John

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The Birth

Over the weekend my oldest daughter went into labor and gave birth to my fifth grandchild.

When Linda and I arrived in Dallas on Friday, she was already having some contractions. She might take a few steps and then stop and get this real look of pain on her face.

The contractions subsided over night but picked up in intensity on Saturday. A man cannot imagine the pains of labor. Perhaps stomach cramps are as close as men can get to that sensation but it probably is a poor comparison.

Men will never know the pain of labor or giving birth.

Or can they?

The Bible says,

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:15

Each of us conceives desire and gives birth to sin. Each of us will know the pain of death.

But those that look to Jesus for salvation understand the meaning of born-again.

As Jesus said,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

As someone once said, “You can be born once and die twice or you can be born twice and die once!”

Experience new birth!

Abba, thanks You for giving me a second chance! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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I challenge you to protect life!

Fads come and go.

There was a time college students swallowed goldfish and wore raccoon coats.
Lava lamps, bell bottoms, and platform shoes were fads.
So were Beanie babies, fanny packs, and sagging pants, though that last one needs to leave.

Fads come and go and the latest to come is the ALS ice bucket challenge.

On the surface it looks fun and the videos have been entertaining. But under the surface something else lurks.

Each challenge participant is to make a donation toward ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) research. It appears that the research involves embryonic stem cell research.

I don’t think anyone has the right to force another person to forfeit their life for the lives of others. Embryo’s may not be able to walk, talk, or live outside the womb but that doesn’t make them any less human.

Barbaric religions have often forced the sacrifice of the innocent to appease the god of the guilty. Children have often been chosen to be that sacrifice.

Not even God forced His own innocent Son to give His life for you. It is written

He laid down His life for us. 1 John 3:16

And

Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. John 10:17-18

Jesus gave His life for others.

That’s something an embryo, baby, or toddler cannot do!

Abba, we have failed You and ourselves in not protecting the innocent. Forgive us and help us change our ways! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Jumping to Conclussions

Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? John 7:41-42

Those that wanted to deny Jesus as Messiah did it based on the scripture – the lineage and birthplace.

What they failed to do was to get all the facts about Jesus Himself. They supposed He was born and raised in Galilee, not knowing of His birth in Bethlehem so many years ago.

They judged Him by what they knew, not by the facts!

Jumping to conclusions seldom leads to happy landings.

Throughout the day I can hear a bit of conversation here and another bit there. I will always come to some conclusion based on what I hear.

Or I see someone act a certain way. Perhaps they are stumbling around while walking. I may think they are inebriated when they may actually be having a reaction to cold medicine.
Often my conclusions are wrong.

There are a lot of people today that have come to a conclusion about Jesus based on partial information – a little bit of a sermon here or a part of a Bible verse there.
But when you read the entire Bible you will get the entire picture.

It will change your life. The more you read – the more you will change.

Abba, I want to know more about You. I want to know all about You. I want Your word to continue to change me and those around me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Over the weekend we had the Fruit of the Spirit VBS. During the first song I remember someone saying, “That’s what I need; self-control!”
My response was you start with love!

The fruit of the Spirit is a staircase.

What you will need first is love! You cannot have kindness or gentleness without it. You can’t have joy or peace if you have hate.

Love is the key – the first step to the fruit of the Spirit.

Self-control is last on the list. Before you will attain it completely you will have to have things like patience, faithfulness, and gentleness. Self-control is not possible without them.

The great thing is the fruit of the Spirit is not dependent on others. You can have it without any help and despite any opposition. It’s all about your personal relationship and availability to the Holy Spirit.

John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Abba, I want to be an orchard of good fruit for You! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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God’s Prescribed Sacrifice

“It is only by obedience that we understand the teaching of God.” ~Oswald Chambers

Gen 15:17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

Abram obeyed God and had taken the five sacrifices and prepared them.

This obedience became a reassuring teaching from God – teaching involving the future of his descendants. (Gen 15:13-16)

Then a firepot and burning torch went between the pieces.

The pieces were the complete blood sacrifices the Law would prescribe. Those sacrifices would be offered by the priests.

In this text, God, Himself, burns the sacrifice…

…which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Col 2:17

1 John 3:16 He laid down His life for us.
Heb 7:27 He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

For all the sacrifices that mankind can offer, it is the one offered by Christ, the complete Sacrifice, that satisfies the Father.

No matter what trouble may come, the Father will fulfill His promise to deliver His people.

That promise is yours when you accept God’s sacrifice for you – His own Son!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

YES&AMEN

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Cleanse the Temple

John 2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Continue reading →

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Celebrating a Birthday

Matt 14:6 When Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Continue reading →