Category Archives: BE A DISCIPLE,

God Is Your Life. 040915

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Male hands with babyDeuteronomy 30:19-20:  “ . . . I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;  that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.”  This passage is part of the renewal of the covenant that the Lord made with the people of Israel at Mount Horeb.  This comes at the end of Moses life, part of his Departing Address to the people, just before the Song of Moses that is recorded in Deut. 32. Continue reading →

SALT and LIGHT. 040715

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Salt and LightMatthew 5:13-16 [Jesus says], “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.  Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” The Message

What does salt do in the natural world?  Continue reading →

Holy Smoke! A Talking Donkey. 040315

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AsinoIn Numbers 22:26-28, it says,  “Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.  And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.  Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

The story goes on to say that the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the Angel of the Lord, and fell on his face.  The Lord was very displeased with Balaam for what he was wanting to do, so He sent the Angel to kill Balaam.  But the donkey saved Balaam from being killed.  You can read the whole story in Numbers Chapters 22-24.

The moral of this story is this:  If the Lord can use a donkey to get His message out to people in the world, maybe He can even use you and me.  Praise the Lord!

FISHERS OF MEN. 040215

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Fishers of menHe said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19.  What does that mean?  I mean really, what does that mean to you and me in this day and age? OK I’m ready, tell me what ‘Follow Me’ means.  Does it mean ‘walk behind Me’?  Or does it mean ‘Do what I do’? Or maybe, ‘Be like Me.’?  Think about that.  You decide.  What does it mean to you? Continue reading →

OBEDIENCE? 032715

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God's LoveObedience is saying ‘yes’ when God tells you something to do (in an immediate sense). “If you love me you’ll keep my commandments;7” and “This is my commandment, that you love one another.” John 15:12.  I cannot do right by myself.  I can only do right as I surrender and trust God to work His will in me.  Only as I die to myself, and let Jesus live His life in me,” (Galatians 2:20) can I live up to His standard, which is, “Be perfect (whole, complete, entire, wanting nothing), even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 Continue reading →

SERVANTS: WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO.032315  

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Silhouette of man surrendering with two hands raised in air near the beach at sunsetMatthew 25:35-36: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Continue reading →

GOD SEES THE HEART.032115

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Students in a classroom“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” John 7:24

“For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is living and powerful  .  .  and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.” Continue reading →

HUMILITY IS SURRENDER.032015

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Jesus with a jug of waterThe underlying key to all aspects of our relationship with Jesus is our surrender to Him.  So how does humility express surrender in our lives?  Early on, I thought the essence of humility is surrender; such as in Philippians 2:5, 8; where it says, ” Let Jesus’ attitude be in you.  .  Who, being found as a man, humbled himself, and became a slave, and was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”

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TRIBULATION BUILDS CHARACTER.031815

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Sad Student with the Book“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”   James 1:2-4

“We also glory [rejoice] in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 3:4-5  When I was a little kid, my Momma used to say, often, that tribulation builds character.

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Galatians 2-20. 031415

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Open graveOne day I was reading Luke 9:23, where it says, “If anyone would be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me;”  and I was thinking about what that means, “Take up your cross daily”.  I heard a number of preachers and teachers say that it means 1 We all have our burdens (problems, troubles, sacrifices) to bear, and each of us has to trust God to bear those burdens in a Christ-like way.  2 Or some say your cross is whatever job or career or ‘calling’ God has called you to, and to be a disciple, you must focus your attention on doing that calling well and properly for the glory of God. Continue reading →