Be Not Afraid

Dec. 18 Be Not Afraid

God is with us, reigning over His people with salvation. Fear is unnecessary.

(Joh. 5:24), "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (now possesses) eternal life. And he does not come into judgement [does not incur sentence of judgement, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life." (Joh. 14:1-10), "DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. In My Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when (if) I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way. Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me. If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father. From now on, you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father [cause us to see the Father--that is all we ask]; then we shall be satisfied. Jesus replied, Have I been with all of you for so long a time, and do you not recognize and know Me yet, Philip? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say then, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power).

What fears that people have. We have fears because we are human and we have such emotions within us at times. Yet, it is how we respond in the prescence of fear that makes us Believers. No matter how we feel in any situation we still know that Gods Truth is always unchanging. We need not fear death anymore, because Jesus Christ has already prepared a place for us when our flesh fails. Even though we may find ourselves filled with fear at times all we need to do is look to Gods Word and to trust it. The evil one uses fear to cause Gods people to do what is wrong or to do nothing. Do not let fear control you! He (God) knows how much we can take and He will take care of us! We need not fear even though we may be fearful friends.

Peace to you all,
Scott

The Joyful Message

Dec. 17 The Joyful Message

Our Savior has come! This message is at the root of our confidence.

(Isa.12:2-6), "Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation. Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. And in that day you will say, Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name and by means of His name [in solemn entreaty]; declare and make known His deeds among the people of the earth, proclaim that His name is exalted! Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done excellent things [gloriously]; let this be made known to all the earth. Cry aloud and shout joyfully, you women and inhabitants of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

Many fall short of acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Son of God. And if He is not the Son of God, then what? We are then not put right with God the Father because we are not made perfect through Jesus Christ sinless life. His blood is then only human, so His atoning sacrifice on the cross means nothing. Or, as some will say Jesus was switched with someone else and never nailed to the cross at all for God would never allow any of His chosen to die in such a way. Our sin then still holds sway over us all, we still live in the shadow of death unto eternal seperation from God, our Hope in salvation comes to nothing, and our God is actually a liar. There is no such thing as the Gospel; the good news of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ; and we should care little how we behave or act toward others. We should fear death more than anything else on earth because when it comes that is the end. If our Savior who is Jesus Christ is not our Savior then this world is Heaven and all that awaits us is eternal darkness. We should live each day filled with fear, dread, hopelessness, selfishness, and emnity towards others while being boastful of ourselves when able to prey on all of those who are weaker than ourselves. If Jesus Christ is not the Son of God then the Word of God is just another book filled with fictonal tales from many delusioned authors throughout time, none of which are prophets, none of which have ever known God or could ever trust such an unloving, deceptive, unmerciful being. We should all stay drunk with wine and fornication for today may be our last!

Oh, but the Truth is He is our Savior!! Men and women have given their testimony. John the Baptist is a real person who testifies on Jesus Christs behalf along with every believer since His Resurrection! Every Book compiled in the Word of God throughout time were written by men most of which did not know one another, yet when all these Books were placed together it revealed a seamless Truth of the Son of God. Such Truths as the Fall of man, the Law, and of our Redeemer who has placed us back into right standing with God. There are historical records of the people who saw Jesus after His death, of the words He spoke, and of the gift given after Jesus was glorified called the Holy Spirit. Not to mention people like me who will give testimony every hour of every day about being born again of the Spirit, which is the proof of Jesus Christ written not with words, but with the Holy Spirit upon our hearts. In some way God reveals Himself to every new believer so there is no doubt as to the Truth and He continues to build Faith in us the rest of our lives. Yes, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He is our Redeemer, He is the Lamb of God, He is our Good Shepherd, He is the Door, He is the Light of the world, and He is God who became flesh to temporarily dwell among us who is now seated at the right hand of God the Father petitioning on our behalf who calls us Friends.

Peace and Love to you,

Scott

Love and Care

Dec. 16 Love and Care
Gods love and care for us shines down on us and renews us, body and soul.

(Psa. 80:1-19), "GIVE EAR, O Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock; You Who sit enthroned upon the cherubim [of the ark of the covenant], shine forth Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Mannesseh! Stir up Your might, and come to save us! Restore us again, O God; and cause Your face to shine [in pleasure and approval on us], and we shall be saved! O Lord God of hosts, how long will You be angry with Your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and You have given them tears to drink in large measure. You make us a strife and scorn to our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us again, O God of hosts; and cause Your face to shine [upon us with favor as of old], and we shall be saved! You brought a vine [Israel] out of Egypt; You drove out the [heathen] nations and planted it [in Canaan]. You prepared room before it, and it took deep root and it filled the land. The mountains were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs of it were like the great cedars [cedars of God]. [Israel] sent out its boughs to the [Mediterranean] Sea and its branches to the [Euphrates] River. Why have You broken down its hedges and walls so that all who pass by pluck from its fruit? The boar of the wood wastes it and the wild beasts of the field feeds on it. Turn again, we beseech You, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven and see, visit, and have regard for this vine! [Protect and maintain] the stock which Your right hand planted, and the branch (the son) that You have reared and made strong for Yourself. They have burned it with fire, it is cut down; may they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself. Then will we not depart from You; revive us (give us life) and we will call upon Your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; cause Your face to shine [in pleasure, approval, and favor on us], and we shall be saved!" Can you see the image of Gods face shining with approval upon you? Well, it does when you accept the gift of His Son and it is that simple. There will still be battles that are lost, a long walk to be taken, and a lifetime of learning, but Gods face is shining on you throughout it all after the blood of the Lamb has washed over us. The Priestly Blessing that many use for the Benediction, the prayer spoken just before the congregation leaves the Church building to re-enter the world, (Num. 6:22-26), "And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).

I ask you, if God has ever blessed you with experiencing His Love yet? It is a Love that causes all fear to fade away as the morning fog with the rising of the sun. It is a touch from Heaven, a momentary glimpse from within of the power and Peace of Gods Love. It is such a revitalizing gift to be held in Gods own hand for God is Love. There is no higher power than the Light of Love, which raises all from dark places and shadow covered days. It can be felt by any who are near by a lifting up of their conscience to Heavenly places. No, there is nothing greater than unblemished Love straight from above.

Can anyone thank God enough for the constant care and Love He gives us?. When He gives Strength in our weakness, Peace in the midst of fear, Comfort when we feel as though we are all alone, Encouragement when we are ready to break, and so much more than words can say. Can we praise Him enough for all His wondrous works and unearned favor?. We never can, we are unable to repay Him for any of it, and that is how much He Loves us. It is to freely give all that you are able to without a single thought of recompense that makes it Love.

God bless you all

Don't Compare

Dec. 15 Don't Compare
If we do our works with Faith in God, they will be considered Wise.

Prov. 1:7 "The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline." Prov. 2:1-8 "MY SON, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you, Making your ear attentive to skillful godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and the knowledge of [our omniscient] God. For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity, That He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints." 1Cor. 1:23-29 "We preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified, [preaching which] to the Jews is a scandal and an offensive stumbling block [that springs a snare or trap], and to the Gentiles it is absurd and utterly unphilosophical nonsense. But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. [This is] because the foolish thing [that has its source in] God is wiser than men, and the weak thing [that springs] from God is stronger than men. For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influencial and powerful, not many of high and noble birth. [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might despose and bring to nothing the things that are, So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorifying and] boast in the presence of God." Christ is Wisdom and all Wisdom is hidden within Christ. True Wisdom is the knowledge from and of God not of the world in which we live. God uses a scale that is completely opposite than the world of men.
There is nothing to be said here, but to seek and you will find, to ask and it will be given to you, and to knock and the door will be opened. Every step taken will then be done with Faith, continual and active trust in God, and having been shown Truth constantly walking in it.

Re-joy-ce

Dec. 14 Re-joy-ce
God is good-forever and ever. Let us sing glory and praise to Gods name all our days.

How can I put into limited words what is a greatness that is without comprehension. How can I speak of Gods glory, which shines so brightly that there can come no sight of His image, but only blindness from His supernatural splendor. I can share a tiny glimpse of His glory with you though, if you can see the picture that is painted with a heart that has God within it. It is the steadfast silence, before the dawning of daylight when you know that in moments the suns radiance will boldly break through all the deceitful darkness. It is the tender tears that slowly slide downward on a marvelous mothers face as she carefully cradles her newborn child in a loving embrace for the very first time. These are the moments of Gods glory and splendor, if our hearts are able to see them.
Psa. 145:1,9-13 "I WILL extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever [with grateful, affectionate praise]. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created]. All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your loving ones shall bless You [affectionately and gratefully shall Your saints confess and praise You]! They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power. To make known to the sons of men God's mighty deeds and the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations." Times will come and times will go, styles will come and they will go, and even the laws of men will change through the passing of time, but God never will. God is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same for the rest of eternity.

Creator

Dec. 13 Creator

God Created us in His own image-an image of never-ending strength and life without end.

We were Created by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in their own Image and Likeness. We were created for eternity from the Beginning. Look closely at the verse Gen. 1:26 because it reveals our Triune God by using the word Us. Just something to look at

נַעשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ בִּדְמוּתֵנוּ in the Interlinear Hebrew-English NIV Old Testament notice the suffix נוּ means "us". All together it says let-us-make man in-image-of-us in-likeness-of-us.

We were made for God, by God, and in Gods Image. We are to give thanks and praise for simply being here at all. Everything else becomes very insignificant when we give thanks that God has allowed us to be. Gen. 1:26-27 "God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them." Think about the authority we have been given over the earth, which God Himself created. He created it just for us.
What a thought to know just as God is 3, but One, we are also many parts, but together one being. The most important part I believe is the spirit indwelt by the Spirit. It is God within us that molds us into the true image of God. It is this that we must continually focus upon as we live each day. It is this power, the power of God Himself, that we must submit to, so that our image is in His image.

God Bless You All,

Scott

Cry Out!

Dec. 12 Cry Out!
Thanks to our relationship with God, we are blessed with a Hope that moves us to action.

We who believe the Truth are moved to action. Not out of greed or obligation, but out of Love to share the Hope that we have been given, which is the Gospel of Christ. We are moved to take our place in the Body of Christ to use all God has given us for His glory and the glory of His Church.

Isa. 40:1-11 "COMFORT, COMFORT My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her time of service and her warfare are ended, that [her punishment is accepted and] her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received [punishment] from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]me(in your hearts); make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven shall be made straight and level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory (majesty and splendor) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. A voice says, Cry [prophecy]! And I said, What shall I cry? [The voice answered, Proclaim:] All flesh is as frail as grass, and all that makes it attractive [its kindness, its goodwill, its mercy from God, its glory and comliness, however good] is transitory, like a flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely [all] the people are like grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. O you who bring good tidings to Zion, get up to the high mountain. O you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with might, and His arm will rule for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him." We must raise our voice in whatever way God has chosen for us, but it must be raised. Not with anger, but with praise and Truth. I write, some evangelize, some teach, some give great compassion, some have all of these, but whatever you have been given. We are all called to freely give to others what God has freely given to us.

I tell you all that when the Lord entered this heart I wanted to climb up on the rooftop and yell at the top of these lungs. I know that no one can Believe anything without first hearing it. We must in some way speak, so that others may hear. The Gospel of Christ you have shared with someone may not take hold on them for another 10 years, but God eventually allows it to take hold in His time. We do not know where the seeds we have planted will lead, but they must be planted. Many times we won't even know of seeds we have planted, but God does. So to all I say Cry Out! Cry Out! Against the world of Death and Darkness, yet for the Gospel of Salvation and Light.

Halleluyah.(I am solemn) ! for others, Peace and Love to you all

The High-Way

Dec. 11 The High-Way
The right of way to Holiness is ours. Gods strength makes our paths safe.

We are redeemed because of our Redeemer Jesus Christ. He has made our way straight and our path safe. It is He who has cleansed us and it is He who shall bring all things to completion on the day of vengeance of our God. Isa. 35:1-10 "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose and the autumn crocus. It shall blossum abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given it, the excellency of [Mount] Caramel and [the plain] of Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty and splendor and excellency of our God. Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble and tottering knees. Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the recompense of God He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. And the burning sand and mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

The end is actually the beginning of what has always been meant to be. Man fell in the beginning, but God has always meant for Him and man to live in unbroken fellowship forever. The end is when we have finally arrived to all that has been meant to be for the rest of eternity. Because of Gods Love for those He created in His image He gave His Son Christ Jesus that we may have the Way to Holiness. As Jesus said, Joh. 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me."

May God rest upon you all

Confidence

Dec. 10 Confidence
We trust that what God has begun in us He will complete.

We do not believe that we will complete it ourselves, but that God Himself will complete it. We must never underestimate the power of God no matter how much we underestimate ourselves. Although we are human we must never push that part into the image we have of God, because we are also Spirit. Our most powerful parts are unable to be seen or held within our hands. It is all that is unseen that will continue to work within us, until the coming again of Christ.

Phi. 1:16 "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue, until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." So, no matter what the situation looks like, whether sunny skies or surging storms, it will all be used by God for His glory. Phi. 1:20 "This is in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always heretofor, Christ will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by) death." It is the freedom given by our trust in Christ Jesus and not in ourselves that allow us to see all things as in Gods plan. That plan is to use every situation to help us grow in Christ-like character thus magnifying and glorifying Christ Himself. Know that God will complete what He has started and walk in it.

God has prepared us for every good work. We are His very own work and we work for Him. God is in control of every one of His works, so we need not worry. We also know that we are on a walk to become Holy for our God is Holy, so we too will become Holy upon God completing what He has begun. Now He can do this because of the Holiness given through Jesus Christ and because of Jesus Christ it will be done.

Peace to you all

God's Work

Dec. 9 Gods Work
The Lord has called us and qualified us to labor in His Kingdom.

We are born into a new life in Christ. We are born into His Kingdom as our sins have been nailed to the Cross at His death, so we have also been raised into a new life for Christ. Christ has imputed His perfection unto those the Father has given Him to qualify them and He has given the Holy Spirit to us for the power to labor in His Kingdom here on earth. We are all called to take up our Cross and to follow Christ wherever it may take us. For all we are is within Christ, our identity, our image, they all lie within, with, and through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the Good News that we have been shown, it is the Truth whose splendor shines through each of us for others to see in all we say and do. We are children of the Living God, we are His reflections here on earth to all who have not known Him. Isa. 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed or qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound. To proclaim the year of the Lord[the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament(a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. This is what we are all called to do by using all the talents and gifts God has given us. We may not do it in the same way, but we are all together the body of Christ in the world. Rom. 12:4-6 "For as in one physical body we have many parts(organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use, So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another] Having gifts that differ according to the Grace given us: let us use them:...". We are not all called to Preach, but we are all called to service in the body of Christ. It is between God and you what exactly you are called to do. You were chosen from the beginning brothers and sisters, what a thought. Thes. 2:13 "But we, brethren beloved by the Lord, ought and are obligated [as those who are in debt] to give thank always to God for you, because God chose you from the beginning as His firstfruits for salvation through the sanctifying work of the [Holy] Spirit and [your] belief in the Truth. Every morning the Lord allows these eyes to open I start the day by giving Him thanks no matter how I feel. It is that debt that can never be repayed that gives such awe when I begin to imagine the depth and breath contained in that price to God that He payed on our behalf.

We are prepared to do Gods work, say that with me, we are prepared to do Gods work. He has sent His Spirit to dwell within our hearts to give us all we need to do His work. In Greek the word use for the Holy Spirit means Comfortor, Counselor. We have our very own Counselor that is right there within us to guide us in all Truth. That Couselor also just happens to be God Himself for who else could give unblemished Truth from which not a single earthly influence has corrupted? Well, God Himself. The Spirit of Holiness or Sanctity in Hebrew. So, we have been made right with God through Faith in Jesus Christ by Gods Grace. Once we reconciled to God we are able to approach Him in prayer and we are given God Himself to dwell within us to accomplish the calling for His glory. We are the clay He is the potter, always remember.

Peace to you all

According To Your Word

Dec. 8 According To Your Word
Miracles become possible in our lives whenever we say "Yes" to God's promises.

All we need to do is say "Yes" when God speaks. A lot of what that "Yes" implies is also important, so let's talk about that. "Yes" to God means we will follow Gods will and not our own for one, but more than that it means we Believe Him. It means no matter how impossible it sounds, if God has told us it will be then it will be. It has nothing to do with all the limitions we have, but what God Himself can do. You cannot recieve such Miracles when you do not believe. What we then have is a million explainations of why or how something happened, but without belief we will always leave God out of the equation. Saying "Yes" means that despite ourselves we know that God can do miraculous things through us. When we say "Yes" to God it means we know that with God all things are possible at any time.
I find it sad today that because we are able to explain something for it loses its wonder. We know why it rains, but is it any less amazing the way the water falls from above with the sun smiling through the raindrops, which sets the radiant rainbow up in the heavens. Because we know of the processes involved with the seasons, is it any less glorious to watch as the death brought by winter springs back to life once again at its apointed time?. There are miracles all around us every moment of every day, if only we take the time to accept them for what they are and give God His rightful majesty. It is the same with us when we begin to acknowledge God and say "Yes" when He speaks to us knowing that He is Faithful. We can then begin to see His Miracles all around us.
We will not just see Miracles that are very apparent such as Healing, but in other Miracles such as Salvation, when we have not earned it, Love when others show us hate, Gentleness when we are treated roughly, Humility when the world tells us exalt ourselves, and Hope when all we can see around us is defeat. Every one of these are Miracles, yet so many cannot see them for what they are. They see alterior motives, fairy tales, false intentions, cynicism, and disbelief at all that is goodness and Light. What heartbreak should heep witin us when think of all those who will never know such Miracles as Love their entire life here. They wait for something that will never happen without that "Yes". All some will see is all the "No's". The Christian life is all about what we have the freedom through Christ to do, not what we are enslaved not to do. If only to begin to see the beauty all around us, with every daybreak, with every smile, with every silent song sung withing our hearts, and with every prayer we are able to send above. Then we will begin to see the Miracles happening all around us every day and we will begin to see God everywhere just as the birth of a single child named Jesus Christ.

Believe, Believe
God bless you

A Brick House

Dec. 7 A Brick House
Let us give thanks to the Word made flesh, who shelters us from every storm.

There are so many who stumble over the Cornerstone what is Jesus Christ. Many believe in many things, but they all fall just short because they will not accept that the Word(the Messiah) became flesh and temporarily dwelt among us. Who was with the Father before Creation and who is also self existant. He is the Son of God and He is also God. He is God stooping down, so that we may be raised up. He sits at the Fathers right hand and He calls us friends. What a friend we have in Jesus(good song too), who has experienced more pain than most of us will ever know. Who better to shelter us than the One who has faced every temptation we ever will and walked through it without sin. Joh. 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and tabernacled (lived) among us, and we saw His glory, such glory as an only begotten Son recieves from His Father, full of Grace and Truth."
He calls us friends and what friend would not do all he/she could to give aid. Joh. 1:16 "For out of His fullness we have all recieved one Grace after another and spiritual Blessing upon spiritual Blessing and even Favor upon Favor and Gift [heeped] upon Gift."

As He knew of the suffering to come from those who were created through Him He prayed for those His Father had given Him. Even in a time of darkness that had yet to be passed through in a time of deep despair He petitioned on our behalf because we are His friends. Joh. 17:15-17 "I do not ask that You (the Father) take them (His children) out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, [just] as I am not of the world. Sanctify them [seperate them for Yourself] by Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (made Holy) in the Truth.

We hold the Truth in our hands today, which is the Word of God, that many could not. It is our shelter, our defense, and our Sword for when rough times come. It is the 'Living' Word, which means things are going on as we read its words. There is a power that is being released into our hearts and minds with every verse. There are those moments when the letters will come to life and dance, before our eyes when God is speaking directly to us. There are times when we will flip open our Bible and it just happens to land on exactly what we needed to know. It is our Father, it is Jesus Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit of God talking to us all. It is Christ Jesus sheltering us from the hardships we will encounter by preparing our hearts and minds with what they need to be given victory in this life and the next! So I say Thank You Jesus Christ for all You have done, are doing, and will do for us all. Thank You from the bottom of this heart that You have given us. Thank You.

God bless you and keep you all

Comfort and Joy

Dec. 6 Comfort and Joy

Trust in the Lord, and you will be given the reward of Peace beyond understanding.

Trust in the Lord and you will be given Peace. We can also say have Faith, which is actively trusting in the Lord, and you will be given Peace. A Peace that many people will not understand. There will come a time, after our new birth, when a friend will approach and tell us that we are different. They can see and feel the calmness, which the Holy Spirit has brought with Him. How different we have become indeed. We have been given Peace with God Almighty Himself and everything will be different for the rest of our lives. Once we have made Peace with God we are given Peace by trusting all things to God and patiently waiting with the knowledge that He will do what is best. That is the meaning of Peace and without Jesus Christ none of this would be possible.

The definition of peace is freedom from hostility. Many people will tell you the meaning depends on how the word is used, but there is only one Peace that brings eternal life. Can you tell me anything more important than eternal life? So, Peace is freedom from the hostility that the fall of man has caused with God. When we accept the gift that our Father in Heaven has given us through His Son Jesus Christ that hostility is removed. You are at Peace with God and your journey has begun, the most important journey anyone will ever take. The walking with God that brings Christ-like character. Rom. 5:1 "Now that we have been put right with God through Faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!" Luk. 19:41-44 "He (Jesus) came closer to the city, and when He saw it, he wept over it, saying, "If you only knew today what is needed for Peace! But now you cannot see it! The time will come when your enemies will surround you with barricades, blockade you, and close in on you from every side. They will completely destroy you and the people within your walls; not a single stone will they leave in its place, because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!"

There is the daily Peace that comes with each step that we take. When we face such day as these with terrorism and there comes no worry. There is a Peace given because we know God is in control. I lived in Florida when during the time when 5 hurricanes made landfall and I saw many filled with fear in their eyes. Sure, you prepare and do all you can to stay safe, but the rest is up to God. There were also many I watched filled with Peace and I watched how they were surrounded by people who were frightened. They could feel God standing next to them, they saw the calmness that made no sense, and that is who they wanted to be near. It reminds me of a joke I was told. There was an airplane full of people on its way to New York. Suddenly, the airplane entered a storm it was unable to fly over. The airplane began to shake fiercely and was being thrown around like a piece of paper in the wind. The people on the airplane were terrified! Some were screaming, some were grasping their seats tightly, but all of them were scared to death. Then one of the passengers noticed a 6 year old little girl sitting in her seat. She sat there quietly with a small grin on her face listening to her headphones without a worry in the world. Finally, the airplane passed safely through the storm and the passenger walked up to the little girl. He asked her, "Why were you not afraid during the storm we went through?" and she replied, "Because my dad is the pilot silly." The truth is our Father in Heaven is the pilot, so we have nothing to fear. Phi. 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart. And Gods Peace, which is beyond human understanding will keep you hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus." Luk. 1:78-79 "Our God is merciful and tender. He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us and to shine from Heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death, to guide our steps into the path of Peace."

There is also the Peace that is given in times of extreme distress. In times when our frail human bodies are about to fail. In some of these situations the Holy Spirit will release His power within us. Jesus Christ knows our pain, and through the Holy Spirit instant Peace is given covering over all the pain immediately. There was a time when I stood in a bathroom, so full of fear I could not breath. My blood pressure was through the roof I'm sure. I went into a stall to sit down because I just knew I was going to pass out shortly. For some reason I just knew to pray. I closed these eyes and as so many times when I'm not sure what to say I said, "Please help me Lord, this I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ." When I opened these eyes there was a warmth within me. A complete calmness washed over me, my breathing was normal, and I actually felt happy! At a time when I was so full of fear that this body was ready to break there was given complete Peace. A Peace that came from Heaven through Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit filling me from head to toe. "What the heck just happened here?" was the first thought that popped out my head and then I looked up and said, "Thank you, Lord." Rom. 14:17 "For Gods Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, Peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives."

In all that has just been written Christ Jesus is the one who makes Peace possible. It is the sacrifice Jesus made that has given us Peace with God the Father, it is Christ Jesus who is petitioning on our behalf to our Father who releases Peace in situations, and it is Faith in Jesus that gives us salvation, which has taken away the sting of death, giving us Peace even unto death. I believe Peace is what distinguishes a Christian more than anything else. It is that man or woman who sits calmly through the storms life brings that shows Gods glory so clearly to others. I leave you with the words that have given me comfort more than once in the new life with Christ about Peace. Joh. 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My [own] Peace I now give and bequeth to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Peace and Love to you all

A Holy Spirit

Dec. 5
May the Spirit give us Wisdom, Counsel, Strength, Justice, and Faithfulness.

We are nothing, but an empty shell without the Holy Spirit within. We are as in the Hebrew language a vessel. A vessel is only worth what it holds within it and of ourselves we are only emptiness. We are only flesh that is withering away with the passing away of time, but we may be born of the Spirit that never dies. The Holy Spirit is a direct line to Jesus Christ Himself who sits at the right hand of our true Father in Heaven petitioning on our behalf. The Spirit is Truth because He is untouched by any earthly influence. He reveals to us what the Father tell Him to reveal, and our Father in Heaven far from all the impurities of this world. Even Jesus Christ waited for Him, before He began His ministry. John the Baptist recognized Him as the Son of God when He saw the Holy Spirit decending upon Him as a dove. Without the Holy Spirit of God we have the power to do nothing and with Him all things are possible.
There was a time when the Spirit was not poured out upon the earth, before the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ was revealed to man. It was foretold in Isa. 11:1-6 "And there shall come forth a Shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a Branch(we are the vines)out of his roots shall grow and bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him(Jesus Christ)--the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord--And shall make Him of quick understanding(He preached in His youth at the Temple), and His delight shall be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, neither decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness and justice shall He judge the poor and decide with fairness for the meek, the poor, and the downtrodden of the earth; and He shall smite the earth and the oppressor with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of His waist and Faithfulness the girdle of His loins. And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted domestic animal together; and a little child shall lead them." Now some of these verses deal with Christs Second Coming, but it clearly points to His first coming also and the Holy Spirit given to Him. Then there is the day of Pentecost, which is also a day celebrated by the Jewish people, although I cannot recall the name or reason right now without looking it up. The point is that God chose this day to release the gift of His Spirit upon the earth at a time that would be celebrated by both the Jew and Gentile. Acts 2:12-19 "And all were beside themselves with amazement and were puzzled and bewildered, saying one to another, What can this mean? But others made a joke of it and derisively said, They are simply drunk and full of sweet wine. But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: You Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be[explained] to you so that you will know and understand; listen closely to what I have to say. For these men are not drunk, as you imagine, for it is [only] the third hour(the day begins at 6am and then you add to that, so it would be 6+3am=9am)of the day; But [instead] this is [the beginning of] what was spoken through the prophet Joel(Joel 2:28-29 "And afterward I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Even upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit...): And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecyand your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Yes, and on My menservants also and on My maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophecy. And I will show wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and smoking vapor;" All I can say is WOW! That we can hold Gods Word in our hand and be indwelt by His Spirit are Miracles in themselves.
So often we ask for God and that is good, but we need to know without a doubt that God is within each of us. He(Holy Spirit, yet Triune are One) guides us, He teaches us, He convicts us, He encourages us, He renews us, He points us to the Cross, He is a Spiritual sign that we belong to God, and He is the signature in our hearts that makes us living proof of the Gospel of Christ.

Peace and Love to you all

Only Say the Word

for Dec. 4
New life comes to those who have Faith, even Faith the size of a mustard seed.
Matt. 8:5-11

Faith brings us new life even if it is minute. This is one of those words which has lost its true meaning throughout time. It is used so often in so many ways, but what does Faith really mean? The verbal root for Faith in Hebrew is 'aman' and is translated as Faith, faithful, believe, assurance, and nursing. It is also the root for 'emet', which means Truth, true, and right. This root first appears in the Word as Moses is complaining to God about the assignment he has been given. Num. 11:12 "Have I conceived all this people?...Carry them in your bosom, as a 'nursing' father carries the sucking child, to the land which You swore to their fathers?" Here the word is used to describe the dependence and trust that a helpless child has in his/her nourishing parents. So, Faith is not simply believing in what we cannot see, but a trust and reliance upon. It is a complete trust in God; in His Word and in all that He ask of us. Faith is approaching God with every need and trusting in Him to know what He is doing. Hatch, who is the author of "Concordance to LXX", says, "The object which I have in view in this lecture is to show the transition by which, under the contemporary Greek thought, the word Faith came to be transformed from simple trust in God to mean the acceptance of a series of propositions, and these propositions, propositions in abstract metaphysics." This simply means people will give reasons why they trust God, instead of trusting because He is God.
Man was created by God to have an everlasting relationship of trust and love. Faith is man rightfully giving God our trust. Jer. 5:3 "Surely the Lord looks for faithfulness. He struck you, but you paid no attention: he crushed you, but you refused to learn. You were stubborn and would not turn from your sins." A trust in God to take care of all our needs every moment of our lives is walking in Faith. Matt. 6:30 "It is God who clothes the wild grass---grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't He be more sure to clothe you? What little Faith you have!" We are all children of God are we not? Children who are not able to properly care for ourselves, but we have our Heavenly Father to take care of us too. Matt. 18:2-4 "So Jesus called a child to come and stand in front of them and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is one who humbles himself and becomes like this child." A new life begins with Faith as we become a child once again by relying on God for everything and recognizing the Truth of how helpless each of us are. It is in this Truth that eternal life is given. Joh. 20:31 "But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through Faith in Him you may have eternal life." Rom. 1:17 "For the Gospel reveals how God puts people right with Himself; it is through Faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says,"The person who is put right with God through Faith shall live." Rom. 3:21-23 But now God's way of putting people right with Himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with Law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. God puts people right through their Faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence."
We are given new life through our Faith in Jesus Christ. It is through Faith that we are born again of Heaven to this new life. It is Faith that gives us peace in the midst of a storm, it is Faith that gives us the Hope in which we live, and it is Faith that causes us to look upward in the smallest of situations for the Lords help. Faith is walking with God the rest of our days knowing that He is for us and if He be for us then who can be against us.

through Me for our Lord and Savior
May God bless you all.

Dec. 3 Stand Up

I'm a day late on what I have planned to do with the collection of writing that will follow. I have never been one to plan each day because no one ever knows what God has in store, despite our own silly schedules. The Church I now attend gave the congregation a planner for Advent. Each day has a Truth to meditate upon so I will share the words that come to me with each day beginning today. I pray as always that each word, each collection of conscienceness is a blessing to you all. I also ask the Lord to give us all a clearer and fuller understanding of all that is His Word, not my own. May we grow closer to God with every breath and every step we take.
"By the grace of God, we will be able to stand up when the Lord comes."
It all begins with the Grace of God. Anyone who sets themselves above another by anything they have done has lost this truth along their journey. A journey that would never have begun without Gods Grace, which is undeserved favor that is given. Rom. 3:24 "For by Gods grace all are put right with Him through Jesus Christ." There will come the time when the end or beginning arrives and you will rise to judgement or eternal life. Which will it be? Luk. 21:25-36 "There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the sea and the raging tides. People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When these things happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near." Your salvation began with Gods Grace.
Joh. 1:16 "Out of the fullness of His grace He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another." What is grace besides a definition of things given to us that we do not deserve. It is this Joh. 1:17 "God gave the Law through Moses, but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ." This extends to salvation for without Grace such a sacrifice would never have been given. Act 15:11 "No! We believe and are saved by the Grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are." Act 20:32 "And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of His Grace, which is able to build up and give you the blessings God has for all His people." We need to stop focusing on deeds and look toward God. As we fix our hearts and minds on what God has already done for us, without notice our nature will be conformed to His will from deep within. Rom. 5:15 "But the two are not the same, because Gods free gift is not like Adams sin. It is true that many people died because of the sin of one man. But Gods Grace is much greater, and so is His free gift to so many people through the Grace of the one man, Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:17 "It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who recieve Gods abundant Grace and are freely put right with Him will rule in life through Christ." Rom. 5:21 "So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also Gods Grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." How does God choose His Chosen then? We must first always remember that God is Sovereign, before we move to the next Truth. Rom. 11:6 "His choice is based on His Grace, not on what they have done. For if Gods choice were based on what people do, then His Grace would not be real Grace."
Grace is what God the Father shed when He allowed the blood of His very own Son to be shed for us. But, there is one thing that must be done for that Grace to be bestowed upon us. There is a choice that we must make for that power to be released within us. Rom. 5:2 "He has brought us by Faith into this experience of Gods Grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the Hope we have of sharing Gods glory!" By Faith we believe and accept the free gift of the Son of God who was given by Grace and allows such Grace to be given. At the point we reach the end of ourselves and choose to believe with all our hearts that Jesus Christ is our Lord then we are born again of Heaven. Your walk has begun. Joh. 3:3-6 "Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person be born again, he cannot ever see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mothers womb again and be born? Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh; and what is born of Spirit is spirit." When we have made the choice we are born of Spirit and at that moment the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us. Joh. 14:15-19 "If you love Me, you will keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you forever--The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot recieve, because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Just a little while now, and the world will not see Me any more, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also." So each of us has the Teacher within us, although some can recognize Him easier than others. Jesus Christ through Grace will continually teach us all that is needed. Nothing less and nothing more than that which we need to know at just the right moment in time. Thus, the name of this blog, " A Walk", throughout our entire time here. Luk. 11:9-13 "So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened. For everyone that asks and keeps asking recieves; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking the door shall be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!" The Holy Spirit is a gift from our true Father in Heaven to teach us Truth. What Grace! Joh. 14:26 "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall everything I have told you." Joh. 16:13-15 "But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth. For He will not speak His own message; but He will tell whatever He hears[from the Father, He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of what is Mine and will reveal it to you. Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He(the Spirit) will take the things that are Mine and will reveal it to you."
So, it is by Grace that God the Father gave His Son to be sacrificed in order that we may be given a new birth. A new birth of the Spirit allows the blood of the Lamb of God to wash away our sinful state. It is essential that we are covered over by the righteousness of Jesus Christ so that we may approach a Holy God. He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us forever to guide us to all Truth. When we experience Truth we become more obedient to Gods will and are able to move from one glory to another. We grow through faithfulness which allows for blessings to freely flow, while God fills our spirit more with His Spirit. The more we allow control of our lives to be placed into Gods hands the more we grow. None of these things would be possible without Gods Grace, which gives us liberty through Law, power in our weakness, Truth in our confusion, and eternal life in our death.