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Four Anchors
Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.
Acts 27:27-29 NKJVPaul’s journey to Rome, with its storms, treachery, shipwreck, and rescue, would make a great movie! But just in case that doesn’t happen for a while, there is something in this story I must tell you about.
The ship and all 276 people aboard had just endured almost 2 weeks of stormy weather. It had been so bad, many had feared for their life. Now things were going fairly smooth, other than they had no idea where they were.The sailors were extremely cautious at this point. Traveling at night, they relied largely on their experience and gut feeling to alert them of possible danger. About midnight, the crew sensed they were drawing close to land. To know for sure, they took soundings (using a line with a lead weight on the end, they measured the depth of the water) a couple of times. They discovered land was fast approaching and the ship was in danger of colliding with the shore. So, to avoid the collision and disaster, they lowered four anchors and waited for the sun to come up.
Everyone has gone through, is going through, or WILL go through, storms. Each person runs the risk of becoming shipwrecked, or even worse, destroyed, as a result. But as the story illustrates, God shows us a safe way to travel, to keep from destroying ourselves and others, even through the toughest times. And though a lot of storms are not our fault, just knowing where to place the blame doesn’t help the situation.
Have you ever been overtaken by a storm? No warning, not a clue anything was brewing. It happens all the time. It was happening on Paul’s ship. The soldiers weren’t aware of danger, the prisoners (outside of Paul) didn’t really care – they were probably as good as dead, anyway. But someone on Paul’s ship with life experience recognized the possibility of impending danger; and the experience became the wisdom necessary to avoid certain disaster. Even in the dark, where it was impossible to see, the experienced ones knew what to do until they could see the issue for what it was. And in each of our lives there’s someone with the experience and wisdom to help us know how close danger is and what to do until revelation comes.
The sailors (experience and wisdom) said, “Drop four anchors and we’ll wait for the sunlight.” Light, daylight, sunshine, all speak of revelation knowledge. God, opening the eyes of their understanding, allowing them to see things from His perspective and with His wisdom.
“Drop four anchors…” Four anchors to hold them in place, to keep them from drifting, from wandering; giving them stability until the next step for action could be discerned.
In our life’s journey, these four anchors are extremely important. They help us stay in place and not drift when we can’t see what’s around us. Something that gives us stability and helps keep us from drifting. These four anchors are:
1) Hear the truth – “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1 NLT
Don’t trade the weighty anchor of truth for something that is only fluff. The anchor of truth can smash our foot if we drop it there, but it will also keep us from being blown about by every wind of doctrine.
2) Hope – “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” Hebrews 6:19 NKJV
The hope of God’s promises is an anchor for our soul – our mind, our will, and our emotions. As our soul is anchored, we have greater confidence to go boldly to the Throne of Grace. Encouragement.
3) Helpful Friends –” Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. ” “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.” Proverbs 27:6,17; Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 NKJV
Friends – people who love us enough to tell us the truth AND walk with us during dark moments. People who will help us with our resolve and be there through the restoration process.
4) Holy Spirit – “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:7-15 NKJVThe Holy Spirit KNOWS what’s going on and WHY it’s happening. He will guide us INTO ALL TRUTH. He will guide us OUT OF ERROR. This anchor will keep us from turning around.
Life’s a crazy, dangerous journey at times. We all need people speaking into our lives who have the experience, wisdom, and love to help alert us to possible danger. We must listen to them, and not push them aside when we don’t like what they say.
If you’ve been running through life without these four anchors, I encourage you to stop now and secure the anchors you’ll need. Because you WILL need them.
Keep the anchors within reach, for when the slightest “drift” is detected, it’s time to act. -
Curiosity Killed The Cat
People have a tendency to fear the unknown. Maybe that’s better than being curious. Many are those who, because of curiosity, have been “picked off” by the adversary. Each one felt, at one time, they could handle the knowledge of the unknown. But how much better it would have been had they simply remembered the old adage, “curiosity killed the cat.”
Before venturing into the unknown, ask yourself a few simple questions: 1) Why am I curious? 2) Do I fantasize about the unknown? 3) Can I investigate this with my spouse? 4) Am I being truthful with my friends? 5) Did I just lie to myself?
It’s a good idea to discuss your “trek into the unknown” with a trusted friend. Someone who loves you, but isn’t impressed with you, or who doesn’t work for you.
“A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.” (Proverbs 28:19 NLT)
“By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6 ESV)
You really don’t need to know why that person smiled at you like they did. There isn’t a valid reason for you to click on that particular web site, while you’re alone in the house.
Curiosity can be a good thing, or a deadly trap. Don’t “boldly go where angels fear to tread.” Back off, trust God, ask the questions, and live longer, without regret.
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War Face
“Do you have your ‘War Face’ on?”I was at a prayer/discussion group yesterday morning. Someone made a statement, which I don’t think I heard correctly. What I DID hear, in my spirit, was “do you have your ‘war face’ on?”
Now mind you, I don’t get out as often as maybe I should, so I wasn’t really familiar with that phrase.
So I thought, why not ask God what He’s referring to.
After meditating on the phrase, asking the Lord to enlighten my mind and understanding, and searching the scriptures, I have somewhat of an idea.
“Do you have your ‘War Face’ on”?
The Lord was asking me, “Are you prepared for battle?” “Is your mind and heart ‘fixed’, ‘locked in’ on the mission?” “Are you prepared to prepare the way for others?”
He directed me to the scriptures listed below.
“Preparing” the way is to clear the pathway of things that hinder the work of God in a specific area. Primarily, spiritual things, forces, pressures, temptations, etc. “Remove” stumbling blocks, stones, things that trip us and others. “Lift up” the banner of the Lord’s Presence and victory before the people.
To do those things, prepare, remove, and lift up, one must be personally prepared, stumbling blocks removed from their own lives, and the banner of God stretched across their heart, signifying ownership!
The ‘War Face’ implies one’s focus, determination, passion, and dedication to the cause. It states, in no uncertain terms, “I will do what must be done for the King and His Kingdom!” I will love others, fight for others, confront the enemy, yield to God…for my King!
As you read the following scriptures, pay close attention to the description of the Gadites (whose faces were like the faces of lions). They had their ‘War Face’ on, and it wasn’t just to scare or intimidate the enemy. It was their way of saying, “we’re gonna fight until we win; and we win when every knee has bowed to King David.”
Kingdom warriors, your ‘War Face’ is your declaration that “you’re gonna fight until you win; and you win when every knee has bowed to King Jesus!”
Amen, so be it!
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.” (Isaiah 40:3-4 NKJV)
“And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”” (Isaiah 57:14 NKJV)
“Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’””(Isaiah 62:10 – 62:11 NKJV)
“From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains.” (1 Chronicles 12:8 ESV)
“These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand. These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.”(1 Chronicles 12:14-15 ESV)
“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:11 NLT)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”(Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV)
Amen, so be it!
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A Steady Stream
“Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”(Matthew 4:1 – 4:4 MSG)
“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:1 – 8:3 NKJV)
Both Jesus and Moses spoke their words while in the wilderness, into which God had led them. “Wilderness” refers not only to a physical location, but a “lonesome, solitary” place, as well. A place one can go to be alone; to pray, worship, listen, and learn.
A place of preparation. Preparing for life’s situations.
In Moses’ wilderness, The Lord was preparing His people for the Promised Land. They were learning such things as hearing and obeying God, following God’s authority, working together, fighting together, and trusting God to supply everything necessary for life.
He allowed them to hunger in their solitary place, then satisfied their hunger in a way never seen or experienced before. Why? So they could know Him better.
In Jesus’ wilderness, He prepared Himself to face His adversary, the devil. He knew He would need the strength, wisdom, and “right now” Word from His Father to victoriously resist the schemes of the evil one.
To be ready for life, solitary times with God are required. Times to read His Word, hear His voice, and pour out your heart to Him while He pours His heart INTO you. We must have a steady stream of life flowing into us. God’s word, that which He wants to speak to our hearts TODAY, is that very life we need. We’ll find it as we pull aside from our cares and busyness, and get alone with Him and His Word.
“(God’s Word) is life to those who find it…” Proverbs 4:22
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God…” (Psalm 46:4 NKJV)
To help you with your “solitary, wilderness, desert” times, there is a Facebook Page* called “A Steady Stream”. Daily scriptures, devotional teachings, prayers and the like are posted at 6:00 a.m. (CST). You can have this devotional sent to your Facebook account, free of charge, by going to http://www.facebook.com/a-steady-stream/ and hitting the “Like” button.
God bless you.
* effective 4/7/13
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Watermelon Seeds
One year, about 25 years ago, I decided I would grow some watermelons. I bought a packet of seeds, prepared part of our back yard, mixing some sand into the Iowa dirt. I planted the seeds according to the packet instructions and checked on my “crop” every day. I was excited to see the plants poke their way to the sunlight. Little by little the vines grew, and then the little melons started appearing. So cool!
A real good friend of mine named Mick, who’s now in Heaven, used to tease me about my melon patch. He knew a lot about gardening and always had a wonderful crop. And because I got a late start with my planting, he didn’t think the watermelons would develop enough to harvest before the first freeze.
But I was determined. I examined the plants and pinched off all but four of the little melons.
I waited.
Toward the end of September, on a Sunday Evening after church, Mick asked to see my melons. We lived just a half block from the church, so we all walked back to our house. We opened the gate to the back yard, played with our dog Joey for a short bit…
…and then I saw it. A piece of cardboard with the scripture, “According to your faith be it done unto you” written on it. It was on a wooden stake, poked into the ground, right next to a great big watermelon THAT MICK AND HIS FAMILY had placed in my garden. What a surprise!
Mick was also surprised. Because next to his great big watermelon lay 4 softball sized melons.
About a week later we ate those melons, and they were the reddest, sweetest, juiciest melons I had ever cut into.
According to my faith…
Faith? Yep, faith. Believing and receiving, according to God’s principles revealed through His Word.
Matthew tells the story of two blind men, determined to make their way to Jesus, determined to be healed.
“When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened.” (Matthew 9:27-30 NKJV)
Notice, the blind men FOLLOWED Him. Not just up and down the dusty road, but into the house! Not easy for a blind man to do.
Jesus asked them, “Do you REALLY believe I can heal your eyes? Yes? Okay, your faith has made it possible.”
When you KNOW something is true, don’t let anything keep you from enjoying the fruit of that truth! Do what you have to do in order to guard your faith. People may kid you, humiliate you, ignore you, and think you’re a true blue idiot.
I KNEW the power of sowing and reaping. I expected watermelons to grow. The blind men KNEW the Son of David was the answer for their blindness.
Mary KNEW God would perform the word the angel had told her. She received His word just as good earth receives seed sown into it. “Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:37-38 NKJV).
What do you KNOW? What are you planting? What word are you receiving?
According to your faith…
By the way, the picture above is the sign Mick made for me those many years ago.
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The Firebugs
Kids do crazy things! Teenagers do even crazier things!
Boy teenagers, who like to play with fire, well, they’re just plain dangerous!
They just don’t know it.
I have a brother, Jim, who’s a year older than I. Believe it or not, we were teenagers once. And, it’s nothing short of a miracle we made it beyond the teenage years!
We had a lot of fun! Even when there was a risk of getting into trouble, we “weighed the advantages against the disadvantages”, “counted the cost”, and jumped in with both feet.
Now, mind you, we weren’t mean kids. We never bullied anyone, as we were “peace loving” boys. See, guys our size are smart to be lovers of peace. It just makes sense.
Anyway, we would do stuff like skip school, egg cars (that’s a story in and of itself), set off firecrackers in school, smoke cigarettes (and blow smoke into a policeman’s face -Jim), make fun of ugly girls (we knew one we called “The”), and practice being “cool”.
Oh, and play with fire.
We really enjoyed throwing aerosol cans into the burn barrel. I know, not safe, should only be done by professionals. But, how does one become a professional? Practice!
We were well on our way.
In fact, I enjoyed playing with fire so much, as an adult I found work in two different foundries; a place that allowed me to burn wood, pour hot iron, etc. But, back to our teen years.
The best thing(?) we did was up in our bedroom. I’ll set up the story by giving you a little history. Both Jim and I really enjoyed building model cars. We’d buy a new model whenever we’d save enough money to buy the AMT brand kits. We’d purchase spray paint and enamel brush paint for each kit, as well.
Jim was the one who could really add detail to the model. I’ve seen him take little pieces of string and glue them on an engine to give it plug wires. He registered each vehicle he built with his own Department of Motor Vehicles, even issuing the cars little license plates (to scale, of course). He devised a way to make a vehicle appear to have been in a traffic accident, dented fenders and all, so he could repair the dented fender with a new one.
This is where the “fun” really began.
As I said, we liked to play with fire. We didn’t mean any harm, not at all. But fire was needed for the purpose of authenticity, so we used it.
Our bedroom was on the second floor of the house. It was an average size room with hardwood floors. Our twin beds were positioned so that there was a big open area in the middle of the room. This is where the “vehicle accidents” took place.
We had learned, at an early age, if you poured rubbing alcohol on a wooden floor, then lit it, the alcohol would burn, but not the wood. Completely safe! (We didn’t noticed it was ruining the floor’s finish, but, hey, we were young.) We would “practice” this burn technique after it was time for our lights to be out. You can imagine, alcohol burning, flames dancing on the floor, creating a really cool light display throughout the room.
So, my brother came up with an idea. A terrific idea! Cover an area of the floor (about 4 square feet) with alcohol, but right before you light it, pour some of the fluid on the car fender that needed “repaired”. Then, light the floor, roll the car across the floor into the flame. Upon entering the flame, the vehicle ignites. Let it burn for a short while, then, before you blow out the fire, take another car and simulate an accident. After the soften fender is dented, blow out the fires, and presto, you have a perfect fender bender.
I don’t know how many fenders he repaired. I will say this; he had the busiest body shop in town.
Until Dad entered the room!
One evening, after many nights of perfect burning, the fire got a little out of control. I was laying on my bed, watching Jim try to stomp out the fire. Well, apparently Dad heard the stomping also, and decided to investigate.
I can still hear those footsteps coming up the stairs. Dad’s footsteps on the stairs, and Jim’s in our room; like they were trying to outrun the other.
Dad won.
The bedroom door flew open, and our mouth’s opened even wider. Dad’s eyes were screaming even louder than his voice! To this day I don’t know if the fire I saw in his eyes was just a reflection of the burning floor, or something else. My guess is, something else.
Busted! Boy, howdy, busted!
That was the end of Jim’s body shop and my fire building and maintenance “program”.
As you can well imagine, we did have to contend with a different kind of fire the rest of the evening. Ouch!
We THOUGHT we had the fire under control. We never thought there was even a possibility of losing control.
People feel the same about the words they use throughout each day. They don’t realize words can be like fire. They could be saying things just for fun, not meaning to hurt anyone.
Houses burn down, lives are destroyed, through hurtful, insensitive words.
James writes: “In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (James 3:5 – 3:6 NLT)
You may not be a firebug like my brother and I (were). But your words have the capacity to burn the “finish” off of your closest and dearest relationships. Even if you don’t burn your house down, you can ruin the value of your relationship.
You must decide how you are going to use your words.
“Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze.” (Proverbs 16:27 NLT)
“Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.” (Proverbs 26:20 NLT)
“A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” (Proverbs 15:1 MSG)
Don’t be like some silly teenage boys. Think about your words before you become a firebug and “set the floor on fire.”
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The Gardens
Arrogance, insolence, audacity, pride, smugness, haughtiness…You’ll find these, back long ago, in the Garden.
They set the stage for the Downfall, the Rebellion.
Though they were warned, it happened anyway.
“Is that what God really meant?”, the serpent asked Eve. The way in which he proposed his question, he really was saying, “Oh, come on, woman! You’ve been around long enough to know the score. Sure, God said something about that tree. But you and your husband are in charge. You’ve got to make some decisions for yourself, you know. You’re not stupid! You don’t need someone telling you how to run your life. It’s your garden isn’t it? Well then, act like it!”
My, how tasty the fruit looked!
Arrogance will always distort one’s senses.
Adam (he was with his wife) and Eve stood in front of the tree, as the serpent’s toxic words poisoned their souls.
You can only listen to the serpent, the tempter, for just so long. There will come a time you must act. Either you’ll act on the poison you’ve heard, or you will turn and walk away.
Adam and Eve chose to stay. They didn’t cry out to God, instead they handled it on their own. They believed they could figure out life, handle all their problems, decide what’s right and wrong for themselves.
Besides, they were hungry!
Arrogance went to seed – and it spread throughout the human race. The first Adam left his mark.
And left the Garden under the dominion of the devil.
Fast forward a few thousand years. To another Garden.
You’ll find Jesus, facing the Trial, the Temptation, of the Ages. His trial was the same as the first Adam’s. No, it wasn’t about which tree He should eat from. But then, the first trial wasn’t really about the tree or the fruit.
Jesus’ faced the same serpent, the same devil, as Adam and Eve. The venom of arrogance, pride, haughtiness, and the like loomed large in Jesus’ ears.
“You don’t need to go to the cross, Jesus.” (remember, the devil tried telling Jesus that same thing earlier, through Peter) “You have done so much good, cast out so many demons, healed so many who were sick. Why, you’ve even raised people from the dead! No, this world needs you. Just like you are. Give it up. Eat this fruit I’m holding out for you. It’s about time you started thinking for yourself, anyway! Besides, you’re the Son of God, remember? It’s time you stood on your rights and demanded blessings from your Father.”
My, how tasty rebellion looks when peddled by the spirit of arrogance!
All of Heaven was watching, waiting in silence, as Jesus battled those words in His mind. Once or twice He even questioned His Father, “is there possibly some other way?” Of course, there were other ways! That’s what made the devil’s words so powerful! Jesus had options. So did Adam and Eve.
Adam and Eve took the easy route. They gave in.
Jesus said, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” The second Adam was not going to fail. He acted. He set His heart, His mind, and His body toward the cross. It was there He would pay for Adam and Eve’s rebellion. It was there He would bear the wrath of God for all mankind.
But it was in the Garden where the greatest battle was fought.
Jesus stood up, wiped the drops of bloody sweat from His brow, and headed toward the cross. Arrogance and pride, the serpent’s venom, could not turn Jesus from His Father’s plan.
The second Adam left the second Garden a victor!
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:10-18 NKJVThe price would be paid for Adam and Eve’s rebellion. Once Jesus was raised from the dead, the devil would have no legal authority over man any longer.
The cross bore the Savior, Who bore our sorrows and grief (Isaiah 53). The tomb stored the body of Jesus until full payment was made. The Resurrection was God’s declaration to the world, the angels, and the devil himself: “Sin is no longer the master of the human race! Arrogance and rebellion no longer have the final word! Whoever will humble themselves and receive My Son, shall not walk in darkness or sin, but will have the light of life!”
“He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.” Romans 4:25 NLT
Amen!
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Facebook Blues
Got hundreds of friends who like to stay in touch,
Would have many more, ‘cept I don’t like ’em all that much
I search for more names whenever I’ve time,
Update my status, whenever I’m inclinedWell, I’ve got the blues, Facebook blues,
The social media bug done bit me,
Now I’m friends with all the world,
I’ve got the bluesMany Facebook posts are really quite inane
If I believed them all, I’d probably go insane
Plenty of photos that give me quite a kick,
Enough political comments to make me sickI’ve got the blues…
Some folks believe I’m only wasting time,
Don’t post for myself, but for a Friend of mine
Jesus’ told us, fill the earth with His Word,
So I’ll write and I’ll post, and not be deterredWon’t write of Obama, or guns, guns, guns
I’ll write of God’s love for His daughters and sons
Friends and family, I’ll tell ’em one and all
With an encouraging word posted on their wall…Some may ignore me and the hope that I bear,
Others will “like”, receive the Love I share
Gonna use these tools for more than recipes
Gotta give the world Jesus, He’s all the Hope we need…Well, I’ve got the blues, Facebook blues,
The social media bug done bit me,
Now I’m friends with all the world,
I’ve got The bluesThe social media bug done bit me,
Now I’m tellin’ all the world,
I’ve got Good NewsThe Facebook Blues
words /music by Jan Grace
copyright 2013 -
A Word for the World
Ask 50 people the question, “What does God think about the world?”, you may get 50 different answers.About 2000 years ago, Jesus made a statement that answered the question once and for all.
It was true before He said it, while He said, and it’s been true ever since.
One verse says it all.
A word for the world.
God – unmistakably, undeniably, without apology, God. Before the world began, God. During the world’s darkest moments, God. Who was and is and is to come, God. Known by all who earnestly and humbly seek Him, God.
So loved – valued and honored, was patient and kind, was devoted to, couldn’t live without, affectionate towards…
The world – His creation, every person, no exceptions. Every tribe, kindred, nation. Past, present, future. The good, bad, and ugly.
That He – unmistakably, undeniably, without apology, God.
Gave – without strings attached, unforced, freely distributed, bestowed, conveyed, imparted, lavished
His – unmistakably, undeniably, without apology, God’s.
Only – unique, none other, one of a kind, incomparable, inimitable, without equal, unmatched, unparalleled, unsurpassable
Son – Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, Messiah, I Am, Alpha and Omega, The Word made flesh, the Light of the world, Savior and Lord
That whoever – His creation, every person, no exceptions. Every tribe, kindred, nation. Past, present, future. The good, bad, and ugly.
Believes – receives as true, accepts, trusts, embraces, adheres to
In Him – Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, Messiah, I Am, Alpha and Omega, The Word made flesh, the Light of the world, Savior and Lord
Should not – won’t, can’t, impossible to do so, emphatically no way, couldn’t happen
Perish – die, exist without God’s Presence, spend eternity in hell, suffer foreverBut have – possess, own, utilize, enjoy, receive without conditions
Eternal – forever, everlasting, without end, perpetual, ageless, timeless, enduring, ongoing, God’s kind
Life – wholeness, energy, fruitfulness, purpose, being, vibrancy,
vitality, God.“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)
Do you? Will you?
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Equal Rights
In the beginning, whenever that was, God created. He created the Heavens and the Earth. He created everything in, above, under, and on the earth, giving each created object His blessing and mandate. Be fruitful and multiply.
Every plant, bird, and animal; all were equally adored, and blessed by their Creator.
Finally He created man (and woman) , the crown of His creation. Unlike His other creations, mankind was of a different class; an immeasurable “cut above” the rest. Mankind was created in God’s image, after His likeness. Created with the ability to believe, to reason, and to love.
God blessed them and gave them a mandate like the rest of His creation: be fruitful and multiply. However, He added one more point. He said, “Have dominion, rule, govern, the rest of creation. Specifically, rule over the plants and animals. Including every living thing that moves (or, crawls, creeps, glides swiftly across the ground) on the earth.”
All of God’s creation was placed into some kind of “family”. The dogs were in a family, the otters and the birds each had their own family; even whales were placed in a family. Though each species belonged to their own family, there was at least one common thread linking them back to their Creator. They each had the ability to reproduce after their own kind. Each species would continue God’s glorious creation! So to replicate what He began, He divided each species into two groups; male and female. Simply put, the male would bear the seed and the female would carry, and care for, the seed until gestation was finished.
And everything was great!
The Heavens and the Earth were in total harmony with each other. There was no question about what constituted a family, human rights, equal rights, or the like. God had established the Law of Life and, under His loving care, everything was “very good.”
However, man decided to listen to a particular serpent; one who yielded itself to be used by the devil. The devil, speaking through the serpent, suggested man’s “human rights” were being restricted, or violated, by the narrow minded Creator God. So the man and his wife believed him (remember, mankind was given the ability to believe) and yielded their “dominion, rule, and governing authority” over to the devil. Human rights were never the same.
Until Jesus.
Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save (restore) that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
The apostle John wrote, “For this purpose was the Son of God revealed; to destroy (undo) the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8Jesus came to restore to mankind their human rights! The right to believe, reason, and love life at its best! Live and love without regret, pain, hellish consequences; without eternal death. The right to live with purpose, dignity, and usefulness. The right to reproduce, spiritually and naturally, new, glorious life.
No one’s ever cared more about human rights than Jesus. His words to the Samaritan woman (John 4), the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7) and others indicate His care for each individual. But mankind, left to their own desires and opinions, cannot have true equality; cannot enjoy their true “human rights.” Selfishness, pride, greed, and lust will not allow people to treat others like they want to be treated. Instead, the “rule” is, “treat others like they’re going to treat you, only get to them first.” Mankind, without God’s active influence in their life, has a twisted opinion of equality. It has more to do with “my rights” than “our rights”, “my feelings and desires” verses “what’s best for society”, “my gratification” instead of “the Creator’s plan.”
The Lord has always desired equality for everyone. Regardless of sex, race, national origin, ethnicity, language, rich, poor, short, tall, bald, whatever! He wrote the book on it! He’s also the ONLY ONE Who can really set the moral standard for equality, for He is the ONLY ONE Who always has mankind’s best interest at heart.
Equality is tied directly to value and honor. Man, without God’s influence, will always value some more than others. We honor, prize, what we value. But God demonstrated our value to Him by giving His best, His Son, for us.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (or believe the wrong thing). Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Paul listed a group of people in which, without Christ’s forgiveness and restoration, we are all part of. See the equality? Those who were “washed and sanctified”, regardless of their past, now are equal in God’s sight. They each have the same “benefits” as everyone else in the Kingdom of God. In fact, they are “heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:17
There will be a Day, after all is said and done, when the Heavens and the Earth will once again be in total harmony with each other. All of Creation will be in unity, equality a non-issue, and redeemed humans experiencing the everlasting joy of fellowship with their Creator, Redeemer, and Savior.
With all the voices clamoring about equality and human rights, may we stop and hear God’s invitation to eternal life; planned before the foundation of the world.
God and man in eternal fellowship; the epitome of human rights.
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
