"Much Mistaken"

 "The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, being a man, makest thyself God." (John 10:33 KJV)

  "God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (Romans 9:33 NLT)

 If they had only paid attention to all that was written of Him, they might have had some kind of clue that He was telling the truth. However, that was not how this story was written! They were meant to be the way that they were, because that is how it was written! "So let it be written, so let it be done!" (Yul Brynner)

 Obviously, thou they had most likely read the Text, it was not meant for them to understand all that it said. The whole point of Jesus coming as a man, was to redeem mankind from sin; only as a man, in the flesh, could He have His life taken; and only as a man, in the flesh, could He be risen to life again! 

 What is so hard to understand? Why couldn't they see the logic behind what was going on, right in front of their faces? That was not a mistake; it was God's doing! He blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts; which made them mistaken! They knew not what they were doing...

"The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He fell of his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died." (Acts 7:54-60 NLT)  

 

"Eminent Works" - Too

 "Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" (John 10:32 KJV) 

  "So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body." (2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NLT) 

 Not to be dogmatic, but there is order to everything the God does; without putting God in a box, He does not do anything that is outside of His word! That much is abundantly clear, for the Bible says: "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 thy name." (Psalms 138:2 KJV) 

 Basically, here it is: Everything that we do, whether it is meant for serving God, for showing others the way to salvation, for making know His statutes or rules, whether it is practical or spiritual, everything must always be done in love! Love is not selfish and does not overstep! It is this that causes friction in the church; much like what I said, referring to those who practice being slain in Spirit: for which, I must not speak out against, what I do not fully understand! 

 This is exactly what Jesus is pointing out to these Jews, because He knows full well that they are not trying to stone Him for any works, as they are fascinated by the works, which they truly don't understand; but they clearly cannot see who He is, so they have no clear picture of where those works come from. If they could only look at this with love in their hearts, not hate, they would see clearly that God is at work in their midst!

 You can determine whatever you want from whatever you think is going on all around you; but don't judge based upon what you think that you know, but what God says in His word! If the word is silent on any issue, then we should remain silent also; otherwise, we are just making something up or trying to speak for God, that which He has not spoken! 

 Big problems can happen from doing that, so we should not go there! If they would just take the time to consult the written Word; that which they should have written on their hearts: then they would see with their own eyes, the works that Jesus does, match the One He says that He is! 

 Having said all of that; even if we think God has given us power over demons, we do not glory in anything which we think we can do or not do, because we really cannot do or not do anything, without Christ! Just focus upon Jesus and the finished work on your life, letting everything else be about Him and His mighty power...

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:12-17 NLT)  

"Eminent Works"

 "Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" (John 10:32 KJV)

  "How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our LORD!" (Psalm 111:2-4 NLT)

 I know it might not seem like such a big deal, but Jesus was being very gracious and merciful to these Jews, considering the power He could have used to catch their attention. It reminds me of the movie, 'The Resurrection of Gavin Stone,' as Gavin continually questions why Jesus humbled Himself, not showing off who He was and not demonstrating all of His power. 

 Something to think about, as we struggle in our fight to overcome certain desires and sins. Not that we have any power within us, except the Holy Spirit, who does not control us as if we were a robot; but He is gracious and merciful, always prompting us, always patiently waiting for us to do what is right. He could, if He wanted to, throw us down on the ground, making us bark like a dog, or roll around and act like an idiot; but He is a Gentleman and always magnifies the gracious mercy of God's love! 

 As to all that other stuff, I haven't yet figured out where that stuff comes from. But I do understand what it means to be slain in the Spirit, and it is probably not something that you brag about if it happens to you. If that makes you uncomfortable, I am sorry, but I just do not believe that the Holy Spirit works in ways that are out of our control. 

 As for these Jews, they are acting out what they have been instructed in, and their control comes from another source; one a little less gracious and merciful...

"We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece - throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven - Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment." (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 NLT)  

"Stored Up Stones"

 "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him." (John 10:31 KJV)

  ""You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That's what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One - the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God's law, even though you received it from the hands of angels."" (Acts 7:51-53 NLT)

 Maybe it is too much to handle, as if there is something wrong with someone that actually speaks out and mentions the stuff that needs to be said. In this current culture, if you speak out against something or someone that is evil or wrong, you are instantly portrayed as an enemy of the people. 

 What people are these that have more rights than others? Those that yield power and have the ability to take captive anyone they determine to be threat to them or their cause. It's rather interesting how these Jews seemed to come prepared to stone Jesus; they just needed the right words to be said, and then they could act out what was already in their hearts. 

 As mentioned before, they really didn't care about Jesus telling them plainly who He was, as if they needed to know, as if they needed to settle their curiosity; they needed Him to say that He was, so that they could throw those stones at Him; the stones that they have been carrying around, just waiting for a chance to use them. 

 Believe it or not, but I think there are some very real connections between these Jews and those within the church that are sowing discourse and looking for any reason to cause division within the church. It is the same condition, as they have stored up stones, those that they wanted to use before, but they missed the opportunity.

 As it is, this is not the first time they had picked up stones to throw at Him. But, as I said before, Jesus was not all that concerned, as He was totally and completely protected: His death would not be by stoning, of this He was absolutely assured. By the way, the rest that little instance with Peter, the 'rock,' and the binding and forbidding thing; that might have gone straight to his head...

"From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that is was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!"" (Matthew 16:21-22 NLT)  

"Without Controversy"

 "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30 KJV) 

  "I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of truth. Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory." (1 Timohy 3:14-16 NLT)

 There is no need for debate in this, but there is always those that will debate it! That's the reason why Paul mentions the fact that it is a great mystery, because it is so hard for people to understand it, not because it is not known, because Jesus clearly made it known, the prophets made it known, the angels made it known, and even the Father made it known!  

 Whether you believe that Jesus is God, or you don't, does not change the fact that He is God; it only makes ignorant on the fact; which really does not change anything, especially you! What exactly do you think that you must believe? That Jesus was killed upon a cross? That is a fact, proven in written history! 

 I am never surprised when someone debates with me over who Jesus is; except when it is someone from church that wants to have that debate. There shouldn't be any question or debate among the church body about the Deity of Christ Jesus. If we understand the Scriptures, then we know what they say, quite clearly! So, who do you want to debate? 

 It's not that I don't like to have the debate, because I almost always do. It helps me to express that which I believe, thereby making my faith regenerated each time that I share what I believe. We must not shrink back from telling people what we believe, because this is way too important to not proclaim, without controversy! 

 If someone has a question, we must declare the answer, because when it comes the question of who Jesus is, the answer is really easy...

"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."" (Matthew 16:13-19 NLT) 

"Unconquerable"

 "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:29 KJV) 

  "Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness." (Psalm 145:3 NLT) 

 Forgive me if I seem a little rushed, but I must get to camp and help prepare breakfast by 4:30. I just need to confess something I have been guilty of and hope and pray I can change, once and for all: I set out again and again to read God's word to my wife every morning and night for at least 20 minutes, but I keep trying to, but try doesn't work! 

 That was a powerful message from Pastor Chris, as he said, repeatedly, "Try doesn't cut it, I must be all in; and I must put all of my heart, mind and soul into serving the Lord, in whatever it is that He leads me to do!" This is not something we can take lightly, as if it is optional. 

 We must protect and provide for the spiritual needs of our families, that is not just something God is asking us to do, as men: it is required of us, because they are dependent upon us to do so! I think back to when the time was that I had so many chances to do it right, and I failed!

 Having gathered my family, my wife and son, to meet with me after I came home from work, to do the "Family Walk" together. It was like pulling teeth to get it started, but once it was started, it only took a short while for me to destroy the work God started, by failing to make it the priority! 

 Yes, it was me that quit showing up on time; that put work ahead of my family: coming home, to see them sitting on the couch, waiting to get started; just to watch me say, "Not tonight, I have too much work to do!" Epic Fail! 

 Don't let the enemy win a single battle! "Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness." Don't try, Do! With all got, make it happen... 

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the whole armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil." (Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT)

"Hidden Treasure" - Too

 "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:28 KJV)

  "But because Jesus lives forever his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf." (Hebrews 7:24-25 NLT)

 Stranger things have happened, because as it turns out, what we might have in Christ, He himself has too, but with eternal security and power! The more I think about it, the better I feel, because living here in this world takes a toll on us, no matter how hard you might try, living righteously just doesn't come easy! 

 Therefore, we count upon Jesus to complete in us that which He has started, until it has totally been complete; until that happens, we strive day after day to make every effort to do that which we are called to do; so yes, we are that land! The Treasure we have is His righteousness within us, He purchased us, the eternal soul that belongs to us, which is totally and completely His, for all eternity! 

 Now, what can you do with that, but just say, Thank you Lord...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you be his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT) 

"Hidden Treasure"

 "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:28 KJV)

  ""The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to but the field."" (Matthew 13:44 NLT)

 Before you think about the significance of this connection, think first about the importance of the eternal life that Jesus has already given you. This is not something that He will be giving you, it is already yours: you have already been given eternal life; now that is yours, you need to own it! 

 Hopefully that puts this Hidden Treasure thing into a little better perspective, as if we could ever buy the Treasure that is found, because it cannot be purchased; but you can purchase the land that the Treasure is buried in, and that makes the Treasure your own: no one else can claim it or take it from you! 

 This might not click quite yet, but it should allow you to see the significance of what Jesus is saying to these Jews, who are all about the religious aspect of righteousness, as if that will get them what they want. Jesus is offering something totally different than anything they have known before, and they cannot see the forest for the trees! 

 To put this into a little better perspective, we given salvation freely by putting our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on that cross, there is nothing else that can purchase something that is freely given; the land is you...

"Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become a slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey the teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery of sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living." (Romans 6:15-18 NLT) 

"It's Personal!"

 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27 KJV)

  "Then calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."" (Mark 8:34-38 NLT)

 As many of you should be aware, this relationship we have with the Lord is personal; we don't have a club that we join or have some kind of group membership; this is totally about you and Jesus, when it comes to communication and understanding where we stand with the Lord. Having said that, we are also part of one big family of believers; so, we are also watching over others along the journey!  

 In that regard, the relationship is still personal, but it is because we are One Body: each and every one of us belong to the Body of Christ, so the personal relationship steps up to a whole new level: The Good News is that level, because that is what we are meant to be about! Yes, that too is personal, as we hold firm to every precious part of what the Good News is all about; but this personal journey must be made public for it to count and be worth anything at all.

 I hope what I said makes sense; if it doesn't maybe this will help. Pastor Bryan shared something last night that I mentioned before, but he made it seem more personal. He shared about reading his sisters diary, but because it was her diary, based upon her thoughts, much of what he read really didn't make much sense. The parts that really mattered were in her heart, and the things that she wrote down were just highlights of certain events. 

 That is how it is for us, as we were before Christ, we would read the Bible and see the highlights, but not really understand everything else thar went along with what we read. Once we became one with Christ, it all started to be filled in, and we could actually see the message that went with all of the simple highlights. 

 We became part of the message, and the diary was ours too! Now the diary includes us, and everything in it is personal...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. The Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."" (Romans 1:16-17 NLT) 

"Those of Unbelief"

 "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." (John 10:26 KJV) 

  "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to the world, so they speak from the world's viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception." (1 John 4:4-6 NLT) 

 If there could be any kind of proof to show the lost are counted lost, this might be closer than anything we otherwise might encounter, if you are looking for proof. Personally, I am not interested in knowing who is in and out of the picture; if they are still alive, they still have a chance to go either way! 

 Those that choose to reject God's free offer of salvation, they do so by their own free will. We each have our own choice in the matter, and the choice is ours; God love is freely given to anyone that is willing to say, "Yes Lord, I need to be saved! Please save me!" 

 Regardless of what you are guilty of, we are all guilty of sin, each and every one: "No one is righteous - not even one." (Romans 3:10 NLT) Therefore, it is not a question of if we need salvation, but the question of whether we will receive the salvation God has offered; Yes, or No?  

 Other than that, if we do not believe, God will not force us into submission! He might wreck your plans or allow you to experience a sense of urgency; but still, even in that, you are free to make your own choice. The ones that choose life are the ones that turn from the world! 

 Believe it or not, but the world has power of your mind, because the enemy has been given power over this world. Your chances are not all that good, but when we get a chance, we must take it, while the taking is good! 

 Not so funny how that works...

"If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT)

"Bear Witness"

 "Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." (John 10:25 KJV) 

  "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun. And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NLT)

 Just to be clear, God's promises are sure; that we can be absolutely sure about! It is our hearts that get changed and hardened, more easily than we realize. When our hearts change, for the worse, then there are promises regarding that, which bear witness of our Father's love. These promises that get our hearts right take priority over the promises of provisions. 

 More than anything else, God is working in and through us to reconcile others to Himself! You don't need to be ordained or even trained for this, because the Spirit of God within you knows what to do. We just need to yield our lives to God's Spirit, letting Him work through us. That's what it means to be a vessel, because vessels make things, they hold things; and the Thing we hold is the most important of all! 

 As far as these Jews that are giving Jesus a hard time, they are not going to listen, because they are set upon not lifting Him up. Little do they know, they will be lifting Him up, in the not-so-distant future. Just as Moses, who represented the Law, lifted up that bronze serpent on a pole in the wilderness, so too, these Jews that represent the Law, will be lifting Jesus up upon a cross. 

 This is where we see Jesus knowing full well how He was going to be put to death, did not really care about any other threats, because His death was to be crucified upon a cross. That was absolutely sure, so any other type of death was not of concern, because His time will not come until He has been placed upon the cross, period!  

 Not that it really matters, but it does! We are here on this earth as long as God will have us here, not a minute more or a minute less; when it our time to go, then it's our time to go home. If anyone is there listening, and you know that your time has come, now is your time to bear witness to what you know is the Truth! 

 You are more of a witness knowing you are going, then you are knowing you are staying...

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2 NLT)

"Quite Frankly"

 "Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:24 KJV)

  "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NLT)

 By now, it should be plain to see that these Jews really don't care what Jesus says to prove anything; they are more interested in Him giving them something tangible to use against Him, that they might prove that He is claiming the Christ. Little do they realize, that is who He is, but their eyes can't see, nor their hearts receive the truth! 

 Pastor Bryan mentioned that certain fact about the distance between belief and unbelief, that it is about eight-teen inches, which is the average distance between the human heart and the mind. If we could only just believe and try not to figure everything out! We say, "I believe God can do this," and then we set out trying to figure how He can do it, if He will do it, and then we don't believe much will happen at all! 

 The point to this was based upon the example given in Mark 2:2-5, which shows the faith of four men that lowered their friend down from a roof, so that Jesus might heal their paralyzed friend. The point being, that they lowered him down, which was fairly easy; not thinking about having to lift him back up, because they believed Jesus would heal him, and he would walk out on his own.

 In my world, call it stupid or foolish, I am constantly trying to figure out how God will provide the money needed to put in the bank, just to cover the checks that I have already written. I am one of those people that tries to pay my bills on time, even if there might not be the funds available to do so.

 For those that might not know, God has an abundant number of ways to provide for what we need, but He wants us to give our tithes and offerings first! For Him, the tithe is important, not that He needs it, but we need to faithfully give it, first and foremost, without even questioning resources or abilities for anything else. 

 That is where those 18" of doubt get me all messed up! Not that I cannot see, because I have seen, all of the times He has worked all things out before, but I sometimes doubt He will do it again. Call it foolishness, that's alright, because I have been called foolish before; and I'm pretty sure that I will be called foolish again!

 In the matter of finances, I prefer to allow God to handle all the technical stuff; technical being the stuff that really matters! I am just a vessel, and I pray that I am useful! We must always, "Trust God, and lean not on your own understanding"...

"Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4 KJV)  

"Stand Protected"

 "And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." (John 10:23 KJV)

  "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."" (Acts 4:8-12 NLT) 

 Okay, so this might be of interest to someone, anyone that might like things of interest. The place that John mentions, "Solomon's Porch," is known for being the only place of the Temple that was still found standing when the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians; and it was left uninjured and remained, even during the restoration of the Temple. 

 Just in case you might be interested, as it pointed out by John for a reason. Whether or not it really makes sense, the fact remains, if God wanted it to remain standing, then it remains standing! Basically, that is why Solomon had it built, was to protect people from the weather or the heat of the sun; it was just that, a place of protection. 

 As for this message from Peter, it is just a little reminder of God's protection, not only for His messenger, but for the message being delivered! Believe it or not, but there is such a thing as protection for the Word! When the Word is being delivered, there are spiritual forces at work to confuse, restrict, and minimize the power of the message that goes forth. 

 When you hear the message going forth, pray that it gets delivered! Pray for those for whom it is intended to reach! Pray that they receive it! The message Peter delivered was bold, intended for them that were present, and was delivered with the power of the Holy Spirit; Peter stood protected in the presence of the authority of the Temple! 

 Just a little reminder to anyone who might question whether or not God's protection is for real or not, because He protects those who are delivering His message. FYI, the place where Peter and John were being held unto by the man that got healed, was Solomon's porch, a place of protection. 

 Is it really something that matters? What really matters is that you believe that God's protection is real, that His promises are for sure, and that when you take a stand for the Lord, you stand protected...

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O LORD of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." (Psalm 84:10-12 NLT) 

"The Feast of the Dedication"

 "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter." (John 10:22 KJV)

  "Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, "How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven's army be trampled on?" The other replied, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the Temple will be made right again."" (Daniel 8:13-14 NLT)

 In case you haven't noticed by now, John likes to set many of these events to a specific time or place, sometimes both, depending on the situation. The Feast of the Dedication was an eight-day celebration to remember the time of a new alter and the purging of the Temple and was instituted in 164 BC. 

 I think this should remind us of the time between the end of the Old Testament and the day that Jesus was born, commonly known as, "The 400 Years of Silence." For 400 years God did not speak, not even a whisper is recorded; and then on that day, an infant cried out from that crib, and God's voice was heard once again on the earth! 

 Well, that's my illustration of the event, as I see it played out; so, you can take it for what it's worth. By the way, this feast is not one that needs to be celebrated in a specific place, and you can celebrate it any place you are at. The same is true for the times we can fellowship with the Lord. You don't need to be in a specific place, because everywhere you go, there He is! 

 I'm just saying, you can make time to celebrate and feast with Him anywhere that gives you the opportunity to do so! By the way, I heard Him knock this morning at 3:56. I know it was Him because it is always just two knocks, "Knock, Knock!" (That is for anyone else out there that can relate.)

 If you ask me, I think John's reason for giving specific times and places is mostly to help the reader have a sense of feeling part of the story. When you know the when or where, then you can place yourself there also, just to try and be part of the story. We are part of the story, so why not get involved and pay attention...

"This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now the Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen." (1 Peter 1:10-12 NLT) 

"Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God"

 "It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 

 Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father's name. But you don't believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." 

 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?" 

 They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God." 

 Jesus replied, "It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!' And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God's message were called 'gods,' why do you call it blasphemy when I say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work. But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father."

 One again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. And many followed him. "John didn't perform miraculous signs," they remarked to one another, "but everything he said about this man has come true." And many who were there believed in Jesus." (John 10:22-42 NLT)

 "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:3-6 KJV) 

 Okay, so it comes time to understand why words matter! Besides that, there might be some variation to the Text, one being that of the NLT, which has the word 'Lord,' shown as 'lord,' and the other being that of the NAB have is as 'sir,' hearing a well know Pastor saying, "sir," yesterday morning, really didn't sit right with me, at all! 

 The question that is pointed to, as if that question doesn't matter, is to whether or not Paul's reason for hitting the ground was because he knew it was God's light that appeared, which is why, just about every other interpretation has it as, "Lord." I studied this since the I first read it, right after I got saved. 

 The main point about my concern, is that I was so confused before I meet Jesus, thinking that I knew what was right, thinking that church was just a trap to get people stuck into religion. I even sat outside of a church service and prayed for the people inside, as they sang joyfully to the Lord! Thinking that my relationship with God was right, and their relationship was a counterfeit.   

 So, you can imagine how it was that I could have an interest with Paul's conversion. Much like many passages and illustrations in the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit speaks through the Text! I heard it said by Dr. Chuck, 'that the space between the lines sometimes speaks louder than the lines themselves'. And I have found that to be true, over and over again. 

 Anywho; it a weird sort of way, that is the point Jesus is trying to make about the evidence of the miraculous works: They speak for themselves...

"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. Open up, the ancient gates! Open up, the ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven's Armies - he is the King of Glory. Interlude" (Psalm 24:7-10 NLT) 

"The Others"

 "Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?" (John 10:21 KJV)

  "The first to speak in court sounds right - until the cross examination begins." (Proverbs 18:17 NLT)

 Have you ever wondered why the disciples were not more vocal in these situations? I don't recall too many times where they stepped in to take a stand against these Jews who had it out for Jesus. Maybe I missed it, but I am pretty sure they were trying to figure out what it was He intended to do. 

 That is really not all that different than how we are, in just about every situation we might find ourselves. We really don't know what it is that God is doing, until He is done; and even then, we still cannot see all that He has done! These others that spoke out, although they were swimming against the current, they still were not ready to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. 

 There is a very big difference between those that believe in Jesus and those that will give Him their lives! We must understand what it means to follow Jesus, because it doesn't mean that we just walk behind Him and watch what He did; it means that become a servant, living our lives as He did, to lay down our lives for the sake the Gospel, if that is what is required of us! 

 Don't hold anything against those that might seem timid or afraid, because it might not be time for them to shine. There is time for everyone to take a stand, not everyone will have the same situation that turns on that switch. But you can believe it when you see it, those that really believe, fear nothing!

 Which reminds me of something Pastor Bryan said last night, in reference to Mark 3:9, as Jesus asked the disciples to get Him a small boat, so that He could speak to them from the shoreline, least the multitude should throng Him. "He was just being humble, because He really didn't need a boat; He could have just stood on the water if He wanted." 

 Focus on Jesus, and don't worry about the rest...

"I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather be of one mind, united in thought and purpose." (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT)  

"Outnumbered"

 "And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?" (John 10:20 KJV)

  "Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people." (Isaiah 53:8 NLT)

 Be well aware, if you go against the flow, you will be outnumbered and looked upon unjustly! It is just the way it is, because there are more that go with the flow then there are those that don't. Basically, it is easier to just do what everyone else does, and not be the odd one, that one that doesn't quite fall in line with everyone else.

 I heard a caller yesterday that was really concerned about her church, as she saw them starting to do odd things that didn't quite line up with Scripture. She said that she felt the Spirit inside of her speak that this was wrong, but if she spoke out in opposition, she was being told that she was quenching the Spirit. 

 There is really a very big move among many churches to embrace this current culture of tolerance, as if that is what it should be called. That is not the issue that she faced; but the issue she faced was not too far off from the same. One issue is dealing with the physical ecstasy, while the other deals with the spiritual type; neither one will draw anyone closer to God! 

 If you think that I am wrong, it will not offend me, in the least. I think I gave up caring what others think of what I say, quite a long time ago! If I really cared what others might think or say, then I might have quit by now; but this isn't for me, which is why I made it public to begin with.

 If you really want to know how it feels to be outnumbered, then imagine what it feels like to have most of the people around you say that you are out of sorts. Most of them don't mean any harm, because they tell me right to my face: "Not too many people would do what you do." I totally agree, because I have seen and heard the opposition; and they can be very ugly! 

 I actually had a nurse staying next to me in an RV park, on a golf course. I told her my situation, and her and her husband told me they were both Christians and that they would pray for me and my wife. The next day, I wanted to relax and try to get nine holes in. So, I asked her if she wouldn't mind watching my wife for a few hours while I golfed, and that I would even pay her for her trouble.

 What she said in her answer really cut me to the core! I have been asked questions, like, "Can she communicate with you?" "Does she know your voice?" "Do you think she will get better?"; many more that seem caring and compassionate, in their own way. But, to say: "What is it with you? Do you just want to cuddle?" 

 A hug would be nice...

"Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God: if pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." (Galatians 1:10 NLT) 

 

"The Schism"

 "There was a division therefore again among the for these sayings." (John 10:19 KJV)

  ""I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against - or two in favor and three against."" (Luke 12:49-52 NLT)

 We must understand what peace it was that Jesus brings, because peace with the world is not what we should be looking for! We get to have peace with God! Peace because the guilt is gone, and we have been justified and made holy in the eyes of our Heavenly Father! 

 I had sushi with a friend of mine yesterday, as we shared some nuggets of inspiration among one another, while partaking in some raw fish. I was reminded about the night I dealt with the verse from John 5:11, when the lame man Jesus healed was scolded for carrying his mat in the Temple on the Sabbath. If you were following what I discovered, you might recall that the man's reply did not include the main command that Jesus gave: "Stand!" 

 I shared with my friend the ordeal that led up to the moment of discovery, and how it was that I stood over my wife, reading the same portion of Scripture, again and again, getting more and more excited to see what it was that I was missing. I was so intent on finding what it was I was missing, that I began to read loader and slower, as my wife stared at me as if there was really something very important going on; she even had a look of either fear or amazement. 

 When I finally saw it, that's when the spiritual battle began to intensify. Something I did not get a chance to share with my friend; mostly because I did not want to scare him, as he might have thought that I lost my mind. 

 Yesterday, I was reminded again that every word that God speaks must not be added to or taken from; we must not change His word to suit our desires or wants; and we should never take away from the main point of what or why He says something. Including the order, it is said, the principle it represents, the condition that follows, or the purpose, small or great, that is behind it! 

 The thing that reminded me of that was a brief message I heard, where someone was quoting Jesus as He calmed the sea, and they said, "Jesus said, 'Be Still,' and the sea became still." As I heard him say that the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I realized the quote was not correct. Jesus actually said, "Peace, be still." 

 If you know the situation that was going on and where it was that Jesus was taking the ship, then you should also understand the reason for the storm, because it was intended to stop them. Which, if you are paying attention, "peace," was not just a slogan or a word of comfort, it was a command! The 'peace' was for the powers of darkness to cease, the 'be still' was for the winds and the sea. 

 Anywho! This simple little verse, often repeated over and over, reminds us that not everyone hears the message the same; and if they do listen to the same message correctly, they will not have the same reaction to what they have heard. No matter how clearly the message is spoken, the point will not always produce the same result...

"Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead." This divided the council - the Pharisees against the Sadducees - for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. "We see nothing wrong with him," they shouted. "Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him." As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him be force and take him back to the fortress." (Acts 23:6-10 NLT)

  

"Authoritative Prescription" - 2

 "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:18 KJV)

  "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 NLT) 

 Whatever state or condition you might find yourself, your never too far from God! That might not be the easiest thing to realize, but it is the simplest thing to believe, because it is a promise from God! We must hold on to His promises and have faith, no matter what this world might throw at us, it can never take away the salvation He has given, ever! 

 As to the subject of yesterday's complaint: I seriously have nothing to complain about, because God has abundantly blessed me with so much more than I deserve! You know that song, "Count your Blessing," well it involves taking a moment to realize all that God has done, counting them one by one. Do you know, it is really hard to count all that He has done! 

 Yesterday's message at church was based upon Mark 1:9-13, which is where Jesus is baptized, when the Holy Spirit shows up as a Dove, the Father speaks from heaven, saying, "Thou at my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," and then, "immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness." As if that was something bad, as some might think! 

 God sometimes needs us to go through the wilderness, because it is in the wilderness where we must be more reliant on Him, for things we take for granted. Simple things, which become not so obtainable or easily found, like shade, food, and strength. It is hard to put trust in anything else but God! Every other thing that we have or think that we need, is nothing but a vapor, here today, and gone tomorrow! 

 The wilderness is a place where we either draw closer to God, or we complain and blame God for the situation we feel He has placed us in. I think that drawing closer to God is the best place to be! What say you...

"My brethern, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4 KJV) 

"Authoritative Prescription"

 "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:18 KJV)

  "Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT) 

 Just so you know, believing that Jesus is God is not exactly the majority opinion with many churches; nor do the majority of churches hold to the virgin birth as way Jesus was born. Don't ask me why, because I really haven't figured that out. But am willing to make a suggestion: If you cannot accept the first verse of the Bible as the fact it proclaims, then everything else that is written will be treated the same! 

 This is not my first rodeo when it comes to challenging any argument that Jesus is not God! Just because He was born as a baby, people will assume God would not manifest Himself in such a fashion. Well, in case that is the thought, Hebrews 2:14 gives us a very clear picture of why and how that was the way it was done. 

 With that, we should really pay attention to what is happening in our world around us. Not that we can really do much to stop it, because it is meant to happen, just as the Bible says. But as long as we see and understand what is happening, we know where to be focused and where our real hope is found. This is not it, no way, no how! 

 To be honest with everyone, if anyone is listening, I have been really burdened with my profession lately, and it has been nothing more than just a grind; each day seems to grind a little harder! I keep thinking it is because I am getting old and my drive to succeed is no longer in me. So, I am praying for God to show me what I must do. 

 First things first, I must take care of my wife! If you are anywhere close to my situation, then you need to make every effort to provide care for your spouse. As much as you can, you must provide the care and love on your own, in whatever capacity that might look like, but you must be involved and part of the picture.

 Whatever you do, don't put your love in the care of another! Don't do what the world might prescribe and have them put in a Care Home or Hospice. Make every effort to make your home the caring place! Home is where the heart is; at least when it comes to marriage. 

 Sorry for diverting from the focus, but sometimes we must pause to look at the life we are in...

"That is why the Holy Spirit says, "Today, when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, 'Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.' So, in my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest.'"" (Hebrews 3:7-11 NLT) 

"Love Manifested"

 "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." (John 10:17 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 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 had 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) 

 One of the first things that I realized, over 40 years ago, is that Jesus Christ was not just an offering, as if God the Father was subjecting Him to die, but that Jesus willfully gave His life, as the offering, Himself. Yes, the Father clearly did give His Son; but the Son, being in the form of man, offered Himself! Think about the magnitude of that, because it shows how much love was shared between the Father and the Son. 

 I remember trying to share this amazing discovery with my sister, as she was still with the J.W.'s at the time. At one point, she actually reached out as if she was going to strangle me, only because I told her that Jesus was God, and that He controlled His own destiny, making His sacrifice so much more powerful. It didn't quite change her, at least not right away; it took about 4 or 5 years, and she finally could see it for herself. 

 What this shows, by way of submission, is the love Jesus had for the Father. This love was so much more powerful than we could ever really know, because Jesus yielded so much more power than we could ever have. It was that manifestation of submission, yielding of power, that made His sacrifice more than just an offering: He purchased our sins with His life! 

 I am still amazed by that, because it still blows my mind how powerful a sacrifice that was: and only God, Himself, could made that sacrifice that powerful...

"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ - everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan." (Ephesians 1:5-11 NLT)  

"All as One" - Two

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16 KJV)

  "Praise the LORD, all the nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD'S faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 117 NLT)

 Keeping it short, mostly because I just want to be thankful the Lord picked me; like one of those starfish on the beach, He picked me up and saved me from death! Don't really know what else to say about that, because to some, it might not seem fair; but to those that believe, it means more than life itself.

 As I was thinking about that day, the day the Lord called me, I could help but remember how important that call was upon my life. I was reminded of that by the way Mark shows how Andrew, Simon, James, and John all left their nets and followed Jesus, without even considering the challenges ahead.

 When we try to imagine what might be ahead, it can sometimes cause us to stumble or hesitate to make a change, especially when that change is drastic and involves giving up wealth. I know that I might sound like a broken record, or worse, but I am convinced that Mark is the one who was wrapped in a sheet, as Jesus was arrested in the garden.

 Why did the rich young ruler run to Jesus? What was it that caused him to ask, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" What was it that caused Jesus to say, "Sell all that you have, and give it to the poor." It is that which makes me think about all that I have and consider what it all means to me. More than that, what is it that I have been living for, for the last four decades? 

 There is so much more than this, and I feel as though I might have missed out! That said, I believe that God puts us on a particular path, whatever path we are on, we must do whatever we do as if we are working for the Lord. I believe I have tried to do that, most of the time; but there have been times when success and financial gain has gotten in the way. Nobody's perfect! 

 Regardless of all that noise, I believe that Jesus called me and know that I heard His voice! I know that I am saved, that I am a child of God, and that He has given me eternal life! So, all that other stuff, whether present or past, means nothing! Nothing can separate me from the mighty hand of God...

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NLT)  

"All as One"

 "And other sheep I have, which are not on this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16 KJV)

  "And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles. Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, "Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before." And, "Then, at the place where they were told, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'"" (Romans 9:24-26 NLT)

 It is really pretty amazing how God speaks to us, either by His written word, or in a still-small voice, or by the mouth of others, either way, the Holy Spirit living inside us will give us understanding and the ability to put what we hear to work. I get so amazed by the way messages I hear, almost always, will flow into something that might be heavy on my heart.

 Which is part of my discussion today, as it just so happens. Yesterday I heard a caller who had a question, one that we all here from time to time: "If God already knew man was going to sin, why did He go ahead and create man anyway?" The best answer I think I have heard for that, was based upon man's own knowledge in this current life. 

 If you have had any children of your own, then you know from experience that things don't always go the way that you would like. Does that mean that you don't have any children? I actually think that some people actually feel that way, and that might be the reason for so many abortions. But those that actually love their children, they will still do their very best, hope for the best, and deal best with whatever might actually happen. 

 Now, consider that simple illustration with the power to know! Now we are talking about something on a whole different level; one that is completely outside of our ability to comprehend or understand. In that case, we just believe that God has always had a plan, and we thank God for making us a part of it! 

 As for this verse from Romans, which says: "And I will love those whom I did not love before." We must understand something about God's amazing love, because He loves all of us, even those that do not love Him back. He also knows who will be saved or not, but He does not let them know what He knows! 

 We don't have a clue about anything, until we actually get saved; even then, we sometimes doubt it is true and consider questioning our own salvation. You know what I mean, at least I hope I'm not alone? The thing that works best for me, is to remember how He changed me and gave me new life and hope and peace and joy! He also gave me understanding in His word, as my heart has become one with His.

 These are the things which cannot be denied or forgotten! Remember, remember, remember...

"But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works." (Psalm 77:11-12 NLT) 

"One and Done"

 "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:15 KJV)

  "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God the Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen." (Galatians 1:3-5 NLT)

 Interesting, isn't it, how simple this message is, yet so complex? We see is clearly, knowing full well what God has done and why He had to do what we could not do on our own. Imagine if you hadn't listened: where would you be? 

 I heard a strange message yesterday afternoon, by Pastor Jack. He was sharing how he had spoken to someone about sheep, sheep being the topic of this conversation. I really had never heard this before; or if I have, it wasn't quite as clear as Jack expressed it yesterday. The topic evolved from the argument or discussion between evolution verses creation. 

 I am sure many of you have had that sort of discussion, which usually ends with both sides agreeing to choose to disagree. Anyone that says they cannot believe in creation, actually is saying, they will not! The science points to creation, if they would just open up their eyes and look! 

 In this case, Jack shared about a Scientist that was given the task of proving evolution, and he did so with an open mind. When he got to the point of examining sheep, he determined that evolution no longer could have been the order, because sheep would not have survived. Sheep must be looked after; they must have a shepherd! 

 Anywho, you look into that topic on your own, to see if it becomes a useful tool in your toolbox. As for this simple message, it is simple enough to see: Both the Father and the Son were in total agreement on what was required to save us sheep, because there was no way that we were going to do it on our own...

"The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once and for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, "You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do your will, O God - as it is written about me in the Scriptures.'"" (Hebrews 10:1-7 NLT) 

"Understanding"

 "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14 KJV)

  "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 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 4:7-10 NLT)

 Little did I know, but now I know a little more! That might not sound like all that much understanding, but understanding really does not require knowing a lot, but that the little you know, you understand what it means. We can seriously know what we are to do, without knowing every single detail of what must be done. Sounds like gibberish, but if you knew firsthand what would happen, you might go down that road! 

 This is probably the most important part of this Story! This Book we have been given, details every single thing that is to happen, just as it happened, and just as it will happen; every single thing, is all laid out, just as God has prescribed it, appointed it, and anointed it to be. And the most mysterious part of it all, is us, His children! 

 I can't understand it, and I am sure that I am not alone. God made us to be glorious, even though we are not, He will make us so! Do you think He was kidding when He said: "Let us make man in our image." I may not understand what that totally means, but I can see by all that He has done thus far, He has got everything figured out! 

 I can understand that much, and still, that is much, way too much, for me to figure out! I just need to know that He loves me: He absolutely loves me...

"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 are 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 furure ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7 NLT) 

"It Matters!"

 "The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." (John 10:13 NLT)

  "Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy." (Philippians 2:14-18 NLT)

 We might not understand why certain things happen, but in case we need to know, we must remember that God allows certain things to happen for a reason. The thing that matters the most, is what you believe about God's faithfulness to know what is best and that He loves you so much; and then, with every bit of strength within you, you do not give up believing in Him! 

 I know that might seem easy to say, for someone that might not have it so bad. I cannot forget, "I complained about having no shoes, until I saw a man that had no feet." Don't really remember where I heard that, but I am pretty sure that I have heard it more than once. Regardless, whatever your situation or trial might be, it is your issue, but it is not your own! 

 We must keep in mind, that God has us here for a reason. It matters to those to whom it matters, whether we realize who they are or not, God only knows! If you ever heard the one about the guy who was walking down the beach and was picking up Starfish that were washed up on the shore, throwing them back in the ocean. And someone saw what he was doing, and said, "There is too many there for you to save, what's to going to matter?" The man said, as he threw a one back to sea, "It matters to that one!" 

If you are familiar with Paul's letter to Philippi, then you should know the main theme, 'is the all-sufficiency of Christ in any circumstance, good or bad.' No matter what, Paul's deepest concern was for those that were faithfully following God, to not get discouraged about his situation, even if it meant that he was killed, his death was going to be a blessing. 

 No matter what, God has our lives securely in His hand! We must faithfully believe that is so, no matter how hard the circumstance or situation might appear, Jesus suffered more! I cannot imagine the pain, having been something He could have stopped, but still, He endured for us! Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep." 

 As a willing sacrifice, He took on all the shame and pain, not worried about any of it, because He knew what was on the other side of that horrific ordeal...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT) 

"The Hireling"

 "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereh the sheep." (John 10:12 KJV)

  ""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT) 

 It might not seem as though it works, but if there is one thing I have found, (sometimes the hard way,) God's ways are not the ways of the world! Yes, Jesus is speaking of Himself; but I believe that He is also speaking about something extraordinary, something that makes a man or woman of God take notice, as if to say, 'No, this is important enough to not run away, but to take God at His Word!' 

 There are several things that might have the ability to weaken me, mostly they involve my own foolish desires or mistakes. But the things which weaken me the most, are the things that I place between me and God! These things can be objects, or the simple ideas which distract me from listening to God's voice; but the things which weaken me the most, are the notions and thoughts that try to convince me that God is not or will not protect and watch over me, even if it looks as if there is no hope! 

 I hope I made some sort of sense, because I do tend to get rather emotional; specially when it comes to this topic: Trusting in God! Silly me! I lose the strength I think that I might have and forget that it was never mine to begin with, as if it was me doing what kept the world around me from falling apart. 

 In this verse we have before us today, I believe that God is showing me the difference between someone that cares for what God cares about, and someone that only really cares about himself. I can't help but think about Jesus in that garden, as He prayed, "Not my will, but thine be done!" It was not as if He didn't want there to be another way, because He clearly asked, "If there is another way!" 

 We might be stuck in something where there simply appears as though there is no way out. No matter if that is some illness, where the doctor says you have no chance of recovery, a divorce that appears as though there is no way to save the marriage, or maybe something less serious, like your finances are up-side-down and it looks like everything is going to be lost.

 Whatever the issue might be, God is bigger, better, and strong enough to take you through that, getting you safely to the other side! The other side of what? What is it that would cause the hireling to flee and leave the sheep to be scattered? There is only One to fear, and He is not the wolf...

"But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." (Hebrews 10:39-11:3 NLT) 

"The Genuine Shepherd"

 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11 KJV)

  "Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph's descendants like a flock. O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your radiant glory to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Show us your mighty power. Come rescue us!" (Psalm 80:1-2 NLT) 

 As to the condition my condition might be, it is well with my soul! Quite frankly, if all is stripped away, I really don't think I would care too much about it; it seems to be such a burden anyway, if it's not mine, why should it matter if it's all taken away? 

 Have you ever had one of those strange dreams, that wake you up, thinking, 'What the heck was that?' 'It might just be a sign,' you wonder, as if there was some sort of a message God was giving; much like the one's the Baker and the Butler had, when they explained their weird dreams to Daniel. Or the dream that Pharoh had, about skinny cows eating fat cows! Who would have guessed how important that dream actually turned out to be? 

 There is something you should be aware of, as if you don't know already: those of us that are the Lord's, we do not belong to this world! This world might think that it owns us, but we belong to Christ Jesus: He purchased us with His blood, and we have been redeemed for all eternity! So, just in case you might be wondering or concerned about anything that is going on, you can take a great sigh of relief, because it is really none of your concern! 

 I know, it is hard not to be concerned, after all, you really hate to see everything go to waste. Something that my mom would always say, mostly concerning food that was set before us: "Waste not, want not." I am pretty sure that counts more importantly for the Word 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 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 souls." (1 Peter 2:21-25 NLT)

"Extraordinary Life" - To

 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10 KJV)

  "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming back soon." (Philippians 4:4-5 NLT)

 I may not have it all figured out, but I know enough to see that God wants us to live as though we are blessed and forgiven by Him! This might be the sum of what we are, Happy Christians! That is, if we so choose to be, that which we are meant to be, the choice is ours! 

 Maybe that might not be what you feel like, a celebration? I can understand where you are coming from, because I have days, too many days, when I feel as though my life is such a mess. Please understand, I don't want to complain, but sometimes it is hard to be happy living this way. I haven't had a really good cry in quite a while; maybe that is because I now have a dog; or maybe because now I live close to my neighbors. 

 For what it is worth, this is what it is! I believe that God is the one that makes the choice on who stays and who goes, that is not up to me, or anyone else for that matter. Therefore, I must continue to do that which I must do; and because I must do it, then it is up to me to do it well! After all, who are we living for and what are we to be about! 

 I really don't feel like doing this sometimes, but it sure helps me to understand, feelings don't really count when it comes to love...

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT) 

"Extraordinary Life"

 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10 KJV)

  "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died - from the time of Adam to the time of Moses - even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of the one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12-17 NLT)

 Oh my, where do I start! I might as well start with this title, "Extraordinary Life," as it sums up the mess we might make of this, so called, 'Safety-Net,' when in reality, we should enjoy the freedom that we have been so graciously given. Twice Jesus references, "that they might have," as if there might be a catch; most likely, that is exactly what is being said! 

 Point taken: You can have life, if you believe! You can have life abundantly, if you live out what you believe! It clicked inside of my head, as if there was a light turned on, and everything made sense. In a really strange sort of way, that is what Solomon is trying to put forth, in that very strange book, called, Ecclesiastes. 

 To put it in terms that we can somehow wrap our head around, it really comes down to where our heart is, whether it is stuck in this present world, or whether it has been placed in heaven. Long-story-short, it is already placed in heaven! When we are living as though our heart is stuck here, we become way too far out of sorts; constantly being torn between two worlds and completely frustrated with life.

 The extraordinary life has a whole different reality, because the things of this world become strangely dim, thereby giving us more focus upon the things of heaven, which in turn, gives us more peace and joy: which then, results in the right opportunity to actually love people, because we can actually live as though we are loved by God!  

 I really hope that makes some sort of sense, because without the help from the Holy Spirit, everything I said is pretty much impossible to pull off, and is called something other than successful...

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. In view of all of this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are short-sighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins." (2 Peter 1:3-9 NLT)