SO IN LOVE - Isla Vista Worship
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Speak The Father's Word
SO IN LOVE - Isla Vista Worship
Friday, April 19, 2024
Statements of Faith - I Am A Fruitful Branch
- Matthew 4:19 When we follow Christ, He teaches us how to become 'fishers of men', how to draw people to The Light and Love of God's gospel of salvation.
- Proverbs 11:30 & James 5:20 Be a soul winner in His kingdom. Tell your testimony: what Christ Jesus has done for you, how He saved you and continues to walk your life's journey with you.
- 1 John 3:24 Keeping His commandments causes us to be fruitful branches, for by doing so, we remain in Him and He in us.
- 1 John 4:15 & Romans 10:9 Speaking out loud that Jesus is The Son of God shows they that hear us speak such Truth that God is in us and we are in Him.
- Our disposition, our character, our attitude - We are to have, cultivate and exhibit the fruit of The Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23.
- Our life and conversation - Live a life of love - Ephesians 5:2
- Our intentions, motives - Live a life of faith in God - 1 Timothy 1:4
- Honor God, do good - Live a life that is worthy of God's call - 2 Thessalonians 1:11 and Ephesians 4:1
- Be an example of what we say we are - Live a life that is worthy of The Lord - Colossians 1:10
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Statements of Faith - Worth Dying For
Friday, April 5, 2024
Statements of Faith - I Am Born Again
JOHN 3:5-7
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Blessed Be The Name of The Lord
They took branches and went out to meet Him, shouting:
"Hosanna!" "Blessed is He Who comes in The Name of The Lord!" "Blessed is The King of Israel!"
Blessed is He Who comes in The Name of The LORD. From the house of The LORD we bless you.
His Name shall endure for ever: His Name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be The LORD God, The God of Israel, Who alone does marvelous deeds. And blessed be His glorious Name forever; may all the earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen.
After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Names of Christ - Jesus Is Life
JOHN 11:25, 26
Jesus said to her, "I am The Resurrection and The Life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe?"
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
I Am Christian's Memory
JOHN 14:26
But The Helper, The Holy Spirit, Whom The Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Memories are funny things. Even in our memories we are all different. I may remember my name and forget yours. As our physical bodies age or succumb to various diseases, our memories are affected, too.
Faces, names, connections like family and friendships may eventually fade from our memories in this life. But The Word which is planted within us will never fade. We will never forget that we belong to Christ. We have The Helper, The Holy Spirit, reminding us who we are in Christ and Who Christ is in us. I am Christian's memory and The Word will never leave me.
Even the gospel songs we love to sing may still linger on our lips. Psalm 77:6 "I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with my own heart: and my spirit made diligent search." I am Christian's memory and songs that glorify God and praise His Holy Name will always flow from within me. For The Holy Spirit is my Helper. He draws this flowing river of melodies and lyrics from the hidden places in my heart.
I am Christian's memory. I remember that God loves me so much He sent His Only Begotten Son to die for me. I remember that Jesus not only died to take my sins away forever, but that He defeated death, hell and the grave.
As He died on the cross, the sins of the whole world from the beginning of people until the last person gets saved were laid across His shoulders and He became sin. The weight of it crushed Him. But He stayed on the cross for us, for me. When He took our sins upon Himself, God could not be in His presence, for sin is unholiness and God's holiness had to separate itself from His Only Begotten Son.
After He died, His body was laid in the grave, the tomb. But only His body was there. His spirit and soul were in hell. Hell, where He overcame Satan in a battle we know little about. What we do know is that Satan, the devil, can be overcome by The Word and The Spirit, for that is how we overthrow him in this life we're living now. We know He holds the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18).
We know He overcame the grave because He walked out of it in His new body, His resurrected body was changed from what He looked like before He died. We know this because when Mary Magdalene encountered Him in the garden (John 20:14-16), she thought He was the gardener. [which, if you think about it, He is: He is the Master Gardener].
I am Christian's memory. Because I live in Christ and He lives in me, I, too, will be changed when my body leaves the grave. But know this: my soul will not remain with my body. When I die here, I will take His hand there. As I breathe my last here, I will inhale the perfume of heaven and my soul will be at peace in the eternal presence of my Lord and Savior. I am Christian's memory and I will go with Christian when Christian dies.
All the bad memories, all the hard times, will pass from my memory permanently. For God has promised to wipe away all tears. For instance:
Some time after my son Nick died, I had a dream. In this dream, as his car hit the pickup truck, Nick took hold of Jesus' hand which was extended to him and walked out of this life into his life eternal. He was not alone when he died; he was not afraid. The military chaplain who spoke at his funeral said that Nick was the "most Holy Spirit-filled young man he had ever met". What a testimony. This was the last time I cried. God put all my tears in one of His bottles (Psalm 56:8).
I am Christian's memory and I am filled with examples of the love of God, the merciful compassion of Christ, the guarded strength of The Holy Spirit. I may forget your name, your face, your connection to me. But I will never forget my God and my Savior.
HOPE HAS A NAME - River Valley Worship
Monday, January 22, 2024
I Am Christian's Mouth
PSALM 34:8
O taste and see that The Lord is Good! Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
I am Christian's mouth. With my tongue I taste The Word of God, discovering both Its sweetness and bitterness. It is with my mouth, speaking what I believe in my heart, that I am no longer a sinner lost in sin but a saint saved by grace: Romans 10:10 "For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Hebrews 6:4 tells me my tongue has tasted of the heavenly Gift (John 4:10) while Ephesians 2:8 tells me that this heavenly Gift is Salvation through Jesus Christ. This is what Grace tastes like!
My lips are clean now. Before I came to Christ I was a wretched sinner and my lips were very unclean. I recognized my need for spiritual cleanliness and The Lord touched my lips with His fire, burning away the filth that covered them, as He did for Isaiah -- Isaiah 6:5. Therefore, because my lips are now clean I am able to speak clearly The cleansing Word of God.
I am Christian's lips. My lips -- Proverbs 20:15 -- have knowledge. But not just any knowledge: the knowledge of The Word of God. Proverbs 3:13-35 describe both the blessings of Wisdom and the ruination of those who choose to be unwise. There is no greater knowledge than the knowledge of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. In Him is wisdom and through Him is understanding.
My lips praise God -- Psalm 35:28. Psalm 71:23 confirms to me that my lips SHOUT for JOY! and the next verse brings me back to my tongue: "My tongue will indeed proclaim Your Righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded." Psalm 35:28
With my lips I kiss The Son -- Psalm 2:12. This means that I worship Him with everything that is within me. A kiss is more than two lips meeting, it is the signing of a contract between two people, as on the day they are wed. Though a kiss can also signal betrayal, as Judas did when Christ was arrested. But when I kiss The Son I am signaling my arrival in His presence. I am so filled with Joy to be near my Savior that I cannot contain myself and am compelled to sing His praise, declare my adoration for Him and throw myself at His feet in utter worship.
I am Christian's mouth. And I am glorifying God with it. I sing His praises.
Monday, January 15, 2024
I Am Christian's Belly
JOHN 7:30
He that believes on Me, as The Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Some versions of this verse render the word "belly" as heart, innermost being, deep within. But the belly is where we digest what we have been reading and hearing of The Word of God. I am Christian and in my belly are the deepest places of my faith where The Word gets rooted and grounded.
For according to Psalm 1:1-3 I am like a tree planted by the waters, whose roots are nourished by the river, causing them to expand and take hold of the foundation of The Word, The Rock. As a tree of righteousness, I spread out my branches for shade, comfort and seed. My soul prospers because I have filled the deep places in my belly with The Word of God. This happens when I study and pray over The Word as I go through It.
These rivers flow through me. Water that flows does not stagnate. Nor does it dry up and wither away. It is by The Power of God, The Spirit of God, that I am able to live in contentment and peace, regardless of who comes against me. For it is not I who is being fought against, but Christ within me. Jesus was hated when He preached the gospel in His time. And He warns His followers that whoever is faithful in following God's gospel plan of salvation that we, too, will suffer for our faith. But I have a river of life flowing through me that gives me strength to withstand against all the enemies of my soul.
I am Christian and in my belly the milk of The Word was first purchased by faith in The Name of Jesus Christ. As I grew in The Lord, the meat of The Word has been supplied to me. The closer we get to Jesus Christ the stronger our relationship grows. In Him I live and move and have my being. The song that keeps resounding in my thoughts is Jesus Have It All. And I wonder, "Did I give Him my all? Have I kept anything back?" Questions each of us must ask ourselves every day. I want Him to have every part of me. Including my deep within place. Every nook, every cranny.
And when He has prepared me, out of me flows the rivers of Life. Rivers of Hope. Rivers of Joy. Rivers of Peace. Rivers of the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ. There is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). Oh, what Joy to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life and Savior of my soul!
Come, taste these living waters which The Lord has prepared for you today. Come, quench your thirst and fill your own belly/heart/innermost being with His Word, His voice, His Spirit. Come, sweet is the honey and wine. But take care, sometimes the meat will be tough. It's okay. The Sword of The Lord cuts right through it. Jesus told His disciples that His meat was to do the will of His Father (John 4:34). This should be our meat too.
In my belly is the remembrance of the last supper which Christ had with His disciples. They broke apart the bread and ate it in remembrance of how His body was broken and torn for our sins. They drank of the cup, the drink from the vine, in remembrance of His blood which flowed from Calvary. That blood washes away our sins when we repent of them (confess aloud to God our sins and stop doing those things of which we have confessed and been forgiven for).
Come, eat and drink with me. The Spirit and the bride say, Come. Let he who is thirsty, come. Revelation 22:17 "And The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
I am Christian and I'm calling you to come to the cross and see my Jesus. I'm calling you to walk with me and He. I'm calling you to the supper table. Come, take our hands, take up your cross and follow Jesus. It's the best hiking trip you'll ever take.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
I Am Christian's Soul - Part Two
MAKE ROOM - Community Music
Friday, December 15, 2023
The Lord Is Light
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
The Lord Is Mine
THE LORD IS MINE
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved.
I am a whosoever.
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want (lack).
Isaiah 40:11 He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
John 10:11 “I am The Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep."
I am His sheep because I am a whosoever. The Lord is Mine. Is He your Lord? Are you a whosoever? Do you want to be a whosoever?
It's really very simple.
A=Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that He was buried and then rose on the third day.
B=Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Read The Word every day and study it for yourself. Never take it for granted that what someone is telling you is in the Bible is really in the Bible: people lie to benefit themselves and to keep others from knowing the valuable Truth that is found in God's Word.
C=Confess our sins to God and ask His help to stop doing those things He says not to do and to do the things He wants us to do. This is called repentance. Continuing to trust God every day and being faithful in our daily walk is a process called The Holiness Way. For us to grow in Christ everyday we need God's Holy Spirit. We need to ask Him for guidance on how to live a righteous life now while we have breath that we may see God and live when we die.
This is the basic alphabet of salvation in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 "Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
These are the verses we read and understand to know that we are sinners who need saving. Make no bones about it: we are ALL sinners. If someone says they have never sinned, they are a LIAR, for God's Word is Faithful and True and He tells us that we are ALL sinners, we ALL need Jesus to save us. Would you rather be a fool or a saint?
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:6 But God commendeth His love His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
Romans 10:9-10, 13 That if you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ~ For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved.
Isn't it time for you to be a whosoever?
Monday, December 4, 2023
The Lord Is Present - - Come Near
THE LORD IS PRESENT
Present: To Give to, To announce someone's entrance into your presence
Present: Gift given
Presence: In the vicinity of, nearby, close at hand
Every offering made to The LORD GOD in the Old Testament was made with fire; a sacrifice had to be given with the offering. It is not enough to give The LORD words, actions must back these words up.
DO OUR GIFTS TO GOD HONOR HIM?
We say, Lord, Here I am, use me. But when He places us in the midst of trials and temptations, what do we do? Mostly complain. Lord, I didn't ask for this. Lord, get me out of this. How about saying something a little bit (a lotta bit) different? Lord, show me how to be a blessing to you in this trial. Give me Your Word to speak in this temptation. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may remain strong and steadfast, standing against the very thing that wants to take me out or knock me down.
The Word says not to promise God we will do something and then not do it. When that happens, we have lied to God and we will have to answer for it. Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Psalm 66:13.
GOD GIVES GOOD GIFTS
We give gifts to each other with the intent that the recipient would be pleased with the gift being given and receive it with grace. God gives us wonderful gifts. He gives us life and then promises life eternal if we choose His only begotten Son as our Lord and Savior, for that is the Gift God gives each one who believes. Christ is the Gift of Grace, the Gift of Lovingkindness, the Gift of Mercy promised to a thousand generations. Jesus is the Gift of Hope, the Gift of Wisdom. The Holy Spirit is the Gift of Understanding, the Gift of Revelation, the Gift of Guardianship.
God gives us beauty. He has created the universe: the stars, the moon, the sun, the planets, the galaxies, the Milky Way, the comets, the nebulae, for His pleasure. God has created the earth and everything in it because it makes Him happy. He is still creating: people are constantly finding new animals and plants; though they call them evolutionary developments, adaptations to a changing world.
God gives us Himself. He wrapped His Word in a fragile package of flesh and bone (John 1:14) and had His Holy Spirit place it in a young virgin, whom He found faithful to Him. (Luke 1:35). That's Love. His plan of Salvation would soon be fulfilled. The Gospel of repentance and faith would soon be among us. In fact, even now, The Lord is Present.
COME AND SEE
Are you aware of The Presence of God? Can you hear Him calling you to enter into His presence? Come, come and see The King of The Jews. Come, come and see the tomb is empty, for He has risen. Come, come and rejoice over the lost sheep that has been found. The Spirit and the Bride, they say, Come, come and hear. God is calling you to be near Him. That's a Wonderful Gift to be given to mere mankind. Our heavenly Father wants us to be near Him, with Him, forever and ever.
Come, come and see the Newborn King (Luke 2:8-20). Come, let us go up to the mountain of The LORD (Micah 4:2). Come, let us enter His courts with thanks giving and praise (Psalm 100:4 ). Come, let us sing for joy to The LORD (Psalm 95:6). Come and see Jesus (John 4:29; John 1:46; John 1:29-34).
So, I say now, this day: Come, come and see Jesus. Contemplate and consider The WORD of GOD. Believe that this JESUS the CHRIST, the MESSIAH, is indeed The Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world! Come, come and see for yourself, with the eyes of your heart, with the ears of your understanding. Come, come and see JESUS. And stay near to Him all the days of your life.
Sunday, December 3, 2023
The Lord is Savior - - First Sunday in December
THE SHIPPING LABEL
TO: The World
FROM: GOD
WEIGHT OF PACKAGE: Everything
John 3:16
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.
There's more to this life than just living it. We have been given the opportunity to live it (1) Eternally with God and His Christ; (2) Abundantly in Christ; (3) Fully in The Spirit of God.
Though death tarnishes life with its shadow, we need to remember that that is all death is to the believer: a shadow. Shadows have no power, they are merely a whisper of passage through which the Son shines. David wrote in Psalm 23, "Yes, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me." He knew that The LORD was with him at all times throughout his days because he made the decision to TRUST GOD.
We have been given a glorious gift (John 1:14) and it is our decision whether or not we open it and receive it or just leave it under the tree, the cross. For everyone will eventually make their way to the cross of Christ; some will see and believe, some will glance and walk away, some will mock the cross and what it stands for. It is the few who believe The Word of God and receive The Christ of God that will forever be changed by The Power of God.
There is no RTS (return to sender) on this package. The Word tells us that God's Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11): His Word accomplishes Its mission. This may seem like a hard thing to hear but its just as hard to write: not all seed will root. But The Word has gone forth and it is still in accomplish-mode. There is still time to come back to the cross and really see what God allowed His Son to go through. You woke up this morning and you managed to crawl out of bed. God gave you another day. Thank Him for that.
Thank You, Lord, for this new day which You have given me. Thank You for the opportunity to glorify You and bless You. Help me to accomplish Your purpose in me. Have Your Way in my life today. For I have given You my heart and my mind and my life. You are my everything and without You I know that I am nothing. As the song says, In You I live and move and have my being.
Thank You, Lord, for saving me. When I was lost and undone, You found me at just the right time. I was that lost sheep You went looking for and I'm so glad You picked me up and carried me back to where You knew I needed to be. Thank You for writing Your Word on my heart and filling me today with a new infusion of Your Holy Spirit. For without these I accomplish nothing on my own. I'm just a lump of clay waiting for the potter's hand to transform me.
I praise You. My soul blesses You. In You I live and love. Make me a blessing to You and for You today.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
The Lord Is The Light
Saturday, July 1, 2023
A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Serve Christ