"Oh, What a Friend!"

 "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18 KJV)

  "Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested." (Hebrews 2:18 NLT)

 If you did not understand the point of yesterday's post, it involves the complex reality of failures and the inability we have to sometimes get this walk right; that no matter what, if we are His children, we will be saved, as He has promised us; but we might smell a little bit like smoke, even though we make it through in the end. Something to think about, because what you do with your gifts, whatever they might be, it really does matter. 

 This verse today is a promise! What that actually means, is that He will always be there when you call; unlike some friends that might not want to be bothered, called away from something else, or asked to help at the most inconvenient time, He will always be there when you need Him! Sometimes it might be a little later than you might have wanted; but that is because you need to learn something; but never to punish you or cause you more pain! 

 You must remember that He knows what is best for you, always! Even when you think He doesn't care, He cares for you more than you care about yourself! His plans for you are eternal and for the future, while we are always focused on the here and now. Our real comfort comes from knowing and believing that this life is very temporary, no matter how hard it gets, it will soon be over! 

 Seeking first the Kingdom of God, although we sometimes forget to, is the most important thing we can remember when times get rough! Make it work by giving Him all, because He gave His all for us...

""Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."" (Hosea 6:1-3 NLT)

"The Spirit of Truth!" - To

 "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17 KJV) 

  "Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to be a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless."" (1 Corinthians 3:16-20 NLT)

 Maybe you might think it is being legalistic to not do something on your own, without first getting God's approval? Well, again, that is a very deep subject! So deep, that the hole we dig when we plan any particular endeavor without checking with, and getting God's approval, might be a pretty big hole to fill! 

 That said, I truly believe what I said to the truth: If we repent and ask for forgiveness, He will restore us to the kind of relationship with Himself, where nothing that becomes of anything will more than we can handle; and, we will have peace and joy dealing with it! 

 If you don't know the story, Cain was not pleased with God's punishment for killing his brother; even though, the punishment did not match the crime, because he should have been killed for killing his brother. Instead, God banished him and made him a vagabond; but He protected him from harm as well. There is always a price to be paid for not doing what you should; but God's blessing is far more important than anything bad that might happen here on this earth! 

 There you have it, in a nutshell! The Spirt of Truth has been revealed and has spoken! What is truth? It is you knowing that He is real, because you know Him! When you offend Him, you will know it too, because you know that you feel His presence has left, even though He will never leave you alone. He wants you to know He is still there but needs you to trust and obey Him. 

 If I seem to be making more of this than I should, I am not. He does not force us to do anything, but He will back off and let us alone, to our own...

"Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials - gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgement day, fire will reveal what kind work each builder has done. The fire will show is a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great lose. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NLT) 

 

"The Spirit of Truth!"

 "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17 KJV) 

  "But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." (Romans 8:9-12 NLT)

 Whether you are feeling discouraged or feeling as though you are stuck, God does not leave you there by yourself, because you are never without the Holy Spirit who dwells within you! You might have some communication problems, due to your lack of following orders; but if you ask for forgiveness and start obeying what you are told to do, you will be the best of friends again: That is a promise! 

 Yesterday I did something a little drastic and it feels like a big sigh of relief. I had been praying about not doing a trip that I had planned, hoping that God would show me clearly what to do; but it was like a thick fog of disinformation, and I couldn't understand if it was God speaking or not. And then I recentered my thoughts on God's will and purposes; thinking back to the point in time when I seemed to have gotten off track. 

 Interesting how that works, because the choices we make, no matter what size they are in the beginning, the direction they take us, can get larger and farther from where we are meant to be, and where God would have us. So, as it appeared, about the time I started setting up everything for my trip, things started to get uncontrollable and unmanageable in my finances and in my life. 

 Stop what you are doing, and planning, and thinking about for the future; and start off by praying and asking God what He wants you to do, first! DUH! You might think that was something I should have naturally done; but instead, because it was my 65th birthday adventure, I just assumed it was okay to just set it up, without asking God first! 

 Put all of your plans before the Lord, before you plan them! Don't plan anything first, and then ask God if it is a good thing that you are doing, because you have already started out wrong, which makes it a bad plan to begin with! Some people might look at that as if I am being way too spiritual, as if God doesn't mind if we have a little me time. Well, that is a pretty deep subject! 

 Don't assume that God wants you to go ahead, because you don't feel that He isn't stopping you or saying not to go; because I really don't think that is how it always work. If you are not asking Him first, there is a pretty good chance He will let you find out the hard way, to ask Him first! Especially when it involves about thirty or more people, a dozen of RV Parks, changes in caregivers for my wife, and the giant risk of getting splattered while ridding a bike a1,000 miles down Hwy 1 and the 101.

 Let along the business side of things; which isn't really being a good steward of what I should be taking care of; so the trip is cancelled, and I feel much better about where I am at...

"Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be tomorrow? Your life is like a morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live here and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17 NLT) 

"Role of the Spirit" -Too

 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." (John 14:16 JKV)

  "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses." (Galatians 5:16-19 NLT)

 As Jesus says, "and he shall give you another Comforter," which indicates the fact that, while Jesus was with the disciples, they were comforted by His presence! The presence of the Lord! Do you feel His presence in your life? That is not a trick question, because it is the role of the Holy Spirit to amplify the presence of Christ in your heart; making you comforted in every circumstance or situation. 

 Let me go back to what I said yesterday, about endurance: we must endure to the very end, because God will never let us get into anything that we cannot endure through! We might feel like we want to quit, as the devil has discouragement as his greatest tool; but we must not quit, as much as we feel we should, we should not! 

 Back in the day, while my wife was still able to help out in the business, I would always keep a red rag in me desk drawer. It was a sign to her that I wanted to quit; as I would put the rag in my back pocket, hanging out, to indicate that I would rather be pumping gas, then dealing with the company and all the mess. This was my way of saying that I was fed up with it all and needed an intervention! 

 If you do not know what I am talking about, it is basically part of owning your own business. However, the truth be told, much like a pastor of a church, it is not your business, just like the church does not belong to any pastor. We are stewards of all that God has given us, family, work, or church; everything belongs to the Lord, nothing is ours! 

 My mother would always say, "You came into the world naked, and naked you will leave; you really don't own anything!" You must totally understand what your role is, because it all belongs to the Lord! Besides that; the law of Moses is there to teach us just how far we are from keeping it; it to is not ours to keep, because we cannot! 

 I hope that you see what that means, because, "when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses." The best part of all of this, is that anything you might have, because it is not really yours, it shouldn't tear you apart trying to keep it! Comfort yourself in this, and sing after me...

""But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."" (Matthew 6:33 KJV) 

"Role of the Spirit"

 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." (John 14:16 KJV)

  "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

 Let me say, there are some days that I feel like I need to give up; not on the task that I have been given, taking care of my wife, but on the role that I have been given as a provider, a business owner, and the job that I have been given, (or burdened with,) for so many years. It just seems like it chips away at every single one of those fruits that Paul expresses above, especially patience and self-control! 

 Maybe there is some reason that I have this feeling; maybe God is trying to tell me something I need to pay attention to! Believe it or not, but I it has more power over me than I can sometimes manage; there are days when I feel as though I cannot go on anymore, and the pressure of it all; well let's just say that my dog is beginning to worry about me! 

 That said and off my chest, I am blessed to have been blessed! Yes, it's hard to handle and is sometimes way too far out of control; but for the 3 to 4 hours a night that I sleep, I think I actually sleep pretty good! Can I tell you why? Because I have no real worries! I'm not saying that I don't have concerns and the desires to get things done, because I always do; but I never worry about the outcome of anything. 

 We can only do so much, as much as we can do; everything else is up to God! I do what I must, and most times less than I should; mostly because I don't have more hours in a 24-hour day! If you didn't notice, there is something missing from the list above: Endurance! That is because the Fruit-Salad of what the Holy Spirit produces within us, it makes us into someone that does not quit, even if we want to quit, we must endure! 

 I really hope someone out there understood this and can somehow apply it to their life, because this is real and this is life, as many of us experience, in some way or another. It doesn't need to be about work, it could also be about family; a spouse that is out of control, or a child that has gotten unruly. It could be about sickness or the threat of dying from cancer or disease. 

 Each and every trial that we face, (or try to run from,) is there to strengthen our endurance! Why do you think that is? Personally, I think it is because that is the one thing that we can actually do...

"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 5:3-5 NLT)

"Yes, Lord!"

 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15 KJV)

  "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:20-24 NLT)

 One thing that keeps me feeling as though I cannot go, is the task of caring for my wife. I can't imagine what might happen if I died, because that would leave her dependent upon the State to car for her; unless someone else in the family was willing to take on the challenge. When you are caring for someone that needs 24 hour a day care, it can get rather hard, unless you have love as your commitment, to keep on going to the very end. 

 As I was typing the closing verse yesterday, I couldn't help but weep over what Peter said: "So, if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." Do I think that is something that applies to me? Maybe, if there is somehow suffering attached to this sort of living; because it really hurts me some days, longing for her to speak, to hold me back, and to be whole again! 

 Anywho! What are the commands that Jesus has given us? Well, the way I read it, there are two: "To love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and to love others as yourself." How are you doing with those two commands? Without God's help, I really don't think either one is truly possible! We might pretend that we can be that kind of follower of Christ, until someone pushes the right button, and then we through love right out the window. 

 We really are not as strong as we think we are and as soon as we think we are strong, we will be seriously tested, and fail the test, miserably! We must never ever think that we can walk the talk, without depending upon Jesus, to be the vessel that we are walking in! If we continue to abide in Christ, then we will be able to do all things, because He will abide in us; but as soon as we think we have somehow gained the strength to overcome, we strangely get undone...

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT) 

"Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit"

  "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because if isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not the world at large?"

 Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

 "I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

 "I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going."" (John 14:15-31 NLT) 

"My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby we know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John 2:1-6 KJV)

 Having been set free from the bondage of sin, you would think by now that sin would not be such a problem; but it seems more obvious now, sin is still very present, and there is still much that God needs to do in my life! I imagine that this will be the case until I get to stand in His presence. Hopefully, it has stayed here when I am gone! 

 That is pretty much the way I see it, because we have all been forgive, which means that the sins that now haunt us, do not go with us when we are called up into heaven; they belong to this world, and do not stay with us when we go! This body of corruption will be transformed into a body of incorruption, that is holy and glorious; made as white as snow, as the Father sees us now, that we shall be, then! 

 I hope you all know that, because there is a whole lot of baggage that we get to lose, on our way up into glory! Until then, we must deal with this thing, the tent, as it is referred to, that we keep mending and pampering, waiting for it do get placed in the ground. I already have my grave purchased, and my wife and I have a marker next to our son; everything is there, waiting for us to have these tents put to rest. 

 Our born dates are below our names, waiting for the dash and the end date to be etched into the granite. The end date, just so you know, is really not the end, but the beginning of a glorious eternal life in Christ! The dash between the two, is that race we are running right now! What a dash it really is...

 "So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:19 NLT) 

"For His Service"

 "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14:14 KJV)

  "Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master - in heaven. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart." (Colossians 4:1-2 NLT)

 Keep on keeping on! That is the thing I feel God has put upon my heart this morning, as we must endure to the very end, making sure to remind ourselves daily, Who it is that we will be accountable to, and for what we shall be judged! 

 You probably have heard me say this before, but it has to be said again: Jesus will have one thing to ask of you, when you stand before Him: "Did you believe that I loved you?" More than anything else, I think we forget how important it is to make this a personal relationship; one that is sincere and devoted, as if The Master is always there, watching and waiting for us to acknowledge His presence.

 We must be aware of that, because it is a fact; a fact that we are all one day are going to be accountable for! When I mess up, the first thing out of my mouth is to ask Him for forgiveness, because I know that He sees me, hears me, and even reads my mind! Always, at all times; even when I might think that He isn't there, that might be time when He is the closest! 

 Anywho; this is made to be about prayer: which is the ability to speak, as well as listen, to the Master! What I really think about this verse, is that we must be listener's first and foremost. This is not about asking for things, as if there are bountiful gifts that He is hoping that we might ask for; this is the part of servanthood, the part where you are paying attention to what He might be asking of you, not what you are asking of Him! 

 Maybe the things we need to imagine, (which basically means, to realize and put into practice,) is that "my name" is basically the same thing as saying, 'What I represent and what I am all about!' Therefore, it is something that He puts upon our heart, which we confirm that He has established for us, as His loyal servant, and then we take it to the mat! 

 If you think about, any loyal servant that is in the presence of their master, is going to be watching closely for the master to need something or make a request. Something that I believe, with all my heart, is that there are spiritual forces all around us. Sometimes we can sense them, and sometimes we are not aware. 

 What do angels do? They do that which needs to be done, in order to bring about something or prevent something else. If you ever wondered why you were redirected into some other direction, it was most likely because you were redirected by an angel and didn't even know it. I know, call me crazy, if you want; but I am more than confident that it is so, because I have experienced the result. 

 You can too, if you would just realize that it is happening and accept that it is true. If you have the idea to see someone, and then they show up at your door, then you might want to imagine that they were directed to be there; just saying! They might not even know why, but they came, none the less. 

 Forgive me for getting redirected, but it is one of the reasons that we must pray; and by all means, stay alert...

"So humble yourselves under the might power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. I his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:6-11 NLT) 

"The Alignment"

 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." (John 14:13 KJV)

  "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

 Here is that which might cause some a little discomfort, especially if they are of the "Name it and Claim it" sort of believers. I once was such, temporarily caught up in the wave, so to speak, as I read a particular book that focused on praying for things with specific and complete detail. If you prayed for a bike, then you needed to make sure it was specifically the color you wanted. If you prayed for a desk, then you needed to make sure you prayed for the specific type and size.

 Hope you weren't too caught up in that? God doesn't really need you to spell out every little detail or every single thing that you hope for something to be. As it is, I have come to the relation that He knows exactly what we need, without even asking! What we need more than anything else is the power to obey all that He might ask of us, the thing that will give Him glory! 

 When we focus on the little things, such as details, we take away from the extraordinary things that God can do, within that which we ask for, especially the real task at hand, which is saving souls! More than anything else, we are in the business of reconciliation! That means, the focus must be on God leading us to people that need-to-know Christ, and the wonderful gift of Salvation. 

 When I hope to buy something, like a car or truck, I pray that I can bless someone and give a testimony within the transaction, not about the best deal or specific details of the vehicle. We are meant to be a vessel for God to use; therefore, we need to be just that, His vessel to use! Don't think that because I have said that, that I have made that my full-time goal; far from that! That is what I pray for, but then I get caught up in life, and it becomes something I had hoped for, because I missed the mark. 

 Here is the thing about asking for anything in the name of Jesus: it must be something that is aligned with Christ and is something that He would want for us to do, be, or have! We ask in the name of Jesus because it is though Jesus that the Father gets the glory! There are certain things that I do not pray for, (and maybe I should,) because I feel as though I am praying for my own benefit, and not for the glory of God. 

 There was a part in the movie, "Gods Not Dead," where the two pastors were trying to make a trip, but the car they rented would not start; so, they finally prayed about a car starting. The one pastor said to the other, "We must put our bags in the car, to show that we believe it will start," and then they got in and it started. 

 In a strange sort of way, that is exactly the point! If we are the vessel that God is going to use, then we must be the vessel that He is going to use! What does that look like? You put your bags in the car, which basically means: You Show Up... 

"Jesus knew the Pharisses had heard he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though Jesus himself didn't baptize them - his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave his Son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noon time. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."" (John 4:1-10 NLT) 

 

"The Connection"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (John 14:12 KJV)

  "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people."" (Ephesians 4:3-8 NLT)

 Not that we are changing the subject, because this is the strengthening of what was previously said; as we are strengthened in numbers, as in, the body of Christ coming together as one! The divisions that we are placing between us, they become less important when we draw closer and closer to Christ. This is the way we find a connection, that we are tied together in Christ, not in our own disciplines and beliefs. 

 I heard a message the last weekend that I didn't really agree with, at least not as far as the church body is structured. The speaker talked about the, "three rings of unity," which depict a similarity of beliefs, as the top ring has the most important beliefs, and then the ring on the right has the secondary beliefs, while the ring on the left has the lesser beliefs; all of which constitute unity and strength within the body.

 The way I see it, that is the goal of the leadership, those that might be overseeing the particular church; but as far as the body of believers, unless they are part of the elders or teachers, they are not held accountable to all; like the pre-rapture doctrine, which is debated among the body of believers. I heard that several well-known Apologetic's were post-rapture believer's, as it is said that Walter Matin was a Post-Toastee, a well respected defender of the Faith. 

 He has gone to be with the Lord, so I am sure he knows what's what now! I still have his most famous book, The Cults Reference Bible, which I used over and over to share about those who are really off base. The biggest and most important part of our belief, is that of who Jesus was, is, and always will be! We must believe who Christ Jesus is! Only then can we truly understand the Trinity of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

 Other than that, we must also believe that Christ came, born of a virgin, to be crucified for our sins; and that He rose to life again, that we too could have eternal life; where we will soon join with Him in heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. After that, everything else is technically the things we debate about, but will come to agree upon shortly! Just as Dr. Chuck and Dr. Walter have now agreement in heaven, and are of one mind...

"Noice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:9-16 NLT) 

 

"Work of Redemption"

 "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." (John 14:11 KJV)

  "Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our own sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:5-11 NLT) 

 Just because we have these sinful desires, which seem to haunt us more than they should, we have in us the ability to doubt the work of redemption in our life; almost as if there are split personalities within us, that have constantly been fighting with each other. Well, that is really not the case, and we should make every effort to stop thinking that is the case: we have a new life in Christ, that old life was crucified with Christ, and once and for all, it is no longer alive unto sin, but is now alive unto God through Christ! 

 See how easy it is to accept this simple illustration? Now that we have accepted it, it must be lived out in our lives, which is only possible by the Spirit of God controlling our lives. How I seem to feel this work, if you want to call it work, is by believing that the transformation is complete! That might be easier to say, but as soon as we make it won and done, we tend to find ourselves back to old habits again. 

 If you have heard it before, then hear it goes again: If your faith does not accept the very first verse in the Bible, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," then your faith is going to have issues with the transformation that has taken place in your life! You have got the believe that God can do what He has said He has done! 100% of what He says, must be verified in our heart, whether we understand it or not, it has got to be true, because He has said so! 

 Let's make this clear: Who is it that says whether or not you are free from sin? There is only One that can free you from sin, and that is God; and if God says you have been set free from sin, there really is nothing else to fight about, you have been set free! Jesus paid the price for that, once and for all, there is no more sacrifice for sin, only surrender! 

 You think you can do this, but it is not yours to overcome: The battle belongs to the Lord...

"Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:12-14 NLT) 

"Just Because!"

 "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." (John 14:10 KJV)

 "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." (2 Corinthians 5:19 NLT)

 Taking this to the mat, so to speak, we have got to believe that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth; giving the conditions and circumstances that are swirling all around over to God, knowing that, even though this might look as if they are out of control, God's will, will be done! Sometimes, I think we might somehow forget we serve a Mighty God that can do mighty things; things that are far beyond our imagination! 

 Not to change the subject, but if God is so inclined to do so, I truly believe He could heal my wife, even to the point of making her completely whole; that includes her contractions and her inability to stand or walk upright! He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants: He is GOD! This much I firmly believe, just because I believe all that is said in His word! 

 Besides that, we are called to be representatives of Christ Jesus; which makes it our responsibility to not question the work that is possible through God's mighty hand. We can question what might happen, but we cannot question what could happen; because, it is His will and purpose, if He wants to do something that cannot otherwise be done. He is capable of doing anything, according to His will and purpose; "All things are possible with God!" 

 That's my belief, and I am sticking to it! As for the point of today, as if there is any variation in the facts: the evidence of the works which Jesus did, they are to testify that He has the Father dwelling in Him; as the Scriptures clearly say: "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest upon his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 NLT) 

 There surely is the connection, we just need to accept what the Bible says: Just Because it is God's Word...

"For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25 NLT) 

"Eyes of Our Heart"

 "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9 KJV)

  "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called - his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else - not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fill all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:18-23 NLT)

 Not that there is something new here to be seen, because this goes back to something that I shared upon, way back in the beginning of this, whatever it is, journey. The point of what we can understand, is that it requires our actions, (which means that we must act,) in order to see what it is that we do not clearly understand. In other words, faith requires that we step out in obedience to that which we have believed. 

 Just to keep with the flow of what Jesus is saying to Philip; this is something that many people really miss, because they are looking for something tangible, which they can explain, either to themselves or others. Yes, Jesus was real and tangible, but the connection between Him and the Father, that was something that needed to be seen with the heart, which is the only way we can see what we do not clearly understand! 

 As Matthew Henry points out: "Philip, the first day he came to him, declared that he knew him to be the Messiah (ch. 1:45), and yet to this day did not know the Father in him." This is mostly because we are focused so much on our own changes, instead of focusing upon Him that does not change! The more we focus upon Jesus, the more clearly, we can see what matters the most. 

 As to the part about actions, we are called to follow Jesus, as it has been required for us; whether we understand what that implies or not, it requires an action. Somehow that becomes something we tend to forget, as we get caught up in our busy lives, the point of God being first, somehow gets turned up-side-down, and our priorities get reversed. 

 There is much more to this life than the things we see going on all around us, if we could just pray for God to use us, then step out in faith, when, we are given something to do. The more we do what we are told, when we are told to do it, the more we see more clearly what we are meant to be doing! If we are not doing what we should be doing, we are miserable and feeling worthless; even though we have a passion for doing what we think is right for now, but it feels like it is wrong. 

 Wow, that seems like it went sideways from the thing I wanted to say! Man, I really need to get a grip on my life! Or better yet, let go and let God take the wheel...

"So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you be anxious to do the will of God." (1 Peter 4:1-2 NLT) 

"Unsatisfied"

 "Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." (John 14:8 KJV)

  ""But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when true worshipers will worship the Father is spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."" (John 4:23-24 NLT)

 This might seem a little complicated to some, but it is really quite common that some people will want further evidence that God is real, whether it be a sign or manifestation; anything that will convince them how to be satisfied that it is all real. I have even had some say, "I will believe it when I see it; otherwise, it's all just a fairytale." 

 I can't remember a time that I ever did not believe in God; from as far back as I remember, I always felt as though God really existed and that everything I saw, was created by Him, especially the stars up above. There might have been a time or two when I asked Him to manifest Himself, saying, 'God, if you are real, please give me a sign!' But then, without even having a sign to go by, creation was always crying out, "I am a sign!" 

 If you really stop and think about it, faith is something that must be tested, because it requires us to want answers, but at the same time, believe and be satisfied in what we have been told. In a strange sort of way, that was the problem in the Garden, as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, it left Adam wanting to know something he did not know, thereby making him desire knowing. 

 Most people that think that they have seen God, or some sort of sign, will end up creating an image of something to remind them of their experience. That is the whole point of where idols come from; as there is something that needs to be seen, to touch, or to worship; even if it resembles something common or created by God. 

 Looking a little deeper into the matter, being satisfied might be more important than we think. As we observe the situation with Abraham, who believed God for a son, but compromised the promise by having a son through Hagar. They refer to this as a child of the flesh, meaning that it was done in the flesh, to satisfy the flesh or fleshly desire. Basically, that means, 'Want,' want is really not something we need if God provides all that we need; just want, because we don't feel satisfied.

 Maybe I am making too much of this, mostly because I am looking for answers! Answers to the reasons why certain things happen and what might become of them. That is the whole reason we must have the faith we have in God's word; His word shows us the end result, which is all that really matters! This life is just part of the journey; the dash between the time of our birth and the day we go home...

"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 when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and 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) 

"Oneness With the Father"

 "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." (John 14:7 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 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)

 Just to be clear, I was not trying to say we are at liberty to do whatever we want, thinking that everything will be fine, because there must be a changed heart in us that lives for God. We are just not going to be totally complete until we have been glorified in Heaven; until then, we are still working on loving God with all we got, and trying to love one another, as we love ourselves. 

 Our Father knows full well what we are capable of and those things that make us stumble; He has more than enough mercy to continue forgiving us, each time we mess up. Additionally, His Son, our Lord and Savior, is standing there at His right hand, making intersession for the stupid things we do; which is the grace that is poured out upon us, giving us the righteousness that we do not deserve! 

 There are some things that are just too hard for us to comprehend, many of which are things that we will not know until we see God in glory. Until then, we must pay attention to what we have been given, and except what it is, without adding to it! Believe it or not, but that is really hard to do! Constantly I hear the message, "Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where the Bible is silent." That works only when the person speaking does not have an opinion about a particular topic! 

 As for the verse above, there is nothing stopping me from the topic of God's Oneness; as He has made it abundantly clear: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV) As it has been stated, it has been stated; therefore, it has not been silent! God is One, there is nothing to debate, because He has made it abundantly clear. 

 We can try to imagine what that might look like, but the best way to describe that, would be by using the Holy Scriptures...

 "Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."" (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT) 

"No Other Way" -To

 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but be me." (John 14:6 KJV)

  "Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived. And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God's ways; fools will never walk there." (Isaiah 35:4-8 NLT)

 Now that you have been given the obstacle of what might hinder us from serving by knowing how much we still need to be changed, we must understand how important it is to know that we can never enter into heaven based upon our own righteousness! This is the fact: Jesus paid the price for our admission, once and for all; there is absolutely nothing we can do, or not do, that will add to or take away from the life that He has freely given to us! 

 The list of things that are listed above from Isaiah 35, almost every one of them are things that we can find some similarity to our own condition; as we have been transformed into something new, based on what was the old. In other words, we are still the same person we were before, but all things are new and improved; yet they are still a work in progress! 

 The most important thing for us to know, (know means that we come to terms with,) is that we will not be perfect in this flesh, which is still corrupt, frail, and dying. This life we now live in Christ is temporary and is meant to be for giving glory to Him, in whatever journey that He has established for each and every one of us. As unique as we are, so too are the ways in which we serve and live out that testimony we have been given. 

 We must be faithful to do our best; knowing that He alone is the way to the Father! What truth is, is that fact that we had no way on our own, but He made the way, we must believe in Him! It is only Him who can give us life, because He is the Life! And the life we now have is in Him!

 Oh me, oh my! What must I do! Love God and love one another; everything else will work itself out in the end...

"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 will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NLT) 

"No Other Way"

 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6 KJV)

  "Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God." (Revelation 19:11-13 NLT)

 Next time you get a chance to speak to someone that might question who Jesus really is, make sure that you tell them about this section of Revelation, because this title was His! As I have shared before, John's Gospel was believed to have been started at verse 19 of chapter One; and then John added the first 18 verses as a prelude to his Gospel Message, letting the readers know the Deity of Jesus Christ, right off the bat! 

 There are so many things that I learned during my first week of this New Life, of which, this was the thing that was most important and meant the most: Jesus is God! There is no doubt about that, because it is just too clearly written, a person that denies it, must make themselves to deny that it isn't true. Plus, they also might have a little help, spiritual help, from the powers of darkness. 

 The first thing I did, as a New Believer, was to make a crossword puzzle to show all the references to Jesus and His Deity. The puzzle was really not for publishing or giving out for entertainment, it, as with this blog, was meant for me and my enjoyment. And yes, most days this blog is for my enjoyment! There are some that can be difficult and seem as though I have wasted my time; but to be very truthful, there is nothing wasted by spending time with the Lord! 

 This is pretty much where it starts, knowing Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that letting Him be the Lord of your life! There is no other way! You must allow Him to be Lord, completely and without any hesitation or argument, whatsoever! Have I been able to hold to that, throughout my New Life? No, I have not! If I had to be honest, I would say that I have allowed Him maybe 80%, if that; holding on to stuff that I felt I deserved to hold onto. 

 That might sound a little hard to understand, but it is really not that indifferent from most of those that call Him Lord! Most, if not all of us are the same; we only hold onto the sins that we like and feel comfortable doing; at least while we are doing them. But there comes a point in time where we are given an ultimatum, where Jesus says, 'Enough is enough! Stop doing what you are doing!' 

 There is the point of this message: Jesus is the Only Way to the Father! If you really want to be accepted by the Father, then you need to follow Jesus and do what He says...

""So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord! when you don't do what I say? I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."" 

"Inquiring Minds"

"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5 KJV) 

  "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with a divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." (James 1:5-8 NLT)

 Because of my desire to be somewhat good at providing for the things required to live in this world, I can place a little bit of light on the situation Thomas has in understanding what Jesus is talking about; the real point to his misunderstanding is the place, as in, a place that does not belong to this world! What we do in this world, for the life in which we are living, that is something we will try to control, but we should not, because our loyalty for living must remain in God's hand! 

 In other words, this is all about perception and where our treasure is and how we get through this life; Who it is that gives life and takes life away! We are instructed to ask God for those things that we might need, and to thank Him for all that He gives; yet, there are many things we take on or go after, without even asking God if it is something we should have. 

 Maybe it's just me! But I seriously doubt that, as I know full well that there are many brothers and sisters that feel sorry for certain things that they have gotten, and now that they have it, it has become a burden or a discomfort in their lives. It is really all about listening to and obeying God! He really does know what is best for us, if we would just learn how to trust Him! 

 Most of what I just said was for my own chastisement, as I am one the hard-headed people, I know, that fails to properly listen. We that focus upon the physical things that are all around us, forget way to often about the spiritual things that are more important...

"Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance." (Hebrews 6:9-12 NLT) 

"The Way Home"

 "And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." (John 14:4 KJV)

  "But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven? (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead? (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:6-9 NLT)

 Okay, hopefully this goes well, because it might be touchy to some, and judgmental to others. For the last forty-plus-years, I have understood that we must pray the sinner's prayer by speaking out, as in, 'making confession with our mouth," as it clearly states here in Romans 10:6-9; yet there seems to be a change taking place in some churches, where they say, 'You don't need to say it out loud, but just repeat it in your mind.' 

 I don't know about you, but I can't just think on a single message at a time in my mind, as I will usually always look at both sides of any issue all at once, a contradiction or a parallel meaning, taking every-other word apart! That might be why it is important to pray opening and speak the words out, as they are not made variable or altered, because they are put together in a sentence. 

 You might not understand this, as, neither do I; but the reason God made mankind unable to speak the same language, during the time they were building the Tower of Babel, was because they had learned to speak together, as one. Don't ask me how that is possible, or how that works, because I do not know; only that the mouth is powerful, especially to those who know how to use it. 

 Hopefully no one is offended by my remarks, because it could be something on no significance, or it could be something that is of great importance, that has been blocked. The mystery will be revealed, on that day, but hopefully it won't be much of a factor! Other than that, I prefer to speak out my prayers, as it helps me to focus upon the One to whom I am praying to. Besides, I am pretty sure that the devil cannot read our minds, but God can; it's just that our minds don't focus on one thing at a time. 

 Which reminds of a couple of things that I pick up on from the Bible: one is how God judges more on the words we speak out loud, then on the thoughts we have within our minds. If you say it out loud, then it can be shared by others, and you cannot take it back! Also, if you speak it out loud, it is more likely to happen: as in Numbers 14, "as the whole congregation said to them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!" God said, "So be it!" 

 As for the verse we have here today, Jesus has shown them where He is going, by the fact that He was going to build them a place in His Father's house; the Way they know, because they know Him...

"For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:10-13 NLT)

"Take Away!" - 2

 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3 KJV)

  "And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later." (Romans 8:17-18 NLT)

 Just to make clear what Jesus is saying, "If," does not put forth conjecture or doubt, but is a conclusion to the statement of what was stated previously, as if to say, "And since," or, "If so," or, "When!" There is no doubt, but within us; Jesus has no doubt about what should happen, but for our benefit, He puts this out there as a questionable idea, that is really going to happen! 

 Even "may" is that affirmative of a word; as it was used in the since of giving tithes or offerings, so that we do not make our giving known, such as blowing a horn, as He said, "That thine alms "may" be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:4 KJV) As we see, this is the fact that is true, however, it is something that we must assume is true, because Jesus said so! 

 No matter how hard you might try to make yourself believe, you will not be able to believe fully, without the Holy Spirit giving you confirmation within your heart, that it is true and without a doubt. The disciples heard these things said, they understood some of what was said, but until they were filled with the Holy Spirit, much of what was said did not really seem real or confirmed. 

 Yes, we have those days of doubt; mostly brought on by being overwhelmed or out of fellowship. But, to be totally honest, doubts are things that actually can make us stronger, if we take every effort to tear down the walls that cause the doubt! Prayer, reading Scripture, and abiding in Christ; these are the basic things that are needed every single day! 

 Not that I have anything that is not wrong in my walk, because we all have our own quirks about us. But despite the faults and weakness that we might have, Christ is our strength, in our weakness...

"If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from being proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from being proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NLT)  

"Take Away!"

 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3 KJV)

  "Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure, then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on guard, not asleep like others. Stay alert and be clearheaded." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 NLT)

 Just so you know, I don't have any clue when Jesus will be retuning for His bride, the church; only that it is going to happen sooner than many people might think! Oddly enough, this current administration that is running things, they proclaim daily that 'Everything is peaceful and secure,' almost as if there is really nothing wrong with the border, escalation of crime, major amounts of overdoses, teen suicides, poverty, and many other issues, here and abroad. 

 What bothers me the most, is that the church is beginning to take on the climate of certain things of the world! Not just the recreational things, like the freedom to use drugs, but the cultural things, which are beings pushed upon the children, and the church! The church needs to be a place where there is some sort of morality and biblical standards withheld. 

 Anywho, I don't mean to be uncompassionate, but when compassion turns to approval, something has gone seriously wrong...

"For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don't let anyone disregard what you say." (Titus 2:11-15 NLT) 

"This Is Real!"

 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2 KJV) 

  "But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life was made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD"S plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT)

 So, about the signs and wonders thing: as mentioned, all other signs and wonders are nothing compared to the sign and wonder of Jesus being raised from the dead! That is the sign of all times, which does not fade nor become used up! The problem with all of the other signs and wonders, is that they work for a little while, till we are overwhelmed again, and need a new sign or another thing to make us feel secure.

 However, the fact that Jesus rose from the dead, that is something that counts for eternity and beyond the grave; therefore, there is nothing that can go wrong in our earthly lives that can overcome what was done by Jesus rising up from the dead! It happened just as He said it would; therefore, this statement we see here today, "I go to prepare a place for you," is a fact! 

 By the way, we are going to be raptured soon, so start praying for those that you care about, and make sure that you tell them about Jesus and all that He has done! They need to know exactly where you stand and how much you believe all that the Bible says is true! You must make every effort to let your light shine and proclaim the truth.

 Don't concern yourself with being mocked or ridiculed by anyone. Don't concern yourself with trying to force them into accepting the truth. The Holy Spirit will take care of the loose ends; they just need to be aware of the truth and know how serious you are in believing that it is true! When the rapture comes, they will know what you said was true!

 Amazingly, there will be a whole lot of people that will be saved during the tribulation! The runner up sign for all to see, will be all of the church being taken, in a blink of an eye...

""The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into songs, and the trees of the field will clap their hands. Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."" (Isaiah 55:10-13 NLT)

"Of Uncertain Affinity" - 2.0

 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1 KJV)

  "He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 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. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave." (Isaiah 53:7-9 NLT)

 You have got to wonder how his disciples felt that next morning, as they came to grip with what had just taken place the day before. They now call today, "Holy Day," most likely because this is the first day that man could be able to wake up free from sin; but to those who were alive back then, this day was filled with great holes! 

 That is why Jesus was saying this, "Let not your heart be troubled," because He knew that is exactly what would be happening among them, as a thick darkness would overcome them, being overwhelmed by the craziness of the previous day. No one could believe that it happened, there was nothing that Jesus did to deserve what was done to Him; and yet, God did not save Him! 

 We know the whole story, so it is easy for us to imagine that they were told, therefore they should have listened; but as mentioned before, it was totally Greek to them, they could not make sense of what Jesus was trying to say, because this should not have happened! Even though it was written about, 700 years earlier, it was still something that seemed to be a disaster.

 Remembering back to the first time I had a chance to read this, after I was saved, there was a special feeling that came over me, almost as if my whole body became numb, and I was unable to move for a brief moment. I was stunned! "Ye believe in God, believe also in me," was something I had never really been able to see before, even though I had gone through this Scripture dozens of times before. 

 The first Book I was told to read was John, and here it was, day two of my New Life in Christ, and I could see! Not that I didn't have issues with it again afterwards, because I did; but I would always go back to the Word, reinforcing that which I knew was the Truth! We must always focus upon God's word, not anything else that might confuse us; God's word does not confuse, but it enlightens us! 

 Besides that, we have the Holy Spirit within us, who acknowledges the Truth...

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:4-5 NLT) 

"Of Uncertain Affinity"

 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1 KJV)

 "Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars. For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them led me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the alter of God, to God - the source of all joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God! Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!" (PSALM 43 NLT)

 There is quite a lot of chatter about the title I have mentioned today, as it appears that there is some very 'strong' disagreement as to the origin of the interpretation. Well, pretty deep subject, is only the half of what is going on with this, so called, 'phrase that has been pulled out of a hat.' 

 If you really want to see where this is given the light of day, Psalm 43 is a perfect example of this, that, or whatever, floats your boat! Basically, there is only easy way to describe how this might work, or not workout; two magnets that are pulled towards each other, and retracking away from each other, based upon where they are at! 

 Having some real-life examples, I can say with confidence, confidence is only phantom; a figment of one's imagination! You cannot hold onto it, because there is nothing around you that is firm enough, that you can see, to hold onto! Which is the whole point of FAITH! We do not see, but we still must trust and believe; therefore, that which we must hold onto is FAITH! 

 Super easy stuff, this faith of ours! What makes it so easy is that we have God's Word to prove that it is real, uncontested, and infallible. There is really nothing else that comes close to the Living Word of God; as He speaks to us through it, He proves Himself in it, and He shows us the life-lessons of those that have gone before us. What more do we need? Signs and wonders? 

 Okay, let's just say for a moment that signs and wonders are actually a thing that you think is going to make you believe more: What will you do with any sign or wonder? There it is, but where did it go? Filed away in your head, as, 'Wow, that was awesome,' and then it isn't! Where did it go? Like Peter walking on the water, 'Wow, this is awesome!' and then, "Help, Lord!" 

 Do you need anymore examples, because there are many! Simple is the best: "Keep it simple, stupid!" God said it, I believe it, and that settles it...

"Then Job spoke again: "My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. I would lay out my case and present my arguments. Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me."" (Job 23:1-5 NLT)  

"Jesus, the Way to the Father"

  ""Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you will know the way to where I am going." 

 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 

 Jesus told them, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" 

 Phillip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." 

 Jesus replied, "Have I been with all this time, Phillip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but me Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do." 

 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!"" (John 14:1-14 NLT)

"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:1-7 KJV) 

 Have you ever wondered how far away heaven might be? Gazing up at the stars, I might appear as though there is no end to the vastness of space, and yet, here we are, in millions of millions of miles of space! It is just too much to comprehend, in these little minds of ours; but in our hearts, the God of the entire universe has His abode! 

 This is really quiet a lot of stuff to absorb, but having come this far, I am hoping that there is still time enough to take it all in! This portion of Scripture was most interesting to me when I first got saved; mostly because I was so unfamiliar with who Jesus really was, it really turned my mind in-side-out, as I tried to comprehend what Jesus was trying to show His disciples. 

 We just need to believe, without trying to make it fit something we can be familiar with, because it is not really something we can fully understand; at least not yet, but we soon will! That one little sentence, "When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

 The time is not so far off: We must be ready to go when everything is ready...

"Dear friends, I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:11-12 NLT) 

"Travesty!"

 "Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice." (John 13:38 KJV)

  "Mephilbosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, "Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?"" (2 Samuel 9:8 NLT)

 Matthew Henry's take on this, is that Jesus was most likely smiling at Peter, while He said, "Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?" To which, I agree; and will also suggest, that His smile was transformed into a stern look of sympathy, as He proclaimed, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice." 

 Hopefully we can come to grip on the real object that is taking place with this conversation, because it is not about the weakness of the man, but about the grace of God, in spite of man's weaknesses! What is grace? In the larger scheme of things, it is getting something that you do not deserve, as the story goes! 

 But, in a relationship with the Lord, who knows more about us, than we know about ourselves, grace is taken to a whole new level; one that acknowledges a friendship that is given, despite what we might do in the future! Talk about a travesty of justice! I can't help but think about that song, "Grace Got You," by MeryMe. 

 The look that I see Jesus giving Peter, is the same look that He gave him when that cock crowed, as He gazed upon Peter from across the courtyard. Not that Jesus was judging Peter with His gaze, but was, (oh, my goodness,) letting Peter know it was so, just as He told him, it was so. Picture Jesus looking at Peter, as He was being persecuted, taking a moment to acknowledge a friend... 

"He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love towards those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens and the earth. He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who 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 103:10-15 NLT) 

"Since This is So"

 "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake." (John 13:37 KJV)

  ""And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."" (Acts 20:22-24 NLT)

 There was no doubt that Peter was absolutely sure of himself, believing he could be bold enough and strong enough to lay down his life, if need be, for Jesus' sake. That is pretty much evident in his manor of speaking, having questioned why he cannot follow now, as if now, in this particular moment, he was ready to lay down his life. 

 I can't pretend that I know how he must have felt, but I do feel as though I understand where he was going with this, and why he felt so confident to express himself as he did. You see, we have an enemy that may not be able to read our minds, but he studies our habits and our personalities. He pretty much has us figured out. 

 That might be surprising to some, but to those who have been sifted, so to speak, it is something that is a strong reminder of how weak and vulnerable we really are! He will not attack in the moment of our security and strength, but in the moment of our weakness and when we are feeling unsecure. For those who don't know what that is, it is usually right after you have done something you feel proud over, and you think you have all sorts of courage or power. 

 Case in point, a really good example of that is Elijah, and his Contest on Mount Carmel. This was the time he took on the 450 prophets of Baal. If you know that story, he mocked them, amazed them, and then slaughtered them all. After which, he ran and hide from Jezebel; hiding in a cave, where God asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9) 

 Another point to this, is that of feeling insure; which is the other side of the coin, having something in your life that makes you feel ashamed, something that the enemy uses to his advantage, to make you feel unworthy of God's love; or worse, feeling as though you cannot or do not love God! 

 That my friend is the biggest threat to our security in Christ, because it has some merit! We cannot love God as we should, without the Holy Spirit helping us to die to ourselves! We realize that is so, and it causes us to have doubts; doubts about ourselves, and doubts about our security in Christ! This does not have to control us, if we can just remember that we are not judged upon what we can do, but upon what Christ has done for us! 

 He made a way, when there was no way! In other words, Adam proved he could not love God as he should, when he disobeyed what God warned him not to do; that was pretty much an act of betrayal. There was a very special relationship established between Adam and God, and he betrayed that very special relationship when he sinned against a Very Important Friend! 

 It somewhat puts a little different meaning to God question: "Adam, where are you?" Said the Friend to His friend...

"You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble."" (James 4:4-6 NLT)

"A Little Hint"

 "Simon Peter said unto him. Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards." (John 13:36 KJV) 

  "Therefore, I will always remind you about these things - even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone." (2 Peter 1:12-15 NLT)

 As we begin to draw closer to the point of this portion of Scripture, knowing what it is that makes us more and more dedicated to serve, regardless of circumstance or trials, becomes abundantly clear to us, when we cast away all of the cares that are holding us back. Again, I am reminded of a message Pastor Gary gave, about 34 years ago, at Hosanna Chapel in Bellflower: "Sometimes, we just need to know how to drown!" 

 It isn't something that comes naturally, because we are usually going to fight to stay alive; even if we don't know how to swim, we will still do everything we can to keep our head above water. Therefore, we must commit to the fate, relax, and surrender to whatever God has planned, even if it means death! Just let go and let God! 

 Anything that needs to be added to that, is not really needed! We just let God have complete control, not thinking about what will happen; but, we must only believe, that no matter what happens, we will end up with the Lord! This is our hope, which is not based upon a mystery or something we do not know is the truth; it is more real to us than anything that will happen to us on this earth! 

 I hope you understand what that means, because there are several things that happen here that make us feel vulnerable and start being afraid for what might happen in any circumstance. The best way to avoid being afraid, is to consider the worst thing that could happen, and then have peace with that, knowing that you will be in the loving hands of our Lord!

 Peter did not understand what Jesus said, but it will become abundantly later on, during that famous moment when Jesus says, "Peter do you love me?" I get that quite often, and it always has the same affect...

"This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies: he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NLT)  

 

"Let This Be Known"

 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another," (John 13:35 KJV)

  "If anyone claims, "I am living in the light," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by darkness." (1 John 2:9-11 NLT)

 There is nothing that is more important than to the body of Christ, then the light that we display, living out Christ to the world around us; no matter what condition you might be living in, we must let the Light shine forth from our life! I don't think we can neglect to this, especially not in this current culture. 

 Seemingly, things are progressing more and more quickly, almost as if there is a race against time; if you don't see that is the case, then you are not paying attention to what might be happening all around you! Having said that, I since that there are some, many more than we might care to admit, who pretend that the things that happen in the world, belong to the world, therefore it is the world's problem, not theirs; which basically says: 'That the church should not care to much about it.'

 I'm sorry, but I have people I love that are being deceived by the lie; there just doesn't seem to be more people that really care too much about it! This is not about politics or gender or even what you might believe; this is about a spiritual war, and it is intensifying all around us, day by day! Go ahead and try to ignore it, but when it hits your house, you will see how real it really is! 

 Anywho, enough about that! We are the Body of Christ! There is something that needs to be displayed in out lives: Christ Jesus! Last Sunday, at Calvary Chapel Spring Creek, Pastor John had some questioners passed around for everyone to fill out, which asked everyone these basic questions: 'Do you have any spiritual gifts?' 'Do you know what your spiritual gifts are?' 'Do you understand how to use them; and would you like to learn more?' These are all paraphrased, as I did not copy them down, but the points are pretty much the same.

 All of us, that have the Holy Spirit within us, have spiritual gifts! Every single one of us, in one form or another, have at least two spiritual gifts; and some have several more. But the greatest gift of all is love! No matter how many gifts you might have, if you don't have love, none of them really count for much at all.

 Please Lord Jesus, help me, because I need more love...

"Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? A we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, and didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. If  I had the gift of prophecy, and I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." (1 Corinthians 12:29 - 13:3 NLT) 

"Make This Work!" - To

 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34 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)

 Understandably, loving each other as we should, although it should be easy, it does require effort and some discipline on our part to make it happen. We do have some help, when we slow down enough to listen and obey the Holy Spirit.

 That is my biggest problem, in that I am always somewhere else in my mind, and it is hard to slow down enough to be in the present. Jesus was busy too, but He always used interruptions as an opportunity to do something in the moment! That is something I must continue to pray for; and when it happens, I must remember that God is allowing me to do what I asked, not thinking about whatever else I was planning to do as more important. 

 This is not about doing something for something, as if we are looking for a reward! This is about giving up something for the sake of honoring the One that gave His all for us! We love Him, because He first loved us! To honor Him, is to do that which He requires of us, as if it is our obligation and because we love Him back, as we should! 

 Hopefully we get that and understand why there are certain things that we are required to do. After all, we are servants, first and foremost: we owe Him our lives...

"Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us." (1 John 4:11-12 NLT)