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“The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” ~~Jesus
Jesus is clear. When his earthly family showed up one day and wanted to see him, he looked at everyone around him and let them know how important they were to him.
We are a part of the family of God. We have been adopted in to the family. We have everything that goes with that.
The only condition is that we obey God. That is all. We are a part of the family because of our obedience, not because of our birthright.
“The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” ~~Jesus (Mark 3:35 The Message)
Spice in a bland world
Jesus showed us why we are here. We are like seasoning. We spice things up. We bring out the flavor that without us is bland. We take natural things and make it supernatural. So what happens if we loose our flavoring? How will people taste the aroma of our seasoning? If we don’t spice things up we will loose our usefulness and end up in the garbage.
May we always bring our Fathers flavor to a bland world!!
Remember the early days?
We should remember the early days when we first came to Jesus and saw the truth. Those were not always easy days. Friends didn’t understand. Family members laughed at us. They “knew” us too well. But, we knew who we knew.
He was with us through it all. We knew our real treasure. In one way, it seemed like nothing bothered us at all. We were willing to endure anything for Jesus. We were sure of Him.
So, will we throw it all away now? No, we need to stick it out no matter what.
We need to stay with the new plan. It is so much better than how we used to justify our self. The new plan is a sure thing. He has promised to complete everything and so we need to go for the prize. It isn’t going to take as long as we think. He will be back anytime now. We need to thrive on loyal trust. We can’t cut and run away.
We aren’t quitters. We aren’t losers. We are going to hang in and see it to the very end. Trusting Him who is always faithful.
He is the truth.
Should we do it?
Because of what Jesus did, we can walk right up to God. We don’t even have to hesitate. We can just go right in to His presence and the place where His absolute perfection radiates completely. Jesus made the way clear. It was by His blood and His sacrifice. Nothing I could do to make it happen. This is His new plan for us. He has a whole new strategy for how we can be with Him and His awesome love.
So … let’s do it. Let us believe and be confident that we are in fact presentable. We don’t have to be ashamed at all. We are clean inside and out. Let’s get a firm grip on the promises that keep us moving in to His way. Has He ever not kept His word?
In fact, let’s get creative in how we can encourage love and helping each other out. Let’s be really inventive coming up with entirely new ways to show it. The Big Day is coming. Let’s get ready for it.
May we spur each other on. May we help each other out every time we get a chance.
Will I see Jesus today?
When God makes a promise, He is true to His word. His Spirit gives power to the word and it comes to pass. It brings peace into our life. Simeon could have done something else about the time Jesus parent’s brought Jesus to the temple. There were lots of choices for him I bet. In fact, he probably had other plans. But the Spirit was on him and led him.
May I listen to God and not worry about my plans so much.
In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:
God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.
Luke 2:25-32
Is Jesus increasing?
Oswald Chambers makes an amazing point. Is my witness about myself or about Jesus?
Goodness and purity should never be traits that draw attention to themselves, but should simply be magnets that draw people to Jesus Christ. If my holiness is not drawing others to Him, it is not the right kind of holiness; it is only an influence which awakens undue emotions and evil desires in people and diverts them from heading in the right direction. A person who is a beautiful saint can be a hindrance in leading people to the Lord by presenting only what Christ has done for him, instead of presenting Jesus Christ Himself. Others will be left with this thought— “What a fine person that man is!” That is not being a true “friend of the bridegroom”— I am increasing all the time; He is not. ~~Oswald Chambers
What is the question we need to ask?
What is the question we need to ask? Our answer determines our destiny forever.
Who is Jesus?
David Platt is the head pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is also the author of the New York Times Best Seller Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.Platt released his follow-up book, Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God in April, 2011
Here is the story
Jesus will not be molded into someone who makes me feel comfortable. I must be absolutely devoted to Him. I must mold myself to do what he wants.
God is talking
God has been talking to me a long time. I can go way back. Dr. Pirtle spoke the word of God that lead me to Jesus. Jay Fesperman led me into a disciplined life in God. Bob Mumford challenged me to submit to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Derek Prince helped me see how fully I am redeemed. Most recently, Bill Johnson has shown the way to how good God is. Jack Graham shows the way to the goodness of fellowship. Sally Fesperman on how intercession is the way to Gods absolute perfection. On and on it goes. His word right out of the mouths of those I know.
It is a long line of men and women who have addressed me in different ways. And it started way before me. Thousands of years going back to the beginning, the word has come to me through those who went before me. And there were those who proceeded Jesus. In the scheme of things, that wasn’t that long ago. Jesus word holds true today coming to me directly.
It was through Jesus (and the word He spoke) that God created everything that we know as the world and the universe. He created it and it will all be His in the end. It will all belong to Jesus for sure. Jesus absolutely perfectly mirrors God. Everything God is is stamped into who Jesus is now. Because God spoke it to begin with. He is now holding it all together today by the same word He spoke so long ago. He has such powerful words. Oh my goodness, His word blasts forward to make it all happen.
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We have someone guarding our heart. It is Jesus the Messiah. Now that is some good news.
We all know it deep down. Our hearts are very fragile. They can be broken. 
We are people with hope. Jesus has won the day. He is guarding our hearts.
We have someone guarding our heart. It is Jesus the Messiah. Now that is some good news. ~~Michael Wilson
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Am I willing to look foolish?
Great story from Max Lucado. We never know how our faith in Jesus will pay off. Even when it makes us look foolish.
Dear Friend
by Max LucadoDear Friend,
I’m writing to say thanks. I wish I could thank you personally, but I don’t know where you are. I wish I could call you, but I don’t know your name. If I knew your appearance, I’d look for you, but your face is fuzzy in my memory. But I’ll never forget what you did.
There you were, leaning against your pickup in the West Texas oil field. An engineer of some sort. A supervisor on the job. Your khakis and clean shirt set you apart from us roustabouts. In the oil field pecking order, we were at the bottom. You were the boss. We were the workers. You read the blueprints. We dug the ditches. You inspected the pipe. We laid it. You ate with the bosses in the shed. We ate with each other in the shade.
Except that day.
I remember wondering why you did it.
We weren’t much to look at. What wasn’t sweaty was oily. Faces burnt from the sun; skin black from the grease. Didn’t bother me, though. I was there only for the summer. A high-school boy earning good money laying pipe.
We weren’t much to listen to, either. Our language was sandpaper coarse. After lunch, we’d light the cigarettes and begin the jokes. Someone always had a deck of cards with lacy-clad girls on the back. For thirty minutes in the heat of the day, the oil patch became Las Vegas—replete with foul language, dirty stories, blackjack, and barstools that doubled as lunch pails.
In the middle of such a game, you approached us. I thought you had a job for us that couldn’t wait another few minutes. Like the others, I groaned when I saw you coming.
You were nervous. You shifted your weight from one leg to the other as you began to speak.
“Uh, fellows,” you started.
We turned and looked up at you.
“I, uh, I just wanted, uh, to invite … “
You were way out of your comfort zone. I had no idea what you might be about to say, but I knew that it had nothing to do with work.
“I just wanted to tell you that, uh, our church is having a service tonight and, uh … “
“What?” I couldn’t believe it. “He’s talking church? Out here? With us?”
“I wanted to invite any of you to come along.”
Silence. Screaming silence.
Several guys stared at the dirt. A few shot glances at the others. Snickers rose just inches from the surface.
“Well, that’s it. Uh, if any of you want to go … uh, let me know.”
After you turned and left, we turned and laughed. We called you “reverend,” “preacher,” and “the pope.” We poked fun at each other, daring one another to go. You became the butt of the day’s jokes.
I’m sure you knew that. I’m sure you went back to your truck knowing the only good you’d done was to make a good fool out of yourself. If that’s what you thought, then you were wrong.
That’s the reason for this letter.
Some five years later, a college sophomore was struggling with a decision. He had drifted from the faith given to him by his parents. He wanted to come back. He wanted to come home. But the price was high. His friends might laugh. His habits would have to change. His reputation would have to be overcome.
Could he do it? Did he have the courage?
That’s when I thought of you. As I sat in my dorm room late one night, looking for the guts to do what I knew was right, I thought of you.
I thought of how your love for God had been greater than your love for your reputation.
I thought of how your obedience had been greater than your common sense.
I remembered how you had cared more about making disciples than about making a good first impression. And when I thought of you, your memory became my motivation.
So I came home.
I’ve told your story dozens of times to thousands of people. Each time the reaction is the same: The audience becomes a sea of smiles, and heads bob in understanding. Some smile because they think of the “clean-shirted engineers” in their lives. They remember the neighbor who brought the cake, the aunt who wrote the letter, the teacher who listened …
Others smile because they have done what you did. And they, too, wonder if their “lunchtime loyalty” was worth the effort.
You wondered that. What you did that day wasn’t much. And I’m sure you walked away that day thinking that your efforts had been wasted.
They weren’t.
So I’m writing to say thanks. Thanks for the example. Thanks for the courage. Thanks for giving your lunch to God. He did something with it; it became the Bread of Life for me.
Gratefully,
Max
Feel like you are missing God’s blessings? Try stepping out in faith on what you have already heard Him say.
God is talking to us. Just like Jesus did with Peter when Jesus was walking on the water in the middle of a storm. They all saw Jesus but thought it was a ghost. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come ahead.” Two words. “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”
Peter received the blessing. First doubt, then faith, then fear, then restoration and then the lesson that leads to maturity.
Water longs to be walked on again. Will you step out? Will you receive the blessing? Be bold!! Have courage!!
Feel like you are missing God’s blessings? Try stepping out in faith on what you have already heard Him say.
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What fruit am I bearing?
What happens when I live God’s way? (I am pausing here to think on this!!!)
He brings gifts into my life. If I plant fruit in an orchard, I will reap some really tasty treats. That is the way it is. I live God’s way and He gives me fruit.
What kind of fruit is it? Things like affection for others. True caring for them. A passion for life. Serenity and peace. I have a willingness to stick with things. No starting and not finishing. Compassion for God and my friends. I get His gift of a basic holiness that permeates everything I do and the people I know. I find myself involved in extremely loyal commitments. I don’t have to force my way through anything. I am able to marshal my energy.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:22-26
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Do you think you are pushing things too far? That is the only way to know how far you can go.
God challenges us to get radical for his blessed son Jesus. We need more passion not less. We need to more radical not softer. We need to pray to be more bold.
This is his way.
Do you think you are pushing things too far? That is the only way to know how far you can go.
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“Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it.” ~~Jesus
So we have heard God. But something happens. It isn’t immediate but in fact subtly slow over time. 
Life happens is what. We go about our lives. We worry about how we will take care of things. Tomorrow is more important than what God is saying today. We worry. We get consumed with making money. Our focus is on having fun.
What we heard God say gets lost in all this other noise. The weeds of life choke and strangle the Word of Jesus.
May we seize God’s Word. May we hold on no matter what. May we stick with it until there’s a harvest.
“Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it.” ~~Jesus (Luke 8:6)
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Will I stay thirsty?
I am thirsty. I have this desire in my heart. I am desperate for God. Nothing else will satisfy me. It is only Jesus that can quench my thirst.
He has promised living waters. Not just any kind of water. It is living water. It will flow not trickle. He fills me with His Holy Spirit. As His Spirit satisfies me, it flows out to others.
Thank you for knowing and caring!! You are amazing my Lord.
“If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within” (John 7:37–38 NLT)
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Is this an election?
Before Jesus, the High Priest had to offer up sacrifices to blot out the continuous nature of our missing God’s goal. He also had to do this for himself since he missed God’s goal as well. 
Jesus, God’s son, who never missed God’s goal for his life, offered up himself. God set him aside for this role. He is now our High Priest. We share in his new plan. It was the perfect plan, perfectly executed. Only Jesus could do it for us.
Jesus wasn’t elected to this position. God, His Father, appointed Him. No popular vote here. No democracy in God’s world. His decision and it was perfect. Thanks be to our magnificent Leader!!
No one elects himself to this honored position of High Priest. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did the Messiah presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:40-16
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I’ve just seen Jesus
This song is so incredible….I just can’t wait till I get to say those words “I’ve just seen Jesus!”
I get chills just imagining the first look at His face…seeing his scars, being held in his arms, his hands wiping away my tears….Oh Lord come quickly!!!
Is individuality our right?
English: Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We place a great deal of emphasis on individuality. It is “our right”!!
Not really. What is important is do what God wants. That is it. And what He wants is for us to love Him without reservation.
“But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him.” ~~Oswald Chambers
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What does God’s passion look like?
There is a greater flame that Jesus lights in our soul that the passion we have from this world. This world thinks of love in a completely different way than God. 
Jesus described in ways like being hungry for God. Or being thirsty for God. George Herbert a little differently but may our hearts pant after God.
Immortal Heat, O let thy greater flame
Attract the lesser to it: let those fires,Which shall consume the world, first make it tame;And kindle in our hearts such true desires,As may consume our lusts, and make thee way.Then shall our hearts pant thee.—–George Herbert (1593 -1633)
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Who will intercede for us with God?
Our mission is to obey Jesus. This leads to our rescue which delivers us out of destruction and into His safety (known as salvation). 
Jesus accomplished this by reaching the end-stage, i.e. working through the entire process to reach the final phase of what God had in mind for him. It is referred to as perfection or maturity. It is well-illustrated with the old pirate’s telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at full-strength (capacity effectiveness). When this happened God announced that Jesus could intercede for us. He is our perfect and mature priest.
Now this is good news. He went through everything he needed to so that he could demonstrate perfectly that he is God’s son.
“Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.” (Hebrews 5:10 The Message)
Is Jesus Mr. Rogers with a beard?
Jesus is passionate. He is not Mr. Rogers with a beard. His objective is not to be a nice guy but to do what God wants him to do. Am I a man of passion or apathy?
There are worse things than caring too much. Lots worse. Like caring too little. Like not caring at all. Like caring about the wrong things.
When the Passover Feast, celebrated each spring by the Jews, was about to take place, Jesus traveled up to Jerusalem. He found the Temple teeming with people selling cattle and sheep and doves. The loan sharks were also there in full strength. Jesus put together a whip out of strips of leather and chased them out of the Temple, stampeding the sheep and cattle, upending the tables of the loan sharks, spilling coins left and right. He told the dove merchants, “Get your things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a shopping mall!” He was angry. He was passionate.
Jesus leads a life of passion. He drove a bunch of crooks out of church. “His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me’” (John 2:17).
May I be consumed with passion for being in the presence of God. May I burn with that kind of love.
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Are you seeing the parade of God’s salvation?
Are you seeing the parade of God’s salvation (σωτηρία)? Seriously. Can you see it? Can you see Jesus out front? It is a parade for those that God rescues which delivers us out of destruction and into His safety. Now that is a very different kind of parade.
Jesus, our Master and the Messiah, leads this parade. He is out in front. And we are following Him. We all have our place and our role to play. There are crowds looking on. They are on the sideline. We invite them to join in with us.
Nothing is impossible with Him AND He is in a great mood. He leads the way for all of us.
Seriously.
So be it.
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Has the problem of missing God’s goal for our life been solved for good?
Has the problem of missing God’s goal for our life been solved for good? Yes, it has. Our Messiah and Master, Jesus, has done it for us and the whole world.
God has a plan for us. He has a goal in mind. We miss it. That is so frustrating. We have good news though, Jesus has solved that problem for us. His sacrifice of death paid the penalty for us all. We all have a debt to pay to God for our rebellion. Jesus paid it for us.
“When he served as a sacrifice for our missing God’s goal (sins), he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world’s. ” ~~Apostle John (1 John 2:1 The Message)
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Who did God put in charge of salvation?
Who did God put in charge of salvation? Man? No. There is no way we have what it takes for that. Angels? No. Not even they could make it happen. Who then? What was His solution?
Jesus came to earth in all humility. He left His place of honor with our Father and came to us, like us. He was a little lower than the angels for a while. But then through His death and resurrection, He completed salvation for us. How amazing is that? He experienced death for us. He experienced death in our place. We are now raised to a whole new life and mission with Him.
May we appreciate all that He has done for us!
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Is there a whole lot of shaking going on?
There is a whole lot of shaking going on. It isn’t about the economy or politics. The shaking is God’s World (Kingdom) being established. The shaking is God establishing His new agreement with a people after His own heart. The shaking is His light driving out all darkness. The shaking is His love binding up the broken hearts and healing our bodies. The shaking is His Spirit moving in power.
In God’s Kingdom, there are no political parties. In God’s Kingdom, there is no need for bailout plans, He has all the resources He needs. In God’s Kingdom, there is no need for medical insurance because He is our insurance. In God’s Kingdom, all His benefits are available for us every day.
Clearly, His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He knows what He is doing. He is shaking things up and that is a VERY good thing.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 NIV
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Is my heart reflecting what I want it to?
God spends a lot of time talking about the heart. He longs for me to have His heart. That is what David had. That is what Jesus had. That is what I long for.
May I have His heart. May I show His love and compassion. May I know what He cares for and do it. May I be completely one with Him.
As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19
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What is God’s master plan?
God has a plan.
Stop and think about that.
God has a plan. He has a plan for us. He has had His eye on us. Looking to do great things in and through us.
God has a “master plan” for how everything works together to bring His ultimate designs together. He is God. This is the way he works. He isn’t into “one offs”. It all works together for achieving what He has had in mind all this time.
“Long before we first heard of the Messiah and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” ~Apostle Paul (Ephesians 1:12 The Message)
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What does Jesus want?
Jesus is not after behavior modification. He wants heart transformation.
That is His challenge to us. Will we love God? Will love everyone we come in contact with every day? Will we have a heart after God?
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“Go call your husband and then come back.” ~~Jesus
Jesus knows everything. There is no reason to pretend otherwise. He knew the “Woman at the Well” had been married 5 times and the person she was living with right now wasn’t her husband. He knew she would answer “I have no husband” when he would ask her to go get her husband. He also knew that operating with the Spirit of Wisdom would get her attention to listen to God’s word for her.
When she left the encounter, she would say to others, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” A word of Wisdom can make a huge difference.
May I operate with the Spirit of Wisdom that God gives me to help others encounter Jesus.
“Go call your husband and then come back.” ~~Jesus (John 4:16 The Message)
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Will I honor God?
Jesus is all about doing what He sees His Father doing. He listens to Him. He knows what is in God’s heart. He was obedient to the point of giving everything up, coming to live with us, perfectly following everything His Father wanted Him to do.
He honored God.
What was the result of this perfect obedience? God answered Him. Jesus became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.
I think the essence of honor is obedience.
“Because Jesus honored God, God answered him.” (Hebrews 5:8)
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What happens when I miss God’s goal for me?
God has a goal for us. He has one today. Will we hit the mark? Will we miss His goal?
If we do miss it, we have a friend sitting in the presence of God who has never missed it. He took our sin on Himself. He is like a priest advocating for us to God our Father. He sits right next to God. He is in right standing with God. He has solved the missing His goal (sin) problem for good.
Now this is good news for sure.
“But if anyone does miss God’s goal (sin), we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus the Messiah, righteous Jesus.” ~~Apostle John (1 John 2:1 The Message)
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Half empty or half full? Finally the answer
Jesus promises that I will do even greater things than He did.
So … how is this possible? Well, I must follow the way He did it. He emptied Himself. He only 
did what He saw His Father doing. His power wasn’t in who He was. His power is in who His Father is.
So the age old question; “Half empty or half full?” is actually a false question. The answer is: completely empty. That is the answer to the question not asked. I must be filled with His HOLY Spirit.
That is what I must do. What is my Father doing? That is what I should do. His will be done. Here in my house as it is in heaven.
I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. John 5:19
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Who am I? What am I living for?
Who am I?
What am I living for?
These are essential questions. Questions that we want answers for. And so we have good news. In Jesus, the Messiah, we find the answers to these questions. He makes it all clear to us. We are living for God. It is our mission to love Him like we love nothing else. Our focus is on what He wants today. He wants us to love everyone we meet or know. Friends, enemies, strangers. We are to love them all.
It’s in the Messiah that we find out who we are and what we are living for. (Ephesians 1:11 The Message)
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“I am the Messiah. You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to know who He is. He is clear. He is straightforward. He is the Messiah.
The woman he was talking with casually mentioned she was waiting for the Messiah to be revealed. She couldn’t have been expecting this response from the man who wanted some water.
The conversation got interrupted. She had heard enough. She went and spread the word.
Jesus has revealed himself to us. What are we waiting for? Why do we act like we are continuing to look for Him?
“I am the Messiah. You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” ~~Jesus (John 4:26 The Message)
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Am I wandering around in a fog? Is that a bad thing?
Wisdom. We all want it I think. What is the path? How do we get there?
God is GOD. He has, from before the beginning of time, had a plan in mind. He is executing against it, day by day, year by year, century by century, millennium by millennium. We seek to understand it all but some days we just can’t. It is a mystery. We are wondering around in a fog to some extent.
What we do know is that He has a plan in mind. We trust Him that it will all unfold, just as He has planed it out. His purpose will be achieved and we will see His glory. So be it!!
I want to understand God and have His wisdom. I need to seek out what is His purpose to get there.
God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. (1 Corinthians 2:6 The Message)
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What does God have in mind for us?
God is good. There is no doubt about it. The Apostle Paul starts out his message to the Colossians with a blessing. May every good thing be ours.
Is that what God has in mind for us? Yes it is. Is that our blessing to others? Yes, it should be.
May everything good from God our Father be yours! (Colossians 1:2 The Message)
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Am I anxious for the right thing?
So I have to suffer a little. It is no big deal. Some days are hard. But there is no comparison between today’s challenges and the good times that are coming. In 
fact, I should be anxious for what is coming next. I can hardly wait. I am eager for what is going to be revealed in us who are His children.
All of creation waits with eager anticipation at our revealing. It is not all clear now but it will be soon.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:18-19
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Can I rest?
REST…i haz it (Photo credit: carrierdetect)
Life is restful in Jesus!! In Him is real rest not temporary relief.
I can just take it easy when I am a partner with Him. He has won the victory. He has defeated death. He is sitting right next to His Father with everything taken care of and in order. Or I can try to work hard and do it my way.
So he beckons me with that wonderful smile on His face. He say, “Hey Mike, come over here. Sit down with me. Why don’t you quit working so hard? Why are you so worried? I will give you rest. Just sit here with me. How does that sound?”
It sounds wonderful!! Thank you so VERY much!!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
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“A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.” ~~King Solomon
An apricot and its cross section (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When we live the life God has intended for us, it is like a tree that gives us delicious fruit. There is nothing like fresh fruit. We all love it. I was at the market yesterday and just had to get some figs and apricots.
That is in contrast to a life of violence. I think this is not just physical. Anything opposite of doing what GOD wants us too is violence against GOD and it destroys our very souls.
Thank GOD for the Holy Spirit of GOD that gives us the power to live the resurrected life of Jesus. Now that is Good News.
“A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.” ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:30)
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“Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people?” ~~Oswald Chambers
Sometimes I have to be challenged. Jesus does it all the time. This quote from Oswald Chambers hit me right between the eyes. I am responsible to GOD for other people coming to His Son Jesus. There is no plan B. GOD is counting on me.
“Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people?” ~~Oswald Chambers
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If we don’t believe what we read in the Bible, how will we believe when Jesus actually talks to us?
This is a very relevant question for us, “the religious”. Jesus is challenging us. Do we hear Him? Are we sure? How are we sure we are sure?
What did He say?
Jesus is challenging us. May I hear Him now.
Jesus sometimes calls on us to sell everything we own. What will my reaction be when He asks me to do that?
Jesus is not interested in being a “respectable religious leader”. He is in charge of everything. Seriously. Believe it
What did it cost Jesus?
I pray that the evidence of the Master’s love in my life will be clearly verified in my life. There is no end to what Jesus has done in me. It is beyond anything I could ever say. It is beyond any thing I could ever know. There is just no end to it. I can’t say enough about the free and open access to our Father that is mine through Jesus. It didn’t cost me a thing but it cost Him everything. It is always open to me. The door is never closed.
May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father be mine.
The place of honor
Jesus, as Son, has the most special relationship with the Father. As Son, the Father says to Jesus, you are God. You are in control of my government for good. No one will ever take your place. Now Satan, an angel, thought he could. But God has put an end to that nonsense. Jesus’ victory has made that clear. God just loves it when things are put right. And He hates it when things are out of whack. And so God is VERY happy. Jesus started it all. He laid the earth’s very foundations. And He will finish it all.
How special is Jesus? God has never said to anyone, any created being, sit here next to me. He has given Jesus the place of honor. That is the new plan.
So this is something we can count on. Jesus is the Son. Everything has been put in His control in God’s country. We are citizens AND children of His country. All is well.
God is with us
Nothing is impossible with God. He came to us, born of a virgin. God is with us. That is message of hope in God’s new plan. His goal is that we will have a intense relationship with Him.
May I experience His presence every minute of every day. He is Immanuel.
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ — which means, ‘God with us.’ Matthew 1:23
Presidential clarity
Warren G. Harding, 29th president: “I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.”
Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president: “It is a great comfort to trust God – even when His providence is unfavorable.”
Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president: “I am a firm believer in the divine teachings, perfect example and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”
He is right there for us
Our heavenly Father has decided to show us mercy and love, not judgement. Now let us stop right there for a minute. No judgement? Really? That is right. All praise belongs to Him who is the God and Father of our Master Jesus. His wisdom and counsel heals and restores us. When we have difficult days, He is right there next to us, encouraging us as only He can do.
As a result of us getting through these days, He brings someone into our life who needs to hear how God has helped us. We can be there for them just the way God is there for us. Funny how that prepares us to help someone else and give them good gifts from God. His generosity becomes our generosity.
Of course we have some tough days because of following after Jesus. His way is not always easy. But through it all, we have many more amazing days of His healing and comfort. We get more than a full measure of all His benefits and gifts. If the recipe calls for a little, He gives more. He is not stingy at all. Good stuff for sure.
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