I Really don't like you Paul

"seriously Paul? Really? committing everything to Jesus?" 2 Timothy 1:12 says..."nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." Ahhh yes, the boldness of Paul! Once again we find Paul here suffering in prison, of all places...he surely must've felt abandoned by God? But instead of moping and grumbling or complaining, I sense Paul has boldness? What? What's up with that Paul? What was it that Paul committed to Him? Surely, he first has in mind his life. Paul knew he could not keep his own life; he knew only Go...d could keep it. God was able; Paul was not. Knowing this made Paul full of boldness, but it wasn't boldness in self, but in God! But it wasn't only his life that Paul had committed to God. Paul had committed everything to Jesus - his life, his body, his character and reputation, his life's work...yep, everything that was precious!...what? Seriously, precious? What do you need to commit to Him? Everything that is precious! Now, perhaps you understand why I've said it before...."I hate you Paul!.....Help Me Lord! Happy the Saturday Y'All! Stay home, stay warm, God bless Y'All...Peace!"

December 28th, 2011

"uhh, no fear...?" 1 John 4:18 "Now, there is no fear in love" I must admit, I've struggled for years over this verse...I've told myself so often..."you're always afraid, worried, anxious, you must not love God"... One commentator writes: "The completeness of love means we do not cower in fear before God, dreading His judgment, either now or in the day of judgment. We know all the judgment we ever deserved – past, present, and future – was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross." Another writes: "If fear has gripped your heart, it's because God's love is not perfected in you. You're not totally assured that God loves you." He goes on: "I'm not really sure that this is gonna work for good, this may destroy me. This may be the end of my road. This may be all she wrote. This looks bad, I don't see any way out. What am I gonna do?" You see folks...this is me! The second commentator goes on...Well, you see, if God's love were perfected, if you really knew God loved you, so totally loved you, that whatever and anything that may happen to you can only happen because God allows it to happen and He loves you supremely, then I don't worry about what happens to me. "Man, what a mess, but I know that God loves me and so He's gonna work it out some way or other, you know. Well, they just foreclosed and took away my house, you know, but God loves and He's gonna work out something, you know." Oh, the confidence that comes when I know that God loves me and His love is perfected in me, I can accept what comes without fear..........I've had flashes of this over my years, but right now??? Well... right now, and honestly for quite a 'season', I confess...I'm in quite the 'funk'...and I'm very sure, I'm "no fun" to live with!! In fact, just last night, my bride said to me..."where's your faith?" So....my battle rages on...

Christmas Eve 2011

"aw, be c-a-r-e-f-u-l...you're worse than you think you are..." Phil 2:3 "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves..." Wow, how's that stack-up to the world's idea?...to the world’s concept of self-esteem? Uhhh, bunk's it, don't it? The ancient Greeks considered lowliness of mind to be a fault, not a virtue...sound familiar?...sounds like 'our-world-today', ya know? But Paul goes on...(vs.5 says) "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had"..."Aw come on Paul, are you serious?" It's always been too easy for me to read this description of Jesus and admire it from afar; yes God wants me to be 'awed by it', yesss! But He also wants me to see it as something that I must enter into...and i-m-i-t-a-t-e...You see, Jesus was/is God, He created us...and Jesus was willing to let go of His deity to become a man..."for the like's of me"..."He, who should have been served...Served !!!" That puts a slight 'twist' to things ya know? I had a brother tell me...years ago..."Uhhh, David, that would be Utopia!" Yeah, just think about it...If I consider you above me, and you consider me above you, a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on! "Hmmm...kind a makes one think, ya know?"
"Hey folks...It's Christmas Eve...Our Dear Savior is Born!!!"

My yuck, does affect others?

December 18th, 2011......"there are always going to be 'conequenes' to my actions...my decisions..." Ezekiel 16:58 "You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the LORD" As far back as the children of Israel, many people who had gone through the rite of circumcision were still living after the flesh. And so the whole ritual was totally negated by the fact that they were living after the flesh...thus it is a meaningless ritual...because the rite itself did not guarantee that. Read thru the whole book of Ezekiel, God continually warns His children, "you will bear the consequences", yet they wouldn't listen...they kept going to their rituals, their acts, yet their hearts...well that was always a different story....so what of today? You see, God desires...God wants the circumcision of my heart, not of the flesh. So you say, "Well, I take communion." So. "I've been baptized." So. Those are marvelous rituals. They are very meaningful rituals if the truth has been actualized in your own experience. And it's the circumcision of my heart that counts.  My outward acts mean zilch, if in my heart, it's the very opposite! Often times, I can fool those 'round me, but ultimately..."ya can't fool God..!" Sometimes, God calls ya on the carpet concerning it, and when... that happens...whoa, do my decisions have mega consequences...especially to those who I love the most...my family! So, when I read of the history of God's Children, were warned, over and over again by God Himself...I think to myself, "boy, I think I would've listened to God's warnings... yet, do I ? Why, don't I?"

How does that make you feel?

"in the thinking of the world today, I have my truth and you have your truth...now, how does that make you feeeeel...?" 1 John 1:6 "So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth"  An ongoing question, for what seems like a very, very long time...is it possible for some to claim a relationship, or in fact think they have a relationship with God that they do not have? Many Christians are not aware of their true condition. They know they are saved, and have experienced conversion and have repented at some time in their life. Yet they do not live in true fellowship with God. Here, John speaks of a walk in darkness, indicating a pattern of living. This does not speak of an occasional lapse, but of a lifestyle of darkness. "So we are lying"...John gets right to the point...nothing middle of the road here, no candy-coating it...John is much too plain for our sophisticated age, which doesn't want to see anything in black or white, but everything in a pale shade of gray. In the thinking of the world today, I have my truth and you have your truth. But Jesus said, "I am the truth" and the Bible clearly tells us of a truth that is greater than any individuals feeling about it.  "hmmmm, how does that make you feel?"

Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 2011

"O ye of little faith...uhhh, me?" My son A.David reminded me of this verse this morning...Matthew 17:20 "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Tooo many times, my faith is in me...or in my employment, or my $ funds (or lack thereof)..."now listen kettle, this is the pot..." A small amount of faith - as much as a mustard seed (a very small seed) - can accomplish great things, if that small amount of faith is placed in a great and mighty God. "O Lord Mighty God, help me to not put my faith in me, but in YOU"

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, m...e, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Rocky Balboa (#6) "O Lord....help me to take life's hits, to keep moving forward, and I pray in doing so, to bring YOU the glory..."

Friday, Dec. 2nd, 2011

"ever feel...like you're hated?" John 15:18 "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first."...There is no just cause for the world to hate Jesus and His followers they way they do. The world hates because its sin is exposed, and because they know not the Father or the Son. It's pretty much a given as Christians, we can, and will face the worst, press on brothers and sisters, recognize that Jesus has been there first, and then press on ahead. "Keep pressin' on"

Thursday, Dec. 1st, 2011

"Tired? dreary?...lookin' for rest? here's some good news, we have a Savior"...Proverbs 3:24 "You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly" When Christ is our life, we have nothing to fear. Our rest can be sweet because we have a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps. And He is always watching over those whom He loves...now, if only, i would trust and believe...

Wednesday, Nov. 30th, 2011

"Repeat after me...God alone is Faithful..." Sometimes it seems that He is at such a great distance, we need to remember...God cannot lie, and His Word Alone is true...He is near. Though it may seem that we are alone in our trials, yet still He is near. All Because of Jesus, we can know we too are at His right hand... and know that He loves you! Lam. 3:31-33 "For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Great is the faithfulness of the Lord...repeat as often as is necessary..."

Life.....is a haul

"faith...a prayer, a light-switch, a solitaire game, and a life...?" Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." it would seem to me on this occasion, the disciples are extremely perceptive. They recognize that great faith in God is needed just to get along in this life...not to mention, especially with people. Have you ever prayed the prayer, "Lord increase my faith" ? You...r wish is like a light-switch, you go over flip it on and instantly you have light! Or like my hand-held game of solitaire, I play it for what seems like forever, until I get a victory...i could play over a hundred games or more before gaining a victory...and when one finally comes, I just start the process all over again....That's Life! Life never stops coming at you, trials, obstacles, circumstances...even after praying, and trying to trust, trying to have faith, faith, that God will intervene...God will make it better...sometimes He does, sometimes it seems He doesn't..."it's a haul, ya know?"

As dependable as the day is long

Monday, Nov 29th, 2011  
"wanna talk d-e-p-e-n-a-b-l-e?" Isaiah 54:10 says: "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you" WOW, now thats a promise...that no matter what happens on this earth, God will always love us and walk beside us. "Thank You Lord...Thank You Jesus!"

I used-to-could-uh

Sunday  Nov. 28th, 2011
"used to could-uh?" Colossians 3:7 "You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world" Paul says that Christians once walked in these sins. It is possible that these sins occasionally happen in a Christian’s life, but Lord willing, they are no longer the 'norm'....nor comfortable, any more! Keep your eyes on Jesus!

What must I do?

Saturday  Nov. 27th, 2011   "is it a 'do-do-do' mentality?" Matthew 19:16 “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Like all of us, it's just natural, we are all bent towards a works-righteousness...a "do-do" mentality...
Jesus’ answer to the man’s question is straightforward. If you want to gain eternal life by your doing, you must keep the commandments - all of them, and in the fullest sense...uh-uh no way...ain't-uh-gonna-happen...so what's it gonna take?
G-R-A-C-E...."Amazing Grace" God’s grace is sufficient..."Thank You Lord !"

Response from Barbara Carter:   

Been thinkin' about something lately since reading a book titled The Green Letters by Miles Stanford. The idea of appropriation.We have so much In Christ that we don't avail ourselves of. Everything that Christ secured for us at the cross is ours NOW. Often we talk about the importance of not adding anything to faith when it comes to our salvation. And yet when it comes to all of the other things that are ours In Christ we live like we need to do something to obtain them.Hmmm, how do I get that "peace that passes understanding"? What about "joy unspeakable"? or Life more abundant? Surely I need to do something to get those. It saddens me when I talk to so many people that consider themselves Christians and yet only see their salvation as fire insurance. Doesn't Christian mean Christ follower? How can they say they are Christ followers if they aren't going the way He goes? Okay, I'm not sure why you are the recipient of my frustrations. Your post made me think about it again is the only reason. Thanks for listening....not that I gave you a choice..lol

Once we were enemies

Friday  Nov. 26th, 2011
Colossians 1:21 "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior" "Check it out friends"...Once we were alienated: This means that in Jesus, we are no longer alienated! The difference between a believer and a non-believer isn’t merely forgiveness; there is a complete change of status. "Allelujah, thank You Jesus!" Happy Day after Thanksgiving y'all!

Thanksgiving Nov 24th, 2011

"Thanksgiving means 'ThanksLiving" Psalm 7:17 "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High" I pray everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving! Enjoy being with family and friends...turkey and all the fixins, and then eventually, the couch, sofa or recliner! God Bless...

All roads lead to god?

Weds  Nov 23rd, 2011
"hmmmm, really...do all roads lead to God?" Proverbs 14:12 "there is a way, which seems right to a man..." You hear people today say, "Well, all roads lead to God." Not according to Jesus Christ. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). All roads may lead to God, but which god? You see, there's only one path that leads to the Father. There's only one way to the Father--that's through Jesus Christ. So, like Pastor Rob always says..."better get on board!"....amen?

Battle of will's

Tues Nov. 22nd, 2011     "my will vs. God's will" So often, if you are anything like me?...I battle these voices in my head...too many times, they seem to almost be yelling at me...that's not how God works...God's voice is still, look thru the scriptures and read for yourself...people, like me, are always craving the dramatic, the fantastic...like 1 Kings 19:11 "And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and stron...g wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice"....the still small voice of God speaking to the human heart is actually more powerful than outward displays of power or displays of God's judgment. Just try and be still, listen for His will

Monday Nov. 21, 2011

"Pastor said Sunday, that God knows everything about my life...and He still loves me"...How could God still love me? He knows all my uck...There's only one word, one name that answers that question...JESUS Colossians 2:13 "You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins" ..."Thank You Jesus"

Does my walk match my talk?

"sometimes...it just seems easier to say, I Love God?" 1 John 4:20 "If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar..." It's way easier for me to proclaim my love for God, because that's a private relationship with an invisible God. But John just kicks me right in the teeth...he insists that my claim of loving God is just 'hogwash' if I don't back-it-up, ya know what I mean? Once again, it's that old "yer talk and yer walk gotta match up!" My claim of loving God must be seen! Jesus not only talked it, He walked it! And He said it Best..."Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 So...."do you wanna be like Jesus?"

Not since august 19th, 2011

 Today is Saturday November 19th, 2011 "it's been awhile"...Psalm 126:6 "They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest" Repeat after me..." GOD alone is faithful"...Our Father is so faithful to lift us up from our grievous trials! regardless if I believe it or not, He's always there waiting for me, with open arms...He stretches His big arms to me, He says get up here on my lap, let me hold you...though weeping may last for a night, or longer...try and remember...there's always a shout of joy in the morning for those who trust in the Lord...amen?