Here I am, send me!

There are many different Bible verses that have recently spoken to my heart
as to what I need to do and how I am to live. There are many people that I
know that are in the midst of battles, there are some that are sick, others
battling depression, family and relationship issues, and for some just
downright sin. Recently a friend of mine overdosed on drugs and was told
that he should of died. He sent me a message, thanking me for praying for
him, because he knew that my prayers to God were what kept him alive. There
was a time when Israel was in the midst of great sin and the Lord was
looking for someone to intercede on behalf of the people. *Ezekiel 22:30 I
searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the
gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but
I found no one [not even one].* I want to be that one. The Lord has asked
many questions throughout the scriptures that deal with a willing heart to
help others and do certain things. Isaiah was asked in *Isaiah 6:8 Then I
heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go
for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”* I want that willingness. And I
think of *James 5:16...The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous
man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective
by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].* I want that passion.
Dear heavenly Father, please help me and all who are willing to boldly
stand in the gap for others, be will to say "Send me", and to be passionate
in prayer for those that need it, in Jesus precious and powerful name, amen..

Douglas 

Trip And Fall. Matthew 26:31-35 NLT

Pride comes before a fall. It's a great warning that should make us stand up and take notice. Whenever I detect pride creeping into my head, I quickly repent and humble myself.

Now, I'm not talking about being proud of your spouse or kids or grandkids, I'm talking about self pride, the kind that starts making us think we did something through our own strength, will or knowledge. When we start thinking more of ourselves than we aught to.

What do we have that hasn't been given to us? Our very life we owe to God.

Next time you start thinking too highly of yourself for some achievement, stop and humble yourself, repent and thank God for His blessing,

Maybe if Peter had, the fall wouldn't have been so hard.

Matthew 26:31-35 NLT

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert Me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts You, I will never desert you.”

34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me.”

35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

Blessings, Cecilia

James 3- Are you a peacemaker or peace-breaker?

The Wisdom from Above
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. 15Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.

Do you have humility and wisdom or are you bitter and have selfish ambition?

Bitterness and selfishness does not come from above, heed this warning; "but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic." It will result in disorder and every evil practice!

Examine the wisdom from above, it's pure, peaceable, gentle and accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Examine the wisdom from below, it's earthly, unspiritual and demonic, full of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, disorder and every evil practice.

Your heart condition will define you. Are you a peacemaker or peace-breaker?

Blessings, David

How Could We Not Love Him Back? Matthew 26:26-30 NLT

So much packed in these few verses. We could discuss whether Judas was still in the room at this point, as some believe. We could debate if this was the actual Passover dinner or the night before, that's discussed among scholars. We could discuss whether or not the wine and the bread are symbolic or actually transform into the body and blood of Christ when we celebrate communion as some believe. We could examine how often we should take communion and the ramifications of it spiritually. 

These are all subjects I thought of or read about the last two days as I studied this passage. One aspect jumped out at me though and that's what I want to share with you. 

This final Passover meal Jesus partook in, this first communion event are one in the same. Where Passover ended, communion began. Our communion with Him is only a sacrifice away, the sacrifice of our own selfish desires for desires of the One who loves us enough to die for us. The One who willingly died in our place. 

There is no mention of the lamb that traditionally accompanied the Passover dinner because Jesus is the Passover lamb. He was sacrificed for OUR sins and the sins of all the world. His blood, spilled out at the cross, now covers our sins. At the first passover, the lambs blood covered the door posts in Egypt so death would passover the homes of the captive Jews and save their first born. Because of His blood, death will "passover" us. With our physical death comes our eternal life. 

His body would soon be tortured beyond recognition, broken as the leavened  bread was, a reminder of the Jews hasty departure from Egypt. He was tortured for our sins, broken in our place. 

His "shame" would happen outside the city walls, just as the carcass of the lamb, discarded for the wolves to ravage. 

Such a picture of sacrifice, such a picture of love. How could we not love Him back? 

Matthew 26:26-30 NLT 

26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is My body.” 

27 And He took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it,  28 for this is My blood, which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.  29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.” 

30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

When I go to heaven!

When I get to heaven, after seeing God in His glory, meeting Jesus, and
really understanding Holy Spirit and His power, there are a few other
people I want to meet and have some questions for. I want to ask Adam was
it worth it? To Noah, How was it on the arc for all that time? To Daniel,
Did you pet the lions? To Paul, What was your struggle? The Bible says that
we all have the same type of struggles. Paul was a mighty man of God and
yet he battled doing and not doing. *Romans 7:15 For I do not understand my
own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I
want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human
nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity].19 For the good that I want to
do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.* Paul
realized how wretched he was compared to Jesus. *Romans 7:24 Wretched and
miserable man that I am! Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this
body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]?* There are so many people
that believe that they are "good people", the only problem is these "good
people" are comparing themselves to other people and not to the Lord Jesus.
The Bible states in *Romans 3:10 As it is written and forever remains
written,“There is none righteous [none that meets God’s standard], not even
one.* We must all be thankful for freedom, freedom from sin and death,
*Romans 7:25 Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our
Lord!...*

Douglas 

James 3- Get the picture?

◄ James 3 ►

Berean Study Bible

Taming the Tongue

1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. 

3When we put bits into the mouths of the horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. 4Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. 

5In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest on fire. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! 11Can both fresh water and bitter water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

My tongue, your tongue, everyone's tongue, yes all tongues have started many fires. These verses bear repeating, study them!

"8but no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing."

Ask yourself WWJD? WWJ say? He would start with; stop gossiping, stop judging and start loving!

When you catch your tongue trying to spark a fire, repent. 

If your tongue started a forest fire, first put it out, then repent. 

If your tongue started a fire equivalent to the fire in Hell, seek God, put out the Hell-fire and repent.

And if your tongue can't stop starting fires, I think Jesus would tell you it would be better for you to cut out your tongue! 

Matthew 5:29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Get the picture?

Blessings, David 

James 2- Only YOU

18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and shudder!

20O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?d 21Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. 23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”e and he was called a friend of God. 24As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.

25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them off on another route? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. 

Are YOU a friend of God or are YOU a body without the Spirit?

Only YOU can answer these questions.

Blessings, David 

Blessings, David 

http://stanfordsancutaryscripturestudies.blogspot.com

Judas. Matthew 26:17-25 NL

Betray-expose to danger by treacherously giving information to an enemy. 

Have you ever been betrayed by someone? I have and it hurts, it leaves scars. Several years after the incident that ended our relationship, I received a letter from her in the mail. As I read her heartfelt apology and asking of forgiveness I realized I had forgiven her, accepted her apology but did not want to restore our relationship. I would not be capable of trusting her again. 

Most of us assume once Satan entered Judas at the last supper, Judas was possessed until his death a short time later. Maybe Satan only possessed Judas  until the betrayal was complete then left him to deal with the consequences.

Maybe Judas did repent. After all, Judas did return the silver. Maybe he asked God to forgive him before he took his own life. Maybe he didn't take his own life because he was possessed but because he was remorseful and couldn't live with  what he had done.

When we arrive in heaven we may be surprised who we meet there, people we would never have expected to see because of what we knew of them on earth. Maybe even Judas will be there. 

Psalm 41-9 NLT 

9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me. 

Matthew 26:17-25 NLT 

The Last Supper 

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare the Passover meal for You?” 

18 “As you go into the city,” He told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with My disciples at your house.’”  19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there. 

20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table  with the twelve disciples.  21 While they were eating, He said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray Me.” 

22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” 

23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with Me will betray me.  24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays Him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” 

25 Judas, the one who would betray Him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” 

And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” 

Blessings, Cecilia 

One died for all!

Full time ministry is not something only done by Pastor's who are on staff
at a church, but something that every believer is in no matter what they
do. What is the purpose of life for the Christian? I believe that it is
simply stated in *Matt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My
words]...*. I think of people of the Bible and consider where it was that
God had them minister. Moses was called to Egypt in the midst of great
trial to set God's people free. Jonah was called to Ninevah, to a people he
hated. Paul was called to prison to help a guard and his family come to
Jesus. No matter where a believer is at, Christian's are called to live in
ministry. Ever since I have been a Christian, God has spoken clearly to me
as to where to go for work and He helped me endure through some challenging
times. Some of the time there were trials, other places there were people
who did not like Jesus or me, and also I was called to what felt like a
prison. One thing that I know for sure, when God took me to it, He also
took me through it. It is not about the hours that a person works at a job
that are most important, but what the believer in Christ invest in all of
those around him. My life verse is simple, *2Cor5:14 For the love of Christ
compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.*

Douglas 

James 2- Will you pass the test?

Faith and Works
(Genesis 15:1-7; Romans 4:1-12; Galatians 3:1-9; Hebrews 11:8-19)
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? 17So too, faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead.

From Enduring Word;
i. “The apostle had just before declared, that they who are unmerciful to men shall find God severe to themselves, and have judgment without mercy: but hypocritical professors boasted of their faith as sufficient to secure them against that judgment, though they neglected the practice of holiness and righteousness.” (Poole)

ii. Can faith save him? “That is, his profession of faith; for it is not said that he has faith, but that he says, I have faith.” (Clarke)

i. “Your pretending to have faith, while you have no works of charity or mercy, is utterly vain: for as faith, which is a principle in the mind, cannot be discerned but by the effects, that is, good works; he who has no good works has, presumptively, no faith.” (Clarke)

God provides for His children. If you see one of His children naked and hungry and don't provide for their immediate needs, are you disobeying God?
Could it be He put you in that moment as the answer to someone's prayer?

I recall our son wanted to buy a homeless man lunch but when he offered it to him he yelled "no". I told my son we will find someone else. As we turned the next corner my wife yelled, stop! There was a women sitting on a curb, wrapped in a blanket beaten to a pulp. She prayed with her, offered assistance and gave her a meal. The shocking part was watching all the people passing her by, it was a modern day "Good Samaritan" story.
I believe when my son saw the homeless man and God put it on his heart to buy him lunch, God intended it for this woman.

Brethren, God may intend "you" be the answer to someone's prayer.
Will you pass the test?

Matthew 25:35-40New Living Translation (NLT)
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[a] you were doing it to me!’

Blessings, David

Did I make a difference for the Kingdom?

There is so much to do and so little time. I have always had too many irons
in the fire and always prioritized by taking care of whatever is screaming
the loudest. Everyone of us has the same 24 hours in a day. For me, my
biggest struggle is prioritizing life and all that goes with it. Work is 60
hours a week, then church and ministry another 10-15, after that, family
and friend time, then I have the to-do list of household chores, car
maintenance, pay the bills and then hopefully some sleep. My mind seems to
speed out of control sometimes, most of the time, lol, trying to figure out
how to get everything done. I look to the words of Paul and they help me to
calm down and focus. *Phil 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and
confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely
and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any
excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on
these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].*
When all is said and done, when I come to the end of my life, what is
really going to matter, what are the questions that I will ask myself? It
is not, should I have worked more, had a nicer house or more stuff. I pray
it will be, "Did I make a difference for the Kingdom? Did other people
truly know that Jesus loves them and that I did too?"

Douglas 

James 2- We ALL have been guilty of breaking ALL!

8If you really keep the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”a you are doing well. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10Whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”b also said, “Do not murder.”c If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Law that gives freedom. 13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.


Favoritism, the Law and mercy. If we are honest to ourselves, we ALL have been guilty of breaking ALL three of these. 


What parent, friend, brother or sister hasn't shown favoritism? Did you have a favorite child, friend, brother or sister? If you did, then you sinned, you convicted transgressor!


If we have stumbled with one of the Law(s) we have broken the whole Law. Have you murdered in your heart? The other day while driving I called someone an idiot. I was in the right lane and almost merged into the left but saw a red truck coming so I stayed in my lane. The red truck rear ended a truck in front of him at a stop light! Yes, I murdered in my heart!


Mercy, mercy, mercy was my grandmother's favorite saying! In fact we have all failed to show mercy at one time or another. Whom have you not forgiven? If you can't forgive, how can God forgive you? Be careful, judgement is upon you!

Blessings, David 


Sin is like fire, because if you wait too long before you attempt to bring it under, the attempt is useless. The time comes when fire gets the upper hand.
E. A. Gillett

Love the ones that have been hurt.

Have you ever seen the love of Jesus NOT be in the church you attend, by a
few or many, by leadership or even just volunteers. Recently, I have heard
of many people leaving one church or another because of the lack of care,
support, encouragement, and the simple love that was needed to help them
with life. The Apostle Paul was concerned about the Church of Corinth, he
knew there were problems and what they were. *2 Cor 12:20 For I am fearful
that somehow or other I may come and find you not as I desire to find you,
and that you may find me too not as you want to find me—that perhaps there
may be factions (quarreling), jealousy, temper (wrath, intrigues, rivalry,
divided loyalties), selfishness, whispering, gossip, arrogance
(self-assertion), and disorder among you.* These problems were not just
isolated to the church of Corinth, I have seen them in today's church as
well. There are many different ways people deal with these issues. Some go
from one church to another, others leave "the Church" altogether, then
there are those that stay in spite of what people have done to them so that
others do not feel the same hurt as they have received. I may not be able
to stop the sins of others, but one thing I try to do is love the ones that
have been hurt, because I know what it is like to be "hurt" by "the
church". Brethren, Jesus loves you and I do too.

Douglas 

James 2- Oh there you go, judging people again!

James 2
Berean Study Bible
A Warning against Favoritism
1My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man “You must stand,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble Name by which you have been called?

God has made both rich and poor equal in faith. He shows no favoritism and you shouldn't either.
Remember the saying, WWJD? What would Jesus do?
When you see someone struggling, ask yourself; WWJD?
When you see a homeless person, buy them a meal and pray for them.
Our Father God loves all His children, don't dishonor Him by disrespecting the poor. Don't judge their poorness, their choices, their condition, their looks.

I recall someone at church commenting that someone looked weird. My reply was; it's a good thing that God judges us by our heart and not by our looks (outward appearance).
They repented immediately by saying; Oh (name) there you go, judging people again!

May we not judge someone by their circumstances, rich or poor. And if we do, may we repent immediately!

Blessings, David

You are one day closer to heaven or hell.

Heaven or hell is a choice that every person makes on their own. For the
Christian, there is no middle ground, no other choices. This is the reason
many Christian's are so determined to share the good news of Jesus Christ
to everyone they come into contact with. To have even a small understanding
of what hell is all about should keep the believer sharing the Gospel even
with their worst enemies. It is made clear that there is only one way to
heaven, *John14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the
[real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through
Me.* Lifestyles today can reflect your eternal destiny. Where is you heart,
is it fixed on things of heaven or on things of the world? The shows you
watch, the music you listen to, the words you say, do they glorify God or
bring Him shame? If a person doesn't want anything to do with God here on
earth, why would they want anything to do with Him after death? Everyday we
are all one day closer to death, also, one day closer to heaven or hell,
where do you want to go? There is a sobering thought for the world to deal
with,*Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to
die once and after this [comes certain] judgment*.

Douglas 

Listen and Trust. Matthew 26:1-5

I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus told them He was about to be crucified. Had they learned to trust Jesus yet? Did they really listen to Him? Or did they quickly push it out of their minds.

Meanwhile, all the men with religious authority are secretly meeting and plotting to destroy Jesus. Their dislike for Him had deep roots.

"They didn’t want to put Jesus to death during Passover, but that is exactly how it happened. This is another subtle indication that Jesus was in control of events, as they in fact killed Him on the very day that they didn’t want to." David Guzik

Psalm 31:13 NKJV

For I am the slander of many; fear is on every side; while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life.

Matthew 26:1-5

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill Him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Have you learned to trust Jesus yet? Do you listen to Him? I know I need to brush up my faith in this area, what about you?

Blessings, Cecilia

James 1- Is your religion worthless?

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Did you get this point? "he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless".
Brethren, there are many Christians out there who give Christians a bad name! The world says of them, hypocrites! They harden the heart of some who say; if that's what it means to be a Christian then I don't want to be one.

My parents had six children and when they were gone, two of my sisters had worked behind the scenes and had taken his estate. It divided our family. I decided to leave it in Gods hands. One of my brothers commented in regards to our two sisters; "if that's what it means to be a Christian then I never want to be one"! One sister claims to be born again, another Catholic. Are "their" religions defiled and polluted by the world?
They couldn't grasp the meaning of my statement concerning myself; as a born again Christian living for the hereafter, I couldn't have done what you did.
Greed is a tool of the devil, many will perish from greed.
My brother was deeply hurt by them, he comments; I cant forgive them, the American Indian in me wants to scalp them and burry them in an ant hill.
I continually pray that God will open my sisters eyes, bring them to repentance and bless and protect them.
Please pray for my brothers and sisters.

Is your religion undefiled or polluted by the world?

Blessings, David

James 1- Become a doer of the word.

22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

iv. “I fear we have many such in all congregations; admiring hearers, affectionate hearers, attached hearers, but all the while unblest hearers, because they are not doers of the word.” (Spurgeon)

v. “The doctrines of God, faithfully preached, are such a mirror; he who hears cannot help discovering his own character, and being affected with his own deformity; he sorrows, and purposes amendment; but when the preaching is over, the mirror is removed . . . he soon forgets what manner of man he was . . . he reasons himself out of the necessity of repentance and amendment of life, and thus deceives his soul.” (Clarke)

Are you a good Christian on Sunday but Monday through Saturday you returned to yourself, selfish with evil desires? The world watches you even when you think no one is looking. They see, and call you a hypocrite for your belief on Sunday but lost the rest of the week. Polish the mirror and look into it daily. Don't be a forgetful hearer of the word, read and study it before your day begins putting on your armor. If you can't read the word, listen to it while driving to work.
Don't deceive your soul. Stop being a hypocrite! Become a doer of the word.

Blessings, David

James 1- Slow to anger! 💥

Hearing and Doing

19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly receive the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

I use to have a quick temper but after becoming "born again" with the help of the Holy Spirit I have become more reserved, slow to speak and more of a defuser. 

I recall one incident when our neighbor came over upset because I located our property line through the woods with a GPS and spray painted orange dots on the trees to mark the line as I walked. He acted like a bully and tried to light a fuse. I talked calmly and tried to defuse him, but he wouldn't have none of it. He left as he came, angry and upset. Afterwards my wife said she was surprised by how calm and reserved I stayed. We prayed for him.

How about you? 

Do you drive like a Christian or a person of the world? It's easy to change your driving habits, do what my wife did. Put Christian stickers on your car! They will help change your driving habits quickly! If not people will say, look at that hypocrite!

Blessings, David 

The Least Of These. Matthew 25:34-46 NLT

"I never murdered anyone." How many times have we heard that line as a basis of why we should be allowed into Heaven. If that was all it took, Satan should have never been kicked out of Heaven, his sin was pride, not murder. 

Although the judgement Jesus talks about in the following verses discusses what was done for "the least of these", it's not by our works that we gain access to Heaven either. 

Maybe it's why we do what we do for "the least of these". Do we do it for the applause of men or do we do it because we love God and want to please Him. Do we do it to gain access to Heaven or do we do it because Jesus tells us to.

Next time you run into "the least of these", examine your first reaction. Do you cross the street to avoid, not make eye contact, pass judgement or do you serve them from your heart? I pray it's the latter. 

Matthew 25:34-46 NLT

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? 39 When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’

40 "And the King will say,  ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.  42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed Me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give Me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite Me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give Me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit Me.’

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help You?’

45 “And He will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help Me.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Blessings, Cecilia

Knock, knock. Who's there?

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

From Enduring Word

i. According to Hiebert, the ancient Greek is actually “the Father of the lights.” The specific lights are the celestial bodies that light up the sky, both day and night. The sun and stars never stop giving light, even when we can’t see them. Even so, there is never a shadow with God. When night comes, the darkness isn’t the fault of the sun; it shines as brightly as before. Instead, the earth has turned from the sun and darkness comes. (Guzik)

ii. “Now mostly, men who are generous need to have their generosity excited. They will need to be waited upon; appeals must be laid before them; they must sometimes be pressed; an example must lead them on. But ‘of his own will’ God did to us all that has been done, without any incentive or prompting, moved only by himself, because he delighteth in mercy; because his name and his nature are love because evermore, like the sun, it is natural to him to distribute the beams of his eternal grace.” (Spurgeon)

"James understood that the gift of salvation was given by God, and not earned by the work or obedience of man. It is of His own will that He brought us forth for salvation." (Guzik)

The quote of Spurgeon reminds me of the true stories of president Trump. He didn't talk about them, in fact some of the people that witnessed his generosity came forward and told their stories. In general they go like this. He would read or see a news story about someone in need, physical, medical, accident or in the line of duty. It would touch his heart. He would send an assistant to the person and say that Mr Trump would like to help you but there is a requirement. You have to keep it secret. Out of his generosity he would set that person up for "life".
What excited his generosity? I believe it was God.

I believe God excites all generosity, we just have to be still so we can hear Him.

Are you listening? Knock, knock. Who's there?

Blessings, David

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation!

I have heard it said, you can fall on the Rock and be broken or the Rock
will fall on you and you will be crushed. There are many events that happen
in our lives everyday that have the ability to break us. Some of these
events are designed by the enemy to break us down and destroy us, while
these same events are from God to break us down to surrender to His will,
plan and purpose for our lives, and then build us up. Many people are going
through difficult times, some due to the loss of someone they love, whether
by death or divorce. Some are experiencing sickness, financial problems,
mental anguish, and the list goes on. The human response is to carry these
burdens on our own or maybe offer sacrifices and try to bribe God to help.
The sacrifice that God wants is a broken and contrite heart. This comes
through a process of simply asking God, as found in *Psalms 51:12 Restore
to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 17 My
[only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and
contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O
God, You will not despise.* It is difficult at times to understand what is
going on all around us. The believer understands that God is working, the
unbeliever thinks things just happen, and to those who have walked away
from God angry, they are unsure of anything. The one thing for everyone to
know and understand, God still loves you. May all of God's people, have a
willing spirit and a broken and contrite heart before God. In Jesus name,
amen.

Douglas 

Are You A Sheep Or A Goat? Matthew 25:31-33 NLT

Have you seen the movie "The Shack"? There is a powerful scene on judgement when the main character Mackenzie sits on the judgement throne. It is revealed to him how he acted as judge, jury and executioner to his father and was doing the same with the man who murdered his daughter. Mackenzie was told, since he believed his sense of justice was correct, to judge his own children for their wrongdoing and execute punishment on them. Of course he couldn't do it. 

The only one who truly has the right to judge is Jesus. He sees the seed that is planted, He sees the roots grow. He sees the pain and turmoil that causes bitterness to take hold and He sees our opinions form. He sees judgment and condemnation bloom and He is the only one who can take all that pain away. 

What have you done in your past that you are not proud of? Are your sins any less then the person ahead of you in the check out line or the guy who passes you on the highway? Sin is sin and I don't believe God separates us based on sin, I believe He separates us based on forgiven or unforgiving. . 

Matthew 25:31-33 NLT

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left.

Blessings, Cecilia

James 1- Stop watering the sin-seed! 🔥

Good and Perfect Gifts
13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

Following excerpts from Enduring Word

Satan tempts: God tries. But the same trial may be both a temptation and a trial; and it may be a trial from God’s side, and a temptation from Satan’s side, just as Job suffered from Satan, and it was a temptation; but he also suffered from God through Satan, and so it was a trial to him.” (Spurgeon)

i. “James represents men’s lust as a harlot, which entices their understanding and will into its impure embraces, and from that conjunction conceives sin. Sin, being brought forth, immediately acts, and is nourished by frequent repetition, until at length it gains such strength that in its turn it begets death. This is the true genealogy of sin and death.” (Clarke)

d. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren: Satan’s great strategy in temptation is to convince us that the pursuit of our corrupt desires will somehow produce life and goodness for us. If we remember that Satan only comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10), then we can more effectively resist the deceptions of temptation. (Guzik)

What are you being tempted with today? We need a better strategy against Satan, his strategy is to steal, kill and destroy. Our "sin strategy" is embrace, nourish and death.
Let's use a new sin-less strategy of pray, reject and life!
The sin-seed starts in your mind, stop watering the sin-seed with fire water from hell!
Put it out with holy water! 😇

Blessings, David

America's Got Talent - Matthew 25:14-30 NLT

Our son Jesus is a very talented young man. He can listen to a song on the radio, pick up a guitar and play it. He can look at a picture and recreate it in pencil. Like most mothers do, I saved all of his artwork and still have some of it on display in my home. He has a great sense of humor and can be quite charismatic at times.

Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, Jesus is doing nothing with the talent God gave him. He's not using his musical talent to worship God, he's not using his artistic ability to "draw" people to Jesus, he's not using his charisma to share the gospel. He is wasting his God given talent.

Are you serving God with the talent He gave you?

Please pray for our prodigal son Jesus.

Matthew 25:14-30 NLT

Parable of the Three Servants

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “!After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Blessings, Cecilia

James 1- Trials

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

Trials, I always think of Job. When he lost it all, he shaved his head, put on sackcloth, bowed down and said; Job 1:21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

No mater what trial(s) you are experiencing, remember that Jesus is with you, He loves you and cares for you. Let Job be an example to us, praise His name!
"he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him".

Blessings, David

A lie is like a snowball; the further you roll it the bigger it becomes.
Martin Luther

I will hope in Him!

In a moment of time all of your life can change. Recently, Brandon, the son
of a friend of mine, was in a car accident and has sustained major neck
injuries. Another friend Gus, has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the
battle of his life. When we hear the words paralyzed, cancer, or whatever
other words shake your world, how do you deal with it? I look to the Book
of Job and see that his response to suffering was not joyous, but mournful
and yet worshipful at the same time. Job lost his oxen, donkeys, servants,
sheep, camels, even his children, and then his health. Job's response was
simple, *Job 1:20 Then Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head [in
mourning for the children], and he fell to the ground and worshiped [God].
21 He said,“Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my
mother’s womb, And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord
has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”* There are many things
that people face everyday that can seem overwhelming, stressful, and make
it challenging to make it through the day. My beloved brethren, I want you
to know that you are not alone in your battle. Whatever you are going
through, know that Jesus loves you and I love you too. My heart, and I pray
the same for all that read these words, *Job 13:15 “Even though He kills
me; I will hope in Him...* Maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Douglas 

Joy..... Down In My Heart. Matthew 25:1-13 NLT

The definition of joy states it is to be exceptionally satisfied. A synonym for joy is rapture. I love that. Joy is a feeling of peace in your heart that remains with you even in the face of adversity. How do we get that feeling of joy, that feeling of peace? By being assured of our destiny.

That feeling of joy and peace comes when, having repented, we know with all certainty that God loves us and forgives all the stupid stuff we have done in our past. We keep that joy alive by continuing to keep short accounts with Him, asking forgiveness when we fail, making amends when possible and staying diligent in serving Him.

Do you have joy? Do you have peace? Find it in a relationship with Jesus and you won't be left behind in the rapture!  (A little play on words there.....)

Matthew 25:1-13 NLT

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,  4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.  5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.  8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.  11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of My return.

Blessings, Cecilia

James 1- Like a flower 🌺

9The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

As the poor brother forgets all his earthly poverty, so the rich brother forgets all his earthly riches. By faith in Christ the two are equals.” (Hiebert, citing Lenski)

I recall seeing a license plate to a car at our church, it read "2rich4u"
Maybe he was a new Christian, immature in faith?
These verses remind us every brother and sister in Christ, rich or poor has equal footing before God and like a beautiful flower we too will wither and die.
If you have been blessed with riches, thank God and use your wealth to help the widows, orphans and the poor.

The Rich Man and Lazarus
(John 5:39-47)
19Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. 20And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
24So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
25But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are left to suffer. 26And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

If you are poor, pour your heart out to God.
Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Remember the bumper sticker?
He who dies with the most toys wins!
Wrong!
Live within your means, stay out of debt, be humble, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and don't chase after things of this world.
Like a flower we have limited time on this earth, use it to bring others to Jesus.

Jesus loves you!

Blessings, David

Be more like Jesus!

Hypocrite, simply, "Do as I say, Not as I do". This word is not a word that
I yell from the roof top to other people, but one that I whisper to myself
as I go through the struggles of my own life. Some of the struggles that I
face are ones that I have battled with since my early childhood. I think
about the words of the Apostle Paul and wonder what he battled with when he
said in *Romans 7:15 For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled
and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am
doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my
worldliness—my sinful capacity].* I feel some days like such a failure. I
strive to follow the instructions of the Lord Jesus in *Matt 7:3 Why do you
look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not
notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? 4 Or
how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’
when there is a log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite (play-actor,
pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.* As we go through life
it is so easy to see what other people do that may be offensive to God, and
yet, until we do all that we can to make our own lives right before God,
who are we to say anything? What some one else does is between them and
God. How we respond to what they do is between us and God. My Goals in life
are simple. #1 Be more like Jesus. #2 See #1.

Douglas 

James 1- Just ask God!

5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Solomon asks for wisdom.

1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

How many of us have known someone with a Ph.D. or a Masters degree who had no common sense? They couldn't manage money, filed for bankruptcy, lived in squalor, going from one disaster in life to another.

These verses teach us if we come to God in faith and ask for wisdom He gives generously, but there's a caveat. Ask in faith without doubting and if it's His will He will give it. There are some "don't be's" also, don't be blown and tossed by the wind, don't be double minded and don't be unstable in your ways.

When you make ANY decisions in your life ask God for wisdom! Buying a house? Ask! Moving? Ask! Changing jobs? Ask!
Just ask God for wisdom!

Blessings, David

James 1- Trials of Pure Joy.

James 1
Berean Study Bible
Greetings from James
(Jude 1:1-2)
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Rejoicing in Trials
(Philippians 1:12-20)
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

When we we growing up, how did we learn to do something? Walking, riding a bike, sports, driving ect....
We learned with lots of practice. At first we failed but with perseverance we finally mastered the task at hand. Were you joyful when you mastered the task?
It's the same with testing of our faith, we start out as immature Christians but through trials God perfects us into who He wants us to be so He can use us for His purpose.

Have you ever studied the Book of Job? Have you considered the reason God allowed Job to be touched by the devil? Was it because God was bragging about His servant? NO! We may not know the real reason until we meet Him face to face but I believe God allowed it so Job could be a lesson for us, for the generations to follow! Job persevered through the trials and he refused to curse God. After the trials God blessed  and restored him.

So in your trials, consider it pure joy, "3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Blessings, David

Bringing glory to God!

There is a group of us from the church I attend that go on missions trips
to Mexico and build houses for poor families. We camp out and work side by
side, we eat together, we fellowship for 3 days without distractions from
the world. We really get to know one another in a special and intimate way.
We are all focused on one purpose, to bring glory to God. We truly feel
God's presence with us. I believe that Heaven will be a lot like that camp
out. *Rev 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And
I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is
with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God
Himself will be with them and be their God.* With the use of social media,
we are able to get to know brothers and sisters in other states and even
countries that have the same love for Jesus as we do. Egypt, South Africa,
Philippines, and so many more places. All a little different, yet all
having a common purpose, to bring glory to God. There is also have a common
love, a love for Jesus, with an expectant hope for the "New Jerusalem". For
those that I have not met in person, looking forward to meeting you soon. Jesus
loves you and I love you too.

Douglas 

Jesus is Coming, Look Busy. Matthew 24:45-51 NLT

The other day I came across a bumper sticker a friend gave me many years ago. It says "Jesus is Coming, Look Busy". When I first received it I laughed and laughed. Now I'm not sure placing it on my car would send the right message.

We shouldn't pretend to go about the Lords business, we should actually do the Lords business. We shouldn't do the Lords business because He's watching, we should do the Lord's business as though He entrusted us to do it and will check back on us later.

Every Christian is given a task to do for God. If you're not sure what you should do for Him, ask Him and then quiet yourself so you can hear the answer. If you know what the Lord is asking you to do and you're not doing it, that's a sin. If God leads you to it, He will lead you through it.

"The most dangerous lie is not “There is no God,” not “there is no hell”; but the most dangerous lie of Satan is “there is no hurry.” It is no small thing to say “Jesus is not coming today or for several years,” because your system of prophecy demands it. We need to be ready for the imminent return of Jesus Christ. " David Guzik

Matthew 24:45-51 NLT

45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.  46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.  47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.  48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’  49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?  50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected,  51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "

Blessings, Cecilia

Hebrews 13- Are you doing His will?

Benediction and Farewell

20Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

22I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written you briefly. 

23Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 

24Greet all your leaders and all the saints.

Those from Italy send you greetings. 

25Grace be with all of you.

Pray for me as I pray for you! A simple request from the writer of Hebrews.

Exhortation; urging someone to do something. How many times have we urged our children to do the right thing only to have them do the opposite? 

Are you praying for your leaders?

"the great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with every good thing to do His will."

Are you doing His will? 

When you see someone suffering do you stop to help them? Do you pray for them? 

If you feel God tugging on your heart, don't ignore His will!

Yesterday a couple from church, friends, lovers of Jesus asked us to go boating with them. We drove to a lake, launched the boat, traveled through a series of lakes and rivers which included a "boat locks" due to different heights in water levels. On one of the lakes we stopped at a boat landing to use the facilities. A couple was launching a boat by backing the trailer in the water along the dock. The man was struggling in the boat so we helped him by grabbing the boat and pulling it away from the trailer out into the water. 

He was struggling and God put it on our hearts to help him. 

Brethren, people are watching you and your actions, how will they know you are His?

Blessings, David 

Rapture. Matthew 24:37-44 NLT

What's your favorite cereal? I use to love Raisin Bran or Mini Shredded Wheat (not the frosted ones). I'm not a big cereal eater these days but occasionally I'll have Cheerios or Chex (gluten free because of David's diet). We had a pastor who use to say he was so "pre-trib", he wouldn't eat Post Toasties. 

In the following verses, Jesus is referring to the beginning of the end of this world as we know it. The rapture, the harvest of the saints, the pre tribulation rescue, however you want to phrase it. 

Yes, I'm one of those nuts that believes in the rapture. Why? Because the Bible tells me so, not just here but over and over and over. 

Matthew 24:37-44 NLT 

37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes." 

40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.  41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left." 

42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.  43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.  44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. " 

Just a few verses earlier in Matthew 24:31 NLT "And He will send out His angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather His chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven." 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NLT "51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. " 

And 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 NLT "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever." 

Are just a few. 

Blessings, Cecilia