"Two by Two" -Two

 "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow Me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-45 KJV) 

  "This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:10 NLT)

  Not that it hasn't already been established, because it has been this way all along; but the whole reason for that, Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, was that we love God by choice. Everything love is about is based upon choice: you must choose to do what is required to love! God provided that tree in the midst of the garden, that Adam and Eve might choose to love Him; they would choose to love Him by obedience to the one thing that He asked them not to do.  

  Basically, this is a two-way street: God proves His love for us in everything He does! Nothing is held back, as He proved by sending His Son to die for our sins; He chose to do this, because it was the only way that He could save us from our sin, which, for the sake argument, is the lack of love that we have for Him! God says, 'Do this and don't do that,' not to make our lives difficult or make us to follow His commands; His commands are given so that we know what to do so that we might please Him! 

  I know it might be hard to sometimes understand, because we just don't usually communicate this way; as if to instruct those we love, what they must do or not do, if they wish to show love back. For us, it is pretty much understood how we should treat one another; yet, we fall short in that regard also, without even trying! 

  As much as I would like to, I cannot be perfect throughout the day! I set out each morning to start my day with one goal in mind, to love God, and love everyone as myself. It really does not take very long at all, and that goal is soon forgotten, because it has failed. Simply put, love requires a choice; you either do or you don't do, whatever it is, it is done or not done for love to be, or else, love is not! 

  God does everything He does because He loves us! I know, there are things we feel He could or should do, as if it is what we expect to see to know He loves us. But this little time here is nothing compared to what He has planned for our eternity with Him. What is a 100 years of this, compared to eternity in heaven? Not that I plan on being here that long, but that is totally up to Him!  

  Okay, so what does this stupid title, Two by Two, have to do with anything I have just said? Oh, goodness, for goodness sake! There are only two choices we have to make! Jesus demonstrated that when He decided to go to Galilee! Philip demonstrated it when he chose to follow Jesus; the he showed it again, when he went to find Nathanael. Should I stay or should I go...

""Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 1:18-20 NLT) 

"Two by Two"

"The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-45 KJV)

  "Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle." (Psalm 24:7-8 NLT)

  How often I wish there were more chances for me to have a do-over, a chance to just make something wrong into a right; or at least take something back that I said or did, as if it had never happened. No, it just does not work that way, so we must just live with our mistakes and try not doing them again. Yes, try is a three letter word for maybe! 

  This is the part of the story that makes me take a second look. Where was Jesus going from, as He would go forth into Galilee? It is maybe just me, but I have always been amazed by way God changes the direction of way things come about. Just when you think there is gong to be something that will turn out one way, God flips it around, and makes it all about something else. 

  Taking a serious chance to understand what might be going on, we need to first understand what it is that God is looking for, and way it matters for us to be available to step out when He calls us to follow Him. I am still wondering what, but I have given up on trying to figure out why. That said, nothing is out of the ordinary with the way God chooses to work; whether it is by comfort or pain, poverty or riches, man or beast, land or sea; nothing is too impossible with God, when it comes to making His will come about! 

  If you have not been paying attention, this went from those two who followed Jesus, to Jesus finding Philip, and saying, "Follow me." I know, it is just part of the story, we shouldn't read that much into what isn't being said; like Pastor Mike always says, 'If the Bible is silent about something, then it is probably shouldn't be said,' or something in that form or fashion. 

  Anywho; here is a little taste of something to chew on, Matthew Henry adds to this mix, speaking of Philip: "What mistakes and weaknesses he laboured under: he called Christ Jesus of Nazareth, whereas he was of Bethlehem; the Son of Joseph, whereas he as but his supposed Son. Young beginners in religion are subject to mistakes, which time and grace of God will rectify. It was his weakness to say, We have found him, for Christ found them before they found Christ." 

  As it is, there is really nothing that gets by God without His knowledge of it; there is nothing we can do to change what God is going to do, despite what some might try to say: If God said it will happen, then it will happen, regardless of what we say or do! He is the one that is pulling the strings...

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." (Philippians 3:10-12 NLT)  

"Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael"

 "The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, follow me." Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth." "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see for yourself," Philip replied. As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel - a man of complete integrity." "How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you." Then Nathanael exclaimed. "Rabbi, you are the Son of God - the King of Israel!" Jesus asked him, "Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." Then he said. "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."" (John 1:43-51 NLT) 

  "The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the LORD, ye his angels. that excel in strength, that do his commandments, harkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul." (Psalms 103:19-22 KJV)

  Here is, what many might contend, is a perfect picture of divine appointments; as we are to expect and should expect for God to lead us to, and prepare us for, opportunities to lead people to Jesus. Maybe it might just be that we point the way, or add to the direction someone might be searching; either way, it is what I believe is the primary reason for us to be hanging around. Lord knows, it is not just to so that we can become better Christians! 

  Other than being the hands and feet, we are the vessels that God will use to accomplish His will. You don't even need to know what you are doing, just you showing up is sometimes enough, you just doing what you do, whatever that might consist of, or how ever God is going to use you. Strange as it might sound, God is able to use whatever He wants or needs to use; even objects that do not move or have life of their own, such as driftwood or rock formations on the side of a cliff. 

  Besides that, the purpose of God's calling upon our lives, is for His will, not our own! Everything that is done, whether it is intentional or by mistake; even something that might seem to be against His will or that is done in rebellion to His commands; nothing really gets done on this little blue ball that He is not aware of or is not ready for to happen. 

  I guess you could pretend it isn't so, but in the end, God's will will perfectly be accomplished...

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do my pleasure: calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it." (Isaiah 46:9-11 KJV) 

"A Stone" -2

 "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." (John 1:42 KJV)

  "The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those that fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die." (Psalm 103:13-15 NLT)

  I just could not leave this unattended and undone; because we have a hope that goes beyond the grave, which must be lived out in our lives, regardless of what the circumstance is we are currently living in. Whether or not you can realize it, your life has purpose and God is faithful to finish what He has begun in you; even if you might not feel as though you want to finish, He doesn't give up! 

  If you think about this Psalm, and what David is saying; this is making the case for God's determination to make our lives count! It is His heart for us, as a loving Father, that knows our condition, never gives us more than we can stand, and takes to the place we need to be, that place of counting on and needing Him more and more. 

  We might not get the picture that God is painting, but it is not just about us! This is about a wonderful end, one that will never end! I can't help but think about that lesson about baking cakes; how that tasting the ingredients by themselves gives to indication whatsoever how good the cake will be when it is done! 

  Besides that, Jesus is my Rock, and I am happy to be a stone! Welcome to the family of God...

"For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your soul." (1 Peter 2:21-25 NLT)

"A Stone"

 "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." (John 1:42 KJV)

  "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming , as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:1-5 KJV)

  Before I go any further, let me say that my life has recently been, what I would consider, a wreck. Not that it matters much either way, it has been wrecked for quite some time; but lately it has been more obvious that there are some things I seriously have no control over, even if I try! Be that as it may, I feel as though it is something that is good to realize; if you don't know there is something wrong, then you are apt to just live as though you are perfectly fine. 

  Not to change the subject, but I suspect that Peter was a little surprised by Jesus calling him by name; not only by his name, but Jesus also knew his father's name as well. I think this is something we sometimes can loose sight of, that Jesus knows who we are, what we are going through, and what it is that we need! I am lost without Him, because this is no longer where I long to be! 

  Calvary Chapel doctrine applied, a wherefore is therefor a reason to ask what it is there for? What is the reason we must lay aside all those bitter things and desire that which taste good? Because: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but by incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1:23 KJV) 

  Self-evaluation can be applied, if anyone is interested. A small little stone might have crept into my heart, called passing time! I have noticed my attention lately to how long and why. Two things that I believe we should not be focused upon, as it is not something we need to know, nor can we do what God requires to make anything happen. We must do what stones do...

"I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant." (Psalm 123 NLT) 

"The Fruit" -Too

"One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." (John 1:4-41 KJV)

  "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105 KJV)

  I light of all that is going on, it is good to know that you have answers for those that might be seeking for some sort of truth; that is if you are committed to and believe all that God has put into your heart! Silly as this might sound, but we think too hard about things we don't quite understand, and when we do that, we begin to doubt. (Answer: READ YOUR BIBLE!)

  That was more for me, than it was for anyone else; in case you were wondering. But seriously; when God puts something upon our hearts, it is intended for us to do it, not to think how or why, but to step out and be a vessel for Him to work through. He will do the work, we don't need to worry about how or what to say, we just show up and open up our mouth. 

  I know that might seem rather mysterious and awkward, because in your flesh it is and always will be; but when you are walking in the Spirit, it makes perfect sense! Think about this for a moment, and ask yourself, Who is it that counts to be speaking, in whatever kind of sitting, between two people or a huge crowd of people, you or God? 

  Regardless of what you might think of, Jesus clearly says: ""But when you are arrested and stand trial, don't worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit."" (Mark 13:11 NLT) Now, imagine if this is good advise under such harsh conditions, shouldn't it also apply for everyday encounters? 

  Besides, apple trees don't need to work to make apples: apples grow on apple trees naturally! Which reminds me: Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity when a apple fell upon his head; maybe it takes a little knock upon the head to get us to listen...

"For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News - and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. The message of the cross is foolishness to those that are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."" (1 Corinthians 1:17-19 NLT) 

"The Fruit"

"One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is being interpreted, the Christ." (John 1:40-41 KJV) 

  "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this, it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things ewe have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

  When it says, "first," I believe that it means when I came to the knowledge of who Jesus was. How soon that was, it didn't say, but many believe it was the next day, implying that they stayed with Jesus until the next day because that first day, in the evening, it became the Sabbath. 

  To be fair, I can only imagine it was the first thing that he did, as in, the things he did before going home, or back to work, or before doing anything else. Obviously, Andrew knew that his brother, Simon, was interested in and looking forward to the coming of the Messiah; so it was more pressing upon his heart to share with his brother that he had found Him. 

  We really don't need to get wrapped up in the technical reasons or motivations in Andrew's desire to share Jesus, because it is what should be part of what happens in each and every one of us. It happen in me, and it happens in almost everyone else; it is what you might call, the fruit of being Born Again! It is this new way of seeing the ability to be reconciled to God, and knowing the fellowship is real. This is really not something you can make people understand, but it is something you can share and let them know how it comes about. 

  That is not hard, as some might think there is schooling involved to make one wise enough to lead someone to Jesus; it is simply you sharing how you came to know Jesus, and then letting God do what God does best: He saves them! We can all do our part, whatever part that is that He gives us, we just do whatever it is that He has called us to do! 

  If ever there was a time to be about our Father's business, this time we are in right now is pretty ripe! Matthew Henry puts a nice little taste to what I am trying to say, by saying: "True grace hates monopolies, and loves not to eat its morsels alone." Sharing makes your fruit grow...

""They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On that day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."" (Malachi 3:17-18 NLT)  

"The Call Answered"

 "He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour." (John 1:39 KJV) 

  ""Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."" (1 Peter 2:10 NLT)

  Maybe the greatest feeling that we can ever experience, is the weight that is lifted when we experience God's mercy! Such a simple and yet complex thing it is, to simply surrender your life over to the Lord Jesus Christ. Simple, because it is something you simply do; complex, because it is so hard to figure out and explain how it works! 

  Believe me, I have tried several times to find a simple solution to show how it works, yet it never can be explained well enough to justify the reality of being set free from sin. How do you paint a picture of what takes place in the spirit of a man or woman, except you live through it yourself? It just can't be explained because it only is know by experience. 

  Anywho; this is the point in which there might be a tiny bit of misunderstanding. There are some that paint the picture that Andrew and Peter were the first to become disciples of Jesus Christ; first of three, maybe, but not the first two! If you have not been paying attention, there were two of John's disciples that left to follow Jesus, one was Andrew, the other is the writer of the message, John! 

  If you get right down to it, John goes through great lengths to avoid mentioning himself; using third person characters to show himself, or not even saying anything at all, except, the two, or two of them. The only example that I can think of where it was not the case, and I could be wrong, was the end of his message, where he says, "I." 

  As I have mentioned before, I might not remember the actual date when I was born again, but I can surely remember the time! What time is it, anyway? Some say it is noon; some say evening. I say it is high time we pay attention to the Season, because the day is nigh! By the way, the impossibility of the earth being billions of years old, is based upon the degree of the sun's rate of burning up: at the rate the sun is being consumed, the earth would have been a ball of fire a billion years ago...

"Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last day scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created."" (2 Peter 3:3-4 NLT)

"The Move" -2

 "And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is the say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?" (John 1:37-38 KJV)

  "My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body." (Proverbs 4:20-22 NLT)

  A very interesting point must be made of the question asked of Jesus, "What seek ye?" or as the NLT says, "What do you want?" Some might interpret it in the negative, as to put forth the notion that Jesus just going for a walk and didn't really want to be bothered. If that is what you might think, don't even begin to assume that is the case; this is not a question Jesus is asking for Himself, as if to say, Why are you following me; but rather, a question He is asking of them, that they might see why within their own heart. 

  If you want to relate this question to another example in the Bible, you could look at it in the case of God asking Adam, as He called out to him, "Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9) It is impossible to believe that God did not know where Adam was, because God knows all things! A simple little fact that is easy for us to forget, as we might pretend to sin without Him knowing what we might do! 

  Jesus has said very clearly, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," as it is Him that makes the way for us to hear, to turn, and to listen! We must not ever forget that He is the one that chose us, because in times of trials and disappointments we can never blame it on ourselves, but instead, we can look to God for strength; after all, it is His fault we are in whatever situation, because He chose us! 

  Don't look at me, I'm just using Adam's excuse for messing up! But seriously, if God places you in any sort of ministry or calling, and you somehow get thrown into fire or even the lion's den, you must never blame yourself for what is happening. If you have done nothing wrong in God's eye, then you are in that fire or lion's den for His glory to be worked out through your life, whatever might happen! 

  Anyways, this minor example of God's choosing still involves us making a choice! If you are looking for this proof within their answer, the best one I have to show you is found in the Book of Ruth...

"But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you or turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God, Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!" (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT)  

"The Move"

 "And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?" (John 1:37-38 KJV)

  "Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call him now while he is near." (Isaiah 55:6 NLT)

  So, if you do believe the Bible is the Word of God, how important is it that we follow it? I know, you are wondering why I ask such a stupid question; everyone that believes in the what it says, knows that we must adhere to all of the instructions! Well, it turns out, those instructions we must follow, many of them are based upon an individuals interpretation, their will to listen, and the desire to please God. 

  In this simple illustration I believe that we see something important to what motivates a person to God; not just to seek Him, as if you are looking for God to show up in whatever is going on in your life: but to seek Him to actually do something, which requires that you actually call out to Him for help. This is not something I believe we have within us naturally, as if there is some part of us that draws us to God. If you take the word of God literally, then it is God who makes the connection to us, not the other way around. 

  Without getting into a discussion over predestination and all that stuff about choice or no choice; let me be absolutely clear, that each and every believer must come to God on their own fruition! In other words, you must know what you are doing, believe why you are doing it, and make the move on your own! It is basically the same for every single person: there most be more than just some sort of misguided action, as if you are unaware of what you are doing. This is something that requires surrender, which it turn, requires that you know Who you are surrendering to! 

  Does that mean we know what exactly it is that we are doing? Not so much what, but why! Why do I need this is far more important than what am I doing! Abraham is a very good example of what I mean; as he hardly ever understood what it was that he was meant to be doing; he only understood why it was important to listen to God. "God said. I believe, that settles it," is not just something made up from a song; it is what must take place in our hearts when we understand a promise made from God! 

  There are many things that God tells us to do, that, to the world's standard, would seem totally foolish and sometimes even the opposite of what is normally done. Giving up all that you have, and following Jesus; that might be really really foolish in the eyes of many who know you; but you might ask the Rich Young Ruler about that, when you see him in heaven. (Just my opinion!)

  This is more about Who we see and why it is so important to follow Him, wherever He might lead you...

"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy." (1 John 1:1-4 NLT)  

"The Invitation"

 "Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!" (John 1:35-36 KJV) 

  "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, In the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even in him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." (Isaiah 45:22-25 KJV)

  Again, is another way of saying, Here is another chance to move! I know now that I would not have listened, had not the Holy Spirit prompted me to move; this I know because of what I heard, was not intended for my ears to hear, but for my heart to listen. I have tried to think back to the night before, or even that day before; thinking if there had might have been some sort of prior warning, or maybe some thoughts of my need to find some answers. 

  Regardless of what might have been my motivation, the invitation was impossible to resist! To try and explain it, it was as if I had no choice; my heart said go and my body got up off of my bed and went! If there was any sort of hesitation, then my feet began to move faster; almost as if there was another person within me that caused me to keep going and not to stop. 

  This is what I believe John and Andrew experienced; as we shall see, this was not just a choice; if you really want to get technical, it was a command that came from within their hearts! And yes, John is the other disciple, in case you missed the introduction. I really don't need to get into the discussion about reading things into the Bible; because truth be told, the Bible reads into us! 

  As I listened to several messages yesterday, I was quite surprised how many of them were in line with the message I had yesterday morning; not because they had been given the same message, because many of those messages were prerecorded, and some were from brothers that have already gone home. They all seemed to have the same basic message, that God's word is the Word of God! Some even had technical facts about the percentage of those that believe the Bible is God's word and those that do not.

  Did you know, if you believe that the Bible is God inspired and true, that of those who say they believe in God, you are a very small minority? I mean, I thought it was maybe closer to 50% or maybe at least closer to being a majority; but it sounded to me as though the speaker said less than 20%. Wow, I can see now why those stuck in the cults and so stuck! 

  Back to something I touched upon the other day, before I was thrown of course: John the Baptist might have insisted that he did not know who Jesus was before he baptized Him, but clearly he did know Him! There was a Spirit within John that could not deny who Jesus was! How else do you think the Bible was written! Or don't you believe God was the Author of His WORD...

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every other name: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 KJV)  

"The First Disciples"

 "The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" "Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means "Christ"). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John - but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter")." 
(John 1:35-42 NLT) 

  "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." (Proverbs 3:25-26 KJV)

  So, I am sorry for the post, or lack thereof, from yesterday. It was really rather strange, but I was trying to share about standing up for what we believe, using David's reaction to hearing Goliath put down his God, and how the army of Israel was afraid every time Goliath came out to challenge them. Yet David, who wasn't even serving in the army, felt as though he needed to do something, because this fool was not bigger than the God of Israel! 

  Anywho, today is another day, and today we look into the discovery of choices; which was a little thing I touched upon the other day. Whether you realize it or not, God works in mysterious ways. That is not just some strange saying passed down from generations, it is a fact! What it actually represents is a little thing we might call, faith in God to do something; what, we really might not know or quite understand, because it is a mystery to us at the time we make the choice to move. 

  You could make it about trust, as if you blindly move without seeing where it is that God is taking you, or if you are going to be caught when you fall; but trust is more about a reaction to your faith based upon what you know about God; faith is what gives you the right to trust, no matter what! When you step out in faith, that is when you get to use trust; if there is no action, where is your faith? (James 2:14)

  This is pretty much what we see happening in the two men that follow Jesus. They were disciples of John, yet they realized that Jesus was who they needed to follow, and they went following Him! It was a choice! Did they know then, before He turned and asked them, "What do you want?", what they even knew they were doing? I seriously doubt it...

"Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8 NLT) 

"The Only One!" -2

 "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:34 KJV)

  "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (Psalm 73:26 NLT)

  I previously had a whole post to share, put it somehow was taken down. Regardless, we are living in a time when we must stand up for what we believe! This is not a test of our faith, this is a challenge of what to stand for and Who it is we believe in!

"Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter; and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." (Psalm 73:27-28 NLT)

"The Only One!"

 "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:34 KJV)

  "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT) 

  Just in case you did not catch the connection, John was aware of who Jesus was before he baptized Him, he just didn't realize who He really was, before He appeared here in the flesh! You can try all you want to pretend that Jesus is not who He said that He was, but in the end, you will finally confess that He is LORD! 

  There are very few things in this life that are important choices I have made; whether it was my choice to come back from Texas and make a life with the mother of my child, or the choice I made to get my family out from living with my mother; but there is nothing that compares to the choice I made to follow Jesus! As much as it hurts to see some of the pains we suffer in and though, this life is only a small little blip, compared to the eternity we get to spend with the Lord. 

  I heard a message yesterday that caused me to consider some of things that keep me running the race. It was about those that suffer persecution and how it is not so much the enemy coming against us, but more the chance for us to demonstrate our faith. It not only allows us to show others that our faith is real, it is a chance for us to see for ourselves what we are made of; because without the challenge, we seldom really know for sure. 

  It has been said, "You never know God is all you need until God is all you have." As much as we can pretend that is what we believe, it is not until we are able to live through that truth, that we can see it actually is the truth, in us! Practically every single thing we have in this world is not our own. And the more I try to figure out what might be mine, even my very breath belongs to God! 

  As far as the crazy things happening here and now, it is really not all that important what might take place or who might be what; the only thing that really matters is where you will be spending eternity! Do you know Him? and is He LORD of your life? Pray for your families, pray for your churches, pray for your pastors, pray for your leaders; and while you are at it, say a prayer for yourself...

"Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever." (Psalm 15 NLT) 

"The Revealing One" -2

 "And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John 1:33 KJV)

  "Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth." (Psalm 73:25 NLT)

  I know it is a little odd, but there is some continuity to my madness. Not quite sure why, but there is more to this than I know; besides, if you have been given something that God wants you to share, usually the intended audience is rather small; at least, that is what I have been told. 

  Regardless of how you came to know the Lord, the reason remains the same for you to have been called into service: that the LORD'S will be done! Whether you serve for years or minutes, you have been given New Life that you cannot loose, and that New Life is intended to reproduce New Life in others; whether that is a few or many, that really does not matter that much at all. 

  If you did not know, your only a small portion of God's amazing plan; but you are just as important as the anyone else, regardless of your contribution or your ability to serve. It is something that cannot be traced, even if you tried, you wouldn't be able to track the results given or taken to this world by a single life. As much as it might not seem to count, even a child taken in their mother's womb, is able to make some sort of a contribution to this life, because it was a life! 

  Every single life that is created, is created by God! Don't you forget that, because it is so very important to understand it; as it turns out, you are in a life saving service for God! Whether you know it or not, it is what you have been called for, and it is what you will do. You might not even know that you have done it, as it is not your doing, but God's! A really good example of what I mean, is the Thief on the Cross; how many countless souls have been saved because of his salvation? And yet, what was the scope of his ministry on earth? 

  Back on track; this is more about the moving of the Holy Spirit, as He is the one that reveals Christ in us and to us; without the Holy Spirit's work within our heart, we cannot even begin to see our need for God's salvation, let alone that we even need to know who Christ is, or what it is that He came here for. That said, it is very important that we know, this testimony given was not about the Holy Ghost being given to Jesus Christ; it was about the Holy Ghost revealing that He was Christ! 

  To make better sense of what I just said, Jesus Christ was not changed by the Holy Spirit descending down from heaven and abiding upon Him; He was revealed, but He received no greater power or any additional godliness. He was simply made to be verified as to who He was; by both the Holy Spirit and the Father, all at the same time! (Mark 1:9-11) 

  This might not seem all that important to some, but the Bible clearly says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8 KJV) We really don't need to evaluate that any further, but if you really want some Revelation, there is more to come...

"Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are coming to me?" But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."" (Mathew 3:13-17 NLT) 

"The Revealing One"

 "And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John 1:33 KJV) 

  "But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. Be generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." (Titus 3:4-8 NLT) 

  Just is case you might be wondering, I have been focused upon these things because I have been feeling a little discouraged myself. Not that this is anything new; as a matter of fact, I have gotten rather use to the fact that discouragement comes, almost as if it is expected. I can sometimes feel that it is approaching, like when the ocean pulls back, and you can sense that a big wave is what might be coming next. 

  To be wildly truthful, I really don't mind the times of discouragement, because they remind me what it is that keeps me going! And it surely isn't my strength and abilities that I count upon! If you know what I am talking about, then you know why it is that we sense discouragement will be coming. If you don't know, then the dirty little secret is found within, as in, we might boast about ourselves, or think too highly of what we can do, or maybe we just feel a little to sure about life, in general. 

  In case you didn't see that illustration, that sucking sound was the wind that powered our success; then comes the crashing of the waves, washing away false security! Anywho, this is probably one of the most important points that John is making; whichever John it is we might be talking about, both are taking part in this reveal.

  Not that it is a secret, but God can manifest His power and might in a whole multitude of ways; whether it be in basic life and death situations, the stars up above, how we love and feel loved; even in the shape of air, if you dare! (No pun intended!) The point is that of perspective, as in, what are you looking at, verses, that which you are looking to see. 

  Matthew Henry makes a point, saying, "Note, It is a great comfort of Christ's ministers, in their administration of the outward signs, that he whose ministers that are can confer the grace signified thereby, and so put life, and soul, and power into their ministrations; can speak to the heart what they speak to the ear, and breath upon the dry bones to which they prophesy."

  Such is the case, when we focus upon the outward appearance of anything, looking for visible proof of a work, or a spectacular sign of something happening; when it is not the manifestation we should be looking for, but Him on which the manifestation abides upon and is given from! Anything else is just noise and seemingly faded pictures of things gone by. You cannot hold unto the works, as they are for the moment, and then they are only memories; sometimes, if not all times, wrongly judged memories of thing which get misinterpreted and misconstrued. 

  As it turns out, discouragement is there to remind us not to count on the things we seemingly look for or expect to happen. Doing that, is basically sin! Is it wrong to think that we control anything; let alone, that what we can do, will result in anything on our own. James makes that point saying, "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil." (James 4:15-16 KJV) 

  In a nutshell, be careful how you declare your anything! Don't try to take any of the glory, because in so doing, you are setting yourself up for D' Feet...

"The LORD is my shepherd, I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (PSALM 23 NLT)  

"The Abiding One" -2

 "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him." (John 1:32 KJV)

  "You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny." (Psalm 73:24 NLT) 

  If I could find a way to keep feeling sure, I might have something worth giving away, maybe even a best selling book, or the answer to what many of God's servants look for, time after time, dealing with what is commonly called, discouragement. They say, discouragement is the most powerful tool that the devil has in his toolbox; greater than guilt, more powerful than jealousy; even more sinister than deception.

  In short, discouragement is what leads to hopelessness, which is that one thing that causes many strong and faithful warriors to give up and to look for a way out. Unlike deception, which is pretty much a slight-of-hand, being discouraged is something that more personal and based upon how a person might feel. To make something that is so intangible as feelings ruin your day, is a lot like thinking about something that you could have said, or should not have said; it is that untouchable, because it has passed and cannot be taken back.

  You cannot believe that is what you are, based upon how or what you could have been; even the strongest of God's children can get sidetracked by focusing on things that they cannot change or imagining things that don't even exist. Paul gives us a little secret to getting through these times, saying, "Not as though I had attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend, that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12 KJV) 

  The whole point in that, is to make something else intangible more important than what you might feel! Take that which you know to be true, yet not attained, and go after it, earnestly and passionately; not because it is something that you can do, but because it is something God is doing in you. Feelings are just distractions from what is sure and never changes; if you base how to love upon how you feel, then that kind of love is not sure and always changes. 

  The best way to overcome discouragement is to find some courage! I find the best source of courage is found in that which I know without a doubt has already overcome...

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7 NLT) 

"The Abiding One"

 "And I bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him." (John 1:32 KJV)

  "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loosed, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (Daniel 3:24-25 KJV) 

  Amazing facts, if you are looking for more proof: God is the Author of the Bible! Yes, He might have used men to write down the words, but the words that were written were the Word of God; which, by the way cannot be abolished or made to disappear, no matter how hard it has been tried. Having listened to so many different examples of how impossible it is for the prophecies to have been fulfilled, it makes any argument against it's origin totally useless and void of the truth. 

  As to the closing Scripture from yesterday, if you might have been wondering what it meant: those that have been truly saved, and truly saved, indeed; there is no way God's rebirth in a person can be undone! If you will, Nicodemus had the right idea, saying, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" (John 3:4) If you stop and think about, it is impossible for anyone to undo the birth of a child; you might stop the birth of a child through an abortion, but even then, if life begins at conception, the life has already been formed! 

  Food for thought, if you are searching for answers to why. Besides that, Jesus acknowledged the real reason when He said, ""Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."" (John 3:5-6) Take the fact of life having started, that can never be erased, and now apply that same law to the New Birth, one that is conceived in the Spirit, and now you have basically magnified the effect: the flesh is temporary, the spirit is eternal! 

  Anywho, this is about Him, the Abiding One! As the author has written, "In the beginning was the Word, that Word was with God, and the Word was God." So let it be written, so let it be done...

"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Psalms 138:1-2 KJV) 

"The Manifested One" -2

"And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." (John 1:31 KJV)

  "Yet I still belong to you: you hold my right hand." (Psalms 73:23 NLT)

  Don't ask me why, it just feels right, so I am doing it anyway; even if it might appear odd and out of place. Besides, I never did really clarify which six verses we were going to be taking apart. One thing that I know, more than ever before: God does not give up on us, even when we seem unfixable! We serve such an amazing and holy God, He never ever goes back from a promise! If He has said you are His child, it is impossible for you to taken out of His hand! 

  Before you stop trying to push that rock, there are some very interesting things we need to talk about; some of which might seem very obvious, some will seem as though they could have been easily missed. The rock that cannot be moved is there to make you stronger, not weaker; even though it might appear to be working the opposite in your physical life; maybe even to the point of making you feel like giving up. This is how God will manifest His power in your life; because your victory in anything is not from your strength, but in your weakness! 

  I know it sounds strange and hard to believe. To be perfectly clear, stranger things have been made to happen, when it is God's strength that makes to happen and not our own. This will not be the last time that John will admit that he knew Him not; besides the few verses from now, John questioned knowing Him when he was in prison and was feeling as if he has lost some hope. Not that he had given up all hope; because there are certain things in our lives that just distract us from the hope that matters most. 

  Besides, the whole point of faith, is not that you fully understand and know, but that you know enough to keep believing that it is so! Even when it seems you don't know anything at all; the degree of your perspective is what is causing you problems, not your position in the Lord. You are still His child when you doubt: no doubt about it! 

  If you are really interested in how to move that rock, it is not going to move until you ask God for help...

"For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened - those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come - and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame." (Hebrews 6:4-8 NLT) 

"The Manifested One"

"And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." (John 1:31 KJV)

  ""Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the LORD has punished her twice over for all her sins." Listen! It's the voice of someone shouting, "Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all the people will see it together. The LORD has spoken."" (Isaiah 40:1-5 NLT)

  Can you see what I see? is more than a question about what we see with our eyes; it is about what we see with our hearts! All of these ways that seem to block us from seeing the manifestation of God, each and every one of them, there is something that limits or distorts the vision with the eyes, but it is the heart that needs to see, and is made able to see, when He is manifested! Like the partial opening in a wall, where the light shines in: There it is! Comfort is realized; peace is finally felt! 

  Matthew Henry indicates this, as he says, "God reveals himself to his people be degrees." It is much like the way anyone might learn any sort of craft: there is an introduction and a desire to start; the learning of and practice of the mechanics; and then a heart bonded to what it is that is done. It becomes easier and less about how you do something, but more about skill and how well it gets done. My mom would anyways say, "Practice makes perfect,'" which counts for most anything in life. 

  Before I got saved, I practiced reading the Bible, if you don't mind that I call it that. I began reading it when I woke up, all idle times of the day, and then as I was preparing to go to sleep. If you could call it anything, you could say that I was searching for peace and understanding; at least that is what I felt I was trying to find. But in the process of doing what I did, God allowed me to have brief glimpses of His glory; some were involving creation, some were odd encounters or visitations by His Spirit; some were just from questions that were manifested in my mind.

  But, when that day came, it was like a portal had been opened; something of a strange comfort came upon my heart, almost as through it was something I did not want to get free from. If I had to explain it, if this makes any sense, it was a comfort that I knew I needed to know why that I felt it, because I did not understand it, nor could I see it: it just had to be discovered and looked into, right then, like right at that moment! 

  If you will, this is the same for individual experiences as it is for everything else, including the nation of Israel. It would also apply to John the Baptist, as he felt the need and the call; understood the word he was given concerning Him, and believed; then, Him in which he believed, was revealed! Matthew Henry sums this up saying, "They who, upon God's word, believe what they do not see, shall shortly see what they now believe." 

  In light of what this is speaking of, I am concerned for those of the church that might not believe in the Bible being the words of God; as some might put it, that it is written by men that were inspired by God. There are many things that take place in this world we could say are inspired by God, whether that is regarding people or practices; most of which, if not all, come and go, live and die, and become revealed and then fade away. But God's Word never changes, is always proven right, and is alive! 

  Live like today is your last day...

"So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding." (Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT)  

  

  

"The Substantive One" -2

"This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for he was before me." (John 1:30 KJV)

  "I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you." (Psalm 73:22 NLT)

  Tit for tat, is an English saying meaning "equivalent retaliation". Obviously this does not mean the same thing to everyone all at once; it seriously took me some time to see any sort of connection, whatsoever. I still don't even know yet why or what it is that I am being told; except that it is something that is meant to break down some sort of communication barrier between what is and what is to be, based upon what was.

  Paul said something of interest, that might shine a little light on the conversation: "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I know everything completely, just as God knows me completely." (1 Corinthians 13:11-12 NLT)

  Have you ever been around anyone that likes to finish everyone's sentences for them? Well, if there was any sort of explaining of what it means to be foolish and ignorant, then that might be one main part of the explanation! Like that silly example of when God says, "I want you to move that big rock," which is absolutely impossible to move; you realize you cannot move it, but you believe God said for you to move it, therefore, it must be moveable somehow; you just can't quite get it figured out! 

  Shazam! What do you know; absolutely nothing! How can anyone expect to be able to finish something that God is trying to say or tell them? Did Job get that figured out?  It took a little bit of work; but in the end, he seemed to figure it out...

"Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.' I have only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."" (Job 42:1-6 NLT) 

"The Substantive One"

 "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me." (John 1:30 KJV)

  "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." (Isaiah 53:10 KJV)

  How much I look forward to His coming! I know it is coming soon, so I think it might be time to step up the volume a little bit, and start 'Start living for our King!' What might be at the forefront of your mind? Could it be the new way the world is moving? The challenges of trying to plan for anything normal? How about the strange new definition of gender? 

  As I pretend to live as though I just don't care, I really need to stop and remember what we are still here for; it is surely not to get more righteous and holy! The way Paul expressed it to Timothy, "They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" (2 Timothy 3:3-5 NLT)

  Are we to keep to ourselves? Some of what is going on around us, is making that a reality for many. I am more than certain that we must be about our Father's business! Whether you are in the ministry or not, you are here for such a time as this: To be a light in the darkness! The darker the days might become, the brighter the Light will shine! Believe it or not, but this is a good thing! 

  Now, as for the word for today, "Substantive," which is the point of all that means anything at all; we must keep every bit of focus we have left on Jesus Christ! Not the failures of others, or the usual way of looking for good examples of godliness in others; these things are the things that will cause us to look down, not up! Keep looking up, stay expectant, and live for Heaven!

  When all is said and done, there is only one way we get There! He puts the There in There...

"The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (Psalm 32:8-11 NLT)  

"The Lamb of God!" -2

 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 KJV)

  "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was torn up inside." (Psalms 73:21 NLT)

  Okay, so here is something I believe is evident in us, if that's you, asking for some proof. First and foremost, the most important change in those that are His children, is that they realize they are broken and need God to fix them. Frustrated by their our lack of strength, we constantly fight to get things right; and as it seems, the harder we commit to try, the easier it becomes to fail! 

  Just so you know, that sin we bore, the red bloody mess of our lives, was placed upon Christ; He bore our sins, as only He could withstand the magnitude of all of our sin! Yes, that's right; the Eternal One, that came as a baby, to grow up as I child, and to be put to death as a man, He alone was able to take all of our sin upon Himself; to withstand everything that came with that sin: disgrace, humility, shame; separation from God! Everything but one single solitary thing: Guilt! 

  He did nothing wrong, yet He took everything upon Himself! That is the Lamb of God; a perfect Lamb that had been guilty of nothing, neither had any guilt of doing anything wrong! Do you see how it is that our hearts can be bitter? They are bitter because of the guilt we feel; not so much for what we might have done, even though that is always hanging around to keep us mindful; but for all the things we fail to do, as we know we could have done better. 

  It really does not need to be this way; at least not to the point of becoming a burden and stealing our joy away from us! The whole point of the changed heart, is that we are children of God! We are expected to be torn, because we can never be what we are meant to be, not in this current vessel! But, thanks to God, through the power of His Son, we can be all that He wants us to be, and so much more! 

  As I see this current state of affairs, we can expect to feel more and more at odds with this world; not that there is anything wrong with that, it is perfectly fine and excepted. But with that, there needs to be purpose; which, in the light of all that is being torn apart, we need to be about reconciliation! Yes, that is true in us, as much as it is true for us; we have been reconciled to God, to be about reconciling others to God; that is what we live for, that is our purpose. 

  Guilt is a lot like fear; they are both very real and very manageable! You can let them run you, or you can use what they give, to motivate you in the right direction! It is really very simple: Just reason it out and make the right choice...

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5 NLT)  

"The Lamb of God!"

 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 KJV)

  "If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness: then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom." (Job 33:23-24 KJV)

  Yesterday I heard the punch-line of a sermon, which there are for several of those that share on the radio; it's like a little taste of what is going to be shared, a few seconds from a pre-recorded message, that might enlighten or encourage the listener to pay attention; if for no other reason than to try and see what that punch-line actually stood for or was about. Is there something you might be looking for to come out of this? Not that I am asking for myself, but it is mostly for the sake of understanding the punch-line: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" 

  Not to seem out of the ordinary, but have you ever wondered where your sins were taken to? If He takes them away from us, then where do they go? It might sound silly, but please hear me out and try not to be distracted by my lack of candor: I am just trying to take the focus of the why and place it upon the What! Hopefully that is okay, because the suspense of this is starting to become annoying, if you catch my drift. 

  Because we are but dust, these bodies that is, there are certain things which must take place while we are in these dusty vessels; as it turns out, these are vessels that contain a Living Soul, which, believe it or not, does require some form of nourishment. Maybe not fruits and vegetables, or steak and fish; but there is something this eternal creature needs, desperately and without a doubt.

  "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18 KJV) As it might appear by this verse, sin takes on a new identity, at least for the sinner. What was once dyed and stained by what might appear to represent life and death, become by metamorphose something else; almost as if they are transformed into something that can blend into light or brightness. 

  Jesus could have came as He was, All-Powerful and Mighty; shining with radiant power that would cause everyone to fall upon their faces, by just looking at Him. But He came as a baby; helpless and without much strength! Much like His trip into the wilderness, having to grow up in the state of a child, He was taking on the entirety of the vessel, this thing we live within that must do certain things. 

  If that doesn't help you to see why or what, then I cannot hold back anymore from what I believe this is all about: CHANGE! If you do not change, you have not changed...

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 KJV)    

"Jesus, the Lamb of God"

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.' I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."" (John 1:29-34 NLT) 

  "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." (Genesis 22:7-8 KJV)

  Just in case you might not know, this encounter has taken place after Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days; as Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted, after He was baptized by John. John's Gospel does not contain this information, but it is only obvious; that because His being baptized is mentioned, then it has already happen; so at least forty days has passed from the time when John saw the Spirit descend upon Him. No doubt, John had been telling everyone all about Him for the last forty days; and now, he sees Jesus coming towards him; no doubt, inspired and empowered by His victory over being tempted! 

  Matthew Henry gives us a few little points about why Jesus needed to be tempted. Not that we are in the dark about temptations, because they are pretty much an every day event in almost everyone's life. But the main reason we must understand temptations, is not to withstand testing, but to stay connected to the Word of God! Being focused upon the ability to withstand the test, is like trying not to think about Pink Elephants! We overcome temptations by smashing the threat with the Word of God! 

  Even in His weakened state, having been without food and water for 40 days, Jesus was victorious over the Devil by declaring God's Word, with authority! Maybe the one little thing that makes the biggest difference in how we manage our own affairs, is that it must be TRUE! If you doubt that it is the finality of the matter, then you are most likely going to move beyond being tempted, and into the act of committing a sin. There must be a firm and absolute wall between being tempted and sin! 

  I really do not have any right to talk about how this works, seeing how I fail so much at getting it right. But the one thing that I know, more than most anything else, is the God loves mercy! He is so quick to forgive, we just need to ask Him, sometimes maybe even several times in a single day, and He is so faithful to forgive us, again and again! 

  As we try and walk through these half-dozen verses, I would like to see God strengthen my focus upon Him, "The Lamb of God," the One that takes away my sin! Seriously, if He can take away the sin of the entire world, then my sin can be easily dealt with as well! How hard it is to forgive myself! Those stupid moments when I might have stretched way beyond being tempted; forget temptation, it wasn't even thought about; not in the heat of the moments...

"Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold me in your right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (Psalm 73:21-26 NLT) 

 

"Footprints in the Sand"

 "These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." (John 1:28 KJV)

  "And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, and command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the place where the priests feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night." (Joshua 4:1-3 KJV) 

  Nothing that we can do will ever undo what Christ has done! This is something that is established and set firm in Heaven, far far away from anyone's reach; no mortal man is able to even make a connection. That is what I believe is the significant meaning of this verse; the place where history took place, it happen, so it can never be undone! I mean, come-on man! You cannot rewrite history, if it has passed, it has already happen! 

  These are the kind of things that make for good conversations. It is like that age-old question; If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a noise? I know, it you weren't around to witness it, then it probably didn't happen; and if it did, it really didn't make much impact or anything that might have made a difference. 

  These are some really strange times to be living in, incase you might not have noticed. Something that, if you had been asleep or in a coma for the past year, you would wake up and think that the whole earth had gone crazy. Children wearing masks and pretending they are being kept safe from something that will probably not even hurt them? Who even makes this stuff up? 

  Anywho; here is the place where many believe that the children of Israel crossed over the Jordan; and if I had to take a guess, or had to place a bet, I would bet that these twelve stones were placed in this specific spot, Beyond the Jordan, in the pattern of a cross! I mean, come-on man! If the children of Israel marched in a certain formation through the dessert, wouldn't it make perfect sense for that same formation to be formed by these twelve stones? I know, don't try to add things that aren't written, right? 

  Whether you knew it or not, but this was a very significant time for the children of Israel. After 40 years of walking around in the desert, they are finally ready to trust God! Someone once said, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." (Ben Franklin) 

  Isn't it great that God's mercies are new every morning... 

"Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and patiently wait for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:1-7 NLT)

"The Foot!"

"John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." (John 1:26-27 KJV)

  "Then the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."" (Genesis 3:14-15 NLT)

  In the world of what is believable or not, this is what you would call: "A Game Changer!" There is no way to deny that Jesus Christ did not to rise up from the dead! Untold millions of people have tried, throughout history, to erase the proof and change the story; but what is Truth can not be erased or done away with, not in thousands, even millions of years! 

  Imagine the look on those faces, of them that thought they had won, the devil included; there was no holding Him down, and that which was written was true: "Oh my, what have we done!" You have unleashed the power of the Victor! He who now holds the keys to death, as well as the keys to hell! "Oops," they would say, as they pondered what they might have done differently. Although, I am pretty sure that the devil knew he couldn't win; but he sure could get a lot of very important people to take his side. 

  I love the way the movie, "Risen," portrays the character of one of the disciples, I believe it was Bartholomew; maybe it was Philip. Either one, he was so filled with excitement and joy, as they tried to convince him that Jesus could not have risen, it only caused him to become the more excited and bold; bold enough to step right up into the face of the Centurion, and pretty much laugh in his face. 

  There are some things that people are willing to risk their life for; a make-believe story is not one of them! To be quite frank, this is the "strike" that is spoken of in Genesis 3:15, His heel was bruised by the brutal death on the cross, but the serpent's head was stepped upon by that same heel, which was by His resurrection! Where would the Christian faith be without the resurrection? Paul tells us, "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17 KJV) 

  The power of the cross was made alive! Because He lives, we are made alive in Him! Don't let anyone try and convince you otherwise: HE IS RISEN...

"But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."" (Luke 24:1-7 NLT)

   

"Missing Grace"

 "And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that Prophet?" (John 1:25 KJV)

  "For as the body is one, and hath many members and all members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." (1 Corinthians 12:12-14 KJV)

  Just for the record, those Pharisees missed out on seeing something, because they skipped over certain things which were spoken in the Word; looking to satisfy the law by the flesh, they totally missed grace, which was freely given. That is very unfortunate for them, as it is still the same practice in many of the religious people today. The point of seeing God's mercy is one that requires feeling relief from the guilt of sin; something that is sometimes passed on by the atonement or sacrifice given, which is then assumed to be adequate enough for relief to be realized. 

  These Jewish leaders were well established in the art of dealing with mercy; so much so, they, as well as others, made quite a good living off of it. Grace on the other had, that is something which is a little bit harder to manage or even communicate. It is very comparable to the raft or log mentioned yesterday, as it has no way to maneuver through or above the water, but is just dependent upon the water to take it where the water will take it. God's grace is a lot like that; we don't have any control, not even the power enough to move in a single degree; it is all God's doing that gets us to where we need to be. 

  If you doubt what I say is true, I don't blame you for doing so, because that is pretty much normal. It is pretty much the reason Jesus said what He said, when He said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." Mercy is God not giving what we deserve; grace is God giving us, not only what we do not deserve, but what we could never obtain on our own; dare I say, what we do not even ask for! Did any of those who crucified Jesus ask Him to be forgiven? Not in the least! They felt as though they were doing God's business; little did they know, but that is exactly what they were doing! 

  This year has been weird, to say the least; but I believe it has caused many of God's children to take notice of what they are meant to be doing: whatever that might be, whether it be ministry or family matters, or even in employment. If God has His hand upon your life, grace is abounding; don't miss out on what you might bump into, because there are no accidents when you are guided by God...

"No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:7-12 NLT)

"Mizu Kiri"

 "And they which were sent were of the Pharisees." (John 1:24 KJV)

"Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!" (Philippians 3:2-4 NLT)

 When it comes to practicing any sort of art or skill, whether it be for pleasure or professionally, there are usually a few steps or procedures that are commonly used to initiate your session or routine. Not that I have something I can associate with that; well, except maybe this blog. It is just that I have something to illustrate here; something that might just make some sort of sense. 

  Let me begin with the word, "watercraft," which basically means anything that is able to be considered as a vessel, whether ship or boat or submarine, which can by crafted to move in any sort of way on or in the water. A raft or log, that might just float, is hardly considered a watercraft; it just goes wherever the water might take it. Are you following me thus far? 

  As I was preparing my thoughts, prayer mostly, for this mornings post, I did something I commonly do, which was to ask God to give me a title for this mornings post. I had the verse pretty much memorized, as it really isn't that complicated or hard to understand; so asking for the title seemed like a pretty logical request. Much like He sometimes does, He answered almost instantly. Some times, He will give it to me in the middle of the night; which will usually mean that I will not sleep much. And then, some times I will not even ask the night before, but just wait until the morning, after I pray and get set up to blog. 

  Funny as this might seem, but God gave me a vision of what this Pharisees might look like, if you could place them as an object or an effect: Stone Skippers or Stone Skimmers; which ever way you might want to relate that practice, the art is one of throwing a rock through the water in order to cause some sort of effect; whether it is to the rock, or in the case of a Japanese custom, it also includes the art of effecting the water.

  As if that could not satisfy the humor in that vision, this morning God gives me this other illustration, showing His giant hand skimming rocks across the water, as if it was He that caused all of the effects. Whatever we might try to make of whatever that might represent; the Water is the body which might get skipped upon, splashed into, or even skimmed across; but any of your effect is only temporary and cannot alter the Water, any way or any how! 

  Believe it or not, but that is about the closest thing to the truth that I could come up with; even though I still don't totally understand everything that it represents; like the ripples and the splashes, or whatever other parts are cause and effect. These are those that manipulate the Water, with whatever means that they might get, but only cause ripples, temporary little waves, that will soon have no effect. God's Word is that Water, and without getting too cartoonish with this illustration, these Pharisees are the stones...

"I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin - a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:5-11 NLT)   

  

"The Crier"

 "He said, I am the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah." (John 1:23 KJV)

  "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:1-3 KJV) 

  Some things will take time for growth and maturity before they can manifest into something that can be considered solid or firmly planted; and others, well let's just say they are faster, more automatically made, as if changing water to wine, in the moment! If it is possible to visualize God's, "Clapper," if you will, it would be the manifestation of New Life that is created in all of those that receive His Spirit. 

  Picture if you will, those movies where there is a Crier is making a special announcement for the King; usually you might see them in the town square, or maybe at the gates of the city; somewhere where the people might be gathered, such as a market place or place or commerce. Here, we witness the Crier in the wilderness, such as a place where there is quite and tranquility; a place free from the commotion and the business of the city or town. 

  My story is really not the unusual, if you really stop and think about the what and the why of my situation and circumstance. Some times, God must first take us out of usual surroundings, in order to get us free enough to hear His voice; even if free actually might mean that you are locked up behind bars! What I needed was a chance to see my need for God's forgiveness; why I needed it, that is where the stories begin to vary.

  If you get right down to it, the instant transformation that happens with New Life, is that which is completely and totally spiritual; it does not hardly change a thing about your location, your living conditions, or maybe even your way of life. What happens to you in the physical world is really not that expected outcome of your New Life. You can be taken in an instant, or you can live to grow old and naturally loose this tent. But what happens in your spiritual life, that is something that never gets old or worn out. 

  If you need an easy answer, it is that of eternal life! Something many are looking for; but many are looking somewhere else, anywhere else, but Jesus Christ! Why do you suppose that is? Why not just take God's free gift of life? It's free! So why do so many forego the straight way, and try to find some other way, something more complicated and unreachable? 

  I hope I was able to show that with some sort of clarity. If you came to Christ looking for anything else, such as a comfortable life, or to be a better person, or to be free from worry and fear; if your came here for anything else but your eternal security in Christ Jesus, then none of that other stuff will be enough to keep you here: the Highway to God is straight and true...

"When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire." (Hebrews 12:26-29 NLT)