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February 13, 2017

“The Head Bones is Connected to the Neck Bone….”

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22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. — Ephesians 1:22 NLT


God has made Christ the head of all things and has put all thing under the authority of Christ for the benefit of the church. We are the body and the body is a transport, if you will, to carry the head around and to use its various parts to do what the Head commands. Because we are connected to the head, we have access to The Source of knowledge, wisdom and power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Since the body was made imperfect by sin, in the transmission of these things from a Perfect Head to an imperfect body, there is a great loss of power, wisdom, and knowledge. As we meditate on God’s Word, we find an increase in the flow of these things from the Head to the body. That is why we don’t do the miracles that Jesus did, It isn’t that we can’t, it is that the flow is inhibited by sin. As we grow closer to Jesus by allowing God’s Spirit to lead us, we find that we have access to more and more of God’s power, wisdom, and knowledge. We can choose to stay in the edge of the River that flows or we can choose to do our best to get to the current and enjoy more of what God has for us. The choice is ours.

Do we really have access to this power?

 
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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December 20, 2016

To God Be the Glory!

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21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. — Ephesians 1:21
Ephesians 1:18-23 NLT

As God continues to reveal His plan on His own timetable, we see the part that Jesus has played and is playing still. It was always the plan that Jesus would be the Lord of Lords with power and authority over everyone and everything. God has done this for the benefit of the Church. The Church is to carry on God’s work from the time of the Ascension until Jesus returns. The Church is the body of Christ. Christ is the Head of the Church and without Him, the Church has no power or authority. His shed blood is the lifeblood of His Church and His Holy Spirit is the one that leads us into all truth. We are nothing without Him, but because He abides in us, we have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the tomb. To God be the glory, power, and honor for now and forevermore!!


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

Post 12-20-2016

November 28, 2016

We’ve Only Just Begun!

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 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. — Col. 3:11 NLT
 
Col. 3:1-12 NLT
God’s Holy Spirit abides in us and we abide in Christ. We are now filled with and fully clothed by God Himself. Therefore, we have access to the same attributes as Christ Jesus Himself. Just as we accepted God’s Gift of salvation, we can accept (access) His attributes or we can use our own vain imaginations. The question is this: What thoughts are we going to allow to control our words and actions? “Wrong” or “right” thinking, that is the question.  Will we continue to let our old fleshly nature control our thoughts and actions or will we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us?  Will we allow Him to teach us and guide us into all truth?  Will we allow Him to sanctify us on a daily basis?  The flesh says “no” so we must put to death the flesh and follow after the Spirit.  Jesus wants to be Lord over every area of our lives, not just part.  The journey begins when we accept Jesus as our Savior and continues until we meet our Savior.  It is onward and upward and it gets sweeter every day.
“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous
Post 11-28-2016

 

November 2, 2016

Flooded With Light!

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18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.   — Ephesians 1:18

Eph. 1:15-20 NLT


We have access to all wisdom and revelation.  Having access to something does not mean that you already have it.  Access means we have the right to enter into a particular building or room. In the computing world, it can mean that we have the right to obtain and examine a file. I think this definition fits the passage here.  So, having that right, we need to enter into studying and examining God’s Word.  As we do that, God gives us more wisdom and revelation. As we receive that, the eyes of our hearts are enlightened.  In other words, we have a deeper understanding of the blessed hope that God has called us to receive.  We have access to that same resurrection power that was exhibited when God raised Jesus from the dead.  It is freely given to us, because God loved His Son and made Him the head of the church.  We, as Christians are all a part of the body of Christ.  So this wisdom, revelation, and power flows from the head to the body.  Jesus gives it to each of us in proportion to the call He has placed on us. It is a free gift, it is not something you can work to earn. We must walk humbly before our God.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous
Post 11-2-2016
August 14, 2016

Sing A Song of Praise

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1 Come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation
— Psalm 95:1 NLT
 
Psalm 95:1-7 NLT
 

Have you ever been reading the Bible or praying or just spending some down time with Jesus and suddenly a song of joy and praise comes to your mind and without a thought, you just burst into song?  The purpose of the Scriptures, after salvation, is to teach us about the great mercy, love and care that God has for us.  I believe there are certain Scriptures that the Holy Spirit included for the sole purpose of bringing us great moments of joy.  Joy that overflows our hearts and bursts forth into praises for what God has done for us.  The next time satan has us on the run and we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders instead of having a pity party, let’s commit to finding some of these verses and let them come alive in our hearts and minds.  In fact, why don’t we memorize a few of them just so we can quote them to the old liar.  That’s what Jesus did.  God does not want us to be miserable one second of our lives.  He has given us freedom to choose to be joyous but we have to reach out and access the joy and peace that He offers.  For me, nothing can dispel darkness, gloom and doom as quickly and effectively as a few good verses and a couple of praise songs.  Put some in your memory arsenal and fire away.

Post 8-14-2016

February 15, 2015

Plug Into the Power

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. 28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”—John 16:25-28 (NLT)
​When Jesus said that He had been speaking in figures of speech,, He was referring to the parables He had used to explain things to the disciples and His followers.
13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while​ ​seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they​ ​understand​—Matt. 13:13 (NASB)
(If you are wondering why Jesus spoke in parables, ​let me encourage you​ to do an exegetical study of Matthew 13:10-17)
For the rest of His time on earth before the Crucifixion, He would only be teaching His disciples so He could now speak plainly to them. ​Jesus is starting here with an explanation that from now on, they (and now we) have to do the praying (led by and assisted by the Holy Spirit which He is sending). This is all based on the love of God for His children. God’s children are those who believe and love His Son, Jesus Christ. If we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, God will give us whatever we ask in the name of Jesus. Now, we know that Jesus is in heaven interceding for us and the Holy Spirit prays through us and for us. This isn’t “pie in the sky” or “get rich quick” praying, this is agreeing with what God Himself (after all, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God) is praying for us. This is down on our knees, heartfelt, fervent “get me through today” prayer. We just need to get plugged into the current and access the power that God has made available to us.
​[When I started writing this short devotional, this is not where I thought I was going, but here I am and It sure feels right​. I am glad you came with me.]
Post 02-15-2015

January 31, 2015

We Set the Limits For What God Can Do For and Through Us!!

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

12 I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will obey my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you.—John 14:12-17 (NCV)
​It is hard to imagine doing greater things than Jesus.I don’t know of a greater miracle than raising someone from the dead, so Jesus must have been talking about “greater” in quantity, not “greater” in quality. He could only be in one place physically while He was here on earth, now that the Holy Spirit abides in each of us, He can be all over the world at the same time. We now have access to the same power that Jesus had. If we ask for and believe that we receive it, we can actually have it. I once asked a Pastor since this is true, why do we not see more miracles today? He answered that it was because we don’t love like Jesus loved. While that is true, I think it is because we don’t believe like Jesus believed. If we truly believed that we had access to the same power that Jesus had when He was here and has now in heaven, we would ask for and receive it.
6 The Lord said, “If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Dig yourself up and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it would obey you.–Luke 17:6 (NCV)

​We, like the Israelites in the desert, have limited what God can do for us and through us.

40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,And grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power:—Psalm 78:40-42a (NKJV)
Post 01-31-2015

January 22, 2015

Love Will Never End

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

1 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. Jesus knew that it was time for him to leave this world and go back to the Father. He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them all the way to the end. 2 Jesus and his followers were at the evening meal. The devil had already persuaded Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to turn against Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him power over everything and that he had come from God and was going back to God.—–John 13:1-​3 ​(NCV)
​Jesus ​never had any question about what His purpose was here on earth. This was decided before the beginning, He had laid aside all of His royalty in heaven and come to earth as Love incarnate. He lived a simple life doing what He saw the Father do and saying what the Father said. Now, the time for Him to return to His glory in Heaven was quickly approaching. He loved people with a love that our human minds cannot fully embrace. Even knowing that Judas would betray Him, He allowed Judas to be one of His disciples. The Father had given Him all authority over all things and He could have used it at any time. Yet, He stayed the course and died a cruel death for our redemption. He was love clothed in human flesh for our benefit. Through the blood of Jesus, we have access to that same love. Jesus was perfect and could love perfectly, we are imperfect and so we love imperfectly. But one day, we will love as He loves. Then we will know fully just as God knows us now. We need to practice showing love to others every day so they will be attracted to Jesus. Love will never fail.
12 It is the same with us. Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me. 13 So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.–1 Cor. 13:12,13​ (NCV)
Post 01-22-2015

October 11, 2013

Wisdom, Revelation, and Power

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.


Ephesians 1: 17-23 (NRSV) 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
We have access to all wisdom and revelation. Having access to something does not mean that you already have it. Access means we have the right to enter into a particular building or room. In the computing world, it can mean that we have the right to obtain and examine a file. I think this definition fits the passage here. So, having that right, we need to enter into studying and examining God’s Word. As we do that, God gives us more wisdom and revelation. As we receive that, the eyes of our hearts are enlightened. In other words, we have a deeper understanding of the blessed hope that God has called us to receive. We have access to that same resurrection power that was exhibited when God raised Jesus from the dead. It is freely given to us, because God loved His Son and made Him the head of the church. We, as Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. So this wisdom, revelation, and power flows from the head to the body. Jesus gives it to each of us in proportion to the call He has placed on us. It is a free gift, it is not something you can work to earn. We must walk humbly before our God.
Post 10/11

September 27, 2013

Total Access

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.


Matthew 27: 50-52 (NLT) 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
I fail to understand why people will pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars for tickets to concerts and sports events. I also fail to understand why people will roll out the big bills to attend a dinner with some celebrity. I suppose if you have so much money, you just don’t know where to spend it, those things are all right. But, my question is this: What good did it do you and how long did it last?
Here in this passage, Jesus has just given us total access to the King of Kings. Totally free, no charge and those same people who shell out thousands of dollars to sit with some human who is going to fade away like green grass in the noonday sun won’t accept a free gift. A free gift that sets them free from their bondage to money and power and gives them an eternity with the Creator of the Universe. Free salvation, free eternal life, how can you say no?
Post 09/28