Grandkids!!!

I think it is hard to understand the full meaning of this verse until you have grandkids.  What a blessing grandchildren are!

Proverbs 17:6(NKJV)

6    Children’s children are the crown of old men,      And the glory of children is their father.

It's so fun to watch the next generation grow and prosper!

Happy New Year everyone!

"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Hey Folks,

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I took a week off and am now back at it.  I didn't really take a week off on purpose.  It just sort of snowballed and before I knew it a week had gone by.

So let's get going.  Take a look at this Scripture.

Luke 7:23(NKJV)

23And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

As a Christian, one of the things that is hard is being ridiculed for our beliefs.  It makes us shy about sharing sometimes.  This Scripture however is causing me to take a fresh approach.

Why not offer everyone the opportunity to be blessed?  Talk about Jesus often.  Those who are not offended will be blessed.  Those who are offended; tough!  It's their choice to be offended and it is their choice to forego the blessings of Christ. 

Our job isn't to save every person.  Our job is to make sure that every person on earth gets to hear the story of Jesus so they can decide if they want the blessings or not!

A Merry Heart

Attitude is the key.  These two Scriptures speak to the value of cheerfulness and merriment.  They are good for the soul.  Reminds me of a quote that I have seen most often attributed to Lincoln.

"I imagine most people will be about as happy in life as they make up their mind to be. "  Abe Lincoln

Proverbs 15:13(NKJV)

13    A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,      But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 15:15(NKJV)

15    All the days of the afflicted are evil,      But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

Bits and Pieces

There just so many great bits and pieces in Proverbs that I thought I'd have a little fun today and comment on some from Proverbs 14.

Proverbs 14:4(NKJV)

4    Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;      But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

Success in life is hard work and it can be messy.  But that is what it takes.  So if you want a nice clean easy life, you may not be happy with the results.

Proverbs 14:6(NKJV)

6    A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,      But knowledge is easy to him who understands.

If you are truly seeking knowledge it is easy to find.  If however the motive is not true, life can be difficult. 

Proverbs 14:7(NKJV)

7    Go from the presence of a foolish man,     When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

Don't hang out with foolish people, people who are going nowhere in life, they will only bring you down.

Proverbs 14:15(NKJV)

15    The simple believes every word,      But the prudent considers well his steps.

Don't be gullible.

Proverbs 14:21(NKJV)

21    He who despises his neighbor sins;     But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Helping other is good and fulfilling for us.  It makes us happy.

Proverbs 14:23(NKJV)

23    In all labor there is profit,      But £idle chatter leads only to poverty.

Amen to that!  One of my favorite movie lines is from a Clint Eastwood movie.  He play a gun fighter turned preacher.  He's getting ready to help some guys with sledge hammers break up some rocks.  One of the guys doesn't think he should be doing that because he is a preacher.  Here was his reply:

"The soul ain't worth spit without a little sweat!"  :)

Ain't nothing wrong with a little hard work, it's good for us!

Proverbs 14:25(NKJV)

25    A true witness delivers souls,      But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

As followers of Christ, isn't that what we are supposed to do?

That's enough for today.  There are so many good nuggets in each chapter of Proverbs that it is sometimes hard not to include them all!

Satan recognizes what many men don't!

I always marvel at how many people reject Jesus.  Especially when you see in Scripture how Satan and his minions have no trouble recognizing Him! 

Luke 4:33-34(NKJV)

33Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 

34saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

The Biblical Version of Success is the Best Revenge?

Proverbs is one of my favorite books in the Bible.  I've read it many times.  I'm surprised I never noticed this Scripture before.

Proverbs 12:9(NKJV)

9    Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant,      Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.

Seems to me that this is God's version of success is the best revenge.  Or in other words don't pay any attention to the nay sayers, consider the source.

Sure different than the view we get of the rich from the New Testament. 

Juxtaposition

Proverbs 10:22(NKJV)

22    The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,      And He adds no sorrow with it.

VS.

Matthew 19:23-24(NKJV)

23Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Many people, including Christians, use the Matthew verses to attack and condemn the wealthy.  But is that an accurate interpretation of Scripture? 

Let's go back to basics.  God and Jesus are always in agreement.  Proverbs tells us that the blessing of the Lord makes one rich.  That same verse also tells us that He (God) adds no sorrow with it. 

So if being rich is a blessing from God and God doesn't add sorrow to our blessings of richness, then how do you square that with the Matthew verses.

 I believe the key is righteousness.  I am reading Proverbs right now and throughout Proverbs it continually links righteousness and success, riches, etc. 

So based on that, my conclusion is that if a person accumulates wealth as a result of blessings from God it is because of their righteousness in God's eyes.  As long as they keep their eyes on God and continue to live a life focused on following God, entering the Kingdom of Heaven will be no problem, even if they are rich.

Make sense?

Does God show mercy to everyone, or only to those who qualify?

I think I have mentioned that one of the things that I have been studying is the tension between God: Merciful and Just; the benefits that the Bible tells us to expect from following Jesus/God; and the Saintly Poor who many in Christianity today seem to think deserve all of the benefits of accepting Jesus and following God, without actually having to do so.   

Now Scripture tells us that God will have mercy on whomever He choses to have mercy on.  However if God just starts handing out mercy to everyone, willy nilly; doesn't that make a mockery of justice?

That is why I found this verse interesting.

Luke 1:50(NKJV)

50    And His mercy is on those who fear Him     From generation to generation.

Now I'm not suggesting that this is the complete answer.  I will continue to look for other Scripture on the subject, but this verse seems to indicate that God does have a general standard on who deserves His mercy. 

It seems to be saying that God reserves His mercy for those who fear Him.  In this context I believe fear Him refers to those who love Him, respect Him, and follow Him; not those who fear Him in the sense that God will hammer them if they don't believe. 

Make sense?   

It'll be interesting to see what other Scriptures I find to help explain this tension. 

How To Deal With a Scoffer

One of the tenants of the Christian faith is that God and Jesus are one and therefore always in agreement.  So when I find something in the New Testament for example, I like to see if I can find confirmation in the Old Testament.

I found a Scripture in Proverbs that provides an example of what I am talking about.

Proverbs 9:7(NKJV)

7    “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,      And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.

I have written a couple of times lately about the example that Jesus sets for dealing with scoffers.  People who aren't truly seeking God but instead are trying to dissuade others from even believing. 

The example that Jesus gives us is that He doesn't play their games.  He doesn't spend His time and energy trying to convince them, trying to talk them into believing.  Jesus respects their free will choice of rejecting Him and Jesus moves on.  They have condemned themselves and He accepts that.  They are always welcome to change their mind and Jesus will accept them with open arms but He doesn't force Himself on others.  As I said, He respects their free will choice.

Now I know some who would say we shouldn't make that judgment about others and we should try to save all.  My answer would be that we aren't talking about any judgment what so ever.  We are talking about people who through action or word have made it clear that they reject Jesus.  They have heard the message of saving grace and they have purposefully rejected it. 

So it was interesting to run across todays Scripture which I think says pretty much the same thing.  Don't waste your time debating the enemy.  They aren't  honestly seeking and are not going to be convinced.  Your efforts are more likely to bring you down than win the person over.  Notice the Scripture tells us that you only harm yourself when you do this.

Some may be thinking, but Jesus told us to preach the Gospel to the whole world.  That is correct.  He did tell us to do that.  If someone has rejected Jesus then that tells us that they have heard the message and rejected it.  What Jesus didn't tell us to do is beat people over the head with the Bible until they submit.  Make sense?

Sacrificial Giving

Why is giving important and why specifically is sacrificial giving important?

Mark 12:41-44(NKJV)

41Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 

42Then one poor widow came and threw in two £mites, which make a quadrans. 

43So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 

44for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Scripture tells us over and over about the importance of giving to God.  As the saying goes God can do more for me with the 90% left over than I can do for myself with the whole 100%.  But I believe Scripture is talking about more than money when it instructs us to give.  I believe it is talking about giving not just of our money but of our lives

In addition Scripture tells us that our heart is where our fortune is.  Giving freely to God helps demonstrate where our heart truly is.

Now on to sacrificial giving.  In the story the focus is on money but I'd like to look at another issue.  For many people today giving money is easy.  Just right a check or give electronically.  Occasionally people will give a bit more than usual but for most, even that isn't all that sacrificial.  It's not like we are going to miss a meal or anything. 

Now don't get me wrong, I think it's good to give money.  The more the better in fact because I believe God will bless you for doing so.  It's just that I think many of us have something that is even more important to us than our money.

That would be our time and energy.  Our mental abilities.  Our hands and feet in the service of God.  For many people today, giving of their time and efforts is more sacrificial than giving money.

I think the principal here is to give freely to God of everything you have, but especially give freely to God the things you treasure most.  That more accurately shows where the heart is in my opinion. 

Not Far From the Kingdom of God

How necessary is it to believe in Jesus as the Son of God?  Isn't it enough to just believe in God and try to always do good and be a good person? 

Mark 12:29-34(NKJV)

29Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 

30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ £ £This is the first commandment. 

31And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ £ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 

33And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, £with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.

Here is what struck me about these verses.  The scribe summarizes his understanding of what Jesus just said.  Seems to me that the summary is a bit like those who think just believing in God is enough.

And what is Jesus' response?  Did Jesus tell the scribe he was right on?  No He didn't.  Jesus told the scribe that he was almost there.  But apparently not close enough.  Loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself won't get you into Heaven.  What will?

Accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior!  Have you don't that yet?  Have you asked Jesus to come into your life and lead you?  Why not do it right now?  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

People do not despise a thief...

I find the wording of this verse interesting.  Check it out. 

Proverbs 6:30-31(NKJV)

30    People do not despise a thief      If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.

31    Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;     He may have to give up all the substance of his house.

Couple of things here.  First is the motive issue.  This Scripture seems to be saying  that it is understandable if someone steals to keep themselves from starving, not to despise them for doing it because they were desperate. 

For me the question it raises is are we then to assume that we should despise a thief that just steals for the fun of it?  Now I'm not suggesting that we go hating  people for stealing but what I think this is saying is that it is OK to deal more harshly with someone who is a career thief vs. someone who steals just to eat.  Make sense?

That being said, the Scripture goes on to make the point that even the starving man, if caught, still has to pay the penalty for his crime, even if it costs everything he has. 

Considering we serve a just and merciful God that makes sense to me.  The mercy part is in the compassion of understanding the reason the starving man stole but justice is still served through the penalty. 

God's Sense of Humor Can Be a Little Twisted! :)

And I mean that in a good way!

I've been out the last couple days with the flu.  Yesterday I was in bed the whole day and I can't remember the last time that happened. 

One of the things I love about letting God lead my life is that even when I am sick, if I just follow His lead, it can still turn out to be an awesome day.  Yesterday was just such a day! 

So I get up this morning and I am praising God as I start my day.  Thanking Him for such a great day yesterday.  As I step into a nice warm shower I'm thinking to myself what a blessing it was to have had the flu.  Then my feet sink into a pile of meat that I had thrown up in the shower on Tuesday morning and had not gotten completely rinsed down the drain. 

It squished under my feet and up between my toes.  LOL!  Blessings, blessings, blessing!

I can just imagine God sitting there laughing out loud!  :)

How many people could improve their lives immediately if….

….they simply followed this one instruction from God's word?

Proverbs 4:5-7(NKJV)

5    Get wisdom! Get understanding!     Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6    Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;     Love her, and she will keep you.

7    Wisdom is the principal thing;     Therefore get wisdom.     And in all your getting, get understanding.

How many people do you know, especially those who are less successful in life, who stop learning as soon as they graduate from high school and are proud of the fact.  They even brag about it.  "Man, I haven't opened a book since I graduated!".

One of the saddest things to see for me is a broke Christian.  Why?  Because there is no reason for it.  All they have to do is seek the wisdom found in the Bible and put it into practice. 

And yet you see many poor Christians sitting around waiting for Santa Claus Jesus to just drop some success in their laps and make things all better.  It doesn't work like that.

Proverbs 4:7 tells us that "wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom".  If God doesn't see us pursuing wisdom, why in the world would we expect Him to reward us with a better life?  Does that make sense?

God has given us a road map to success, Godly success.  It is in the Bible and it starts with the pursuit of wisdom!

"...to whom it is due..."

Interesting verse. 

Proverbs 3:27-28(NKJV)

27    Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,      When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

28    Do not say to your neighbor,     “Go, and come back,     And tomorrow I will give it,”     When you have it with you.
 

Here is what I find interesting about the verse.  It goes to what I perceive as the belief that "the saintly poor" are entitle to all the benefits of being a Christian whether they believe or not.

Notice what it says.  "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,".  Doesn't that indicate then that there are some to whom good is not due?  What will be interesting as I continue studying this issue is what guidance Scripture gives us on how to make the determination as to whom good is due. 

Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

Mark 6:10-11(NKJV)

10Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 

11And £whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. £Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

Just another example of Jesus saying Move on!

Again we have people who have made a conscious decision that they are not going to be followers of Christ.  Does Jesus tell the disciples to keep going back and try to convince them?  Nope.  Does Jesus tell the disciples to go back and keep pouring out blessings on these people until you simply overcome them with God's love?   Nope.

What does Jesus tell them to do?  Move on!  They had their chance, now let God deal with them.

This is an issue that I am becoming more and more convinced is important.  I think we spend way too much time trying to convince people who have already made a decision against Christ when there are so many people out there who haven't even heard the message yet. 

Bring the message, let them make their free will choice and then move on.  Our job is to bring the message.  The rest is up to God.  As RC Sproul said "I had to realize that I was just part of God's plan, I wasn't the whole plan."

Now let's go do what God has instructed us to do.  Bring the message!

Wisdom Calls!

I am back to my favorite book in the Bible.  So much wisdom in such a short space.  If only people would actually put that wisdom to use instead of just reading the Bible, mumbling words of support, and then going right back to doing it their way.

Here is a great example of the wisdom in Proverbs along with a couple of comments. 

Proverbs 1:20-33(NKJV)

20    Wisdom calls aloud outside;      She raises her voice in the open squares.

21    She cries out in the £chief concourses,     At the openings of the gates in the city     She speaks her words:

22    “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?     For scorners delight in their scorning,     And fools hate knowledge.

Love that.  Reminds me of those people who when they graduated from high school swore they would never crack open a book again and they were proud of it.  Wonder how that worked out for most of them?  :)

23    Turn at my rebuke;     Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;     I will make my words known to you.

24    Because I have called and you refused,     I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25    Because you disdained all my counsel,     And would have none of my rebuke,

26    I also will laugh at your calamity;     I will mock when your terror comes,

27    When your terror comes like a storm,     And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,     When distress and anguish come upon you.

28    “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;      They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29    Because they hated knowledge     And did not choose the fear of the Lord,

30    They would have none of my counsel     And despised my every rebuke.

31    Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,     And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32    For the turning away of the simple will slay them,     And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33    But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,      And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Love this whole part as well.  To me it seems to be God saying "Hey tried to help but you didn’t want my help so you are getting what you deserve; and I'm not even going to feel sorry for you about it.  You brought it on yourself!  " 

Looks like God's example of tough love to me!

Basking!

Monday, November 24, 2014

11:17 AM

I am basking today!  What a great feeling!

What the heck am I talking about?

bask

1. to lie in or be exposed to a pleasant warmth:

to bask in the sunshine.

2. to enjoy a pleasant situation:

He basked in royal favor.

Pasted from <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/basking>

I think I have written in the past about how so much of my prayer time ends up just being praise.  I figure God knows His job better than I do so I try not to get in the way.  That results in my not asking for much and spending most of the time just praising and thanking Him for giving me such a great life to lead.

But along with that praise I also sometimes lapse into just basking in God's love.  It's hard to describe but I think basking is the only word that adequately describes the feeling I get. 

In my prayer time I will sometimes go from praise to just being silent and enjoying my connection with God.  As it says above I feel a pleasant warmth envelope me at those times.  Even on a cold wet day like today. 

If you've never experienced it  give it a try sometime.  Get connected with God and then just fall silent for a while and enjoy the connect.

Bask! 

Jesus Could Do No Mighty Work

I may have commented on this before but as I read it I am again struck by what it says to me.

Mark 6:4-6(NKJV)

4But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 

5Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 

6And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

We've all heard the first part before and if you've been fairly successful in life you have probably experienced it as well.  Those who have experienced it know what I mean.

You are one of the people at the top of your profession.  An expert.  And yet the people that watched you grow up don't understand any of that.  They just remember you as little Jimmy from down the street who always used to do this or that.

Well imagine what that was like for Jesus.  Talk about being at the top.  Jesus is turning water into wine.  He is walking on water.  He is healing the sick and raising the dead.  But when He comes home all He gets is "Hey, isn't that Joe and Mary's kid? "

What strikes me about this though is the effect that it had on Jesus.  First it says "He marveled at their unbelief".  I find that odd.  It's like another part of Scripture that says something like God was surprised.  How can you be surprised when you are prescient? 

But the issue that I find more interesting is the faith issue.  Jesus could do no mighty work there.  Really?  What was limiting Him?

First of all, lets talk about what it means that Jesus "could do no" mighty work.  I believe that Jesus is capable of doing anything He wants to do at any time He wants to do it as long as God is in agreement with Him; which is pretty much always.  So I don't think it is so much that He can't as He chooses not to.

But back to the limiting factor.  It is faith or more specifically lack of faith.  Their lack of faith I believe is the limiting factor.  Without the faith, Jesus just isn't going to bother putting ore effort into it than the people themselves are.

Jesus can do amazing things in each of our lives if we'll let Him.  All it takes is faith!

Interesting Request of "Peaceful and Loving" Jesus

Now before I get to my point please let me make real clear that I do indeed believe that Jesus is peaceful and loving.  But as I have mentioned many times before, the Bible is a book of balance and I think that sometimes peoples views get a bit unbalanced.

Such is the case with "peaceful" Jesus.  It just seems to me that many see Jesus only as peaceful and that everybody gets the loving benefits of Jesus whether they commit to Him or not.  I just don't believe that is scripturally true.

Take a look at the verse and then I'll make my point.

Mark 5:1-7(NKJV)

1Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the £Gadarenes. 

2And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 

3who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind £him, not even with chains, 

4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 

5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 

7And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

Think about this for a minute.  The guy has an unclean spirit.  I believe in the Bible that is somewhat allegorical  with them being demon possessed.    Notice that he doesn't ask if Jesus is the Son of God, he already knows it.  Now what is his request?

"Jesus...do not torment me." 

Think about that.  Not just don't kill me but don't torment me.  Torment to me indicates a level of punishment way over and above normal punishment.  In fact it almost reaches the level of torture in my mind.

And the possessed man asked Jesus not to torment him! Wow, that doesn't sound very "peaceful and loving" does it? 

Once again I believe that we see a Biblical difference in the way God deals with  those who are of His family verses those who have declared themselves enemies of God. 

Now what about a loving Jesus?  I believe that Jesus offers all the love in the world to those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior.  I also believe that Jesus offers all the love in the world to those who have rejected Him if they choose to change their minds and accept Jesus.   He won't hold their previous rejection against them.  That shows love.

However, if someone declares themselves an enemy of God by rejecting Jesus, God will respect their choice, but the Bible tells us that the results of that choice will be torment.  

So don't be fooled by those who tell you that it really doesn't matter because Jesus is very loving.  Some may be surprised with the form that love takes!

What is the most pleasing thing we can do for God?

Isn't that a great question?  There are many things that come to mind.  Obedience to God.  Spreading the Gospel.  Helping the less fortunate.  But let's take a look at this verse.

Psalms 147:11(NKJV)

11    The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,     In those who hope in His mercy.

OK as I write this I guess my title is a bit of hyperbole because I can't say that this is the most pleasing but I'll bet it ranks right up there.  While this verse doesn't specifically say it and if you say I'm jumping to conclusions here I wouldn't be offended but here is what I think it alludes to.

One of the things that brings God pleasure is when we make a consistent, heartfelt, and genuine effort at building our relationship with God.  When we consistently make an effort to know Him.  When we make a consistent effort to find out what God wants us to do for Him and then we attempt  to go out and do it.  That's what I think brings God immense pleasure.
 

Now think about that for a minute.  Think about the word used here.  Pleasure.  We can bring God pleasure?  God.  The guy who created everything including every pleasure known; and can have those pleasures anytime He wants.

Why do you think God gets so much pleasure from our efforts to build our relationship with Him?   I have a guess.  I think it is because it is a pleasure that He can't grant himself.  Think about it.  God has immense respect for our free will.  He won't violate it.
 

I think that is why our puny efforts are so meaningful to Him.  Because we give them freely and lovingly.  So while God is always superior to us in our relationship, isn't it nice to know that we do bring a little something to the table?  Isn't it nice to know that we can bring a smile to God's face after all that he does for us?

Listening to the voices

I watched an old movie the other night called Joan of Arc.  It is the true story of a woman who led the French people way back in the day.  She was a simple peasant girl with a deep faith who believed that God or His angels spoke to her.

Do God or His angels ever speak to you?  Or too put it another way, do you hear the Holy Spirit speak to you and guide you?  And the most important question.  When they do speak, do you listen?

You're probably wondering where I am going with this. 

In the movie the one time that Joan got into trouble was when she didn't listen to the voices and follow them.  I have found in my own life that the same thing is true. 

Now I'm not comparing myself to Joan of Arc because I certainly haven't been called to do anything like what she was called to do.  My point however is that the principal is the same.  If God takes the time to guide your life, please take the time to listen and follow His lead! 

How do you get God to lead you?  Simple.  Start by asking Jesus, God's son, to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior.  Ask Him for direction.  Ask Him to lead you.  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."
 

Is Satan In Our Churches?

Interesting question isn't it?  Here is what caused me to ask it.

Mark 1:23-24(NKJV)

23Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 

24saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Not sure of the answer but this makes me think it may be so. 

"Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war"

I ran across this verse today and it made me think of all of our veterans.

Psalms 144:1(NKJV)

1    Blessed be the Lord my Rock,      Who trains my hands for war,     And my fingers for battle—

Sometimes war is necessary and it is comforting to know that God not only recognizes that, but that he helps prepare our warriors for success.

Thank you for all you do veterans!

ALWAYS!

Do you ever wonder or doubt if Jesus is really with you, even when you don't necessarily feel His presence?  Well don’t do that!

Matthew 28:18-20(NKJV)

18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 

19Go £therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” £Amen.

Unless you think Jesus would lie to you, you can stop worrying about that.  Jesus was very clear on the subject.  ALWAYS

He is always with us, whether we feel Him or not.  One of the benefits of being in the Word on a regular basis is that you are building that relationship with Jesus which makes it easier to feel His presence.

You won't believe how much better life goes if you start as many of your days as possible in the Word!

First born of the dead…What does that mean?

I've always wondered what exactly that means as it is used to describe Jesus.  What reminded me of it was this section of Matthew that I read today.

Matthew 27:51-53(NKJV)

51Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 

52and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 

53and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

The reason it has never made sense to me is that I have always interpreted it to mean Jesus was the first person raised from the dead and we know that isn't true.  There were people raised from the dead in the Old Testament.  Jesus raised Lazarus.  And the passage above tells us that many more were raised. 

So what is the deal?  I guess it is time to find out.  Let me do a quick search of the internet and see what I find.  BRB.

Well isn't that interesting.  If I had only known Greek it would have been clear to me to begin with.  I've been teaching myself Spanish.  Maybe I should work on Greek next.

Here is what I found.

"The title “firstborn of the dead” for Jesus is of great theological importance, especially with Easter in the background. The Greek word for “firstborn” that John uses is prōtotokos, a word that literally refers to birth order—the first child born. This is a concept of great significance in the Old Testament, where the firstborn son inherited his father’s place as head of the family, receiving the father’s blessing and a double portion of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). After the Passover in Egypt, God told his people that every firstborn child was set aside as his own (Exodus 13:2), and the nation of Israel as a whole was referred to as God’s “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).

Because of the biblical significance attached to the concept, the word “firstborn” acquired a metaphorical sense and came to also refer to the special status of the firstborn as the preeminent son and heir. In the New Testament, Jesus is shown to be the “new Israel,” the culmination and fulfillment of God’s promise to bless all the nations through the offspring of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). Jesus fulfills the intended role of Israel as God’s faithful firstborn son in his perfect life and sacrificial death, and he is vindicated by God in his glorious resurrection."

Pasted from <http://www.christianity.com/god/jesus-christ/what-does-it-mean-that-jesus-is-the-firstborn-from-the-dead.html>

I've included a link to the article incase you'd like to read more.  Now I have a better understanding.  It has nothing to do with the order of being raised from the dead.  It has to do with this;  Jesus was first person to exist of all of those throughout history who have been or will be raised from the dead.  So in that sense He is the first born and therefore first heir to God.  

Gotta love the internet.  We have the sum total of man's knowledge at our fingertips.  Thank you for that God!

The correct answer...every time!

There will be times in life that God is going to ask us to do stuff that makes us uncomfortable and that we don't want to do. 

You have seen me write many times: when God calls, answer the call.  The more uncomfortable the call makes you the more important it is to answer the call because God has a new blessing He wants to lay on you if you'll let Him.

Well it is a great philosophy to live by but it isn't easy.  Human nature being what it is we try to rationalize why we don't need to act this time, etc.  Want to avoid all of that? 

Then make your response automatic.  Jesus, as always, set the example.  If we follow His example whenever God calls, I think things will work out just fine.

Matthew 26:39(NKJV)

39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Feel free to tell God all about why He has the wrong person and how He must have made a mistake, but always end that conversation with "never the less, not as I will, but as you will."

As long as we put God's will first in our lives I believe everything will turn out just fine!

 

Same Parable, Different Question

We are all familiar with the Parable of the Talents.  It's one of my favorites.  Take a minute to read through it to refresh your memory.  I have highlighted the verses that really speak to me.  And remember, this is Jesus telling this parable.

Matthew 25:15-30(NKJV)

15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 

16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 

17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 

18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 

19After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 

21His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 

22He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 

23His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 

25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 

27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 

28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 

30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I think we can all agree here that the main point is that God gives us all talents and abilities and we need to use them or lose them.  We are rewarded by God for developing and using those talents to serve God. 

The title of this blog mentions a different question and I am getting to that.  This parable, as well as several other parables in Matthew start with some version of this phrase.
 

Matthew 25:14(NKJV)

14“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 

OK so we understand the parable.  But how exactly do we understand it in the context of the verse that precedes it?  How exactly is the Parable of the Talents like Heaven? 

Is this just another way of stating that our rewards will differ in Heaven based on the work that we do for God?  Could be.  Or is there more to it than that?  It might make an interesting study to put them all together and look for any commonalities. 

Here is another one to ponder as you go about your day.  Enjoy!  :)
 

Matthew 25:1-13(NKJV)

1“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 

2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

3Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 

4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

5But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom £is coming; go out to meet him!’ 

7Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 

8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 

9But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 

10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 

12But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour £in which the Son of Man is coming.