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Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

I Am The Good Shepherd

29 Nov

John 10:14 – 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

Do you know Jesus?

If the answer is, “I sure hope so?”  There needs to be a concern.

My sheep know Me.

What do sheep do?  They follow.  Are you following Jesus?  Is He your Shepherd?  Do you know Jesus?  Do you know His voice?

John 10:16 – 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus is the Messiah that was to come and will come again.  He will lead the Jewish people just as God promised in the Old Testament and His promise to Abraham.  Who’s the other sheep He is referring to?  The Church. 

The Jews that didn’t listen to His voice, are they saved?  No.

To the people that have an opportunity to be part of the Church.  If they don’t know His voice or listen to it, will they be saved?  No.

He knows His sheep and His Sheep know Him. 

Get to know the Shepherd.  Get to know the Word.

Have you ever been in a car and someone says, follow me and I’ll get you there?

What happens if they take off and you decide to follow them for a block or so and you decide to get gas and you don’t tell them?  What if you are following them and you get sidetracked with some sightseeing?  Will you make it to your destination following like that?

That’s how most of us follow the Good Shepherd.

Matthew 10:38-39 – 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Is Jesus as your Shepherd just sitting there telling you to do whatever you want and I’ll see you when your time is up?

If it was, the New Testament would consist of Four Gospels and no need for any other books.  Church wouldn’t have grown very big either since everybody is serving their own needs instead of spreading the Good News. 

It’s a good thing some sheep decided to follow His words and His voice.  As His sheep, shouldn’t we all?

 

Pass It On

26 Nov

Today’s post is inspired by a campfire song that was popular in church camp growing up.

Pass It On – 1969 Bud John Songs, Inc -Words and Music by Kurt Kaiser

    It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
    And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
    That’s how it is with God’s Love,
    Once you’ve experienced it,
    Your spread the love to everyone
    You want to pass it on.
    What a wonderous time is spring,
    When all the tress are budding
    The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
    That’s how it is with God’s love,
    Once you’ve experienced it.
    You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring,
    You want to pass it on.
    I wish for you my friend
    This happiness that I’ve found;
    You can depend on God
    It matters not where you’re bound,
    I’ll shout it from the mountain top – PRAISE GOD!
    I want the world to know
    The Lord of love has come to me
    I want to pass it on.

    I’ll shout it from the mountain top – PRAISE GOD!
    I want the world to know
    The Lord of love has come to me
    I want to pass it on.

It does only take a spark, especially when that spark is Holy Spirit.  That spark not only works when it comes to reaching others, but in our own lives when we let the fire burn out.

Do you shout it from the mountain tops?  Do you want your world to know?  Are you letting your light shine or putting it under a bowl? 

PRAISE GOD!  I want the world to know.  God bless you and let your light shine.

 

Your Life Is A Road Map

24 Nov

Your life is a road map.  It has left a trail of where it’s been.  I believe every second of every day of our lives has been recorded.  That was mind blowing not too long ago.

Today?

I just purchased a device for $15 that I can store 32,000 photos with 1MB each of memory.  That’s actually a lot of memory per photo.  The device is about the size of my pinky finger.

This device is manmade.  God’s going to have a lot better technology than that, you can count on it.

We need glorify and thank Him non-stop for sending His Son to die for our transgressions and allowing us to be able to have that forgiveness.

We also need to start walking on that narrow road of living for Him.

Matthew 7:13-14 – 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Is the Bible accurate?

I don’t know why anyone would waste their time living by it if they didn’t believe that.  The more you study it, the more you realize it is Divinely inspired and the Author is the Holy Spirit.

What does it say?  All roads lead to Rome and many will find it?  No.

The Bible is accurate and it says only a few find it.  Why?  Because only the elite can be good enough?  No.  Because you have to be a genius?  No. 

The reason only a few find it is because people choose their own way instead of God’s way.  Those who will be held accountable will have chosen their own way.

If you’re unsaved, I would imagine, the evidence will be played back for you and you will see the recordings of your life played in front of you.  Likewise when the believer stands at the Bema Seat (rewards) we will probably also get these glimpses.  I’m sure when you did something worthy in His name we may see it also.  This is just my guess, but I’m would be surprised if the facts weren’t played and put right in front of us.

We need to try and live our lives for the Lord and not dread or winch at what we did or didn’t do.  The recorded trail being left behind is the decisions you make today.

 

We Were Loved First – A Familiar Model

23 Nov

God has given us a model in many things in our lives.  When we are children, we love our mother or father, or both.  Why?

In most cases it’s because you were nurtured and loved by them first.  It’s naturally easy to love someone back who has unconditionally loved you first.

1 John 4:19 – 19We love him, because he first loved us. NKJV 

What happens if you are not loved by someone when you’re a baby and continuing on through the infant and toddler stage?  Testing has shown that it really messes up people.  They have a hard time loving and being loved.  

This can happen, because those who are not obedient tend not to care about loving anyone but themselves first.  Then the trait gets passed on and usually won’t get broken unless someone finds the love of the Lord. 

We were made to love and be loved by our God. 

Jesus and God have loved us from the beginning.  They are right there.  Right There!

So the question now becomes, well if they are right there how come bad things happen?  I have a question for the question.  If people are not going to seek God at all when things are going great, why would they ever seek to love God?  Those tough times appear to draw us closer. 

When children rebel at home, punishment should follow encouraging them to make the right choices.  Yes, there is a right and wrong in this world and the authority is God.  When we are not living right or for God, things need to become a little uncomfortable for you as a reminder that it’s time to seek the one who loves you and created you.

Hebrew 12:5-6 – 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

The model is all around us.  The Lord has made finding Him and understanding Him relatively easy, as long as the sinner repents and seeks to get back to his God and Creator.

He loves every one of us and has died so that those who choose His sacrifice will be saved.  Who will you make as your Father?

 

“God’s Word Is The Manufacturer’s Handbook”

22 Nov

Today’s post is inspired from a quote from Dave Hunt of the Berean Call. 

Search the Scriptures Daily Program #3701d.

The article isn’t based around the quote, it just happened to catch my eye and that’s how many posts are inspired. 

You are wonderfully manufactured.

What happens when an appliance or electronic goes haywire?  Do you throw it out?  Well you might but it doesn’t get fixed that way and if it’s really valuable and has a lot of worth you don’t throw it out.

All of us as God’s creation has so much worth, that while we were still sinners, He sent His Son, God in the flesh, to die for us.

Romans 5:8 – 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Why?

His Love!  It’s about Him loving us.  It’s not about us and how cute, adorable, and loveable we are, it’s about a loving God!

When you’re broken, haywire, and not functioning right, where should we be looking to get you fixed?

Some human study on psychological babble?  If we’re all haywire from sin, do we really expect to have someone else’s haywire ideas to fix us?  My guess is no and when I look around at what’s happening in today’s society, I’m sticking with no.

You need the Manufacturer’s Handbook!  It was inspired by the same Manufacturer that made you.  So now if the person helping you is getting his directions from the handbook, you now have a great chance of getting fixed.  The difference between a refrigerator and a human is that the human has to agree to accept the fixing. 

God’s Word is a Living Word.

Psalm 119:105 – 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

The only one who can repair the malfunctioning creation, is the Creator.  He gave us His handbook.  That is how we get repaired.

Why is there so much disarray in the world?  Most people can’t even tell you the names of the first book in the bible, last book of the bible, or the four Gospels.  Never mind what the content says, they can’t even name the books.

 Jesus is the Word, Jesus is Life, and Jesus is the Light.

John 1:1-5 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

God has shared the Manufacturer’s Handbook with us.  The way we get repaired is by reading it and choosing to obey the directions.

Don’t stand in front of God someday and explain that you didn’t have time to read His love letter to us.  Make it your goal to read it from front to back as soon as you can.  The one year Bible is a great tool to get this done and read more than one segment a day so that you don’t quit before your done.

 

Quote – Billy Graham

20 Nov

Give me five minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is.
Billy Graham

Luke 12:34- 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It works that way with your time too.

 

Do You Like Roller Coasters?

17 Nov

I love Roller coasters!  They are fun when you first get on them!

 

However, do you know what happens to you if you stay on them too long or run around to the front of the line and get on it again right away, again, again, and again?

 

It makes you SICK!

 

You see that’s how life is without God.  The ups and downs are steep.  Then you get thrown for a loop or two. 

 

Wow, can I tell you that in the roller coaster of life, the pleasant small whoop de doo and little turns once in awhile is glorious compared to the ride without God.

 

The ride without God?  That’s the life of sin.  Fun at first, exciting, then when you’re feeling a little uneasy and want to get off, it doesn’t stop smoothly and let you out.  For some it’s a runaway train.

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

You want a great ride in your life?  Follow Jesus and serve God.  With the Lord guiding the ride you’ll never be to the point it will make you sick.  If you really turn it over to Him, it will be exciting.

 

2 Corinthians 5:10 – A Good Reminder

16 Nov

2 Corinthians 5:10 – 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I mention this many times, but I think the reason I have to is because many people believe:

I’m saved, I’m good!  I’m also out of here to go do whatever I want now that I’ve got that taken care of.

Well………according to God’s Word that’s not exactly correct.  You see that’s supposed to be the beginning.  The part where you die to yourself, repent of your sins, and live a new life with His Light shining through us because we let Him.

Galatians 2:20 – 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If we truly try to do our best to live for Christ in this life we are going to be excited to stand in front of the Lord. 

If we haven’t done anything for the Lord except realize He is the Lord, then standing in front of Him will be ___________.  You fill in the blank, because there are a lot of words that can fit into that space.

Lord.  Master.  What do these words mean?  I know were supposed to serve Him according to scripture.

Luke 6:46 – 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Matthew 6:24 – 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Luke 16:13 – 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Wow, looks like the Holy Spirit had the exact same thing to say to Luke and Matthew on this one.

We are going to be judged on the things that we have done both good and bad.  This isn’t the White Throne where the unsaved are going to get thrown into the lake of fire.  This is at the Bema Seat for believers.

Good and Bad.  Not just bad, not just good.  That’s why when we serve the Lord we need to work at both.  I can’t be good on my own, because I am a sinful fallen individual.  The only good in me is when I die to my selfish person and allow Him to live through me.  Then I can do some good.  Not only that but when He’s in there, He reminds me of the things He doesn’t like also.  We have a double dip here.  It’s a two for one, all for just saying no to ourselves and yes to God and Jesus.

Get into that rhythm and you’ll want to make Him your everything.  And if He is your everything, you’re going to be excited when it comes to standing in front of that throne.

 

God’s Word Regarding The Definition Of Church And State

15 Nov

Isaiah 9:6-7 – 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
   from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
   will accomplish this.

You see I think in America a Christians we struggle.  The government is never going to be anything but corrupt at this point because only a few are turning to God and Jesus and praying for a healing in our land.

It’s not the economy stupid, which was Clinton’s big campaign drive.  It’s a lack of not allowing the God of the Bible to run our nation stupid.  How far do you think that campaign would get in today’s world?

I personally would sit around and just be frazzled.  I would think to myself why can’t people in power just do this or do that?  These are no brainer things like punish criminals.  Not encourage people to get on welfare.  Balance a budget like everyone else should be doing at home.  Not allow a perversion of the law over greed.  Basic stuff.

The bible had explained it all along.  Man is evil and tries to do his best to live without God.  It doesn’t help that while he thinks he’s accomplishing this on his own, the Devil and his hordes are really whispering into ears and pulling the strings.  Talk about easy pickens.  A man without God is spiritually ripe for deception.

I don’t think there are many who believe in Jesus as Lord, believe things are doing alright at this time.  If you are one, better think again.  All over this country people are murdering each other and not one will pay the true price he should.  A woman will abort her baby all in the name of selfish convenience.  There are many people who are starving all around the world and can’t get a clean glass of water.  The list of atrocities could fill a book.

Nothing…and I mean Nothing is going to run right on this earth until the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords comes back at the end of the Tribulation and takes His seat at the Throne.

Revelation 19:11-16 –   11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

   KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

I don’t think our King and Savior is going to have much tolerance when it comes to separation of church and state.  As a matter of fact by the end of the tribulation I don’t think the ones arguing for it now will have found it to be such a good idea either.

 

Chuck Missler – Quote

13 Nov

Those born once will die twice and those born twice will die once.
Chuck Missler

John 3:3-3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

When one does accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, he is born again a second time.

It’s the second death that the unsaved man is going to dread.  It’s one of punishment, torment, for rejecting the One True Loving and Just God.

Revelation 19:14-15 – 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Don’t kid yourself Scarecrow, everyone is afraid of fire!