Devotions - Prayer

Business as Ministry

By Bob / May 30, 2024

Business as Ministry
by  Os Hillman

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

The Bible is very clear that the purpose for our work life is to reflect Christ in and through our lives. It is an attitude that says our work is to have an overriding “ministry” objective to it. Our work is our worship to God. These two words even originate from the same Hebrew word, avodah.

Robert Laidlaw was born in Scotland in 1885 but grew up in New Zealand. Born to Christian parents, he committed his life fully to the Lord when he was 17. Laidlaw began working in a hardware merchant company as a traveling sales representative when he was 19. Later he had the idea for a mail-order catalogue business that sold everything imaginable including underwear, groceries, cosmetics, and farm equipment, all at bargain-basement prices. His concept proved successful and his business later merged with the Farmer’s Union Trading Company. He became general manager and held that position for 50 years.

But this is not the most significant thing that can be said about Robert Laidlaw. He understood that his work life was a tool to affect others for Jesus Christ. He began giving ten percent of his income early in his business life. Later, however, he entered this into his journal: “September 1919, age twenty-five. I have decided to change my earlier graduated scale, and start now giving half (fifty percent) of all my earnings.” This he continued for the next 60 years. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 351.]

The result of that commitment was countless numbers affected for Jesus Christ through the resources he gave to mission groups and other worthy Christian causes. He was personally involved in ministry. He wrote a small book that gave a thoughtful answer to basic questions about life and faith. It was titled “The Reason Why.” Many hundreds of thousands came to faith in Christ because of this 46-page booklet. He publicly spoke to many of his faith in Christ and became very involved in the Soldier’s and Airmen’s Association when World War II broke out. Robert Laidlaw understood what it meant to view business with an overriding ministry objective.

Does the Lord have complete control of your life? If so, you will be able to see your work life as an extension of His life in you. Let the Lord live in and through your work life today.

 

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FILL UP WITH GOD

By Bob / May 29, 2024

God loves us the same as He loves Jesus.

God’s love is the key that opens the door to everything that God is. “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).

 

John 17:23 ” I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
God loves us the same as He loves Jesus.
**A true revelation of this will quicken our faith and allow us to walk in the fullness of God.

God’s love is the key that opens the door to everything that God is. “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).

God’s love is not one dimensional. There is width, length, depth and height to it, which can only be comprehended through the revelation and knowledge of the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays for us to know the love of God which passes knowledge.

Since a true revelation of God’s love makes us full with the fullness of God, then a lack of being full of God must mean that we lack understanding and experience of God’s love.

The end result of having understanding and experiential knowledge of God’s love is that we will be filled with all the fullness of God.

In 2016 God has shown us that He has not equally distributed gifts, talents or intelligence, but He has equally distributed Himself to all that want Him as their Savior. Our sense of worth comes from knowing who we are as children of God.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1).

Lord, thank You for Your unconditional love.  Help me daily to share Your love with others that they too will come to know You as their personal Savior.  May they experience true love which only You the Heavenly Father can give.  And help us not compare our love experiences here on earth with Your Perfect Love.. Amen

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FREE FROM BONDAGE

By Bob / May 28, 2024

Loving God with “all our heart” doesn’t just mean inviting Him into our hearts. It also means allowing Him to be the motivation for all our choices.

“Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.”Psalm 73:23-24
How to stay free from bondage and captivity.

Sometimes the emotional baggage that we grew up with can cause us to have certain patterns of living.
For instance, some might have experienced a series of disappointments that must be fought against.

*Is there a way not only to break free but to stay free?
*Is there a way not only to gain the victory but to keep the victory?
*Is there a way for us to find glorious, overcoming, sustained, powerful, lifelong victory in Jesus Christ?

You might think it will take ten years of counseling to attain victory, or twenty years for the maturation process to take place in your life, but Jesus can come in and instantly set you free.

Jesus will not only set you free but He will keep you walking in that freedom.

When Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to oversee the rebuilding of the walls, everyone seemed to think it was going to be a long process.
The people accompanying Nehemiah, mostly slaves and servants, did not have many resources but they set their mind to work.
They had a passion in their soul for the things of God and they rebuilt the walls of the city in just fifty-two days.

We need to have that same kind of passion, the kind of mindset that says,
***“It’s not about me, it’s all about Jesus.
*** It’s not about my purposes, plans and ambitions, it’s all about Him.”

Set your eyes on Jesus and He will establish you and cause you to prosper. He will cause you to be raised up and set free and He will enable you to stay free in the things of God.

“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Amen

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THE BATTLE IS IN THE MIND

By Bob / May 25, 2024

Matthew 21:21 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
Jesus makes it very clear that we must have faith and doubt not.

Every believer has faith, but most believers also have an abundance of doubt that negates their faith.

*It is when we purify our faith and only believe, that victory comes.

How you View God and how you view yourself will determine your success.

Every Christian is at war.  There is a perpetual struggle against Satan.

*Our enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8).
*Those who resist the devil will see him flee (Jas. 4:7).

The only ones whom he devours are those who don’t actively fight against him.

 

The mind is the battlefield where thoughts and reasoning’s that are contrary to God’s Word, need to be captured and submitted to Christ, our Commander.

 

*Our battle against the devil takes place right between our ears.

The spiritual weapons given to us are designed for the express purpose of taking EVERY thought captive and making them obedient to Christ.

Keeping our minds completely stayed upon the Lord is an obtainable goal.

These weapons of ours are for the casting down of two things:

1. Imaginations
2. Every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
**Both of these areas are dealing with the mind.

Focus on the good in every area of your life.

 

Failure to recognize God’s blessings in every day living will cause fear and anxiety.
Recognizing God’s hand in even the smallest thing will cause peace and keep our hearts and minds following hard after the Lord.

Instead of talking to God about how big your problems are, talk to your problems about how big your God is!

Don’t let the devil steal anymore of your joy.
*Block your ears to his deceits!
*No one but the Lord knows your future.

***And as a loving Father HE only has good plans for you!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Father, thank You for Your Word which is life to my spirit. I receive Your strength today and choose to speak to the mountain before me. Thank You for victory on the cross and for Your Resurrection so I can move forward in the good plan You have for me in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Read:  1 John 4:4 and see we fight FROM Victory—not For Victory!

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NO CONDEMNATION IN JESUS!

By Bob / May 23, 2024

So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life union with Jesus the anointed. Romans 8:1

We each have moments when we start feeling overwhelmed by condemnation. Thoughts run through our heads like, “I wish I hadn’t done that,” or, “I could have done that better.”

You know, sometimes, after you’ve gone through the process of prayer, repentance, forgiveness, release, and so on, you have to choose to just shake it off.

If satan can’t keep you from repenting, he’ll try to trap you with a worldly sorrow that is non-productive; it paralyzes you with feeling terrible about yourself and a sense that you’ll never be anything significant.

But this is not God’s desire for you. Godly sorrow leads to repentance, and repentance leads to redemption.

 

When something like this happens, there are steps we can and should take – we forgive ourselves, we forgive others, we make things right if we need to. But then there comes a point where we simply have to shake it off. We can’t walk around dragging garbage and baggage.

We have one Justifier; we have a Redeemer. If we wallow in the mess we were caught in or a past situation, then we hinder the Redeemer’s anointing from activating in our lives. When we release it, God silences the accusing voice of condemnation, just as our opening verse says. “There remains no accusing voice”.

A little further in the Romans 8 passage, we read these amazing words: “You have received the spirit of full acceptance, enfolding you into the family of God, and you will never feel orphaned; for as He rises up within us, our spirits join in saying the words of tender affection, ‘Beloved Father.’ For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as He whispers into our inner most being.”

God wants to root out the orphan spirit in you and in the entire Body of Christ. He wants you to recognize that you are not a victim and that you don’t need to get caught in the trap of victimizing yourself. You are called to be whole, and you are unconditionally loved.

Father, I thank You that today we will feel totally accepted. Help us to reach a place where we feel accepted by You and by others. Thank You for uprooting the orphan spirit from our hearts. I thank You for this movement of the Holy Spirit bringing renewed passion for God as we recognize that we can feel close to Him, that we are 100% accepted. Help us remember that we are never alone and that God has never left us. We decree that we are not orphans; we belong to our heavenly Father. Amen.

 

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PEACE

By Bob / May 21, 2024

Matthew 5:9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
The Father is the great Peace Maker.  But, that peace came at a great cost. 
Colossians 1 teaches us that the cost to God of reconciling (making peace) with us was Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross. 

Jesus has enabled anyone who will trust Him for forgiveness and healing and freedom, to be at peace with God.
2 Corinthians 5:20. “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Only when our hearts are ruled by God’s Love are we given the hope that transcends emotion or circumstance.

  “…we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts…” Romans 5:3-5

Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.    

 

One thing that people all over the world today are striving for is security, but here is an offer of total security.

You’ll live in safety; you’ll be at ease, without fear of harm. Not merely will you be physically safe, but you’ll be free from worry and anxiety and care.


What’s the secret?

*The secret is listening to the right voice.
*That’s the voice of divine wisdom speaking through the pages of Scripture, offering that promise of total security and ongoing, uninterrupted emotional stability and peace.

How can you find that?

*You can’t find it in the world’s system, in the world’s provisions.

*The world can offer temporary stability, temporary security, but nothing that’s permanent.

***The only pathway to permanent stability, security, peace of mind is to listen to the voice of divine wisdom speaking through the pages of Scripture and then to do what wisdom enjoys.

 

John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

*The peace can only be made with our dependence to God.

 

Thank You Jesus for Your word!    THE BIBLE (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)!  I believe the Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of life, the doom of sinners, the happiness of believers.  I Read it to be wise.  Believe it to be safe —-Practice it to be holy.  The Bible gives light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you.  Amen!!!

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KEEP MOVING FORWARD

By Bob / May 19, 2024

“Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” – Exodus 14:15

Moses had brought the whole nation of Israel, approximately 600,000, to a dead end in the desert.
The only thing between Israel and Pharaoh’s pursuing army was the Red Sea.

Panic set in. The defenseless Israelites cried out,
“Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?…It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Ex. 14:11b-12)

 

God sometimes brings each of us to a “Red Sea” in our life.
*It may be a work problem that can’t be solved.
*It may be a marriage that seems to be failing.
*It may be a debilitating disease.

**Whatever your Red Sea, God tells us one thing: Keep moving forward.


The Red Sea was before them, yet God was angered at Moses and told him to “Keep moving.”

“But Lord, the Red Sea is before me.” “Keep moving.”
When we live by sight, we act on what we see.   God sets this stage in dramatic fashion. God is into the dramatic. There is no way out without God here. That is just the way He wants it. No one will get glory except God.
There is great healing when we look past our own problems and seek to invest ourselves in others for the sake of Christ.

 

This is when our own Red Seas become parted.
*We begin to walk to freedom. But we will never experience the miracle of the Red Sea in our lives if we don’t first “Keep moving forward.
There is an issue that you must settle in your own mind and heart.  There are just some things that you cannot fix or make different.  You can  only make decisions  about the things that are yours to deal with, and that does  not include other people and their choices.

Psalms 118:8   It is better  to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Amen

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DESTROY DOUBT

By Bob / May 18, 2024

Matthew 17:20 “You do not have enough faith, Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as a small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

 

If we are facing a problem that seems as big and immovable as a mountain, turn our eyes from the mountain and look to Christ for more faith.

Only then will we be able to overcome the obstacles that may stand in our way.

  • There is great potential in even a little faith when we trust in God’s power to act.
  • We need to trust in God’s power not our own ability to produce results.

 

Acts 1:8 But you(apostles) will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
We can always look around and find plenty of Christians who are not using this power, but 2 Corinthians 10:12 says that comparing ourselves among ourselves is not wise.
Most Christians are living so far below what God intended for them that when someone begins to live a normal Christian life (according to God’s standard), then everyone thinks he’s abnormal.
We will be successful when we not only build our faith but destroy our doubts.
One reason we are so prone to doubt is that we fail to see God at work in our circumstances.

  • We asked, and nothing happened.
  • But the Lord is not some cosmic bellhop who jumps in response to our requests.
  • He sees past, present, and future and knows the right time for every answer.
  • His invisible hand is already at work on our behalf—arranging situations to accomplish His will, opening hearts, and preparing us to receive what He wants to give.

If we don’t know God’s ways, we will be disappointed in His response.  (see Hosea 4:6)

All too often our prayers are accompanied by expectations of how He will work. When He fails to intervene according to our timetable or anticipated method, we start to doubt.

But placing our faith in the Lord and trusting in His good and perfect ways gives us stability as we wait for His answer.
To overcome doubts, spend time in the Word to learn God’s principles and ways. Then you’ll begin to grasp what He wants to achieve in your life and how He goes about it.

Thank You Jesus for all the answered prayers of the past that I just took for granted. Amen

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SET FREE!

By Bob / May 17, 2024

Have you been set free?

You probably think, “Of course! I’ve been washed, redeemed, made holy by Jesus, and I live for Him. ”

Now here’s a follow-up question: Does your everyday life reflect the glorious freedom you have just described?

*Would your friends, your spouse, your children say you’ve been set free?

**Or are you like multitudes of Christians who feel they are on a spiritual seesaw?

Is your walk with Christ continually up and down, seemingly spiritual one moment and carnal the next?
We accept by faith the great truths about Jesus’ work for us—salvation, redemption, sanctification, deliverance. Yet for many of us, these are“spiritual truths” that exist in another world.

We sing and rejoice at church each week over what Jesus has done for us—but is His gift of freedom a reality in our daily lives?

At times we all struggle to remain pure in thoughts and actions. Maybe this week you said something unkind to your spouse and you have been stewing, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I be a blessing in my marriage?”

Whenever we fail in our walk with God, we wonder
, “Has God really set me free?”

Perhaps at times you even question your salvation.

Now that isn’t freedom.   I have been there way to often.

So what does it mean to really be set free in Christ?

The first evidence of this comes from Jesus, who says, “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? . . . Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:27, 33,).
Christ offers the same words to all of us who fret about our spiritual lives:
Do not be anxious! It does not matter how broken down you feel about your walk with Him. He declares, “You are a new creation” (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).
The moment you chose to follow Jesus, He made you new—and that never changes. (Read Eph. 2:1-10)

Thank You Jesus for the personal relationship we have and may we become more and more as ONE each passing day for Your Glory and my Joy!    Thank You Jesus for the Freedom I know I have in Knowing You!  Amen

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FORGIVENESS OF PAST SINS

By Bob / May 13, 2024

In the Bible, God’s Life is often referred to as a “fountain of living water” welling up and filling us to overflowing.
* “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’ “John 7:38

I spent many years regretting sins from my past; sins that had hurt others and myself.
Day after day I would replay my decisions. Two decades later, the sting of past sin still had a hold on me.

Yet I knew God had forgiven me; I’d asked Him to. So why couldn’t I accept the freedom of His forgiveness?
I wanted so badly to believe I was the person David mentions in Psalm 32:2,“Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”
Yet I struggled with accepting that God’s grace could erase my sin, wiping it away as if it never happened.
I think for many of us, this is hard to do. It sounds all well and good, but in reality we are still carrying the weight of sin we can’t seem to forget or forgive ourselves for.

Yet, His Word assures us that God does not count our sin against us. So how can we live in this truth?

I’ve  discovered through our key verse that the first step is acknowledging our sins: to ourselves and to God.

1. Confession reconciles our heart with God’s heart.

2. The next thing is to begin filling our heart and mind with truth.

Throughout the Bible, God teaches how an unaccepting heart can be changed and softened to accept His forgiveness.

The following verses are truths from a loving God who longs to transform our lives through the grace of His forgiveness.

My God doesn’t condemn.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

My master is grace not sin.
“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14

My Savior Jesus has set me free, therefore I am free
.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

Isaiah 44:22 “I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”

Dear Lord, by faith I accept Your forgiveness and refuse to be a slave to forgiven sin any longer. Today, I confess and move on!  I commit to believing Your transforming truths to live fully and freely in Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen



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HEAVEN FOREVER

By Bob / May 8, 2024

Psalms 23:6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

-We will live in Heaven forever

Matthew 22:29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

-There will be no marriage in Heaven, and we will be like the angels.

John 14:2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

-Jesus prepares a place for us in Heaven, in which there are many rooms.
Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
-Our citizenship is in Heaven where our earthly bodies will be transformed to be glorious like Jesus’

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

-We will never hunger or thirst when in Heaven.

Revelation 7:16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. 17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
-There is a crown of righteousness in store for us in Heaven that God will reward us with.
Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
-There will be no death, mourning, crying, or pain in Heaven.
Revelation 21:22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. (Read throgh verse 27)
-There will be nothing impure in Heaven, and only those whose name is written in the Lamb’s book of life will be allowed in

 

Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your Word and the Promises we have after this life here on earth.  Help us share this great news with as many as possible.  Amen

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MORE LIKE JESUS

By Bob / May 7, 2024

Paul testified, “It pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb,and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him” (Galatians 1:15-16).

Paul was saying, “I have within me much more than some doctrine somebody thought up, more than just a head knowledge of Christ.
*I have a revelation of who Christ is—
*A revelation of His grace, mercy and love.
**And this revelation has become the very source of all I am and do.
**It’s the very essence of my life!”

The revelation of God’s glory is indeed wondrous. Yet many have turned that very revelation into a license to sin.

Jude describes people “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4).

 

According to Paul, such people sin “that grace may abound” (Romans 6:1).
*They are saying, in essence, “If God loves to express Himself through mercy and forgiveness, then I’m going to give Him every opportunity. I’m going to sin and let Him keep loving me, so that grace will flow.

What a testimony to the world that will be. I Will(see the I) be an object of all that love coming down from heaven.”

Such people are easy to spot. Their expression gives them away.
*Whatever is in your heart is going to reveal itself in your countenance.”


Proverbs 19:22a, says, “What a person desires is unfailing love.”

*Unfailing love is mentioned over 30 times in the Bible, and not once is it attributed to a person. It is only attributed to God.

God gave us a desire for unfailing love because He knew it would lead us back to Him.

His love draws us to Him. Only we can stop God from reaching the deep and hidden parts within us that need Him most.
Thank You Jesus!!!!! YOU ARE AWESOME!

*My Testimony is that I’m already paid for by the blood of Jesus!

Freedom in Christ!

1. “ANY trial is just a test for my promotion. After my manifestation of the “win” I’m STRONGER!!!”
2. God’s financial plan is the only plan that won’t fail!
3. STOP pushing the panic button! The panic button takes God out of the equation.
4. *A lie can stop my freedom
5. The Truth is not a saying, but Truth is a  personJohn 14:6 Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Amen

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Reconciling People to God

By Bob / May 5, 2024

Always be on the lookout for anything that takes your “peace” away, and then ask God to reveal what’s going on inside the hidden chambers of your soul.
*  “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.” Psalm 42:5

*You must have peace with God– to have peace of God.
The more sensitive we become to the Holy Spirit’s leading, the better we are able to walk in the world with peace and assurance as true sons of God.

JOHN 20:21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

The dictionary states that to reconcile means to re-establish friendship between; to settle or resolve, as a dispute.
The key to reconciliation is to effectively deal with the enmity, ill will, hatred, or hostility that caused the dispute, etc.

2 Corinthians 5:18 -19

*May we be quick to forgive and reconcile with those we are at odds with.

The enmity between man and God was SIN.

*God took the initiative to remove this barrier through the means and agency of Jesus Christ, thus leaving man and God as friends once again.
We have received the ministry of reconciliation.
*That means we are in the ministry of reconciling people to God.
Imputing people’s sins unto them was not the way God used Jesus to reconcile the world unto Himself.

**We should not focus on the problem of sin, but on the answer of God’s grace (Rom. 5:20).

Our real job as ministers of reconciliation is to announce the good NEWS, which is an accomplished fact – that sin has already been dealt with through the person of Christ.

 

No matter how far you have wandered, as long as you still draw breathe, it is never too late to go back to God.
*Come, put down your pride and accept the gift of grace and love He has poured out for you and me.

Ephesians 2:16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

Lord, help me see each day that-Peace comes from the relationship I have with You!   Lord, help me to stop worrying about others and start worrying about me and my relationship with You.  Amen

 

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A Holy Partnership

By Bob / May 4, 2024

“Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself.”
Ephesians 5:33
To properly define the God‐ordained role of husbands, there’s no better place to turn than Scripture. The apostle Paul instructs: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy. . . . In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies” (Ephesians 5:25–28).

Paul also tells us “the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church” (Ephesians 5:23).
Here’s the bottom line of your responsibility as a husband:

  • You are charged with the holy, loving leadership of your wife. There is nothing dictatorial or selfish in this prescription!
  • Your love is to be so strong that it mirrors Christ’s love for the church, so committed that you would unquestioningly die to save her, and so powerful that it is indistinguishable from love of your self.

What a challenge! And what a privilege to join with God and your wife in this holy partnership! For as you fulfill your role as head of the house, you’ll encounter blessings you never imagined.
Ask yourselves . . .

• (husband) What has been my most “shining moment” as your husband?
• (husband) Do you feel my love for you meets this scriptural ideal?
• (wife) How do you feel about the responsibility God gives husbands?
• (wife) How can I encourage you in this role?
“Husbands, in the same way [be submissive] as you live together with your wives . . .” be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble”. 1 Peter 3:7-8

The NLT captures this meaning in their translation:. . . you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. 1 Peter 3:7

Heavenly Father, You have given me an awesome and holy responsibility to love my wife just as Christ loved the church. Help me to follow Christ’s perfect example as I learn to increase my love for my mate. Amen

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He Knows Your Need

By Bob / May 2, 2024

By John Piper

Do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.(Matthew 6:31–32)
Jesus wants his followers to be free from worry. In Matthew 6:25–34, he gives at least seven arguments designed to take away our anxiety. One of them lists food and drink and clothing, and then says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:32).
Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. And this Father is better than an earthly father.
I (John Piper)  have five children. I love to meet their needs. But my knowing falls short of God’s in at least three ways.
First, right now I don’t know where any of them is. I could guess. They’re in their homes or at work or school, healthy and safe. But they might be lying on a sidewalk with a heart attack.
Second, I don’t know what is in their heart at any given moment. I can guess from time to time. But they may be feeling some fear or hurt or anger or lust or greed or joy or hope. I can’t see their hearts.
Third, I don’t know their future. Right now they may seem well and steady. But tomorrow some great sorrow may befall them.
This means I can’t be for them a very strong reason for not worrying. There are things that may be happening to them now or may happen tomorrow that I do not even know about. But it is totally different with their Father in heaven. He knows everything about them now and tomorrow, inside and out. He sees every need.
Add to that, his huge eagerness to meet their needs (the “much more” of Matthew 6:30).
Add to that his complete ability to do what he is eager to do (he feeds billions of birds hourly, Matthew 6:26).
So join me in trusting the promise of Jesus to meet our needs. That’s what Jesus is calling for when he says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

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