Holy Spirit convicts us of our words or actions, it is because we have said or done something that does not line up with God's Word.

Any one can read their Bible. But unless you and I have The Holy Spirit of God in us, and allow Him to work in us, we are just reading another book. To understand God and why He did the things He does in His Word, we need The Holy Spirit to reveal God to us when we read our Bibles.

With The Holy Spirit leading us through our Bibles and guiding our steps in life in God's ways of His Word, we are able to view God with clarity of spiritual sight and understanding. Regardless of the translation or language in which the Bible has been printed, God will reveal Himself to you and I. We just have to ask; ask Him with a seeking heart. A heart that truly wants to know God, love God, will ask God to direct our steps.

We read. We study. We take notes. We begin to apply without realizing we are applying such knowledge to our daily lives. It is on this same concept that a baby learns to roll over, crawl and begin to toddle around. First holding onto furniture and walls, then walking all by its baby self. Unaware that he is learning steps to walking unattended. But then comes the day when the child realizes he or she must learn other things in life in order to have a happy, successful life. Where are you on your studies? You need not answer me unless you want to. Talk to God. From your heart. Speak with Him on a personal level, as you would speak with your friends or acquaintances. He is ready and waiting to hear from you.



 

Day 1 of 35-Whole Heart

January 22nd facebook share was just a nice valentine:

Psalm 119:2

Blessed are they that keep His commandments, and that seek after Him with the whole heart.

Psalm 119:10

With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.

 

We do not serve a half-hearted God. God loves us with His whole heart.
He is seeking a people who will love them with their whole heart, too.

In the beginning of creation, when God created mankind, 

He created a whole man and a whole woman,

joining them together in union with Himself.

We are created by God for God's glory.

Do you enjoy the things you created? of course you do.

A new story. A new toy. A new technological gadget.

A new song. A new house. A new way to do things.

 

God created people for His glory.

Some sought Him to know Him better.

Some turned away from Him to not know Him at all.

Some pretend to serve Him.

Some serve Him with unreserved joy.

They, we, who seek to know God better,

are also the ones who serve God with an abundance of joy.

 

Our whole-heartedness attitude in seeking and serving God

comes from the love we carry within our hearts.

Why do we love God so much?

"For God so loved the world (us) that He sent His only begotten Son,

that whosoever (us, again) believes on Him,

shall not perish but have everlasting life.

For God sent not His Son into the world (us)

to condemn the world (us),

but that the world (us) through Him might be saved."

 

Saved from what, you ask?

Saved from eternal damnation.

You and I have a soul.

When a baby is born, that baby is born

with a body, a spirt and a soul.

Though the body will eventually die,

the spirit and the soul are eternal.

The choice to seek God and the decision to choose God

must be made in this life

before a person dies.

Your second chances are only available

while you are alive.

 

"They that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

God is spirit.

And He creates each person with a spirit and with a soul.

It is the soul that believes

on the Lord Jesus Christ

for a personal Savior.

It is an individual decision.

Anyone can pray for you.

But only you can pray for yourself.

Only you can make the decision

whether to accept Christ into your spiritual heart,

or turn and walk away.

 

While the soul must make the decision,

the body will pay the price.

To seek God when others around you are not

is to set yourself up for being called a fool.

But the fool is the one who chooses Not to follow God.

To read your Bible when others around you are not

is to hear taunts and laughter at you, against you.

Those who mock need Jesus also.
Remember that when you are come against.

To pray in public is to be a target of derision and insults.

Even saying grace, thanking God for your meals,

at a public restaurant or outing

may cause some to stare,

 but it might also encourage those who are weak in their faith.

This walk with Christ will not be easy for you to take.

But it will be worth it.

You and I do not walk alone.

God is always with His people.

Why?

Because God loves us whole-heartedly

and we love Him the same in return.

 

 

35 Days of Christian Valentines thoughts

Here it is Day 24 and I have only managed to reproduce a few of the Valentines I have been sharing on Facebook. I really am sorry to have done that. So, now I will just post them all at once to catch myself up on this matter.

A Heart of Flesh

Day 24 of 35 Days of Christian Valentines

Ezekiel 11:19,20
"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:
That they may walk ...in My statutes, and keep My ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."

 

A heart of stone is unbendable and inflexible. It neither changes nor grows. It has no functioning capabilities. It just sits there, becoming harder and harder.

A heart of flesh bends and breaks and heals. A heart of flesh weeps, knows both grief and joy, sadness and hope. A heart of flesh has movement and growth. It changes with seasons of life, becoming stronger in adversity and peace.

A heart of flesh is obedient to the laws of God, adhering to His Word like glue. Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows hard after Thee: Thy right hand upholds me."

Early in life, early in the day, the heart of flesh seeks the face of God; to worship Him, to praise His Name, to draw ever nearer to the heart of God. The heart of flesh is glad in The Lord, trusts in Him, follows where He leads. The heart of flesh recognizes that The Lord God is Savior, and waits on His timing. I know that my Redeemer lives. The Lord God is my Savior, too. I have a heart of flesh.

Following close after God does not mean chasing and never catching up to. When we follow hard after God we are sticking closely to Him, walking closely with Him: side by side and hand in hand. When we hold our Bibles while reading them it is as if we are holding the hand of God. When our Bibles are positioned in front of us, as we read them, it is as if He is standing right in front of us, sharing Himself with us. When we wrap our arms around our Bibles to hold them close to us, perhaps when someone is trying to take it away or on a windy day, it is as if we are wrapping our arms around our God. The Bible is, after all, the written Word of God; as Jesus is the living Word of God.

 

Day 9 - Measure of A Heart

1 Samuel 16:7 and Matthew 15:18

But The Lord said unto Samuel, 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but The Lord looketh on the heart.'

'But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.'

So, what should be in our hearts?

STRENGTH

HONOR

INTEGRITY

WISDOM

COMPASSION

FAITH

JUSTICE

PATIENCE

LOVE

PERSEVERANCE

HUMILITY

DISCERNMENT

King David, before he became king, exemplified all of these qualities. Even after he became king, he maintained all of these; though there were times when he backslid, he did repent of his sin and turn back to God.

Job is an example to us of these qualities. As is Christ Himself. David and Job were just ordinary men who loved The Lord God with all their heart. They wanted to please God and make Him happy: they put Him first in their lives, not themselves.

What is in our hearts? Who are we trying to please? In America we are given the 'right to pursue happiness'. But with God we are given the ability to be happy. This happiness comes to us by putting God first in all our decision making. Regardless of our situation or circumstance, God is placed first. Not to our detriment but to His glory.

Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” The word 'Blessed' translates into happy. So we can then read the verse as such: Happy is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

Happiness comes from placing God in the center of our lives, in the center of our well-being, in the center of our hearts; for the heart is where our seat of emotions sets. Who sits on the seat of our emotions? When we place God first in everything, including the safety of our souls, then God is sitting in our hearts. When we accept Christ as Lord, we are accepting Him as Lord of our lives, also. He is our 5-star General, our Supreme Commander. Where He leads us, we will follow.

Happiness has a face. It is the face of God. God looks on our hearts and His Holy Spirit discerns what is right and what is wrong, what is righteous and what is unrighteous, in our hearts. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our unrighteousness, that we may repent of our sin and turn away from it, asking Jesus to cover this, too, with His blood. The precious blood of Jesus which covers the sins of the whole world. God is not like mankind. He forgives all debt, all sins AND FORGETS THEM, TOO. People may forgive, but seldom do we forget. It is only when we receive true forgiveness from God that we are able to forgive; not only those who sin against us, who do us wrong, but able to forgive ourselves. To forgive our self is to be able to acknowledge that we have sinned against God in our ignorance and rebellion of and against His Word.

Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of The Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”

Happiness can be measured. God has a measuring rod: His Word. Obedience is a choice. We can choose to obey God or choose to disobey God. But if we want to be truly happy, we need to obey God. His Word is Love. His Word is Integrity. His Word is Strength. His Word is Honor. His Word is Perseverance. His Word is Wisdom. His Word is Faith. His Word is Justice. His Word is Patience. His Word is Humility. His Word is Discernment. When His Word is in our hearts, all of these qualities of character are also in our hearts.

Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Happiness can grow. As long as a person is eating and drinking The Word of God, that person can grow in spirit and be blessed by God both spiritually and physically. Proverbs 23:7a “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. Philippians 4:8 tells us what kind of things we should be thinking about: True, Honest, Pure, Lovely, Of Good Report, Virtue. If what we are thinking does not match up with what is stated in God's Word, then we are sinning against God. But if the things we think line up with God's Word, then our hearts will be at peace. For God is peace and it is this peace we need to have in our hearts, that our hearts may grow and prosper in the things of God.

Valentine Series-35 Days of God Loving Us

Started a new picture series just before the 1st of February this year. Never quite got around to sharing them here, yet, so will bundle them in the next post. This is today's post in the V.S. (valentine series) which will continue through the end of February.

That Which Thou Hast

Revelation 3:11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have,
that no man take your crown.
What you and I have is LOVE.
Jesus says "Love one another as I have loved you." and
Jesus says "The greatest commandment is to love your neighbor" and Jesus says "Love your enemies. Bless those who persecute you" and
Jesus says "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world"
We know that when we believe on the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved from the condemnation of God...because God loves us so much He sent His Son on a mission; a mission to save the world: with LOVE.



Do not restrain yourself from loving each other in the way in which God intends us to love each other: I Corinthians 13:4-8:
1. Be kind, show patience
2. Be content with what you have
3. Be humble, not pridefu
4. Behave
5. Take care of others
6. Is not easily offended
7. Does not think bad thoughts about other people
8. Takes no pleasure in sin
9. Has joy in the Truth
10. Endures beyond what is comprehended
11. Never fails, never ends