talking

June 15, 2018

Today Is The Day

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1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. — 2 Cor. 6:1​-​2 NIV

​Now is the time!  We are not promised the rest of today, much less tomorrow. As we go through our day, let’s take the time to look around..  As we look at each person God puts in our path, we should ask ourself this question:  Should I speak to this person about Jesus?  If we feel that little nudge from the Holy Spirit, don’t hesitate. Speak!  Buts, what ifs, and all those negative thoughts come from the devil. There is no guarantee that they will accept what we are saying, never has been, never will be  We are not responsible for the results of our witnessing. It is our duty to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a guarantee that God’s word will do exactly what it is supposed to do.
 

10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,and do not return to it ​ without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.​ — Isaiah 55:10, 11 NIV​

We are sent to rescue the perishing.  Sometimes that requires talking with them

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20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. — James 5:20 NIV
Post 06-15-18
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November 17, 2017

Gone But Still Here

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16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” – John 16:16 NLT
 
John 16:16-19 NLT

​The last few days before the crucifixion of Jesus must have been very perplexing to the disciples. They had expected that Jesus might set up an earthly kingdom. Instead, He keeps talking about leaving and they won’t know where He is going and they can’t come with Him now. What could Jesus possibly mean that they would not see Him for “a little while” and then they would see Him? What could He mean by saying they couldn’t come now, but they would come to Him later. Jesus could have been referring to two events. “A little while” could be the 3 days He will be in the grave. But since God is not bound by the way we measure time and since He said that He was “going to the Father”, the little while could be from then until ​the Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost.  Either way, it was a disturbing and sad time for them. A time that we will never have to endure. Since God has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each of us that accepts Jesus as our Savior, we will never be without Him.
We will never be alone. I am reminded of the old hymn “Have Faith in God”

Have faith in God when your pathway is lonely.
He sees and knows all the way you have trod;
Never alone are the least of His children;
Have faith in God, have faith in God.​”​

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

Post 11-17-2017

March 3, 2015

“What is Truth?”

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king!”​ Jesus answered, “You are the one saying I am a king. This is why I was born and came into the world: to tell people the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”​ 38 Pilate said, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out to the crowd again and said to them, “I find nothing against this man. 39 But it is your custom that I free one prisoner to you at Passover time. Do you want me to free the ‘king of the Jews’?”​ 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!” (Barabbas was a robber.)—John 18:37-40 (NCV)
​Jesus states ​that the purpose of His being be born and coming into the world was to tell people the truth. Now, Pilate asks the ages-old question–“What is truth?”
(Maybe this is where the old cliche comes from–“You wouldn’t recognize the truth if it was standing right in front of you.) Before Jesus answers this question, Pilate turns to leave and goes out to the crowd again. Does this remind you of anything that we do on a regular basis? We pray and earnestly seek God, then we get up and go about our business without giving Him time to answer our prayers. When we get to heaven, we will find out that Jesus answered all of our prayers, we just didn’t hang around to hear the answer. How rude of us! What if we were having a serious conversation with someone and just when we were getting to our point, they just got up and walked out of the room. We do it to Jesus all the time. Instead of being in such a hurry, take the advice of the Psalmist.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.​ 14 ​Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.—Psalm 27:13, 14 (NLT)
​Don’t talk to God, talk with God. The first few minutes after talking with God, we need to just “be still and know that He is God”.
Post 03-03-2015

February 5, 2015

Wireless Love

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

6 If any do not remain in me, they are like a branch that is thrown away and then dies. People pick up dead branches, throw them into the fire, and burn them.
7 If you remain in me and follow my teachings, you can ask anything you want, and it will be given to you.​ ​8 You should produce much fruit and show that you are my followers, which brings glory to my Father. 9 I loved you as the Father loved me. Now remain in my love. 10 I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and I remain in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. —John 15:6-10 (NCV)
​To​ abide in Jesus we must obey His commands. If we do this, we have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the grave. It is this power of the indwelling Holy Spirit flowing through us that produces good fruit. The best and everlasting fruit is love. If our finite minds could grasp the power of the infinite love of God, nothing would be impossible for us. To understand this love requires us to spend time alone with God reading His word to Him. You cannot truly love someone you do not know and you can’t know someone without spending time alone with them. God cherishes the time His children spend alone with Him. You may be thinking that people decide to love each other through letters, phone calls and emails. That is very true.. But how much time have they spent writing and/or reading those letters and emails or talking on the phone? In today’s wireless world, you don’t have to be face to face with someone to spend time with them. We should be thankful that God has the original wireless system. God has been having love affairs with His children without the internet or computers for years. But His system is so much better because it doesn’t cost anything, it is never busy, it never breaks down and we always get an answer.
Post 02-05-2015