The ministry we may have with the most enduring impact may be that of children and youth. Adults can be pretty set...even though they are hungry and may repent and follow the Lord.. it is children that are truly the heart beat of God and
when we bring God's love to them, they never forget His touch and influence.
I still remember those that were extra kind to me in school and church as a little kid. The tiny gifts and compliments are etched in my memory.
There are so many adults that push children aside...maybe not physically but in their attitude. Children sense and know who is really of God. Their tender spirits are so pure.
Ego in the ministry may be why many preachers overlook kid's ministry. A preacher can boast about how much money they raised and gave to some ministry or how many new buildings that were built or purchased....but to the Lord all of that can be washed away as quickly as the Japanese Tsunami.
It's the little ones that are the key!
I applaud those involved in Summer Bible Camps like Camp Galilee, Bible quizzing coaches, youth workers, evangelists, Sunday School and Kid's Bible hour teachers and all those that are quietly THERE with their prayer, love and support.
God Bless you all! Don't quit, keep going...our next generation needs you.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Even God used credit cards.
Satan knew that God longed to do something about the state of man's lost soul. He knew the old prophecies from the Scriptures. He knew that nothing but blood would pay off the debts that had accrued. And not just any blood would pay this huge bill either; it had to be God's own blood! Did God have blood, no! God is a Spirit! But God knew how to attain that blood. He knew that if he became human, or flesh, he could pay for the huge debt of sin.
Romans 5:9," being now justified by his blood"
Revelation 1:5..."and washed us from our sins with his own blood."
Satan may have said to God, "Look in your wallet, God, whad'ya got? Got enough to pay me to free these slaves on MINE?" If God had a wallet, it was just full of credit cards. Each credit card was maxed out, too! To pay off the enormous debt once and for all, Jesus had to pay with HIS OWN BLOOD.
Yes, God used credit....every time there was a blood sacrifice in the Old Testament, God was pushing his debt ahead; he was buying time. He pushed ahead the price of atonement for sins. After a man came and brought his sacrifice to the priest, he left the place of sacrifice and worship free from sin....for the time being anyway.
Satan knew that Jesus was God incarnate; God with us. God had planned to make a body specially prepared to be used to pay the final payment. Hebrews 10:4-5 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"
Jesus was not one part of the Godhead, or a part of deity, he was GOD residing in a body!
Don't ever be confused by the writings of some "theologian". Read the Scriptures, they illuminate themselves! God prepared a body...to move into...to inhabit..to live in for a divine purpose. Bethlehem was the birthplace of God's flesh or Son. The Son of God was not separate from God, he was God with skin on. There is only one God!
Think of this for a minute...for the last few months of Jesus' life, Satan kept getting more and more anxious. He knew that Jesus could have called on his angels to rescue him. So, Satan was not really sure what was going to happen. But when Jesus did NOT call for angelic assistance, but rather took the normal course of human crucifixion, he was shocked!
Satan thought, JESUS WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE IT?
He really was going to let them KILL HIM????
So, when Jesus breathed his last breath, Satan got excited...very excited! He knew that he had KILLED GOD! He knew God had nothing left in his wallet, he was BROKE! Bankrupt!
When Satan saw Jesus arrested, crucified, and heard him say, "It is finished!", Satan thought he had truly killed God. He reveled in the "fact" that he had finally won the BIGGEST BATTLE. He was the WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Now he could truly reign on the earth. Now, "I will finally be the only one worshiped", he surmised.
But on the third day.....
THE DEBTS WERE PAID OFF IN FULL FOREVERMORE. Jesus arose from the dead, you see only the body or flesh, or Son had died, not GOD. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.
Jesus cut up his paid off credit cards to never need them again.
He had paid the ultimate price; never to need credit again. Everything was paid off and paid for, EVERYTHING.
Our salvation-redemption, healing, encouragement, miracles, eternal life, heaven, was paid for once and for all by the precious blood of Jesus.
How could anyone walk away from such a savior? Don't let doubts and fears block you from totally trusting Jesus, our REDEEMER.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Romans 5:9," being now justified by his blood"
Revelation 1:5..."and washed us from our sins with his own blood."
Satan may have said to God, "Look in your wallet, God, whad'ya got? Got enough to pay me to free these slaves on MINE?" If God had a wallet, it was just full of credit cards. Each credit card was maxed out, too! To pay off the enormous debt once and for all, Jesus had to pay with HIS OWN BLOOD.
Yes, God used credit....every time there was a blood sacrifice in the Old Testament, God was pushing his debt ahead; he was buying time. He pushed ahead the price of atonement for sins. After a man came and brought his sacrifice to the priest, he left the place of sacrifice and worship free from sin....for the time being anyway.
Satan knew that Jesus was God incarnate; God with us. God had planned to make a body specially prepared to be used to pay the final payment. Hebrews 10:4-5 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"
Jesus was not one part of the Godhead, or a part of deity, he was GOD residing in a body!
Don't ever be confused by the writings of some "theologian". Read the Scriptures, they illuminate themselves! God prepared a body...to move into...to inhabit..to live in for a divine purpose. Bethlehem was the birthplace of God's flesh or Son. The Son of God was not separate from God, he was God with skin on. There is only one God!
Think of this for a minute...for the last few months of Jesus' life, Satan kept getting more and more anxious. He knew that Jesus could have called on his angels to rescue him. So, Satan was not really sure what was going to happen. But when Jesus did NOT call for angelic assistance, but rather took the normal course of human crucifixion, he was shocked!
Satan thought, JESUS WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE IT?
He really was going to let them KILL HIM????
So, when Jesus breathed his last breath, Satan got excited...very excited! He knew that he had KILLED GOD! He knew God had nothing left in his wallet, he was BROKE! Bankrupt!
When Satan saw Jesus arrested, crucified, and heard him say, "It is finished!", Satan thought he had truly killed God. He reveled in the "fact" that he had finally won the BIGGEST BATTLE. He was the WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Now he could truly reign on the earth. Now, "I will finally be the only one worshiped", he surmised.
But on the third day.....
THE DEBTS WERE PAID OFF IN FULL FOREVERMORE. Jesus arose from the dead, you see only the body or flesh, or Son had died, not GOD. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.
Jesus cut up his paid off credit cards to never need them again.
He had paid the ultimate price; never to need credit again. Everything was paid off and paid for, EVERYTHING.
Our salvation-redemption, healing, encouragement, miracles, eternal life, heaven, was paid for once and for all by the precious blood of Jesus.
How could anyone walk away from such a savior? Don't let doubts and fears block you from totally trusting Jesus, our REDEEMER.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Monday, February 7, 2011
I know God rested on the seventh day, but what did he do while he was resting?
Have you ever thought of this? The other day I was thinking about the need and the blessing of having a day of rest and I began to ponder about the Lord's rest day; the Sabbath.
We are to enter into his rest, or as I choose to think, enter into his presence; give God our full, undivided attention. But God did not need to give himself attention. Or did he?
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his."....Hebrew 4:10
The writer of Hebrews states that God ceased or stopped doing his own works...God had been working feverishly for six creative days. Then he stopped his work his creativity and work to rest.
Health professionals tell us that a woman who gives birth expends so much emotional and physical energy that quite often she can suffer afterwards with a time of feeling very low. It has been called post-partum depression or "the baby blues". It's a time to restore and rebuild the heart, mind and body. It is a time for her family and loved ones to be extra kind and helpful.
God did not lose any strength while creating the world, but maybe he needed to step back and restore his perspective and reflect. No one really knows, but the Bible does say that we were make in the image of God. So, maybe the day of rest is to be a day of restoring our perspective and time of reflection. Whatever God did on his day of rest we may not know until we see him, but, he gave us an example to follow and I must say, that the Sabbath or day of rest is a wonderful day to be restored and refreshed.
We are to enter into his rest, or as I choose to think, enter into his presence; give God our full, undivided attention. But God did not need to give himself attention. Or did he?
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his."....Hebrew 4:10
The writer of Hebrews states that God ceased or stopped doing his own works...God had been working feverishly for six creative days. Then he stopped his work his creativity and work to rest.
Health professionals tell us that a woman who gives birth expends so much emotional and physical energy that quite often she can suffer afterwards with a time of feeling very low. It has been called post-partum depression or "the baby blues". It's a time to restore and rebuild the heart, mind and body. It is a time for her family and loved ones to be extra kind and helpful.
God did not lose any strength while creating the world, but maybe he needed to step back and restore his perspective and reflect. No one really knows, but the Bible does say that we were make in the image of God. So, maybe the day of rest is to be a day of restoring our perspective and time of reflection. Whatever God did on his day of rest we may not know until we see him, but, he gave us an example to follow and I must say, that the Sabbath or day of rest is a wonderful day to be restored and refreshed.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
If "faith without works is dead" then faith with works is abundant LIFE.
If it is impossible to please God without faith, then putting our faith in action must really please our Lord.
What are you having doubts and fears about? Try trusting God in a brand new fresh way! Walk out on that glassy sea and find Jesus there to hold you.
I am personally trusting God in a new way. I am a bit nervous, but I have seen the Lord come through for me so many times in the past, I'm convinced that is pleased already.
I dare you...try trusting God in a new way.
What are you having doubts and fears about? Try trusting God in a brand new fresh way! Walk out on that glassy sea and find Jesus there to hold you.
I am personally trusting God in a new way. I am a bit nervous, but I have seen the Lord come through for me so many times in the past, I'm convinced that is pleased already.
I dare you...try trusting God in a new way.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
When was the last time you felt overwhelming joy?
Has it been awhile? Has life and it's complications weighed you down to a point that your heart is heavy? Is your heart heavy right now as you read this? Financial problems? Relationship problems? Physical challenges? Spiritual problems? All of these and more can imprison our hearts.
It truly is God's will that our joy "might be full". The Lord knows that there will be plenty of things in life to weigh us down. We wouldn't know what joy felt like if there were never any problems. We can be in the middle of great difficulty and yet feel joy. HOW? BY KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOING TO BRING US OUT. Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (read all of Ps.30)
Joy is God's will for us.
When we get trapped or tricked into doing something that is robs our joy, we look back and see our error, we CHANGE the only thing we can change; that is ourselves. We humble ourselves and make things right.
The joy will return when we go back and do it right the next time.
Maybe we were seduced into working at a job that was not God's will. Maybe we are in a relationship with someone who pulls us away from the Lord. Maybe we are using our human ingenuity and manipulation to do the work that only God can do.
Let's go back, repent and do it right this time. God will direct our lives by his still small voice. He will give us the right kind of friends that love us for who we really are. He will do a mighty work through us if we let him take control.
The joy is coming back to you...do you feel it already? Never let yourself be influenced and or deceived like that again.
It truly is God's will that our joy "might be full". The Lord knows that there will be plenty of things in life to weigh us down. We wouldn't know what joy felt like if there were never any problems. We can be in the middle of great difficulty and yet feel joy. HOW? BY KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOING TO BRING US OUT. Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (read all of Ps.30)
Joy is God's will for us.
When we get trapped or tricked into doing something that is robs our joy, we look back and see our error, we CHANGE the only thing we can change; that is ourselves. We humble ourselves and make things right.
The joy will return when we go back and do it right the next time.
Maybe we were seduced into working at a job that was not God's will. Maybe we are in a relationship with someone who pulls us away from the Lord. Maybe we are using our human ingenuity and manipulation to do the work that only God can do.
Let's go back, repent and do it right this time. God will direct our lives by his still small voice. He will give us the right kind of friends that love us for who we really are. He will do a mighty work through us if we let him take control.
The joy is coming back to you...do you feel it already? Never let yourself be influenced and or deceived like that again.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Soon after he was born Mary put her newborn to her breast and fed him.
Jesus
Emmanuel--God with us
Jesus was God in flesh, God "with skin on" is what I tell little kids in church. God robed himself in flesh. He made himself needy, hungry and small. He made himself as needy as any newborn. The Christ-child was born as any baby is born.
The moment air filled his little lungs for the first time, he let out a painful cry and shivered in the cold night air that must have been in that stable. Soon his mother wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger. He needed his mother and he needed Joseph.
By being born of a woman God infused himself so much with humanity that he could not have stayed alive as a human without milk! He fully entrusted himself to a young Jewish girl named Mary.
Do you realize the power that is in this story?
God lived among us and will forever be a part of his creation. His intense love for us is proven over and over through Scripture.
When we say the name of Jesus we are saying Jehovah has become my Savior. The Messiah!
Ponder this for awhile....when we are baptized in Jesus' name, we have the blood of the God that became a Man who purchased our salvation washing our sins away.
Even Mary knew who her unborn child was......Luke 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
"God my Savior" is another way of saying the Christ child or Emmanuel. Isaiah, whose writings Mary understood declared,
I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. (Isa. 43:11)
She knew what she was a part of; she knew who the babe was!
The Jews knew there was but one God and she knew that she was with child of that one God. Duet. 6:4
Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace, Good will toward men!
Emmanuel--God with us
Jesus was God in flesh, God "with skin on" is what I tell little kids in church. God robed himself in flesh. He made himself needy, hungry and small. He made himself as needy as any newborn. The Christ-child was born as any baby is born.
The moment air filled his little lungs for the first time, he let out a painful cry and shivered in the cold night air that must have been in that stable. Soon his mother wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger. He needed his mother and he needed Joseph.
By being born of a woman God infused himself so much with humanity that he could not have stayed alive as a human without milk! He fully entrusted himself to a young Jewish girl named Mary.
Do you realize the power that is in this story?
God lived among us and will forever be a part of his creation. His intense love for us is proven over and over through Scripture.
When we say the name of Jesus we are saying Jehovah has become my Savior. The Messiah!
Ponder this for awhile....when we are baptized in Jesus' name, we have the blood of the God that became a Man who purchased our salvation washing our sins away.
Even Mary knew who her unborn child was......Luke 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
"God my Savior" is another way of saying the Christ child or Emmanuel. Isaiah, whose writings Mary understood declared,
I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. (Isa. 43:11)
She knew what she was a part of; she knew who the babe was!
The Jews knew there was but one God and she knew that she was with child of that one God. Duet. 6:4
Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace, Good will toward men!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
What do you do when your head and your heart don't agree?
When we know in our head that our decision is reasonable, but our heart is putting up quite a fuss, we need to step back and really wait on God. Or, when our heart is large and in charge, and has shut reason in the closet and locked the door. We need to stop and weigh things out. Where is the balance? Where do you we go for wise counsel? How do we make the right choices?
God loves all of us: the rational,logical people that are predictable and dependable, and those that think with their hearts and rush into actions without much forethought. He loves those that are a little bit of both and those that are too timid to make any decisions. But of all personality types, I believe God loves those that have a heart like King David. For the shepherd boy-turned king was a "man after God's own heart".
God was so much in love with humanity that he robed himself in flesh and "walked" his love. He was an irrational lover of our souls. His plan of redemption was reckless and fearless. He seemed to have stumbled into the first miracle and never looked back until he was being chased by those that wanted his life to be snuffed out. It was all prophesied and planned by God, but as Jesus moved throughout the countryside teaching and preaching he didn't seem to have a plan. In fact, when the people grew so hungry after listening to his teaching, the only food that would be found was the lunch of a little boy whose mother must have been one of those "planners". Jesus did a miraculous thing; he fed everyone (and their uncle) with just one little lunch.
I know those that never seem to plan ahead and those that are so thoughtful that they have trouble with deviation or transition of any kind.
Jesus understand all of these things.
If we are going to error, it's best to err on the side of the heart-led decisions. Jesus rewarded all those that used their talents to make more, but the one who counted the costs and found that there was too much risk in doing anything with the talents was judged harshly.
In first-aid and life saving techniques it's rarely a problem legally for someone who is trying to save your life if they make a mistake in the process. But to not try and help someone, there can be a potential lawsuit. The judges know the intent was to save a life.
Follow your heart. Let reason counsel with you, but let your heart believe and trust and act.
God loves all of us: the rational,logical people that are predictable and dependable, and those that think with their hearts and rush into actions without much forethought. He loves those that are a little bit of both and those that are too timid to make any decisions. But of all personality types, I believe God loves those that have a heart like King David. For the shepherd boy-turned king was a "man after God's own heart".
God was so much in love with humanity that he robed himself in flesh and "walked" his love. He was an irrational lover of our souls. His plan of redemption was reckless and fearless. He seemed to have stumbled into the first miracle and never looked back until he was being chased by those that wanted his life to be snuffed out. It was all prophesied and planned by God, but as Jesus moved throughout the countryside teaching and preaching he didn't seem to have a plan. In fact, when the people grew so hungry after listening to his teaching, the only food that would be found was the lunch of a little boy whose mother must have been one of those "planners". Jesus did a miraculous thing; he fed everyone (and their uncle) with just one little lunch.
I know those that never seem to plan ahead and those that are so thoughtful that they have trouble with deviation or transition of any kind.
Jesus understand all of these things.
If we are going to error, it's best to err on the side of the heart-led decisions. Jesus rewarded all those that used their talents to make more, but the one who counted the costs and found that there was too much risk in doing anything with the talents was judged harshly.
In first-aid and life saving techniques it's rarely a problem legally for someone who is trying to save your life if they make a mistake in the process. But to not try and help someone, there can be a potential lawsuit. The judges know the intent was to save a life.
Follow your heart. Let reason counsel with you, but let your heart believe and trust and act.
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