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June 17, 2022

“There We Will Receive His Mercy,”

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. — Hebrews 4:16 NLT

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT

In the Old Testament, the priests were chosen from the tribe of Levi, but Jesus is from the lineage of the tribe of Judah. The Levitical priests gave temporary sacrifices that had to be repeated over and over. They even gave sacrifices for “unknown” sins, just in case somebody had missed one. But Jesus came into our world and suffered the same temptations we go through. He did this without sinning, but having suffered through those, he can empathize with our weaknesses. He became the perfect and last sacrifice necessary for sin. After suffering death on the cross, He was made our High Priest and now stands at the right hand of God interceding for us. No more sacrifice is necessary, we just need to accept His forgiveness and live a life modeled after His life here on earth. We will stumble and fall, but He is there to ​ intercede for us, encourage us and​ pick us up.

Romans 8:31-34 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

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April 5, 2022

“I Have Overcome the World”

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”- John 16:33 NLT

John 16:29-33 NLT

Salvation does not come with a magic wand. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, all our problems and situations do not magically disappear in a puff of smoke. There are many references we can find in the Bible where Jesus tells us that in this world, we will be offended. Jesus tells His disciples here in John 16:33 that here on earth, “you will have many trials and sorrows.”. In verse 32, Jesus says that He will be left alone by His disciples but that He won’t really be alone because the Father is always with Him. We have that same assurance. Living a Holy lifestyle is not fantasy, it is reality and it comes with its own set of problems. But we are assured over 300 times in the Bible that we will never be alone or forsaken. God’s Holy Spirit is with us, in us, and around us. We are in Christ Jesus. It isn’t magic, smoke, or mirrors. but it is the greatest peace and joy that we can experience here on earth because we are never alone.

2 Kings 6:13-17 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

March 9, 2022

“Then God Opened Hagar’s Eyes…”

19 Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. – Gen 21:19 NLT

Genesis 21:15-19 NLT

For years, I have thought and read this verse as God miraculously giving Hagar water for her and her son.  But that isn’t what the verses imply at all, they say “God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well full of water”.  It was there all the time, she just couldn’t see it because she was fearful and wallowing in self-pity. Not only was the well there but God had already shown her evidence that there was water in the area. He showed her a bush large enough to lay her son under and a bush that large takes some water to grow.  How many times have we found ourselves in a spiritual desert experience moaning and groaning about our situation and missed the encouragement that God was trying to get us to see?  How many times have we whined about what we didn’t have when we are living in a land of plenty and abundance.  Just as there was water and not just enough to fill the wineskin but a “WELL FULL OF WATER” close enough for Hagar to see and she didn’t see it, God’s provision for each of us is there, let us ask Him to open our eyes to see the provision He has given us to continue our journey.

Divine Promises

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

February 11, 2022

“He Gave the Right to Become Children of God.”

 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. — John 1:12 NLT 

John 1:6-13 NLT

Any time of any day is a good time to bring our requests before the Lord, He is always awake and waiting to hear from us. No, more than waiting, He is waiting expectantly wanting to hear from each of His children.  We have such a great honor bestowed upon us to be called “the children of God”. We should never be hesitant to talk with Him about any subject that is on our mind. After all, He already knows what we are thinking, but He created us for companionship and worship. We should talk with Him daily. Morning is the best time to talk with God because our minds are not yet cluttered with all the worldly stuff. It is truly amazing how smooth a day goes when we start it with directions from our Father, our King, and our Friend. We have plans, but they might not be the same plans He has for us. His will be much higher and better than ours. Before you leave home today, spend some time with our best Friend.

9 People may make plans in their minds,    but the Lord decides what they will do. – Proverbs 16:9 NCV

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

April 21, 2019

“The Lord Has Helped Us”

5 I am counting on the Lord;  yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word. — Psalm 130:5

Psalm 130 NLT

Our hope as Christians is that when we leave this world we will be with Jesus for eternity.  This hope is not only built on the Word of God, it is guaranteed by the death and resurrection of His gift to us, His Son.  We receive assurances that this hope is true in our own life experiences.  As a child, my Mom told me “Son, you are going to have problems in life because you don’t take other people’s word for things, you have to experience them all yourself”.  That prophecy came true, much to her regret in a lot of cases.  And looking back on my life much to my regret in a lot of cases.  But looking back also gives me confidence that my hope is built on Jesus and His Word because of the many times He has rescued me and brought me safe this far. 

12 Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!” — 1 Samuel 7:12

My life has lots of Ebenezer stones and the remembrance of those times assures me that God’s word is true and that He is faithful all the time.  What a great hope we have because our salvation is based on His word and His faithfulness.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 04-21-2019

February 9, 2019

“We Can Do All Things…”

15 So on October 2nd the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun. 16 When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.  — Nehemiah 6:15, 16 NLT

Nehemiah 6:1-9 NLT

Rebuilding the wall that surrounded Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time was a major construction project.   Although we can’t be sure of exactly how much of the wall they rebuilt, we can be sure that at the very minimum, it would have exceeded two and a quarter miles.  Compare that to how long it takes a construction crew to repair a section of interstate that exceeds two miles even with all the equipment and ready-made materials they have available to them today. Then add to that, the fact that they had to build the final portions of the wall using one hand and carrying a weapon in the other.  And the whole time, they were being harassed and ridiculed by their enemies.  It was quite a miraculous feat.  There is no way Nehemiah and his people could have even started this project without the direction and the power of God working through the people involved.  From the king of Babylon to the least of the workers in Jerusalem, God worked through each of them to provide for the people and the project.  When satan sees that God has raised up people to do a great work, he is always there to try to thwart what God is doing.  He was there in Nehemiah’s time trying to discourage everyone with bluster and lies and he is still up to his old tricks today.  We need to pray that God will raise up Ezras and Nehemiahs in our day to rebuild the body of Christ.  So that satan and his allies will once again be “frightened and humiliated” when they see God helping us.“

“The closer I get to the end of my life, it seems the only question that matters, Is the life I am living pleasing to God?” – Ken Gire In “Sacred”

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 02-09-2019