Abiding

1 John 2:24-25 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life. ESV #bible

This word "abide" means several things, for example in this verse. To abide in what you heard from the beginning, to be held, remain, continue, to dwell, be present, to stand, to remain as one, not to become another or different.
We have the pleasure of dwelling in the Father God and The Son Jesus standing and not moving from Them.
The Spirits of God the Father and the Son Jesus reside or dwell, or stand in us, firmly.
The Holy Spirit is our companion in this life, and He abides in the Father and the Son and they also abide in Him.
John is encouraging us here to continue, and abide in what we heard from the beginning. Not leaving or changing anything but abiding in what we have heard and learned.
If we continue abiding we have a wonderful reward awaiting, eternal life abiding with and in the Father God and Jesus the Christ.
If we walk away, naturally we no longer abide, we have altered our relationship, and the consequences of our life are now absent from God's care because we no longer abide in Him. We are subject to the effects of this world, and the god of this world.
The bible has all sorts of wonderful descriptions of what it will be like to abide in God in Heaven. All we have to do is abide, remain, stand in our God, and what we have heard from the beginning. This is our Fathers care for us in this life.

Joy

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ESV #Bible

How's your attitudie?  That's what I ask my children when they are angry or frustrated.
Of course they understand I expect them to answer "its fabulous". Why because I desire them to maintain their emotions, even to control them.
It is our attitude that makes the difference between a good life and a bad life.
When we realize we are on the throne of our life, and submitted to our Saviour Jesus the Christ, we can manage and control our emotions or feelings.
We don't have to be a pinball bouncing off of the  paddles of our emotions and feelings.
We have been set free, we are no longer slaves to the evils of sin found in our flesh, or human nature.
James is telling us to adjust to, or count it all joy when we meet or are confronted by trials of various kinds.
Notice James is telling us to do this, we are capable of this attitude.
Remember, we are filled with power from on high, the Holy Spirit, our Companion. He will help us to accomplish a Joyful attitude, and maintain it in steadfastness with confidence. That we may reach perfection, or completeness, as we rise above with joy, the various trials we meet along life's path. Remember you cannot stay angry or sad when you put a smile on your face.

What Has God Told Us?

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? ESV #Bible

God has told us what is good; and we know in our hearts what is good. When we think of our loved ones we know what is good and we try our best to be good to them.
God tells us to be good not only to our loved ones, but be good to everyone. Even to those who don't particularly like us, or even hate us, our enemies.
Why? Maybe in being good they wouldn't hate us or be our enemies any more.
In Loving our enemies, we are acting justly towards them. Even further than that being just in all we do, although it's not always the popular option, but in the long run it will play out to be the best option.
A beautiful thing happens when we do good, we begin to love and enjoy being kind to others, because we start seeing and experiencing the good things that come and the wreckage we use to create in our past starts to fade in our distant past. Soon the wreckage is replaced with the good things, even good memories.
There is a catch though, none of this is possible if we are not walking humbely with God.
To walk with God we must first humble ourselves before God and repent of our sins. Then we must believe in Jesus our Saviour, who has paid the requirement that is due for our sins.
If we are humble we are happy to rid ourselves of our sins, and then God is happy to have us walk with Him. To humbly live our lives directed and protected by Our God through His Spirit.
Praise the Lord!

God Loves Us We Love God

1 John 4:10-11 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ESV #Bible

How does God Love us? Well the most prolific way is sending His only Son Jesus the Messiah to share the Good News, that God has made a way into relationship with Him.
The Good News, that also Jesus came taking our sins upon Himself and suffered our Punishment, even to death, which God requires for all souls who sin.
Sin is simply rebelling against God.
How does God Love us? God gives us a sense of right and wrong which He has created in us, called morality.
In addition to our moral sense, God gives us His Commandments found in the Holy Bible.
Like a Good Father His Commandments are meant to give us a good life free of the pitfalls and sins that would kill us.
How do we love God? Simply by obeying God's Commandments, just like as children we obeyed our parents.
There is no better way to express our Love to God than through our obedience, and also as Jesus commanded, to love one another like our Saviour Jesus has, who gave His very Life for us.
How do we love God?
By realizing that we are completely dependant on Him for our very existance, knowing nothing exists, but what God has Created.

Helper's

John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. #Bible

Jesus submits to the Father God in asking, and the Father will give us another Helper. Another Helper means there are two Helper's.
Jesus is here referring to Himself as our Helper, and because He is going to the Father in Heaven, the Father will send another Helper to carry on His ministry to those who believe, and to those who will believe.
Jesus didn't retire from being our Helper, He filled the position of our Helper at our Father God's right hand interceding for us.
The Holy Spirit didn't just come and spend time with us and stand by us, but He filled us with Himself. Not only that, the Holy Spirit surrounds us with His council, His guidance, His intersession with groanings, and even His protection. He is the Spirit of Truth, and the world can neither see Him nor do they know Him, or even receive Him.
We Christian's both know the Holy Spirit and we know He resides with us inside and outside of us.
We are Blessed by our Father God with His complete perfect Help. We can rest in the fact that He has provided us with His perfect Loving care, to bring us to where He is with Jesus our Christ.
If you don't know Jesus the Messiah you are the world. You can know Jesus by simply asking Jesus to be your Savior, inviting Him into your life forgiving your rebellious sins and giving you the wonderful Helper, the Holy Spirit.
All that's left is to tell somebody what you have done and then find a church of believers who study the Bible, God's Word, and join their fellowship, and watch yourself grow into who God created you to be in the first place.

Our Choice

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. #Bible

We here are presented with a wonderful solution to our battle with our flesh.
I remember walking through the bookstore at my church while coming to the realization that I can choose not to sin.
I, a younger Christian at the time studying through Romans and the letter to the Galatians. Which is in itself is powerful study for understanding the battle between spirit and the flesh.
It was amazing to realize that I had a choice, being born again in the awakening of my spiritual side, which was growing, especially in understanding who my Father God is, and of course Jesus my Saviour, and the Holy Spirit. Last of all, who I was becoming, as a fulfilled child of God, now living in the spirit as well as my human nature or flesh, I could see the battle raging.
The most vivid experience I have found to see this battle is when I fast. After fasting like six hours, my flesh is continually telling me to feed it. By twenty four hours my flesh is playing tricks on my mind, and at forty eight hours I'm barely holding on. They say it gets easier, though forty eight hours is the most I've done.
The battle is real and food is just one battlefield. Sin is another battlefield that can produce casualties for the Christian if not resisted.
That's where this verse becomes so important to the believer. If we did everything in the name of the devil that would produce sin at its worst.
We Christians need to strive, in whatever we do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, because it produces Righteousness.
Think about it, if we set out in the morning declaring whatever we do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus for that day, wouldn't we have a better chance of not sinning?
Well then, that's what we need to do, and in doing so we please our Father God through the Spirit of Christ who strengthens us towards success. Praise God! Yes we are thankful to God through Jesus our Lord in providing us with a defence, or a way of escape from sinning.

Wealth

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. #Bible

I really don't understand loving money. In my life I have had times of prosperity, as fleeting as they were, and times of poverty as endless as they seem.
Loving money for me would be better described maybe as the lust of money. You know when you say "I wish I could afford to drive that Ferrari, or live in a house with five bathrooms". Well maybe it isn't quite lust, but having that kind of money would be worth giving it a try.
The question then, I would be asking myself, have I began loving the money to the point it comes between God and I? I believe it would haunt me continually, of course in a good way, I would hope keeping me right with my Father God.
I would hope if God blessed me with alot of money He would also bless me with His Wisdom on how I dealt with it.
Here is where I would have my hope, "I will never leave you nor forsake you". My Father in Heaven is with me through what ever I face in this world.  I can depend on Him to protect me and lead me through the treacherous course of having alot of money, or severe poverty. God is with me, and that is the Greatest wealth I possess, and this allows everything else that is good in my life.

Come Together

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. #Bible

This world is harsh, I see Christians who haven't completely given up on this world and its lusts. Straddling the boundary of the Kingdom of God, and this world of lust and sin, holding on to the idea that they might be missing something. Their struggle is painful, and is full of setbacks, usually as they ask "why me Lord".
Stirring one another up in Love and good works is helping each other please God with our lives and actions, helping each other to have clear vision as to what's eternally important.
In coming together in fellowship, we are loved and incouraged and ignited with confidence in our Lord Jesus. We are recharged and ready for what the Lord has for us to do, and what the world would throw at us.
When we don't come together with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, we begin at that moment to loose sight of what is important, and who we are as Christians.
The longer we stay away, the less importance we give to the things of the Lord and find ourselves drifting away back into the world.
Soon we will see the Day draw near, I believe this is the Day of the Lord, or when Jesus returns for His Church, the great catching away of all who believe in Jesus the Christ.
What will happen to the one who has fallen away? God only knows.

Beloved

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. #Bible

Notice The Apostle John addresses us as Beloved, meaning esteemed, dear, favorite, worthy of love.
John is demonstrating how Love from God works, we Love everyone. We need to remember that Love comes from God, we don't naturally just love in this sense. Our love always has conditions attached, like if I love what do I get out of it, for one example.
God's Love is unconditional, not expecting anything in return.
Let me ask some questions, what would our family say, do we treat those other than family better than our own family members?
Is our love used as a tool to get what will want from someone?
Do we use our love to win someone over to our side, or to get them to make us their favorite?
All of these are not love, it is merely manipulations that arise from our own selfishness.
If we love in any other way than how God Loves, we need to question our motives. We need to strive to be perfect and complete in Loving, as our God has demonstrated by sending His only Son Jesus to die on the Cross, paying the price for our sins. So we can be Loved by God our Father Himself with His Perfect Love.
To love in any other way says we don't know God, which questions, do we know Jesus the Christ.
Everyone we come in contact needs to see God's love from us, and especially our own family.

The Gift

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. #Bible

It's so simple, one simply repents of their sins. Sins are our rebellion against God who says, for our own good, don't do that, and we do it anyway.
To repent is to stop doing what is called sin, turn from it and turn to God, and let Him lead you in a way that pleases Him.
Being baptized is to demonstrate to God, and mankind, that you have gone under the water, dying to this world. You are dead to this worlds way of doing things.
Coming up out of the water is to demonstrate you now live again to God, and His ways.
You have been born again to a new life with God through the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ dying for you on the cross paying the requirement for your sins.
Wonderfully then you receive the gift from God, the Holy Spirit, our Wonderful Companion for ever, our guide, our counselor, the One who communicates to God what we can't express, and so on. You have to read the Holy Bible to understand all He is to us.
Our Father God Loves us completely, He provides for us completely, He leaves nothing out, nor holds no good thing from us. He is our Wonderful Almighty God who even expresses Himself to us in three Persons, the Father the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

God Breathed

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. #Bible

If there ever was or is an argument for reading and studying the Word of God, the Holy Bible, from cover to cover, this one verse is it.
First it is God Breathed. It proceeded out of the very Mouth of God Himself. It would be wise to recognize, and realize that important point.
Then it is profitable, not for some, but everyone. Also for teaching, it is profitable for everyone to be taught.
For reproof, or correction, it is great, and worthy, for making course adjustments, and any other corrections needed in this life's path, walking with God.
Yes we all need to be trained in righteousness, to know what is acceptable to our God.
In all of the Bible's teachings, so that we can be competent in all the good we do, even our service to our Holy God and Father.
If we love our Father God don't we wish to please Him in everything we do? Then we desperately need the Word of God, the Bible, our instruction manual for this life in righteousness - right standing with God.

Victory

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. #Bible

If sin didn't happen, there would be no need for death. Sin then, wouldn't have the power it was given by the Light of the Law of God, which exposed its utter venomous birth of death.
Mankind has been ever since kicking against the goad of sin, suffering the dagger of its eternal death. Attempting to work around sin and trying to justify or reason away its existance. Even denying the existance of God altogether.
Like a law of nature though, man must convey in the end sin still exists.
Being that God does exist, and we have been created eternal beings by God. Housed in these temporal, mortal bodies. Why would we think, or settle for this temporal sinful life?
This entire world, this planet and everything we know has been created in the temporal, subject to time and space. Why would we settle for this sinful existance?
Our Savior Jesus the Christ has gone to prepare a place for us in eternity, to always be with Him. Why would we want to live this mortal life?
Well being created by God our Father as eternal beings in these mortal bodies, living in this temporal mortal existance, causes me to Praise God our Father and our Lord Jesus the Christ for saving us to an eternal existance with Them, free of sin.
I am greatly Thankful for the Victory our God and Saviour Jesus the Christ has given us over sin. Glory and Honor to our God Most High.

God Is

1 Timothy 1:17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. #Bible

Have you ever been reminiscing about your life in the past? Seeing clearly the Hand of God directing you and keeping you from trouble?
Left with those remembrances, I think, we all who are Christians naturally Praise God.
The Apostle Paul might be in this same frame of mind, as the Joy of the Lord floods his heart. For Paul, his words are very descriptive of his relationship and how he feels about our Lord.
As Paul is preparing Timothy for His ministry, launching him on his way, Paul is excited for Timothy and the experiences he will live and endure.
Paul knows Timothy has God with Him and where his decipleship falls short the Holly Spirit will pick Timothy up and lead him on.
Paul describes Jesus as the King of the Ages, declaring Jesus as King of eternity past and of eternity future. Jesus the Christ has always been  King of Kings.
Then Paul says Jesus is immortal and invisible. Jesus is always with us even beyond time itself. Even when we don't see Jesus, He is still there, with us Christians always.
Paul concludes his praise with a declaration of ultimate honor to our God, no greater value, no higher esteem, and the icing on the cake so to speak, declaring there is none greater than our Wonderful God anywhere, or in any time before or after, and none have done such great things. God Is.

Remember

Hebrews 13:3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. #Bible

Remember, so very important a word for we Believers. Those of us who consider ourselves in the body of Christ, the Church.
In our world today those better informed say more Christians are being persecuted, even put to death, than any other time in history. Persecuted even by violent religions who wish to exterminate we Christians.
We need to pray regularly, if not continually for the persecuted Church of God. Asking for God's will to be done.
We are instructed here to consider as if we are with them in prison and even persecuted with them. After all we are one body of Christ, all parts of the body feel the pain of those parts who are suffering.
Remember we too are still in our physical bodies and in the future we could find ourselves suffering persecution as well.
The solution for all persecution is letting our prayers rise to our Father in Heaven in Christ's name who has all the answers. Amen.

It is God

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. #Bible

This isn't something we do for ourselves, we can't establish ourselves in anything that would last, its just beyond our ability.
But with God, He can permanently establish us along with the Apostle Paul and his coworkers in Christ our Savior who anoints us. Giving us what we need to accomplish our ministry for Jesus the Christ.
Being anointed by Jesus is to be empowered to do the work of a Christian.
Being sealed in Jesus Christ is giving us His Holy Spirit in our hearts, so that we know God is with us, no matter what we go through, whatever we must endure.
We are guaranteed to be in Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit resides within our very hearts, and that is forever.
That guarantee means we are with God forever, even death has no power over us, nothing in this world can separate us from our eternal everlasting establishment in Jesus the Christ.
Whatever we go through in this life we are empowered to endure.
We celebrate in the Joy of the Lord because we stand by Faith in God our Father.

The Saviour

Hebrews 2:16-18 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels. No, he came to help Abraham's descendants, 17 thereby becoming like his brothers in every way, so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and could atone for the people's sins. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. #Bible ISV

You've heard the saying "Don't tell me what to do until you have walked a mile in my shoes".
Well that's just the point, Jesus didn't just walk a mile, He lived a life in our skin!
Jesus lived a life just as we do, going through all the same issues and problems we face in this life. Jesus dealt with the same emotions, anger, and pain this life produces because of sin.
Satan who held the power of death, held humanity in slavery and fear of death until Jesus the Christ delivered us from that fear.
Jesus being God through His Love for is came and became one of us. He lived the life we aren't capable of living, never giving into the temptation of sin.
He lived the perfect righteous life.
Jesus as a human being could of just walked into Heaven with no accusation of sin. But Jesus took all of mankind's sin upon Himself and suffered death in our place. Freeing us to be able to enter Heaven with no accusation.
Jesus defeated satan and death when He died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Throne of God Almighty where He helps us in every way possible.
Jesus is the Way to God the Father, He is the Word of God, the Truth, and He is and has given us the Life.
All we have to do is believe that Jesus is our Saviour, repent of our sins, and begin to live this Glorious life He provides, not living in fear of death any more.

The Light of True Freedom

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. #Bible

Once we were those who were blinded by darkness groping around stumbling, falling down, constantly being wounded by our sins, living to suffer the consequences of our sins, and even controlled by our sins.
Once we existed in the darkness of ignorance about our Creator God. We knew only the passions of our flesh, and its lusts.
This darkness kept us enslaved to a life of suffering, unsatisfied though we had everything, nothing gave us joy or happiness.
Then God chose us to come into His presence, into His Marvelous Light. We became Gods chosen, His royal priesthood, and Holy nation, a people for His own possession, His Family.
As God's Royal Priests we proclaim our Father's Love to the world. We share the invitation from God to the world. That Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. To all who would believe.
We proclaim Jesus is Lord, and we share His Word, the Holy Scriptures to a world stranded in the darkness of ignorance and the binding slavery of sin. We proclaim Freedom in Light, where all is visible, to all who would believe in Jesus the Christ. We live in the Joy of the Lord, happy, and wanting to please Jesus in our service to Him.
Come into the Light, believe in Jesus.

Believe

John 14:1-6  “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. #Bible

Don't worry, Jesus tells His Disciples. While Jesus has just revealed His betrayer, and informed Peter of His three denials of Jesus, not to mention His death on the cross. The Disciples are a bit concerned and nervous with what will happen next.
Jesus tells them as you believe in, trust and depend on and have faith in God the Father, Do so with Jesus also.
Jesus tells them of the many mansions, rooms, abodes in His Father's house. He points out that if it were not so He would have told them. Jesus never gave His Disciples opportunity to disbelieve Him before and He isn't now.
Jesus gives the Disciples the good news, that He is going to prepare a place for them.
Jesus isn't leaving the Father God's house, He's just going to another abode, or section of the Father's house, and He will return for them also.
The Disciples will be received by Jesus and will reside with Jesus.
When Jesus said they know where He is going, it figure's Thomas the realist would be the one asking where. Thomas wanted to be sure, just like he did with Jesus rising from death.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me, Jesus says.
Just like when Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him to put his hand in His side and his finger in His hand, and believe. Jesus now confirms the only way to see or know the Father God was by Jesus. In fact Jesus Goes on to say if you see Me you have seen the Father God.
We Christians today basically go through this same process in coming to know God and knowing through Jesus the Christ, the One and Only Unique Son of God. Who has given of Himself as the Father has, in giving us our foretaste, or proof of our residence, our abode with our God in eternity. By giving us our God, the Holly Spirit to reside in our mortal bodies with us even forever.
Jesus is still at work preparing our home in our Father's Home. I can't even imagine how wonderfully awesome it will be, because our God Jesus has been working for thousand's of years to accomplish His task.
I can't understand how or why anyone would reject our Wonderful Savior, our Wonderful Father God. Can He do any more to show us His Love for Us?
I say believe and be saved from the wrath that is coming very soon for those who reject their Creator God.

JEHOVAH is the Greatest

Psalm 135:5-7 For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. 7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. #Bible

The LORD is great, Jehovah, the self existent One.
The LORD is Great, in age, intelligence, in wisdom, even size. The LORD is smarter, stronger, quicker, in every ability we can imagine. Yes we fear Jehovah, but we are not afraid of Him, because we know our eternal Father Jehovah
Jehovah is so great, those who because they don't see Him think He doesn't exist, He is still there. Maybe even standing right in front of them.
Jehovah is superior in every aspect of our thinking and imagination, able to do whatever He pleases when He pleases.
Jehovah controls and maintains everything, including our very lives, now that's Love. To allow those who say He doesn't exist, to exist themselves.
Jehovah desires all people to come to Him, and be His children. That's why Jehovah committed the Greatest act of Love of all time in sending His constant companion from eternity past, His only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ to take our place in our punishment for our sins, and freeing us from our sins, our rebellion against Jehovah, the Only True God, our Creator.
How and why would anyone worship idols, or god's that can't speak, they don't hear, or even think.
Bless Jehovah, Bless God our Father, Praise His Holy Name for His Wonderful Loving kindness.
Bless Jehovah for His Amazing Dependability and Faithfulness, not only to His own, but to the world of people who don't know He Is.

Retaliation

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, I will repay evil; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. #Bible

Our natural instinct is to react when we are wronged, its seems deeply imbedded within us. To retaliate seems to satisfy all of our emotions at the time. Interestingly though we usually feel regret or even guilt afterwards. The problem with this is that our retaliation drives us even further from the possibility of reconciliation.
Waiting for the Lord Jesus insures the outcome which is truly what we need, and we don't do those things that cause us regret or guilt.
God who knows our hearts, He knows exactly what we need, and He is the only One who can deliver us with the best outcome.
There is another side to this concept of waiting on the Lord. We get to watch God work in our lives. We get to see Him cause those who wronged us to surprisingly apologize, or even get what's coming to them. Jesus might even heal our hearts, or give us wisdom in what is right. Our Lord in dealing with them might even take us from hurt and anger to actually praying for those who have wronged us, asking Him to let them go or stop dealing with them so harshly. I have had this happen in my life, to go from hating them to asking God to stop, yes its weird, but the lesson wasn't for them, but for me.

Rom 8:28 ISV And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good.

Grace

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. #Bible

Yes we have this privilege as Christians.
For those who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus the Christ, they can only come crying for God's Mercy and forgiveness, requesting Jesus to be their Lord, and Lord of their life.
We Christians know Jesus as our Lord, as our protector, our provider, and our High Priest. Jesus intercedes with God for us. It is through Jesus that we receive Grace from God's favor, which we are incapable of earning.
We Christians can at any time, without fear or hesitation, day or night, go to God our Father seeking what ever we need. God loves us and we are His children, we are family. Not from anything we deserve, but because of God's Mercy and Grace, and His Love.

That thus coming, feeling, and calling, we may have the utmost confidence; for we have boldness, liberty of access, freedom of speech; may plead with our Maker without fear; and expect all that heaven has to bestow; because Jesus, who died, sitteth upon the throne! Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (Adam Clark)

Sons and Daughters

Luke 6:35-36 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. #Bible

This is the beauty of being a Christian, we live in the freedom, the clear conscience to Love even our enemies. Doing good to others feels good, it is absent of stress, it produces joy and peace. When we lend with the attitude of not expecting anything in return, we glorify God, and what we lend, if not repaid becomes an offering to our Father God.
At that point once again, we have no ill feelings, or strife, or even stress. We just Praise God for His Blessings that have provided us with the ability to lend in the first place. We will be just like our Father in Heaven, and He rewards us greatly even, as we realize we are acting as the sons of the Most High, our Father God.
God in His Rich Love, is even kind to the ungrateful, and the evil as also we should be, why? Because to be at peace with everyone is the path of least resistance, and it is imitating our Father God as Sons and Daughters of God, and that's just the way we act.
Oh, being Merciful, because we need so much of this Mercy from our Father God. Our Father God recognized just how much we need, that He sent His Son Jesus the Christ as a sacrifice for the extreme amount of Mercy we need. Not only to die on the Cross, but to live a perfect Life in our place, that Jesus credited to us by His death on that Cross.
The least we can do is to show Mercy to our neighbors, again demonstrating that we are the Sons and Daughters of the Most High, our Father God.

The Light

John 12:46-47 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness. 47 If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Jesus is the Lumination of the knowledge of God to the world. When we share Jesus we are in that Light, when we are at church we are in the Light, when we talk about Jesus we are in the Light. Sharing the Gospel is in the Light, the Light of God.
Our Believing in the Gospel, Believing in Jesus our Saviour, keeps us in the Light. We Christians have walked out of the darkness of sin, and ignorance about God into the marvelous Light, the lumination of the knowledge of God. Not only of God, but about our Righteous God, about who He is and how much God Loves us.
If anyone rejects Jesus, they are choosing to remain in their sin hidden by their own darkness.
God sees all, and Jesus has come to free them from the darkness that imprisonod them in their own sin. God will only shine the Light of His invitation on the sinner for so long. When the sinner's heart has become hardened to that point, God will give the sinner over to their hard heart, to their sin.
At that point there is no more hope for that person. They will die in their sin. Their future will be in the lake of fire with satan and all the others who have chosen the darkness of their sin, rather than a Life in Light with the Father God, Jesus our Lord, and the Holy Spirit our Companion.

God Watches

Jeremiah 23:23-24 Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. #Bible

Which do you think, God is close to you or far away?
The sinner believes God to be either far off not paying attention, or God doesn't exist at all. In turn the sinner is free to do whatever they please without consequence.
In this section of scripture the prophets were lying to the people claiming God speaks to them through dreams and such. Which makes what the say unquestionable.
God is is saying, hey I'm right here I see what your doing. Don't you know I'm everywhere all the time? I'm even in your dreams, and what your prophesying to these people is not from Me, you are lying.
We Christians need to understand that when we sin, God is the first eyewitness to our sin. God knows it all even to the depths of our hearts. God is also the first person we go to, through Jesus our Lord for repentance and forgiveness.
As Christians, we need to take seriously the gifts of ministry God has given us, especially in prophesying God's message and His Word, and I would say with fear and trembling. God doesn't miss anything, and He will guard His Word and His Will being done. It's a blessing to know that God watches over us all the time.

Residence

John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. #Bible

Here is the the heart of our relationship with our Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
First we must possess the commandments of Jesus the Christ. These we receive by way of the Holy Spirit at our salvation as promised by Jesus. The commandments of Jesus have been written upon our hearts, and the Holy Spirit is with us revealing them, and helping us to understand.
As we understand and experience the Commandments of Jesus, we see the tremendous benefits they create in our lives. Our natural reaction is to be thankful, and our love for Jesus grows as He blesses us with His commandments.
So the Love of Jesus is expressed through His commandments, and we express our love to Jesus through our obedience to His commandments, and the Father God Loves us because we love Jesus.
The thought that Jesus will manifest Himself to us is brain staggering, at the realization that not only the Holy Spirit, but Jesus, and even our Father God will manifest themselves to us, and still, will even take up residence with us? My mind is blown away.
Our Triune God is with us, we are Their Residence! How cool is that, thank You Jesus.

Joh 14:23 LEB Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and will take up residence with him.

Near God

Psalm 73:28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. #Bible

I've been far from God, left to myself, doing what I please, thinking I knew what was best for me. I pursued what I thought I wanted, what would benefit me, and like a house of cards in time it all came crumbling down on top of me.
I was left completely alone wondering why I was born, why I was even alive. The story of my life was the dash between the day I was born and the day I die. In a few years nobody would know I even existed. What was the point?
And you know, I was right. That is life away from God. That is the best I can have in this world away from knowing Jesus the Christ.
Whether you have all the money and fame, or you are just one living one moment at a time scratching to get by, paycheck to paycheck. That's the best it will get, sooner than later we will be left wanting. Wanting something so bad that we can't see straight, anything that will satisfy the emptiness inside.
Away from God is emptiness, nothing exists, it is empty and void. The only good to be had, the only good that lasts, is with God, everything else fails.
When I came near to God, when I declared to God He is my Lord, I began a journey to understand. I began to see my life with God is real, and it is lasting. I now have a reason for why I exist, what I am here for. It's simple, its to serve the only True and Living God Jehovah. I found my wealth is in my family of God, my wife and the children my God has blessed me with.
But most of all its in my relationship with my Lord God.
Life is wonderful with God. Before was just imaginings compared to my life with Jesus. Then there is my God the Holy Spirit, my companion through this treacherous life. He gives me Peace from on High, God's Peace, filling that emptiness to overflowing. I Love God.

Your Word

Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. #Bible

As in the days of the Psalmist, so it is today. We must store up the Word of God within our hearts, minds, our being, our very consciousness.
We need to consider the Word of God the very food of our spirits, nourishing our eternal spirit's. I believe God our Holy Spirit's main consideration after saving us from our sins, is to cause us to hunger for and feed us His Eternal Word, which is found on every page of the Holy Bible.
The Word of God is our front line of defence against our human nature, our flesh, which is prone to sin.
With the Holy Spirit's sustaining guidance in God's Word we will endure to the finish line, to Jesus with His open arms welcoming us into Heaven. Amen.

Treasure

2Co 4:7-10 But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Our bodies like earthenware jars hold the power of the Gospel that is from our Father God and delivered to us by our Saviour Jesus the Christ. This great power we house, not being our own, but from God is the message to the world.
Though we are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. God's Power sustains us, and enables us to continue.
We always carry the death of Jesus in our mortal bodies because the soul that sins surely dies, and by Jesus death on the cross, sin has been condemned to our mortal bodies, which will die, so that the life giving power of the Gospel, the very Life of Jesus may be revealed to the world. This is accomplished by our obedience to the Gospel, our proclamation to the world that Jesus has risen from the dead.
All who will believe in, relay on, trust in, and have faith in Jesus the Christ will not die, but have Everlasting Life.
Our lives are now lived for Jesus, our actions are to depict the actions of Jesus, our intentions are to now be the same as Jesus.
We cannot do this on our own power, which again demonstrates it is the Power of God, we must lean on and submit to the leadership of the God's Word and Will through the Holly Spirit.
We Christians have died to this world and we consider our bodies dead because of sin. We have to live to our Messiah Jesus, because He has the Words of Life, and our reward is great.

That the excellency of the power may be of God; and not of us.] God keeps us continually dependent upon himself; we have nothing but what we have received, and we receive every necessary supply just when it is necessary; and have nothing at our own command. The good therefore that is done is so evidently from the power of God, that none can pretend to share the glory with him. (Clark)

Wise?

Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. #Bible

To be Wise is one who is continually watching and observing. For example a farmer continually watches his crops and livestock. Making sure everything is in order, ready to respond to any situation that might arise.
One who is wise in his own eyes is watching himself, thinking he is confident in what he knows. He thinks he is adequately prepared. He is blind to his inability to see what is looming continually outside on the periphery. His confidence tells him all is well, even when doom nears.
It has been said that wisdom is learned in knowing what its like to be a fool. That is the difference between being wise in one's own eyes, and a fool.
It's being humble in learning, knowing we will never know it all in this life.
It makes sense why God refers to us as sheep, and His children, and our need of our Savior Jesus the Christ, and for the Holly Spirit, our God who is our companion through this life and on into eternity.

A Facet of Life

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. #Bible

We live this life with its ups and downs, good times and bad, well to do and scratching to get by. We have times of great joy in the Lord, and others asking Him why.
One thing is constant for the Christian, God's steadfast Love that never ceases, His Mercy is never exhausted, and His Faithfulness surpasses our ability to understand.
One of the by-products of this life for the Christian is the humility we learn through the trials and tribulations of this life, that allows us to see and experience the hope of God with a vivid understanding and view towards our eternal life with our Saviour Jesus.
The beauty of God's steadfast Love and His Mercies, is that yesterday's troubles and shortcomings are left in yesterday.
We don't have to carry all of that luggage full of guilt, sin, and frustrations into tomorrow, they stay right where they are, right in yesterday.
Aren't you glad you are a God walker? Walking with God under His Care and direction?
If you don't know Jesus I feel for you, because there is a whole facet of life you are missing, a freedom you've never experienced, right within your grasp.
Ask Jesus to save you from your life of loneliness and come meet your family in Christ Jesus our God, and live forever with Him.

What Is Left?

John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. #Bible

In the Garden of Eden mankind gave up our spirit to satisfy with what nourishes our flesh.
Jesus the Christ came down from heaven and gave up His Flesh to nourish our spirit back to life, restoring us back to life everlasting.
This is God the Father's way of redeeming those He Loves, the whole World, back into an eternal relationship with Him.
Being the perfect gentleman if you will, he also gives us complete freedom of choice to believe in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, or reject it.
God's Love is so perfect that He excepts the decision of those who choose to be separated from Him. God named this place of separation the lake of fire.
To have life forever from God's perspective is to be with Him, the Creator of all.
Think about it, if your not with the Creator and sustainer of all, what is left?

The same word which in Hebrew means “bread,” in the Syriac and Arabic means also “flesh.” (Barns)

Reader, remember this: it is one of the weightiest, and one of the truest and most important sayings in the book of God. (Clark)

A Word Behind

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. #Bible

I believe God is speaking to us all the time, I mean 24-7, and if we want to hear Him its up to us to tune Him in. You have to be listening to hear what's said behind you.
When I was a kid my family traveled across country a couple of times, and when we would listen to the am radio (that's all there was). As we would pass through a city the signal was strong, but the further away we got away, the more we had to keep tuning it in. This is how it is with God. Just like the city, God is stationary, we are the ones who keep moving around, thus the necessity to keep tuning Him in.
Of course the easiest way to hear our Lord speak to us is by reading the Bible. If you want to hear God, well read out loud. The voice is yours but the Words are His.
Staying on a continual diet of God's Word keeps our own conscience's finely tuned and attentive to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Like Israel, nothing good will happen as long as we are off worshipping idols, or wandering away from God because our lust is leading us away from Him.
It's only when we move close to our Lord that we enjoy His Blessings and guidance through this life. Without our Lord Jesus leading us we are just groping in the dark, unable to hear a word behind us telling us the way to go.

God Is There

Psalm 139:7-10 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. #Bible

Wonderful verses that speak to the Saint and the sinner.
To the sinner, there is no place you can hide that God can't see you. There is no place on this planet that God doesn't occupy. Even then what ever God wants, He will have from you, whether to do or to serve God's purpose.
However, for the Saint, there is no wondering off and getting lost, that Our Lord can't find us. There is no place that God would send you that He's not already there waiting for you to arrive.
As Christians, God is with us, He resides within our mortal bodies, which He calls His Holy Temple.
God knows everything we are going through in complete detail. He has preordained us to endure through it even to death if that is God's Will. For the Christian death is closing our eyes to this existance, this world, and opening our eyes to our Saviour Jesus the Christ in Heaven, to abide with Our God forever.
God's care and comfort for His children is everlasting and complete.

Service of Love

Romans 12:11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

We have very few ways to express our love to God the Father, but in our labor's of service, in what ever capacity that is, do it with all you got, because there is no better expression of our love to our Lord.
I believe God Loves anything that we do in service to His will and purpose. Jesus gave us so many examples of His zeal for our Father in Heaven. We shouldn't have any trouble understanding how we should serve, or what we should do.
Focusing on ourselves is where we fall short. Focusing on what God has done for us is where we find strength, and ability to love God with our efforts in serving Him.

Your Neighbor

Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. #Bible

This is one of the ten commandments of Jehovah God. These commandments are given by God, not to apply any burden, but to free us from the consequences resulting from doing the wrong thing, or succumbing to temptation.
To bear false witness is to give incorrect information, when you know the truth. This can be about someone, or to someone giving false information directly.
Your neighbor is one you see, who lives close, or you work with, you work for, or they work for you.
Not bearing false witness, and being honest is to love God by your obedience to God who is Loving you by giving you His commandments.
No commandments, statutes, laws, ordinances, or dictates given by our Lord is intended, or designed to cause a negative outcome, but only good.
The Word of God never tells you to do something wrong, it is perfect in accomplishing God's Will, and best intentions for those who Love Him.
Think about Jesus who is the fulfillment of the Law of God.
Jesus is worth Believing.

Choice

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. #Bible

Zep 3:7-8 I have said, 'If only you would fear me, if only you would take my instructions to heart.' Then their houses would not have been torn down. I have chastened them, but they were eager to corrupt everything they were doing." 8 "Just you wait!" declares the LORD. "The day will come when I stand up as a prosecutor, for I am determined to assemble the nations and to gather the kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation upon them-- all of my fierce anger. All the earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy.

As always we have a choice before us. We see here earlier in the chapter, Jehovah God the existing One is dealing harshly with these people. Making cities and even their streets desolate, the people are gone because of God's judgement and wrath.
We cannot take God for granted, treating Him like He's up there in Heaven far far away.
As Christians, God is with us all the time, and thinking He doesn't know what we're up to is just foolishness. God our Eternal Father is Just and as we see here He Disciplines.
God leaves the choice up to us, we can be where He Blesses us, or we can be where He Disciplines us, its entirely our choice.
What our Father God prefers is a reason to save us, to rejoice with gladness and loud singing over us, loving us in silence, not remembering our sins.
Why is God jealous? Because we place our faith and trust everywhere but in Him, and to Jehovah, everywhere is just sticks, metal, stone, and flesh like our own, with no life of their own or ability in them.
Seek God while there is still time.

Happy Feet

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns. #Bible

Good news is what we all love to hear, after hearing, everything is wonderfully better. You look at the sun rising over the hills, or mountains and you are excited with what the day will bring. At evening as the sunsets in the cool breeze of summer, taking a long deep breath knowing tomorrow will be a good day, and sleep will be peaceful.
Isaiah is speaking here of a twofold idea, on one hand he is speaking of the deliverance of Israel from captivity. On the other hand he is speaking of the day when the Messiah comes.
Jesus the Messiah came preaching the Good News that would set all the captives of sin free. That their sins would be forgiven, no longer just covered or set aside, but removed as far as the east is from the west, into the sea of forgetfulness.
The Good News is still being announced even today, it is being preached all over the world informing everyone that freedom from sin is at hand, it is now.
All you have to do to be at peace with God, no longer at odds with Him, a child of His wrath, is to believe in Jesus His One and Only Unique Son, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.
The time is short and a dark day is coming when Jesus will return to this world, this time to pronounce judgement on all who choose not to believe.
Believe and be saved!

Luk 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Jesus), because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Come Lord Jesus

Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! #Bible

We live our lives trying to walk with God only to be caught up in the sins that entangle us. We suffer with the daily realization that as the Apostle Paul states in Romans 7, sin resides within our mortal flesh and constantly stumbles us in its temptations. "Oh wretched people that we are". Only we know who will save us from this body of sin, and that is our Wonderful Bridegroom and Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ.
We endure, continuing on in our struggles, striving to walk the narrow path, falling occasionally, but we continue on towards that eternal prize, Eternal Life with our Father in Heaven.
Jesus is almost finished with preparing our place where we will reside with Him in eternity, and like a Bridegroom He will return to capture us away and wisk us off to the Great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Where we will celebrate our last phase of union with our Bridegroom Jesus the Christ. Why wouldn't we long for this? History shows us that God hears our prayers and our groanings, and our cries for salvation, and He responded then and God will respond in these last days also.

" Come, Lord Jesus, put an end to this state of sin, sorrow, and temptation; gather thy people out of this present evil world, and take them up to heaven, that state of perfect purity, peace, and joy, and so finish thy great design, and fulfil all that word in which thou hast caused thy people to hope." (Matthew Henry)

Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. #Bible

Grace is the merciful kindness by which God exerts his holy influence upon souls, to turn them to Christ (Strong's).
Not only is Grace God's Merciful Kindness towards us, but It is an influence by God to influence us by its attractiveness, especially when expressed by God.
Grace is God's hand of fellowship extended to the world expressing His Love for all humanity. In Faith God extends His Grace to all humanity in the desire that all will come to Him, with no one refused no matter how bad their sin.
We understand that this wonderful Grace offered would be impossible to earn, even with a lifetime of effort, especially when we can't stop the power of sin in our own lives, on our own. If it were possible we would have heard about it.
The only One I have heard who accomplished this humongous feet is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, and He turned around and took the sin of all humanity upon Himself and suffered our punishment all the way to death, so God the Father can extend Grace to us in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, where He left the power of sin. All who will believe in Jesus now can enjoy this wonderful Grace of God, and so much more. Let your adventure begin, believe in Jesus the Christ and be saved from hell, which is your only other option.

Gods Way

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. #Bible

Wouldn't it be wonderful to put on blinders, you know like on a horse pulling a wagon so they can't see to the right or the left, but only see where the wagon driver aims their head. For us though, its looking ahead that brings anxiety. Maybe blinders that only let us look to the end of the day, yea that might work.
Now that I'm older I really understand what Jesus is saying here, the birds of the sky and the animals, and fish of the sea, even the flowers of the field have no worries about tomorrow, so why should I? God takes care of all of them, so why should I be anxious?
So why do we worry about tomorrow? Do we really believe God has our back, or He will be there when we need Him?
It's interesting that when all options are exhausted, when all avenues have been traveled, and there is nothing we can do. Isn't that pretty much where we were when we began to worry? Aren't we still in a place where we ultimately have to still trust God?
We trust God for every breath in our lungs and every beat in our heart, why not trust Him with tomorrow?
Maybe God created us to be able to see Him in more detail, maybe He wants us to see and understand His Glory with more accuracy than just dependency. Maybe God truly desires for us to be members of His Family.
I believe it's a blessing from God to be able to know Him better than a flower, or a animal, or a fish. To know Him as my Father, who I can trust and depend on more than anything else He has created in this world.
God is someone who expressed His Love in ultimate ways, like adopting us His creation for His own children, and sending His only begotten Son Jesus to lay down His Life so we can be adopted. What orphan wouldn't want to be adopted by a Father like God?
Yes a bit long winded, but doesn't it make worries or anxieties quite small when we quest to know and understand who our Father God really is?
God's way is the right way because He IS, Yahweh, I Am.
So we really have no excuse to worry, we live to trust God.

Sin

Psalm 85:2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah. . . . #Bible
The Lord forgave their iniquity, He lifted up and took away the punishment for their perversity, depravity, iniquity, and guilt. The idea is that of the ceremony of the scapegoat.
Covered all their sin, which were counted and hidden. I feel like this is what God did in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. After they sinned eating the forbidden fruit, God covered them.
Gen 3:21 KJV Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
The difference between Israel and Christians is, Israel sins were either placed on the head of a scapegoat and sent into the wilderness to be forgotten, or they were covered, out of sight.
All sin was forgiven completely when Jesus the Christ, the Messiah satisfied God's requirement for sin, "the soul that sins will surely die".
Jesus laid His Life down on the cross so we could pick our lives up from death caused by our sin.
 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. - John 3:16-18

God is there.

Psalm 27:1 Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? #Bible
The Lord, The Self Existent One, Jehovah, is my light, He is the luminary of the heavens, of the morning, of the day, the brightness of my life, of my joy, my instruction, my prosperity, and my salvation, deliverance, rescue, safety, and my welfare.
The Lord is my refuge, my stronghold, my defence, my strength, my place of safety.
Whom do I fear, or dread, or causes me to tremble in sudden alarm?
What ever happens in this life, the greatest gift, or help, is the Love of our God Jehovah. Through His Love He provides what is most important and needed for those who love Him. Our Saviour Jesus came because of our Fathers Love, our Comforter and Companion the Holly Spirit of God and Christ resides with us forever because of His Love.
We are well kept children of God, and at our worst God gives us His Best. There is no dark place of despair that He isn't there, Loving His saints. Praise Him all His saints.

Confess

Romans 10:9-10 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. #Bible

This is the declaration of our allegiance, and commonality with God, and also with Jesus, and with all Christians that Jesus is Lord, our Lord.
That God raised Jesus from the dead, we agree with the evidence declared and the testimony given by the apostles.
We believe in our inner being, the seat of our thinking, our minds, and we are justified, made right with God. The separation is over, God declares us righteous, in right standing with Him. Not only that, God welcomes us into the family of God.
So we make our confession and we are saved from the destruction and death which is coming to those who choose not to place their allegiance with God.
Come to Jesus and confess Him To be the Lord of your life. Let Jesus be your Sheppard, leading you on the narrow path of life that leads to Heaven. Let the Holly Spirit our companion and comforter keep you from the wide path that leads you to destruction.

Come Lord Jesus

James 5:8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. #Bible

We also, be patient, our journey to eternity has already begun even here on earth. We are lead by our Great Sheppard Jesus the Christ who knows exactly where we are to go, and by the power of our eternal companion the Holy Spirit where we are to be.
Like the farmer who puts his faith in the early and the later rains needed to bring his precious crops to harvest. So too we have faith in Jesus to deliver us from our trials and tribulations which are mortal, and temporal, into eternity with Him. As is said, this life is but a vapor disappearing as quickly as it arises, so too are our trials and tribulations.
The coming or our Lord Jesus is so close it can happen at any moment, and our faith resides in Him. Lord Jesus, save us not from our trials and tribulations, but into Your presence, amen.

The Name

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. #Bible

The "Name" of the Lord, describes our God's character. The Breath of our God, I believe is an  attribute referring to our companion the Holy Spirit. Both help us to understand the safety in the Name of our Lord God.
LORD means Jehovah the existing one, the proper Name of the one true God "Adonay" unpronounced except for the vowel postings.
Our strong impenetrable, undefeatable high and lofty tower is His Name.
The righteous are those living the straight life, striving to walk with God and His direction, by our Sheppard and High Priest, Jesus the Christ. We strive to be in right standing with God desiring to please Him through our obedience expressing our love for Him.
We are blessed to be loved by a God who's Name is powerful, even a high lofty place of safety to run to. God is Good.

Ask Seek and Knock

Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. #Bible

We who have been born again, who have repented and declared Jesus our Lord, have been welcomed into the family of God, and God is now our Father in Heaven.
This is to ask, first of all for forgiveness of our sins, which God our Father does completely. That means we don't become a judge going around picking our brothers and sisters in the Lord apart for every inconsistency we can find.
It means we look to our Father God for everything we need, He is our source for everything. We no longer look to this world, even though God provides some of what we need from this world.
We seek what we need, first of all our salvation, then anything else we need from God our Father. Such as finding that narrow path that leads to eternity with Jesus our Lord, avoiding that broad path that leads to destruction. Anything, our wants, or desires, that cause us to seek, we go to God our Father who gives us good things.
If we come to a closed door, or a roadblock, or something that is in our way, we knock on the door to the Throne Room of Heaven where we have unreserved access, and can enter in without fear or hesitation to God our Father sitting on His Throne.
The point is we Christians must turn to our Father God through Jesus our Lord for  everything, we must act, we must pray.
Prayer is our vehicle by which we accomplish everything we do in this world, on our way to Heaven.

Heart Attack

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. #Bible

A few years ago I found myself in pain running down my arms. Knowing this was foreign to anything I had felt before. I decided I needed to go to the hospital. Once there, I was taken into the emergency room. The next thing I knew, like a swarm of bees, I was surrounded by doctors, technicians, and nurses.
At one point of this ordeal they were taking me to another room for some tests, and between my legs they set a mobile crash cart, you know with the paddles, when they use it they yell clear!, then shock you back to life.
I found myself telling my wife, quick dear get a picture and put it on Facebook, which she did.
It was about this time when I realized I'm not afraid. I was in a very interesting state of mind. No it wasn't medication or endorphins, they still had me in test mode confirming their suspicions of a heart attack.
I realized I was relaxed and at peace. I had been talking to my Lord through this whole thing, not pleading for him to save me, but telling Him I trusted Him in what was going on, and whatever the outcome, He is my Lord.
I was anxious about what was going on, yes even afraid, and naturally talking to God about it.
What I realized was that this peace wasn't from me, it was from my Lord. God had given me like, an extra dose of His Peace.
All I could do is thank Him and Praise Him, that while in a time of need, His dose of Peace was just what I needed.
For months after especially, and even to this day I still marvel at God's satisfying Peace, it truly does surpasses all of my understanding.
My Lord literally guarded my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.
God's Peace still amazes me every day I live, with all the medication I have to take and the two stints in one of my arteries.
I get an even clearer picture of my Lord's sustaining peace, and His Wonderful Grace that allows me to be His son and have Jesus, not only my Lord and Saviour, but also my Big Brother, even my Husband and my Great Sheppard, who leads me through this life to the next one, on into eternity where I will be with Him forever.
I can no longer, nor do I want to, imagine life without my Father God in my life. What a horrible ordeal, to go through a heart attack without God.
Jesus is waiting for you to call Him. He will answer you.

Love or Hate

OneProverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. #Bible

One who sees the benefits of discipline learns to love discipline and loves the knowledge gained.
This word "Loves" has the idea of recognizing a gift from God and discipline is to turn, from what you do in ignorance to what is right.
Knowledge means " the door of the eye", to know through seeing you experience, or through the experience of another. It can come through knowing someone intimately and personally.
To hate reproof is to turn away or reject it because you see no benefit.
Reproof means " wall hand" it is to correct or chastise with a firm hand.
Stupid is to be barbarous, or brutish, burning with fire or rage, acting like an animal.
It's simple love God and receive all he gives you, even being disciplined, knowing the outcome is worth it.
If you reject reproof hating it, then be content to live your life like an animal, preferring to be  stupid fearing what will make you a better person.

Family

Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. #Bible

Whoever does the Will of God is demonstrating their belief, and their faith in God. They have trust, dependence, and reliance in God for their very lives.
When we do, perform, and execute the Will, Purpose, and Desire of God in our lives, we prove we are in the family of God our Father.
Jesus is telling us that whether you are His brother, sister, or mother, we have access to a relationship with Him that encompasses the same closeness and intimacy as with any family member, whether mother, brother, sister, or Father.
Our God is thoroughly wonderful in His desire to have such a close relationship with us. How could we ever reject this perfect Love from our Triune God? Who expresses His Love to us in three Persons.
God is waiting for you to come home to Him with open arms. Ask Him to forgive you of your rebellious sins, and turn to Jesus asking Him to save you from the destruction that is coming to all who reject Jesus.

God's Law

Matthew 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. #Bible

The Law, God created for man, and its perfection is the essence of our Father's Love for those who worship Him. The Law of God has been working since the beginning and will continue till the finest point has served its purpose, and accomplished God's intention.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law, and He continues to accomplish its purpose also. As children of God, we have received God's Law written upon our hearts and our minds, that we would, as Jesus, do the work of accomplishing and fulfilling the Law of God in our lives also, with the help of our Holy Spirit.
What a wonderful task we have been given, a mission, a service to our Father God through our Saviour Jesus the Christ to return our love to God through obedience to God's Law, striving to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is Perfect. We have to continue on towards the goal of our higher calling, not getting hung up on our personal lower issues, but running the race winning the Prize, hearing those words spoken by Jesus, welcome good and faithful servant enter in.
If you don't know Jesus, ask Him to forgive you, ask Him to come into your life, and fill you with His Holy Spirit. Now you can fulfill God's Law.

I breathe

Revelation 1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. #Bible

In preparing this devotional I was faced with two points, 1. This verse is fully self explanatory, 2. The quote below says it better than I can.
The only thing I can say is how wonderfully awesome our God truly is.

 It is worthy of remark, that as the union of aleph and tau in Hebrew make eth, which the rabbins interpret of the first matter out of which all things were formed, so the union of α alpha and ω omega, in Greek, makes the verb αω, I breathe, and may very properly, in such a symbolical book, point out Him in whom we live, and move, and have our being; for, having formed man out of the dust of the earth, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul; and it is by the inspiration or inbreathing of his Spirit that the souls of men are quickened, made alive from the dead, and fitted for life eternal. He adds also that he is the Almighty, the all-powerful framer of the universe, and the inspirer of men. (Adam Clark)
Praise The LORD!

The Lost

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. #Bible

The Son of Man, meaning Jesus the Christ, came from the Father God's side in Heaven.
Jesus came to seek, with determination, and obedience to the Father God, even with the idea, a service of worship.
Jesus came to save, to deliver, to protect, heal, preserve and do well to the lost.
The lost which we all were, were perishing, dying, on our way to destruction, lost and away from God.
With perfect Love from Heaven Jesus diligently sought out the lost, and as we can see here in this section even scrupulous tax collectors. Our Wonderful Lord Jesus was a complete success in His mission and I for one am very happy about that, Praise The LORD.

The Spirit's Help

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. #Bible

This verse is one of my favorites, its the creamy center of the cookie verses surrounding it.
The Holy Spirit is with us all the time helping us especially in our weaknesses. He not only saved us from our sinful rebellion against God our Father, but now in all of our weaknesses.
Not only does the Spirit give us hope, but He is with us interceding for us with groanings beyond words, because we don't know what to pray for as we ouat to pray. The Spirit prays that perfect prayer for us that words can not express, because God is always searching our hearts for He knows the mind of the Spirit in perfect union, according to our Father God's perfect Will.
I love the fact that God is perfectly thoural, He leaves nothing out, He knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him, even what is in our hearts. We have nothing to hide and God has everything to help, and He does.
I can't help but see God's Love in all of this, He even Loves us with His perfect Love, nothing is held back by God, He gives it all for all time even eternity.
God even causes all things to be working together for good for us who He has called to Him, who love Him. That's those who have chosen to believe in His Son Jesus, and have declared Jesus to be their Sheppard and Lord. Leading us through this life, traveling the path with the least resistance, the righteous life of right living in Christ our Messiah.

Anger

Proverbs 16:32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. #Bible

It is the mighty who are capable of taking a city. Yet their anger destroys their efforts.
One who controls his anger and hinders his anger from exploding, remaining slow and conscious of his emotions, allowing his anger to ignite his determination will have success in all his venture's, this is to rule his spirit.

Steadfast and Immovable

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. #Bible

The other day while driving, a truck passed me with a bumper sticker that read, " open your mind, close your Bible." Needless to say I was offended, not to mention, hurt in my spirit. My human nature wanted to ask the driver, "how does it feel to be a fool," but I resisted.
My resistance was my striving to be steadfast, and immovable, not giving in to the desire to retaliate.
In order to abound in the work of the Lord we must remain in the Lord, steadfast and immovable in the mission and work God has given us to do.
We, with the direction and help from the Spirit of Christ Jesus can continue in God's work even when for that moment it seems to be in vain. The apostle Paul wants us to know that our labor is absolutely not in vain, and Paul's life recorded in the New Testament writings about him demonstrate that fact.
The beauty is, what ever would attempt to discourage you in this world, is the evidence that your labor is not in vain, and our success isn't measured on earth, but in Heaven. So as you, I will continue to labor knowing our God in Heaven is the one we serve, and God never works in vain.

The Gift

Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. #Bible

One man's trespass brought death to the world, death being the rejection by God who is Life. Death isn't the end of consciousness or existence, all are created as eternal beings. Therefore separation from the Creator God is the absence of life, existing in nothing, being put away from life, hell itself, the lake of fire, eternal agony, uselessness.
One Man Jesus who came and stepped into our place and received our condemnation and died experiencing all that we would have suffered in death. Jesus who rose from this death gave us so much more in life eternal, that it points out just how severe death eternal is for those who refuse Jesus's free offer to be saved from this horrible death.
So this Man Jesus who is God in the flesh brought us so much more through Grace, Gods unlimited, unearned favor, and His Righteousness, to reign in right living, given freely to all who believe in Jesus, even adoption into the family of God.
I believe we don't see this death correctly, at least as God sees it. That would motivate Him to send His only begotten Son Jesus to satisfy the requirement, the necessity of judgement for our rebellion, our sin.
When you look at the earth, and even the universe, no matter how small man attempts to make it. It leaves me thinking just how small and limited my understanding of anything is. No matter if you pluck a leaf of a tree, or you gaze into space our vision is so shallow. Even with the greatest microscope, or telascope we are ignorant of what is really going on, or the depth of God's creation.
This life though brief, us summed up with nothing more than a question, for those who reject God's offer of salvation.
I pray if you don't know Jesus the Christ, or you know Him, but choose to keep one foot in the world and its allurements, that you would come home to your Creator and God. Turn to Jesus.

Be Wise

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. #Bible

To a wise Son he considers his father's correction, reproof, even chastening, to be instructed. The wise Son strives to be attentive and obedient to his father's instruction
The scoffer doesn't even listen, thinking he knows more and is wiser, only to be left to his own avoidable pitfalls.
We Christians realize our need for our Father's instruction which comes from heaven. We have discovered the amazing value contained in Gods Love Letter written to all of mankind, the Bible. The Bible is our instruction manual for this life, and its instruction absolutely necessary to continue on the path of true human beings, the children of God.
The scoffer in the long run is a pinball bouncing his way through this life reacting to the events created by his ignorance.
Walk with God, its an adventure on your way to eternity with Jesus the Christ.

Wait

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. #Bible

Young men who are full of energy with seemingly inexhaustible strength, without God will faint and become weary, and fall, exhausted.
But those who wait, for the Lord, the self existent, eternal, Jehovah, shall renew.
Like an eagle molting new wings, they shall renew their strength. Getting that second wind, they will run and not tire easily or become weary. They will not faint walking as in the midday sun.
In whatever we do, doing it under the direction of our Lord will bring us through. The trials of this life will not tear us down, but build us up, strengthened like an eagle with a fresh set of wings.
However long it takes to grow a new set of wings is a good amount of time for the Lord to renew our strength, so lets wait, depending on the Lord.

Perfection

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.

So if you think you've seen it, or think you've heard it, or even imagined the things God has prepared for we who love God. You can be sure that isn't what it will be like.
Look at this fallen and corrupted world and all of its beauty, and realize what God is, in His perfection, is preparing for us who believe.

Stay Awake

Matthew 24:42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. #Bible

Be alert, pay attention to the times we live in. Don't fall asleep, so to speak, to what's happening around us, but be alert.
Nobody knows the day Jesus will return for those who believe in Him, but we can, by the season see that it's close.
Even if it were to be the wrong season we still stay alert. Not slumbering in inaction in our service to the Lord, but doing as the Lord directs us. Pray, serve, and live for Jesus the Christ as He even gave His Life for us.

Fear what is it good for?

2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. #Bible

As human beings we have a God given characteristic of fear. Interestingly we in my opinion, have abused it to the point that fear has turned into something entirely different, anxiety, depression, paranoia, doubt, discouragement, and so on. Fear has been exaggerated way out of proportion.
Fear for the Christian simply put, is a trigger, or an alert to talk to God. Christians aren't slaves to fear any more, we have been freed by our Savior Jesus the Christ.
Jesus has not only freed us from a spirit of fear, but He has given us miraculous power, a miracle in itself from God.
We now have the ability to do the wonderful works of God. We are now, as Christians able to do the will of God. We have been given the ability of self control to Love as God Loves. Not only fellow Christians, but the world also.
We Christians being filled with our comforter the Holly Spirit, the power of God to endure, even when fear grips us with all it brings, we cry out to our Abba, (Daddy), Father God, who has all the solutions, and answers to our human dilemma.

Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father!

Ephesians 3:12 In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear). (Amplified Bible)

Faith Hope and Love

1 Corinthians 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. #Bible

Through faith we see clearly the Love of God, by Jesus He declares life Eternal, in hope we discover to love like God on our journey in life.

Hows your attitudie?

Ephesians 4:1-3 () 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. #Bible

Being born again changes us, we have a awesome attitude change, or adjustment being filled with the Spirit of God.
Humility, Gentleness, and Patience are the characteristics Christians display when being Sheppard by Jesus. These characteristics are what allows us to bear with one another and the world in Love. This is the sign that we are maintaining the unity of the Spirit which keeps us on the right path close to God.
The Bond of peace is what allows Christians to except all who follow Jesus our Great Sheppard, the One and only Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah.
Being born again allows us Christians to love all people in the world who are not Believers of God, with the Love of God which is perfect Love.
In the recent news on gay marriage in the U.S. is just another opportunity for Christians to Love the gay community, and to be honest speaking the truth, the Word of God, and after to continue loving them as Christ Jesus Loved us while we were still sinner's.

Righteous Wealth

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. #Bible

Being right with God living in the peace that provides is much better than having lots of money living in treachery and corruption.
Wealth if not controlled will control you. It's better to be subject to the Great Sheppard Jesus the Christ.

God Our Rock

Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. #Bible

God, Yahweh, is our Rock. This word "Rock" gives the idea that God is like a flint stone which is very hard, or when it is cracked it leaves a razor sharp edge. A Rock which is able to press in on something, or a Rock cave.
God is like flint Rock with a razor sharp edge able to initiate justice. He is a Rock where He is able to press into our hearts exposing our need for Him. He is a Rock to our enemies pressing in on them for our protection. He is our Rock of refuge like a Rock cave is a place of safety.
God our Father is a Rock of Righteousness and faithfulness who's ways are without iniquity or sin to deal with us in Justice, leading us in a upright lifestyle as He is.

God is God

Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth,or ever you had formed the earth and the world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God. #Bible

No matter what anybody thinks or says, nor how logical, or intelligent they proclaim to be, nor how many people think the same, God is still God. No matter how many religions disagree, or deny, God is still God.
God is still God no matter what takes place upon this earth. No politician, prime minister, presidents, or any other leader can change the fact that God is God. No angel, no supernatural being, no demon, nor any other alien can change the fact that God is God.
All of humanity if honest to themselves has to agree that God is the Creator of all things and maintains all things through His Son Jesus the Messiah, Thank You God for being God and my Eternal Father.

Faith Is

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. #Bible

First of all, I believe you need to read, even study the entire letter to the Hebrews, and maybe the entire Bible to fully comprehend this verse.
Faith is given to each one of us, nonbeliever and believer alike.
Faith itself is the proof or demonstration of God's existence, to believe God is.
Faith is the guarantee for our hope.
Faith is the evidence that proves everything that exists in the unseen spiritual world.
Faith is the primary power and the foundation of life itself. All that's left in the absence of faith is chaos and sin.
Faith is God and God created faith for us. It is the narrow path that leads to Jesus, it is the calmer of our fears, it is the motivation to accomplish great feat's of service to God.
Faith is the vehicle of Love.
Faith is another way God Loves us.
Faith is because God is.

God's Good Love

Psalm 107:1 Book Five, Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! #Bible

Giving thanks to God our Father is one of the best ways to keep from taking God for granted.  It also keeps us in a humble frame of mind towards Him, allowing us to see His Goodness.
We tend to want to take credit, or glory for what we do or accomplish. If we are honest we would have to admit or maybe confess that it is God's hand or direction that has brought us to our place of accomplishment.
Nobody loves us like God. Just think of Jesus our Lord, and that should overwhelmingly prove that. Think about how roughly 2000 years before we were born or even a thought, God sent His Son Jesus to pay the requirement for our rebellious sins. Yes God was thinking of us, and Loving us back then, not to mention Jesus who joyfully submitted to our Father.
I am thankful for God's steadfast and enduring Love because I fail so often remembering to be thankful to my Lord God. I try to make it habit to be thankful, but even that can be dangerous, because I know our Lord Loves honest sincerity.
Maybe that's when we should just worship Him even if its just us in our own heads, because our
God's Love is steadfast towards us forever.
God is Good and it is proven by His Love, or His Love is proven by His Goodness. You decide on that one.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.

God'sThoughts and Ways

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,  declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. #Bible

Notice verse 7 is connected by the word "For" in verse 8.
Isa 55:7 ISV Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, So he'll have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he'll pardon abundantly.

God's way of doing is not as ours. The example is our inability to do anything as good or exact as God can.
Interestingly as we see, for us it isn't a two way street so to speak, but for God it is, and probably in more ways than two.
We have trouble forgiving completely in any situation, yet God does it every time we sin. Can you imagine on a world level? My brain just crashed and had to restart just thinking about that, I can't even think like our Father who by the way resides in a place we can't comprehend, even its location.
In order to try to be like God in thought or action, God declares to the rebellious sinners, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts". Then we can return to the Lord who will have mercy on us and pardon us abundantly. The words " mercy" and "abundantly" are absolute, they don't go half way and stop, they finish the job.
So I will respond by submitting completely to our Father in Heaven and start learning His ways, and thinking like Him as I am instructed by His Word, the Bible. I will strive to become more like Jesus my Lord and Savior who is the expression of God the Father's abundant Mercy and Forgiveness. Praise the Lord God Almighty!

Wait for the Lord

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! #Bible

Timing is everything, our world is based on timing, our lives are orchestrated by timing.
What's wonderful is God created it.
I've used expressions like, time will tell the truth, and give it time to ripen, and of course, I don't have time.
We notice with the Lord here its - "wait". We humans even have a hard time with that. Waiting for me can be torturous, like waiting to be picked up, I hate that.
There is something beautiful about waiting on the Lord though. I think its because of being a Christian for a long time I have learned It gives me the opportunity to see God do things in my situation. God works things out so much better than my impatience does.
Waiting allows us to do as the writer says, "be strong, and let your heart take courage;".
The Lord prepares us for what we are facing, strengthening us, giving us courage, and even rest.
After I have waited on the Lord and His timing, I am ready to face what ever is ahead with our Lord's leading.

Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to be humble, and I know how to prosper. In each and every situation I have learned the secret of being full and of going hungry, of having too much and of having too little. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

God's Light

Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. #Bible

Whether we know it or not everyone around us is watching one way or another. Jesus is saying shine or reflect the light of God so that others see the Love of God upon us.
The light of God is our human reaction to Gods Love upon us. God's light is our lives directed by His Law written upon our hearts, and His Love pouring through us to those around us.
The obvious reason to let our light shine, is not to be ashamed, or continue to live in the dark ignorance of our life before we received Jesus the Christ as our Savior.
We are born again into the marvelous Light of God, knowing now the truth of His Love found in the Gospel.
As new creatures in Christ Jesus we need not worry but confidently shine the fact that we are children of our Father God and our Big Brother and fellow worshiper of Elohim is Jesus the Christ.  

1Pe 2:12 ISV Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.