Devotions - Prayer

HOW TO RESTORE A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP

By Bob / September 1, 2024

For One Cause—CHRIST!  

 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.” (Colossians 2:2)

 HOW TO RESTORE A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP

1  Talk to GOD before talking to the person.

In doing so, you may find a change of heart or the other person may have changed without your help.

This may provide you the clarity you need.

2.    Always take the initiative.

Make the first move; don’t wait for the other party. By delaying it deepens resentment and makes matters worse.

Acting quickly reduces the damage.

3.    Sympathize with their feelings.

Listen first. Hear what they are feeling. Focus on their feelings and not the facts.

Begin with sympathy; not the solutions.

4.    Confess your part of the conflict.

Admit your own mistakes. Determine how much of the problem is actually your fault or issue.

5.    Attack the problem, not the person.

You cannot fix the problem if you are fixing blame. Choose between the two.

How you say things is as important as what you say.

6.    Cooperate as much as possible.

Sometimes it costs us our pride; often our self-centeredness.

Do your best to compromise, adjust to others and show preference to their needs.

Lord, help me guard my heart above all else, for it determines the course of my life.  Help me restore relationships that I may serve the Body of Christ as You have intended me too.  Lord, continue to teach me about Your perfect Character through the Beatitudes in Mat. 5:3-12.  Help me to become more and more like You each day.  Amen

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Forgiveness

By Bob / August 30, 2024

Ephesians 4:30-32  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

  What a marvelous understanding of the nature of sin and the character of God’s forgiveness is found in these verses!

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1-2).

There are three things David asks for.

1. First, he understands that sin is like a crime.
If criminals are to be delivered from the effects of their crime, they do not need justice but mercy. Sin is an illegal act, a violation of justice, and an act of lawlessness and rebellion and therefore requires mercy.

2. Then he says, “Blot out my transgressions,” and thereby he reveals that he understands sin is like a debt.  It is something owed, an account that has accumulated and needs to be erased.
3.  Finally he cries, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
He understands that sin is like an ugly stain, a defilement upon the soul.
Even though the act fades into the past, the dirty defiling stain remains a stigma upon the heart. So he cries out and asks to be delivered from these things.

 

Notice that David understands well the basis for forgiveness. He asks on the basis of two things:

First, “according to your unfailing love.”

He understands that he himself deserves nothing from God, that God is not bound to forgive him.

Some people are never able to realize forgiveness because they think they deserve it, that God owes it to them. But David knows better. He realizes that only because of God’s love may he even approach God to ask.
On the basis of that unqualified acceptance, that marvelous continuing love-that-will-not-let-me-go, he says to God, “I am coming to you and asking now for this.”

Second, as David appeals to God “according to your great compassion,” he again indicates his understanding of the character of God.

When God forgives, He forgives beyond our utmost imaginings.

 

What relief comes when we begin to understand this fullness of God’s forgiveness.

Father, thank You that I can come to You with my sin and cry out for mercy and love. Your love is steadfast; your mercy is abundant. I trust that You are always willing to forgive. Amen
READ PSALMS 32 AND GET SOME FREEDOM FROM THE WORD!

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Why Read the Bible

By Bob / August 29, 2024

To know the mysteries Christ has for us.

 

We can know the mysteries Christ has for us and they will be revealed as we dig deeper into the Word.
* It doesn’t matter where you are God has a plan for your life. God sees all- no matter what.

Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
“Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests;

In Psalms 43:3-4 — The truth is God’s Word; the Light is your understanding of it.
The psalmist cries out for an understanding of the Word as he reads it and for light, which breaks out of these marvelous promises to encourage and strengthen his heart.

1 Corinthians 4:6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.

* So many Christians over-complicate the Bible by looking for hidden meanings, praying for “special revelations” or “new understandings”, or they think you have to go to Bible college to understand God’s Word.

*The Bible is written in a way that speaks clearly to anyone who is seeking the truthyou don’t have to be an “expert”. The most important thing is to OBJECTIVELY seek the truth, keep in mind the context of the passage as well as the entirety of the Bible, and allow the Holy Spirit to give understanding.

To the Ephesians he said, “When you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3).

Romans 15:4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.


*Scripture speaks in numerous passages about “our light and momentary troubles that are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Lord,” Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” Col. 3:16 Amen

Read a Proverb a day for a year if you are hungry to receive additional  Godly Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment and the will of God for you.

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A HEART OF GRATITUDE

By Bob / August 28, 2024

God wants us to be intentional about our thankfulness every day.

God wants us to develop this spiritual habit, one that is reflected in the life of a radical believer.

The truth is, the more deeply you understand God’s love, the more grateful you’re going to be.
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. That’s radical gratitude. In all circumstances give thanks, because it’s God’s will for you.
You can thank God in every circumstance because God is in control.

He can bring good out of evil. He can turn around the stupid mistakes you’ve made. No matter what happens, God isn’t going to stop loving you. There are a hundred things to be thankful for in any circumstance, even when the circumstance stinks.
Radical gratitude — being thankful in all circumstances — is God’s will because it creates fellowship. Gratitude always builds deeper relationships between you and other people and between you and God.
Whoever you want to get closer to, start expressing gratitude to that person.

If you’ve taken for granted your husband or your wife, or your parents or your friends, you need to start doing what you did when you first met them: Express gratitude.  Write little notes of kindness and encouragement.  Make calls or text during the day, just to tell him or her that you’re thankful. Do the things you did at first. The reason you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling is because you stopped doing the things that created that lovin’ feeling early on, and you take each other for granted.
Do you want to build your small group? Don’t just go to small group. During the week, text them, email them, call them, write them. Say, “I’m grateful for you, and here’s why.” You’ll find that the more grateful you are for your group, the more your group will bond.
The Bible tells us to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

As you build others up, you’ll find that God builds into your life as well through your deep relationships with him and others.‎

Lord, give me a deeper respect for you and the encouragement you instruct us to give others in building up of your body.  Help me to have a heart of gratitude in all circumstances.  Amen

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LOVE COMES FIRST

By Bob / August 27, 2024

In the body of Christ, we are told to  love others as Christ loves us.  It is our responsibility to get informed, to love as Christ did through the knowledge He has given in His Word.  It is a Choice!

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Jesus didn’t say that all men would know we are His disciples by our doctrine, our rituals, our hatred for sin, or even by the way we express our love for God.

Jesus  said very clearly, that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers, is our love, one for another.

The only way that Christ’s body will be one as the Father and Jesus are One, is through God’s kind of love.

Unity of believers, that can only come through a genuine God-kind of love, is the greatest tool for evangelism that the church has or will ever have, according to Jesus.

*The early church didn’t have the massive organizational structures that we see today or the ability to travel anywhere in the world in just a matter of hours.

Before we can ever fulfill the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20, there must be a revival of love in the church, where doctrine and ritual take a “back seat” to love for one another.

Let us weep and mourn for those who once walked with Jesus and have turned again to their own foolishness.
*Their eyes have grown dull and their hearts have grown cold to the reality of His kingdom.
*Let’s pray that Everyone, hear the Lord’s call to wake up and know the times and seasons and understand the futility of carnal living.

*Let’s Stir up our faith and rise again to acknowledge the Lord’s presence and power.

Let’s Trust in the Lord to direct us and keep us on the right path.

2 Peter 2:21-22 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

What a life it would be without our Lord Jesus Christ.  If we do not CHOOSE Christ what a serious and deadly problem we would have.

All the Bible just like all life is a history of choices and the consequences of those choices we individually make.

Lord, open my eyes daily to make the right choices and help me bring others into the light by BEING  a living light myself.  Help me understand your 10 commandments more each day and encourage us all to get them back into practice.   Amen

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Our Work Versus Our Value

By Bob / August 26, 2024

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15

Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship.

When we go outside God’s provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.

Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts.

Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden.
He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden.
God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.

The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life.

*This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, “As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others.”

This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.

**Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do.

 

If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him.
It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes.
Even difficult times have purposes.

 

Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

 

-Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life.

Is Christ the central focus?

 

Lord, guide my steps daily and bring  about the balance I so need.  Amen

 

 

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JESUS KNOWS!

By Bob / August 25, 2024

God’s Love doesn’t just fall out of heaven, It comes through us! We are the Body of Christ on earth, and His hand outstretched to heal.

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us…” 2 Corinthians 5:20

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.

Jesus understands precisely how we feel because He went through the same types of situations we do.
Though details of our lives may not match His, the experiences and feelings are alike.

 

Let’s look at several examples of how Jesus identifies with us:

Misunderstanding: People constantly misunderstood His claims to be the Son of God.
Rejection: He was unappreciated by the ones He came to love and die for.
Pressure: Crowds surrounded Him, begging for help and demanding His attention.
Exhaustion: He experienced all the weakness of humanity.
• Loneliness: At Gethsemane, when He needed human companionship the most, His closest friends fell asleep.
• Temptation: Satan hit Him with every imaginable type of attack and temptation. Jesus quoted Scripture each time.
• Hatred: Religious leaders despised Him.
• Injustice: Though Jesus lived a sinless life, He died a criminal’s death.
• Pain: He suffered the excruciating pain of scourging and crucifixion.
Whatever you’re going through right now, remember that Jesus knows how you feel and sympathizes with your pain and weakness.

Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
Jesus may not remove the anguish or change your situation, but He’ll always give you the grace to resist temptation, endure suffering, and grow in spiritual maturity.

Lord I thank you for the strength you give me in the midst of trouble for I am reminded the joy of The Lord is my strength. Amen
See Philippians 4:4-7

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Reflect His Image

By Bob / August 24, 2024

God crafted us to reflect His image, not create our own.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Living fully in the knowledge that we are one of God’s wondrous works is our greatest praise to Him!

It’s in becoming our truest, God-created selves, reflecting His image in the gifts and wiring He’s given us, that we’ll connect most deeply with our Creator and with others.

John 7:15 “And the Jews marveled, saying, How does he know so much when he has not been trained?” 16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me.
Jesus received His wisdom and knowledge by direct revelation from the Spirit of God rather than by the teachings of man.
• Jesus had been learning, but not through man.
• The Holy Spirit was His teacher.

Jesus had to be taught the things of God.
Jesus’ spirit man was 100% God and had all of the wisdom and understanding of God in it, but it was manifest in natural flesh. It wasn’t sinful flesh but it was flesh, nonetheless, and had to be educated.

Jesus was not taught by man, but He was taught by the direct revelation of the Holy Spirit. The knowledge was within Him but it had to be drawn out.

 

At the new birth, a born-again man’s spirit “is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10).
“We have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), and “an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 Jn. 2:20).
All of these things are a reality in our spiritual man. However, just as Jesus had to be taught, so we must draw this wisdom and knowledge out of our spirits and renew our minds with it (Rom. 12:2).
This is one of the main ministries of the Holy Spirit to the believer.

Through the new birth, we have received the mind of Christ in our spirit man and are in the process of growing in wisdom by drawing this knowledge out of our spirits and renewing (or reprogramming) our minds. This wisdom has to be drawn out by faith, time spent in the Word, and prayer.

A changed life convinces people of Christ’s power.

One of our greatest testimonies is the difference others see in our life and attitudes since we have believed in Christ.

Lord,  I long to walk in freedom and to become the person you intended me to be when You wove me together. Help me be authentic, instead of shape-shifting to please others or to attain an impossible image. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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My Testimony

By Bob / August 23, 2024

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

Revelations 12:11 But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

The greatest power is God’s blood—-Jesus shed Blood on the Cross.

*Blood is a substance, Faith is the KEY.
*Blood brings deliverance and healing.
*The blood brings access for us to God.

A time-honored, effective method of evangelism is your personal testimony.

Remember you are God’s Ambassador now and bring a message of reconciliation, healing and hope to all who are open to hear.  The result is we have the privilege of bringing God to people and people to God.  (See 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Consider these five suggestions:

1. You want to be listened to, so be interesting.

2. You want to be understood, so be logical.

Think of your salvation in three phases and construct your testimony accordingly:

(a) before you were born again—the struggles within, the loneliness, lack of peace, absence of love, unrest, and fears;

(b) the decision that revolutionized your life; and

(c) the change—the difference it has made since you received Christ.

(Read Ephesians 2:1-10 for who we all were and now who we have become.)

3. You want the moment of your new birth to be clear, so be specific.

Don’t be vague. Speak of Christ.  Emphasize faith more than feeling.

4. You want your testimony to be used, so be practical.

Be human and honest as you talk. Don’t promise, “All your problems will end if you will become a Christian,” for that isn’t true. Try to think as unbelievers think. (Read 1 John 3:1-3)

5. You want your testimony to produce results, so be warm and genuine.

A smile breaks down more barriers than the hammer blows of cold, hard facts.Let your enthusiasm flow freely.

Above all, be positive and courteous(accept whatever comes our way because of our loyalty to Jesus Christ). Absolutely refuse to argue. Nobody I ever met was “arm wrestled” into the kingdom.  Trust in the Holy Spirit to move in their life.

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against  you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the  LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.  Amen

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“Raising Children in a Godless Age.”

By Bob / August 22, 2024

Rev. Billy Graham, said that our children are growing up in a “lawless and wicked age,” infused with the “philosophy of the Devil, who says, ‘Do as you please.’”

Further, rearing children in this culture is difficult because “we have taken God out of our educational systems and thought we could get away with it,” said Rev. Graham.

“We have sown the wind, and we are now reaping the whirlwind. We have laughed at God, religion and the Bible.”

“Many Christian parents are becoming fearful that they cannot properly train their children in this lawless and wicked age,” and are asking, “What can I do with my son? My daughter?” said Rev. Graham.
“We are beginning to reap what has been sown for the past generation,” he said. “We have taught the philosophy of the Devil, who says, ‘Do as you please.’

Behaviorism has been the moral philosophy of much of our education in the past few years.”

Rev. Graham continued, “Many of our educational leaders sneer at the old-fashioned idea of God and a moral code.

Movies feature sex, sin, crime and alcohol.

Teenagers see these things portrayed alluringly on the screen and decide to go and try them.

Newspapers have played up crime and sex until they seem glamorous to our young people.”
One of the fundamental problems, according to Rev. Graham, is the failure of parents to fight “the Devil in the home” through discipline and, as a result, “children are allowed to go wild.”
Parents must spend time with their children, set a good example for them, discipline them, and teach them to “know God,” said the pastor, who has five children and 19 grandchildren.

“If you fail to discipline your children, you are breaking the laws, commandments and statutes of God,” said Rev. Graham. “You are guilty not only of injuring the moral, spiritual and physical lives of your children, but of sinning against God.

The Bible says that if you fail to discipline your children, you actually hate them.”

The best way to influence your children, he added, is to set a good example because “the majority of children acquire the characteristics and habits of their parents.”
As for teaching your children to know God, Rev. Graham said, “Very seldom do parents have trouble with children when the Bible is read regularly in the home, grace is said at the table and family prayers take place daily.

Most trouble with teenagers comes from children reared in homes where prayer is neglected, the Bible is never opened and church attendance is spasmodic.

Christ gives the moral stability, understanding, wisdom and patience needed to rear children.”

There is only one solution to combating the problems afflicting young people, concluded Rev. Graham, and that answer is Christ: “Christ in the home, in the lives of the parents, is the only permanent solution to the menacing teenage social problems in America.”
Church every Sunday and daily prayer “will solve 90 percent of the problems you have with your children,” he said.

For teens who want true joy and happiness, and not the temporary intoxications of today’s sinful culture, they should turn to Jesus Christ. He “can give you the greatest happiness, the greatest adventure and the greatest thrills you have ever known,” said Rev. Graham.

END
WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS NOT MORE “SELF-HELP BUT THE LORD’S HELP!
READ COLOSSIANS 2:2-3

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THE WORD OF GOD

By Bob / August 19, 2024

Even though a faith choice is much harder to make, it is the only choice that will align us with God’s Will.
** “But he who listens to Me shall live securely, and shall be at ease form the dread of evil.”  Proverbs 1:33

MATTHEW 26:75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.


It’s not the Bible lying on your coffee table that makes the enemy flee, but the Word of God hidden in your heart, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and spoken in the appropriate situation.
It’s similar to what Jesus says in John 6:63, that “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.”
The words that we speak from the written Word of God are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The Word by itself doesn’t make us free. It is the Word we know and speak that will deliver us (Jn. 8:32).


Why is the Word so effective?

*Because it is the WORD of God.  The Word of God is the Sword which is Part of the Armor we need to put on each day. (Ephesian 6)
*It has authority, because it is indeed the WORD of God.
God’s Word supersedes all authority of the church, of reason, of intellect, and even of Satan. That’s why it is so effective.

In Luke, chapter four, when Jesus was tempted of the devil for forty days, it was the Word of God that Jesus used to defeat the enemy at His temptation.

Jesus constantly met His temptation by quoting from God’s Word as He repeatedly stated the phrase, —————“It is written.”
Likewise, the Christian soldier must avail himself of God’s Word by placing it in his heart so that the Holy Spirit may bring it forth at the appropriate time to accomplish a complete and total victory.
*Take your stand on God’s Word and allow nothing to undermine your faith in any way.

 

Lord,  Thank You for Your WORD –sending your son Jesus to die for my sins  and forgiving me for the times that I denied you just as Peter was forgiven.  In JESUS Holy name I pray, AMEN!!!

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Pharisees in the Church?

By Bob / August 18, 2024

The Pharisees were men who had dedicated their lives to the study of Scripture.

They took a solemn vow before three witnesses to spend every moment of their lives obeying the Ten Commandments. That is not to say they succeeded, because clearly they did not. But that is at least what they tried to do. And with a few exceptions, such as Nicodemus, these Pharisees—these religious expertshad hard hearts.  Read Romans 1:18 on for what happens with hard hearts.
What is ironic is they spent their time studying the Scriptures. These men, immersed in such a spiritual endeavor, had hearts that were so hard, they attributed to the devil that which was being done by God.
This reminds us that the church can be a dangerous place for us today.

  • It is a place where we honor God.
  • It is a place where the Word of God goes out.
  • And we have a choice as to how we will react to these things.

If we are in church because we want to worship and learn more about Christ, then that is great.

But if we go to church out of mere obligation, thinking we can sin a little more because we have done our duty, that can be dangerous.
It is easier to get a hard heart inside the church than outside of it. So if you have a critical spirit and a hard heart, watch out. The church can be a dangerous place for you.   And sometimes the most hardened people can be inside the church, because they think,

  • I know it all.
  • I have heard it all.
  • I am so spiritual.

The problem is they are getting a hard heart. They are arrogant and resistant to the work the Holy Spirit wants to do in their lives.

We need the Word of God and the Holy Spirit “together”–to come  into our hearts and minds to renew our minds to what the Lord is saying and then  put into action what you have received.

Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit and Your Word to direct and guide us–Help us to bring YOU all the Glory.  Amen

Read Hosea 4:6 on “Lack of knowledge”

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HOW DOES GOD USE PAIN

By Bob / August 16, 2024

“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things” (Isa 45:7).

God will use pain in order to create a love relationship with His creation.

This statement may challenge your theology. However, consider that God allowed Jesus to experience incredible pain in order to create an opportunity to have a relationship with His creation.

Consider how Jesus created a relationship with Paul. He blinded him and used a crisis in his life in order to bring him into a relationship with him and use him for God’s purposes.

Consider how God recruited Jonah for the mission He had for him.
This is not God’s first choice for His creation. Romans 2:4 reveals that God’s preference is to show mercy and kindness: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”

-God loves people more than He loves their comfort.
-He invests a great deal into mankind.
-He desires relationship with us and will go to great lengths to create such a relationship in order for us to receive the rewards and inheritance He has for us.  A relationship that is motivated now by love and devotion instead of pain.
This is where God desires us to be. Another way of saying this is we are no longer seeking His hand. We are seeking Him. We want to know God personally.
Obedience will not last when the motivation is only the removal of our pain.

God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that – Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me?

Sometimes God’s delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience.

Faint not, for the promise may yet come.  Amen

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JESUS CHARACTER

By Bob / August 14, 2024

If we are to become more and more like Christ each day—then we should know and teach daily “Jesus Character” found in His Sermon and Teaching on the Mount–Beatitudes–for US to find Purpose, Meaning, and comfort in life.

 

 

The 8 Beatitudes–Matthew 5:3-10

1. Vs 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

*Moral Bankruptcy to self—result-we are Accepted–Is. 55:1

 

2. Vs 4 God blesses those who mourn,for they will be comforted.

*Admit and regret our failure–result-we are Forgiven and have peace—2 Cor. 7:10.
3. Vs 5 God blesses those who are meek(humble),for they will inherit the whole earth.

*Ask Holy Spirit the need and follow through in obedience–result-give up control to control everything. Result- Freedom—Jer. 9:23-24

 

4. Vs 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

*Actively Pursue God and His will–Result-I am filled with God’s Love-I am Satisfied. Eph. 3:17-19.

 

5. Vs 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

*Jesus forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them and extend loving forgiving accepting spirit toward others. Result involved in others lives-I am Kind hearted. Matthew 25:37-40.

 

6. Vs 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

*Be totally honest and do not suppress the truth(Ro. 1:18). Be vulnerable to the Holy Spirit and be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Ro. 12:2). Result-transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ my Lord. I am now Honest. 1 John 3:1-3.

 

7. Vs 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

*I bring a message of reconciliation, healing and hope to all who will listen. Result-I am an Ambassador. 2 Cor. 5:20.
8. Vs 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

*We now are fully devoted to Jesus. Result- I will joyfully accept whatever comes my way because of my Loyalty to Jesus Christ. I am Courageous.  Colossians 3:1-4

While the Beatitudes of Jesus provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth.

Take your circumstance through the Beatitudes and see the Holy Spirit work!*Jesus teaching is of Transformation of the INNER Person.

*Only God’s Divine Love can give us the identity and purpose we need to live life to the fullest.
Matthew 5:11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
Thank You Jesus for Your Wisdom. I Pray the world will take Your Teachings and put them into practice for Your Glory and our joy.  Amen

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THE DIFFICULT ROAD

By Bob / August 12, 2024

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Corinthians 10:13a).

 

At times the road before me seems long, steep and challenging. I can feel lost. Uncertain. Afraid. Sometimes I’m not sure I have the strength for the journey.

It’s in those times that God wants me to remember I’m not traveling alone. He is my ever-present guide.  He knows where the road leads. He can see what lies ahead. And that’s not all.

God also knows my concerns. He knows what I feel. The pain I cannot explain to someone else … God knows. The fear of the unknown—He knows.  And He offers me Himself.

Perhaps you feel overwhelmed today. You may be experiencing some sadness, loss or worry. You may find that God has called you to a difficult path. “Surely,” you think, “God has an easier road for me to travel.”

The truth is, we aren’t wise enough to assume another path would be best for us.

*Maybe the easier road won’t make us into the person God intends us to be.

*Perhaps the difficult road is a path of grace—protecting us from the worst.

*Maybe this road is about learning something new about God or ourselves.

*Could it be the difficult journey is the path that prepares us for a greater purpose or a greater faith in God?

 

Out of all the possible paths, God knows the best path.

Our key verse reminds us, “His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.”

**Because of this, we can take the path God has laid out for us today. We can trust, and not fear, in His infinite wisdom and love. And we can be certain that God will never lead us down the wrong road.

 

Do not be troubled by these times of perplexity. They are normal experiences coming to all in the life of faith.
Lord, because You will never lead me down the wrong road, I can trust You when I need to make decisions about my family, my career, and my health. Thank You for Your wisdom and guidance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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