Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Pride- Quick Quip- 3/26/24

Posted on by
Reply
Photo by Matthias Zomer on Pexels.com

Hello. I actually was hospitalized recently. Had not had that happen again in a long while!

Pride I feel is the deadliest of all sins. Might even be more than the fellow ones with this considered those deeply evil sins. It affects politics, public events, movies, television, newspapers, daily life especially ones who feel that they “know it all.”

It affects people who say they are atheist. Ask a non-believer “When did you stop believing in God?” and there is a chance they might tell you. And a lot of times that thought is “If God is so loving He wouldn’t–” fill in the blank. They still believe but they want to turn from Him.

An atheist a lot of times is like a father and child. The child being the subject here.

As this person they might be mad at something they know is wrong and told so and turn away from their dad. They might even be upset that what they need to do is different from what they want to do! And in all of this, they could become prideful and want to hurt the father who has nothing but love for them and say, “I have no father.”

Pride does more than just make a person think they have no father. It forsakes the heart, makes self-intelligence more important than truth from the word the Bible. It makes people believers who should iron and iron each other shaping each other for the truth and the one person in the supposed discussion says “Well this is true to me. That’s all I have to say.” Then the talking is over. The End.

I believe it can make a person go to a church, think they are a real believer, then be so sure that they would die for the truth. Then they pass away and they end up in the trial of the White Throne judgment.

Because “all they did” was claim that their truth that they were demanding was the real truth!

Sad quip but true.

Do Not Fear or Worry- 8/4/21

Posted on by
Reply

Why is it so easy to take our eyes off of God? Either through sin or by sin in the forms of being afraid of things in life. We have some daily challenges but there is no reason to not trust in God because He wants to there for us!

We must not be afraid or have emotions that guard us from really trusting.

I just thought about Peter crossing the ocean during a terrible storm. He sees while he is on a boat out that Jesus is out walking on the water and after he walks on the water himself(!) he looks over at the waves and the horrors happening from the storm and falls into the ocean.

Jesus then has to rescue him.

Should we have to fear because of what we curently see in life?

Here is an extreme example.

In Mark 5 in the NKJV (New King James version) of the bible a man who runs a synagogue comes running up to Jesus knowing He has done miraculous things.

With a daughter who is dying he with desperation tells her to please lay healing hands on her. After Jesus is sidetracked by a different situation (a separate miracle) a man who lives with Jairus the one of the synagogue who lived with him informs him that his daughter has now died and he shouldn’t bother the “Teacher” any further.

Then this verse is as such:

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Mark 5:36

What troubling news when you go to a man who people say can heal others and the person you are worried about is passed away already.

But Jesus goes to the man’s house with a few of His disciples and then brings the daughter back to life!

That is a wonderful miracle tanks to God and Jesus who glorified His father.

We must never take our eyes off of God just because of things happening in our lives.

One other verse is more minor than the former part of the bible.

There Jesus tells the multitudes many things to follow His father. He spoke of the beatitudes and also things that they can struggle with and tells them about daily issues.

We must not be so bothered about tomorrow that we worry. I have worried about big stuff before but I also knew the truth so I shouldn’t have been so deeply afraid and emotional about it.

But here Jesus talked about being concerned of what to wear or food to take the next day.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

As I said this one is not as big as the earlier story but it is important to our daily life.

It okay to be concerned about these things but not to be so bothered by it. If we worry to a point we take our eyes off of Jesus and lose trust.

And how can we then seek His way if we are so “afraid” about these little things?

We must live for Him and trust in Him fully. Hopefully people will see our example and will be led to follow Jesus as well.

God, glorify us and may we conform to Your will not our own or fleshly ways. May we learn not to worry or to be afraid and may we keep our eyes on Your ways and realize how much You are in control. Amen.

Living in Him- 8/2/21

Posted on by
Reply
Photo by Diego Madrigal on Pexels.com

“Seek His face always.” Hmm. Need to remember that again.

There’s always an excuse to not live a life more for Jesus. Something to fall back on, reasons to not read the Word of God, giving reasons not to witness.

Yet the entire time God is there waiting for us to want a relationship with Him.

A lot of people nowadays who call themselves Christians also don’t even read the bible! It’s like we are living in times where we are going to church and doing rituals yet not even thinking about Him in our spare time.

For many years I have done that. Yet God has so much to offer when we read His word. He wants to tell us so much and we don’t want to use our “ears” to listen to it.

There is more than we might think about what God offers. Thanks to Jesus we have a path open where we can speak intimately to God and He can do things in our lives we might not even realize.

One of those is to ask for wisdom.

It says in James we must do so:

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

The context explaining before that verse “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Wow so we must learn to ask God for wisdom to applied to our lives?

I’ve actually asked for wisdom and He answered my prayer.

That is only because God loves us so much and wants us to live in Him as much as we can. It’s like an adventure to live for Him! There is always something good that comes from it and a life worthwhile living.

This is all possible because of an intimate relationship is something that is worthwhile living for and He wants us to desire that above all other things.

It is worth it to live for Him and to be close to Him in so much of our daily life.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

Why does it seem we desire to sin and turn away while Christ wants to take us in in love?

We must desire the truth and have the God of love fully in our hearts.

Wow seeing the phrase “double-minded” hit home! Before I looked it up I felt I already understood what it could mean.

In valdosdailytimes.com it says it means “To be double-minded is to be inconsistent, vacillating, to be and act one way today and be and act some other way tomorrow.”

Living the life like people during Paul’s is not the way to go. Why can’t we fully immerse ourselves in the life of a follower of Jesus?

What is holding us back to really live in Him?

Sometimes I had trouble answering that because I was so steeped in self.

But to really “live” we must be mindful of not just the ones we pick and choose but all of His commandments. Amen!

Devotions 6/21/21

Posted on by
Reply

Don’t know if I should go to e. r. right away as it will take forever to get things done with my doctor. I like that office less and less now to be honest. Feels like they care that I make another appointment more than actually wondering what’s going on with me…!

This one will have three seemingly random verses, from three different books of the bible:

They collectively will come from Proverbs, Isaiah, and one verse from Psalms. The latter will be the main verse!

In all things, who should we put our full trust in? Can we stop shouting about nonsense and know there is something beyond all our understanding…?

And who can help us in times of trouble? Real problems. “Good” people? Maybe something like the “Man upstairs?”

It’s easy to think that something like “that” is too far away to help us. We have long ago made ourselves so corrupt with sin since Adam’s fall.

Should we see God as something high in the clouds or accessible to ones here and now? Too often the former is portrayed more often in media like tv shows where God is either inaccessible or even that He is not like the God those Christian people claim and portray a blasphemous version: Did God make a mistake when He did things? Or how about if God is really holy, or is He just some “jerk” like the rest of us…?

We always with harsh statements like that will actually reflect the person’s heart. Can we claim something like that is true….? It isn’t because it is not the God of truth in the bible.

We must let go of our old assumptions about the God who cares and deeply loves us and not only showed that by giving us His Son as a sacrifice for our sin but He will guide us through anything even if it a times “feels” like he isn’t there…!

We must remember that He is God. Feelings come and go but He is still the same!

He is God, of all else we should let go like what we thought God was before we knew Him…. even things from the past we might keep thinking could possibly still be true but goes against the knowledge of God’s Word.

To follow God’s Word is serious stuff, ladies and gents!

For example I once had a belief that went against God’s Word (I will share more on that on a future “testimony” about trusting in something that is not us or other beliefs). Was it an interesting idea? Yes. But was it really “truth“…? Umm….. yeah it wasn’t, haha….

It is hard to trust in something that doesn’t seem to really be there. You have to find it first in your heart by the love of Jesus.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart Proverbs 3:5

We can’t just go halfway with trust. I’ve done that before. I have had personal, let’s say, “comfortabilities” where I thought in a way, But I kinda still like my old self; I don’t want to completely abandon it!

That is an example of the heart not wanting to trust… and that is not good.

We must believe that what he’s got is all we, in a way, will need!

You might stay poor though. There may still be challenges within the church body and with people’s lives. Don’t believe people on the tv that say we will blessed with riches if we follow Christ.

That is a sinful trap by the televangelists. They also avoid talking about sin too (most of them anyway, not all…!)

What Christ died for is not just for he world but for the sin of the people within it. Not just some sins or the only ones we think are accessible… but all sin!

And if we put our full trust in God’s Son He will take care of us. Like a path we have yet to have trodden, it is a new one! but it will be worht it if you follow Him and this new path.

I am he who will sustain you. Isaiah 46:4

If we believe that God not only died for what people claim He died for we also must remember He died for your sin as well.

And yes, all of it. How comforting just is the thought of that!

Your very sin in your heart Jesus loved you so much He died for it too. Because He deeply loves with a love that is more than skin deep.

And don’t listen to the seeming bunch of Christians that will judge and make statements that are rocky. They do bring at least conviction but to shout that people are going to hell before ones get to see what they are like is not right.

I believe that if a person condemns a sinner before they get to know them deserves hell just as much as the person that they are judging!

Ones must first love before they will seek out ones in His love.

But ones who struggle must also know that assumptions they have about the Christian faith must also know they could be assumptions or just how the world sees them.

We must not think we know what the church is actually before we actually get to understand what “houses” it.

Which all in all it houses the holy spirit. It is something so mysterious but given to all people long ago because of what Jesus said would be left to impact not just His people the Jewish but the Gentiles and the non-believers.

It was left firstly for the first ones to want to know Him.

So what does the church have?

Do you want to find out today? It is love. A love beyond all human understanding.

We must be quiet and know that He could one day have us as a part of Him and a part of His Way:

Be still and know that I am God ~Psalm 46:10

Do you want to know that He is God today…?

Let’s pray:

Father God, the way you have been portrayed the past many years I realize was strange. But I think I understand the truth. Can you really show me a way that I can follow now? I want this holy spirit in my life. I realize it was left because after Jesus died on the cross for my sin, it was left for the people after Jesus left the earth bodily. He died on the cross because he not only loved the world but also ME TOO. I want to live for You totally and fully. I want to trust in You with all my heart and accept this gift because I want to live for You and only You and not what I used to think of. And I know now Jesus was here but He is one day coming again. Help me live my life. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Have you prayed that prayer? May you be proud of what Jesus has done in your life today! Thank you Lord for the privilege of prayer… 🙂 God bless you.

Devotions Psalm 27, two vrs- 6/12/21

Posted on by
Reply

Got some not such encouraging words from the doctor the other day. Told me he didn’t believe I had a physical problem! He wanted me to get a cat scan and I misinterpreted that as “You don’t have what you claim, I want you to get THIS done instead.” Glad I listened to people who said to get it. Get that done!

I will touch on two verses here in Psalm 27. It will be verse one and verse four. I might have to do so in KJV (King James) Version instead of NKJV. Or just speak and not reference at all, haha…

If the Lord is your light and salvation does that mean He is only there for you the time you came to Christ? Is that “it” for your love from Christ story?

I don’t believe that at all! Love from God can be shown to you as He sees your heart. If you continue to pursue His ways He blesses you because He sees Himself more and more in your life so He will glorify Himself.

God is amazing! I “see” Him as a big, always-burning light. It will do what it can to impact you, change you from the inside out, and bless your path if you live for Him through Jesus Christ and to know He died for your sin.

If you live or want to live for Christ, Whom shall you fear?

It’s too easy to fear. It’s hard to not to sometimes! It’s also easy to be uneasy and discouraged. Sometimes we will try or do our best and it feels like there are no results…

But we must hold fast and continue to live well. As good as we can be! And give God the glory and praise. Also to show his love. Not show “love” the way a certain path can be, but just show Godly love. There is a real love out there but if you know Him it’s in the heart and you might feel it too!

Will finish this later… to be continued

Devotions- Psalm 91 *Part 2 5/25/21*

Posted on by
Reply

Wow this entire chapter covers a lot! It goes from wanting to be sheltered and be under the shadow of holiness and to depend on Him and praise the Lord.

The writer says as we depend on the shadow of the Almighty, he says that God is his refuge and strength. And puts his full trust in Him.

The next section is interesting I had to explore a couple of words (and one definition out of curiosity: Ever assume you know the definition and then you look it up? I’m not always right in that, haha!).

The first word I looked up was “fowler.” It said basically the word meant a hunter of birds.

Why is that significant…? Hmm. Well later in the chapter not much into the passage it describes the Lord as one who takes us under His wings. That is sweet … but what does that mean?

It means that He will be like a wildfowl or bird that treats us like one of its own, gathering us under its wing. Like a mother bird or something like that being protective.

We should also be guarded and protected ourselves! We must have something to protect us out in this world (the Word of God). It could mean we should have a way to share but to stay guarded in case people “fire” back at us with questions. “Are you really a Christian? What is it that you people are crazy about? Huh, you love me? You don’t even know me!”

Some might be so harsh they are deeply discouraging. Some may be strong in delivering the enemy’s attack, by that I mean Satan.

We must hold fast and share and love and show others the way no matter what harsh or teasing things may happen in this world today. It is kind of a battleground nowadays but this is also all just the Lord’s battle. We must not be harsh but loving, we must not throw terrible words at others just to “stir the pot” and show real godliness, we must keep our hearts away from what we used to do and live in Him so that they know who Christ is and see by your example!

We must deeply search our hearts plucking out anything that either goes against HIs truth or His way.

We must be clean like Christ and live in the Holy Spirit day to day and see ourselves the way God sees us… so that we can deliver others while showing His salvation. Let’s be doers not just speakers of the Word today!

Devotions Psalms 2:4-7 5/24/21

Posted on by
Reply

I got “stuck” on the last three verses. I’m examining them personally so instead of just being devotions, I’m doing more than that with that section of the bible. Context seems to refer to King Saul but I could be wrong…

From the Bible, NKJV:

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” Psa. 2:4-7

They say that God is slow to anger so if He is this way in this part of the bible something might be wrong.

Then again the writer could just be referring to God being sick of the sin of the people during this time. Specific uses of words like “Shall” here are interesting. Usually they imply something specific that could help a reader understand the text by its usage.

But I also am interested by some other things here as well. There is a word I want to seek out the definition for. “Derision.”

Here it is found through the ‘net:

derision- contemptuous ridicule or mockery.

If this means God has turned His anger on Israel then the people who are deserving His wrath here should watch out!

God cannot stand sin. He cannot stand dark hearts that refuse to worship Him. If this kind of thing goes on long, things will not last.

I hope you today have the “light” heart today. God’s wrath might be coming even now!

—–

Are you ready? If not read this.

Father God, I am afraid of what I am seeing and hearing about in the news. I don’t know what is going on all I know that there is a lot of bad stuff! I have heard of a person named Jesus. Is it true He can take away all my sin?

I heard that one day He chose to die on the cross not just because of everyone’s sin but because of just mine too!

(Note to You: There is a song that says “even to the (cross) You’d come if I were the only one. If you were the only one on earth He had to die for, He would have. That is how deep the father’s love through His son is)

Also that He took the wrath of the world’s sin upon Himself. Thank You Father for giving me Your son. That He died, stayed dead, then was restored and lived again, bodily and is in the Heaven today!

I want to know Jesus so that I will one day be in heaven today. Thank You for hearing my prayer.

God bless you today. Love you in Jesus!

Devotions- 5/20/21 Proverbs 1:7-9 and Psalm 7:9

Posted on by
Reply

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. Proverbs 1:7-9 NKJV

Sometimes instruction is very tough on us even if we know that people have the right heart in mind.

Anyone who has ever had tough yet dedicated parents in their lives in lifting up their “child” over the years (as in “you”) might think about them.

It is good to have parents who have the best intentions. Who hope the person in their life who they want success in life not only has knowledge but shows fear towards doing bad or having committed wrong and thinks what their parents might do to punish them. They may also hope you have that applied knowledge as a part of your own life.

But notice I said “best intentions” because I mean parents who aren’t the reflection of deep and harsh abuse. I digress so let me go back to what I said earlier.

It is actually good to fear parents who punish when you have done wrong. Or fear if they know their parents will do something that is normal in punishment if they got straight D’s or F’s in school!

I wonder if fear is something us as people had to learn after the fall: The fall of men (and through man, women).

After Adam and Eve we had to experience and still do an awful thing called Sin. Adam was completely responsible, a person to run things in life but instead of that, he chose to eat the fruit. He has had such an awful impact on this world that Eve isn’t even accounted, it seems, to sin entering the world. (“Sin entered the world through one man…” a paraphrase and part of beginning of Romans 5:12). What a sad legacy to leave the people following everyone who wants to worship something, let alone people who might have to live in God’s sight that sin is now a part of. To live for something but because of a tainted body, a sin-filled body, is now a part of people who were and are created, unfortunately.

Now that we are accountable to sin where death is spiritually an absolute for the physical body we need to fear God in order to live for goodness.

What can we do? We must follow His instruction. Either to be saved, to learn to fear Him about right and wrong, and also to live life since one day we won’t get the chance to live on in this earth but will be accountable at the end to how we have all these years lived!

That is a great reason to live for God through Christ.

And we should not forsake our parents or parent figures with good intentions’ “rules” to live life.

We must in life show love towards all people, not just the ones we already care about. Just be careful about the wicked because they have not good hearts even if we might witness or share things that are good with them with a good heart.

Here’s a partial verse, note some is paraphrased. It says basically: “Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; God (in His righteousness) tests the hearts and minds.” Psalms 7:9.

Let us live wholeheartedly for goodness and love in Christ. Or live for ones who are hurting and needy. Let’s live for the goodness that Is God!

Let us live to be “tested” so that we will be without blame as we live in Jesus through the Holy Spirit as new creations.

Amen!

Quick Quip- Do you love?

Posted on by
Reply

I was just reading a book speaking and defending Christ and the Holy Bible versus a cult group. It is a common cult began around the 19th century and is still common to this day. It has got me wondering, do I love people around me?

I mean as in a person commanded by God, do I really care if I avoid witnessing? Too often is it easy to avoid something if one doesn’t come across teasing, spiritual attack at times, and even serious persecution. But the Lord has commanded us.

I think of so many people even ones I have contact with on a daily basis. Do I really love them if I avoid sharing during at least one moment Christ to them? It’s worth it even with all the name-calling and negative responses I might get.

In my country a lot of Christians avoid talking about God because its too easy but ones should think of this. Do you want all the people you don’t know if they know Jesus to go to hell? I think not!

If we don’t we should all love first… then pray and depend on the Holy Spirit as the Word will help us with the rest. Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness… it’s all good to the great God who is love.

 

 

Sin Undone-6/5/16

Posted on by
Reply

I have too much of a busy schedule, it feels like to me. I am grateful to work but sometimes I can’t even rest. I’ve got work on the weekends and plus at church I couldn’t even stay because of duties so I had to up and exit the sanctuary. I hope this all doesn’t overwhelm me! Sigh*~

 

Hello. I hope you have had a relaxing Memorial Day of reflection as well as just time off to have fun and enjoy life.

You know sometimes we take it for granted this thing called life. We think we have all the time in the world so we turn to back things that we were rescued from and get ourselves stuck into the “pit” again and again.

What is the “pit” you wonder? It is the trap that we sometimes ensnare for ourselves. At first it is temptation leading to giving in to the sin. But if we are not serious about repentance, the telling to God that we are sorry and we turn away and will go back to Him, we get ourselves led back into falling again.

Falling and getting out. Repeat.

That struggle can be so discouraging. A person I know unfortunately has turned that way and ended up not in this world anymore. It’s sad to see someone that knew the truth be in a situation that they did not want to leave.

But our sin sometimes gets us in a loop.

I’ve been in that “loop” many times. Saying “I’m sorry God, forgive me…” then doing that deed again.

Sometimes we may get deeper, knowing that we shouldn’t but that want to turn from God is just too good, like a piece of your favorite dessert.

Then you partake and realize you are not satisfied. You can never be satisfied.

Yet it is so seemingly enjoyable to get into again… we’ll think maybe this time we will get it right and it will be so “good”!

But it never is. Why is that?

Because we live in a fallen world and we desire something but the thing that was our first want was to sin. After the fall of the world through one man who had the responsibility to say no there was sin that entered the world.

And sin is evil!

It is the world: it is all bad, it is fallen, the reason we have death and so much bad in this place here on earth.

But if you know Christ, should you keep heading down this path? As in getting into tons of stuff you shouldn’t?

Paul has said something about that. Should we keep sinning harshly just because we have a savior to turn to that will have God forgive us?

Yes or no?

What do you think?

I think that we are free to do what we want but if we want to serve God we have to realize we should make more decisions for the Lord.

That means though our sin nature fights it at times, we have to look to God in all circumstances if we want to serve Him.

A servant of Jesus should not be turning to ways of the world as a daily ritual. That makes our hearts unclean when they should be filled by the Holy Spirit.

That makes us less like a lover of Christ and more like a person of solitude because of sins.

Or a person that just wants to neglect all that God’s will has for them and will be provided to them.

That means not looking to other ways for truth and instead keeping your eyes on the mount and our feet firmly on solid ground. The ground of the Rock, the solid place of Jesus Christ.

We can continue on and live with prospering lives if we deny ourselves and seek His will. But God still does want us to make our own choices.

We don’t have to do that because God wants us to follow Him. There is no way but Jesus. God’s word says: Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

And Jesus made that way, did the penalty for us and our sin. He died on the cross, rose again, and lives in Heaven one day coming to do the final things this earth has yet to see.

Would you want your friends to fall into those days? I don’t think so. We should live as pure hearts of Jesus’ love, sacrifice our time, give our lives so that people would learn of the truth, and just be love to them.

Just showing love is the first step. How do you want to do it?

That is the one step where there is the undoing of sin. If your heart is clean because of forgiveness or because you show His love to others around you, what does that say to your life?

You are a new creation in Christ. Your old self died with Him on the cross. That person is now no longer a part of you… isn’t that exciting???

To have no more sin to account against you and make you dead to the world and to go to hell… because of Christ that is no longer a part of you.

Amen! We should share this news and love and mercy to others because He makes all things possible. And He will undo so much bad stuff in others lives as a result. It is His power. We must know that love can sweep it all away, move and change hearts, and give people a brand new purpose!

How sweet is that news?

Let’s as Christians (or if you are a new Christian or interested, message me on comments) see God undo the chains we sometimes let ourselves get shackled with and serve with lives pleasing to Him…

🙂