Category: Scripture

LIGHTS, ACTION, CAMERA

You have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. By His sacrifice and the His blood you have been adopted into a royal family. Now you are under the microscope like the royal family of England or any actor or musician. Everything you say or do will be judged by others who do not even know who you are. Even how you say something can be misinterpreted. The enemy will work through anyone or anything to kill, steal or destroy your life, your credibility. So how do handle this? Do we run and hide? Do we pretend that we are not who we are, and put on a mask? Do wear camouflage so others do not see us?

As brothers and sisters in Christ we are held to a higher standard, like it or not. Scripture tells us that in this world but we are not to be like the world. We are a peculiar people, we are made to stand out. This means we will be scrutinized, every action and word we speak will be judged. This should not keep us from hiding our relationship with God. Put on your armor, and stand firm. You don’t have to defend God, Jesus is our defender, our advocate, and our victory. Be faithful to Him.

His light is shining favorably upon you, your faith is in action, and the world is looking at you. Be the light in the darkness and show others how to get to where you are. We are to do more than hear His Word but put It into action, and not be afraid of what others think. Care only what God thinks of you, and he thinks you are special. He loves you. His love is perfect.

John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 12:31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Acts 13:47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'”

Ephesian 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

More Than Words

This may be a secular love song but listening to the words I was inspired and was able to hear God telling me that He wants more than our words. We may talk the talk but are we walking the walk. Our works do not create faith but if we have faith and truly love God our actions prove this. If you speak a foreign language does that make you that language’s nationality? I took French in high school but that did not make me French, it just meant that I learned how to read and speak the language.

Thanks to Jesus we have been adopted into God’s family. His sacrifice redeemed us. He did more than say I love you and you are forgiven. He proved it by laying down His own life to pay the price for sins He was not guilty of. He walked this earth not to condemn us but to show us love.

How we live are lives says more about us and our relationship with Him, than the words that come out of our mouths. We say I love you, as easily as we say I love chocolate or pizza. We have watered down our relationship with worldly attitudes and do not even realize it. How we live each day matters, and what we value tells others where our hearts desires are. Scripture tells us that if we love the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart, but what we do not read is that if you love the Lord the desires of your heart will change to what He desires us to have. Even Jesus when speaking to our Father said, “not will but Thine be done”. When you give you life to God, you are to submitt to His will, to do as He instructs. Our ways are not His, and His ways are not ours. Neither are our thoughts His. Frank Sinatra said he did it his way, but a life with Jesus means we give up our own way. We give Him more than lip service. We give Him our entire lives. We live, eat and breathe His Word. Every action speaks louder than even screaming at the top of our lungs. More than words should be how we live everyday for Him.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Colassions 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

It’s Not Fair! / I never promised you a rose garden

Life is not fair. It is filled with pain and sorrow. You can do everything right and everything can still go wrong. You obey the rules and laws and still be the one to be persecuted while those who break the law get away with it and even prosper. None of this is fair. You believe in God and Jesus is your Lord and Savior but you still suffer. It is not fair. It is not right.

We live in a broken world and there are many who call good evil, and what is evil good. So how do we hold onto faith, and how do we continue to believe in our loving God? You would think that coming into a relationship with Him that our lives would improve, right? Right now your life may be in rubble and you are wondering how could this happen. You have been faithful and obedient yet everything that could go wrong has. A relationship with Christ does not mean a life without trouble. He did not promise you a rose garden in this fallen world. he did tell us in this world we would face various trials and tribulations, and that there would be those would not only hate us but seek to destroy us. So you might be thinking then why bother having a right relationship with Jesus. I will tell you why, we choose this relationship not to escape the troubles in this world but to have the only One who will faithfully stand beside you no matter what you are going through. He will never abandon or reject you, even when fall He will be there to pick you up. He will not condemn you for the wrongs you have committed but love and forgive you, accepting you as you are. He will give you the strength to make it through this life with the promise that this world we live in is temporary and He has gone to prepare a place for us and that He will come back for us.

He did not promise us a trouble free life, but that He will always be there for you no matter your circumstance. He also promised you eternal life for those who believe in Him. Life in this world is temporary, no matter how long your story in this world will be, it will not end with this world but continue through out eternity with Him.

Life in this world will not be fair and like a rose garden life has its’ beauty but it also has thorns. When your faith is tested and you can barely hold on to hope remember that Jesus did not live a trouble free life on this earth. He was rejected, mocked, abused, hated and suffered the cross. He did not have to do this but because he loved us He chose to, so that we are forgiven and have the promise of eternal life with Him. He overcame the grave to give us the keys to life. Hold on and don’t give up, he will see you through this life.

John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.

John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Isaiah 41:13 For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Waiting 5/23/2021

Well I am still in a waiting period. My procedure has been rescheduled for the second time. So I have another two weeks of waiting. I had joked with the woman handling my case that I could have given birth to a baby in the time I have been laid up, and off work.

For a person who is not patient this is frustrating. I am the type who wants to figure out the solution to the problem then get it done. Now my body has been in the care of others and I am not happy that the original doctor kept telling me the problem I was having with the swelling and discoloration in my arm was normal, to find out that it wasn’t and now I have these multiple procedures that need to be done. I would have liked these things to have been found out sooner and dealt with earlier. Unfortunately when others are in control of deciding what care you get things can go wrong and things can be delayed.

Yet through it all God has been with me. He has never left my side and He understands my frustration and He knows I don’t blame Him. Once upon a time I would have. I would have asked Him ‘What have I done wrong?’ or a long list of other things that would either blame myself or Him. Thankfully through life and a relationship with Jesus I have learned neither are true.

Waiting is not always pleasant and times are difficult. Life is not easy and even a bed of roses has it’s thorns, and needs to be fertilized. I plant seeds and there buried beneath the soil some grow and some don’t. They also don’t grow at the same time. Some you plant in fall to see bloom in the spring, and others just after winter to see them grow in the fall. They all have the waiting period. During our times of waiting we too grow and eventually bloom and produce fruit. I don’t know what will grow in me during through this time. I guess I just have to wait in see. Trust that God will see me through, and He will get me to the other side.

Numbers 9:8

Moses therefore said to them, “Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”

Who is the ruler of this world?

For every believer and child of God, redeemed by the blood of our Savior Jesus, our Lord is Jesus, God Almighty and His Holy Spirit. So the logical answer to the question, “Who is the ruler of this world?” is God.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. Why would He have to go to another place if this place is our home? After Jesus had been baptized He went into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. During that time Satan came to Him to get Jesus to bow down and worship him. One of the things he used to try to tempt Jesus with was giving Him all the kingdoms of this world.(Matthew 4:8-10) In John 14:30 Jesus tells us that the the ruler of this world has no power over us.

Now look at Ephesians chapter 6. We are told to put on our armor daily. Do soldiers when they are at home put on their armor/uniforms? Only if they are dressed to go to their base or some other military function, but in their home they dress like everyone else does, because the wars they engage in are not in the home. Yet we as children of God are to put on God’s Holy armor daily. The helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness, the belt of Truth, the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, and we take up the shield of Faith, and the sword of the Spirit. Our homes are a place of shelter and safety, so why do we have to dress in armor daily? While we live in houses, apartments, trailers, etc… and whether own them,or rent our home, this world is not our home. This is why we must be vigilante and be on guard daily because we are in a way living in the enemy’s camp so to speak. The United States has been criticized for getting involved in wars on foreign soil many times, and for what ever the reasons these wars and battles have gone on we have been told it is to keep us safe here. In a sense that is what is happening with this world and our daily battle. The war is here, keeping the home He is preparing for us safe from the enemy. Jesus is our Commander and Chief, God has His Warring angels, and we are His soldiers. We stand guard, and have watchmen posted and stand in the gap, fighting for and protecting those who cannot defend themselves, because the enemy is out there seeking who he can kill and destroy, and stealing what ever he can. He may be the ruler of this world, but I thank God that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and one day He will return to take us home with Him.

I didn’t write this to cause fear but to give understanding when things keep going wrong in your life. It is not because you have done something wrong or have not done something you were supposed to do. In Ephesians 6 it says that once you have done everything just stand. Remember this no matter what the enemy may have plotted against you, God is always for you. No weapon formed against you will prosper, and the shield of Faith will put out every fiery dart of the enemy. Even if you feel surrounded, do not fear, God has already made a way out for you.

scriptures to read

John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11 / 2 Cor 4:4 / Matt 4:8-10 /John 14:30 / Eph chpt. 6

1 Cor 16:13 / 1 Peter 5:8

Isaiah 43:16 / Ex 14:13-14, 21-22 / Isaiah 43:2

Psalm 118:6 / Psalm 27:1-3 / Heb 13:6 / Isaiah 54:17

Message on love/God Our Husband

Message on love/God Our Husband

God Our Husband

The first commandment is there is only One God and that we are to worship only Him. The second tells us that we are not to make any idols or worship them, and it continues to tell us that He is a jealous God. Now how can God be a jealous God, since God is love. In 1 Corinthians 13, we are told that love is not jealous.  So the question how can God be jealous, since He is love? These scriptures seem to be contradicting each other. How can both be true?

Think about marriage. As a husband or wife would you not become jealous if your spouse were look for love or pleasure  in another? I believe we all become jealous when the object of our love seeks love and attention from outside of your relationship. This jealousy does not mean that you do not love your spouse, but that because you are hurt and betrayed. There has become a separation in your relationship even if your husband or wife has not acted upon their desires, the mere thought is an act of adultery. Jesus taught us that if we even look at another with lust in our eyes we have committed the sin of adultery. Now God is called our husband and our maker, how do you think He feels when we turn to the world and seek after our selfish desires. We have betrayed Him and committed an act of adultery, by going after what we want without concern of the pain and damage we have caused.

Look at the life of Hosea. God has him marry a prostitute, knowing that she will not be faithful. Hosea could have refused God, but he chose to obey even though his marriage would cause him pain and shame. Yet just like God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to pay the price for our sins. When Hosea’s wife needed to be redeemed, Hosea paid the price and took her back home, forgiving her and loving her in spite of her actions. This is the love of God our husband.

How man of us are that committed that we would not only forgive the other but pay the pirce for their betrayal. Love and forgiveness are the gift God gives to us. Just as a husband and wife become one, when we enter into a relationship with Jesus we become one with Him. Since Jesus is one with the Father, and is also called our Groom. We are one with Jesus, and one with God, and His Spirit then comes to live in us. We become new. We are no longer who we  were before receiving Him as our Lord and Savior. He takes away our stony hearts, and gives us a new heart of flesh.

Becoming one with Him, no longer being double minded, and tossed about by the ways of the world. We become firmly rooted in His Love, His Truth and His way. One with Christ, One with God, and One with His Holy Spirit. We continue to learn who He is as we grow closer to Him. In learning who He is we learn how lto love, because we learn who love is. For with the new heart comes His love that now pulses through our body, and not only our body but His body as we learn to live in His love.

Scriptures to read

Exodus 20:1-6&14

1Corinthians 13

Deuteronomy 6:4-6

John 3:16

2Peter 3:9

What does it mean to you, to take up your cross daily?

What does it mean to you, to take up your cross daily?

Luke 9:21-27   And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

In this scripture we see that Jesus was about to take up His own cross, and that He was going to suffer. He was telling His disciples of this personally. They did not have to read it in a book, but they heard it with their own ears coming straight out of the mouth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We know they heard what He spoke, but did they understand what He was saying? He did not just tell them that He was going to suffer but that those that choose to follow Him would also have to take up their own cross.

Today you can go into a church or home and see some beautifully decorated cross. The cross Christ would be crucified on was far from beautiful. It was used not to just kill the one hung on it but to cause great suffering. You will read in James how we are to count it all joy when we face various trials and tribulations. Jesus told us that we would be hated and suffer not because of ourselves but because the world hated Him and he is in us. So we have been given authority but at the same time this authority does not promise that we would not suffer.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

John 15:17-19 This is My command to you: Love one another. 18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.…

Romans 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

Acts 14:22  strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

We endure any trial or suffering and take up our cross not for our own sake but for the sake of the lives we can bring Jesus to. I know my personal life has had it’s fill of suffering and pain, but I have not suffered alone. Jesus has been with me through it all. How can I know this? I would not have made it this far without Him. What is more important is that those who have been able to see Him working in my life through the times of trials. This is my witness, it is not what I have done but what He does for me every day, and that He can be seen in my life. His love never fails me. I may hurt and have difficulties to put it in a nutshell, which in comparison to all that God has done for me really is the size of that nutshell. The life in this world is temporary, but our life with Him is eternal. So no matter what storms may rage I choose to take up my cross and trust in the One whom I choose to follow and know that He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The pains a woman endures during labor lasts for a moment, but the joy and love she has when her child is placed in her arms is forever. The pain of taking up your cross is temporary but the love of the One who you have chosen to follow is forever.

Notes on message of love/What Is Love?

The question here should be, ‘Who is love?’ For God is love, and we cannot know love without knowing who love is. So who is God? He is known by many names, Yahweh, Jehovah, El Shaddai, Lord, God, and the Great I Am, are just a few of the names that we call Him.

He is also known as our Heavenly Father, our Husband and our Maker. The focus of the message today will be on God the Father. Many of you are parents. As a parent you can relate to how He loves us as a Father. As a mother or father you love your children unconditionally. Some of you who are parents have adopted children and you love them as much as if you gave birth to them. You provide shelter, food, clothing, and love. You may not always understand your children, and they do not always behave, but you still love them. This how God loves us. He provides for us and loves us, and even though we may not have been born to Him, He has adopted us, and made us His children.

We have all sinned and this has not stopped Him from loving us. It His love that redeemed us and cleansed us from our sins. There are those who had parents who had abused, neglected and rejected them. Our heavenly Father will never hurt you, leave, you or reject you. He faithful and true. His love is eternal and will never die. He is the Father who sacrificed everything for all of us. Sending His Son to pay the price for our sins.

He is patient and long suffering, loving us as we are. Not demanding that we love Him but inviting us into His family. Waiting for us to turn to Him and love Him in return. You do not have to believe me but believe in His Word. Read these scriptures and see how He loves you.

God is love; 1 John 4:7-8 and 16, Deuteronomy 7:9

Unconditional love of God; Romans 5:6-8,Titus 3:4-5, Matthew 5:43-48, 1 john 4:9-10

Made children of God; 1 John 3:1, Matthew 5:19, John 1:12, Galatians 3:26, Romans 8:15-16, 2 Corinthians 6:18

He is faithful; 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Timothy 2:13, 1 John 1:9, Psalms 119:90

His love redeemed us Ephesians 1:7, Job 33:28, Psalm 103:4 1 Peter 1:18, Galatians 3:13 Luke 1:68

Notes on message of love/Colossians 3:14

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

In Ephesians chapter 6 we are taught to put on God’s Holy armor daily. Here we are taught to put on love. To be clothed in love is to be covered in love. Since there is no one who is with out sin, and love covers a multitude of sins, this instruction is one we should all follow. This love we are clothed in is His Love, and since He is Love we are clothed in Him. The world then sees Him when we allow ourselves to be covered with His Love. This clothing is not made by the hands of man but a gift from God. His Love, His Glory, and His Grace to list a few of the attributes of The True Living God, who is Love. So just as you get dressed in His armor put on your clothes, put on His Love.

Digital Camera

This is the Love that unites the body and works together for our good. Working together for the purpose of serving Christ and spreading the Gospel of Jesus the Son of God, our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. The One who laid down His life to save us from our sins. Paying the price to redeem us from death. His blood cleansing us from our sins and iniquities. Making us one with Him.